Owl Dance

Clockwork Legion #1

by David Lee Summers

Owl Dance is a Weird Western steampunk novel. The year is 1876. Sheriff Ramon Morales of Socorro, New Mexico, meets a beguiling woman named Fatemeh Karimi, who is looking to make a new start after escaping the oppression of her homeland. When an ancient life form called Legion comes to Earth, they are pulled into a series of events that will change the history of the world as we know it. In their journeys, Ramon and Fatemeh encounter mad inventors, dangerous outlaws and pirates. Their resources are Ramon's fast draw and Fatemeh's uncanny ability to communicate with owls. The question is, will that be enough to save them when airships from Czarist Russia invade the United States?

Genres: Steampunk, Westerns, Alternate History, Weird West, Aliens, Fantasy, Audiobook

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

David Lee Summers is an author, editor and astronomer living somewhere between the western and final frontiers. He is the author of eleven novels including The Solar Sea, Owl Dance, and The Astronomer's Crypt. His short fiction and poetry has appeared in such magazines as Realms of Fantasy, Cemetery Dance, The Martian Wave, Star*Line and The Santa Clara Review. He has edited the science fiction and fantasy magazine, Tales of the Talisman and the Full-Throttle Space Tales Anthologies Space Pirates and Space Horrors. Over the years, David has also worked at numerous observatories in the U.S. including Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Reviews

[Stina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #7 for 2018
My Personal Reading Challenge: A steampunk novel
Key Words Challenge: January - Dance
Full House Bingo Square: Historical
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge: A western
Alphabet Soup: O
Mt. TBR Challenge #5
Better World Books: A book independently published
The Ultimate PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book with an animal in the title

If you know me at all, you know I have a thing about owls. And steampunk. So it should come as no surprise that I expected good things from this book. I mean, how could I go wrong with steampunk owls ! This did not disappoint.

This was a really fun ride, and it was great to get a different take on the history of places I enjoyed visiting when I lived in New Mexico. The characters -- real, imaginary, and varying degrees of both -- were interesting and engaging, and David did a wonderful job describing a steampunk/clockwork Old West landscape. Sure, a lot of the tech is farfeteched, but it's steampunk. At some point, you just have to let go and enjoy yourself.

I did think some of the dialogue felt stiff, but not distractingly so. The only real problem I had was that the Legion nanites wielded too much power but did so inconsistently, and it threw the pacing off for me.

Still, a great read! I recommend it to anybody looking for a Weird West tale or at least some steampunk that is not set in England, or if YOLO (You Obviously Like Owls).

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the premise really appealed to me: a steampunk Western adventure with warm, positive characters. Unfortunately, the execution let it down a little.

Firstly, the language. The book was mostly correctly punctuated, though the hyphenation needs work, and, apart from a few sentences with missing words, it was grammatical, but it was written very simply, as if intended for children or speakers of English as a second language. Also, it dwells on mundane details of what the characters did, which I soon found tedious. For example: "Fatemeh lit two lamps, then sat down and pulled off her shoes." There are a great many sentences, and in fact whole paragraphs, like this, which do nothing to advance plot, character or setting and, if they were cut, would improve the pacing.

When the author does choose a less common vocabulary word, it's not always the right one. We have compliment instead of complement, diffuse instead of defuse, telegraph used to mean telegram, tennants (which isn't a word at all) instead of tenets, and sojourn, which means staying in one place, used to mean moving from one place to another.

Language gets three stars, and it's really two and a half, because the over-simplistic style and excess of details annoyed me.

Now, the plot.

I found several aspects of the plot unlikely to the point of unbelievability. I'm not talking about the science-fictional aspects as such - I accept those as legitimate targets for suspension of disbelief - but there were actions the characters took, and coincidences that occurred, which I couldn't quite swallow.

