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L.E. Modesitt Jr

1943-

Reviewed by John Hulet,
Bill Capossere, Stefan Raets

L.E. Modesitt Jr also writes "hard" science fiction and publishes short stories. He keeps a blog and answers readers' questions at his website.

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The Saga of Recluce — (1991-2010) Publisher: An epic adventure world that has so far spanned fifteen novels and has run for twenty years was launched in The Magic of Recluce, a triumph of fantasy. Young Lerris is dissatisfied with his life and trade, and yearns to find a place in the world better suited to his skills and temperament. But in Recluce a change in circumstances means taking one of two options: permanent exile from Recluce or the dangergeld, a complex, rule-laden wanderjahr in the lands beyond Recluce, with the aim of learning how the world works and what his place in it might be. Many do not survive. Lerris chooses dangergeld. When Lerris is sent into intensive training for his quest, it soon becomes clear that he has a natural talent for magic. And he will need magic in the lands beyond, where the power of the Chaos Wizards reigns unchecked. Though it goes against all of his instincts, Lerris must learn to use his powers in an orderly way before his wanderjahr, or fall prey to Chaos.

L.E. Modesitt Jr. Saga of Recluce: The Magic of Recluce, The Towers of the Sunset, The Magic Engineer, The Order War, The Death of Chaos, Fall of Angels, The Chaos Balance

The White Order, Colors of Chaos, Magi'i of Cyador, Scion of Cyador, Wellspring of Chaos, Ordermaster, Natural Ordermage, Mage Guard of Honor

The White Order, Colors of Chaos, Magi'i of Cyador, Scion of Cyador, Wellspring of Chaos, Ordermaster, Natural Ordermage, Mage Guard of Honor, 16. Arms-Commander

The Magic of Recluce (Special 20^th Anniversary Editions)

I first read The Magic of Recluce over 15 years ago, and I still have my original paperback copy. This year two special editions are being released by Tor and Subterranean Press. Rereading this story again, after having covered so much ground in epic fantasy, was both interesting and very comforting — comforting because it was nice to realize that a good story is still a good story even after all these years.

The Magic of Recluce chronicles the life of Lerris, a young man growing up on the island of Recluce. Recluce is a very normal, almost boring, place to grow up, and things are super orderly and clean. In my mind I imagine some of the extremely well-maintained villages that I have been through in Germany: so well organized, and it feels like there is a place for everything and everything is in its place.

For Lerris, living in Recluce with his hyper-organized and structured parents is boring and has little meaning. His basic needs are met, he has been educated, but he is disaffected and this creates problems. In Recluce, citizenship is not a matter of mere birth, but also inclination to live by the established rules and ideology on which the society is built. The idea is that Order, in a wide variety of ways, prevents the advent of chaos and that chaos is inextricably tied to evil. For Lerris, this is not something that he is able to simply accept.

After spending time working for his uncle as an apprentice woodworker, Lerris is forced to leave Recluce because he still can’t seem to fit in. He is given training to prepare him for the outside world and then shipped to the continent of Candar, home of the Chaosmasters. Lerris is not the only one who doesn’t fit into Recluce, and his training along with a widely varied group of others who are being exiled set the stage for his foray into danger and his path to the future.

What’s remarkable about The Magic of Recluce is that it set the pattern for a very long series of books. I wonder if, at the start of this, L.E. Modesitt Jr. knew what he was starting or if it was something that grew as it went. The characters, roles, and plot formula that are presented in The Magic of Recluce are strongly emulated in most of the Saga of Recluce books that follow, making them somewhat predictable.

After perhaps my 20^th read of The Magic of Recluce, I am again impressed by Modesitt and his ability to build a world. The stage he sets in this book will be used again and again by so many different characters over so many books that you can really appreciate the skill Modesitt has and the pains he has taken to create an entertaining formula. Lerris, by virtue of being the first main character, becomes something of a legend simply because his story, his choices, and his adventure is only the beginning of so much more. The Magic of Recluce is a great book, even after all these years. —John Hulet

book review L.E. Modesiit Jr The Saga of Recluce: The Towers of Sunset — Wellspring of Chaos

The underlying repetitive theme of the Modesitt works is personal accountability and the triumph of an enlightened, empowered individual over the self-serving machinations of the opposition. That may be simplifying things to a great degree, but that is what I get out of it. My personal experience with Modesitt began with The Magic of Recluce many years ago. At the time I was just beginning to refine my taste for fantasy and Modesitt was something different.

In the Saga of Recluce, the basic pattern of each installment is that the story follows a main character who is out of place in his/her society and who is gifted to a greater or lesser degree to manipulate the energies of the world he/she lives in. What the hero can do with those energies also rests in large part with their personal outlook on things — thus someone who reveres life will suffer severe repercussions when using these talents as a weapon. (Mr. Modesitt is a philosopher. While I do not agree with everything he writes, the tools and storytelling prose that he uses make sitting through his lectures worth the effort.)

