What do you think?
Rate this book
Soul Cycle #2
Souldancer
Brian Niemeier’s highly praised debut novel Nethereal introduced a captivating, mysterious world. Book 2 of the Soul Cycle unveils its secrets.
Twenty years after the old world ended in fire, Xander Sykes travels the deserts of a drastically changed Mithgar. His fascination with the world he never knew—along with his strange abilities—divides him from his clan. But otherworldly forces interrupt his exile.
Pursued by enemies from above and beneath the world, Xander bands together with an ambassador from hell, his heavenly bodyguard, and a reformed guildsman seeking to right his order’s wrongs.
The search for answers leads to a vast, decaying city haunted by a presence as tormented as it is deadly. Xander finds a survivor who may give purpose to his nameless longing—if he can help her escape the terror that stalks them both.
Twenty years after the old world ended in fire, Xander Sykes travels the deserts of a drastically changed Mithgar. His fascination with the world he never knew—along with his strange abilities—divides him from his clan. But otherworldly forces interrupt his exile.
Pursued by enemies from above and beneath the world, Xander bands together with an ambassador from hell, his heavenly bodyguard, and a reformed guildsman seeking to right his order’s wrongs.
The search for answers leads to a vast, decaying city haunted by a presence as tormented as it is deadly. Xander finds a survivor who may give purpose to his nameless longing—if he can help her escape the terror that stalks them both.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
515 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2016
18 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Brian Niemeier
33 books56 followersBrian Niemeier is a #1 best selling author and a John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer finalist. His second book Souldancer won the first ever Dragon Award for Best Horror Novel. As an editor, Brian helps his top selling clients realize the best version of each book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 12, 2016
Last night I finished reading Souldancer by Campbell Award nominee Brian Niemeier. Souldancer is book two of "The Soul Cycle," and the sequel to his debut novel Nethereal.
I'll be honest, this was not the sequel I was expecting. There's a large time gap between the two books that caught me off guard in the beginning. Furthermore, the story spends significant time with characters that simply aren't in Nethereal. But the two stories are connected, and in a very strong way. I give Mr. Niemeier strong props for weaving the tales together in the way that he does. I can say that it's not an easy task - but to say much more than that would be to spoil rather important parts of the story.
The world here continues to be something new, unique, and different, rather than just a new spin on the same old generic "space universe" that we see so often in space operas. This installment explores even more of that world, and brings us far more of its history. The new characters are a real joy, especially Xander and Astlin. Meanwhile, the returning characters are even more interesting in this incarnation. Most interesting is the way the finale of Nethereal has repercussions that underlie every page of this novel, from beginning to end.
To put it bluntly, this novel is the rare sequel that manages to surpass its predecessor. I give it 5 stars out of 5, and I highly encourage reading it. There's a reason Mr. Niemeier received his Campbell nomination, after all.
I'll be honest, this was not the sequel I was expecting. There's a large time gap between the two books that caught me off guard in the beginning. Furthermore, the story spends significant time with characters that simply aren't in Nethereal. But the two stories are connected, and in a very strong way. I give Mr. Niemeier strong props for weaving the tales together in the way that he does. I can say that it's not an easy task - but to say much more than that would be to spoil rather important parts of the story.
The world here continues to be something new, unique, and different, rather than just a new spin on the same old generic "space universe" that we see so often in space operas. This installment explores even more of that world, and brings us far more of its history. The new characters are a real joy, especially Xander and Astlin. Meanwhile, the returning characters are even more interesting in this incarnation. Most interesting is the way the finale of Nethereal has repercussions that underlie every page of this novel, from beginning to end.
To put it bluntly, this novel is the rare sequel that manages to surpass its predecessor. I give it 5 stars out of 5, and I highly encourage reading it. There's a reason Mr. Niemeier received his Campbell nomination, after all.
May 4, 2016
2016 Campbell Award nominee for Best New Writer Brian Niemeier has gone above and beyond with his 2nd book Souldancer.
To call this an Epic Space Fantasy is an understatement. Mr. Niemeier not only expands upon his Soul Cycle universe, he has also written a captivating and engaging story that is immediately accessible to readers even if they haven't read the first book. While it is book 2 in the series, it is possible to read Souldancer without having read Nethereal. I wouldn't recommend that though, as Nethereal is awesome and should not be missed. Still, it is a testament to the author's talent that he is able to write a 2nd book that can stand completely on its own.
His characters come alive off the page, particularly the main characters Xander and Astlin. Brian's characters feel real, and fit perfectly within the ensemble he has assembled.
I can't recommend Souldancer enough. The author's universe is clever, original, and fantastic in scope. If you enjoy epic fantasy and science fiction, you owe it to yourself to read this. I can't wait to see what will happen in book 3.
To call this an Epic Space Fantasy is an understatement. Mr. Niemeier not only expands upon his Soul Cycle universe, he has also written a captivating and engaging story that is immediately accessible to readers even if they haven't read the first book. While it is book 2 in the series, it is possible to read Souldancer without having read Nethereal. I wouldn't recommend that though, as Nethereal is awesome and should not be missed. Still, it is a testament to the author's talent that he is able to write a 2nd book that can stand completely on its own.
