Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants

Indiana Jones: Prequels #2

by Rob MacGregor

Indiana Jones has landed his first teaching post, in the archaeology department at London University. His brightest—and prettiest—student is a twenty-year-old Scottish girl, Deirdre Campbell, who claims she’s uncovered a golden scroll, proof of the true existence of Merlin, sorcerer of myth and legend. Indy’s intrigued by the thesis . . . and by Deirdre. So, too, is member of Parliament Adrian Powell. He’s seeking to resurrect the ancient order of the Druids, whose secrets of power could pave his way to world conquest. But first he needs the scroll . . . and he’s willing to kill to get it.

Where there’s magic, mystery, and murder, Indy goes to the head of the class. Dropping his books and picking up his bullwhip, he joins Deirdre on an action-packed chase across Britain, from the peril-filled caves of Scotland to the savage dance of the giants at Stonehenge—where Merlin’s secret will finally be revealed. But not before Indy gets a lesson in love from Deirdre . . . and a lesson in hate from a maniac who means to rule the world.

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Media Tie In, Action

277 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

Rob MacGregor is author of 19 novels, 14 non-fiction books, and has teamed with George Lucas and Peter Benchley. He is a winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for mystery writing, and has been on the New York Times best-seller’s list. He writes both adult and young adult mysteries, adventure, and science fiction/fantasy. He’s best known for his seven Indiana Jones novels. He co-authored The Fog with Bruce Gernon, and with his wife, Trish, co-authored three books on synchronicity. His latest book is Aliens in the Backyard: UFO Encounters, Abductions, and Synchronicity. In his spare time, Rob teaches yoga and meditation.

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 2 out of 5]

A student comes to her professor, Indiana Jones. She wants to write a paper about Stonehenge being the burial site of Merlin. This intrigues him and he gives her permission. But then he finds himself stalked by someone and when he approaches his stalker, the man simply tells him to stay away from this particular student.


There are a lot of different scenes in the beginning with quite a bit of info dumping about Stonehenge, Merlin, Arthurian legends, … The writer does his best to disguise them and spread them out a little a bit, so it isn’t too obvious. But because there are so many of them, it’s not exactly hard to spot them. And because there’s so much info dumping, there isn’t much action to be found in the first third of the story.


Basically the story is stuck in first gear in the first third of the story. Then there’s an explosion. The story finally shifts to second gear and things get more interesting. But it isn’t until we get to the third and final part of the story that it’s actually exciting to read, with action and suspense. It finally starts to feel like a proper Indiana Jones adventure. And then it ends. To be fair, the ending is pretty good and does feel reminiscent of the movies. But the road getting there is very long and winding.


Overall, not a bad story but it doesn’t really feel like an Indiana Jones adventure until we get to the end. The pacing is quite slow and there’s a lot of info dumping in the beginning. There’s also too much focus on the relationship between Indiana Jones and his student, instead of the action and adventure the Indiana Jones character is so known for.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second foray in to the prequel world of Indiana Jones and I must admit although it does not have the same energy of the films - and at times feels a little too fantastic (which is quite a surprise considering there the franchise films go).

However the characters do "fit" in to the world of Doctor Jones and you can see the character we know and love from the films slowly being shaped (first the bull whip and now the Webley revolver) the character is slowly coming together.

I think for me the whole Indiana Jones appeal is one of exploration danger and the unknown. In a world where it feels every corner has been mapped, photographed and categorised it seems there is little room for mystery and the supernatural. However in the world of Doctor Jones there is always room for something strange around the corner.

The books are set in the 20s and chronicle the formation of what Doctor Jones is to become - the films set a decade later really build on what we see here. These stories are part of the chronology of famous archaeologist even though they are not referenced in the films.

This said do not expect some earth shattering revelations or hidden secrets - these are true to form rip roaring adventures - and all the more fun they are for it. Lets see what the next instalment has to offer.

