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The Eye-Dancers

Michael S. Fedison (Goodreads Author)

4.28 · Rating details · 69 ratings · 46 reviews

Seventh-grader Mitchell Brant and three of his classmates inexplicably wake up at the back edge of a softball field to the sounds of a game, the cheering of the crowd. None of them remembers coming here. And as they soon learn, “here” is like no place they’ve ever seen. Cars resemble antiques from the 1950s. There are no cell phones, no PCs. Even the spelling of words is s ...more

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ebook, 326 pages

Published November 16th 2012 by Michael S. Fedison (first published November 15th 2012)

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Parallel Universes

212 books — 186 voters

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

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· 69 ratings · 46 reviews

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May 26, 2016 Christy rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: teenagers and adults

When I started this book, I admit I wasn’t sure what to expect as the title made me wonder, “Why are they dancing around an eyeball?” But as it was a book in the science fiction genre, I knew better than to be too inquisitive. Instead, I opened myself up to the storyline and found myself thoroughly enjoying the read by the third chapter. Yes, I was hooked!

The characters of Mitchell, Joe, Ryan, Marc, and the “ghost girl” were all very well described, and they had significant differences in person ...more

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May 20, 2015 Lu J Whitley rated it it was amazing

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not usually much of a fan of YA fiction. Especially this young.
That being said, I loved this book.
Four 12 year old boys - Mitchell, Joe, Ryan, and Marc - come together after three of them begin having the same nightmare about a young girl. They don't know what she wants or why she is haunting them, they only know that she seems to want to take them somewhere. When Mitchell, Joe, and Ryan approach the class brainiac, Marc, he is more than skeptical and tells th ...more

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Sep 07, 2014 Charline Ratcliff rated it it was amazing

The Eye-Dancers, by newer author Michael S. Fedison turned out to be quite the fun, YA fantasy read.

Mitchell Brant, one of the stories main protagonists, is a loner of sorts – not because he wants to be, but because he just can't seem to fit in with any of the school's ‘cool’ crowds. It also doesn't help that he’s gained schoolyard infamy as a liar. This isn't the ‘who’ that he wanted to be – he only wanted to be interesting enough to merit the respect of his classmates. Of course, once
Mitchell The Eye-Dancers, by newer author Michael S. Fedison turned out to be quite the fun, YA fantasy read.

Mitchell Brant, one of the stories main protagonists, is a loner of sorts – not because he wants to be, but because he just can't seem to fit in with any of the school's ‘cool’ crowds. It also doesn't help that he’s gained schoolyard infamy as a liar. This isn't the ‘who’ that he wanted to be – he only wanted to be interesting enough to merit the respect of his classmates. Of course, once
Mitchell started down that slippery slope of lies, he seemed to be permanently stuck there – simply to maintain his previous untruths.

When the reader meets Mitchell, it’s the middle of the night. He has barely managed to awaken from a dream that seemed more real than imaginary. Now sporting a knee injury, (a result of said dream) Mitchell wonders if ghosts are actually real. It sure seemed to him as if the ghost of a young girl was trying to suck him into a different dimension.

Unfortunately, that's not even the problem anymore – the real issue is who is going to believe that his weird and crazy dream actually happened? And, unbeknownst to Mitchell, in another part of the neighborhood – two more boys are having his exact same ghost-filled dream.

With that said, I don't want to give much more of the story away – but what would you do if you went to sleep one evening only to wake up in a different decade? At a point in time that doesn't match your own? A dimension where every aspect of your town’s history is different than what you know. Where do you go? Whom do you ask for help? More importantly, how do you return to the space and time you originated from? I guess you’ll need to get your own copy of The Eye-Dancers to have those questions answered.

