L.E. Modesitt Jr

The Imager Portfolio — (2009) Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: Imager is the beginning of a whole new fantasy in a whole new magical world from the bestselling creator of Recluce. Although Rhennthyl is the son of a leading wool merchant in L’Excelsis, the capital of Solidar, the most powerful nation on Terahnar, he has spent years becoming a journeyman artist and is skilled and diligent enough to be considered for the status of master artisan — in another two years. Then, in a single moment, his entire life is transformed when his master patron is killed in a flash fire, and Rhenn discovers he is an imager — one of the few in the entire world of Terahnar who can visualize things and make them real. He must leave his family and join the Collegium of Imagisle.  Imagers live separately from the rest of society because of their abilities (they can do accidental magic even while asleep), and because they are both feared and vulnerable. In this new life, Rhenn discovers that all too many of the “truths” he knew were nothing of the sort. Every day brings a new threat to his life.  He makes a powerful enemy while righting a wrong, and begins to learn to do magic in secret. Imager is the innovative and enchanting opening of an involving new fantasy story.

Available for download at Audible.com

Imager

Imager is the beginning of the new Imager Portfolio series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. Set in a different world than The Saga of Recluce, one still feels the same vibe. In fact, there are several parallels to the Recluce books, and if you’re a Modesitt fan, that’s not a bad thing.

Rhennthyl is an aspiring artist who grew up in a merchant family. He is intelligent, motivated, and well-read, but feels unsuited for following in the footsteps of his father, so we see him transformed from talented painter to gifted wielder of the magic of Imaging. Imaging is the ability to use mental powers to copy or modify physical things — creating refined metal from raw ore, for example. Most of the novel's plot concerns Rhenn’s move into the Imager guild and his education and eventual employment as an Imager.

One of Modesitt’s greatest strengths is his world-building, and Imager is no exception. The nation and city that Rhenn lives in will feel very familiar to fantasy readers and Modesitt fans in particular. I felt like I was walking around with the Recluce characters. The setting also gives Modesitt the opportunity to soapbox about the benefits of diversity in representational government.

The female characters in the male-dominated world are typical Modesitt. They are supremely competent, highly intelligent, and are more than a match for their male counterparts. Again, for Modesitt this is well-trod ground.

I read Imager in under 12 hours because it’s truly a fun read. The story grows and changes rapidly as Rhenn goes through a lot of personal changes. This doesn’t feel contrived, but is often the result of well-orchestrated turns in the plot. The magic system in Imager is intriguing, and Modesitt gives us a number of fascinating displays of its potential. It’s magic alright, but there are rules and complications that preclude some of the nonsense that fantasy sometimes delivers.

If you are a fan of solid, sequential fantasy, then Imager should be right up your alley. It’s not your epic, highly stylized fantasy, but Modesitt stays rooted in the common-sense approach to world building that gives us real characters, real events, and real political themes to fill in the blanks. The rise of a middle-class kid to greatness — always a fun theme — is still a plot that keeps the pages turning.
—John H.   Comments

Imager

Imager is the first book in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO, the newest fantasy series by the incredibly prolific L. E. Modesitt Jr. I usually enjoy the author's work very much, and Imager was no exception, despite the fact that it's so recognizably L. E. Modesitt Jr.'s work that it verges on the predictable. I'm actually sure that some Modesitt fans could predict the early part of this novel's plot just by looking at the included map: hmmm... looks like a city with a bunch of artist studio's, and in the center there's something called "Imager's Isle"... so maybe we have yet another artisan (see:The Magic of Recluce) who discovers he has some strange power and ends up in a magical training organization of some sort? Bingo: Rhenntyl, a typically cerebral and driven Modesitt protagonist, is a struggling journeyman portrait artist who gradually begins to realize that he has imaging talent.