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rob MacGregor's second novel about young(er) Indiana Jones is heavily tied to what happened in the first, Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi, but it isn't a must to read that book before Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants. Back from his excursion to Greece, where he unearthed a relic of supreme power called the Omphalos, Indy has landed his first temporary professor job, at London University. Thanks in part to the influence of his father's old friend Marcus Brody, Indy was chosen for the position ahead of other qualified applicants, and if he impresses Dr. Joanna Campbell this summer, he may be offered the job permanently. Henry Jones, Jr. knows linguistics and archaeology, but British history isn't his forte, so he can't ignore when a girl in class, Deirdre Campbell (daughter of the boss), shows off comprehensive knowledge of the subject while he's lecturing, surpassing Indy's own knowledge. Keeping Deirdre happy and treating the rest of the class fairly is a shaky balance, but Indy tries to maintain objectivity even as he forges a closer bond with his star pupil.

Indy isn't the only guy with an eye on Dr. Campbell's redheaded daughter. A former flame of Deirdre's, Adrian Powell, is skulking around London and having Indy tailed, and the young professor won't tolerate that. Indy suspects that a pair of potentially lethal tricks he's been on the receiving end of are Powell's doing, but the man isn't just an off-kilter ex-boyfriend jealous of Deirdre's new beau. Adrian Powell is a member of Parliament and leader of the new Druids, who plan on reviving the glory of their order at an eclipse ceremony to take place at Stonehenge soon. The ancient monolith site is Deirdre's area of expertise, and she's been attempting to construct an academic argument that the legendary sorcerer Merlin was an actual historical figure responsible for erecting Stonehenge. Deirdre's original and informed research makes her invaluable to what Powell wants to do before the eclipse, when the world order is set to shift seismically.

Dr. Campbell, Deirdre, and Indy set out to investigate a dig not far from Stonehenge, aiming to locate a fabled gold scroll that could prove whether Merlin truly lived. But they'll have to watch their backs every second of the search. Multiple interested parties are ready not only to foil the dig, but kill the three archaeologists in the process. Indy isn't yet the awesome action star he is in Raiders of the Lost Ark and subsequent movies, so he relies more on guile and serendipity to survive the traps set for him, his boss, and his new love interest. A cataclysmic showdown is taking shape at Stonehenge, and you can bet Indy will be there in the end to face down an ancient evil that threatens the world after millennia of covert existence. Will a surprise supernatural entity intercede and help Indy save the day?

There's a lot of intricate academia in this book, maybe too much for some readers. It requires concentration to follow, but you'll be lost later if you go on mental vacation during these sections. The strength of the novel is its characters, from megalomaniacal Adrian Powell to smart, attractive Deirdre Campbell, from wildly eccentric Dr. Leeland Milford (perhaps a stand-in for the meshuga Marcus Brody of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?) to the man himself, the incomparable Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford's presence in the character is what brings him to life in these pages, and imagining John Williams's brilliant music score from the movies playing during important scenes of Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants is a must. I'd give the book one and a half stars; it's less thoughtful than Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi, but there are a few decent action sequences. If you're an Indiana Jones fan, reading about his adventures may be the next best thing to watching him dominate villains on the silver screen. Have fun!

[Terrance Layhew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adequate Indiana Jones adventure. I appreciate the elements author Rob MacGregor built on from Peril at Delphi, with Indy’s character itself retaining continuity and growing with the events he witnessed.

The plot is what the plot of an Indy story should be. Ancient artifact (scroll/legend of Merlin/Stonehenge) is being searched for by Indy and rival ancient order (Druids/Hyperboreans) and ends with the villain getting what they want and destroying themselves (burning to death).

I question the legitimacy of Indiana Jones falling in love with a bright young woman in his class, not because I doubt he’d date students, but the strength of their love tests the strength of my credulity.

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know this must have been a good book because it wasn't all that long ago that I read it, maybe two years, and I can't even begin to remember the plot.

Still, I marked it as okay, so it must not have completely sucked. I'm guessing it was a typical Indiana Jones novel -- pulpy, weak, and just a little too much like Indy from Last Crusade (thus missing the darkness that made the Raiders and Temple of Doom Indy great).

[Larry Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a couple of reviews on the Indiana Jones books awhile back & the readers just bashed the hell out these books , so I was sorta' "iffy" on reading them.
Well today I read " Dance of the Giants " in one sitting. I thought it was an incredibly fun read !
My advice to anyone is, if you have any interest in a book ,dive right into it & dont worry about what everyone else says.Remember Siskel & Ebert gave Star Wars two thumbs down !

