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Dance Of The Goblins (The Goblin #1)

by Jaq D. Hawkins (Goodreads Author)

3.35 of 5 stars 3.35 · rating details · 48 ratings · 21 reviews

At the centre of goblin society is The Dance, the spiritual exaltation of life itself which is central to the goblins' existence. In the human world above, life is austere and goblins only a myth. When Count Anton is drawn into the rhythm of The Dance, a clash between two worlds is about to begin...

Haghuf, respected elder among the unseen goblins, has only scorn for humans...more

Paperback, 2nd Edition re-issue, 285 pages

Published January 15th 2012 by Paganarchy Press (first published May 2005)

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Mar 01, 2013 Coaxial Creature rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who think rape is okay, people who like being preached at non-stop

I wasn't even going to bring up the fact that I've been told that I won't 'get' this book since I read Wolverine, Buffy, and romance, and I haven't read a single fantasy book. This is ignoring the fact that I've read Game of Thrones, am in the middle of the last of the Sandman Slim series,the first two books in the Iron Fey series (with the rest and the Lost Prince on the backburner at the moment for various reasons), two in the Grimm Curse series, and ignoring the heavy aspects of fantasy in Bu...more

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May 12, 2012 M.L. Woolley rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a fantasy unlike anything I have read. The story is drawn out with skill and and told in the manner of a master storyteller. The characters, environment and storyline drew me into the story and I could see it all in my mind's eye. This is an "edge of your seat" fantasy and kept the pages turning all the way to the end. I am looking forward to the next book! I love to read and it's a treat to find new books that are put together so well.

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Jul 18, 2012 Cheryl Landmark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a delightful, refreshing change from the usual fantasies about vampires, werewolves and fairies! Ms. Hawkins has written a very enjoyable story about goblins and the humans who are left to cope with life after the cataclysmic Turning. The descriptions of the Dance itself were very vivid and compelling.

Count Anton, one of the humans, and Haghuf, one of the goblins, were well-developed and likeable characters, who overcame their differences and historical prejudices to become trusted, loyal f...more

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May 22, 2012 Michelle ☕Ndayeni☕ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Michelle ☕Ndayeni☕ by: Jaq D. Hawkins

Shelves: fantasy, magic, read-in-2012, shapeshifters, challenges-2012

An intriguing story that pulls you into its world from the beginning and keeps you somewhat bemused while reading. From the start, it's clear that the author's sympathies are with the goblins, and, as we soon find out, for good reason. Set in what is apparently some sort of post-modern world, human society has regressed into something resembling the middle ages, with the majority of humans having become ignorant and superstitious, falling back onto extreme religious beliefs and bigoted and sexis...more An intriguing story that pulls you into its world from the beginning and keeps you somewhat bemused while reading. From the start, it's clear that the author's sympathies are with the goblins, and, as we soon find out, for good reason. Set in what is apparently some sort of post-modern world, human society has regressed into something resembling the middle ages, with the majority of humans having become ignorant and superstitious, falling back onto extreme religious beliefs and bigoted and sexist practices that most of modern society has left behind, with only small groups of humans having retained more egalitarian and intellectual views. Throughout her tale, Ms. Hawkins shines a harsh light on the mindless superstitions and fanatical behavior that the commoners are prone to, and demonstrates how they can create and perpetrate greater evils than the things which they would name evil and seek to destroy.

The various characters in the story are introduced and portrayed in a very natural sort of way that makes you feel as though you know them, while in reality you are told very little about each of them at first. Gradually, as the tale unfolds, you discover additional facts about them, most of which are presented in a very casual or even offhand manner such that at times it takes a moment or two to realize that you've just learned something important about that person. There are no infodumps here, simply gradual and sparing character and world development that makes it seem as though you truly are learning about who these people are and what their worlds are like simply by observing them and making note of little details that you pick up on from time to time. I for one found it to be quite a fascinating approach, and it kept me curious to see what would be revealed next.

Those looking for action might be somewhat disappointed with this book, for the pace is mostly fairly slow and unhurried. There are times when the characters are called upon to take swift and decisive action, and there are scenes of high drama within the story, but mostly it's a slow journey rather than a race to the finish. Such is both one of the story's strengths, and one of its weaknesses I think, for while the laidback pace is one thing that makes this book rather fascinating, there are times when things seem to plod along just a bit too much and I found myself wishing they would get on with it, or get to the point, or whatever already instead of just sitting and pondering or debating what should be done, or getting lost in explanation or backstories that didn't necessarily need to be told then.

