Customer Reviews

The Last Dancer (Bantam spectra book)

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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?

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...

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

I've probably read thousands of sci-fi books, and this is my favorite. The story is told with a beautiful compelling prose, and contains ideas and images that will flow through your mind for years. Moran's other books are also good, but for me, this one was far and away the best. Something about the way Moran phrases things gives them a lyrical feeling. I can't quite describe it, but I sometimes find myself looking for a particular scene or phrase in the book, just to read it again.

My well worn paperback of TLD says all that needs saying about this amazing book. I weep for the future of sci-fi/fantasy if TLD is not brought back into print. Dan: This story is a gem. Don't give up on us; we're not going anywhere.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best science fiction novels ever written. It is a credit to the genre. Moran made vivid characters come to life, and successfully interwove a variety of themes and stories into one integrated whole. Why, oh why, can't the publishers abandon their money-is-god attitude and at least support a few authors for the sake of good literature? I am anxiously awaiting the next novel in this series, and I hold my nose at the Dungeons and Dragons garbage he's working on now. Yo, Daniel, if you read this, I'm also a writer. I know how difficult a task the book was for you, but it's well worth the effort. To read your reviews is to realize that. Now heed your fans and write another!

Daniel Keys Moran is an insightful and creative storyteller who combines a beautifully detailed universe with a hard, gritty, fast paced future filled with political, societal, and technological uncertainties and dilemmas.

Moran's style of writing satifies the classic SciFi fan while it entertains and enthuses those with the borderline post apocalyptic bent of Blade Runner and the Cyberpunk genres.

_The_Last_Dancer_ is the fourth book in the Continuing Time saga falling in line a couple years after the events of _The_Long_Run_ (a masterful piece ISBN 0-553-28144-5).

The story details the events in the life of Denice Castanaveras, a genetically engineered telepath and daughter of the notorious David Castanaveras (_Emerald_Eyes_). It is 2076, 14 years after she was believed to have been murdered in the massacre of "genies".

The TriCentennial Fourth of July is approaching in an occupied America held together by the iron rule of the French led UN. Denice finds herself poised to alter the events of the burgeoning rebellion, and the only person able to halt or help the ambitions of the mysterious and charismatic Reb leader Sedon.

The third book in the "Continuing Time" Saga was great. The only problem I have is that it was written and published nine years ago and the much awaited and promised sequel dealing with "Trent the Uncatchable" has never materialized. I believe it will be the "AI War" which is listed in the latest reprint of "Emerald Eyes" but thus far there no listed publication date.
This book however, was fantastic the twists seem to be neverending and the ongoing list of characters from Camber Tremodian and the Storyteller, to Deniece Castenvaras herself is just mind blowing. The fact, that being a "history" of a Time War that has been ongoing for centuries the book is filled with aradoxes only makes it more interesting.
In light of the current status of the world and technological developments, the storyline is not that far off. Of course we are still centuries behind the developments in technology portrayed, thanks mainly to the debilitating effect of the almighty bribe which all of our hypocritical leaders denounce but readily accept. In this work we find colonies on the moon and other planets which shouldn't be that great a job for the technology that took us from Kitty Hawk to the moon in 3/4 of a century but has been unable to go any further thanks to Oil industry bribes which have delayed technological developments of alternate energy sources and modes of transportation. Still the work does show the true machinations of goverment which has always been rule by the corrupt on behalf of the weathy/jrs

This is the first book by this author I've picked up, and it's been quite a ride. I read it last year, and I'm now reading it again. He hits a lot of chords here, with the UN-occupied USA, French Peace Keeping Force troopers harassing US citizens, and keeping in mind that this was written during the height of the "black helicopter scare" and militia paranoia, it strikes very close to home indeed. But the rich textures woven into this story are amazing. Every character has a soul, and a reason for taking up space in your head and you want them to stick around and tell you more good stories.

Both thrilling and moving, with action sequences to rival any popcorn flick, The Last Dancer is an intricately plotted space adventure. There are elements of cyberpunk as well as fantasy, with some ingredients in the mix being telepathy, artificial intelligence, and an outlandish version of the internet. If any of that doesn't appeal to you, don't worry, the main focus here is on the space opera, with those aforementioned elements being part of the backdrop. All the fun is in reading about characters that you're rooting for getting out of tough situations.

Now for a few technical issues. This is the third book in the series, with the first two being Emerald Eyes, and The Long Run. I'd recommend reading The Long Run before this one. It's purely an action-packed romp with a different main character, but it will set the stage and make The Last Dancer feel all the more climactic for the build up. Emerald Eyes, on the other hand, is a far less entertaining book, and the important parts of it are mentioned in the next two.

Having read this as a teenager, I can recommend it with confidence to young males. I'm not sure what I'd think if I read it now, but as further recommendation, back then this was in the top ten of the Internet Top 100 Fantasy/Sci-Fi List as voted by fans. It was, by far, the least famous book on the list.