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I liked these stories much better when I read them years ago. Found this one OK and also found that it heavily relied on the reader having read the 1st Indy book. While it wasn't completely necessary, it helped with understanding some of the incidents in the story.

I found some of it slow moving which surprised me as I'm a big fan of Merlin/Arthur legend.

And I'm beginning to see a pattern with Indy always picking the wrong woman...

I'll continue on the re-reads but am honestly not rushing to them. Really wish this story could have been better for me.

[Ted Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit it. I watched the whole "Young Indiana Jones" series when it was on TV. Lucas has created an enduring character and McGregor and McCoy do him justice in these cheesy, easy action (and mythology & history) packed books.

[Noah Myhre Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Altså, et av mine absolutte favorittprogrammer er "Time Team" med Tony Robinson. Robinson, en bitteliten overentusiastisk mann, reiser rundt i Storbritannia med et team arkeologer. De har tre dager på å grave, tre dager på å finne noe. I løpet av disse tre dagene blir vi kjent med arkeologene, lokalmiljøet, lokale pubber, lokalhistorie, lokalhistorikere. Det er tvers igjennom hyggelig, komfort så det synger. Denne boken? Første halvdel minnet meg om en episode Time Team. Indy reiser til Skottland med en flamme og moren til flammen. De koser seg på pub, de drar til en hule for å grave, det er tvers igjennom hyggelig... helt til det ikke er det lenger. De er nemlig ikke de eneste som er ute etter det som er gjemt i hulen...

En druide har nådd helt til toppen i engelsk politikk. Han er en hyperboreaner som mener at Merlin og Apollo var en og samme og at omphalos-steinen som Indy fant ved Delphi i forrige bok hører hjemme ved "verdens navle": Stonehenge. Når den returnerer dit vil England igjen bli en supermakt, imperiets fall vil bremses, og han vil bli verdens mektigste mann. Den største avsløringen (spør du meg)? Mot slutten hadde Indy et psykedelisk møte med Merlin selv, og Merlin avslørte at han har eksistert under mange navn, og det neste han kom til å bli kjent under var... GANDALF! Whaattttt, Tolkien's ikoniske trollman er den moderne inkarnasjonen av MERLIN????!!!!! Tolkien/Indy crossover! Det er av den grunn alene at denne boka så vidt når opp til en...

...6/10

[Noelle Haycraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you just want average Indiana Jones content, then I guess this series is for you. It's very cliche and not a whole lot creative, but what did we really expect from a book series written in the 1990s about a popular 80s movie series.

Also, Indiana Jones is, and always has been, a slut. Thank you.

Happy Reading!!

[Cameron Rhoads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Physically read and enjoyed.

[Irredeemable Shag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun adventure! Not as much action as an Indy movie, but enjoyed the atmosphere and development of characters.

Can’t put my finger on why, but really enjoyed the act of reading this book. Didn’t want to put it down. Not sure if it was the style of writing, the romance, the slow build, or just the smell of an old book. Not sure, but the act of reading this book brought me joy.

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a fun look into indiana's earlier years and felt true to the character. like any good indiana jones story, there is plenty of mystery, magic and adventure. a beautiful dame and some interesting characters to help and thwart indy in his search for merlin, and the truth behind the relics of stone henge.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was dissapointed at fist that this was series that had to be read in order but I must say that I loved the way MacGregor tied this story back to "The Peril at Delphi." I also loved the commbination of Celtic and Greek mythology to form a very complex and intreging plot.

[Rob Irwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants picks up where Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi left off… in a manner of speaking. While Indiana Jones is still a much younger man than the adventurer we know from the original movie trilogy, and his adventure in Delphi is still front and centre with the MacGuffin of that story – the Omphalos – playing a big part in this story, several years have gone by, just the same.

Now a professor in his own right, this is a more confident Indy than in the previous book and, reading the text from here in 2024, I was taken aback with how happy he is to start a relationship with one of his students. On one hand, sure, we’re talking about a novel set 100 years ago and, “things were different then” and, to be fair, Indy does think about the ramifications for his career – but only because the girl in question is the daughter of his boss! On the other hand, this is Indiana Jones who, in Raiders of the Lost Ark, is faced with an attractive student with LOVE YOU written on her eyelids, and seems shocked and a little flustered by that kind of attention from a student. The two different Indy’s don’t quite gel for me.

