In the third volume of Jane S. Fancher's acclaimed series, three telepathically linked brothers must unite their powers to face an enemy that could destroy them all. The magic behind the rings which power their city may be their only hope--in an epic struggle of love and war, intrigue and magic...
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Jane S. Fancher, in her first fantasy novel, has created a powerful dynasty...The reader is totally captured in the web of the tale...Dance of the Rings promises to be an enduring addition to the fantasy field." --Affaire de Coeur
"Dangerous intrigues arise from within and without, along with enough action spicing the mix and enough secrets yet to be revealed, that the next book in the series can't come soon enough." --Adventures of Sword and Sorcery
"A powerful dynastic fantasy--brilliantly conceived with strong characters and a unique magic--what more could you ask!" --C.J. Cherryh
The next installment in the "entertaining" series that will "appeal to fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series." --Science Fiction Chronicle
"Reading any book by Jane Fancher is like sitting down to a cup of really good hot cocoa-- rich with just the right touch of darkness to make interesting..."
--Patricia Briggs
"Dangerous intrigues arise from within and without, along with enough action spicing the mix and enough secrets yet to be revealed, that the next book in the series can't come soon enough." --Adventures of Sword and Sorcery
"A powerful dynastic fantasy--brilliantly conceived with strong characters and a unique magic--what more could you ask!" --C.J. Cherryh
The next installment in the "entertaining" series that will "appeal to fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series." --Science Fiction Chronicle
"Reading any book by Jane Fancher is like sitting down to a cup of really good hot cocoa-- rich with just the right touch of darkness to make interesting..."
--Patricia Briggs
From the Author
Contains spoilers for those who haven't read the first two books!
One of the ever-present themes throughout the Ring books is perception: perception of self, perception of others...and how expectations color those perceptions.
Obviously, the brothers have carried around some crazy notions about each other for years, ideas that color every interaction...until their link shatters all illusions. And then, they need to learn a new way to perceive, one that acknowledges that part of what constitutes "character" in a person is how they censor their gut reactions. We aren't just what we think and feel, but how we act on those feelings and thoughts.
Lidye and Mirym, also obviously, are not at all what they appear at first. The ley creatures themselves are reflections of the perceptions of the true believers.
And then there's Dancer. Years ago, while watching the movie M Butterfly, I found myself utterly disinterested in the main character, Rene Gallimard, but utterly fascinated with Song Liling. I couldn't help wondering how, in that twenty years together, Song Liling came to perceive him/herself, not just to carry off the deception, but in order to play her part on the stage.
RingDancers gave me a chance to explore these questions. As good characters will do, Dancer immediately took those ideas and personalized them, the question of self-perception as a Dancer/obsessive athlete becoming entangled with the whole question of gender identity.
After Ring of Lightning came out, readers seemed split right down the middle as to whether Dancer was male or female. I never found any pattern, i.e. gender or age of the reader, Fantasy readers vs SF readers. Even those who knew me didn't automatically assume Dancer was male!
Even more interesting, no one ever really questioned their perception. To them, Dancer simply was male or female. Only one reader ever mentioned the fact that Dancer uses a self-pronoun only once in that first book...which I was rather pleased with. I worked hard not to make it obvious, but the fact is, until that moment, Dancer doesn't think of Dancer as anything but a dancer. Sexuality has been deliberately suppressed--hence the lack of pronoun while in viewpoint.
In Destiny, perception becomes a major issue...in every way.
One of the ever-present themes throughout the Ring books is perception: perception of self, perception of others...and how expectations color those perceptions.
Obviously, the brothers have carried around some crazy notions about each other for years, ideas that color every interaction...until their link shatters all illusions. And then, they need to learn a new way to perceive, one that acknowledges that part of what constitutes "character" in a person is how they censor their gut reactions. We aren't just what we think and feel, but how we act on those feelings and thoughts.
Lidye and Mirym, also obviously, are not at all what they appear at first. The ley creatures themselves are reflections of the perceptions of the true believers.
And then there's Dancer. Years ago, while watching the movie M Butterfly, I found myself utterly disinterested in the main character, Rene Gallimard, but utterly fascinated with Song Liling. I couldn't help wondering how, in that twenty years together, Song Liling came to perceive him/herself, not just to carry off the deception, but in order to play her part on the stage.
RingDancers gave me a chance to explore these questions. As good characters will do, Dancer immediately took those ideas and personalized them, the question of self-perception as a Dancer/obsessive athlete becoming entangled with the whole question of gender identity.
After Ring of Lightning came out, readers seemed split right down the middle as to whether Dancer was male or female. I never found any pattern, i.e. gender or age of the reader, Fantasy readers vs SF readers. Even those who knew me didn't automatically assume Dancer was male!
