Dancers Like Children

Dr. Justin Schafer travels to the Bountiful colony to investigate a series of brutal murders. The colonists blame the Dancers, an alien species the colony relies on for its livelihood. But the more Schafer investigates, the more complicated the case seems. He begins to wonder if his past mistakes—mistakes that led to genocide—will color his judgment. And he begins to suspect that the reasons for the unthinkable murders will shock everyone involved.

"Dancers Like Children" appears in a different form in the novel Alien Influences, which was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

"A well-conceived, well-executed novel."

—The New York Times Book Review on Alien Influences

"Rusch isn't here on this Earth to hand out easy answers. Alien Influences is, like all her work, memorable, enthralling, and just a touch frustrating; there are always more questions after the final page." 

—SF Site

"[Rusch]'s examination of the heights and depths of the human spirit is what engages and ultimately satisfies."

—Publisher's Weekly on Alien Influences