In summary, The Eye-Dancers had quite the unique premise, and will certainly be a fun read for all YA fantasy readers. It’s an interesting book and I appreciate that it was very well-written. Last, but not least, Fedison did a fantastic job of making all characters, scenes, dialogues and locations (both past or present) feel very realistic and believable. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in future. ...more

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May 29, 2013 Luciana Cavallaro rated it really liked it

The story begins with a 12 year old boy, Mitchell, who has bad dreams and one night, it manifests into something more. He confides in his only friend Joe, a swarthy hot-tempered boy. The two realise they are having the same dream and about ‘ghost girl’. A third boy, Ryan is also experiencing the dream. The three decide to have a sleep over to find out what is going on and enlist the help of the class genius Marc. He however, is sceptical and thinks there is a plausible and scientific reason behi ...more

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Feb 06, 2014 Maggie Thom rated it it was amazing

This is a really good story of some young boys who get pulled into an alternate universe. The start was very intriguing. The concept was something new and unique. It was like they were pulled back in time except the date was the same but the setting was like it was in a time warp from the 50's. Very likeable and engaging characters that go on an amazing journey, only they have no idea what it is. All they know is that a young girl was able to pull them through time to her world. They soon learn ...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Sheri Bessi rated it it was amazing

An excellent story. Gripping for youth and adults alike. Michael has a way of pulling you into the story and leaving you not wanting to leave until you know how it all ends. I highly recommend this book for 13+!

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Dec 24, 2017 Deborah Dykeman rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Britta Ann Meadows

I don't normally read YA, but I do enjoy time travel-type books and movies. So I thought I would give this one a try. I rated it a 5-star because 'it was amazing' since it was well-written, very thought-provoking, and well-researched. That is saying a lot after some of the books I've read lately with the head-hopping, plot holes, etc. The author didn't 'dumb-down' the characters as I've seen so many times in YA. The author also nailed the teen years of angst and thought patterns. It made me thin ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Alexis Chateau rated it it was amazing

As many of you know, Michael Fedison is our flagship independent author, and has been since long before we launched black CATastrophy. Naturally, we’re proud of the work we’ve done with him, and how much we’ve contributed to spreading the awareness of his brand and his books.

So since a review from us would likely be overwhelmingly biased in his favor, we decided to take a different approach from the 1 – 5 star setup. We’re sharing five of the toughest lessons you’ll come across in his debut nove ...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Oksana rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012, u-s-a

The Eye-Dancers is a self-published novel by American author Michael S. Fedison. It’s a young adult sci-fi story, which the author claims to be inspired by his childhood years spent in Western New York State. Aside from being a story about teenagers (the main characters are about 12 years-old), it also gives a new (both for kids and adults) look on the concept of “reality” and its immensity, but put in a very simple and easy may making it approachable and entertaining both for kids and adults.

Th The Eye-Dancers is a self-published novel by American author Michael S. Fedison. It’s a young adult sci-fi story, which the author claims to be inspired by his childhood years spent in Western New York State. Aside from being a story about teenagers (the main characters are about 12 years-old), it also gives a new (both for kids and adults) look on the concept of “reality” and its immensity, but put in a very simple and easy may making it approachable and entertaining both for kids and adults.

The novel centers on 4 boys, who are classmates but not actually a friendly group. Having finished the sixth grade they are eager of having fun during their summer vacation, But the citation they find themselves in exactly resembles the one from the movie The Nightmare on Elm Street, though without streams of blood and murders, of course. Mind you, this is no horror story.

The boys are very much shattered and confused when they learn that the 3 of them – Mitchell, Joe and Ryan – have been seeing the same dream for three nights in a row. They didn’t see Freddy Krueger, but a little, apparently 7 years-old, girl with a very strange pair of spinning blue eyes. The girl makes it a habit to appear in their dreams standing in the street outside their houses and asking them to come help her.

Having no idea why they were having this dream or how to get rid of it, the boys decide to follow the girl in their dreams and see what would happen. They ask their classmate Marc Kuslanski, who is the school’s geek and know-it-all, to watch them while they sleep, just to be sure.

And so the boys dream of getting closer to the girl and taking her hand, looking deeply into her eyes. As a result all for of them, including Kuslanski, wake up on an unknown ball field without any notion where they are and why everything around them seems outdated, like they traveled back in the past.

The things they eventually learn about this new world they found themselves in are that it’s not simply resembles the past, but it seems like from another universe. Their library history books give account to very different historical events, there is no technical progress we are used to in out world. And the town itself turns out to be the copy of their hometown but founded by another person and thus named differently.

So the boys have to face not only the challenge of finding the girl but also understanding where they are and who they are as persons.