All of that said, the girl in question – Deirdre Campbell – leaps right off the page. From her initial scenes in the story where she comes across like a total pain-in-the-arse know-it-all, to learning more about her and seeing her indecision and doubts, she’s more interesting than the kind of characters we normally get in genre film tie-in novels like this. It helps ground the story which I think is necessary when other aspects are approaching “jump the shark” territory and even have Indy questioning within the text how certain plot points are going to work in 20th century England. The story does fly quite close to the wind.

For every secret room being uncovered by an accidentally kicked stone or major strokes of luck saving the day (you know, typical Indiana Jones stuff), we also have the magical properties of the Omphalos from the last novel back in play; mass hypnotism of a crowd of people with no explanation at all – just a hand wave from the author; characters being killed in ways that would demand more investigation and response than they get; a cameo from a mythological character who makes a crack about a novel more than a decade off being written in this time period, and more. It’s slightly on the nose. Not always in a bad way, I might add, but I think this is the kind of novel you need to be in mood for, to really enjoy.

One aspect I did like was the Jack Shannon character carrying over from the previous novel. Although the author has had him show up unexpectedly and in quite flukeish ways in two novels now, he’s still a fine character on the page and fun to read. Meanwhile, a new character is introduced – Leeland Milford – who is a friend of Henry Jones Sr. and seems to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, or something very much like it. Although the, “I had something to tell you… no, I’ve forgotten it…” routine gets a little old across the story, he still comes across as a likeable old scholar and his scenes were very good, too.

The villain of the piece, Adrian Powell, has a lot of ideas thrown at him… he’s an MP… there are blink-and-you’ll-miss-them suggestions he’s a fascist… he owns a pet shop… he’s related to someone important in the story… he basically has magical powers because of his association with a certain group… but none of it’s really fleshed out. While he’s more than a bad guy who rolls on from stage left, rubbing his hands together while snickering, “Mwahahaha…” there’s not a lot going on. He just wants to mass hypnotise thousands of people, commit an evil act… and then what? Can he stop the British Commonwealth from being created (which seems to be his biggest fantasy)? There are shades of the Doctor Who story, The Kings Demons here, where the baddie in that story wants to stop Magna Carta from happening in England and you think, OK, even if he succeeds… then what? There are some big ideas attached to Powell, but I don’t know where they really go, when taken to their logical conclusion.

Something I thought about after I finished the novel is that it takes place in England and Scotland… and that’s it. We’re so used to Indy flying off to exotic locations in the films and, even in the first novel, we saw him studying in France and heading off to Greece for his adventure. But here, keeping the action within the UK, it gives us a different sort of background for the character to be set against. I seem to recall one of the 1980s Indiana Jones comics being set in the UK – and utilising Stonehenge, just like this story – but it’s very much the exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to Indiana Jones.

Although Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants grabbed me faster and more solidly than Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi did when I compare the first quarter, or so, of each book (which had me really excited, as I plowed through the early chapters thinking I’d hit a really good novel), I think it settles into fairly similar territory to the first book the longer it goes on.

[Lisa Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I reviewed the first book in this series "the Peril at Delphi" so this review won't be very long since a lot of what I said about Peril at Delphi carries over to this book. However, I didn't like this book as much compared to the first. If I could, I would rate it 2.5, since it was probably more than ok, but I certainly wasn't blown away by it.

This time around, Indy finds himself tied up in a plot of druids, Stonehenge and Merlin, of all things. It was certainly an interesting premise, and at the start I was very interested in what they would do with it. For about half of the book, this plot continued on well, especially with the introduction of the intriguing and mysterious Adrian. But then for some reason it didn't go much further, and by the end it seemed pointless and odd- which is all I can say without revealing anything.

We are treated to TWO whole female characters this time round- Deidre, one of Indy's students, and Joanna, her mother. Joanna was by far the more interesting of the two, and her mysterious and knowledgeable air made it seem like she would be the match for Indy. But no, instead this book pairs him with Deidre, who more often than not came off as annoying. In fact, most of the characters in this book are not very memorable at all, but again I may be expecting too much from an Indiana Jones book.

