Customer Reviews

I Called Him Dancer

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As I sit down to write this review, I wrestle with whether or not I can do I CALLED HIM DANCER by G. Edward Snipes, justice. The first thing to usually capture my attention in a book is the cover. The second thing would be the title. I CALLED HIM DANCER failed in both those areas. But what did intrigue me was the blurb on the back cover. Despite the cover and title, it sounded like a story I'd enjoy

As I began to read it didn't take long before I realize I was going to be taken on a wonderful journey. Some books can start out okay just to later dwindle. This was not the case with I CALLED HIM DANCER. Not only was the writing of this well-paced story good, it kept my interest. I smiled. I cried. My heartstrings were tugged, filling up with emotions.

Mr. Snipes does an amazing job with the characters, and the storyline. If I had to say something negative about the book, it would be that there isn't a good place to set it down. The story is such an amazing one, and so well written you'll find yourself saying, "Just one more chapter". There was never a point where I didn't want to read more to discover what was going to happen next. The ending had me captivated in a way no other book has done in a very long time. I feared how it would end, yet prayed it wouldn't be so and play out the way I hoped it would.

Dancer's story is a remarkable one. I CALLED HIM DANCER is packed with trials and tribulations, hope, love, perseverance, God's calling, as well as His amazing grace and mercy. The message was profound, yet presented in such a natural way one would not walk away feeling preached to. The other characters were well thought-out with stories of their own that will draw you near to them as well.

Do not judge a book by its cover certainly pertained to I CALLED HIM DANCER, and I'm grateful for not having let it stop me from reading this masterful work of art. As an aspiring author, I yearn to write such a compelling story that is sure to touch many lives. I've been moved by this story in a way that I will never be the same.

How wonderful that Eddie heard me sing my song "Dancer", and was inspired to write such a wonderful book. If you have ever had a dream come true, this was one for me! Congratulations
Eddie on such a unique idea. Read this book and you will know Dancer, as well as we do, he is unforgettable!!

Tralena J Walker

I know the author personally, as well as his lovely family. I knew he was smart and witty, but I had no idea how well those traits would translate into writen word.

The title threw me off a bit (What in the world does G.E. Snipes know about DANCING?!?!). It turns out that he knows quite a bit about dancing, thanks to research, research, and more research. The storyline, though, is about much more than dancing. The plot and characters carry the reader through a variety of life experiences, from failure and loss to love and redemption. I loved how he was able to develop the characters from young people to adults and weave their personal testimonies throughout the fabric of the story. Having grown up in the South, not far from where much of the early part of the book take place, and reading the book during a trip to New York, Broadway in particular, the scenes were easy to visualize. I wonder who will contact Lifetime Movie Network first to put this book on film?

There were two things in particular I appreciated most about this book: First: no cursing or fowl language. Second: The genuine, saving relationship with Jesus Christ that is available to all who will receive it.

The whole storyline flowed well, and I had a hard time putting the book down. Just ask my husband who complained that I was spending more time with the book than him!

This book is a must-read. Be warned: Make sure to devote large blocks of time to reading it. It's a page turner, so don't get disappointed when you can't find a good place to stop reading.

"I Called Him Dancer" is a poignant tale of loss, pain, faith and the power of love to heal one's deepest wounds. By far, Michael (a/k/a Dancer) is the most intriguing and heartfelt character in this portrait of a man whose childhood abandonment by his mother damages him in ways not fully understood until he reaches success on Broadway, only to lose it all. Raquel is the girl who has loved him since high school, but it would have been nice had the author fleshed out her character more as well as her relationship with the emotionally-closed Michael. I never quite got a sense of her motivation and near obsessive love for him, to the point of risking her life in bad areas of New York City - at night and alone.

The story suffers a bit from overuse of back story and telling, but those are writer techniques the reader will probably gloss over, and it should not affect their enjoyment in the least. The greatest strength of this involving novel is found in the scenes depicting Michael's struggle with drug addiction. It pulls him to the darkest depths of despair and reveals in a very real way the horror and ugliness of losing your soul. You'll cry with Michael when he stumbles and repeatedly falls. You'll smile at his wry sense of humor. His scenes with a wonderfully-drawn character, a pastor named Kenyon, are the most endearing and uplifting in the book. Above all, this novel reveals the truth that - sometimes indications to the contrary - God never forsakes or abandons us.

Although there is a token villain and a dangerous situation late in this story, it is my personal opinion the story would have been better served in making the "bad guy" exactly what it is - the demons driving Michael. Overall, the message in "I Called Him Dancer" is very uplifting, and the spiritual thread is strong and unwavering. I love the term "uplifted by grace" from both the dancer's standpoint as well as how it pertains to Michael's personal life. I highly commend Eddie Snipes for a story I won't soon forget, and I greatly anticipate his next novel.