Even more interesting, no one ever really questioned their perception. To them, Dancer simply was male or female. Only one reader ever mentioned the fact that Dancer uses a self-pronoun only once in that first book...which I was rather pleased with. I worked hard not to make it obvious, but the fact is, until that moment, Dancer doesn't think of Dancer as anything but a dancer. Sexuality has been deliberately suppressed--hence the lack of pronoun while in viewpoint.
In Destiny, perception becomes a major issue...in every way.
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More About the Author
On October 24, 1988 in Oklahoma City, OK, at a suggestion from SF author C.J. Cherryh, I began writing. I kept writing because two hours after starting, I had to find out what happened. A little over a year later, I was the startled owner of a three book contract based on the rough draft of my first novel.
I've been writing ever since.
What appeals to me about writing in general is the constant challenge. I'm a generalist and writing is the one thing that will happily use every bit of information and experience you have to put into it. It's constant problem solving, method acting and soul-searching all rolled up into one 24/7 job.
What I love about writing SF/F is...everything. I love the optimism of believing there is a future for humanity. I love the challenge of imagining what that future might be. But most of all, I love the thrill of exploring that future with the interesting and courageous people I find living in it.
But SF/F has another, less obvious, appeal: the ability to write with a social conscience without preaching. It lets writers create worlds in which they can shed light on aspects of current society in a less charged environment. Its a way to help raise awareness without pointing fingers at anyone.
Yes, I have same gender relationships. Yes, I have gender-identification-challenged characters. Yes, sex and obsessive attraction are definitely issues in my books, as are power and its use and abuse. But the genre's one-step-removed perspective also lets me explore the human ramifications of a too-effective educational system (be careful what you wish for), or the curious problems of being siblings and growing up with the kind of misconceptions only close association can create, or what it means to a culture to lose an entire generation's knowledge.
Can you do this in contemporary fiction? Absolutely. But SF/F lets you add extreme ramifications...like what if those sibling misconceptions were suddenly stripped away with the ability to know exactly what those sibs were thinking? What if the educational system were so effective, the subsequent misinformation threatened the very fabric of the universe itself?
In my contemporary vampire fantasy...I hesitate to call it urban fantasy, because in all honesty, it hasn't the right tropes...I'm enjoying exploring the perspective of virtual immortality and what might make life worth living after three thousand years.
And with SF/F you can do all this while have a rip-roaring adventure! What more can a writer ask for?
My formal educational background is in Math, Physics, Astrophysics and Anthropology. I've raised and trained horses, flown planes, and at 51, took up figure skating. I love building things, from costumes to computers, model ships to koi ponds. I play a little guitar, some piano and like to sing.
I actually got started in the publishing world doing art. I worked on WaRP Graphics' Elfquest, helping with inking on the last few volumes of the original black and white, also helping with the colors in the original color volumes. After that, I moved on to my own project, an adaptation of C.J. Cherryh's first novel, Gate of Ivrel.
These days, after many years away from art, I find myself returning to it to do covers for my newest venture, Closed Circle Publications. A couple of years ago, C.J., Lynn Abbey and I decided to join the ebook movement and bring out both our orphaned backlist and some new works that weren't quite what NY was looking for but which our loyal readers were demanding.
I absolutely love hearing from my readers. My blog should echo here, but feel free to join us at:
http://www.janefancher.com/TheCaptainAndLime/
I've been writing ever since.
What appeals to me about writing in general is the constant challenge. I'm a generalist and writing is the one thing that will happily use every bit of information and experience you have to put into it. It's constant problem solving, method acting and soul-searching all rolled up into one 24/7 job.
What I love about writing SF/F is...everything. I love the optimism of believing there is a future for humanity. I love the challenge of imagining what that future might be. But most of all, I love the thrill of exploring that future with the interesting and courageous people I find living in it.
But SF/F has another, less obvious, appeal: the ability to write with a social conscience without preaching. It lets writers create worlds in which they can shed light on aspects of current society in a less charged environment. Its a way to help raise awareness without pointing fingers at anyone.
Yes, I have same gender relationships. Yes, I have gender-identification-challenged characters. Yes, sex and obsessive attraction are definitely issues in my books, as are power and its use and abuse. But the genre's one-step-removed perspective also lets me explore the human ramifications of a too-effective educational system (be careful what you wish for), or the curious problems of being siblings and growing up with the kind of misconceptions only close association can create, or what it means to a culture to lose an entire generation's knowledge.
Can you do this in contemporary fiction? Absolutely. But SF/F lets you add extreme ramifications...like what if those sibling misconceptions were suddenly stripped away with the ability to know exactly what those sibs were thinking? What if the educational system were so effective, the subsequent misinformation threatened the very fabric of the universe itself?
In my contemporary vampire fantasy...I hesitate to call it urban fantasy, because in all honesty, it hasn't the right tropes...I'm enjoying exploring the perspective of virtual immortality and what might make life worth living after three thousand years.