His characters come alive off the page, particularly the main characters Xander and Astlin. Brian's characters feel real, and fit perfectly within the ensemble he has assembled.
I can't recommend Souldancer enough. The author's universe is clever, original, and fantastic in scope. If you enjoy epic fantasy and science fiction, you owe it to yourself to read this. I can't wait to see what will happen in book 3.
July 5, 2016
*did not finish*
Man, I hate to write this review. I really wanted to like this book. It's just too muddled. Listen, I love immersive story telling as much as the next guy, where the author chucks you in the deep end and says figure it out - I'm not going to spoon feed you. That's great.
But at some point, you need to reach clarity - that ah hah moment where everything clicks together. Some 200 pages in, I still have no idea what's going on, why I should care, and lack any significant connection with the characters. And worse yet, I started finding excuses not to read the book, preferring to play my iphone (a very bad sign).
So I finally gave up - the first book showed promise, but was a bit muddled. I had hoped this one would be better. Sadly, it's even more muddled.
Man, I hate to write this review. I really wanted to like this book. It's just too muddled. Listen, I love immersive story telling as much as the next guy, where the author chucks you in the deep end and says figure it out - I'm not going to spoon feed you. That's great.
But at some point, you need to reach clarity - that ah hah moment where everything clicks together. Some 200 pages in, I still have no idea what's going on, why I should care, and lack any significant connection with the characters. And worse yet, I started finding excuses not to read the book, preferring to play my iphone (a very bad sign).
So I finally gave up - the first book showed promise, but was a bit muddled. I had hoped this one would be better. Sadly, it's even more muddled.
July 19, 2017
Damn. This is madness. In book form. Onward to number 3.
Do you love classics like Frank Herbert or HP Lovecraft? Get this.
Do you have fond memories of Pen/Pencil games? Get this.
Do you just want to have a hell of a ride? Get this.
It brings out otherworldly aspects I loved from the old World of Darkness games.
This book is dense in the best sense of the word.
Do you love classics like Frank Herbert or HP Lovecraft? Get this.
Do you have fond memories of Pen/Pencil games? Get this.
Do you just want to have a hell of a ride? Get this.
It brings out otherworldly aspects I loved from the old World of Darkness games.
This book is dense in the best sense of the word.
December 3, 2023
Great job building on what happened in the first book and keeping the reader hooked on what was going to happen next
March 7, 2017
This novel is absolutely head and shoulders above the first book, Nethereal. The author has come a tremendous way in writing this one, and the content makes that clear. It's possible that the first one suffered from prequelitis, needing to provide a cast just long enough to get through to this book, which is obviously the meat of his story. Either way, this is his true defining work right here.
The writing style is comfortable and descriptive. Dialogue felt natural and smooth. At no point was I yanked out of the story or had my suspension of disbelief broken.
A heads up on this book: it gets WEIRD. The author doesn't see his story through the lens of tropes and favorite twists like most authors. This guy goes places that are deeply unsettling and unfamiliar, and he does so with confidence. Truth be told, he pulls it off every time.
This book is unlike any other. Even the first book doesn't prepare you for the weirdness of this one. What's even more strange is that a significant part of this is a love story; the most twisted, deranged, metaphysical love story you can imagine.
I finished it last night and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the ending. It's one of those thinking pieces. And it obviously sets up more to come. But it was satisfying. And I've got the third book sitting right here next to me.
The writing style is comfortable and descriptive. Dialogue felt natural and smooth. At no point was I yanked out of the story or had my suspension of disbelief broken.
A heads up on this book: it gets WEIRD. The author doesn't see his story through the lens of tropes and favorite twists like most authors. This guy goes places that are deeply unsettling and unfamiliar, and he does so with confidence. Truth be told, he pulls it off every time.
This book is unlike any other. Even the first book doesn't prepare you for the weirdness of this one. What's even more strange is that a significant part of this is a love story; the most twisted, deranged, metaphysical love story you can imagine.
I finished it last night and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the ending. It's one of those thinking pieces. And it obviously sets up more to come. But it was satisfying. And I've got the third book sitting right here next to me.
March 14, 2022
The Dragon Award winner for "Best Horror" wasn't particularly "horror"-inspiring so much as surreal. But that's not a curse, either. Following his Spaceship-Ride-Through-Hell in "Nethereal", Mr. Niemeier spins what seems to be an altogether different yarn, twenty years after the climax of the previous book. Then the threads of the story's web start to spin like silver and fire and remind us that we haven't left the wilds of the earlier story after all: his cosmos continues to unfold like a Mandelbrot origami, one fold under and alongside and over the one before. Sure, there are backstabbings and betrayals and gruesome villainy, shape-shifters and sorcery and spaceships, and even deicide on the gears of a clockwork Time itself. But the only way to describe it properly is "Hang on to your hats-- and screw your heads on tight! No, tighter!" because it DOES make sense, just not the sense you expected. A splendid roller-coaster of adventure storytelling.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews