In the Lion’s Mouth (January Dancer 3) by Michael Flynn [Cover & Blurb]

Sep 012011

I fell in love with Michael Flynn’s writing in The January Dancer and then again in Up Jim River last year. This is an epic Celtic saga slash space opera too good to miss. Got to love this cover too.

Order from Amazon US | UK

It’s a big Spiral Arm, and the scarred man, Donavan buigh, has gone missing in it, upsetting the harper Mearana’s plans for a reconciliation between her parents. Bridget ban, a Hound of the League, is unconvinced that reconciliation is either possible or desirable; but nonetheless has dispatched agents to investigate the disappearance. After all, Donovan had once done the favor for her (in Up Jim River).

The powerful Ravn Olafsdottr, a Shadow of the Names, slips into Clanthompson Hall to tell mother and daughter of the fate of Donovan buigh. In the Long Game between the Confederation of Central Worlds and the United League of the Periphery, Hound and Shadow are mortal enemies; yet a truce descends between them so that the Shadow may tell her tale.

There is a struggle in the Lion’s Mouth, the bureau that oversees the Shadows – a clandestine civil war of sabotage and assassination between those who would overthrow Those of Name and the loyalists who support them. And Donovan, one-time Confederal agent, has been recalled to take a key part, willingly or no.

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Formidable Female Protagonists in Science Fiction Part 13

Books 7 Responses »

Jul 092010

I prefer female protagonists and this series of posts is homage to some of the most formidable female main characters in science fiction novels or series. This weeks formidable females contains some new favorites like Mearana, Briar, Caitlin and some old.

Mearana - The Harper (Michael Flynn)
Sparta – Venus Prime (Paul Preuss)
Briar Wilkes – Persistent Mother (Cherie Priest)
Caitlin Decter – Best Friend of the Web (Robert J. Sawyer)
Ilia Volyova – Triumvir Ultra (Alastair Reynolds)

Mearana - The Harper

Books: The January Dancer (2008), Up John River (2010)
Series: The January Dancer
Universe: Firestar
Author: Michael Flynn
Genre: Gaelic Space Opera
Publisher: Tor | Tantor Media

My reviews: The January Dancer | Up Jim River

In the beginning of the January Dancer a beautiful redheaded Harper walks into a bar in search for histories to sing. She approach the Scarred man that tells her the story of The January Dancer. In Up Jim River she and the scarred man goes looking for her disappeared mother. It reads like an epic gaelic saga with beautiful prose. I can recommend the audio version of The January Dancer it is just awesome, it blew my mind.

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Sparta – Venus Prime

Books: Breaking Strain (1987), Maelstrom (1988), Hide & Seek (1989), The Medusa Encounter (1990), The Diamond Moon (1990), The Shining Ones (1991)
Series: Arthur’s C. Clark’s Venus Prime
Author: Paul Preuss
Genre: YA | Science Fiction
Publisher: Avon | Pan | iBooks

I remember these books from my youth. Sparta is a beautiful and mysterious woman with advanced abilities due to her bioengineering. But she don’t remember the last three years and tries to recover her past and save her future. Beautiful description and adventures on the planets of the solar system based on short stories by Aurthur C. Clark.

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Briar Wilkes – Persistent Mother

Books: Boneshaker (2009)
Series: Clockwork Century
Author: Cherie Priest
Genre: Steampunk
Publisher: Tor

Briar Wilkes name used to be Briar Blue before her husband poisoned downtown Seattle with a gas that turned humans into Zombies with his infernal digging machine – The Boneshaker. Now her son is lost inside the walls erected to keep the gas out and she would do anything to save him. Much steampunk fun with airships and zombies.

A second book, Dreadnought in the same universe will be out in September 2010, but it has a different protagonist.

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Caitlin Decter – Best Friend of the Web

Title: Wake (2009), Watch (2010), Wonder (2011)
Series: WWW
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
Genre: Science Fiction | First Contact | Emerging AI
Publisher: ACE | Gollancz

My reviews: Wake, Watch

Caitlin Decter is a feisty young blind girl that is quite ordinary besides being a mathematical genius and after an experimental treatment to make her see again she starts to see the world wide web. Out there in the web she encounters an emerging intelligence and befriends it.