However, reducing the author's work to such simple patterns is unfair. L. E. Modesitt Jr. displays his usual care and love of detail in the world-building — so much detail that this book will probably be too slow for some readers. However, if you can appreciate someone who takes the time to describe a fantasy world in such detail that it almost seems real, Modesitt's work should be perfect for you. In Imager, the fantasy world is unusual in that it's set in an era somewhere between Renaissance and Enlightenment, rather than the standard medieval period: society is still heavily class-based, with land-owning High Holders, a wealthy merchant class, several established artisan guilds, and the lower-class "taudis," but at the same time it appears that some social upheaval may be on the horizon, with at least one High Holder agitating for women's rights and a more democratic election process for the ruling Council. Interestingly, there are also some technologies that deviate from the standard fantasy pattern, such as railroads, fire arms and even the beginnings of Industrial Revolution-style devices such as automated weaving looms. On top of all of this, there's the Collegium Imago: a secretive organization of "imagers" that combines aspects of a university, military organization and intelligence service. L. E. Modesitt Jr. introduces all these elements gradually throughout the story, dropping hints here and there rather than resorting to info-dumps, so that the reader slowly gathers a clear picture of this very interesting society.

As usual, there are extensive meditations on the ethics of the protagonist's actions, as well as different types of governments and religions, showing (as always with L. E. Modesitt Jr.) various shades of gray. While the prose displays the author's recognizably dry style, the dialogue is often filled with subtlety and understated humor. The magic system appears very simplistic at first, but there are hints that more detail is hidden below the surface. That actually applies to other aspects of the book, including the world-building: while the entire novel is set in the capital city of l'Excelsis, there are many references to other countries and cities, suggesting that future novels in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO will broaden the scope of the story. (Side note: unfortunately the book only includes a map of l'Excelsis, while it would have benefited from a map of the rest of the world. Several other countries are mentioned in the novel, and at times I found it hard to visualize where they were in relation to each other.)

As the first book in a new series, this is very clearly a set-up novel, and some readers may find the almost stolid pacing of Rhenntyl's early progress through the Collegium's hierarchy a bit dull. However, the book does have a satisfying ending that at the same time leaves many plot elements intriguingly open. In short, I'm much more interested in reading book 2 of this series (Imager's Challenge, due out in October 2009 from Tor) than I was after the first book of Modesitt's last fantasy series, the COREAN CHRONICLES, which I took a break from after book 3.

Imager is a promising start to the IMAGER PORTFOLIO, recommended for fans of L. E. Modesitt Jr. as well as for people who aren't familiar with the author, because it's a solid example of the author's style and a great way to sample the work of one of fantasy's most prolific and talented writers.
—Stefan   Comments

Imager's Challenge

Imager's Challenge is the second book in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO, the latest fantasy series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. The author is probably best known for his ongoing SAGA OF RECLUCE, but for readers who may be daunted by the length of that series, the IMAGER PORTFOLIO is a great way to try the work of this talented and prolific writer.

Imager's Challenge picks up right where Imager left off. Rhenntyl, now a master imager at the Collegium Imago, has succeeded in foiling the plot of the Ferran envoy, but because the resulting explosion and deaths have made him more visible (and so less appropriate as a covert operative), he has received a new assignment: he will be the imager liaison to the l'Excelsis city patrol. In the course of this task Rhenntyl learns much more about the less well-off areas (or "taudis") of the city. He also realizes quickly that not everything in the city patrol is as it should be, and because of this, the garrison's officers aren't exactly thrilled to have the resourceful and observant imager in their ranks.

Several sub-plots are deftly interwoven in the story. First of all, High Holder Ryel, whose son was blinded by Rhenntyl in Imager, begins to plot his revenge. On the other end of the social spectrum, a young taudis boy with imaging talent is delivered to the Collegium Imago, and the contrast with the now relatively powerful and experienced Rhenntyl effectively highlights how much he has changed since the start of the series. Finally, L.E. Modesitt Jr. explores the growing romance between Rhenntyl and Seliora. These sub-plots are integrated seamlessly into the main story and lead to a thrilling conclusion.

