Crispin, A. C., and Kathleen O’Malley. Silent Dances. Starbridge No. 2. Ace, 1990.
A profoundly deaf American Indian woman teaches an avian alien race, whose vocalizations are in the hypersonic range, to communicate with signs. She is an intriguing character, as are several of the aliens. I do wish the linguistic elements were treated in more detail, and sadly, the melodrama of the plot in which money-grubbing “privateers” aim to destroy the alien habitats is quite predictable. I will keep reading the series, whose novels so far are only loosely connected. ( )

I like the book overall, but the preachy tone really killed it for me.

A deaf, native American, girl struggles to cram in all the judgmental diatribes she can. ( )

As with Starbridge, this book started out a bit slow. It was nice to see two characters from Book 1, but they had minor bits. Most of the book centered on a new world with new people. Tesa was a marvellous character. Crispin and O'Malley did an excellent job creating a breathing person, who changed and grew as the story went on. In particular, Tesa's struggle with being Deaf was a unique twist that enhanced the depth of the whole book. The story itself was excellent - full of life, twists, danger, emotions and reality. A strong, satisfying read. I would highly recommend this work to anyone who want to dive into a good story! ( )

When you want to read a unique sci-fi mystery based on a world of giant intelligent birds, a deaf heroine, and AmerIndian religion, try "Silent Dances." It is definitely not a run-of-the-mill story. I solve most mysteries before half way through a book. Not this one. I was confused until the end, where everything made sense. For a good weekend escape, this is a good book to read. ( )