Six Moon Dance

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read with plenty of sociological detail
Review: Through the viewpoints of various characters from a timeframe of about 20 years, we learn the mystery behind the volcanic world of Newholme. Newholme has a chronic shortage of women, making them a treasured and protected group to whom men are largely subservient. Mouche is a young man training to be a Consort, a cultured and sexually adept companion for married women who have fulfilled their reproductive contracts with their husbands. Ornery is a young woman who turns the tragedy of losing her family in a volcanic eruption into an opportunity not to be married off. A cast of other characters include misshapen monsters, a wealthy sadistic woman with a sordid past, two dancers from Old Earth and the Questioner, an organic/bionic hybrid designed to investigate worlds and judge if they are following the beneficent edicts of Haraldson. Failing to follow the edicts can result in the extermination of the offending culture. Sexuality and sexual roles underlie every part of this novel. The reasons behind the peculiar structure of Newholmian society, the mysterious reason for the excessive vulcanism of the planet and the final solution that saves the planet and the Newholme culture from extermination all revolve around the themes of how beings are fulfilled in their most basic biological/emotional needs and how violation of these basic needs sows the seeds of destruction.

Rating:
Summary: You have to work on this one but it is worth it if...
Review: you like complex, confusing, and sometimes frustrating fiction by Tepper. In my opinion, Tepper's work is often hit or miss -- either I'm intrigued and enjoy it like I did with "The Gate to Women's Country" or I'm turned off and just can't connect with any character as happened in "Gibbon's Decline and Fall". "Six Moon Dance" is as complex as GD&F but the characters are interesting and easily empathized with as in G-WC. But it is slow going at 61 chapters in 520 pages! The chapters are first seem disconnected but the main character, Mouche, is so interesting because enough background is spent on him, that you find yourself plodding through slower chapters to get to his next part. About half way through, it all flows together even though the mysteries are still unsolved until the last 50 pages of the book. No surprises here, the plot and the flow is strong enough that you don't say "what?" you just say "Oh, that's it!". However, Tepper's style is not to everyone's liking and you may wish for a firmer conclusion, so unless you've enjoyed other of her books, I suggest borrowing this from the library first before buying it.

Rating:
Summary: You have to work on this one but it is worth it if...
Review: you like complex, confusing, and sometimes frustrating fiction by Tepper. In my opinion, Tepper's work is often hit or miss -- either I'm intrigued and enjoy it like I did with "The Gate to Women's Country" or I'm turned off and just can't connect with any character as happened in "Gibbon's Decline and Fall". "Six Moon Dance" is as complex as GD&F but the characters are interesting and easily empathized with as in G-WC. But it is slow going at 61 chapters in 520 pages! The chapters are first seem disconnected but the main character, Mouche, is so interesting because enough background is spent on him, that you find yourself plodding through slower chapters to get to his next part. About half way through, it all flows together even though the mysteries are still unsolved until the last 50 pages of the book. No surprises here, the plot and the flow is strong enough that you don't say "what?" you just say "Oh, that's it!". However, Tepper's style is not to everyone's liking and you may wish for a firmer conclusion, so unless you've enjoyed other of her books, I suggest borrowing this from the library first before buying it.

Rating:
Summary: You have to work on this one but it is worth it if...
Review: you like complex, confusing, and sometimes frustrating fiction by Tepper. In my opinion, Tepper's work is often hit or miss -- either I'm intrigued and enjoy it like I did with "The Gate to Women's Country" or I'm turned off and just can't connect with any character as happened in "Gibbon's Decline and Fall". "Six Moon Dance" is as complex as GD&F but the characters are interesting and easily empathized with as in G-WC. But it is slow going at 61 chapters in 520 pages! The chapters are first seem disconnected but the main character, Mouche, is so interesting because enough background is spent on him, that you find yourself plodding through slower chapters to get to his next part. About half way through, it all flows together even though the mysteries are still unsolved until the last 50 pages of the book. No surprises here, the plot and the flow is strong enough that you don't say "what?" you just say "Oh, that's it!". However, Tepper's style is not to everyone's liking and you may wish for a firmer conclusion, so unless you've enjoyed other of her books, I suggest borrowing this from the library first before buying it.