Stylistically, Imager's Challenge is almost identical to Imager. The first person narrator, combined with L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s typically dry prose style and attention to even the most minute details, occasionally make the story sound like someone giving a deposition. More generously, you could say that the prose doesn't get in the way of plot or character development, and Modesitt does a superb job in creating a consistent and original fantasy world.

In short, Imager's Challenge is an excellent second installment in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO. If you enjoyed Imager, it's almost guaranteed that you'll like this novel too. Although calling it fast-paced would be a stretch, there's definitely less exposition and more action in Imager's Challenge, making this a more captivating read than the first book. It's not very hard to make some predictions about where the story is heading, but I'm more than sufficiently intrigued to keep reading. As a matter of fact, if book 3 (Imager's Intrigue, scheduled for November 2010) were already available, I probably would have started reading it right away. Fortunately L.E. Modesitt Jr. is not only a talented writer, but also a fast writer, so at least there won't a very long wait for his next book! —Stefan   Comments

Imager's Challenge

I really looked forward to L.E. Modesitt's return to the Imager series. The first book, Imager, was typical Modesitt fare, but it felt like he was trying out some new stuff. In Imager's Challenge, I felt like we went right back to where we were before Imager.

After the events of Imager, Rhennthyl, the main character, had been through the typical Modesitt transition. He had become a powerful, organized, highly methodical, politically correct male hero. For readers familiar with Modesitt’s earlier work, this is exactly the same hero we have been reading about forever. Modesitt's main characters are decidedly politically correct and Modesitt spends a lot of time promoting gender equality. That's not necessarily a bad thing in a genre that is replete with stereotypes that trend the other way, but to longtime fans, it feels like well-trod ground.

In Imager's Challenge, Rhenn still has the problems of the previous book to cope with. He still has a tendency to stand up for what's right, even when his superiors advise against it, and he reaps their disdain when his actions fail to live up to their intent. Rhenn's ongoing feud with a noble family continues to threaten those he loves. And of course, Rhenn is deeply besotted with one uber-girl and remains her willing lap-dog despite any temptation to the contrary. So, there are lots of elements that could add up to an interesting story.

My problem is that I felt like I was plodding through another Recluce novel. Rhenn spends half the novel either painting or going on patrol with the local police-equivalent. The action scenes came and went too quickly. Worst of all, if you are a Modesitt fan, you know from the first half of the book exactly how everything would end. After the promise of change and growth as an author, Modesitt simply slipped right back into the almost novel-by-numbers pattern that has been so pervasive in his other fantasy series.

I liked Imager's Challenge and as a long-term Modesitt fan, I would read it again. I was sorely disappointed that my perception of a break with the old style was not realized. Imager's Challenge might as well be a Recluce novel, and Rhenn falls squarely back into the ranks of all the other Modesitt heroes we know so well. It's a good book, but it's not a breakthrough to something new.
—John H.   Comments

Imager’s Intrigue

L.E. Modesitt returns to great storytelling in Imager’s Intrigue, the powerful third book of The Imager Portfolio series. Imager’s Intrigue follows closely on the heels of Imager’s Challenge as Rhennthyl, the main character, continues his rise in power as an Imager and a catalyst for change.

Rhennthyl, now married to his fiancée Seliora and father of a young daughter, continues in his role as Patrol Captain and Imager. Modesitt has fast-forwarded a few years and created a good transition between where we left off and how things now are.

Rhenn, working with his in-laws, has done some innovative jobs creation in his area of the city. His unique style and almost overbearing honesty make him a continued target for the establishment. It’s really interesting to see some of the societal themes that Modesitt often espouses put to practical purposes, combining noble ideology with practical capitalism.

The countries of Ferrum and Jairola are again on the brink of war and the nation of Solidar is being carefully assaulted by pre-planned terrorist attacks. Rhenn, ever the insightful protagonist, is being manipulated and threatened by others who would rather line their pockets than save the country. It’s an interesting commentary on politicians and their inability to make financial sacrifices in order to preserve a solvent nation.

