Chalatta must learn her father's abilities, or she will be overwhelmed by enemies who threaten to use her for their own purposes. But she's just a child, too young, isn't she?
Living in an occupied land, occupied by Nevians who have subjugated them into a servant class, Chalatta is on the run with her mother who is wanted for murder.
With nowhere else to go, her mother takes her to live with her father, a full-blooded Krindarwee with abilities off the charts. It was because of these abilities that her mother left him in the first place. They frighten her.
Chalatta soon discovers that she is far more like her father than her mother, and there is no one else who can help her grow into the person that she is destined to be.
Through her father, she learns her life has a two-fold purpose, should she be allowed time to grow into it.
Excerpt
She began in solo, without her knife, her first movements in slow motion while Snake drew their attention with ambigah. He also drew the room light to shine directly on her.
When Snake joined her it was almost a surprise. At first he joined her as her shadow, mimicking her movements. Then he slowed the music, and, as if he were beginning as he usually did, he started the slow drumbeat. As he increased the tempo he added flutes and horns, the way he always did before, but still as her shadow.
Halfway through the Dance, Snake changed the melody. He formed a second shadow that was neither him not his "nephew." It danced counter to the melody Snake was producing. It began small, hardly noticeable, as it moved slowly toward them. But the closer it came, the more it grew until it loomed over Chalatta.
Then Snake changed the melody again, and became her protector from the shadow. He drew his knife.
Chalatta drew hers at the same time. In tandem they fught off the shadow.
The shadow was not completely defeated.
As the Dance slowed, Chalatta ran to the kitchen while Snake danced alone. She pulled the patestries closed, sat on one of the cushions at the low kitchen table, and wept. The shadow wasn't defeated. The truth of the message hit home. Jem was much closer than she realized.
Professional Reviews
Ultimate confrontation between evil and good
Steps of the Dance is a Science Fiction masterpiece in which the Neevee culture and the destructive powers of Moloch would clash with the righteous Krindarwee upbringing fostered in peace and centered in purpose. Guilt, condemnation, purpose, greed, and power are facets all woven together that can play havoc if not bridled.
This novel by Patricia Renard Scholes is ultimately about choices and how they define not only our destinies but those around us. Young Chalatta would be taught by her father and reminded "You were called by our people to defeat the Neevee". Though possessed by incredible power and talent, young Chalatta would feel the emotions of having to continually run and hide from her uncle Jem out to destroy. Training while in hiding would prepare her for inevitable confrontation.
I couldn't help but wonder how many Chalatta's, or Tadessa's, or Scouts if you will are out there today. Confused identity and unstable environment- yet an instinct for survival coupled with continual fear and mistrust of others. Whether science fiction or reality- when the home is in havoc there too will be breeding ground for a number of issues.
Discover the contrasts between bridled and unbridled power and learn how the unseen forces of Khaadi's blessings would prevail over evil. This is filled with intense action and a real page turner. It is likely to bring either identification of the pain of your past to the front or remind you of those whose lives faced many obstacles and crossroads.
I recommend this book with great respect for Author Scholes as she has taken life's experiences and woven it into a tremendous plot with real life principles.
Excellent Series!
This story takes up where Her Darkest Beauty leaves off, with the lives of a family whose homeworld has been enslaved by two invading races: the Nevians, who are the physical masters—but they themselves are enslaved by the Moloch, non-corporeal beings that control the minds and souls of those who have unusual Talents. Karra is an exceedingly Talented young woman, and she has been used by the Moloch to do terrible things. But now she's beginning to understand, and reject the life she's led until now. She takes her beloved daughter, Chalatta, back to a place and people who—well, they didn't always do right by Karra, but she knows Chalatta will be safe among them.
Karra's brother Jem is a leader in the rebellion against the Nevians. He's also in the thrall of a Moloch, and that Moloch wants Chalatta. This child, born of two highly Talented people, is powerful.
To the Krindarwee, a peace-loving species that was happy to share this world with all who came, Chalatta is truly Tadessa, the promised daughter, born to bring this world back into harmony. And Tadessa's father is Krindarwee. He'll guard his daughter with his life and teach her how to use her Talents. He'll ready her for her destiny, if her enemies don't find her too soon…
I like to write, and because I do I usually see where an author is headed well before we get there. This series, so far, has kept surprising me. I love books that truly surprise me, books that, when I look back, I can see the author laid the clues all along but I still never saw it coming. This is the second in a series that, thus far, has done that for me. And at the price, you can't lose. If you love this kind of fantasy, you won't be sorry you picked this series up.
Dancing With The Krindarwee?
Steps of the Dance by Patricia Scholes is a futuristic novel centered on the plight of Tadessa, a seven-year-old spirited away from her home by her mother Karra on her birthday. She is taken to the home of Snake and Berita, her aunt and uncle who are part of a resistance group against the Nevian forces. She eventually learns that she has mystical powers that both sides are planning to use for their own ends. Karra is determined to deliver her daughter from evil and help her realize a destiny in a free new world. The author takes us along an action-packed journey that provides a memorable glimpse into a young girl's indomitable spirit.
The theme of family is resonant throughout the novel as Tadessa finds herself being manipulated by both relatives and the rival forces seeking control of their troubled world. Her uncle Jem is an assassin working for Homeland Front, and he is held accountable for her disappearance as he attempts to track Karra and Tadessa down. Yet Snake himself is a Krindarwee sorcerer who is also hoping to use Tadessa's gifts for his own purposes. The dysfunctional environment is a focal point of the storyline as both mother and daughter find that there is no one they can truly rely upon, not even the members of their own family.
Scholes weaves her tapestry with mystical `threads' which appear as the kinetic essence of energy that bind the universe together. The characters in the story are able to use the threads to make telepathic connections that transcend the bounds of time and space. Both Jem and Snake, as well as Tadessa, possess the ability to use these threads for their own purposes. Jem is faced with the conflict of returning Tadessa to the custody of the Homeland provisional government. Snake realizes that Tadessa will never be truly free, and will become a pawn in the battle against the Nevians if Jem is able to recapture her. It provides us with a compelling storyline more reminiscent of Bradbury than George Lucas, and the dark edginess gives it its unique flavor.
For sci-fi fans seeking a grittier, more suspenseful read than the standard genre fare, Steps of the Dance by Patricia Scholes is one you won't want to miss.
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