There are a lot of aspects of the book to be interested in. Personally, I was very intrigued by the concept of the universe and reality. It’s really intimidating to imagine that the universe contains layers upon layers of different worlds each overlapping each other, thus creating different realities. In some of this reality you may be a single child having your parents on a brink of divorce, and in another one you have a sister and a very happy family. You can’t help thinking about your other self in another world. What is he or she up to? What does his or her life look like?

The author created a very eventful and unpredictable plot, there wasn’t a moment while reading the book that I could predict what would happen next. But I also liked that being a sci-fi story it wasn’t overly informative. It’s definitely a book first of all meant for teenagers and that’s why the content is very light and understandable. Author explains everything perfectly, though he keeps reminding that not in the real world not everything can be explained, sometimes you just have to take the world as it is.

The ending was very peaceful comparing to the whole story, but it summed the story up and I liked the fact that the boys not only learned the necessary life lessons about friendship, courage, hope and mostly about themselves. It’s great that in the end having lived through such an experience they became true friends, especially with them being such different personalities.

The book is a nice read, especially worth reading for teenagers, I’m sure they would really get into it, what with all its twisted plot and mysteries. As for me I was pleased with the story. I haven’t read much sci-fi books in my life, but I wanted to try this genre for a long time. This book is a great start for me. ...more

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Jan 16, 2014 Jane rated it it was amazing

I had already gathered, from following the author’s blog that, although the boys who feature in this story are quite young, this wasn’t going to be a straightforward comic book adventure. In fact, the action is secondary to a thoughtful exploration of the individual motivations, personal problems and anxieties of the characters.
Using the vehicle of solving a kidnapping mystery, each of the boys takes a burden of small personal dramas with him into a parallel universe, which becomes more a setti I had already gathered, from following the author’s blog that, although the boys who feature in this story are quite young, this wasn’t going to be a straightforward comic book adventure. In fact, the action is secondary to a thoughtful exploration of the individual motivations, personal problems and anxieties of the characters.
Using the vehicle of solving a kidnapping mystery, each of the boys takes a burden of small personal dramas with him into a parallel universe, which becomes more a setting for their voyage of self-discovery rather than the whole point of the story. They all have problems that are part of growing up, dealing with family tensions, and coping with social and physical stigmas. The boys don’t behave as a pack, and I think the author has very cleverly chosen a disparate group of not really close friends. Each character is essentially alone with his anxieties, and only at the end of the story, by learning to overcome these anxieties does each one discover the true meaning of friendship.
The pace of the story is always measured; the first part especially, which describes each boy’s home background, is slow to gain momentum. Throughout, to show character growth, each of the boys spends much of his time alone in introspection. Although this slows the action, the end result is a more satisfying read.
The characters themselves are likeable, touching even, though in some aspects they come closer to metaphor than flesh and blood. There’s the ‘Brains’ who nobody likes, the aggressive one who has trouble controlling his violent streak, the joker who just wants to be liked, and Mitchell who is lumbered not only with rowing parents but a speech impediment.
Given the subject, the whole story could have been rather preachy, as each boy faces his personal demons and overcomes them. But the tone is not at all moralising, and the author has a light touch with the theme of growing up. Joe, the aggressive one, for example learns to control himself, not by having the daylights beaten out of him, but by understanding Ryan’s quiet courage. Brainy Marc learns the limitations of his rational explanations, not by having stronger intellectual arguments thrown at him, but by accepting Mitchell’s simple statement that you can’t explain everything with handy theories. The boys learn a lot about one another and themselves, and all four appear at the end as more likeable, balanced human beings.
The least convincing aspect was the mystery of the ‘ghost girl,’ which to my mind leaves a lot of loose ends. The girl herself understands an awful lot about the paranormal, psychic messaging, and the workings of parallel universes for a seven-year-old, but is surprisingly inept when it comes to conveying vital but very simple information to the boys trying to rescue her.
But that aspect of the story is almost incidental. The real story is about self-discovery, growing up, and learning how to be a friend. This is a book any parent would be happy to have their child read. Unlike many books with a ‘message’ aimed at the young teen age group, this one takes the subject of friendship, unhitches it from any religious connotations or motivations, and goes right to the heart of the notions of tolerance, selflessness and responsibility.