The main weakness I found with this book was the ending. After the main climactic event of the storyline, things seemed to drag on a bit too long in my opinion. True, there were several things that needed to be resolved, or at least explained a bit more, after that event, but some of them could have been summed up faster I think. And the ending, when it did come was a bit abrupt seeming, for there wasn't any real sense of the narrative winding down to a stopping point. I gather that there is or will be a sequel to this book, and that explains the rather open-endedness of it, but a little more sense of wind-down and of coming-to-a-stop-for-now would have been good I think.

My disappointment with the ending aside, however, I really liked this book, and would certainly recommend it to anyone who likes traditional type fantasy, as there are creatures and magic enough to please. There are even a few light threads of romance woven into the story, one of which is fairly relevant to the main story even if it is mostly a sidenote to it. An overall enjoyable read so long as you're willing to sit back and let it tell its story in its own time.(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excellent read with a deceptively gentle narrative tone, Dance of the Goblins has running through it's core (at least for me) an attractive Pagan/spiritual ethos. The message here seems to be Ezra Pound's 'learn of the green world what can be thy place', steer away from the folly of vanity and possessive attitudes, and work with nature - making sure you have plenty of fun in the process. Fun, and pleasure, in the goblins' world is had by play and attuning oneself to the rhythms of the planet,...more

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Dec 15, 2009 Issendai rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I'm still reading, so this is more of a review-in-process than an actual review, but... Dance of the Goblins is a poor read so far. It's written in a dry, wordy style with nil description, and is "told" rather than "shown" so aggressively that by the time an event takes place on the page, it's already been so hashed out, dissected, and predicted that it's stale. Characterization is one-dimensional, although it's clear from the author's commentary that there was a great deal more characterization...more

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May 02, 2013 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Goblins don't trust man because of the way humans treat the planet.
For ages goblins and men have co-existed without interfering with the other.
The only human who knows of Krapreeg and has been within it's caves is Count Anton, who is a magician. That is because of the friendship between Anton and the goblin Haghuf.
One night a man finds his way in the Krapreeg caves. Unfortunately one of the goblins is seen by a group of humans looking for the man who inadvertently entered the caves.
Haghuf turns...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: worthwhile-fantasy, post-apocalyptic, awesome-books

After reading too many cookie-cutter fantasy novels among recent releases, it was refreshing to delve into an imaginative world where the author has taken the trouble to create creatures with different customs and perspectives than the humans they fight. Hawkins doesn't so much deviate from the usual fantasy perspective of goblins as explain the reasons that goblins act aggressively towards humans. The old good vs evil paradigm is challenged as differing perspectives and the humans are shown ver...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Christopher Kellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, indie

Dance of the Goblins is a delightful, charming story set in a world which is simultaneously familiar and alien. It is an exploration of the society of the goblins, who live beneath the surface of the world in harmony, while humans live above. The core of the story is about Anton, a human; Haghuf, a goblin elder; and Talla, a young goblin woman who ends up trapped in the world above when the humans unwittingly discover an entrance to the goblins’ realm.

This story is not adventure fantasy. It read...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Diane Rapp rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I started this book I thought it was another quest fantasy with elves, goblins, wizards, and fair damsels. Wrong assumption. This complex sci-fi/fantasy follows the survivors on Earth after a cataclysmic event called the "Turning," which cleanses the world. According to Goblin lore turnings happened many times during the history of the planet.

The "Turning" is a real event documented by geologists. Last year I saw a series called "How the Earth Was Made" and one episode investigated signs th...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Eshaum rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes you'll find a book that expresses a concept. Sometimes a history, a mythology or the spirit of an age. Sometimes, like with Dance of the Goblins, you'll find a book that expresses the Dance itself.

Jaq D. Hawkins has woven a rich tapestry pulling deep from the ancestry of her homeland. Mythology, legend and philosophy pool together, coalesce, with her artful wit to create a story that not only transports the reader to a different frame of time (the future? the past? your guess is as g...more

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May 16, 2012 Nic rated it 3 of 5 stars

The goblin race has been known to only a few and survived in secrecy. An accident of timing soon changes the world forever, brining the goblins and the humans on the brink of war. Of course that doesn't change the fact that Haghuf and Talla will try at everything to save their race's identity. With the help of their fellow human magician, Count Anton, they are brought to the surface of the Earth and are thrown into numerous conflicts they cannot keep at bay!

Oh this wonderful fantasy novel, I do...more The goblin race has been known to only a few and survived in secrecy. An accident of timing soon changes the world forever, brining the goblins and the humans on the brink of war. Of course that doesn't change the fact that Haghuf and Talla will try at everything to save their race's identity. With the help of their fellow human magician, Count Anton, they are brought to the surface of the Earth and are thrown into numerous conflicts they cannot keep at bay!

