Glen C. Strathy
Author of Dancing on the Inside
Series
Works by Glen C. Strathy
Beyond the Crystal Sky 1 copy
Associated Works
The Coming Economic Collapse: How You Can Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel (2006) — Author — 195 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Strathy, Glen C.
- Legal name
- Strathy, Glen Cameron
- Other names
- Strathy, Glen
- Birthdate
- 1962-08-06
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Western Ontario, Canada
Queen's University at Kingston - Occupations
- writer
- Organizations
- Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Writers Union of Canada - Short biography
- Glen C. Strathy has been an actor, a teacher, and since 1999 a professional writer. He is the author of the IPPY award-winning middle-grade novel, Dancing on the Inside, co-author of a New York Times Bestselling business book, and spent over a decade as a freelance writer and creative writing teacher. Since 2008, his website, www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com has offered tips and advice to aspiring authors. But before any of that, at a young age, he became an avid reader of science fiction. Classic works of space opera and science fiction adventure from the 1950s and 1960s percolated in the back of his head, eventually becoming the inspiration for his more recent novel, Beyond the Crystal Sky. Glen lives with his wife and daughter in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
- Nationality
- Canada
- Birthplace
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Places of residence
- Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Associated Place (for map)
- Ontario, Canada
Members
Reviews
A Surprising and Thoughtful YA Space Adventure
I’ll begin with a confession. When the book opened with a discussion of pronouns, I almost set it aside. I wasn’t in the mood for what I feared might become a political detour. I’m very glad I kept reading.
Beyond the Crystal Sky quickly reveals itself to be something far more compelling: a thoughtful, character-driven science fiction novel in the grand tradition of classic speculative storytelling. It reminded me of the kind of work I’ve show more long admired in Robert Heinlein — not because it imitates him, but because it shares that same spirit of moral inquiry, youthful courage, and high-stakes adventure set against a vast technological backdrop.
Perdit is an unforgettable protagonist. At only seventeen, she carries the weight of widowhood, exile, and public suspicion — yet she remains resilient, intelligent, and driven by conscience rather than comfort. Watching her navigate a rigid, rule-bound generation ship in decline is both tense and emotionally satisfying. The setting of the “Long Sunset” gives the entire novel a haunting, almost mythic atmosphere.
What impressed me most is how the story explores themes of blind obedience, institutional complacency, and the courage it takes to question authority — all without becoming preachy. The ship itself feels like a living system in decay, and the social structures aboard it are as fascinating as the physical ones.
I also found myself wondering about the symbolism behind Perdit’s name. Is it short for “Perdition”? If so, that choice feels deliberate — and perhaps layered with meaning that attentive readers will continue to unpack. There are hints throughout the book that reward careful reading.
Most exciting of all is discovering that this is not the author’s only work. If this novel is any indication, there are more thoughtful and imaginative journeys ahead.
Fans of young adult dystopian science fiction — especially those who enjoy character-centered space opera with philosophical depth — should absolutely give this one a try. I’m glad I did. show less
I’ll begin with a confession. When the book opened with a discussion of pronouns, I almost set it aside. I wasn’t in the mood for what I feared might become a political detour. I’m very glad I kept reading.
Beyond the Crystal Sky quickly reveals itself to be something far more compelling: a thoughtful, character-driven science fiction novel in the grand tradition of classic speculative storytelling. It reminded me of the kind of work I’ve show more long admired in Robert Heinlein — not because it imitates him, but because it shares that same spirit of moral inquiry, youthful courage, and high-stakes adventure set against a vast technological backdrop.
Perdit is an unforgettable protagonist. At only seventeen, she carries the weight of widowhood, exile, and public suspicion — yet she remains resilient, intelligent, and driven by conscience rather than comfort. Watching her navigate a rigid, rule-bound generation ship in decline is both tense and emotionally satisfying. The setting of the “Long Sunset” gives the entire novel a haunting, almost mythic atmosphere.
What impressed me most is how the story explores themes of blind obedience, institutional complacency, and the courage it takes to question authority — all without becoming preachy. The ship itself feels like a living system in decay, and the social structures aboard it are as fascinating as the physical ones.
I also found myself wondering about the symbolism behind Perdit’s name. Is it short for “Perdition”? If so, that choice feels deliberate — and perhaps layered with meaning that attentive readers will continue to unpack. There are hints throughout the book that reward careful reading.
Most exciting of all is discovering that this is not the author’s only work. If this novel is any indication, there are more thoughtful and imaginative journeys ahead.