The Magic of Recluce, the first book in the series, actually happens chronologically toward the very end of the saga. I became interested in the series because the main character of the first book, Lerris, is depicted with amazing accuracy as he progresses through the changes of adolescence and young adulthood. His adventures, maturation, and eventual acceptance of who he is and the responsibility that comes with the power he wields are to this day one of my favorite philosophical lessons taught from a fantasy perspective (see my review above).

The rest of The Saga of Recluce novels, for better or worse, mostly fill in the history of the planet back into antiquity from the perspectives of both the good “order” and bad “chaos” sides of the epic conflict. Not all of these Saga of Recluce books are great reading — the quality varies. But several of them are so interesting that I have re-read them many times simply because I found a character who I could truly appreciate and enjoyed spending time with.

By the way, L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s best work, without question, is in the science fiction genre. His ability to discuss the impacts of modern practices on future ecology and to transpose cultures that are present today into nations of the future is truly fun to work through. Even when he is poking fun at my own demographic, I find his ideas to be worth listening to because the story is so entertaining.

If you are interested in sampling Modesitt's Sci-Fi, then start with Adiamante because it is short, fairly action-packed, and is without a doubt my favorite Sci-Fi novel that he has written, although Gravity Dreams is a close second. For those of you who also enjoy alternate history, Modesitt wrote the Ghost Book Trilogy. These are a wonderful discussion of what the world might be like if certain key events never happened. He remains philosophical again and is teaching lessons about forks in history that might have lead to a better ecological place, but the story telling is worth the lecture. —John Hulet

book review Ordermaster Modesitt Jr Ordermaster

If Ordermaster and its prequel Wellspring of Chaos had come out as the first two books in the Recluce series, I'd have given them a slightly stronger review. Ordermaster is decently paced, has a good strong main character, some interestingly complex politics as its background, and is overall pretty well-written. But after reading a dozen Recluce books before these, one has to wonder how many times can Modesitt tell this same story. The problem in Ordermaster, besides the fact that we've seen this story so many times before, is that the plot begins to feel repetitive even within the book itself, a problem that has already affected his shorter series, The Corean Chronicles.

To recap the general formula: reluctant man of great but unpolished power gradually learns to use said power through a series of increasingly difficult tasks/battles in which he overcomes great odds at the cost of greater personal injury, much to the awe of those around him. He grows more powerful and more reluctant each time, often due to an increasing distaste for the death he's caused. In the end, he returns triumphant but battered to his humble abode where he'll humbly do some humble craft until humbly forced to humbly pick up yet again his hero mantle in the next book.

In this case, the humble hero is Kharl, the cooper turned mage/lord from Wellspring of Chaos, where he helped Lord Ghrant of Austra overcome a rebellion led by his brother. In this book, Kharl must first help Lord Ghrant of Austra overcome a rebellion (helped in large part by the greedy Hamorian empire) and then in the second half return to his home of Brysta to help put down a rebellion led by one brother against another (helped in large part by the greedy Hamorian empire). The manner in which he puts down both rebellions is as strikingly similar as the overall plot, use of the "sight shield" to slip unnoticed into enemy areas, use of "hardened air" to kill enemies, turning back of "chaos fire" against the wizards who wield it, and so on. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that if one simply copied fifty pages and then changed a few names, one would have the next fifty pages, and could continue to do so until all 400 pages were done.

What helps Ordermaster somewhat is the characterization, which though familiar is also nicely done for the most part. And a few of the side-stories are well-done as well. And if you haven't read other Modesitt books, it's a decent enough story, though too repetitive. With each "new" book of Recluce, I hope more and more for an actual original story and I grow more and more disenchanted. I've moved Modesitt from the "buy the book" category to the "get at the library" one because of the repetition of story and character, and he's on the edge of being added to the "don't bother reading because you've seen it all before" category. Ordermaster doesn't do anything to change that. —Bill Capossere

fantasy book reviews Natural Ordermage L.E. Modesitt Jr Natural Ordermage

L.E. Modesitt’s Recluce fantasy series is something that has become so predictable that you read it as much because you know what to expect as for any actual update in the story. If you like it, that's not a bad thing as long as you understand what you are getting into.

Natural Ordermage represents yet another branch in the story that tells other sides of things that have happened in the past. In this case we get a glimpse into the Empire of Hamor and, as with the other branches, this opens our eyes to the possibility of them being something better than we might have thought before. It's good filler material.

