The January Dancer

Evidently, some people have limited patience with a Myth/Tall Tale style. The inside jacket flap cites E.E. (Doc) Smith and Cordwainer Smith as stylistic touchstones, but while I see Cordwainer here I really fail to see the Doc. In fact Flynn's writing in this novel goes beyond Cordwainer Smith in the opposite direction and almost crosses into R.A. Lafferty territory. And while Doc Smith entirely disregarded any FTL issues (not a much of a criticism as it might seem given the era in which he wrote) Flynn uses a very interesting take on the Krasnikov Tube to explain his characters using FTL. As one of the more positive prior reviews has mentioned, there are so many ideas here that a weaker writer could spin a dozen stories or even novels out of them. The ending came as really a surprise despite the fact that (WARNING, WILL ROBINSON) thanks to the product description for Up Jim River I had accidentally absorbed some major spoilers. I loved the Tall Tale style, which reminded me of a toned-down Lafferty, and the way Old Earth crept into the mythology and language - reminding me of Cordwainer Smith's Mansonyaggers (Menschen-Jägers.) The characters had a mythological aura to them, which if handled right as with The January Dancer, enhanced my enjoyment of them. Nearly every sentance seemed to throw off sparks, and if it took longer to read than the latest Neal Asher (who I love and who is compulsively page-turning) it was only because I re-read paragraph after paragraph for pure pleasure.

The January Dancer (2008) is a standalone SF novel. It is set in the mid future after the fall of the Old Commonwealth and the rise of the Central Worlds Confederation. Colonies on the other side of the Rift became the United League of the Periphery. In this novel, the Scarred Man is sitting within the Bar on Jehovah. He has a tale to tell. But he has multiple personalities in his head. Amos January is Captain of the New Angeles. He is an amiable looking man, but has hard eyes. Little Hugh O'Carroll is the assistant manager of New Eireann. But his official name is Ringbao della Casta. Sophia Jumdar is a Colonel in the Interstellar Cargo Company forces. She is bound for Hawthorn Rose with two companies. Fadir is a Terran on Jehovah. His name means stranger or outsider. He has traveled within the Periphery League. Greystroke is senior pup for Hound na Fir Li. When a Confederate agent is captured by the Sapphire Point squadron, he takes on the identify of the courier and continues his mission. In this story, a harper comes to the Bar on Jehovah to learn about the Dancer. She finds the Scarred Man and asks him about the incident. He tells her the following tale. Captain January has problems. The ship is broken again and they are stranded within an electric road byway. He sends some crewmembers down to the nearby planet to find sand and iron for the repairs. January becomes impatient and goes down to see how the search is going. Naturally, the crew has found plenty of sand, but still hasn't found iron ore. Instead, they discover an underground gallery with prehuman artifacts within it. Most of the items are immovable, but one piece is portable. It looks somewhat like a brick, but it slowly twists and changes its shape. January brings it back to the ship with him. The ICC takes charge of New Eireann after the revolt. Colonel Jumdar arrives during the civil war with half her regimen and promptly squashes the conflict. Then she calls for the rest of her Regiment and sends word to the ICC. January uses marterial from the New Angeles to make temporary repairs, then takes the ship to New Eireann for an overhaul. January trades the artifact with the ICC factor for yard service. Then the New Angeles leaves the planet. Hugh lead the Loyalist forces during the civil war. He earns the name of Ghost of Ardow. Now he is being hunted by Jumdar and the Rebels. He goes offworld, but vows to return. On Jehovah, Fadir discovers an assassin stalking Hugh. The assassin kills one man and is ready to kill Hugh, but Fadir convinces him that any such attempt would be fatal to his health. Hugh and Fadir talk and decide to return to New Eireann. Greystroke comes to Jehovah searching for Donavan, a Confederate sleeper agent. But he finds that his only contact is Fadir, who has gone offworld. He decides to follow Fadir and Hugh to New Eireann. This tale is told by the Scarred Mar with frequent interruptions by the harper and others.

Michael Flynn creates a fascinating blend of cultures, fragmentary histories, and characters. The narrative switches between a reluctant storyteller and his audience of one, and the events that unfolded surrounding the Dancer. Musical themes flow through the narrative, and the author provides a feeling much akin to musical themes and counterpoints throughout the story. Several of the subplots are not fully explored, and several of the premises for the story require a significant suspension of disbelief such as a complete lack of technological and scientific innovation across far-flung interstellar civilizations. Nonetheless, the quality of the characters and the mysteries that unfold in the story make this a solidly enjoyable tale. I suspect a number of friends will be receiving this as a gift in the near future. Highly recommended.

One of the best science fiction books I've read in the last 20 years. It's not easy reading, but the setting is wildly creative and the characters are memorable. The plot holds up throughout and the ending is exceptional. Highly recommended!

. . . which does not disappoint. "The January Dancer" is classic space opera. It is a wonderful tale, well told, about a priceless artifact the the many and varied people, organizations, and governments who desire it. The characters are real, flawed -- and believable. The mystery is tightly wound with a classic surprise -- and very satisfying -- ending. Honestly, it left me wanting more! Other reviewers have noted, correctly, that the sheer number of characters is overwhelming. I, too, found myself occasionally referring to the list of the Dramatis Personae in the beginning of the book. But this did not lessen my enjoyment of the story. Many novels of broad scope and grand vision have similar lists, for similar purposes. This is a dense, tightly written book. It's not "light reading". It is for the serious lover of "story" and is told as one. I found the setting of the Scarred Man and the Harper extremely effective. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly well worth the effort. Very highly recommended.