[spoilers] For example, the main male character gets one of two reactions from people. It's either "you're a filthy Mexican" or "I trust you completely and excessively". There doesn't seem to be any middle ground. At one point, a US Army major who knows that this man is wanted by the law, and who has been helped by him in an important way in the past (but not one that seems to me like evidence of unusual character or ability), does the following:

1. Sends him a telegram in California asking him to return to New Mexico, where he's wanted by the law, and help with a problem they have which could have been taken care of by local people. It's not clear how the Major knows where he is.

2. After the main character's been only partially successful, and is captured by a bounty hunter:

a) Stops an urgent march which he's already said he can't stop in order to return to the fort he's supposed to be marching from,
b) Pays a very large amount of money to the bounty hunter to free him, and
c) Recruits him.

This makes no sense to me. It's a plot device to get the hero to where he needs to be for the story to work. And when he gets there, his character armour preserves him, and one of his companions, from an explosion so that he can give the other characters extra motivation to capture an airship which they were already planning to capture, and the companion can let them know he's in there. One of those characters, incidentally, is a pirate who's been basically let off hanging because the female main character convinces people that he didn't mean any real harm and was just misguided. [/spoilers]

Plot: three stars at best. Two, really.

Now, characters. I've already mentioned that the main character is treated like the Chosen One who everyone either helps or opposes disproportionately, and that several characters in authority act more leniently than I found realistic. The character I had real trouble with, though, was William Bonney, Billy the Kid. According to everything I've ever heard about him, he was a vicious little punk who would have considered anyone who helped him a sucker to be betrayed, but here he's basically a misguided kid who responds to a little kindness with considerable loyalty.

I liked Fatemeh, the female main character, but she was a little too perfect, and I didn't feel she had a real arc of change. She was also inconsistent: a pacifist until something she cared about required fighting, an opponent of mining and oil drilling but delighted with the technologies those industries supported.

Characters: again, three stars at best.

Finally, setting. For a long time, I thought this wasn't a very steampunky setting at all, that it was more-or-less the historical nineteenth century with a bit of a science-fictional premise. Then we hit the clockwork wolf, and then the owl ornithopters, and then the airships, and it started to make more sense as steampunk. The problem is that some of these things aren't well-justified. The owl ornithopters, for example, are specifically said to be technologically unlikely; there's no explanation for why they exist anyway. Fatemeh's connection with the real owls, likewise, isn't explained or justified.

It's an appealing setting, though, so I'll give it slightly more than three stars and balance out the points lost on language, plot and character.

Three stars overall. I didn't dislike it, but I'm afraid I was disappointed and felt the premise hadn't been done justice.

[Shaheen Darr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramon Morales, the Sherrif of Socorro finds himself isolated in his defence of Fatemeh Karimi, the new curandera (healer) from Persia. Exotic and strong this woman of substance also has a mysterious connection to owls and wolves. However, is she innocent of all that she is accused of or is she shunned by the people of Socorro because she is different and does not fit into the general norm? Ramon and Fatemeh leave Socorro and begin a journey through New Mexico that is full of danger, adventure, and excitement. The author introduces numerous characters along the way, which I must admit were sometimes difficult to remember. Moreover, there was an additional storyline alongside the romance between Ramon and Fatemeh, which included the Legion (an alien) and Russian takeover plans of parts of America. However, it was interesting to see how both plots were cleverly woven together as the story came to its conclusion.
David Lee Summers writes an absorbing story that tackles a range of different themes. Amongst others, these include racial prejudice, political domination, cultural diversity, and alien visitation. It is his knowledge and expert handling of these varied subjects that lends credibility to the book and maintains reader interest throughout. For this reason I felt the book deserved a 5 star rating.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owl Dance is the seventh novel I've published. It's a wild west steampunk adventure that starts out in 1876 and tells the story of Sheriff Ramon Morales, who finds himself unhappy in his hometown of Socorro, New Mexico, and looking to put some spark back into his life. He finds it in the form of Fatemeh Karimi, a woman who fled Persia when a good friend was killed and who seems to have the uncanny ability to communicate with owls. Together they set out to explore the wild west, looking for a place they can call home. Along the way, they encounter mad scientists, pirates, and even an alien trying to unlock the reasons for intelligence.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great ride, unexpected brain candy. It was cool to see some of my old stomping grounds put into a wild west/steampunk world. Especially enjoyed that several non-caucasian cultures were captured in this story.