The real problem with the Recluce series at this point is that it's pretty much novel-by-number. The Main Character will be some sort of powerful mage who is not part of the establishment and is driven out or who has to find a way to succeed in spite of other societal challenges. He will learn a trade, be good at it, get into trouble with others who feel threatened by him, and will suffer through various adventures/challenges as a result. It's a nice pattern if you enjoy it, but it's very predictable. If you are a fan, then it’s still worth reading.

Natural Ordermage is pretty much par for the course. Modesitt is very good at writing this series and this book is similar to Fall of Angels and The White Order in that it gives us a chance to look at new sides of the story. Natural Ordermage is best bought in paperback because it isn’t groundbreaking enough to merit the cost of a hardback. —John Hulet

fantasy book reviews Natural Ordermage L.E. Modesitt Jr Natural Ordermage

I admit to picking up Natural Ordermage with some trepidation. My last review of a Modesitt book was pretty harsh, relegating his recent work to the shampoo-rinse-repeat bin of been-writing-that-series-too-long where the author starts telling the same story with the same character again and again and again. But for some reason, foolish optimism perhaps, I decided to give him another shot when I saw his new Recluce novel (while I thought these too had gotten stale, my fiercest criticism dealt with his Corean series).

I’ll have to say I was pleasantly surprised, though too many of his tendencies/tics or whatever you’d like to call them still were noticeable. The book is certainly a fast and enjoyable read, if not a particularly thrilling or thought-provoking one. Like much of Modesitt’s work, the writing is smooth and the reading almost effortless. The pace moves along quite quickly for the most part, though sometimes this is more flaw than strength. The for the most part, as in many of his novels, often falls down on the very detailed descriptions of eating, which I’ve come to expect with a sense of resignation.

The book follows Rahl, a scrivener with a mixed ability with order who is exiled from Nylan to Hamor where his abilities grow in fits and starts. Meanwhile, he gets embroiled in a conspiracy that ends with him having to start from scratch once again, from an even worse beginning.

One positive beyond those already mentioned is that Rahl is a somewhat unusual character for Modesitt. One that is many times unlikeable and often a bit blundering, a welcome change from his by now stock character — the quietly competent and efficient man who only gets more so. Another positive is the view into Hamor, a land that we haven’t heard/seen much of in the earlier dozen or so Recluce novels.

One problem is that while Rahl is a bit of a change, the plot isn’t all that different. A mage unsure of his abilities slowly learns how to use/control them and slowly fights his way up whatever ladder of promotion there is, while facing the inevitable corrupt boss. Along the way, he’ll overhear many snippets of useful conversation via his order-senses and break far too many wrists of bad guys (rather than killing them). I have nothing against the idea of proportional violence and an ethical desire to not kill if unnecessary, but if I read one more time how Rahl’s truncheon “cracked” down on “x’s wrist” I might have broken my own two wrists so I could no longer hold the book and thus avoid the next time that event happened (usually in about 20-30 pages). Because the plot isn’t so different, and because anyone coming to Natural Ordermage is bound to have read earlier Recluce novels, it is a bit predictable. And one does have a sense, despite the many bad things that happen to Rahl, that things still happen a bit too easily or quickly. I know that seems contradictory, but it’s how it feels, perhaps because while the bad things do occur, the setbacks are always minor in terms of time and pages to recover from them.

So where does Natural Ordermage stand at the end? Anyone who has seen my reviews knows I usually break down series books into four categories. The first for those outstanding books (usually early ones) that captivated and drew in readers thus ensuring a continuation of the series (sometimes a pyrrhic victory); the second category is for those books in the series that don’t reach that height but are good in their own right and still sweep you along; the third category for those books that are merely serviceable — moving along the big plot or characters so they live (well, some) to be written about another day but doing so in perfunctory, almost lifeless fashion, lacking spark and originality; and the fourth category for those books spit out by the author (or some relative who has gotten Power of Character or whatever legal designation is needed) with the evil knowledge that the pages could be filled with “All work and no play makes Jack... ” and the series’ long-suffering yet ever-hopeful fans would still buy the book. Natural Ordermage falls somewhere between that third and second category. It’s absolutely better than serviceable, but I can’t really call it good or sweeping or compelling. It’s enjoyable, it’s pleasant. It’s your amiable neighbor that your mom suggests hanging out with when none of your real friends are around (if you’re, you know, ten), and you don’t mind, but not for too many days in a row. It’s the best Recluce book in a while, but that might be damning a bit with faint praise.

Perhaps it bodes better things in the future. At the least, it’s enjoyable enough that I’ll pick up its sequel when it comes (c’mon — you knew it was coming). —Bill Capossere

fantasy book reviews L.E. Modesitt Jr Saga of Recluce Mage-Guard of Hamor Mage-Guard of Hamor

Mage-Guard of Hamor is the 15th book in the Saga of Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. If you’ve gotten to this point in the series, then odds are you know what you are getting in to, and perhaps you don’t mind the comfortable repetition. But, unfortunately, this installment only left me bored.