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Jun 02, 2013 Deborah rated it it was amazing

Twelve year old Mitchell Brant can’t sleep. A seven-year-old “ghost girl” haunts his dreams and begs for help. Soon he learns his friends, Joe and Ryan, are having the same dream. But for the three, what they see in sleep seems much more than a dream. When they wake up, the scraped knee is still scraped, the hurt wrist still hurts.

They turn to their friend Marc, who scoffs at their belief in the reality of the supernatural. He takes it upon himself to watch over Mitchell, Joe, and Ryan as the Twelve year old Mitchell Brant can’t sleep. A seven-year-old “ghost girl” haunts his dreams and begs for help. Soon he learns his friends, Joe and Ryan, are having the same dream. But for the three, what they see in sleep seems much more than a dream. When they wake up, the scraped knee is still scraped, the hurt wrist still hurts.

They turn to their friend Marc, who scoffs at their belief in the reality of the supernatural. He takes it upon himself to watch over Mitchell, Joe, and Ryan as they sleep in Mitchell’s basement. Only that night, the four wake up in an entirely different world. Cars, money, food, history are eerily the same but different. And the “ghost girl’s” picture is all over town; she’s Monica Tisdale and she’s been kidnapped. She has brought them to her world to be her rescuers.

As the boys work to solve the mystery of their new surroundings and to figure out how to help their new friend, each is faced with his own personal challenges and lessons. For Marc, the rationalist, the challenge is to accept the unexplainable. For Mitchell, his family problems and speech difficulties present hurdles. For Joe, his unstable temper is his enemy. Ryan realizes what his social isolation costs him.

The Eye-Dancers taps into the best and most entertaining archetypes of Young Adult Fiction. Like the Wizard of Oz, the four heroes are suddenly transported to a strange land and presented with a villain who must be stopped. Like Dorothy and her friends, each main character emerges transformed by his experiences. And like Dorothy and Toto, the four heroes of Eye Dancers long for home and wonder if they will ever return.

Michael Fedison has lovingly crafted a Young Adult sci-fic/fantasy/mystery novel with wide appeal. His prose is thoughtful and elegant. Not only will young readers, middle school and older, love this book, but adults will enjoy it, too. In her bestselling book, The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin talks about her love for juvenile literature; and she forms a book club with some adult friends to read and discuss juvenile fiction. The Eye-Dancers would be just the book for them. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you root for Ryan, Mitchell, Joe, and Marc. Will they save Monica? Will they return home? But, at the same time, The Eye-Dancers also poses some deeper and very satisfying philosophical questions. What role do our thoughts play in creating our world? Can everything be explained? I highly recommend it.

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Nov 21, 2014 Jessica Wren-Wilson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magical-realism, families-in-crisis, fantasy, young-adult, a-plus

Meet the "Eye-Dancers" crew:

1. Mitchell Brant-incredibly imaginative with a penchant for story-telling. He enjoys reading comic books. He has a little sister named Stephanie, both of whom are upset by their parents' increasing marital conflicts.

2. Ryan Swinton-a conflict avoider who enjoys telling jokes. He often uses levity to diffuse tense situations. He has a little brother named Tyler.

3. Joe Marma-a vertically-challenged dog whisperer who enjoys a good fist fight. He loves justice, and will Meet the "Eye-Dancers" crew:

1. Mitchell Brant-incredibly imaginative with a penchant for story-telling. He enjoys reading comic books. He has a little sister named Stephanie, both of whom are upset by their parents' increasing marital conflicts.

2. Ryan Swinton-a conflict avoider who enjoys telling jokes. He often uses levity to diffuse tense situations. He has a little brother named Tyler.

3. Joe Marma-a vertically-challenged dog whisperer who enjoys a good fist fight. He loves justice, and will not hesitate to stand up and dish out a butt-whipping to a bully or abuser. He calls everyone "bud."

4. Marc Kuslanski-a geeky, scientifically-minded and somewhat arrogant only child who escapes his loneliness in studying. He longs for a sibling.