I did like how this book ties to the first, however. I expected these novels to be very standalone, but it was interesting to see how they link together so far. I should also again praise the fact that this book at least accomplishes what it sets out to do- and that is tell a cheesy, history-inspired action adventure. While much shorter on the action than the first novel, there is still plenty of history abound, though I do admit there seemed to be a lot of creative alterations to historical fact to suit the novel. While I wouldn't usually complain about this, some of them seemed out of place and far fetched, even for Indiana Jones.

I did enjoy reading this book as a fun, easy get away from other novels, but it did not capture me like the first one did. Again, I can only recommend this to Indiana Jones fans. Unlike Peril at Delphi, I don't think this book would really appeal that much to history buffs because of the creative license it takes, although if you are interested in druids and Stonehenge, it might be an intriguing read.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants has Indy teaching at a British University taking on the r role that we see him using in his adventures! :D Being based in England and not having experience with British Archaeology he is playing catch up in the finer details! :D This leads to the book sense of humour where we see him barely keeping ahead of his students! :D Deidre in particular keeps him on his toes! :D Your ribs will be breaking and you can really see Indy's consternation with Diedre when she keeps pulling fast ones on him! :D At the same time he is trying to hold onto his job! :D

From the beginning he is drawn into a mystery involving Merlin, Stonehenge and warped cloak wearers! :D This of course the book and Indy the chance to take the mick out of the various theories over the years that are proposed! :D But at the same time the book is rather well researched really giving you a feel for the adventure! :D At the same time behind the scenes though there are conspiracies afoot that also relate to Indy's adventures in Greece! :D These are neatly tied in as well giving the the book linkage with others! :D The faking of the Omphalos by Marcus and Indy is a neat twist! :D This and others are a great example of how the book throws and twists things around on their heads all the time! :D Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants keeps you guessing from the starts! :D This is cleverly handled to boot so we see character development all over the place from Indy on a learning curve to reappearances of characters such as Shannon, Brody etc! :D The action and mystery flows perfectly and the book feels like action adventure from the start! :D

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants barrels along at a epic pace that never lets up! :D The Whip gets to get used and Indiana getting his 455 Webly sets the book running right from the start! :D Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants is full of Mystery, corrupt politicians, Giant Spiders disguised as chocolate, Scorpions (got to have those! :D Lol), hippies, time travel, adventure and brilliant whip cracking action! :D Brilliant Crisp High Five! :D Go and Get! :D Make sure you have the next! :D

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indiana Jones unlocks the secrets of Stonehenge. Sounds okay. I would prefer seeing him battle Nazis, but I understand these are prequels and the Nazis aren’t really a threat yet in Indy’s life. In this book, we have Indy fighting druids and the leader who has the power of brainwashing his followers. Maybe not all that different from Nazis.

Indiana Jones is a bit younger than the movies and a professor at an English college. He is hoping to receive a teaching position, but his only obstacle is the daughter of his department, Deidre Campbell, who is taking his class. They will later become more than teacher and student as the book progresses. The first half of the book is a lot teaching and education. Imagine those short scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark or Last Crusade where Indy is teaching his class. It is like that. I liked it, but then again, I like history and what they add for the book.

The big question of the book is: Did Merlin the Arthurian Wizard live? The book finds a way to weave Merlin into the building of Stonehenge, which occurred 2000 years or so before him. It also brings back the omphalos from the previous book (Perils at Delphi). Apparently, the Oracle of Delphi got her power from a stone taken from Stonehenge. It was a good way to connect the previous book with this one.

The bad guy is a master druid, and a member of Parliament. A lot of the book is spent searching for a golden scroll that will unlock the powers of Stonehenge. If the villain gets the power of Stonehenge, he could become Prime Minister and is implied he will keep England out of World War 2 (still many years down the road from the setting of the book).