UPDATE - I read a print version some years ago. Now, in 2017, it has come to audio. Yay! So here is my updated review.

Set in the 1870s, this Wild West steampunk adventure is full of surprises. Ramon Morales and Fatemeh Karimi make a great pair of heroes as they travel from New Mexico to California. Gun fights, dirigibles, steam-powered mechanical wolves, a Russian plot to take a chunk of the US, plus an unexpected alien influence called Legion provide a dangerous playground for our main characters – and plenty of entertainment for us.

I read this book back in 2011 and it was great to see it come to audio! I enjoyed it more in this medium as the narrator did it justice. If you love your Wild West and you like it weird, then this is a great series to get into. The story includes several different ethnicities and I love that about this book. The frontier West was a very diverse place and having that reflected in this work is worthy.

Our Persian healer, Fatemeh, has traveled far from home and she’s a bit vague about why. I love that we have this little mystery about her. Also, she talks to owls… or does she? She claims that she only understands their nature but to others it looks like she is actually communicating with them. While I felt the romance between her and Ramon sparked a little too easily, I also feel they make a great couple. Fatemeh is of the Baha’i faith while Ramon is Catholic and this sets up a dynamic to explore not just culture clash but also these different religions.

Meanwhile Ramon has recently had a big shift in his life. He was a sheriff in Socorro, NM and then things went south.. and so did he while he fled with Fatemeh (who was about to be executed for witch craft). Their search for work takes them all the way out to California. Along the way they meet the eccentric inventor, Professor Maravilla. He’s got a thing for steam-powered mechanical beasties. I loved his owls!

Then there’s the bounty hunter Larissa who I look forward to hearing more about later in the series. She’s got plenty of gumption and loves her independent life but she’s drawn into this bigger plot as Russia starts making moves to invade the West coast.

Now lets talk about that alien influence Legion. We come across it early on but it’s not clear right away if it’s something supernatural, man-made, or from outer space. Whatever it is (and yes, we do get that cleared up in this book), it has a hive mind and can communicate directly with humans as well as influence them. So we got the Wild West (yay!), steampunk (awesome!), and now this unknown big picture influencer. The author does a great job of pulling this all together.

My one real quibble with the story is that sometimes it’s a little too easy for Ramon and Fatemeh to convince a ‘villain’ to assist them. It seems like everyone is really a good guy at heart and was just simply misunderstood or was acting under some false or incomplete data. I think the story would have benefited from a real villain or two.

The Narration: Edward Mittelstedt did a really good job. His Spanish accent was consistent throughout the story. Now, his Spanish pronunciations were sometimes different from what I expected. Living in New Mexico, I expected a certain accent (like for Chavez or Maravilla). Mittelstedt’s pronunciation isn’t wrong but it’s not the local dialect either. I believe it’s the difference between high proper Spanish and the Southwest Hispanic accent. Besides that, he was great with keeping all the characters distinct and also with the various emotions throughout the story. He also gave Fatemeh a consistent Persian accent. His female voices were believable.

[Joshua Gage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast-paced read. I liked the way that Summers incorporated western technologies (railroads, telegraphs, etc.) with science fiction elements (alien entities) and religious mysticism. At times, the chapters felt more like individual short stories with a loose connection, but overall this was an enjoyable book.

[Michael Fierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2

[C. Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owl Dance is by far the most authentically “western” feeling steampunk I’ve read in a while. It’s. It’s a self-described Weird Western set in 1876 New Mexico, the first in a series dubbed the Clockwork Legion by David Lee Summers that also includes Lightning Wolves and The Brazen Shark, each of which is already available on Amazon.

A surprisingly realistic Southwest cultural flavor pervades Owl Dance, and I felt these environmental details truly set it apart from the steampunk pack. Little things like Spanish words and Mexican lingo might be easy enough for a well-researched writer to fake, but Summers knows when and how to use them like a local and it makes a big difference. Geography and settings are so fully realized and natural, you could visit a lot of these places in real life, if you want to. This level of historicity is often lacking in a lot of fiction but Summers really succeeds in transporting you to a distinct time and place in American history.