Mage-Guard of Hamor continues the story we were following in Natural Ordermage. The main character, Rahl, is one of the less likeable protagonists in the series, but the story of the country of Hamor is interesting, so I was hoping for some lively reading.

Things were going pretty well until Rahl was sent to war. Five hundred pages later, after a slow trudge from hamlet to town to city to hamlet, with battles and magical challenges every so often, we finally get to the climax… and then the story ends. Modesitt seemed to get caught in a rut and took 500 pages to write something that should have taken half that. Rahl is growing and developing during the war, but the way it was chronicled left me completely uninterested. There was way too much time spent trudging through the mud of war and moping with Rahl. I just got tired of it. Boring doesn't begin to describe it.

Another problem I had with Mage-Guard was the inconsistency in Rahl’s attitude toward romance. He begins as quite the player with the ladies — flirting with one, sleeping with another, and courting yet another. He is cutting quite a swath through the local girls, but then comes the mandatory problems with the use of Order (magic) and suddenly he’s transformed into a monogamous, loyal young man who is willing to wait forever, hoping against hope that the girl he loves will love him back. Ugh!

I like the Saga of Recluce, but I think Mage-Guard of Hamor was the worst book in the series. That’s saying something because there are several that I read once and can’t be bothered to read again. Mage-Guard is tough to read even if you are a fan of the series. It just really, really bored me to tears. Modesitt is starting a new series (Imager), so maybe Mage-Guard was feeble because the new series was distracting him. Let’s hope so. —John Hulet

Arms-Commander

Arms-Commander is a return to historical Candar and the SAGA OF RECLUCE by L.E. Modesitt Jr. This book follows in the wake of Chaos Balance and Fall of Angels as continued explanation of how the female-run and empowered part of the continent of Candar came to be. For long term fans of the series, this is really interesting stuff to fill in some of the blanks.

Saryn, a decidedly cardboard character from the earlier series, is the main character and heroine of Arms-Commander. L.E. Modesitt Jr. would probably have us refer to her as a hero in a gender-neutral tone that is more in keeping with the story. She's talented in the magic that is the basis of the much of the story, but she doesn't suffer from the chronic side-effects of killing people. That makes her extremely lethal in combat, which L.E. Modesitt Jr. further supports throughout the book with various statements about her history and heritage. I don't like her at all, but that's not important to appreciate the story.

Saryn was a part of the founding of Westwind, the first bastion of feminism on Candar. She was a ships pilot on the spaceship that brought them to the world the story is set in. Her only really strong characteristics are obedience to authority and her relative indifference to men. She's not a lesbian, just seemingly indifferent to men as anything other than competition. Her role as the combat leader and second in command to Ryba, the Tyrant of Westwind, makes her gradual disenchantment with how things are done more interesting. She's one of the in crowd who listens to her doubts.

Saryn eventually leads a group of Westwind female fighters into a country that is threatened by a return of overwhelming male dominance. She leads this small force to great victories and follows the normal role of a Modisitt/Recluce-series hero, except that her basic skill set is war. That's a big change and makes her a bit different because she isn't so worried about her O.C.D. habits impacting her ability to create world-class products.

I really enjoyed Arms-Commander because I loved L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s return to this time in the story. His normal pattern of story-telling is fairly obvious, but it's ok because it is what you expect. The story moves along well and there are many gaps in the history that are adequately filled. On the whole, Arms-Commander is another welcome installment to the SAGA OF RECLUCE. —John Hulet

The Spellsong Cycle — (1998-2003) Publisher: When Anna Marshall is transported from her boring and frustrating life in Ames, Iowa, to the very different world of Erde, she's angry and confused, but soon finds out that for the first time in her life she's uniquely powerful. In Iowa Anna was a music instructor and small-time opera singer, but on Erde her musical ability makes her a big-time sorceress — potentially. First she must figure out how to use her ability before the big-time rulers who've noticed her arrival kill her just because she's an unpredictable new power... Those rulers may wish they hadn't waited as long as they did.

Modesitt: Spellsong Cycle: The Soprano Sorceress, THe Spellsong War, Darksong Rising, The Shadow Sorceress, Shadowsinger

The Corean Chronicles — (2003-2011) Publisher: Millennia ago, a magical disaster caused the fall of a great civilization that spanned a continent, and ended a golden age. Corus today is a world of contending countries, of struggling humans, strange animals and elusive supernatural creatures. Though much has been forgotten, it is still a place of magical powers, and of a few people who are Talented enough to use them. Even as a child, Alucius showed very strong Talent. He was warned never to reveal it, lest others seek to exploit it. But as he grows to young manhood, Alucius must serve in the Militia like his father before him. When his country is invaded by the slave armies of the Matrial, immortal ruler of a nearby land, Alucius is captured and magically enslaved. A time of changes has come upon all of the world of Corus. If the evil surrounding the Matrial is not ended, those changes will not be happy ones. Alucius and his Talent have a central role to play.

L.E. Modesitt Jr The Corean Chronicles: Legacies, Darknesses, Scepters, Alector's Choice, Soarer's Choice

L.E. Modesitt Jr The Corean Chronicles: Legacies, Darknesses, Scepters, Alector's Choice, Soarer's Choice, Cadmian's Choice

L.E. Modesitt Jr The Corean Chronicles: Legacies, Darknesses, Scepters, Alector's Choice, Soarer's Choice The Lord Protector's Daughter 8. Lady-Protector

book review Darknesses The Corean Chronicles Darknesses: Not great but solid and well-paced

First off, though this does stand as in independent story in what is called The Corean Chronicles, it will make a lot more sense to you and you'll be a lot more invested in the characters if you read the first book ahead of time. Darknesses returns to the same main character, Alucius, who remains as in the first a reluctant soldier caught up in battles and politics he'd rather not wage, preferring to set down his sword and his strange Talent and return home to be a herder with his new wife. This book roams further afield than the first book as Alucius is sent to various locales (helps to periodically check the map to keep all his travels and the stratagems behind them straight) and involves more characters, which helps prevent it from feeling stale.

As in the first, the world and especially the military world is presented in a gritty realism and while there is a lot of detail regarding troop movement etc., Modesitt is careful not to let it overwhelm the story or bog it down. It's a smoothly paced book throughout, helped by the many quick shifts of character and setting. Some of the side characters are given short shrift, but Modesitt does a nice job with the one ruler he focuses most on, giving us a seemingly full sense of character but in a nice deft touch, without revealing to us whether he will turn out friend or foe to Alucius.

Problems with the book are minor though distracting: The major villains of the story (as opposed to the many smaller ones) are introduced a bit too abruptly and through too much exposition as opposed through the natural flow of action and dialogue. There is a bit too much deus ex machina intertwined with that story line as well. The jumps back to his herder homestead are somewhat perfunctory. And some of Alucius' actions and dialogue started to feel a bit repetitive, such as his many protests (clearly unbelieved by most he protested to) that he is just a normal guy doing his job. Overall though, it's an enjoyable read which expands on the first book and leaves some clear openings as well for future material. It won't wow you, but you'll have a good time. —Bill Capossere

book review Modesitt Scepters Scepters: Not bad on its own but been down this road too often

Scepters, the third book of The Corean Chronicles, isn't a bad book in its own right. If it could be read on its own (one really needs to have read the two previous books to follow this one), it would have been a decent if not great or even really good read. But coming as it does after the first two, my largest reaction was: haven't we seen all this before?

By now the pattern of plot and character has become pretty rote. Alucius, the main character of all three, is reluctantly forced to once again take up arms to protect his ability to remain a herder and have a normal life. Once again, he protests that he has no desire to leave his home, that he only does "what needs to be done", that he wishes no further honors, awards, etc. Once again, he is placed in "impossible" situations (made impossible due to overwhelming forces arrayed against him, overwhelming enemy technology, weak and/or corrupt officers on his own side, and poorly or barely trained soldiers he must fight with). Once again he overhears snippets of conversation about how impressed his soldiers are with him and how insecure and jealous his superior officers are. Once again, he does the impossible while getting badly wounded. After healing, it all begins again. Literally. These general repetitions of plot would be bad enough, but for some reason in Scepters Modesitt simply repeats some specifics as well. The crystal throwing machines are back wreaking havoc and needing to be destroyed. The torques are back and their controlling crystal which needs to be destroyed. The ifrit are back with their tables that need to be destroyed. And the soarers are back to kidnap a herder and teach him how to use his talent. Actually, Modesitt slips in a creative change here; they teach her to use her talent. Of course there is some new plot here and a few new characters, but this may be the worst example of plot repetition in a series I've ever seen. I suppose Eddings' later works give it a run for its money.

The main character is far too perfect and if his own perfection doesn't get to you, the constant reminder by others in the book that he is perfect just might. One never really feels a sense of crisis as it's been made clear he will sail through all obstacles, even if he has to spend a few weeks in bed afterward. His wife is more footnote than anything else in this book until the last section and doesn't really stand out in the reader's mind as more than a plot device. And here again, their relationship is far too perfect. His sidekick, Feran, is far more realistic and therefore far more interesting.

