The January Dancer (Hardcover)

by Michael Flynn (Author)
Key Phrases: southern vale, dreadful name, scarred man smiles, New Eireann, Little Hugh, Die Bold (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Acclaimed SF writer Flynn (Eifelheim)delivers an epic tale of adventure, intrigue, suspense and mystery. Forced to land for repairs on an unnamed, remote planet, Captain Amos January and crew discover a cache of artifacts left by a cryptic alien race long before humans went to space. They soon retrieve the Dancer, a shape-changing stone that defies analysis. Possibly the scepter of a legendary prehuman king, certainly unique, the priceless trophy is desired by diverse governments, military powers, plutocrats and cabals throughout human-settled space. Flynn knits a richly detailed story of hunters, bandits and patriots that will keep even the most diligent readers on their toes. The plot evokes old-school space opera with its whirlwind pace, immense scope and twist ending, but cutting-edge extrapolation breathes vivid life into this universe of scoundrels, heroes and romantics. This multi-layered story demands much of the reader, but offers more than equivalent rewards. (Oct.)
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From Booklist
A harper wanders into a bar on Jehovah, the focal point of an interchange on the spaceways, and asks for the story of the Dancer, a prehuman artifact discovered by the crew of a ship commanded by one Captain January, which set down for repairs on an empty planet. They lost it trading for a working ship, and it changes hands many times over the course of its story. It shows up again on civil war-wracked New Eireann, then makes its way to a pirate fleet. If the legends are true, it’s an artifact of great and terrible power, and among its seekers are the Fudir, a Terran; Little Hugh O’Carroll of the Eireannaughta; and the Hounds Bridget Ban and Greystroke. Through its story Flynn weaves the stories of the minstrel who asked about it and the man informing her, which are connected to a web of tales enveloping the Dancer. Flynn puts his world-building skills to good use, creating a context that begs to be further explored, whether by him or someone else. --Regina Schroeder

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765318172
• ISBN-13: 978-0765318176
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #203,839 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Than Just Space Opera, December 13, 2008

By	Joseph J. Brophy (New Rochelle, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Michael Flynn is one of those rare writers who can pack big themes into smallish books; create something new while alluding to classic influences; and entertain the reader on every page. The dust jacket describes this novel as space opera, and very entertaining space opera it is, but it is much more. The pleasure of reading the book is greatly enhanced by glimpses of history, art, language, culture, religion and technology, that suggest that the universe described has substance much greater than what is necessary for the rousing chase/shoot-em-up yarn that this is. I am frankly puzzled by the reviewer who put this book down, and considered the characters shallow. I couldn't put it down, and I found the characters, while deliberately archtypical, were also interesting and sometimes sympathetic. The names alone were entertaining. The relationship and history between Little Hugh and Handsome Jack, and the brutal civil war on New Eireann, a small subplot in this book, is more interesting than many whole books I have read and enjoyed. This book was easily as creative as Elfenheim, and a lot more fun. When I brought January Dancer back to the library, I picked up The Wreck of the River of Stars, and I am going to start reading it today.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine SF adventure, December 9, 2008

By	Sacramento Book Review "SacramentoBookReview.com" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

Part science fiction, part historical fact, and a good chunk of logical deduction, Hugo Award Finalist, Michael Flynn, delivers a powerful science fiction novel this is profoundly fun to read. The January Dancer is like a large interstellar hunt, with a shock at the end that will surprise any readers. The story follows Captain Amos January and his discovery of a powerful an ancient artifact that he quickly loses. All forms of people, from pirates and nobles to collectors and governments, wish to have this artifact, and all are willing to do whatever it takes to obtain it; even kill. With a strong hint of a space opera, this story weaves, love, mystery, music, action, and change to create a mammoth of a read that will leave readers enraptured in its pages for generations to come.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader, May 23, 2009

By	Blue Tyson "- http://freesf.blogspot.com" - See all my reviews

A solid novel, with an interesting setting.

This is perhaps somewhere between the over the top caricature that inhabits Mike Resnick's Birthright universe and the barbarism is the natural state of mankind melancholoy in Poul Anderson's Terran Empire.

A harper finds a grizzled scarred old man in a bar, and inveigles a tale out of him, this is the framing narrative for the story of the desperate manoeuvring over an ancient alien artifact that allows a sort of voice activated mind control.

There's also a spot of Irish Troubles loyalist vs rebel guerilla warfare on one of the planets - wherein one of the main characters comes from.

Super agents of order, pirates, spies, collectors, military commanders and more want to get their hands on this 'Twisting Stone' or 'January Dancer' as the captain who rediscovered it named it.

So a bunch of sneaky, twisting plotting by all concerned, with revelations about harpers and stones to come.

Probably finishes in a bit much of a rush to be clear to everyone - possibly this is a case of deliberate sequelitis.


3.5 out of 5