Hunting the Ghost Dancer

by A.A. Attanasio

In order to be accepted into a new tribe, Timov and Hamr, two survivors of a doomed people, must hunt the savage ghost dancer, a vicious Neanderthal that has been terrorizing the tribe. By the author of Radix and Wyvern. Reprint.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Adventure, Science Fiction, Prehistoric

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

I’m a novelist and student of the imagination living in Honolulu. Fantasies, visions, hallucinations or whatever we call those irrational powers that illuminate our inner life fascinate me. I’m particularly intrigued by the creative intelligence that scripts our dreams. And I love carrying this soulful energy outside my mind, into the one form that most precisely defines who we are: story.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 rating, rounded up, but most of that is because I wasn't all that into the prehistorical bits.

And since I knew that before I picked up this book, I mainly read it because I like A. A. Attanasio.

So what's good about this book?

Think Clan of the Cave Bear meets new age mysticism, commentary on Homo Sapiens versus Neadrathal, more mysticism, adventure, and a pretty cool escalation that didn't quite make up for the slow middle-meat of the novel but definitely surpassed it.

The prehistorical bits translate pretty well as straight fantasy, honestly, and the hints of how both species fared, 50k years ago, could very well have turned out that way (interbreeding).

Do I really recommend this book for anyone other than the prehistorical fans? Eh, maybe not, but to each their own.

[Salam Tims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunting the Ghost Dancer is an exciting and wonder filled tale set near the end of the last ice age when our species were hunter-gatherers sharing the world with dwindling numbers of our Neanderthal “cousins”. The characters are vividly drawn and stay with you long after the story is over. The story is an epic adventure in which surviving members of an enslaved clan seek a new life in the northern forests and tundra where they encounter a “Ghost Dancer”—maybe the last of his kind—a giant mystical Neanderthal who channels spirits—light and dark—who dwell in the planet’s magnetic field. His quest for a place among the spirits of light, aided by a young human female companion, informs much of the story. I’ve read this novel at least half a dozen times. Like all great tales, it never gets old. A.A. Attanasio writes high adventure in lyrical language that lifts the spirit of the reader even as it entertains and enchants. If you’ve not read his books yet, you have a great adventure awaiting you—and this novel is a great place to start.Hunting the Ghost DancerA.A. Attanasio

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most interesting prehistoric fiction I’ve read. Adventurous, but with a great deal of speculation about prehistoric society and religion. The last Neanderthal -- although he does terrorize the new humans who have tried to eradicate his people (except for the ‘witches’ who protect the Old People for their spirituality) – is a sad and sympathetic character. Indeed there are no bad guys but greyscale and damaged people. Anyone who wants a high status for prehistoric women won’t need to avoid this book. It’s lovingly written, descriptive and evocative. Both interesting and involving. Five stars, and I’ll certainly follow him into other books.

[Rich Zowaski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic tale from acclaimed author: Attanasio. Al's books whisk one away to fantastic adventures and always give the reader something to think about. Truly a wonderful story!

[Graeme Barley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mesmerizing journey through a world long ago.

This book impressed me so much that it was an easy choice for my first Kindle read. The sad passing of the Neanderthals at the hands of Homo Sapiens and our loss of direct communication with a spiritual dimension that should have been our common heritage is an enthralling read.

[Andrea Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved! I read this book as a teenager. As a 20 something I found it in a second hand book shop- hard copy in pristine condition. Read it again and it was like watching a movie in my mind. I would love to see this made into a movie. It is the one book I would save if the house was on fire.

[Julie Waite]

Great fiction bringing to life prehistoric man and his family in a brutal environment. A great believable story of their journeys

[Jason Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this book to be a treasure. It is an excellent story, written well, and clearly created with purpose transcending fiction's basic capacity as entertainment. This is a tale that is steeped in the passing from the age of Neanderthal into the age of Homo sapiens. The prose that paints this story is a curious and unusually fluctuating mix between dry descriptivity and florid poeticism. I believe this uneven voicing was intentional on the author's part, and relevant to the book's thematic exploration of the spectrum of consciousness: from animal awareness of the natural world, through the surface tension that encapsulates it, and into the realms of the supernatural. This book encourages active rather than passive reading; the author reserves space for the reader throughout the story to freely engage and the writing style encourages interpretative impression upon the thoughts and feelings it evokes.

[Patricia Kaniasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I never thought I would get to the end of this story. It was good but a little hard to understand at times. There is alot of symbolic imagery going on throughout the story. At times I could not tell if these people were from the past or the future. Their knowledge of space seemed to be very far advanced for what they were. The adventure parts were exciting and kept me on my feet. I loved the relationship that developed between Baat and Duru.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictional story of one of the last of the Neanderthals, a favorite of mine from many years ago. Still love it, though it's probably not entirely accurate. FICTION.

[Panda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about cavemen and how homo sapines made it.... I think.

The world building here is confusing and makes it hard to follow the tale. One minute superstition rules the day with tales of ghosts, evil spirits and priestesses.

Then this is mocked as superstitious nonsense by a witch that used hallucinogenic plants to get that "vision"

A tribe of fishermen seemed to specialize in hunting? Maybe?

The women are treated as the better of the sexes but we are never told why. They don't hunt or have any unique skills, infact they depend on the men for everything except child bearing so the female empowerment message rings false.

There are a number of tribes here yet nothing sets one apart from the other except the reader being told this guy is from so-so tribe and that one is from so-so tribe.

Are they at war? Is one richer? what's the difference between them if they all live together?

One of the men attempts the hero's journey but the world around him is structured just to appose him even though it goes against their own interests which makes no sense.

I wish I could have liked this better. There is a good story in here struggling to sparkle. Sadly the world building let it down.

[Brian Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mashup of speculative-prehistorical-fantasy-fiction is, like most of Attanasio’s works, difficult to parse and presents a challenge for a casual reader who may not be willing to tackle an obtuse and deeply-entwined narrative structure. Persistence and patience, however, is suitably rewarded with a stunningly unique and inspiring story filled with memorable characters and a heavy dose of intriguing speculation that should leave the reader with plenty to ponder after the last page has been turned.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A prehistoric fantasy novel.

Sometimes I have trouble really getting into a particular Attanasio novel. He can be complex and verbose, and his books generally aren't the kind where you can sit back and turn your brain off. Even in his novels that don't really click with me, however, I always stumble on a line or idea that just connects with me on a deep level.

[J R Deveau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my normal style of book. Interesting though.

[Miriam Boucher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Contains violence and rape. Imaged primitive time.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this author. This story is set in the past in the days of the last (I believe) Neanderthal and his associations with a tribe of humans.

Without giving too much away, many of the author's concepts of the supernatural in this book are given in much greater detail in his later Arthurian Legend Series.

[Libby Bacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of how Neanderthals became extinct at the hands of the smaller but cunning Homo Sapiens. It’s a sad but gripping fantasy and it made me wonder what really happened..................

[Bosley]

Pretty good, a little slow paced, about 1/2 through.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read - a glimpse of life 50,000 years ago.