The military aspect of the novel is interesting to a point; it's nice to read battle scenes that have some sense of reality to them. But do we really need every single reporting in or attendance check? It reminds me of old movies where directors would show people getting in their car and actually driving for minutes before someone finally realized they could just say they were going someplace and then shoot them arriving at their destination.

As I said, if this were a standalone book, with a little more exposition it would have been a decent read. But it isn't a standalone and Modesitt has crossed the line from welcome familiarity of character and plot to simple dull repetition. He (and his readers) would have been far better served with a single book or perhaps a single sequel. —Bill Capossere

book review Modesitt Alector's Choice Alector's Choice: Not bad if read independently, repetitive for fans of series

There's no longer any doubt—Modesitt has fallen into the "shampoo" mode of series writing: rinse-shampoo-repeat. Alector's Choice, while not a bad book if read on its own (which it can be), is, for fans or former fans of Modesitt's other work, merely a rehash of the same old same old. Same old plot. Same old characters. Same old conflicts. Same old resolutions. Only the names have been changed to protect the profits (and a possible plagiarism suit if one could sue oneself).

Reading the above criticism, those who've followed the Corean series can predict what's coming here. A good character of middling military rank is placed under an incompetent superior and given multiple impossible tasks. Employing his still-developing "talent" and his tendency toward original and independent thought, the character manages to overcome said impossible tasks, though not without feeling guilt over the ease with which he learns to kill and not without angering his incompetent superiors. While doing so, he will gradually rise in rank (end of book is coming — cue promotion), overhear snippets of conversations among his men marveling at his ability and his compassion, stoically continue his impossible task of the moment despite being badly wounded, and kill his opponents with a single "crack" of his rifle, despite the seemingly impossible distance between them. He will also ride (a lot), order food (a lot), and tell his men to do a variety of strange yet effective things.

As with the previous three books, there are differences of specifics — this book is set in the far past, all the characters are new as is some of the geography — but no differences of character type, of plot, of structure, of resolution. It's as if it came out of the old Hardy Boy/Nancy Drew/Tom Swift factory structure. If one comes to this book as the first entry into Modesitt's world, then it's moderately readable. It moves along at a decent pace but becomes a bit repetitive within itself and lags a bit toward the latter third. There is little sense of suspense with regard to one of the two main characters — Mykel, the military man described above — since his actions mostly repeat and his abilities are such that one never doubts the outcome of any of his situations. A bit of complexity is added with a second main character, Colonel Dainyl, an Alector caught up in Alector politics linked to the rebellion Mykel is sent to put down. But there is actually little of interest or depth to the Alector culture or background (with the exception of his conversation with one of the original Alectors whose sense of age and sorrow is one of the book's few shining moments) and the politics mostly involve Dainyl flying around musing on how little he understands.

If I had come to this book first, I'd probably rate it a solid three — readable but uninspiring, interesting but not compelling. But being aware of what's come before means it gets downgraded to a two due to its cookie-cutter approach. Not recommended for fans (who will be bored with the overly familiar elements) or for newbies (as the series peters out so badly). If one wants to try Modesitt, turn to the Recluce books which, though by the end also become overly familiar, at least don't do so for a good number of books. —Bill Capossere

The Imager Portfolio — (2009-2011) 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.

L.E. Modesitt Jr Imager fantasy book reviews 1. Imager 2. Imager's Challenge

L.E. Modesitt Jr Imager fantasy book reviews 1. Imager 2. Imager's Challenge 3. Imager's Intrigue

L.E. Modesitt Jr Imager fantasy book reviews 1. Imager 2. Imager's Challenge 3. Imager's Intrigue 4. Scholar

Forthcoming: Princeps and Subcommander
Available for download at Audible.com

fantasy book reviews L.E. Modesitt Imager 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 Hulet

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 Raets

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 Raets

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 Hulet

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 Hulet

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 Raets

Scholar

In a pattern that’s by now familiar for L.E. Modesitt Jr., Scholar marks a new beginning in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO series. The book is set several hundred years before the events portrayed in the three “Rhentyll” novels Imager, Imager’s Challenge, and Imager’s Intrigue. Because of this, Scholar shares no characters with the earlier novels in the series and can be read separately. However, if you haven’t read the Rhentyll novels yet and are in the mood for some good, thoughtful fantasy, I still recommend reading them first, just so you can see the events of the new novel in the broader historical context L.E. Modesitt Jr. likes to build for his fantasy worlds.

Scholar is set in a time when Solidar hasn’t been unified as one country yet. Rather than the stable and dominant realm we see in the Rhentyll novels, the continent of Lydar is still split up into separate countries that are fighting for dominance. Bhayar, the young ruler of Telaryn, is trying to figure out why the province of Tilbor, conquered a decade ago by his father, still needs such a large armed presence to remain peaceful. He sends his friend Quaeryt to Tilbor to investigate and report back on the possibility of reducing the size of the province’s standing army.