When Mitchell, Ryan, and Joe, three sixth-graders) each have the same horrific lucid dream about a young girl with swirling blue eyes three nights in a row, they enlist the help of Marc to help them figure out just what is going on. As a result, all four boys are sucked into an alternate universe where their home town is called Colbyville (instead of Bedford), technology is behind the times, history seems to have been completely rewritten, and even the English language has been altered. The girl in their dreams is calling-begging-for them to save her, but will they get to her in time? Will she be able to help them get back to their own universe?
Laced with adolescent sarcasm and boyish antics, "The Eye-Dancers" is a fun, easy read. It contains elements of fantasy, science fiction, and enough humor to go around. The experience challenges everything that each of the boys thought they firmly believed, and the reader will enjoy watching them grow and change in profound ways. Fedison explores the "butterfly effect" theme (such as what would happen if another person had founded your town), but also tackles themes that are identifiable to Fedison's targeted age group. These themes include family conflict, loneliness, the desire to fit in, the desire for peer approval, and, ultimately, finding out who you are and accepting yourself as is. I would like to see this book on middle schools' reading list. This is a heartwarming coming-of-age tale that young people will delight in (and will encourage reading, which has been a challenge for educators all over the country). Readers will LOVE the ending. ...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Tabitha (Lovely Books Blog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: requested-reviews

Read more reviews like this at http://lovelybooksblog.blogspot.com!

Despite not really being one for middlegrade novels I ended up really enjoying The Eye-Dancers. Fedison is a great author, capturing the mentality and language of four seventh grade boys perfectly. With awesome writing, an interesting plot, and unique characters this novel held my interest and made for a great read!

Each of the four boys had a distinct personality paired with a distinct flaw, which they learned to control through Read more reviews like this at http://lovelybooksblog.blogspot.com!

Despite not really being one for middlegrade novels I ended up really enjoying The Eye-Dancers. Fedison is a great author, capturing the mentality and language of four seventh grade boys perfectly. With awesome writing, an interesting plot, and unique characters this novel held my interest and made for a great read!

Each of the four boys had a distinct personality paired with a distinct flaw, which they learned to control through their time in the alternate reality. Mitchell struggled with his parents growing arguments, his speech impediment, and his need to tell lies to impress others. Joe was selfish and constantly resorted to violence whenever he felt angry or frustrated. Ryan could never make decisions and allowed himself to be led wherever the others went. Marc had a constant need to be right, never allowing anyone to offer other ideas or solutions.

During their time in Colbyville, the parallel version of their home Bedford, the four boys learn a lot about themselves and learn to control their flaws while the work together to search for Monica. With so many different personalities it was easy to relate to at least one of the characters and understand the trials they were going through. Each of them had their little quirks, such as Joe’s overwhelming use of the word “bud” or Mitchell’s tendency to lie to make himself sound more impressive.

While the kidnapping aspect of the plot had a lot of potential the conclusion fell a little flat. Most of the clues leading to Monica fell straight into the boy’s laps and yet the struggled to see what was right in front of them. I really enjoyed the idea of the boys discovering how to improve their flaws and work together but I felt like the kidnapping was a weaker aspect of the novel.

The Eye-Dancers is a great first novel; fantastic writing paired with an interesting story this book definitely caught me off guard. Perfect for middle schoolers who enjoy a good science fiction story with a little mystery thrown in this novel will definitely encourage reluctant readers and entertain those who love to read! ...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Jack Rochester rated it really liked it

Reading a novel is to willingly enter the writer's imagination and imaginary world. It is at once an invitation and a relationship based on mutually agreed-upon terms, which can be briefly summarized in two questions: One, Is the story interesting? Two, does it keep me turning pages with interest?

Michael Fedison's first novel, "The Eye-Dancers," satisfies both of these questions for me. I've never read a YA novel before, but I've sure seen enough coming-of-age movies to know it's a viable genre Reading a novel is to willingly enter the writer's imagination and imaginary world. It is at once an invitation and a relationship based on mutually agreed-upon terms, which can be briefly summarized in two questions: One, Is the story interesting? Two, does it keep me turning pages with interest?

Michael Fedison's first novel, "The Eye-Dancers," satisfies both of these questions for me. I've never read a YA novel before, but I've sure seen enough coming-of-age movies to know it's a viable genre. Probably because it's a stage of life we have all experienced. This, in itself, is interesting, because we can compare, contrast, identify with the issues and problems of youthful characters. But is that interesting enough to hold our attention for the duration of a novel?

