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Death Dance: A Dreams of Dust and Steel Saga II
They sang the hymn of freedom. Now, they must fight to keep it.
The war for Namarr has just begun.
Willing to pay any cost to see his revolution grow, the legend of Danath the Namorite rises. With every slave freed, and every Scoth slain, the ranks of his small force swell. But it will take more than a rabble of freedom fighters and tribal warriors to end Scothea’s reign.
Much more.
When duty demands anything, anything is what must be given.
Danath will play assassin, bandit, and betrayer. He’ll compromise with murderers. Befriend slavers. Even bow and beg at the boot heels of the tyrants he’s so desperate to overthrow. He’ll stop at nothing to see his aims achieved.
So goes the deadly dance upon the blade’s edge of revolution. Strangers to allies. Allies to enemies. Enemies to friends.
Any misstep–any hesitation to sacrifice it all–and the dream of Namarr dies with him.
The war for Namarr has just begun.
Willing to pay any cost to see his revolution grow, the legend of Danath the Namorite rises. With every slave freed, and every Scoth slain, the ranks of his small force swell. But it will take more than a rabble of freedom fighters and tribal warriors to end Scothea’s reign.
Much more.
When duty demands anything, anything is what must be given.
Danath will play assassin, bandit, and betrayer. He’ll compromise with murderers. Befriend slavers. Even bow and beg at the boot heels of the tyrants he’s so desperate to overthrow. He’ll stop at nothing to see his aims achieved.
So goes the deadly dance upon the blade’s edge of revolution. Strangers to allies. Allies to enemies. Enemies to friends.
Any misstep–any hesitation to sacrifice it all–and the dream of Namarr dies with him.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
4 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 27, 2025
4.5 stars. I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Michel’s work with each release. High tension, stirring dialogue, exciting confrontations, difficult decisions, and fine prose all add to this revolutionary story about how an enslaved and embittered people fought back against their oppressors.
I immediately want to spend more time in this world whenever I finish one of Michel’s stories.
I immediately want to spend more time in this world whenever I finish one of Michel’s stories.
October 2, 2025
A wild ride through a renaissance-stylized setting, Danath’s road from slave to leader of Namarr continues with an excellent, sharp novella full of betrayal, revenge, and one brothel named the Knob Hovel where so much of a future empire is born.
Following up on War Song, Death Dance is an awesome continuation on the story of Namarr’s unification before the events of the Dreams of Dust and Steel series. Danath continues to shine as a classic hero who is breaking the bonds of enslavement, finding new (and sometimes questionable) allies along the way.
For anyone who has read The Price of Power, these companion stories are brilliant, bite-sized additions to the world that offer so much background and more of Michael Michel’s emphatic character writing. You simply must read them!
Following up on War Song, Death Dance is an awesome continuation on the story of Namarr’s unification before the events of the Dreams of Dust and Steel series. Danath continues to shine as a classic hero who is breaking the bonds of enslavement, finding new (and sometimes questionable) allies along the way.
For anyone who has read The Price of Power, these companion stories are brilliant, bite-sized additions to the world that offer so much background and more of Michael Michel’s emphatic character writing. You simply must read them!
December 18, 2025
Absolutely freakin rocked. MM is a great story teller! This story is dark but there’s so much pay off in these few pages. Both War Song and this are must reads. I recommend reading them close together if not back to back for an awesome tale. Super stoked that there is more to come.
October 7, 2025
Death Dance is a continuation of Danath Ironlight's story from War Song. The liberation has come in his name.
DD is superb in all aspects, earning itself a place in my top reads of 2025, and my top Novella up until this point. This is a rebellion story at its heart, and I feel like Michel nailed the needed emotions and plot points that kept this common trope from feeling just like the others. Danath shines, along with the supporting cast.
Pick this up asap. If you haven't read War Song, start there.
DD is superb in all aspects, earning itself a place in my top reads of 2025, and my top Novella up until this point. This is a rebellion story at its heart, and I feel like Michel nailed the needed emotions and plot points that kept this common trope from feeling just like the others. Danath shines, along with the supporting cast.
Pick this up asap. If you haven't read War Song, start there.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews