Whatcha Readin' Nov 2012 Edition

[Eleanor_of_Aquitaine]

@wonderlust

I just started reading The January Dancer, by Michael Flynn. His Wreck of the River of Stars remains one of my alltime favorite books, and so far January Dancer is really good. It’s far-future interstellar science fiction, telling “the fateful story of an ancient pre-human artifact of great power, and the people who found it.” Much adventure and twisty plot ensues. I’ve had this book since 2008 when it came out, still unread, and I’m thrilled to learn there are are 2 sequels and another in the works. Flynn is one of the most intelligent writers I’ve come across, but he never talks down to his readers, shows a deep understanding of human nature, and is particularly gifted with word play.

I need to revisit this one. I’ve read and enjoyed many of Flynn’s books - Eifelheim, The Wreck of the River of Stars, and the Firestar series - but I bought The January Dancer when it was released, and I abandoned it about halfway through. My notes say that the writing was good but I just wasn’t interested in the plot or the characters or the setting. Maybe I was in some sort of weird mood at the time.