Fedison pulls it off, first by creating an interesting plot: four young boys attempting to come to the rescue of a seven-year-old damsel in distress who lives in another dimension. To accomplish that, they have to travel from their own parallel life-space to hers. That's pretty cool, and Fedison pulls it off without it seeming like a deus ex machina. I disagree with a few other reviewers who characterized the book as science-fiction. IMO, it is not. It is time-and space-travel, but it is not sci-fi. It's better than that: Fedison's time/space shift affords a perspective on youth and allows the characters to learn and grow and change, which satisfies my second requirement. If the four main characters did not encounter situations which offered opportunities to change, the book would not have kept me turning pages [OK, swishing screens on my Kindle!].

As an author myself, I can see Michael Fedison working on this novel, crafting it, shaping it, helping his characters change and grow within the novel's leitmotif. He's done a fine job of honing his story, his characters and the outcome, keeping it honest and not lapsing into corniness or saccharine-ness, to the point where I, an older adult [OA], can enjoy it as much as a young adult [YA] might. I look forward to reading the author's next work.
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Nov 12, 2014 John W. Howell rated it it was amazing

This book was totally outside my comfort zone of reading material. I have delved a little into fantasy but never contemplated enjoying a YA novel. I was enticed into picking it up since I have been following Michael S Fedison’s blog for about two years and have always wanted to try his book. The genre made me think the book would be geared to younger folks and as a sophisticated reader would be bored. I was totally wrong and wished I had picked this one up earlier.
The story is about four twelve This book was totally outside my comfort zone of reading material. I have delved a little into fantasy but never contemplated enjoying a YA novel. I was enticed into picking it up since I have been following Michael S Fedison’s blog for about two years and have always wanted to try his book. The genre made me think the book would be geared to younger folks and as a sophisticated reader would be bored. I was totally wrong and wished I had picked this one up earlier.
The story is about four twelve year old boys who manage to get themselves transported to another world that resembled their own except for some details which seemed like they were back in time. They were in a parallel word that occupied the same time currently. The town was laid out like their own so they were pretty sure they were not on another planet or at least they hoped so.
They were summoned by a little girl who occupied three of the boy’s dreams for three days prior to the transport. The forth boy was an intellect who refused to believe the others when they told him of their dreams. It really didn’t matter what he thought since he was swept up in the transport as well.
As you can see this story was exceptionally well developed with many twists and some real exciting times when the boys finally were confronted by the bad guy. The interesting thing about Mr. Fedison’s work to me is the fact the story itself is a metaphor for how kids can think and behave when they are relocated to a new life in other than their comfortable neighborhood. We all know it happens as families are continually being mobilized in search of better pay and position. The reactions of the kids in the new place were completely legitimate and in character. They also were able to make new friends once they relaxed their old standards. It occurred to me that such transformations are a lot of work. If I were a kid being transferred to a new place I would want to read this book. In addition, I would recommend this book to anyone. The writing is extremely tight and dialog right on point. The situations are well thought out and the solutions to issues are in keeping with the time, place and age of the characters. A fine read.
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Apr 13, 2013 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary

This was an interesting read in many ways. The author has created very compelling characters who speak to you. Each one is unique and the author has managed to create a way of expression and a language which is different for each character carrying the point of view. I liked this, because you could recognize whose point of view it was simply by the language the character used. Also there were no silly descriptions of looks or environments, but everything in that department was placed carefully i This was an interesting read in many ways. The author has created very compelling characters who speak to you. Each one is unique and the author has managed to create a way of expression and a language which is different for each character carrying the point of view. I liked this, because you could recognize whose point of view it was simply by the language the character used. Also there were no silly descriptions of looks or environments, but everything in that department was placed carefully into the text in the appropriate place. The consequence was that there wasn’t a lot of description, especially not of how people looked, but that wasn’t necessary either. You got a hint, and could imagine the rest yourself.

The story line was interesting, and it was fun to see how the author has played with the thought of parallel universes using quantum physics. I’m a bit tired of all theories we can’t yet understand to be explained away with the usage of quantum physics – just slather it on and it can explain almost anything. I guess that it is our era’s equivalent to magic spells. However, those are just my personal feelings. As a way to carry the plot forward it was a clever solution.

