Dancing in the Arms of Orion

by Stephen R. Moore

Book Overview

A poignant and heartfelt debut novel about love, loss, friendship, and sexual identity.

In the summer before his senior year of high school, Daniel Peterson packs his belongings and youthful memories as he takes in the comforts of his childhood home one last time. His apprehension about the family move and his anxiety about losing friends and attending a new school overwhelm him. He has no idea just how dramatically his world will change.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595315593
• ISBN13: 9780595315598
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

They'll Feel Like Old Friends

I just finished reading Dancing In The Arms of Orion and I must say I was greatly impressed. I am still now, hours later thinking about the characters and their lives, and their friendships. The characters were fleshed out well, and Mr. Moore has really set the bar high for his next work. The only flaw I found was that the editing was choppy, but this isn't Stephen Moore's fault. I don't know what it is about the editors at Iuniverse but they always miss something. Anyway back to this spectacular piece of writing, I think Daniel was the perfect protagonist for this story. His thoughts are insightful and the marrative flowed well. You feel for Daniel as he tries to adapt to his new living environment and as he struggles with his friends and tries to help them with their problems as well. Each of Daniel's friends brings their own flavor to the tale and I for one fell in love with each and every one of them. You'll cheer for these characters, cry for them and get angry at them at times, just like you would your own group of friends. I think this book shows that one thing we do need in this world is a small core group of friends. It was also nice to see Ralph, Jordan, Ross and Kieran make an appearance. I think Stephen definitely stayed true to the characters that Mark Roeder created and I just loved how well they were incorporated into it. Dancing In the Arms of Orion is a great story for teens who are struggling with coming out to their family and friends. It is a great read any age group and the end is well worth it. I can't say enough good things about this book. Everyone should read it, and I can't wait to see what Stephen comes up with next.

Wish my senior year was like that.

As a first novel, "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" sets a fairly high mark for Stephen Moore's next work. I enjoyed the story line and the cast of characters. I was not out during high school but remember back (25 years ago) to endless nights of wanting to find that special "someone" with whom I would share a life. Daniel Peterson, the book's main character, is lucky - almost TOO lucky - to find his. The plot twists are not unexpected but are handled imaginatively, and add to the book's readability. I read the digital version twice in a little over 2 weeks. But I found some of the dialog contrived, especially the long speeches by Daniel's friends as he comes out to them. I don't remember anyone in my very educated circle in high school speaking in such complete sentences and nuanced phrases. The various parental reactions are also very low-keyed and, in my mind, too quickly accepting of Daniel's sexual orientation and his sudden relationship status. And the complete absence of any overt physical hostility at school to Daniel and his partner is simply not believable. The most jarring problem, though, is the multitude of spelling or grammar errors - "to" instead of "too" is just one of many. Hopefully, these are only present in the digital version. As someone who spends hours each week proofreading and correcting graduate student papers, I found the defects a distraction. Overall, for the content and the wonderful promise it holds out to the new generation of gay kids, this book is gold. Go for it!

Review of "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" by Cheri

Daniel Peterson is a typical teenager entering his senior year of high school in Stephen R. Moore's debut novel, "Dancing in the Arms of Orion." He has more to deal with than just deciding what he is going to do in the future-he also has to acclimate to a new school, make new friends, and come to terms with being gay. We meet him during the summer his family plans to move to Whaler's Cove in the historic Towne of Ulm. At first, Daniel is apprehensive about the move, but his newfound friends and possible love interests quickly alleviates that feeling. Ever the optimist, Daniel makes the best of every situation and even likes his new school. He particularly likes Whaler's Cove when he spots the boy of his dreams-a lifeguard at the town pool-and discovers they are neighbors. Daniel's senior year turns out to be chockfull of highs and lows, first times, and new experiences as Daniel comes to terms with being gay, helps friends in need, and matures into a fine young man. He forms a fast and lasting friendship with his neighbor, Cristal, and the two help each other through tough situations. They are both way more mature than their years. All of Moore's characters are noteworthy and add to the story about a group of friends who manage to make it through unscathed on their way to adulthood. Moore writes a charming coming of age novel about a wonderful boy any mother would love to call her son. He not only gets along well with his parents and adorable younger sister Melissa, but he even cleans his own room and does his own laundry. He is a mother's dream come true. Daniel also has a terrific relationship with his father that he cherishes. He is wise enough to know he risks destroying what they have if his father cannot accept that he's gay. I recommend "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" to impressionable teenagers because I think it deals with prevalent gay/straight teen issues realistically, honestly, and offers sound advice and solutions. Parents of teenagers would benefit from it as they deal with raising their children in today's world. Adults who enjoy reliving their youth through reading will enjoy this book too. This book offers something for everyone. Moore successfully tells Daniel's story in the first person and ends up making the reader feel that much closer to him. Daniel is a person anyone would be happy to call a friend. This entertaining story of love, family, and friendship is uplifting. This reviewer hopes it is the first of many more love stories to be written by talented author Stephen R. Moore. A terrific first effort. I give "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" five stars.

. I would definitely recommend "Dancing in the Arms of Orion

"Dancing in the Arms of Orion" by Stephen R. Moore Review by Mountman/Joe Wright Stephen R. Moore's debut novel, "Dancing in the Arms of Orion", is the story of Daniel Peterson's trials and tribulations of coming out in his senior year of high school. Not only does Daniel have to deal with coming out, he has to do it in a new environment. You see, Daniel and his family have moved to a new town between his junior and senior year. First he meets Cristal, who lives in the same cul-de-sac in the subdivision, Whaler's Cove. Cristal is an out going senior who makes friends as easy as some people make their beds. Cristal introduces Daniel to all her gang of friends. Including Phillip, another senior that works at the recreational center, as a lifeguard. Daniel first sees Phillip, on his tour of the Rec center. Right away, when Daniel sees Phillip, he is enthralled. But, when Cristal introduces them, Phillip seems to be a real twit. You see Phillip and Cristal used to date and Daniel is blind to the facts. When Phillip tells Daniel that he broke up with Cristal because he couldn't love her the way that she deserves to be loved, Daniel doesn't get the hint. "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" is not just a coming out story. It's the story of a group of High school seniors and their last year of school. There's the prom, swim meets, classes, and decisions on where to go to college. All the characters are three dimensional and believable. As with a lot of the books that I read and review, I would like to read more of the Whaler's Cove gang as they go off to college and enter adult hood. I would definitely recommend "Dancing in the Arms of Orion" to all.

Wow, great first timer!

Stephen held my interest from cover to cover. I laughed, cried and related to some of the experiences. The characters got your attention and then swept you into their world. An excellent coming of age story. I strongly recommend to anyone gay/lesbian or those that are friends or family. Thank you Mr. Moore