Mon 6 Jul 2015
Reviewed by Barry Gardner: L. E. MODESITT, JR. – The Magic of Recluce.
Posted by Steve under Reviews , Science Fiction & Fantasy[5] Comments
L. E. MODESITT, JR. – The Magic of Recluce. Tor, hardcover, May 1991; paperback, May 1992.
I wonder how many created-world heroic fantasies have been written since Tolkien made them respectable? Quintscillions, at least, and most of them aren’t worth reading, and most of the rest aren’t anything special. I thought this one stood out a bit from the large and somnolent herd.
A young lad (15) doesn’t fit in his culture, which is an island nation composed of a mysterious people who adhere fanatically to Order. Our hero finds them boring and is found by them to be an unacceptable influence, and a potential danger to order.
He and some other misfits are given an option: exile, or go out into the wider world on a mission assigned them, to be allowed to return only when it’s completed. He is, of course, more than he seems or knows.
Considered separately, the story’s components don’t sound too original: Order against Chaos, a youthful quest, good magicians and bad. It is, however, a lot better and more different than it sounds. The world is well thought out and constructed, and the characters a good deal more than cardboard.
Modesitt writes well and I found his pacing excellent. Recluce is by far his best book to date, and though there will be at least one more book with this setting, this one stands alone well enough. It plows no startlingly new ground, but if you like fantasy at all it’s well worth your time.
The Recluce series —
1. The Magic of Recluce (1991)
2. The Towers of Sunset (1992)
3. The Magic Engineer (1994)
4. The Order War (1995)
5. The Death of Chaos (1995)
6. Fall of Angels (1996)
7. The Chaos Balance (1997)
8. The White Order (1998)
9. Colors of Chaos (1999)
10. Magi’i of Cyador (2000)
11. Scion of Cyador (2000)
12. Wellspring of Chaos (2004)
13. Ordermaster (2005)
14. Natural Ordermage (2007)
15. Mage-Guard of Hamor (2008)
16. Arms-Commander (2010)
17. Cyador’s Heirs (2014)
18. Heritage of Cyador (2014)
July 6th, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Barry said: “… there will be at least one more book with this setting…”
which has to be the understatement of the year as far as this blog is concerned.
I don’t know much about heroic/epic fantasy series, although I did read this book, but I imagine this has to be of the top ten in terms of the number of books in it. Which series are longer? Perhaps the Conan series, counting all of the various hands involved?
July 9th, 2015 at 11:17 pm
A good writer whose had SF often has a thriller feel to it with strong genre ties (FLASH). I know he has written at least one novel in the genre or at least close.
I prefer his SF to his fantasy.
July 10th, 2015 at 10:31 am
Like David, I prefer Modesitt’s SF to his fantasy. But he’s written plenty of both.
July 10th, 2015 at 7:55 pm
I don’t recall Barry doing very many fantasy reviews, and must have missed this one. I did read the book, and the next two before tiring of the series. I think David Eddings wrote as many books in the series starting with the Belgariad, and Terry Brooks is still cranking them out.
July 10th, 2015 at 9:13 pm
Barry did read and review a few SF and Fantasy novels, but not many, and those he did, I’m sure were published on in his DAPA-Em zine, from which I’ve been taking his reviews and posting them here.
Eddings did only five books in his Belgariad series proper, but I believe many of his otehr series were sequels or prequels,
The Belgariad series
Pawn of Prophecy (1982)
Queen of Sorcery (1982)
Magician’s Gambit (1983)
Castle of Wizardry (1984)
Enchanters’ End Game (1984)
The Malloreon series
Guardians of the West (1987)
King of the Murgos (1988)
Demon Lord of Karanda (1988)
Sorceress of Darshiva (1989)
The Seeress of Kell (1991)
Books related to The Belgariad and The Malloreon
Belgarath the Sorcerer (1995) with Leigh Eddings
Polgara the Sorceress (1997) with Leigh Eddings
The Rivan Codex (1998) with Leigh Eddings
As for Terry Brooks, yes!
Series:
Shannara
First King of Shannara (1996)
1. The Sword of Shannara (1977)
2. The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
3. The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)
3.5. Indomitable (2011)
The Magic of Shannara (omnibus) (1990)
Terry Brooks Shannara Trilogy Box Set (omnibus) (1993)
The World of Shannara (2001) (with Teresa Patterson)
Magic Kingdom of Landover
1. Magic Kingdom for Sale – Sold (1986)
2. The Black Unicorn (1987)
3. Wizard at Large (1988)
4. The Tangle Box (1994)
5. Witches’ Brew (1995)
6. A Princess of Landover (2009)
The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 1 (omnibus) (2009)
The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 2 (omnibus) (2009)
Heritage of Shannara
1. The Scions of Shannara (1990)
2. The Druid of Shannara (1991)
3. The Elf Queen of Shannara (1992)
4. The Talismans of Shannara (1993)
The Heritage of Shannara (omnibus) (1993)
Word and the Void
1. Running with the Demon (1997)
2. A Knight of the Word (1998)
3. Angel Fire East (1999)
The Word and the Void Omnibus (omnibus) (2003)
Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
1. Ilse Witch (2000)
2. Antrax (2001)
3. Morgawr (2002)
Voyage of the Jerle Shannara (omnibus) (2003)
Jerle Shannara Trilogy (omnibus) (2005)
Sword of Shannara
1. In the Shadow of the Warlock Lord (2003)
2. The Druids’ Keep (omnibus) (2003)
3. The Secret of the Sword (2003)
The Sword of Shannara Trilogy (omnibus) (2002)
High Druid of Shannara
1. Jarka Ruus (2003)
2. Tanequil (2004)
3. Straken (2005)
The High Druid of Shannara Trilogy (omnibus) (2011)
Genesis of Shannara
1. Armageddon’s Children (2006)
2. The Elves of Cintra (2007)
3. The Gypsy Morph (2008)
Shannara Graphic Novels
Dark Wraith of Shannara (2008)
Legends of Shannara
1. Bearers of the Black Staff (2010)
2. The Measure of the Magic (2011)
Dark Legacy of Shannara
1. Wards of Faerie (2012)
2. The Bloodfire Quest (2013)
3. Witch Wraith (2013)
The Dark Legacy of Shannara Trilogy (omnibus) (2014)
Paladins of Shannara
1. Allanon’s Quest (2012)
2. The Weapons Master’s Choice (2013)
3. The Black Irix (2013)
Defenders of Shannara
1. The High Druid’s Blade (2014)
2. The Darkling Child (2015)
Thanks to http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ for the lists.