I did feel the climax of the story to be lacking a little bit. The story itself ambles along in its own time, because it contains a lot of the characters’ thoughts and emotions on their situation. Sometimes I felt there was a bit too much of this, but at other times not so I think my general opinion is that in this particular story the characters’ opinions matter. Then the crescendo happens and I got the feeling of ‘Oh, was that all?’. I had wanted more of a build-up and release. However, there was a clear story-line which was always kept on track without being all over the place.

The world the characters went to was also interesting and to be honest I wanted to know more about that. Part of me wished that they could have remained there but then again I have a love for the kind of era the world reminded me of.

All in all this was a good read and well executed. ...more

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Sep 03, 2019 Willow Croft rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy, ya-children

(possible spoilers, though I tried not to reveal too much)

I like to think that I haven't forgotten, even after all these years, what it was to be a kid.

The world--my world--was a confusing, ugly, terrifying place back even way back when, when I was a kid.

And in the The Eye-Dancers, things haven't changed much, in that aspect, in either of the book's two worlds.

But the kids in Michael S. Fedison's book? They don't wait for grown-ups to listen. They act when they are suddenly thrust in a scary si ...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Nicole rated it really liked it

Shelves: written-review, ariesgrl-book-reviews

Mitchell Brant, Joe Marma and Ryan Swinton are three very different boys who just finished sixth grade and are ready to start their summer vacation. Unfortunately for them, they each have been having a terrifying nightmare about a young ghost-like girl. After the third nightmare in a row, they meet up and learn that they have been having the same nightmare! With the help of the class genius, Marc Kuslanski, they hold a sleepover to find a way to solve their dreams. While they are sleeping, Marc ...more

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Nov 20, 2013 Satarupa rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-to-review-books

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank Michael S. Fedison, author of The Eye-Dancers, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this fabulous book.
A totally new and fresh story regarding travelling to a parallel universe! This story was a new and interesting read for me because I haven’t read any other similar stories before this. I liked the concept very much where we meet a 12 year old boy named Mi ...more

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Jan 08, 2015 Jackie G Mills rated it really liked it

The Eye-dancers by Michael S Fedison is unlike any story I’ve ever read. I don’t usually restrict myself to reading just one genre or age group for that matter, and thought by this time I’d read it all, but this middle grade novel still managed to surprise me.
The story starts with a group of friends all having the same dream, or perhaps rather nightmare, of a young girl pleading for help. After confessing the dreams to each other they discover the similarities and set about finding out how this ...more

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Aug 29, 2013 Kimberly rated it it was amazing

Review by: Kimberly @ http://www.AMomsPointOfView.com

Book Title: The Eye Dancers
Author: Michael Fedison
Book Price: $2.99

Note: I received this book from the Author Michael Fedison with no expectation of a positive review.

A 12 year old boy named Mitchell dreams he saw a 7 year old girl outside his window, he awakes and believes she was a ghost. Mitchell can’t shake the fact that he woke with his knee injured just like in his dream. When Mitchell finds out his friends are having the same dream, he ...more

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Dec 10, 2015 Kate Rauner rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: young readers

Michael S. Fedison and I both write novels, and we've recently found each other's blogs. So we exchanged copies of our books. Here's my review of The Eye-Dancers. Don't worry - no spoilers below.
During a muggy summer between sixth and seventh grade, three friends all have the same strange dream three nights in a row - a nightmare where a ghost-girl begs them for help and compels them to follow her. They enlist the class geek to watch over them as, this time in their sleep, they'll go with her. S ...more

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Jun 10, 2014 Towerbabel rated it really liked it

A tough but lovable gang of characters carries this adventure

I like the characters’ style, with baseball-league-meets-Bugsy-Malone vocabulary; when they’re together, they form a little club. They wear their accents and bravado like they’re trying to be much older than they are, but they’re also pretty tough for their age. This all creates an impression of youth that has just the right amount of realism and theatrics, so that the reader is drawn in and at the same time, relates to the characters. ...more

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Feb 04, 2014 Elaine Jeremiah rated it really liked it

This was a highly original story which showcased the author's vivid imagination. When four friends, Mitchell Brant, Joe Marma, Ryan Swinton, start having dreams about a strange little girl who wants them to come with her to help her, they enlist the help of their disbelieving friend Marc Kuslanski to see what happens when they fall asleep and dream together.

