Spiral Arm

The Spiral Arm is a Space Opera series by Michael Flynn, consisting thus far of


 * The January Dancer
 * Up Jim River
 * In the Lion's Mouth
 * On the Razor's Edge (forthcoming)

They take place in a far-future galaxy, caught between the League on one side, and the Confederacy on the other, of a starless rift, in a great game of intrigue and adventure.


 * Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Arson, rebellion and leaving your licensed township.
 * Artifact of Doom: The Dancer, they think.
 * Bad Dreams: Discussed in January Dancer
 * Blessed with Suck: You find a marvelous array of treasures -- that you can't remove.
 * Bottled Heroic Resolve: Booster
 * Buy Them Off: Werguild is offered, after a civil war.
 * The City Narrows: Terran Corner on Jehovah
 * Compelling Voice: What the Dancer gives
 * Corrupt Bureaucrat: On one planet, a country revolts from a honest administration.
 * Daddy Had a Good Reason For Abandoning You: Sometimes you really have to deal with something dangerous.
 * Darkskinned Blonde: The planet Alabaster's Phenotype Stereotype
 * Disappeared Dad: the harper was raised by her mother alone.
 * Doomed Moral Victor: Discussed in a subverted form.
 * Dramatic Thunder: When the storm first strikes.
 * Drowning My Sorrows: In the bar on Jehovah.
 * Dysfunctional Family: The Hounds are somewhat likely this, according to noe.
 * The Exile: Fa Li, according to those at court
 * Famed in Story: The civil war was immortalized in song before it was four weeks old.
 * Fearless Fool: The Brute
 * Fire-Forged Friends: In the civil war.
 * Fisher King: The emperor of the morning dew really hates that his subjects believe this.
 * Friendly Enemy: After a civil war, the two sides often join to sing of the various exploits.
 * Friend or Foe: A problem with an undercover war.
 * Full-Circle Revolution: Discussed in a subverted form.
 * Good Samaritan: Gives "booster" after an ambush.
 * Green Eyes: One of the first things noted about the woman in the opening of January Dancer. Before her name, even.
 * Green Eyed Red Head: Supplmented by the observation about her hair.
 * Harmless Lady Disguise: Hugh uses it.
 * Honorary Uncle: Does not make a man less dangerous.
 * Honor Before Reason: Burning down your own ammunition factory to keep guns out of the war.
 * In Harm's Way: Brute's opinion
 * I Have Many Names: The narrator introduces the scarred man with observations about how many names he has
 * I Gave My Word: Hugh's motive
 * It Was a Gift: The harper's necklace
 * King in the Mountain: Hugh escapes and promises to return
 * La Résistance: The Loyalists
 * Living Legend: Zorba
 * Luke, I Am Your Father/Luke, You Are My Father: Both in a fraught scene
 * MacGuffin: Discussed
 * The Man Behind the Man
 * Missing Mom: The motivation in Up Jim River
 * Never Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight: An attempt to avert it by burning down the ammunition factory means
 * Never Speak Ill of the Dead: the Fudir covers up a dead man's treachery.
 * The Nondescript: Greystroke
 * Oireland: A country puts it on for the tourist trade.
 * Old Flame Fizzle: Despite Fire-Forged Friends
 * One for Sorrow, Two For Joy: Invoked
 * Ontological Mystery: Given the Dancer's powers, how can you know what really is happening?
 * Opposites Attract
 * Ouroboros: The Ouroboros Circuit
 * Political Correctness Gone Mad
 * Precursors: "the folk of sand and iron."
 * Proud Warrior Race
 * The Quest: Discussed
 * Reassigned to Antarctica: Fa Li
 * The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: Jumdar's characterization of the Loyalists.
 * Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: The man who betrays Hugh to an assasin
 * Seven Deadly Sins: One library caters to at least five of them.
 * Shell-Shocked Veteran: Discussed in January Dancer
 * Shout-Out: Dozens
 * Soft Gas: When you hit a star at speed -- it's not true.
 * Space Is an Ocean: Played with.
 * Stern Chase: And a stern chase is a long chase.
 * A Storm Is Coming: Drives them off the planet
 * The Storyteller: The scarred man in January Dancer -- the ministrel sought him out for it.
 * Tap on the Head: the dangers are hinted at but not used.
 * There Are No Coincidences: thought of a murder
 * Used Future
 * Wandering Minstrel: In the opening of January Dancer, a woman shows up at the bar, and plays for her food, without asking.
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl: One of the Seven of Jehovah.
 * Would Not Shoot a Civilian: One failure draws down opprobrium
 * Xanatos Gambit: Retrieving Donovan
 * You Are in Command Now: Hugh
 * You Shall Not Pass: Many rear guards near the end of the war on New Eireann