Owl Dance uses an episodic chapter structure which I think keeps the novel accessible in its opening chapters before the overarching saga exposes itself. Plot developments that might otherwise seem mildly predictable are saved by expediency and culminate in satisfying mini-climaxes within each chapter. When the larger saga takes over, though, it draws from characters and developments throughout these early chapters, resulting in a truly cohesive novel rather than just a random collection of shorts. A good balance.

Unfortunately, the characters and the writing are not so well balanced. Sheriff Ramon Morales is too straight a hero from the outset that it robs the drama when he inevitably rescues the foreigner and begins a romantic road trip while on the run. Likewise, I expected the Bahá'í practicing Fatemeh Karimi, a curandera (healer) from Persia to be more, I don’t know, exotic? The most foreign thing about her is that she seems like a self-actualized, twenty-first century woman, not a Persian immigrant. She’s unnaturally modern and calmly enlightened even in the face of being burned at the stake. Yet despite these flat portrayals, Summers manages to imbue them with just enough life under the surface that I think some readers will still find them endearing.

If Summers is trying to be understated, though, he took it too far and forgot to leave any of that Southwest style or swagger in the writing itself. It may be well polished and clean, but it’s far too dry and robs the story of any gravitas. If you have a high tolerance for prosaic and unadorned Hemingway-esque style writing, you may quite enjoy going along for this ride. I fear many others won’t meet it half-way, though, and will instead feel underwhelmed with its lack of nuance or subtext.

Another element that may divide readers is an intergalactic villain called Legion who comes from a more traditional sci-fi genre and randomly plops in to cause trouble with a Russian invasion and some sort of humanitarian experiment. After setting up such a quaint and authentic environment to play in around the Southwest, this subplot never quite jives with the small-scale survival problems Morales and Fatemeh deal with throughout the first few chapters. When it later hijacks the rest of the novel, I felt the rug was pulled out from under me and I was thrown into a totally unrelated yet vaguely generic Sci-Fi Channel movie of the week. I would have much preferred the character drama of Morales and Fatemeh getting to know the nuances of each other’s culture while trying to make it in a rough and barely civilized American Southwest (still replete with clockwork animals, though, as those felt right at home).

Conclusion: 3 out of 5 stars.
A professionally polished story dragged down by flat writing and distracted by alien-instigated international conflict is kept afloat by a well-staged and authentic Southwest setting and two characters that manage to grow on you in spite of their two-dimensional portrayals.

Check out more of my reviews at www.cwilliamperkins.weebly.com!

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

** Review of Audio Format **

Promising

Ramon is a law man with a sense of honor. Fatemeh is an emigrant running from a woman's fate in a muslim country. Together, they have adventure after adventure, leaving behind a tangled web of friends and enemies culminating in a last stand to avoid a Russian invasion. The adventures begin with Ramon saving Fatemeh from a fate worse than death and move on to Fatemeh saving Ramon time after time. In the meanwhile, an ancient and alien life form known to itself as 'Legion' takes an interest in earth and, after a time, takes direct action by inhabiting the mind of the Russian general in charge of executing the invasion of America. What will happen when this life force meets the dynamic duo of Ramon and Fatemeh?

This book was a fun adventure. Fatemeh is a force in herself and an exhilarating character to get to know. My only wish was that her past be more clear and fleshed out and openly discussed. Also, her affinity and ability to communicate with owls was never really fully explained. Ramon is a complicated character, mostly because of his want to always do the right thing. He is not always sure how to get there although Fatemeh is willing to goad him in the right direction when she needs to. Together, they make an entertaining pair during an exciting time in American history.

The narration was on the dry side for me. Mittelstedt speaks slowly so I did speed up the audiobook to 1.5 speed and this improved the quality of the narration. There was a clear distinction between different characters' voices and although the accents weren't the best, they were consistent; however, the narrative sections were done in a somewhat monotone voice which took me out of the story more often than not. I'm hoping book 2 was more developed as to story, plot and narration.

