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Blade Dancer
Jory Rask is a professional shockball player. The fastest runback in the game, she is loved across Terra. But Jory Rask has a secret that she's lived with for twenty-four years. In a xenophobic world that despises aliens, she is not quite human...
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
15 people are currently reading
673 people want to read
About the author
S.L. Viehl
31 books225 followersAlso see Lynn Viehl, Gena Hale, Jessica Hall and Rebecca Kelly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
November 17, 2017
Blade Dancer by S. L. Viehl is a sexy space opera about ninja-style assassins.
It features a tough if embattled ex-sportswoman surrounded by engaging characters, strong romantic elements, high action, and some pretty gruesome moments. It's one of my keepers and I reread it often.
Set in her StarDoc world this book is one of those most wonderful of things, and stand alone novel!
S.L. Viehl is a master of bloody drama, sexy aliens, and true love. This is her at her very best. If you are interested in StarDoc but daunted by the length of the series, give this fabulously fun book a try.
It features a tough if embattled ex-sportswoman surrounded by engaging characters, strong romantic elements, high action, and some pretty gruesome moments. It's one of my keepers and I reread it often.
Set in her StarDoc world this book is one of those most wonderful of things, and stand alone novel!
S.L. Viehl is a master of bloody drama, sexy aliens, and true love. This is her at her very best. If you are interested in StarDoc but daunted by the length of the series, give this fabulously fun book a try.
December 10, 2019
Found this at the library sale shelves and thought it would be interesting but I have changed my mind.
I will take it back to the library in hopes that someone who appreciates such things will discover it.
DNF.
I will take it back to the library in hopes that someone who appreciates such things will discover it.
DNF.
August 17, 2025
I enjoy the Stardoc universe and I liked this stand alone one. It had a strong romance in it and a very simpathetic main character. There were a couple of editing errors where people's physical descriptions changed over the course of the book. Still I like to reread this one. Strong plot and world building.
Another reread. Still lovely.
Another reread. Still lovely.
February 5, 2018
This was a fun, kind of Ender's Game for Grownups. I had expected it to be more of her being a badass space assassin, rather than going to Space Assassin School, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
November 4, 2012
Viehl is an author I know little about, she hasn’t been at any conventions I’ve gone to and I don’t see much about her in the blogs bit she has written 5 or 6 sci-fi novels. This is in the middle of the pack I believe and it is a solid effort.
The story is about a woman whose father is human and mother is alien. Mixed breeds are not well liked in the universe and especially on Earth (why does that not surprise me). Jory is fortunate that she passes for human except for her eyes and a few other easy to hide features so she becomes a professional shockball player. Think of football on steroids and you get the game. Her alien characteristics make her faster and stronger which has helped her become one of the biggest players in the game. This all ends when she is caught burying to bury her alien mother on the sly and she gets exiled.
The rest of the story deals with her finding her mother’s clan on her home planet, meeting a blade dancer (highly trained assassin) and then gathering the rest of her half breed siblings and ending up at the blade dancer training planet. In fact the whole second half of the book is about the training process and also finding out about the tie that is family.
The book has some well written action sequences and the developing relationship of Jory to her one brother is interesting, but I felt the second half began to drag as it took so long to get through this training business for the final climax.
I also felt some of the characters were given the short shrift on development but overall it was an enjoyable read.
The story is about a woman whose father is human and mother is alien. Mixed breeds are not well liked in the universe and especially on Earth (why does that not surprise me). Jory is fortunate that she passes for human except for her eyes and a few other easy to hide features so she becomes a professional shockball player. Think of football on steroids and you get the game. Her alien characteristics make her faster and stronger which has helped her become one of the biggest players in the game. This all ends when she is caught burying to bury her alien mother on the sly and she gets exiled.
The rest of the story deals with her finding her mother’s clan on her home planet, meeting a blade dancer (highly trained assassin) and then gathering the rest of her half breed siblings and ending up at the blade dancer training planet. In fact the whole second half of the book is about the training process and also finding out about the tie that is family.
The book has some well written action sequences and the developing relationship of Jory to her one brother is interesting, but I felt the second half began to drag as it took so long to get through this training business for the final climax.
I also felt some of the characters were given the short shrift on development but overall it was an enjoyable read.
January 17, 2023
More like two and a half, but I'll kick it to three. This was gifted to me in a reddit swap as a favourite of the gifter, and I can see why. In 2003 this sort of female protagonist would have been a staggering leap forward in speculative fiction, and for once, the domestic violence (specifically the repercussions thereof, there are no actual portrayals of DV in this novel) that drives the plot is part of the narrative, not simply a lazy punishment to wound a character. I found the world building to be imprecise and the character descriptions too samey-samey, otherwise this might have squeaked out a higher rating from me.
