The Dancers of Arun

Elizabeth A. Lynn
The Dancers of Arun Cover

The Dancers of Arun

Ann Walker
1/25/2013
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This was my "random" selection for the WOGF challenge. I didn't read any of the blurbs, so as to not go into the story with preconceived expectations (too much; it was on a list of fantasy novels with LGBT characters, so that was enough for me.)

The writing style is stark. The sentences are short. There is very little description. At first I felt these factors contributed to a sort of, I don't know, dreamlike quality, putting us in the same position as the main character, who was unsure himself as to what his future would hold. By about three-quarters of the way through, though, I stopped giving the benefit of the doubt - I realized that the characters, as well as the storytelling, were all flat and uninteresting. I could not engage emotionally with any of them at all. The sexual relationship between the two main characters didn't really seem to serve the plot; it came across to me more exploitative of a young man's hero worship than an attempt to show his being welcomed and integrated into the community.

...but that's why we have this challenge, isn't it? To try new authors? How will we know if we don't try?