Spirit Dance (ePub)

AURORA AWARD WINNER.



The Heroka are an ancient race of shape shifters, drawing their powers and vitality from their animal totems. Gwyn Blaidd, a Heroka of the wolf totem, has been a recluse ever since a deadly battle years ago with the Tainchel, the covert government agency that hunts the Heroka - a battle that cost him the only woman he ever loved.



But when Gwyn is asked by the head of the Heroka to stop an old friend from killing a powerful logging baron, it begins a chain of events that will force Gwyn to again confront the Tainchel - and his own dark past.



Note: includes an afterword by the author and excerpts from many of his other stories



AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS



- AURORA AWARD WINNER

- Year's Best Fantasy & Horror honorable mention

- One of 50 top stories of the year by Internet SF database rankings



REVIEWS



"A vivid and wonderfully written tale about Native Canadian spirits, in the vein of Thomas King." - Challenging Destiny



"The characters are intriguing and the story beguiling. I would like to read more about these characters." - SF Crowsnest Book Reviews



"Works on both intimate and epic levels (including a great, high adrenaline battle between armed humans, shape-shifters and forest animals). ... Smith's Heroka are expertly realized and an interesting take on the shape-shifter mythos, and each individual character within the story is just as carefully and finely crafted. Relationships are complex and many-layered, as Doug is able to weave a rich back-story into the lives of his characters... Love, sex, action, intrigue, humour, the complexities of life, tragedy of death, and wonder of rebirth are all packed into 'Spirit Dance'." - Rainbow Dragon Recommends



"An [example of] the author's ability to place the possible and impossible side by side to excellent effect in an action packed story." - Hellnotes



"An adventurous tale that's propelled by character drama ... If this was a Hollywood movie, this would be your blockbuster film, complete with adrenaline-pumping action, expensive special effects, and even a sex scene or two to lure in a mainstream audience." - Bibliophile Stalker



"Draws on North American Indian myths, particularly the idea of shapeshifters... Smith once more creates a credible and sympathetic protagonist, Gwyn Blaidd, [who] returns to his old stomping ground to help out some fellow shapeshifters who have become embroiled in a conflict with a large logging concern." - The Fix



"Does interesting things with a love triangle, were-animals and CSIS. (!)" - Christian Sauvé