Fans of young adult dystopian science fiction — especially those who enjoy character-centered space opera with philosophical depth — should absolutely give this one a try. I’m glad I did. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I read this book all in one sitting. This is aimed at young to mid-teens so it was an easy read for me. The heroine of the story is Jenny, a very shy 12 year old who really wants to dance ballet but discovers that she's too shy, too insecure and has a panic attack at the idea of trying to learn to dance with anyone else watching. She loves ballet so much, however, that she connives a way to be allowed to observe the classes. She takes notes and practices alone at home in secret.
Ara is quite show more the opposite of Jenny. She's outgoing and spontaneous. She loves to dance too and is unafraid and passionate. She and Jenny become friends and help each other become better dancers on their own. Through this, Jenny discovers that she has a real talent for choreography and with the help of the new instructor, the girls work together to put on the spring recital, an original ballet.
The book is the first work of fiction written by the author and I really enjoyed it. The story flowed well, kept my interest and brought the world of ballet to life for me. Jenny and Ara did seem a bit too mature for 12 year olds in some ways but as the book is aimed at that general age range, I think their personalities and dreams would appeal very much to girls just starting to edge past childhood. I'd certainly recommend it. show less
Ara is quite show more the opposite of Jenny. She's outgoing and spontaneous. She loves to dance too and is unafraid and passionate. She and Jenny become friends and help each other become better dancers on their own. Through this, Jenny discovers that she has a real talent for choreography and with the help of the new instructor, the girls work together to put on the spring recital, an original ballet.
The book is the first work of fiction written by the author and I really enjoyed it. The story flowed well, kept my interest and brought the world of ballet to life for me. Jenny and Ara did seem a bit too mature for 12 year olds in some ways but as the book is aimed at that general age range, I think their personalities and dreams would appeal very much to girls just starting to edge past childhood. I'd certainly recommend it. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
A different kind of sci-fi. It takes time to get used to the formatting and understand how the story is being told, but it is laid out well. The story unfolds slowly, giving the reader pieces of the story of Navcrew and Perdit in particular. It's not a flashy story but one that leans heavily into its young narrator and her experiences to ensure that the narrative unfolds how she sees it.
Worth a read and some thought.
Worth a read and some thought.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.“Dancing on the Inside” was a wonderful read. It was believable, interesting, and engaging – so much so, in fact, that I read it in one go! This story touched my heart, and I am sure it will do the same to others; how could it not? The main character is great: she has her faults, but they do not truly detract from her person; in fact, they make her all the more real. The other characters are all relatable, too, which makes the flow of the story all the better.
This is an amazing tale show more that allows the reader to see how dreams can come true in realistic settings – even dreams that are unknown at the time! It also shows how the parental figures in a young person’s life can mean well, and yet do a bit of damage at the same time – this is important for this story because it really brings the reality of the entire thing home to the reader. Seeing the drama that can unfold in any given moment for the main character, who already struggles with her own drawbacks, lets the reader step back and recall their own personal dramas - and their subsequent victories.
Throughout the entirety of “Dancing on the Inside” I wanted to know what happened next; what else would this girl dream up that would make her happier? What other antics would the other characters get up to that would alter the desires of the main character? So intriguing and touching was this story that I not only had to keep reading, but towards the end I was fighting back tears of joy for her successes and her personal growth!
While this story is not my usual type of read by any stretch of the imagination, I am beyond glad that I decided to take a leap and go for it. This will be not only one of my favourite stories to re-read, but one that I will read to my daughters, too, because it is just the type of story to motivate them and get their own dreams flying. show less
This is an amazing tale show more that allows the reader to see how dreams can come true in realistic settings – even dreams that are unknown at the time! It also shows how the parental figures in a young person’s life can mean well, and yet do a bit of damage at the same time – this is important for this story because it really brings the reality of the entire thing home to the reader. Seeing the drama that can unfold in any given moment for the main character, who already struggles with her own drawbacks, lets the reader step back and recall their own personal dramas - and their subsequent victories.
Throughout the entirety of “Dancing on the Inside” I wanted to know what happened next; what else would this girl dream up that would make her happier? What other antics would the other characters get up to that would alter the desires of the main character? So intriguing and touching was this story that I not only had to keep reading, but towards the end I was fighting back tears of joy for her successes and her personal growth!
While this story is not my usual type of read by any stretch of the imagination, I am beyond glad that I decided to take a leap and go for it. This will be not only one of my favourite stories to re-read, but one that I will read to my daughters, too, because it is just the type of story to motivate them and get their own dreams flying. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 5
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 41
- Popularity
- #363,651
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 14
- ISBNs
- 7
- Favorited
- 1