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Ilia Volyova – Triumvir Ultra

Books: Revelation Space (2000), Redemption Ark (2002)
Universe: Revalation Space
Author: Alastair Reynolds
Genre: Space Opera
Publisher: Gollancz | ACE | Tantor Media

Triumvir Ilia Volyova of Nostalgia for Infinity is an implant-free Ultra, and a major character in both Revelation Space and Redemption Ark. At the beginning of Revelation Space, Volyova is the keeper of the Cache Weapons. It is during her search for a means to control these weapons that she enlists Ana Khouri (who was planted in the role by the Mademoiselle), thus setting off a chain of events that continues throughout the novels. She maintains a long friendship with Captain Brannigan, a man melded with with his ship. When I am reading this I realize I have read these books a long time ago, it makes me want to go back and reread them.

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Read part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | index | afterword

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Up Jim River by Michael Flynn (The January Dancer 2)

Books 2 Responses »

Jun 212010

Up Jim River is the quest of a daughter for her lost mother and it continues the story from The January Dancer 20 years later. I loved the first book, here is my review of the second.

Title: Up Jim River
Series: The January Dancer 2
Author: Michael Flynn
Narrator: Todd
Genre: Space Opera
Hardcover: 336 pages
Audio book: 15h 56min
Publisher: Tor books 2010 | Tantor Media 2010
Excerpt: from chapter 1
Copy: Bought by my
Order from: Audible | Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

There is a river on Dangchao Waypoint, a small world out beyond Die Bold. It is a longish river as such things go, with a multitude of bayous and rapids and waterfalls, and it runs through many a strange and hostile country. Going up it, you can lose everything.

Going up it, you can find anything. The Hound Bridget ban has vanished, and her employer, the Kennel (the mysterious superspy agency of the League), has given up the search. But her daughter, the harper Mearana, has not.

She enlists the scarred man, Donovan, to aid her in her search. With the reluctant assent and financial aid of the Kennel, they set forth. Bridget ban was following hints of an artifact that would “protect the League from the Confederacy for aye.” Mearana is eager to follow that trail, but Donovan is reluctant, because whatever is at the end of it made a Hound disappear. What it would do to a harper and a drunk is far too easy to imagine.

Donovan’s mind had been shattered by Those of Name, the rulers of the Confederacy, and no fewer than seven quarreling personalities now inhabit his skull. How can he hope to see Mearana through safely?

Together, they follow Bridget ban’s trail to the raw worlds of the frontier, edging ever closer to the uncivilized and barbarian planets of the Wild.

Information

To clarify one thing, Up Jim River refer to a saying on Dangchao Waypoint and not as I thought when I read the blurb a mysterious and maybe extra dimensional river they where going to explore in this novel. The river they eventually will explore comes about three quarters into the book. I kept thinking are they never going to get to the river this is about? I am not spoiling the book in any way because at no time do the character believe they are chasing any such river. Maybe it is just me but I think they should fix that blurb.

I listened to the audio book from Tantor Media read by Todd McLaren. He is Ok but not as good as Stefan Rudnicki (The January Dancer), that narration blew my mind.

The protagonists are Mearana and Donovan (the Fudir from The January Dancer). Compared to The January Dancer, Up Jim River is more of a traditional story told by the persons in it. The story begins 20 years after the main events in The January Dancer and the day after the scarred man finished his tale to Mearana.

The Author

Michael Francis Flynn is another new author for me. I feel like trying the other series he has written like the Firestar series. According to Wikipedia he is an American statistician and science fiction author. They say that most of his works fall under hard science fiction but The January Dancer series is beyond hard science and touches more on mystery of science forgotten long ago. Much of his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

World Building

The world building continues from The January Dancer and we learn more about the rugged and wild worlds of the frontier and even more about the distant past and the truth behind legends. We learn what we learn as the characters learn in their quest to find Bridget ban in an non obtrusive way.

I had to check out my sense of disbelief a couple of times concerning the worlds and some of the characters they visited but this is space opera and they where funny so it worked for me.

One thing that has captivated my imagination is the world Michael Flynn built. How did the old civilization crumble? How was the legendary war fought? Was the ancient enemies of Iron & Sand artificial intelligences created by man or an alien race? I find myself getting back to his world and the mysteries in it again and again.