I received this book for free through Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my limited experience reading novels in the steampunk genre, it seems like the books always start with the given that enhanced technology involving steam was invented (in the recent or further past) and it's just a part of the background world building. One of the things I appreciated about David Lee Summers' first Clockwork Legion book is that it starts before the steam-tech in invented, and shows us exactly how the tech comes about and how it results in a change from the history we're familiar with.

The other aspect I love is the main characters -- Ramon Morales and Fatimeh Karini are an interesting couple to watch grow together, both romantically and personally/professionally. The supporting cast, in particular the bounty hunter Larisa Crimson and the excitable Professor Maraviggia, are well-drawn. The villains (General Gorloff and company) feel a bit less distinct and more like necessary plot pawns to incite the events that lead to the tech revolution and alternate history. That's one of my only (and admittedly, fairly minor) complaints.

It should be noted that I listened to this via Audible, so any character name misspellings can be attributed to hearing-not-seeing. And that leads to my other minor complaint: the narrator's pronunciations and pacing occasionally pulled me out of the story as I wondered "what an odd word to stress out of that whole sentence." This is not the author's fault, so I'm not "downgrading" my review ... and as I'm now about half-way through the second book in the series, I can report that the same narrator does a much better job with book two.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first drawn to this book because I live in New Mexico, close to many of the settings in the book. Also, I enjoy the steampunk genre & was curious to see the melding of the Old West with modern technology. The book did not disappoint.

The characters were well-developed & intriguing, the descriptions of New Mexico after the Civil War were wonderful & the story was engaging. If you ever watched the TV show or movie "Wild Wild West", you have an idea of what this book is like. I liked the author's inclusion of real life characters of the era, such as Billy the Kid & Czar Nicholas.

The only part of the book that I really didn't like was the alien lifeforce, Legion. The author used Legion to control the story, but I found Legion's presence to be bothersome. I think that the book could have progressed in the same manner without Legion.

All in all, if you are looking for a new type of Western or enjoy the Steampunk genre, you will enjoy this book. I was provided a copy of the audiobook by the narrator & chose to review it.

[William Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tuned into this on Audible, and got a promo code in exchange for an honest review, and I'm so glad I did. Owl Dance took me back to the Weird West, that lovely subgenre where gunslingers are prone to meeting aliens, dinosaurs and the like. Here, in this first book in a series, we get a sheriff, a healer from Persia, steampunk mechanisms, an alien presence from afar studying Earth, political cat and mouse games, an invasion and several subplots. I was hooked, and listened in every free moment I had. I took a shine to Ramon and Fatima, the two protagonists, but there are many characters in Owl Dance to get to know and appreciate. I am definitely adding the series to my MUST READ list. If you enjoy westerns, steampunk, good characterization and a broad story which encompasses not only a large tract of the Wild West, but also other nations, get this book.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun ride! Spent a very hot and humid day enjoying this fantastical tale. It's got everything: ornithopters, Russians, aliens, bigotry, greed, philosophy, pirates, underwater craft, western setting in 1877, other historical figures, and lots more. Yet it would appeal to male or female, and anyone over nine.
Edward Mittelstedt has a very interesting audio performance. I like it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a good balance of pacing with enough detail to create the desire to continue reading without bogging down the story. This is the first book in the series. I will be reading more of the series in the future.

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rousing Good Story

I loved that this took place in my part of the world. And Billy the Kid turned out to be a hero!

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fun but lacked pacing.

[Ivan Ewert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owl Dance is a thoroughly enjoyable steampunk western by David Lee Summers.

The heroes, Ramon Morales and Fatimah Kamiri, are no simple tropes. Morales is a short, bespectacled Mexican sherrif, while Fatimah is a Persian healer who has fled persecution in her homeland. It is wonderful to have characters removed from the usual chiseled lawman or drunken sawbones. Throughout the book, Summers introduces a wide and varied cast of characters.