And with SF/F you can do all this while have a rip-roaring adventure! What more can a writer ask for?
My formal educational background is in Math, Physics, Astrophysics and Anthropology. I've raised and trained horses, flown planes, and at 51, took up figure skating. I love building things, from costumes to computers, model ships to koi ponds. I play a little guitar, some piano and like to sing.
I actually got started in the publishing world doing art. I worked on WaRP Graphics' Elfquest, helping with inking on the last few volumes of the original black and white, also helping with the colors in the original color volumes. After that, I moved on to my own project, an adaptation of C.J. Cherryh's first novel, Gate of Ivrel.
These days, after many years away from art, I find myself returning to it to do covers for my newest venture, Closed Circle Publications. A couple of years ago, C.J., Lynn Abbey and I decided to join the ebook movement and bring out both our orphaned backlist and some new works that weren't quite what NY was looking for but which our loyal readers were demanding.
I absolutely love hearing from my readers. My blog should echo here, but feel free to join us at:
http://www.janefancher.com/TheCaptainAndLime/
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The longer, the better,
By
This review is from: Ring of Destiny (Dance of the Rings, Book 3) (Paperback)
Ms. Fancher's book, "Ring of Destiny", is superb. Some who have reviewed the book have been concerned about the length. This I do not understand. What is the hurry? Is it a race? In the case of a book as good as this, the only draw back is that it has to end at all. In fact, you are fortunate because (if you haven't already) you can buy the entire triology and read from one book right into the next, without stopping. I recommend it. The complexity and growth of her characters, like the development of her plot, unfolds with majestic beauty. I've read a lot books, cotton candy books that can be devoured in a single sitting; Ms. Fancher's books are much more. They are a full-course, gourmet meal that leaves a lasting satisfaction.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conclusion of Dance of the Rings,
By CJ Cherryh (Spokane WA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ring of Destiny (Dance of the Rings, Book 3) (Paperback)
I love this book...strong character, strong plot, and follow-through on all the promise of the first two volumes [Ring of Lightning, Ring of Intrigue.] I had the chance to read it in manuscript, to be sure, and this is one set of books I wish I'd written!
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No escaping the past for the Rhomandi brothers.,
By
This review is from: Ring of Destiny (Dance of the Rings, Book 3) (Paperback)
With the battle of the Ringmasters over, the series' main characters take stock, of some of the elements that featured in Lightning and Intrigue. In Rhomatum, Kiyrstin and Lidye, both pregnant, slug it out regarding their personal difficulties, what to do about the incomplete ring complement following the battle, and who is really in charge of them. And in a soldiers' camp situated close to a newly developing node between Rhomatum and Khoratum are the three Rhomandi brothers, and Ganfrion. Here, on a minor level, we have the explanation of what happened to Deymorin's horse Ringer. And on a somewhat more dramatic level we learn the true nature of Dancer, only hinted at during the close of Lightning. Dancer is a development, which, in less sensitive hands could have become as dubious as her descriptions of the physicality of sex could have degenerated into fluffy. For Dancer is a Child of Rakshi, a 'Tweener, with three personalities: androgynous, male, and female. And to complicate matters further, Dancer and Mikhyel are now lovers. Mikhyel's problem is how to reconcile himself and his associates, perhaps the long suffering Nethaalye in particular, to the idea of such a union, whilst Dancer's is one of coming to terms with the notion that in Mikhyel's frame of reference Dancer is a freak of nature, not the creature of purity that Mother encouraged Dancer to believe in. Jane Fancher's skill, with this potential hell-brew, is well demonstrated by the following line from the scene in which Mikhyel and Dancer are intimates. `Temorii's hands sought the sensitive instrument of loving that had gone suddenly silent, a gently teasing touch that brought Mikhyel easily back to the music....' (Temorii is Dancer's female side). I thought that was so nicely done, unlike so many others' attempts at such. These matters take up approximately the first half of the book. From there we move quickly onto Rhomatum, where Mikhyel busies himself in, post-battle, legalities in order to stabilise the Rhomatum web inclusive of potential others from the recent fall out. Deymorin takes charge of casting the replacement Giephaetum/Shatum and Khoratum/Persitum rings, and discovers his talent for ringspinning, which might usurp Lidye's hold. And Nikeanor's eighteenth birthday comes around, a time of celebration Lidye intends to use to reinforce her own grasp on power. The final section with its defeat of their old adversary, rom Maurii, and the birth of the three brothers' babies is a conclusion of the story so far. But there's plenty to keep the series spinning on. I read fairly widely in this genre, and feel, after reading all three, so far, of this series, that these books are one of the truly worthwhile additions to the field, in terms of quality of writing, development of character, world building, and originality of themes. They're definitely worth any serious fantasy fan's dollars.
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