Oh this wonderful fantasy novel, I do have many mixed opinions and feelings towards it. Of course I have to hand it to the author. The world that she has created was breathtaking. It was clearly thought of for a long time and the history behind it was splendid. It's really nice to get a novel, especially a fantasy novel, which will tell you it's race's history throughout your reading. The goblins themselves were very amusing and I'm really sad we didn't see much of them. By that I mean different goblin characters. I did enjoy their abilities that help them survive, or however you want to explain it.

Mrs. Hawkins did a wonderful job with her characters. Well let's put Tala to the side for now, Haghuf and Anton's relationship was very relatable. They made me think of best friends actually. Both of them knew each other quite well and they always seem to have a hint of inside jokes or some kind of teasing at their disposal. Talla for some reason didn't stand out too me as much as the other 2 characters. For one, she made me think of a helpless princess most of the time, and she didn't possess the wisdom or knowledge that Haghuf and Anton had. The fantasy magic wasn't too much explained and it wasn't fairy-tale like, also the loose ends urged me on to read the next book. My biggest pride in this novel is how they related the "human world" so well. They described the humans as ignorant creatures who seek comfort in materialism because they have forgotten they were creatures of magic. I'll post the full quote at the end of the review but I found it quite exact to a degree.

As for my disappointments, this novel seemed like a big documentary. Yes I did enjoy the history of the goblins, but it just became overly complicated for myself. The action was never present in my mind. The first few hundred pages lacked the engaging paragraphs that a good fantasy novel needs. I had a hard time passing that great brick wall of boredom and of course once the so called "action" arrived, I just couldn't feel it. (I'll be very contradictory in this review, so I apolagize for that.) As far as the romance goes, I thought that the author tried to put it in there but might have failed miserably. The goblins society has a mindset of surviving, and as for "couples" it's mostly only business!

My favorite quote: ‘Because I never want to forget that I am alive,’ answered Haghuf. ‘That is what makes us different from them. They sink into the decline of routine for the sake of a safe and comfortable life, yet it is one without adventure, without that spark which makes us what we are. They seek comfort in materialism because they have forgotten what they were meant to be, creatures of magic, who perpetuate the chaos as we do. Now they are nothing. Parasites! They destroy all on the earth without thought for any species but their own because they have sunk into the depression that should have led to their extinction centuries ago, and they refuse to die because they have too much intelligence to allow it to happen. They invent ways of continuance, and entertainments to give it some meaning, yet waste their potential in everlasting toil and the pursuit of an illusory dream of leisure which they deny themselves for the very sake of working towards its possibility. They haven’t worked it out yet, but they

Available on Amazon
Author's site: jaqdhawkins.co uk
Author's Blog: http://indiewritenet.com/jaqdhawkins/

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Feb 26, 2012 John Ford rated it 3 of 5 stars

Goblins, magicians and shapeshifters. Inter-species love affairs and prophecies. Misunderstandings, bigotry, war, and the threat of extinction. Sounds like like the perfect fantasy novel! However, in this story, the goblins are the good guys, trying to simultaneously avert war with – while still protect their homes from – the bloodthirsty humans. In this, Haghuff, a wise-goblin and pseudo-leader within the leaderless goblin society, must rely on his longtime human friend, Count Anton. But will t...more Goblins, magicians and shapeshifters. Inter-species love affairs and prophecies. Misunderstandings, bigotry, war, and the threat of extinction. Sounds like like the perfect fantasy novel! However, in this story, the goblins are the good guys, trying to simultaneously avert war with – while still protect their homes from – the bloodthirsty humans. In this, Haghuff, a wise-goblin and pseudo-leader within the leaderless goblin society, must rely on his longtime human friend, Count Anton. But will the Count be able to sway his people from their folly? Or will the folly lead to the destruction of human and goblin alike?

Well, to find the answer to that you’ll have to read the book.

Dance of the Goblins by Jaq D. Hawkins is a fun way to spend the weekend. Though the beginning is a bit slow – as is often the case with in the fantasy genre, particularly if the story is the first in a series – it quickly falls into a good rhythm. The world-building is accomplished mostly through exposition, and characters are compelling. In particular, the story of the Talla, a curious female goblin, is quite intriguing. I hope this character in particular is developed further in future stories. The action sequences are also well done and drive the story’s mid-section quite effectively. As for The Dance itself, it feels authentic, almost becoming a character in its own right.

As for the book's shortcomings, the story does drag in places, particularly in the exposition sections. Ms. Hawkins often chooses to ‘tell’ rather than ‘show,’ and the pace suffers for it. But the most jarring weakness was not one of execution, but of story. The tale of how Count Anton and his like came to wield the power and status they posses simply did not ring true to me, so much so that it snapped the suspension of disbelief necessary to drive a fantasy story. Though this particular section was not instrumental to the main story line, it was very much tied into the world building, and is the main reason my review is three stars instead of four.

