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Dancer #3

Dancer's Illusion

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Rheba survived the inferno that consumed her planet. Kirtn is the warrior sworn to protect her. Now, they must fulfill their mission to return liberated slaves to their home on the distant planet of Yhelle. But beneath Yhelle's civilized surface is a dark secret.

Mass Market Paperback

First published August 2, 1983

1 person is currently reading
177 people want to read

About the author

Ann Maxwell

38 books70 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author

aka Lowell Charters, Elizabeth Lowell, A.E. Maxwell individually and with co-author/husband Evan Maxwell and Annalise Sun.

Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one non-fiction book. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. The novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery to suspense.

Writing as Ann Maxwell, she began her career in 1975 with a science fiction novel, Change. Since then, seven of her nine science fiction novels have been recommended for the Science Fiction Writers of America Nebula Award; A Dead God Dancing was nominated for what was then called TABA (The American Book Award).

In 1976 Ann and Evan (as A. E. Maxwell) collaborated with a Norwegian hunter and photographer, Ivar Ruud, on The Year-Long Day, a nonfiction work that was condensed in Reader's Digest and published in four foreign editions and three book club editions. In 1985, the first A. E. Maxwell crime novel featuring a couple called Fiddler and Fiora was published by Doubleday. The Frog and the Scorpion, received a creative writing award from the University of California. The fourth book in the series, Just Enough Light to Kill, was named by Time magazine as one of the best crime novels of 1988.

Ann and Evan (writing as Ann Maxwell) have published four suspense novels, the most recent of which is Shadows and Silk. These novels appeared on nation-wide bestseller lists.

In 1982, Ann began publishing romances as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994). Since July of 1992, she has had 30 novels on the New York Times list. Her most recent book is BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER.

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5 stars
126 (42%)
4 stars
96 (32%)
3 stars
63 (21%)
2 stars
10 (3%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for T.S. Farris.
Author 7 books1 follower
October 22, 2014
Great fun rereading this book for the nth time. I just wish there Ann Maxwell could have written more books in the series. I absolutely love the main characters.
Profile Image for Anne.
671 reviews33 followers
February 1, 2009
Not the best I have read...but was good enough to read while laying in bed recovering from a bad cold.
Profile Image for Anna Wallman.
1,044 reviews8 followers
July 27, 2018
Wow, that was indeed imaginative! I suppose it would have been easier to read if I had read the other two in the series before, but this was the one I had at home.
A lot of science fiction and hard to remember all the different creatures in the book. Well out-thought though I do like my fiction to be just a little less fictitious than this.
1,525 reviews3 followers
Read
October 23, 2025
Surviving the devastating fire that consumed their home planet, beautiful Fire Dancer Rheba and warrior protector Kirtn embark on a mission to return liberated slaves to a distant planet, where they uncover deadly secrets. Original.
Profile Image for Jenn.
2,321 reviews9 followers
January 7, 2018
Loved it, but now I am sad. I finally got to read this series I began as a teen, only to find out it was never finished. :(
Profile Image for Melissa.
Author 80 books143 followers
July 22, 2017
The third book in the Dancer saga, has our fire dancer, Rheba, and her Bre'n helping the illusionists home. Sounds easier than it really was. On a planet of only illusion, you can't trust anything to be real. But danger still lurks behind each image. When Ecstasy Stones transform the people, changing and entrapping them (and Kirtn), Rheba must find a way to save the people she loves.

Sadly the last in the series which Ms. Maxwell wrote. Although there are plenty of future stories to tell, we lack the closure since she isn't working on this series anymore. But if you are a fan of McCaffrey, this is a must read. Filled with wonderfully complex characters and an amazing world, Dancer's Illusion is a book I read again and again.
16 reviews3 followers
Want to read
May 6, 2011
I liked this book as a teenager, although in retrospect it does contain some fairly skeevy mentor/dependent relationship stuff. Ordered it to complete my set of the two books (the series has been discontinued)
Profile Image for Derek.
33 reviews2 followers
February 29, 2012
four stars for nostalgia, they're very simple Sci-fi action romp, and it's a shame I'll never get to read any more as these three books were all that were published...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

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