I have to say that this wide-spread cast made the first few chapters felt a bit disjointed – less like a novel than a series of short stories which feature the same two protagonists - but as the book progresses, you can see the threads of the skein coming together in a very rewarding manner. By the end of the book, we’ve seen almost every character return to some level of prominence in a climactic battle for the Denver Mint involving pirates, Russians, ornithopters, bounty hunters, engineers, the US Army and Billy the Kid.

The central theme is one of patience and understanding – again, an unusual choice for a western, but one which gives the book real heart. None of the central characters are beyond redemption, instead looking to one another for a way to make a better life or, indeed, a better world. It was this heart that kept me reading, more than any other facet of the book. It may come across to cynics or self-proclaimed realists as less believable, but I felt its good-natured hope set it apart in an era where so many authors seem to exalt blood, savagery and darkness in their works.

The writing is occassionally a bit staccatto for my tastes. The sentences tend to be brief, pointing out individual facts, then moving to another, then another. I noticed this more near the end of the novel than the beginning, and at some points it did jar me out of the fantastic world. However, it’s a small quibble with an otherwise fine piece of work.

In short, Owl Dance is a truly fun read for any optimistic hearts who enjoy alternate histories. I recommend it!

[Erica Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and filled with suspense, Owl Dance by David Lee Summers is an artful exploration into the minds and activities of characters in the 19th century Southwest US, including an escaped sheriff, groups of Mexican residents working as miners or farmhands, as well as a retired, stylishly dressed professor and a mysterious Persian female immigrant who is a curandera and a communicator with owls and other wild animals, and of course, ever-present horses. Some persons prone to both superstitions and hateful activities such as witch hunts, and others with knowledge of natural science and nature healing. Detonations of bombs, rowdy crowd scenes, and characters ready to shoot their shotguns at the drop of a hat make for a fast-moving, action-packed adventure with a beautiful romance thrown into the mix. And to top all this, a super-intelligent alien being named Legion observes the human activity to satisfy his curiosity about how intelligent life evolved on earth. Through his telepathic communication, Legion plays an important role as the story careers off into scientific speculations in honor of the Czar of Russia. Author Summers, a scientist himself, creates the most wonderfully fantastical yet utterly convincing scenes about scientific advances, among which are the owl-decorated Russian and American airships. Though mostly set in a gorgeously described rugged environment, the story is easy to relate to for any reader who enjoys adventure, travel to faraway places, suspense, mystery, and a good love story, especially one based on historical facts and actual Southwest American geography. You don’t have to be an alien-being investigator to realize this half-fantasy, half-historical novel is totally relevant to today in terms of human emotion and controversy over issues such as multicultural and religious differences, gun-control, and treatment of immigrant persons. Glad this book is part of a series. Can't wait to read more of author Summers' The Clockwork Legion Series!

[D.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read Steampunk before, but I absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge fan of David Lee Summers and have read Scifi and Fantasy by him and loved those two.
I especially enjoyed the relationship between Ramon and Fatemah. Their adventures, both good and bad, kept the book going. There were no boring parts in this story.
It was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owl Dance is a great western-style steampunk science fiction tale. Summers knows science, and it shows in really fun ways in this one, keeping this wondrous. I really enjoy the writer's style and you can tell he is having great fun writing--I hope as much fun as I had reading it. It reads fast, and I mean this is the very good way. If you like steampunk or westerns or just a having a really great time, give Owl Dance a read. I think you'll really enjoy it.

[Dan Fitzimons · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is being billed as western steampunk, presumable because it has airships in it. Whatever label you put on it, I was disappointed. Two totally flat characters wander around the American west for no explicable reason. then the Russians invade the US with airships. The two main characters are dull, dull, dull. there is no passion between them at all. I felt half of the book is pointless. A major disappointment.

[Bryan Thomas Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Steampunk, alternate history in a way, Southwest setting. Good action and characters.

[Byron 'Giggsy' Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird-western magical-realism steampunk novel that doesn't shove the weird, magic, or steampunk down your thought and remains fun and fictionally plausible