November 22, 2017
4-1/2 stars: Wow. There was just something special about Jory an this ragtag group of “misfits” that made them a joy to read about. I loved how Jory was driven, strong and resilient yet vulnerable and a reluctant leader. I also love that this is a standalone book, though apparently it takes place in a “universe” of another book series. I haven’t read any books in the other series that takes place in this universe, but I didn’t feel too confused. I had a few moments where I wished I had a little more background into the different species and such, but mostly I had no problems at all adjusting and don’t think other readers will either. I deducted half a star for the ending. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I will just say I didn’t hate the ending but it was a little quick and not at all what I expected given the rest of the book. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had me glued to the page. I may just have to check out one of the books in the Stardoc series to see if they are as enjoyable as this one was.
March 2, 2020
A standalone from the same world as a larger series, but I read it without the rest and everything made sense.
Terrans hate aliens and half-breeds, and deport them (or kill them) on sight. Caught up in this bigotry, our hero is whirled from one bad situation to the next, fetching up at an assassin training school, to seek the tools for vengeance.
The pressures of the war outside soon take over what safety the school offers, and she'll have to fight for her life even more than before.
Plenty of action, some fated romance (which I'm less fond of), lots of tension and angst.
Terrans hate aliens and half-breeds, and deport them (or kill them) on sight. Caught up in this bigotry, our hero is whirled from one bad situation to the next, fetching up at an assassin training school, to seek the tools for vengeance.
The pressures of the war outside soon take over what safety the school offers, and she'll have to fight for her life even more than before.
Plenty of action, some fated romance (which I'm less fond of), lots of tension and angst.
January 12, 2020
Throughly enjoyed this one. Will be looking into her other books.
August 23, 2008
Blade Dancer is set in the Stardoc universe but is not part of that series. The story is about a half alien (Jorenian), half human ("Terran") woman named Jory who is a champion shockball player. When her mother dies suddenly, Jory's secret - that shes not fully human, is discovered and she's kicked off the planet. The only reason Jory was sticking around anyway is for her mother, so now she's free to go back to her mother's homeplanet and carry out her mom's last wish - by seeking out the small group of half-breed Jorenians like herself to tell them something important about themselves. After that, she is planning to find and kill her father. Seeking revenge requires skill so Jory decides to train in blade dancing at a school for assassins in Tana.
I started this book at 8pm last night and stay up till 1am to finish it. I don't know - it hit the spot! Its easy to read, and though sometimes gory with the fight scenes; rather satisfying. There was something a little predictable in it - a twist or two that I expected, a romance I expected, but I wanted to keep reading to make SURE it ended the way I expected, if that makes sense. I loved the world-building: especially the training and how they moved from one level to the next. I also liked all the different kinds of aliens and their abilities and customs. The book was fast-paced - Jorry goes from one situation to another and has to keep herself and her friends safe and you want them all to come out ok, but there is death and grizzly things and cruelty to keep you a little worried.
More thoughts on this book at my book blog - http://janicu.livejournal.com/7498.html
I started this book at 8pm last night and stay up till 1am to finish it. I don't know - it hit the spot! Its easy to read, and though sometimes gory with the fight scenes; rather satisfying. There was something a little predictable in it - a twist or two that I expected, a romance I expected, but I wanted to keep reading to make SURE it ended the way I expected, if that makes sense. I loved the world-building: especially the training and how they moved from one level to the next. I also liked all the different kinds of aliens and their abilities and customs. The book was fast-paced - Jorry goes from one situation to another and has to keep herself and her friends safe and you want them all to come out ok, but there is death and grizzly things and cruelty to keep you a little worried.
More thoughts on this book at my book blog - http://janicu.livejournal.com/7498.html
June 19, 2023
Sci fi
Spunky heroine goes to space assassin school so she can take down a slavery ring
Spunky heroine goes to space assassin school so she can take down a slavery ring
October 26, 2017
It was okay to start. It got better, and became actually good in the middle. Closing in on the end, the descriptions of blade dancer fighting techniques got quite good, and a definite tension in the story developed, heightening the anticipation for the climax and resolution.
Unfortunately, .
The best thing about the character got undermined in every way possible. Suffice to say, I found it disappointing. I'm still uncertain whether it deserves two or three stars. At first, I gave it three because of the good parts. Next, I downgraded it to two because the ending was just too damned disappointing. I'm a little iffy on that, but that's how I lean now.