Still, it was an enjoyable read. I am hopeful that the future installments will build on the successes of Dance of the Goblins, while minimizing its flaws.(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Hypervorean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Dance of the Goblins is a very compelling tale that can in one way be read as a critisism of humanity, it certainly raises various points and questions on the matter. It is the kind of book that makes you think even after you have finished it and put it away on a shelf to gather dust.

Then you might ask: Why then did you only give three stars? To that I have to say that my opinions about this book are very divided.

I don't know if I would call this novel High Fantasy. It seems mostly to be buildin...more

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May 08, 2013 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: interested-in, british-authors, books-to-recommend

Another fantastic fantasy read! This one gets A+ in world building. It takes place a few generations after a planetary shift has destroyed much of life on earth, so you get something like medieval fantasy but in a destroyed city setting.

I love the way the goblin world is depicted. It fits with all the usual impressions of goblins who war with humans, but gives you the goblins' point of view so that you understand why this age old conflict happens.

It also ties in many known legends of other mytho...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Lita Burke rated it 5 of 5 stars

May I have the pleasure of this goblin dance with you?

A chance encounter between humans searching for a missing man, and the goblins who dwell in the abandoned tunnels near the surface, stir long-seated distrust between the two races and threatens war. During the fracas, the humans unwittingly capture Talla, a glamour-ridden female goblin, mistaking her for a human damsel in distress. It is also the story of the long-time friendship between the elder goblin Haghuf and the human Count Anton, who...more

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May 12, 2013 Quasar's Dog rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: big-brown-aardvark, consent-is-for-suckers, fuzzy-feet-mittens, gnome-gf, what-s-love-got-to-do-with-it

Poorly written fantasy. I knew based on the cover that it wouldn't be an epic read, but I expected a lot more than this failed attempt. I can't compliment a single thing about the book and I had to skim to the ending just to see if the story would pick up. It didn't.

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Aug 07, 2012 Ridley marked it as bratty-authors-to-avoid

Shelves: author-gave-own-book-5-stars

It was a tossup between this shelf and my nope shelf. Reportedly there is goblin sex and feeding babies to mermaids, and I can't even begin to tell you how much that is not my thing.

As always, YMMV.

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May 15, 2012 Sherri is currently reading it

Shelves: books-i-own

I would like to thank the author, Ms. Hawkins, for allowing me to have a copy to read and review :)

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Mar 03, 2012 Heavenlypeachgarden rated it 5 of 5 stars

The title of this book intrigued me into to reading it and I wasnt dissapointed, it is a wonderful story which immerses you into a world of magic, nature and wonderful characters especially Haguf the goblin, being a work of its own it also conjurs up vibes of tales that evoke beautiful nature like a midsummer nights dresm or the stolen child, and lord of the rings, also giving a detailede intersting but fun picture on those naughty magicl beings Goblins, this book is sure to delight adults and c...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Kendra added it

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May 02, 2013 Jaq Hawkins rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: authors-with-a-stalker, fantasy, good-world-building, just-for-fun, magic, most-enjoyable-reads, shapeshifters, worthwhile-fantasy, changeling, succubus, to-read-in-2013, post-apocalyptic, magical-fiction, magic-witches-wizards-sorcerers-etc

Note: This is Traditional Fantasy, not Romance. There are no hot goblin guys (well, maybe one in the second book). Goblins are not nicey-nice, they don't sparkle. They eat flesh and their mating customs are as romantic as those of cats (except there is no rape. There is, however, a succubus who may push the PG rating to a 15+ for particularly sensitive readers, not that her 'victim' would mind.)

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May 14, 2013 Jupiter is the Color of my Hair marked it as duran-duran

Shelves: frankie-goes-to-hollywood

May 11, 2013 Meghan marked it as to-read

May 10, 2013 Serge marked it as to-read

May 07, 2013 Rachael L marked it as undecided

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Shelves: daddy-dark-s-baby-warrior-list

May 05, 2013 Mpiggy marked it as to-read

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May 02, 2013 Charlie Kravetz marked it as to-read

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About Jaq D. Hawkins

Jaq D Hawkins is a British author in the genres of Steampunk, Fantasy and the occult. Her first published book, Understanding Chaos Magic (Capall Bann, 1996), was the first book on chaos magic to bring a general understanding of the subject to a wide audience, and earned her a place among the best known writers on chaos magic.

Her Spirits of the Elements series spread her reputation across a wider...more

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Dance Of The Goblins (The Goblin #1)

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