Shadowdance

Mixed are my impressions on this most peculiar book: the five stars is homage to the writer's skill and originality. Set in a world clearly going back to a pre-historical Greece, a fact supported also by the choice of garments, warfares and proper names, this book stands out of the several novelizations of past history because of the supernatural touch in it. The plot itself is not particularly interesting: the quest of the main character, a crippled boy healed by a mysterious witch, for his past and for his true self. As another reviewer pointed out the plot twists are such as to shame any soap opera writer and this flaw taints the novel so much as to make it very slow at times. On the other hand we are faced with a most talented writer: his descriptions are minute, detailed to the point of being fastidious. His use of the language is simply beautiful: night and shadow are a constant background but every description he conceives is lyrical at least. Mr Bailey pays much attention to all everyday aspects of life but in a way he manages to sublimate them into poetical images. His treatment of characters is a subtle one: in a most dark, ambiguous, grim atmosphere which stifles even the most gruesome deaths (and there is a lot of violence in this book, only muted) Innowen and the others slide silently as if afraid to stir the wrath of the rarely mentioned but omnipresent gods of their land. Only in time we are explicitly told that the deep attachment of Innowen and Razkili is love: though we understand this love to be an extremely passionate one, we watch it on tip toe, fearful of disturbing the hero while he discovers he does not love the witch as he believed before and he slowly comes to admit he cares for his friend and companion of five years. By the way here is a major contradiction: in this world homosexuality is no issue for anyone and still Innowen seems ashamed to love his companion: I guess Mr Bailey wanted this to be a fear to love in general but he omitted any explanation and it looks like he fears his love of men. Luckily enough he does not forget anything else and though sex between the two is never graphic, well it is never mentioned as such, actually, we look with pleasure at the growing intimacy of their touching. An original, interesting read suited for anyone (gay or straight) who is at least 16 y.o. provided s/he has some superficial knowledge of history and a love for beautiful writing.

Shadowdance was my first introduction to the world of SciFi & Fantasy. Few books I've read have brought both tears and joy to my eyes. I loved Robin's poetic words to describe ordinary objects and the way the author took me to the dark side of sex and mankind. Robin's character development and use of gay overtones added a beautiful dimension to the fantasy. The love between Innowen and Razkilli gave me, a gay reader, an emotional feeling I could identify with.

I just found and read this book, and I'm completely in awe. It's dark and grim, and yet ultimately uplifting. Bailey's prose is tight and lush. His scenes are visual and intense, and he sustains a level of poetry throughout the entire book that few writers achieve. The magic is subtle and beautiful. No lightning bolts shooting from fingertips here, no fireballs or flashy stuff. In fact, one of the things I like best about this book is that it completely avoids all the cliches of most fantasy. I really like the bronze-age setting, and Bailey's research really shows. But most of all, I like the intensity of the building relationship between Innowen and Razkili. Like everything else about this book, the characters are subtle. They develop and grow as the story progresses. This book is definitely one to keep and reread again and again, and I'm delighted to have discovered this author.

Bailey weaves a plot unbelievably believable. He has a thousand twists, most of which are unforseen yet set up. Looking back in the book, you'll find yourself wondering how you missed it, until the next twist comes at the turning of the page. The characters are alive with real human motivations, and the magic is a subtle thread woven throughout the story, something that dominates from the background. Don't expect any knights fighting dragons with enchanted swords -- the magic is rare and powerful, with a price that makes one understand its scarcity. Although there is some bisexuality (gasp), it's done masterfully well. There are no gay parades, no coming-out chapters. It simply is, something portrayed neither as good nor evil, right or wrong, but simply as there. All of this combines with a storyline that puts most soap operas to shame, yet still is ruled by cause and effect rather than "coincidence". The only weakness is that it may be more than most are ready for, as it is very much both dark and fantasy, neither of which the mainstream is particularly fond. If you enjoy either, though, this book will take your breath -- and sleep -- away.

Shadowdance is truly Mr. Bailey's best work to date, and certainly one of the most gorgeous books I have ever read. The story itself is original and compelling, in which a young man named Innowen, who was born without the use of his legs, meets a witch one stormy night, and she gifts him with the ability to walk, but only at night, and he must dance every night if he wishes to keep the gift. The other side of his gift, though, is that the dance awakens the darkest desires of those who witness it. The novel contained a number of twists to the plot, all of which worked beautifully, none of which were predictable. Bailey's writing skill meets its peak in this work, every word is necessary and perfect. Bailey's handling of the events in the book is masterful as well, and I was particularly struck by how well he portrayed the relationship between Innowen and his lover, a young man named Razkilli, especially when one considers the "touchiness" of such a subject, even in our society of today. However, Bailey cannot be accused of being too shy or too subtle with scenes that would have been hurt by such an attitude, particularly in the battles and in a graphic encounter between the witch and her son. The novel is a dark fantasy, an advisory warning to the easily offended, or faint-of-heart. Which is not to say that the degree of graphic portrayal in this story is to any extreme, or exceeds that of many other books in the same genre. I must heartily recommend this novel, it was truly a story to be experienced, and brought me to tears more than once. The level of emotion that Bailey manages to establish and maintain in his brilliant story is what helped to make it what it was - a purely enjoyable and unforgettable read.--Carrie A. Hirsc