Plot

Mearana goes looking for her mother together with the reluctant Donovan. First they get the kennels support and then they continue towards the frontier and the mystery that swallowed Bridgit ban. Their journey touches old acquaintances from The January Dancer that come and goes; it touches ancient legends and mysteries. The whole thing reads as a mystery quest up until the end when it gets a bit more like a high tech Indiana Jones all in beautiful prose of course.

It is as much a personal journey for both of them. For Mearana it is about her and her parents. Donovan is the one to make the greatest inner journey split as he is into multiple inner personalities like the Fudir, inner child and such. He has to find himself.

Characterization

The characterization is vivid, warm and compelling as I come to expect after The January Dancer. Some of the supporting characters are a bit stereotypical.

As in The January Dancer Donovan/the Fudir was the most compelling and well developed character with his inner personalities at constant war with each other over weather they should help Mearana or go back to safety. I liked him a lot here too he is like the body of the story while Mearana is the soul. It was easy to root for her to finish her quest.

My View

The January Dancer blew my mind, it is hard for a second volume to live up to that. Where January Dancer was an epic Saga Up Jim River is more of a good mystery quest. Some of the turns feels a bit to easy and could have been more of an obstacle for the characters to overcome but it is a good book to listen to. The ending gives closure but is also a great setup for a third book. It is possible to read this as a standalone novel but I would recommend that you start with The January Dancer as they are parts in one story.

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The January Dancer by Michael Flynn (The January Dancer 1)

Books 4 Responses »

Jun 142010

I needed something to listen to on my way to work and the January Dancer sounded interesting and I am always willing to try new authors, you might find something you really like. This is what I found.

“The January Dancer tells the fateful story of an ancient pre-human artifact of great power and the people who pursue it. Starting with Captain Amos January, who quickly loses it, and then the others who fight, scheme, and kill to get it, we travel around the complex, decadent, brawling, mongrelized interstellar human civilization it might save or destroy. Collectors want the Dancer; pirates take it; rulers crave it; and they’ll all kill if necessary to get it.” This is a story of love, revolution, music, and mystery, and it ends, as all great stories do, with shock and a beginning.

Information

I listened to the audio book version and I connected with that voice from the very beginning. It was a good choice with the right accent and dynamic enough for the other voices in the story.

In the best Gaelic tradition a beautiful redhead Harper walks into a bar looking for a man who can tell the tale of the January Dancer so she can make sweet music of it. She finds ‘the Scared man’ and he tells her the Tale of The January Dancer.

I feel that listening to this instead of reading it added extra realism in the storytelling, I could feel myself sitting in that dark alcove listening to the scared mans masterful word weaving as he dealt out piece by piece to keep the suspense high.

I would have gladly brought him all the uisce beatha he could drink to get him to finish his story.

World building

The story of the January Dancer takes place in a future world were humanity is spread among the stars along the highways of space. Known space is divided by a rift that may have been created in a war or a cataclysmic event. Much of history and science is lost in legends. Legend has it that the Rift was created in a cataclysmic war that shattered the Commonwealth of Suns, devastated Terra and plunged everyone into ‘the sundering’ when dark ages ruled and many worlds lost contact with mainstream humanity.

The side of the Rift centered on Terra consists of The Confederation of Central Worlds under the dictatorship of ‘Those of Names’. Flynn has his way with names.

The other side is occupied by the United League of the Periphery a more loose association of worlds under Ardry of High Tara. The ULP is kept together by highly trained agents called ‘hounds’ or ‘pups’.

Technology is not very well understood by most, many legends claim that it was more advanced ‘before’. They can still manage interstellar travel along the high roads where space travels faster than light. The roads have named like ‘Route 66′ and ‘the Silk Road’.

The world just is, I am there. Michael Flynn is a master world weaver I can never do his intricate weave justice with my scribblings.

Plot

One side of the plot is the scared man and the Harper but they tell a story some twenty years before.