I enjoyed this book a more than the previous one. I thought the previous book got a bit clunky towards the end. This one wraps up the story very well and does not feel like it drags on after the big climax scene. The setting of England isn’t as interesting as an exotic location, but it works here.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was reading the first half of the book, I thought that my review would be focused on the fact that Indy is dating a student, who happens to be the daughter of his boss. The boss appears to be pushing the relationship in a way that made me think that there was going to be some sort of payoff. Like the department was going to save money, because the boss would blackmail Indy into taking a lower salary because of the daughter dating. (A side note, this is one of those things that in hindsight makes the image of Indy from the movies less noble. He isn't ignoring the coeds because he realizes that he shouldn't engage in relationships where there is an imbalance of power, but most likely because they remind him of his previous relationship with his (Spoiler for the next two books: dead) wife.

But then we hit the middle of the book, the plot moves to Scotland, and we come upon some glorious soap opera-esque insanity.

The fact that Indy is presented as essentially magical here, (he has an eagle which protects him, sent from the gods?) kind of ruins the sense of Indy from the movies. There are elements of magic there, sure, but he's clunkily human which is part of the charm, this kind of lessens that.

Was the forgetful old professor Merlin? I got a little skimmy by the end of the book. Also, because this irked me, Marat was not guillotined, in fact, there is a really famous picture of him dying of something that was not the guillotine. A history professor should not be making this mistake.

[Sebastian Zavala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta segunda entrega de las precuelas de Indiana Jones comenzó mejor que la anterior. Es una secuela directa de la primera novela, pero no es necesario haberla leído para entender esta nueva aventura. Indy se siente más como Indy, el conflicto comienza más rápido, y personajes como el mejor amigo de Indy están mejor desarrollados. En general, imita mejor la atmósfera y estilo de las películas, lo cual es lo que todo fan quiere.

Sin embargo, mientras avanza la historia, Rob MacGregor comienza a cometer los mismos errores que en la novela anterior. Los personajes femeninos son, nuevamente, bastante planos y estereotípicos (el nuevo interés amoroso, Deirdre, de Indy es objetivizado con frecuencia, a pesar de ser una chica muy inteligente), y la estructura general de la trama se comienza a parecer cada vez más a la del libro anterior. Las secuencias de acción son emocionantes, la intriga es palpable, y la novela se lee súper rápido, pero lo que comienza con mucha promesa, se torna bastante previsible para el final. De hecho, el desenlace en sí es bastante abrupto y breve... lo cual me lleva a pensar que la siguiente novela será una secuela directa de esta (otra vez).

En general, 'La danza de los gigantes' es recomendable para los fanáticos de Indiana Jones, como su servidor, pero a pesar de ser una novela entretenida y ágil, ciertamente pudo ser mejor.

[Alfred Lorenzo Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read some of the Young Indiana Jones novels, and then the first of MacGregor's books, "Peril at Delphi." After that, I read this novel, "Dance of the Giants." This novel is very good and Indy even falls in love again, this time with another archeology buff, and he has to save her from the clutches of her "ex-boyfriend." This time, his girlfriend has to survive. Overall, it wasn't just about love although the story revolved around it, the entire story was about how her "ex-boyfriend" actually was a part of an evil order of Druids who partook in human sacrifice. Even the Greek "omphalos" from the "Peril at Delphi" novel was involved and somehow this all connected to ancient myths and archeological dig sites related to the ancient Magician from legend, Merlin. Of course, this was also related to the Greek God Apollo somehow as well. It was an entertaining read and I love reading about how this young archeologist in 1925, packs a gun, a bullwhip, and a fedora with a leather jacket...just like the Harrison Ford movies. What makes these books even more relatable to the movies, and the movies preceded the books, is that these books were endorsed and published by Lucasfilm and George Lucas. So the director of the Indiana Jones movies and Star Wars had a hand in the creation of this novel series and they did a great job.

[Allen Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first, but that comes with a more convoluted plot and rushed ending.

The plot of the 2nd Indiana Jones prequel ties into the first one in ways I didn't expect it to! This was a pleasant surprise! It is, however, significantly shorter than the first. This isn't necessarily a problem (I prefer a shorter book with less filler) but it's fairly unbalanced.

The first act is very long, the second act is about equally as long, and the third act is essentially 30ish pages. The convoluted plot leaves a lot, and I do mean a lot, of plot threads to be tied up. The result? Not every thread has a solid answer and the ending feels like a means to a deadline rather than a means to an end for the story.

