Review: The Giants’ Dance by J.W. Webb

J.W. Webb invites readers back to the magical world of Ansu in The Giants’ Dance, the savagely good second installment of the Berserker Trilogy. Carrying on from the cliff-hanging conclusion of Book 1, this novel finds the heroes scattered but resilient, determined to face the mounting evil together, in this classic action-packed fantasy.

Jaren and Finvar make for an unlikely but entertaining team, as usual, as they journey to rescue Savarna in chivalric fashion. With the mythical axe Griner firmly in hand, Jaren heroically leads the pair against demons, stone giants, ghosts, and all other manner of ice realm obstacles to reunite with the woman he loves.

Sheega the ice witch is gathering aid from the Faerie realm for the great battle to come, against Tyho and the old gods, as well as their new champions. She is a deliciously evil villain, with a sadistic temper and a dark love for scheming. Her ultimate quest is for revenge against the gods who cast her out and the humans who have spread like a plague through the world. Such a premise for the novel lays the foundation for monumental battles between good and evil, but Webb also plays with moral boundaries, misunderstood villains, and unexpected twists in loyalty and love.

The relationship between Jaren and Savarna is expanded well, as both of these deeply developed characters are strong enough to stand on their own, but their connection raises the stakes. Savarna’s whip-smart tongue is sharpened and her fierce independence is tested in this installment, as she takes on a larger role in the action. The secondary plots, primarily Vian and Empress Rasnei, are peripheral but important, demonstrating strong draftsmanship, and a clear vision for the long-form saga Webb has embarked upon.

Written with the lavish and addictive language of high-fantasy literature, it’s impossible not to immerse fully in this vividly depicted world. The complexity of different races and their fictional history give depth to the tangled plot, while ancient alliances and creative rules of magic make this battle-laden story feel undeniably epic. Unlike many fantasy novels, the author avoids convenient exposition dumps, and instead authentically weaves backstory into conversations and plot development, steadily pulling readers in to this fictional web. Some of the internal monologuing does become uninvolving, as is the author’s habit of telling rather than showing, but these stumbles are the exception, not the rule.

As was the case in the first book, a final superficial edit is warranted, as there are numerous sentences that fall flat, descriptions that are far too common, inconsistencies in accent/dialect, and basic typos that could be easily fixed. The use of real-world profanity is always a bit jarring, and these instances often feel disconnected from the flow of language and energy in a scene. The prose would benefit from more linguistic flexibility and visceral imagery, rather than procedural, purely informational passages. On the other hand, the author must be commended on his bursts of creativity—“crow-raw laughter”, “shaggy spillage of hair”, “craggy frame of mountains”, among so many others.

As a whole, The Giants’ Dance is an elaborate and endlessly entertaining fantasy adventure.