This gripping story provides an inside look at the drives and pitfalls of talent. Young Michael retreats to dancing in order to escape from the realities of his young life. He is full of talent and drive! He achieves his goals and then is drawn into a world far away from the life he wants because of a bad choice. Raquel pursues Michael's dream too and encounters problems of her own. Mr Snipes portrays the setting of New York in vivid detail, making you feel as though you are walking in Central Park or down Broadway. Vivid, too, is the darkness of some of his character's minds, hearts and lives and the desperation they feel. Love shines through many of the characters as well as the love of God which enables our hero to conquer his inner demons. This truly is not a romance, but a real love story!

I Called Him Dancer was a wonderful book. I wasn't sure what to expect. I normally read Christian romance but have recently started reading other fiction genres and enjoying them. While this isn't a romance you normally think of it is a love story at its very core. One between God and man. Michael grabbed my heart and attention from the beginning. I was eager to follow his story and find out where it lead. I felt drawn to this sweet little boy who was left with no one, or so he thought. He failed to see the many people who did care for him because he had withdrawn so far within himself. But all through his life there were people in his path that did care for him and helped him with his dreams.


Raquel is a young girl who found Jesus and saw how it changed her life. When she met Michael she just knew there was a connection. Through years of distance she never let that go because it was something God put in her heart. She demonstrated that unconditional love towards Michael.


The preacher was an amazing character, one of my favorites. I loved his conversations with the Lord and how even when he didn't want to do what he was told he was faithful. God blessed his willing and loving spirit for others.


This is a book about Gods forgiveness and love for even those who feel they cannot be forgiven. For those who have reached the bottom and feel there is no way up. It's a book about listening to what God is leading you to do even when it sounds like nothing good will come from it. We may never see what comes from the seeds we plant but God is faithful to bring them to fruition. I believe it should encourage us to see the world and people through the eyes of Jesus. We don't know their story, but He does. And He can use us to reach them with His love.


It also gives you something to think about when it comes to your Christian walk. Remember that those who don't know Jesus will expect something different from you. If someone who says they are a Christian and acts in a way that isn't godly we could be leading them to believe that God doesn't care about them either. There are many people out there that say they are Christians but their actions don't show it. We need to make sure we are showing others Jesus' love through our actions and words.


If you love to read inspirational stories filled with characters that seem to come alive on the pages of the book and draw you into the story, this book is for you. It's a book that even young teens would benefit from and enjoy.

This book is a page turner from cover to cover, Eddie makes you feel like you actually know the characters in his book. With such a down and out character as Michael you wonder if he will ever rise above the hardships of his life. The Preacher is a wonderful reflection of the sacrificing servant of 111th St. Rachael is one determined character to overcome all obstacles. Ah Robert shows the dark side of selfishness and truly becomes a monster.

A must read.

Bill Tillman

A wonderful book about the healing power of love. The love of a woman and the love of God.

Michael had received nothing but mental, physical, and emotional pain in his life. The only way he found relief from the pain was dancing. When one poor choice took that away from him, he experienced unimaginable pain.

Raquel loved Michael although he refused to accept or return the love. Robert loved Raquel--or did he? Was it love? Will Raquel be loved by Michael? Will Robert be loved by Raquel? Where does Joseph fit in?

This book is a must read. Through this book the reader will learn about true love and the power it holds.

He'll scope out your motel room, your car, your apartment. He'll break in while you're gone, or knock you out if you're there. He'll steal from you anything of value so he can buy his next fix.

And he's one of the most sympathetic characters I've met since Brady Darby in Jerry Jenkins' *Riven*.

There was a brief time in Michael Camp's life when things were promising, golden. There was a place into which he could disappear from all pain. The time: whenever he was on stage; the place: the dance, where he could cut loose from his loneliness and misery.

"Michael closed his eyes and allowed the music to carry him to the secret place where dancers lived . . . With graceful movements, he retrieved stars from the night sky and spread them on the ground before him with a bow."

What happened to the magic?

Raquel's life is entwined with Dancer's, whether he likes it or not. She's in love with him-whether she likes it or not. God has put love for Michael Camp on her heart, and she can't turn her back on him. Even now.

Eddie takes his reader on Michael's hungry journey from small town America to the World Youth Grand Prix in New York through Pahl School of Dance, and back to New York-to Broadway!-and to the streets, where Raquel finds him once again.

*I Called Him Dancer* will rip out your heart and soul, and put them back again, changed for the better.

This book was an a powerful read ... a story of redemption. I started this book the week leading up to the Passion 2012 Convention in Atlanta, GA. So when the conference started I had stopped where Michael is at his lowest point, he has no where else to fall. He's hit rock bottom. - Passion 2012: A time of worshiping God and working towards a common goal with 44,000 other college students and leaders, letting God use us as His hands and feet in a world that is just desperate for hope. It was an amazing experience and opened eyes to just how much suffering is really in this world. How much we don't see ... how much we just aren't looking. - So on the ride back, riding on the waves of just an awesome four days just basking in the beauty of God and the call He has for each of us, I finished the Michael's story "I Called Him Dancer." with new eyes and wow, this story was just amazing. It might just be a fiction story but think of just how much more God can do in reality if we just keep following Him. Raquel is you and me. Michael is you and me. The road may seem tough but never give up hope ...