That being said, this is still a wonderful read and I would recommend it to any Indiana Jones fan! Indy himself is way more in line with the films (minus a cringy "let's get married" line after having known someone for only a few months).

[Cameron Turnbull · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Indy book and it didn’t disappoint!

This was a fun prequel book to the Indiana Jones movies. A plot against both Indiana and democracy in Britain? Along with delving into the past of Ancient Britain? Sign me up!

As much as I can praise the book, this is a case of where the first half is superior to the second half. The buildup to the mystery, Indiana teaching history, all fun stuff. However it feels like something is missing when the mystery is eventually revealed.

There were a lot of fun side characters in this and all of them felt unique and different from each other.

I can’t wait to check out more of them that I have on my shelf. Something tells me this is going to be a long adventure

4/5 stars

[Bian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been an Indiana Jones for most of my life but I hadn’t found out about the existence of this book until I saw it on sale at my local book fair.

I hadn’t read the first one so I didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a sloppy adventure story. For me, Indy felt out of character. Mostly because of his relationship with Deidre. Isn’t Indy supposed to have a different girl in each adventure? Then, why is he taking about marriage? However, what bothered me most was the fact that she was his student. I know that it was completely legal but anyway, I didn’t felt comfortable until they left the university.
The history side caught my attention at first but it lost my attention eventually.

In conclusion, it was a Indiana Jones’ novel without much Indy on it. An entertaining book to pass time but not a memorable one.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've ever craved to know more about Indy's early teaching career, this is the book for you. About 1/3 of it is dedicated to his first year as a professor in London. Oh sure, there's cameo appearances by spiders and scorpions, but they just distract you from lesson planning and paper grading. Eventually, young Indy heads off to Scotland to find Merlin's cave and duke it out with some cavorting druids with the student he's romancing and his jazz-loving buddy. It's pretty silly but still a reasonably entertaining, quick read. Quite a lot of it ties into the plot of the previous book, Peril at Delphi, so get that one under your belt.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants was written by Rob MacGregor. He is also the author of the novelization of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I read that last year, as part of an Indiana Jones novelization omnibus that also included Campbell Scott's novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and James Kahn's novelization of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Another Indy book that I read in 2023 was called Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead, by Steve Perry. 2024 looks to be another year in which I read several more Indiana Jones novels, as I find used copies of them online. This book was quite interesting, and I really enjoyed it.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think McGregor bit off a little more than he could chew with combining too many elements of British folklore and archaeology into one book and keep it coherent. I think he should have stuck to one element of it instead of trying to combine all the elements of Stonehenge and the Arthurian legend and Druidism then maybe it could have worked. The villain was interesting but undercut by his methods. The Gandalf reference seemed tacky and the return of the eagle spirit guide is something that I did not want to return but here we are. I think the book started well and was going good but then fell off a cliff at the end.

[Luís Castilho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mais uma aventura interessante do Indiana Jones adulto que mistura Stonehenge, mitologia grega e as velhas lendas do Mago Merlin e Rei Artur. Lê-se muito bem e tem um óptimo ritmo, em menos de 200 páginas o leitor sente que experienciou uma longa aventura. É uma pena estes livros já não serem re-editados. Tive de ler numa edição da Europa-America dos anos 90 que se deslocou completamente nas últimas páginas. Gostaria que estes livro sobrevivessem para a minha filha chegar a lê-los. Em todo o caso, estou ansioso pela próxima aventura do Indy!

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dance of the Giants is better than Peril at Delphi, in part because MacGregor ended this story in a better way. It's still not a perfect book, but MacGregor pulls in enough of the details from PoD to suggest that he's writing a larger story that will involve the pieces from the previous books as he continues the series. That should keep the series interesting. At the very least, the books are fun reads, and I imagine people reading them would be looking for just that.

For reference, this book is the one about Stonehenge.

[Graeme O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat smaller in scope than it’s predecessor but more compelling, and with a slightly more problematic love interest that at the same time is more compelling, INDIANA JONES AND THE DANCE OF THE GIANTS is an excellent sequel and worthy prequel to the franchise that we all know and love. Combining mythology and archaeology seamlessly while at the same time furthering the character we were introduced to as a recent college graduate, this is certainly not a book to miss if you are a fan of the whip-cracking professor.