The Last Dancer (Bantam Spectra Book) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Daniel Keys Moran (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Moran ( The Long Run ) continues his multivolume 21st-century adventure with a complex but lifeless story. The Manhattan-based Unification government controls the earth, but rebellion brews in Occupied America as the American Revolution's tricentennial approaches. Denice Castanaveras, one of only two genetically engineered telepaths to escape destruction by Unification forces (the other is her missing twin brother, David) enters political life by becoming a bodyguard (and later, lover) of Unification Councilor Douglass Ripper, whose own agenda involves preventing U.N. Secretary General Charles Eddore from grabbing long-term power in this unstable period. However, the Unification rulers do not suspect that a high-ranking rebel called Obodi is actually Gi'Suei'Obodi'Sedon, an alien religious heretic who was banished from his own world thousands of years ago. By detouring through Obodi's past and Denice's "gift" and focusing on colorful details (makeup implants, the computer InfoNet and artificially souped-up soldiers of the Unification forces) instead of character development, Moran effectively prevents tension from building in his tale.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 594 pages
• Publisher: Spectra; First Edition edition (October 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553562495
• ISBN-13: 978-0553562491
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #506,728 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 4 in The Great Wheel of Existence Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HOW COULD YOU CALL THIS LIFELESS!?!?, October 16, 2001

By A Customer

The Publishers Weekly editorial review shown by Amazon.com is SO far from the mark! A lifeless story this is not!

Having been a great fan of Dan's work and gone to extreme lengths to obtain copies of all his works, I can honestly say that The Last Dancer (tLD) was a great book! It was poignant story filled with love, hope and in some places, humour.

This ongoing story of the last of the Castanavera's children is another riveting read in the detailed world crafted by Dan which many of us have found and love.

I wholeheartedly recommend not only this book, but the entire Continuing Time Series (if you can find them all!) to anyone who loves GOOD Sci-Fi!!

To my mind, the success of a book is shown in how available it is in second hand shops. I know from experience how hard it is to find Dan's books secondhand! Everyone who has read them, refuses to part with them! I have to fight to get mine back when I lend them to friends... What better recommendation than that can you ask for?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still good after all these years..., January 27, 2001

By	John Bucknell (Royal Oak, MI USA) - See all my reviews

I am one of the lucky ones. I stumbled across Emerald Eyes in a library in Cleveland the year it was published (1988). Since then I have included DKM as one of my must-read authors (Vernor Vinge, Neal Stephenson, David Brin, Dean Ing, W.T. Quick, Ken Macleod & sometimes Bruce Sterling being the others). Someday, someone will inherit my library - so watch the obituaries in 2060. Anyhow, the dearth of good science (or speculative) fiction these days has forced me into rereading my collection. After a span of eight years, I read the Last Dancer again last week... I had forgotten much of the detail and my opinion of the book has changed now that I am older - it is every bit as good as the prior novels, just different in tone. I don't know the details, but it seems a tragedy befell DKM during the writing of this book. That, and the work he has done since makes me wonder if we will see the balance of this epic story arc. Dan, if you're out there - you're one of the best, if you are going to do another, do it right and take however much time you need...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Detailed Plot Action, March 25, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Portland, Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

Intricate detailed description of action. Many richly intriguing characters. All set to a stage of of an all too real future way of life. I fell in love with Denise and found new appreciation for martial arts and dancing. I could believe it was a religious book it seems so telling... and perhaps it is and we're all waiting for the next glimpse of truth. If you have quality ideals and a thrist for adventure and excellent charaters then "The Last Dancer is a Must Read" & "ReRead" & "ReRead". I heard the next book is very near being issued.. The background story of the Continuing Time is so good and far reaching I wish it continues. I have a very hard time understanding why a publisher will not support Daniel Keys Moran's work and future work. A loyal fan- Jefree Green