{"id":99788,"date":"2017-04-06T09:27:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-06T16:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=99788"},"modified":"2017-04-06T09:27:25","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T16:27:25","slug":"im-re-reading-mike-flynns-spiral-arm-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2017\/04\/im-re-reading-mike-flynns-spiral-arm-series.html","title":{"rendered":"So I’m re-reading Mike Flynn’s Spiral Arm series"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Starting with The January Dancer<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0The whole series is just such a fun read, all set in a remote future of bards, spies, dashing heroes and cunning rebels where humanity has been thoroughly stirred with a stick (the names of the characters alone are wonderful hodgepodge of ethnicities that no longer mean anything like what our current assumptions train us to think they mean). \u00a0Humanity has spread out across the Orion Arm, built a vast League of Worlds and seen that League crumble to ruin. \u00a0There\u2019s even the remnants of a Catholic Church still plugging away at it work in the post-Christian pagan culture where the memory of science is preserved in post-science legends about the god shree Einstein and the laws he decreed in competitions with the god shree Ricci and shree Newton.<\/p>\n

Now the Orion Arm is dissolute and is run by a few competing Masters in possession of technology they no long understand but still know how to wield in a world where the strong do as they please and the weak suffer what they must. Into that world comes a curious object called the January Dancer\u2013and odd bricklike stone that slowly twists and changes shape. \u00a0It becomes the focal point of a Grand Pursuit that takes us to multiple worlds and lots of intrigue, scheming, clever escapes and a host of memorable characters. \u00a0And, of course, there is a surprise ending which, on second reading, is even more cleverly constructed now that I see all the bread crumbs that Flynn laid earlier in the story.<\/p>\n

The series just gets better and better with Up Jim River<\/a><\/em>, In the Lion\u2019s Mouth<\/em> <\/a>(my favorite), and On the Razor\u2019s Edge<\/a><\/em> (the very satisfying conclusion to the saga of our hero Donovan, whose mind has been split in multiple personae and who moves from tragic figure to hero over the course of the books). \u00a0I\u2019d love to see somebody turn these yarn into screenplays. \u00a0I see a younger Grace Jones playing the delightful Ravn Olafsdottr, one of the many resourceful assassin spies who populate this world. \u00a0Here is a bit of her wit and wisdom, courtesy of The O\u2019Floinn himself<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen diligently sought, it is best to be someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll this miigimoos stop when enemy appear.\u00a0 Well, perhaps not all miigimoos.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need bigger ship.\u00a0 Accoommodate Doonovan\u2019s egoo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mashdasan ran a hand across his cheek and chin.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t be too certain, Deadly One.\u00a0 My loyalty is to the Confederation and to the Names.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>
\n\u201cGood.\u00a0 So be mine.\u00a0 Hooray for Confederation.\u00a0 Huzzah for Names.\u00a0 We do secret handshake later.\u00a0 Will you give me back my ship?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLove doos not mean you nayver spank the little rascal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways problem with undercover.\u00a0 Better job you do, more your friends shoot at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lion\u2019s Mouth sends you out in pairs, don\u2019t they?\u201d
\n<\/em>Ravn nodded.\u00a0 \u201cUsually.\u00a0 Second kills first if first falters.\u00a0 Nice system.\u00a0 Encourages heartfelt commitment to job.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you like big rollicking, clever adventure stories with really well drawn characters and smart ideas, this series will delight you for a good long while.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Starting with The January Dancer. \u00a0The whole series is just such a fun read, all set in a remote future of bards, spies, dashing heroes and cunning rebels where humanity has been thoroughly stirred with a stick (the names of the characters alone are wonderful hodgepodge of ethnicities that no longer mean anything like what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[33],"class_list":["post-99788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-book-recommendations"],"yoast_head":"\nSo I'm re-reading Mike Flynn's Spiral Arm series<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Starting with The January Dancer. \u00a0The whole series is just such a fun read, all set in a remote future of bards, spies, dashing heroes and cunning rebels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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