Quaeryt, the main character of the novel, is a scholar. He’s also an imager, but he keeps his imaging ability mostly secret because, in this period before the Collegium Imago, imagers are still feared and frequently shunned. Like Rhentyll from the IMAGER PORTFOLIO’s earlier novels, he is a very recognizable L.E. Modesitt Jr. protagonist: intelligent, quiet, cautious but able to take decisive and sometimes surprising action when necessary. His name seems to mean something like “inquisitive” in one of this world’s languages, which is appropriate given his habit of asking incisive questions that frequently make people uncomfortable.

Quaeryt travels to Tilbor, having several adventures along the way. Once he arrives, he begins to investigate the local situation and the possible reasons that such a large military presence is still needed there, more than a decade after its conquest. He becomes part of life in the military structure in Tilbor, reports to his superiors, strikes up friendships, enjoys meals, and does extensive research into the history of Tilbor. The result is a novel that’s so instantly recognizable as an L.E. Modesitt Jr. story that it verges on the predictable, but as always it’s also full of interesting, well-drawn characters and fascinating world-building, making it well worth your time.

One difference between Quaeryt and Rhentyll, the protagonist of the first three novels in the Imager Portfolio, is that Quaeryt, at least in this book, feels like a more stable character. Rhenn goes through a huge evolution: he starts a whole new life, learns a new profession, gradually becomes stronger and more important. Rhenn’s growth as a character is a big part of what made the first three Imager novels so enjoyable right from the start. By contrast, Quaeryt seems to have gone through his formative period well before the start of Scholar. He now appears as an already complete character who doesn’t change all that much throughout this story, aside from learning some new imaging skills. As a result, the emphasis here is much more firmly on plot than on character development, whereas the previous three novels struck a balance between the two. To be fair, this is only the first novel in what looks to be planned as a second sub-series of four books in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO. There are indications that Quaeryt’s life is going to change again in the next novel, so there’s a good chance that we’ll see much more character growth in Princeps (May 2012) and Subcommander (planned for 2013).

Calling Scholar a prequel is technically correct but, given the author’s penchant for exploring the historical background of his fantasy worlds in great detail, it doesn’t tell the whole story. This is really a separate novel that happens to be set in the same world as, but several centuries before the first three books in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO, allowing L.E. Modesitt Jr. to add considerable depth to this fantasy universe and place the events of the earlier novels in a solid historical context. Despite running along well-established patterns, this is another enjoyable novel by one of the genre’s most reliable and prolific authors.
—Stefan Raets

Selected stand-alone novels

Haze — (2009) Publisher: What lies beneath the millions of orbiting nanotech satellites that shroud the world called Haze? Major Keir Roget's mission is to make planetfall in secret, find out, and report back to his superiors in the Federation, the Chinese-dominated government that rules Earth and the colonized planets. For all his effectiveness as a security agent, Roget is troubled by memories of an earlier mission. When he was assigned to covert duty in the Noram backcountry town of St. George, he not only discovered that the long-standing Saint culture was neither as backward nor as harmless as his superiors believed, but he barely emerged with his life and sanity whole. Now, scouting Haze, he finds a culture seemingly familiar, yet frighteningly alien, with hints of a technology far superior to that of the Federation. Yet he is not certain how much of what he sees is real — or how to convey a danger he cannot even prove to his superiors, if he can escape Haze.

science fiction book reviews L.E.Modesitt Jr. Haze Haze

Major Keir Roget, an agent for the Chinese-dominated Federation government, is sent to investigate a mysterious world — mysterious because it is entirely enveloped by a "haze" of shielding particles. When he arrives on Haze, he finds a friendly and seemingly very advanced civilization of humans who give him such complete access to their society that it almost seems as if his perceptions or thoughts are somehow being controlled.

Roget's story is told in alternating chapters, going back and forth from the Haze mission to the events leading up to it, including an earlier mission among the "Saint" (read: Mormon) culture on Earth that reveals many things about the Federation. This way, the reader slowly gets an idea of what shaped Roget's opinions and character while reading the main story set on Haze. L.E. Modesitt Jr. really shows off his writing skills here, keeping both story threads separate but slowly building up to a strong climax connecting both tales.

Longtime readers of Modesitt Jr. will quickly recognize several themes and elements that frequently pop up in the author's works: a cerebral main character, lovingly detailed world-building, focus on environmental issues. There are several direct and indirect references to current political and societal issues, but also hints of a galactic history spanning thousands of years. That Modesitt Jr. can pull all of this off without resorting to endless info-dumps speaks to his considerable skill as a writer. Haze is an excellent standalone SF novel, and one I wouldn't hesitate recommending both to longtime Modesitt fans and to anyone who isn't yet familiar with the author. —Stefan Raets

Empress of Eternity — (2010) Publisher: In the far future, an indestructible and massive canal more than 2,000 miles long spans the mid-continent of Earth. Nothing can mar it, move it, or affect it in any fashion. At its western end, where it meets the sea, is an equally indestructible structure comprising three levels of seemingly empty chambers. Scientists from three different civilizations, separated in time by hundreds of thousands of years, are investigating the canal. In the most distant of these civilizations, religious rebellion is brewing. A plot is hatched to overthrow the world government of the Vanir, using a weapon that can destroy anything — except the canal. If used at full power it might literally unravel the universe and destroy all life forever. The lives and fates of all three civilizations become intertwined as the forces behind the canal react to the threat, and all three teams of scientists find their lives changed beyond belief.

Empress of Eternity

It’s hard not to get excited whenever L.E. Modesitt Jr. releases a new standalone sci-fi novel. Despite being better known for his various fantasy series than his science fiction, some of his best work can be found in the latter genre. Novels like The Parafaith War, Archform: Beauty, Adiamante and Haze (just to name a few) are wonderful examples of this amazingly prolific author’s talent when it comes to science fiction. The newest addition to this list, Empress of Eternity, is no exception. Despite being a bit dry and inaccessible, its scope and ambition are stunning.

The novel follows three separate story lines, set in far-future Earth societies that are separated by tens of thousands of years. In each of these, scientists are investigating a 2000 mile long artificial structure known as the Mid Continent Canal. The canal is indestructible: even a meteor hit in the far past seems to have made no impact. Researchers are especially interested in learning more because the canal doesn’t seem to be affected by temperature changes in the same way as other materials — and in each of the future societies described in the book, extreme climate change is causing untold havoc for human civilization, including (in the third one) a brewing rebellion that employs a doomsday device that could unravel the structure of the entire universe...

Empress of Eternity is, initially, a very hard novel to get into. The rapid introduction of three completely distinct far future societies, without much in the way of exposition, makes for a confusing set of opening chapters. This is exacerbated by the fact that each story line features a couple with, as is often the case with Modesitt, a highly cerebral male character and a strong female one, who are all examining the canal at different times in the future. This similarity makes it hard to get settled into the novel. In addition, the second story line is initially very confusing, mainly because its characters often communicate by “pulsing” jargon-heavy messages to each other:

Metstation sole unit structure inhabitable south side MCC west of desert research station. Interrogative estimated habitation/equipment viability duration.

Interestingly, they also often denote emphasis by adding exponents to their adjectives:

Dubious probabilities for serious and officious⁵ chief.

Each far future society has a different flavor, e.g. the “Hu-Ruche” society in the second story line is totalitarian and emphasizes an almost hive-like adherence to the rulers’ dictates, whereas the first society is more feudal. Each one is also affected by climate change in a different way, with an ice age on the way in the first one and the earth dangerously heating up in the second one. There’s simply a lot of information to piece together and digest early on — like me, you may end up going back to reread the first handful of chapters to get your bearings before moving on.

The experience of reading about three far-future societies that are this far removed from each other is strange and slightly uncomfortable. Separated by tens, if not hundreds of thousands of years, there’s barely any knowledge of e.g. the Hu-Ruche society left by the time the third society is active, millennia later. (And that’s not even counting other, earlier, societies that are referenced occasionally — and that are apparently responsible for the extreme levels of climate change and the fact that there appears to be no moon in the sky anymore.) All of this gave me the same feeling as e.g. seeing everything before the year 2000 referred to as “pre-history” in Olaf Stapledon’s Last and First Men, or watching the evolution of society in Brian Aldiss’ Helliconia trilogy: there’s a sense of helplessness that comes with such a frank description of the futility of human endeavor. It also means that, for the first half of the book, you’ll be reading three seemingly unconnected stories, all set in the same location but separated by thousands of years. Fortunately L.E. Modesitt Jr. pulls everything together in the second half of the novel, in a truly dizzying spin that easily justifies the struggles early on.

In the end, Empress of Eternity is an impressive but somewhat impersonal novel. Especially in the first half of the book, the focus is more on societies than on the people that inhabit them, and more on ideas than on feelings. Mere human relationships simply pale in significance next to the climate issues and the sheer scale of the future history L.E. Modesitt Jr. displays here. As a result, Empress of Eternity is stunning in ambition and scope, but unfortunately a bit too dry to be as enjoyable as some of the author’s past SF works. If I were alive in the Hu-Ruche society, I’d probably summarize my opinion as [respectful⁸ admiration] rather than [thrillied³ enjoyment]. —Stefan Raets

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