Unfortunately, .
The best thing about the character got undermined in every way possible. Suffice to say, I found it disappointing. I'm still uncertain whether it deserves two or three stars. At first, I gave it three because of the good parts. Next, I downgraded it to two because the ending was just too damned disappointing. I'm a little iffy on that, but that's how I lean now.
November 8, 2015
The book is presented as a first person tale of going from most admired athlete to trained assassin. I like assassin and revenge plots. I tried to like this, but it just dragged. Too much whining. I didn't care for the characters. Barely know her honor clan members. They are essentially one dimensional and predictable. The plot twist at the end didn't work and felt ripped from a well known movie from the late 1970's. Plus the assassin school isn't like any place that would be expecting supreme discipline from its students. Learn through negative reinforcement and hope you don't die. You don't learn swords and knife fighting that way.
In the end it was a dull book I kept hoping would get better as we know more about the characters. But it never gets there.
In the end it was a dull book I kept hoping would get better as we know more about the characters. But it never gets there.
May 26, 2019
Not exactly what I was expecting. It felt very YA, though the characters were in their mid-twenties. Set in the future, there were all kinds of species in space but not as much tech as I expected. Maybe it just wasn't important to the story, even the training drones didn't stand out as tech. The freaking love story threw me and annoyed me, and added to the YA feel.
June 22, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It's the same world that the Cerijo was in, with even references to her. The cover I hate and I think is a detriment to the book but if a reader will ignore it, they'll end up loving it.
September 5, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Really loved the heroine, and the cast of characters she acquires, although she doesn’t want to be responsible for others. . . . Later… I see where someone complains the writing is outdated, not current to 2019. Well, duh. It wasn’t *written* in 2019. Every ‘era’ has its own prose and writing style. What is acceptable or salable at one time, isn’t allowed in another. We read and watch Shakespeare, but we are not generally writing like him and no one complains about that. Well, except young students.
Someone else was unhappy that Jory, at the climax, is disabled and unable to fight and is rescued. But this fits sensibly with the plot, because Jory has been disabled in this way from the first pages and has been pushing her luck and her limb past critical. Suspension of belief only goes so far.
I did feel maybe the ending was not all it could have been. I don’t know what else I would have done, tho.
One thing that strikes me, is there seems to be confusion on intended audience, and whether sex and romance should be in the story. The writing time frame may apply here. Lynn Viehl is/was a romance writer. I don’t think this was originally intended for the so-called YA, what once was called, juvenile group. The reader category of characters will act differently. With the passage of time, and the cover, it no longer is in ‘Romance-Alternative’, but straddling a category it was not originally intended for by the publisher or the author. I will be keeping it and reading it again, the flaws don’t matter enough to me.
Someone else was unhappy that Jory, at the climax, is disabled and unable to fight and is rescued. But this fits sensibly with the plot, because Jory has been disabled in this way from the first pages and has been pushing her luck and her limb past critical. Suspension of belief only goes so far.
I did feel maybe the ending was not all it could have been. I don’t know what else I would have done, tho.
One thing that strikes me, is there seems to be confusion on intended audience, and whether sex and romance should be in the story. The writing time frame may apply here. Lynn Viehl is/was a romance writer. I don’t think this was originally intended for the so-called YA, what once was called, juvenile group. The reader category of characters will act differently. With the passage of time, and the cover, it no longer is in ‘Romance-Alternative’, but straddling a category it was not originally intended for by the publisher or the author. I will be keeping it and reading it again, the flaws don’t matter enough to me.
March 30, 2025
Awesome. Of course it is good. A woman wrote it. Tick. First person POV. Tick. Protagonist is an outcast female extreme-sport athlete with a seriously gammy metal leg. TICK! (Enduring Buddha’s Signs of Impermanence seem to bring out the best in a narrator). This narrator uses doors to enter a room and her skin and bone is most certainly in-the-game. The narrator also stands on feet like I do, at least for most of the story. So, I entered this with the assurance that the narrator was not some floaty omniscience. Tick... etc etc...
This is a stand-alone epic from the ‘Star-Doc’ universe. An orphaned outcast must find her place and family. The Trekkie inter-alien breeding theme creates a wild patchwork amongst her friends, and I admit I was sometimes confused keeping track of their appearances. The allegory requires suspension of disbelief: it is about each species’ innate intolerance of the ‘Other.’ Disbelief? Well, men have tried this on for generations- people, there are no man-dog hybrids on Earth- FACT. ;-)
This is another splendid find from a used bookstore. Yes, I still time-travel to broaden my reading quota.