In the end, Rhenn continues his journey as an agent for change and a righter of wrongs. His impressive Imaging skills and a little bit of luck give him the chance to walk the line between being a bully and doing the right thing. Modesitt really does a great job with this installment, blending plenty of political intrigue, social commentary, and exciting action. I strongly recommend Imager’s Intrigue for all Modesitt fans!!
—John H.   Comments

Imager’s Intrigue

Imager’s Intrigue, the third novel in L.E. Modesitt’s IMAGER PORTFOLIO fantasy series, starts a few years after the events of Imager’s Challenge. The young master imager Rhenntyl is now a successful Captain in the Civic Patrol, which makes this new novel initially feel very similar to the previous book in the series. He’s also happily married to Seliora and has a 3-year-old daughter, which is a refreshing touch, because how many fantasy heroes are ever shown with a young family like this?

The first third of Imager’s Intrigue is extremely exciting and possibly the most enjoyable part of the series so far. By now, Rhenn has become a fascinating, well-rounded character, and his adventures in the city of L’Excelsis, dealing with an increase in drug overdoses due to a suspiciously stronger variety of elveweed, lead up to a stunning mid-novel climax.

After this, the novel slows down considerably as the main intrigue, which again combines local Solidar politics with an international plot, quickly gets very intricate. There’s lots of politics in this middle third of the book, and it occasionally feels a bit crowded and confusing when Modesitt Jr. introduces the various players. Many of them have similar-sounding names (thank goodness for the handy character list at the front of the book) and the connections between all those different actors initially aren’t always clear. Because of L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s familiar first person p.o.v., reading that part of the novel can be as confusing for the reader as experiencing the events seems to be for Rhenn — but rest assured that all the different strands are connected and resolved more than satisfactorily in the end.

Another recognizable L.E. Modesitt Jr. feature is the focus on the everyday details of the protagonist’s life. Especially in the first part of the novel, the author consistently includes Rhenn’s daily routine in each chapter, including the imager group workout in the morning, dropping off his wife and daughter at their place of business, reading the newspaper during the rest of the coach ride to work (which also provides a handy way to keep the reader informed of the international situation), and so on. All of this information is even included when nothing eventful happens, and as a matter of fact, Modesitt Jr. will only rarely write things like “the rest of the week was routine” and instead usually describe that routine in some detail. Even though this may sound a bit dry and even boring, it’s strangely enjoyable to read because it genuinely helps the reader’s understanding of, and immersion in, the hero’s world and mindset.

One of the most interesting aspects of the IMAGER PORTFOLIO series is its setting: Solidar is a country in the middle of its industrial revolution, with new technologies such as steam engines and machine manufacturing gaining ground and changing the power base in an already complex society. Socially, this creates tension between the guilds, landholders, merchants, and owners of manufactories — and of course the existence of the Collegium Imago makes things even more complicated. Interestingly, the series will now, in typical L.E. Modesitt Jr. fashion, take a step in a different direction: according to the author’s website, the next novel, tentatively titled Scholar, is the first book in a trilogy set well before the events of the first 3 Imager novels, in the time before Solidar was unified.

I would have liked to read more about Rhenntyl too, but on the other hand, things are neatly wrapped up by the end of Imager’s Intrigue... and knowing L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s skill and experience in showing and connecting different eras of his fantasy worlds, it’s hard not to get excited about a few books set in the past of this already fascinating fantasy universe. A brief conversation towards the end of Imager’s Intrigue contains a brief mention of historical figures like Rex Regis and Rex Caldor, and Rhenn is actually compared to a “warrior imager champion” called Bilbryn, so my guess is that’s where we’re heading in Scholar (which is expected for Fall 2011, but first we’re getting treated to a standalone SF novel, Empress of Eternity). Count me excited. —Stefan   Comments