When that happens Marc, although not asleep, is sucked in along with them across the void to another parallel universe. It's America and yet ...more

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Mar 09, 2014 Angela Mortimer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: teenage

Shinning blue eyes from another dimension.

I liked this story straight away; it was a modern version of Enid Blyton Adventure books I'd loved as a child (must admit to reading them even now). True the characters are very different and the ideas have changed but the premise is the same; except we add a dose of science to the mix and a wormhole, how times have changed.
The four friends complement each other; the odd one out, not really part of the group is Marc, or Kuslanski as they call him, furthe ...more

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May 10, 2014 Jennifer Marsh rated it it was amazing

The Eye-Dancers is a truly wonderful story, and it is heart-warming, if only because of the emotional journey and friendship the four main characters go through together. The interaction of the characters flowed effortlessly and had me smiling many times, and they are believable and likeable, for they each have their own flaws and inhibitions, as well as their own strengths. As the story progressed, I found my opinion constantly changing about these four main characters, but only because it is t ...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Joanna Fay rated it really liked it

The Eye Dancers is a very enjoyable YA read, with a well-paced plot, a satisfying storyline and an excellent group of viewpoint characters. I have a liking for character driven stories, and the contrasting viewpoints of the four main characters works very well here.
Mike Fedison sets up an intriguing ghost mystery, with a simultaneous visitation by what appears to be the ghost of a small girl into the minds of four boys, that then turns into a parallel universe/time travel/kidnap drama. Its stre ...more

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Nov 06, 2013 Sonya Solomonovich rated it it was amazing

Ah, to be back in junior high school! The loneliness, the angst, the debilitating shyness, the budding teenage romance… Reading the Eye-Dancers was like a trip back in time for me as the four main characters struggled with growing up, each in their own way, in a strange and exciting setting.

Joe has a chip on his shoulder about being short for his age. Ryan just wants to make everyone laugh to bolster his self-esteem. Marc is a nerdy kid who wants to feel accepted, and Mitchell is a dreamer and c ...more

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Apr 15, 2014 Jennifer Chow rated it it was amazing

I wasn't sure if I could get into the mindset of an adolescent boy...but I really enjoyed this book. I loved how there was a journey for each of the characters involved, how they all changed as part of their experience. I had to suspend my disbelief of how it all worked with the mysterious little girl, but otherwise, it was a fun adventure.

Fedison really explores the fears and triumphs of an age when you're on the cusp of adulthood, and I appreciated his honesty in exploring the emotions of the ...more

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Feb 09, 2015 Katlynn Brooke rated it it was amazing

A Delightful Read!

In the Eye-Dancers by Michael S. Fedison, a group of young boys share a common nightmare. They don’t know what to make of it until they are pulled in to an alternate reality. They must find out why they are pulled in to this reality and if they are able to complete the task that is required of them before they can go back home.

The characters are well fleshed out and believable. It will be possible for young adults and teens to identify with each of them. Although his style is u ...more

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Trail-Mix Readers: The Eye-Dancers	5	14	Jun 23, 2015 06:12AM
Trail-Mix Readers: May 2015 Read	3	19	May 12, 2015 06:34PM
Goodreads Authors...: Book Tour: The Eye-Dancers by Michael S. Fedison (YA & Teen Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Tour Dates: 11/7/13 – 11/21/13	1	1	Nov 07, 2013 09:11PM
Fire and Ice Boo...: Book Tour: The Eye-Dancers by Michael S. Fedison (YA & Teen Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Tour Dates: 11/7/13 – 11/21/13	1	2	Oct 18, 2013 08:18PM

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About Michael S. Fedison

Michael S. Fedison

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Michael S. Fedison was born in Rochester, New York, and now lives with his wife, Sarah, and regal cat, Luke, in the green hills of central Vermont. Michael has been writing creatively for as long as he can remember, and has had short fiction published in several literary magazines, including "Iconoclast" and "The Written Word." He has several "day jobs," including working as a technical writer, a ...more