This is a stand-alone epic from the ‘Star-Doc’ universe. An orphaned outcast must find her place and family. The Trekkie inter-alien breeding theme creates a wild patchwork amongst her friends, and I admit I was sometimes confused keeping track of their appearances. The allegory requires suspension of disbelief: it is about each species’ innate intolerance of the ‘Other.’ Disbelief? Well, men have tried this on for generations- people, there are no man-dog hybrids on Earth- FACT. ;-)
This is another splendid find from a used bookstore. Yes, I still time-travel to broaden my reading quota.
April 3, 2020
I was really impressed with this book. I am so used to fantasy and YA books that I forgot stories could be a single novel.
The story isn't outstanding, it a common enough storyline and the characters are hit or miss. Jory is a good character a bit whiney trying to be a big girl. I liked Kol, Sparky, and birdie but the other characters didn't really stand out.
The main plotline resolves itself in an unusual way and suddenly. The pacing could have been better. It wasn't enough to make another book but this one could have used another 50 pages or so. Still, I liked it. The part I liked the most may have just been the fact that I didn't think I was going to. I will recommend it to a lot of people and I'll look for more books by the author.
The story isn't outstanding, it a common enough storyline and the characters are hit or miss. Jory is a good character a bit whiney trying to be a big girl. I liked Kol, Sparky, and birdie but the other characters didn't really stand out.
The main plotline resolves itself in an unusual way and suddenly. The pacing could have been better. It wasn't enough to make another book but this one could have used another 50 pages or so. Still, I liked it. The part I liked the most may have just been the fact that I didn't think I was going to. I will recommend it to a lot of people and I'll look for more books by the author.
February 9, 2019
Well-plotted story, good character, satisfying (if not entirely surprising) ending, fast fun read.
[But ugh, I hate it when the publishers don't bother or care enough to get the cover art right. Her eyes are all green, not white!]
[But ugh, I hate it when the publishers don't bother or care enough to get the cover art right. Her eyes are all green, not white!]
March 9, 2020
Jory has lost everything because she's an alien, at least her mother was. And Earthers hate aliens, deport them or kill them during deportation when they find them on Earth. Now she has one last thing to do for her dead mother. This will be the hardest thing she's ever done.
February 27, 2022
Well written, well paced.
The story covered a number of diverse elements, and covered them evenly and well. The character development was also well handled, as the outsiders bonded into a sort of family unit in a believable way.
The story covered a number of diverse elements, and covered them evenly and well. The character development was also well handled, as the outsiders bonded into a sort of family unit in a believable way.
November 13, 2023
Blade Dancer by S. L. Viehl was a Delightful Trek into a Wonderful Universe of Diverse Beings!
Jory, Kol, Nal, Os, Danea, Ren, and Galena were great characters!
Blade Dancer was an experience encased in a fortifying read!
I am currently on the lookout for more books by S. L. Viehl!
Jory, Kol, Nal, Os, Danea, Ren, and Galena were great characters!
Blade Dancer was an experience encased in a fortifying read!
I am currently on the lookout for more books by S. L. Viehl!
January 5, 2020
Love this Star Doc series and this book written in the same universe.
May 10, 2020
Pick it up. It's fast paced, has great twists, and is honestly one of the author's best works. My copy is losing its binding I've read it so much.
May 25, 2023
A book from Veihl's Star Doc universe. If you are not familiar the story line this would not be a good stand alone novel. Otherwise it has some good action.
October 3, 2023
I enjoyed- the pacing felt a little rushed at times. I was sad to see this was not a series. Love me some "found family."
November 24, 2023
Round up that rating to 3 1/2 Stars for a pretty good story and decent world-building. Had previously read Stardoc by the same author, so picking this book up was not by chance.
September 2, 2024
I read this book in one day, I could not put it down! I also loved the way the story wraps up. 10/10 will definitely read again❤️❤️❤️
May 7, 2025
SL Viehl doesn’t disappoint once again. She brings worlds to life in a most realistic way
April 4, 2025
This had a really strong start! It had a fun voice with a lot of personality, a quickly-set world, and a clear goal that still contained mystery. It felt creative and action-packed, without becoming overpowering. I wondered how the momentum would keep up during the training… and the answer is that it wouldn’t. It got so slow. The “mean girl” character is very close to being the real villain of the story, or maybe she really was. (There are unfortunate character choices in slurs and transgressions.) The romance is whatever, until any important fights are given to her love interest— he’ll take care of her because he is strong male. I mean strong. Don’t worry about her achieving her goals I guess.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews