Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #547793 in Books
• Published on: 1992-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 512 pages

Customer Reviews

The perfect place to start
I stumbled on this book in a second hand book shop in my first year at uni. 8 years on, and I'm still ordering every book by this author the second it's announced, and will continue to do so for the forseeable future!

L E Modesitt has that rare knack of almost ignoring the magic involved in his books, so that it becomes absolutely natural. Set in an alternate, roughly steam aged society, the series deals with the island of Recluce, and its relationship with the other nations of its neighbouring continent. This book is the perfect starting point, introducing you to Lerris, an inhabitant of Recluce and a potential black (order) mage. Unable or unwilling to accept the discipline and rules of the island, he is sent into exile with a number of others in the same position, ordered to wander through the neighbouring lands until they find somewhere to settle, or accept the lifestyle in Recluce.

It sounds fairly dull, doesn't it? It's so far from that! The author deals beautifully with the difficult choices each individual has to make, and the impacts those choices have for themselves, their loved ones, and the cultures in which they live. It also shows just how blind people can be to the lives of their loved ones. This book works well on its own, but it also serves as a basis for the entire series, which jumps around through time, and writes from all different view points, until your views of "good" and "evil" within this world are totally confused and changed about. Which isn't a bad parallel for the one we're living in now, when you think about it.

Well written, with the perfect level of attention to detail, and enough character to really get you thinking, this is one of those books (and series) that you find yourself thinking about even when you're not reading them. If you haven't read any of these books yet, start here, and be prepared to spend a lot of money buying every other book in the series - you won't be able to resist!

An outstanding story woven into a richly detailed world.
The saga of recluce has to rate as one of the finest works of modern fantasy. Although The Towers of the Sunset is arguably one of the weaker books in the series, it is still an enthralling read, well paced and detailed. Some may find this book a little slow, but all I can say is stay with it and move onto the next book in the series, as Modesitt quickly finds his feet in the sequels. You will be rewarded by a world that rivals Tolkien for detail and passion, but fortunatly never gets excessively bogged down in history and back story just for the sake of it. Rather as each book concentrates on a key moment/person in that history the world grows and expands around you, constantly enriching itself and challenging the preconceptions the earlier books have laid down.
One of the things I find the most enjoyable is that each book is written with a bias, although its so subtle you may not notice it at first (I certainly didn't). This may seem an odd thing to be pleased about, but it allows the author to explore different takes on the same situation, and different systems of government. I can't say much more than that without giving too much away, so I'll end by just recommending as strongly as I can that you read this book.
And incase L. E. Modesitt ever reads this (you never know :)) I'd just like to say THANK YOU! for all your books.

The good and the bad
L.E Modesitt Jr's `The Magic of Recluse' revolves around a society of magic users. In the world he creates order magic and chaos magic exists. Order magic creates things and keeps them together, prolonging life. Conversely chaos magic is used for destruction and its users suffer from a shortened life. Though they are opposites the nature of magic requires a balance. In this there is no sense of right or wrong only that the two forces must exist in harmony. The book follows Lerris, a young man on the cusp of adulthood, he isn't content living in the perfection that is recluse, because of this he and some others must leave recluse immediately or partake in the dangergeld and earn the right to come back to recluse.

There are many aspects of this book that I found rather interesting; it's compelling how Modesitt uses the eastern ways of thought concerning the balance of good and evil but uses structures from western thinking also. His story is reminiscent of the Eden myth; recluse is paradise, the brotherhood - god and the dangergelders, the fallen. Though their crimes aren't evil, they must venture to the outside world, so as to be worthy to come back to recluse. Only they find the `real' world is a better or more interesting place to live. Modesitt is questioning the rules put in place by the church to ensure passage to heaven. Should good people be punished? And is that punishment so bad (life on earth). Through this exploration Lerris comes of age, discovering magic and himself.

I find myself split over this book, there's some good scenes that really resonate and as I've mentions some good undercurrents but equally so much is just lame. Subtly is one thing but there's huge sections that are merely boring, chiefly the repetitious woodworking scenes. Not just these but long, long, long travelling scenes, followed by taverns, followed by travelling, followed by taverns etc. Sometimes Modesitt's long exact descriptions create vivid scenes, that are slightly edgy and provocative and at other times they simple fizzle out. The action scenes are again, no other word for it but lame, there isn't much action and that's not the problem but the fact that they are rubbish, in one there's much build up for a fight between Lerris and a warrior spectre on a horse that culminates with him simply trotting up to it and tapping the horse with the flat of his sword at which point it disappears. Another major turnoff is how the author constantly (and I mean constantly) uses sound effects, were talking 10 on a page. It's off putting and unnecessary to use this bizarre technique for a novel in conjunction with the amount of description he employs as well. Not to mention the fact that I loose all respect for a story that ends with someone getting laid.

So there are things I like and things I don't about this book, some of its intellectual weavings redeem aspects that I really don't favour. But if you like a slow, meditative and reflective feel to your fantasy and my irritations don't faze you then this might just be for you.