A motley crew under Captain January finds an alien artifact (The January Dancer, named after the Captain) on a desert planet when they stop for repairs. This sets off a series of events where different actors across the spiral arm try to gain control over it. An ancient legend of an object of power a Twister is involved. The story focuses on a group that seems to get together by chance; it consists of the Fudir, an opportunistic criminal from Jehovah, Hugh a guerrilla leader and once planet manager of the first planet where the Dancer changed hands and two kennel agents Greystroke and Bridget ban. They eventually track down the Dancer and confront its power.

Characterization

The Fudir is my favorite character but they are all great. The voices on the audio were superb and the way they are described really makes them come alive. It feels like the scared man has meet each and every one of the characters and he tells their story like you would tell your best friend.

The way it is done is perfect for the story and the way it is told. But I as an outside reader gets so curious about those characters that I want to know more! Some of the characters like the Fudir and Hugh you get to know a little more about.

My View

I am in awe with this book, the combination of wonderful prose and just the right narrator meshed perfectly. Its only drawback is that it is too short. I am not sure the story telling technique will fit everyone but I would recommend that you give the audio version a try. The January Dancer is space opera wrapped in a Gaelic saga served by a Harper and a scarred man. I am already on the sequel Up Jim River.

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New Science Fiction Books in April 2010 Revisited

Books No Responses »

Apr 012010

Lets have a look at April for New Science Fiction books of interest. There are some great books coming out, the fourth Safehold novel by David Weber, The last book in Lost Fleet, the second book in Humanity’s Fire and the Nebula Award Showcase 2010 among others.

New this month is the publishing house link, where you can buy the book. If you want to check out the publishing houses yourself and maybe create your own list, please use my Links page it has direct links to upcoming releases by the publishers I like.

Books On Order

A Mighty Fortress
Safehold 3
by David Weber
Published by Tor Books

This is one of the books of 2010 that I am most eager to read, I am a big fan of David Weber and you have seen the snippet spam I have been doing here on the site.

Young Cayleb Ahrmahk has accomplished things few people could even dream of. Not yet even thirty years old, he’s won the most crushing naval victories in human history. He’s smashed a hostile alliance of no less than five princedoms and won the hand of the beautiful young Queen Sharleyan of Chisholm. Cayleb and Sharleyan have created the Charisian Empire, the greatest naval power in the history of Safehold, and they’ve turned Charis into a place of refuge for all who treasure freedom.

Their success may prove short-lived. The Church of God Awaiting, which controls most of Safehold, has decreed their destruction. Mother Church’s entire purpose is to prevent the very things to which Charis is committed. Since the first attempt to crush the heretics failed, the Church has no choice but to adopt some of the hated Charisian innovations for themselves. Soon a mighty fleet will sail against Cayleb, destroying everything in its path.

But there are still matters about which the Church knows nothing, including Cayleb and Sharleyan’s adviser, friend, and guardian— the mystic warrior-monk named Merlin Athrawes. Merlin knows all about battles against impossible odds, because he is in fact the cybernetic avatar of a young woman named Nimue Alban, who died a thousand years before. As Nimue, Merlin saw the entire Terran Federation go down in fire and slaughter at the hands of a foe it could not defeat. He knows that Safehold is the last human planet in existence, and that the stasis the Church was created to enforce will be the human race’s death sentence if it is allowed to stand.

The juggernaut is rumbling down on Charis, but Merlin Athrawes and a handful of extraordinary human beings stand in its path. The Church is about to discover just how potent the power of human freedom truly is.

The Orphaned Worlds
Humanity’s Fire 2
by Michael Cobley
Published by Orbit UK

I really liked the first book in the series so I am looking forward to read this one.

Darien is no longer a lost outpost of humanity, but the prize in an intergalactic power struggle. Hegemony forces have a stranglehold over the planet and crack troops patrol its hotspots while Earth watches, passive, rendered impotent by galactic politics. But its Darien ambassador will soon become a player in a greater conflict. There is more at stake than a turf war on a newly discovered world.

An ancient Uvovo temple hides access to a hyperspace prison, housing the greatest threat sentient life has ever known. Millennia ago, malignant intelligences were caged there following an apocalyptic war. And their servants work on their release.

However, Darien’s guardians have not been idle, gathering resistance on the planet’s forest moon. Knowledge has been lost since great races battled in eons past, and now time is short. The galaxy will depend on the Uvovo reclaiming their past – and humanity must look to its future. For a new war is coming.

Continue reading »

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