The Magic of Recluce (Recluce series, Book 1) 
asked by anexpert on November 14, 2006 4:18 AM
With The Magic of Recluce, L.E. Modesitt made his impressive hardcover debut, breaking out in wide scope and grand scale with a novel in the great tradition of the war between good and evil in a wonderful fantasy world. Modesitt had been producing fast-paced, slickly-written novels of SF adventure, often compared to the work of Keith Laumer and Gordon R. Dickson. Then, in his biggest and best book yet, he broadened his canvas and turned to fantasy and magic, stepping immediately into the front rank of contemporary fantasy writers.The Magic of Recluce is a carefully-plotted fantasy novel of character about the growth and education of a young magician. In it, Modesitt confronts real moral issues with gripping force, builds atmosphere slowly and convincingly and gives his central character, Lerris, real intellectual challenges. This is the kind of highly-rationalized fantasy that Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson write when they write fantasy, colorful and detailed.He is given the standard 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. He chooses dangergeld.Though magic is rarely discussed openly in Recluce, it becomes clear, when Lerris is sent into intensive training for his quest, that he has a natural talent for it during his weapons lessons. And he will need magic in the lands beyond, where the power of the Chaos Wizards reigns unchecked. He must learn to use his powers in an orderly way or fall prey to Chaos.Lerris may resent order, but he has no difficulty choosing good over evil. As he begins his lonely journey, he falls into the company of a gray magician, once of Recluce, who tutors him in the use of magic and shows him some of the devastation caused by the Chaos Wizards in the great wars between Chaos and Order of past times.Lerris pursues a quest for knowledge and power that leads him across strange lands, through the ghostly ruins of the old capitol of Chaos, down the white roads of the Chaos Wizards to a final battle with the archenemy of Order, discovering in the end true control of magic, true love, and the beginning of true wisdom. An epic adventure, The Magic of Recluce0, is a triumph of fantasy.The Magic of Recluce is the first book of the saga of Recluce.
Reviews
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This novel was a interesting opening into a new world. The author decided to base everything in this universe on a concept of balance between order and chaos. This makes for a different realm than any other fantasy I've read.
Overall this story is a "growing up" story about a boy named Lerris. Throughout the book he learns how the world works and who he is. I personally enjoy such novels, so I found this story quite entertaining.
The writing is a step above a lot of the pulp fantasy I read, but not quite on par with the greats. Some of the jumps in ideas, as well as rapid conversation writing can make parts of the story a bit hard to follow. I wouldn't put this on par with Tolkien or Eddings, and, due to its haphazard style would consider it behind Anthony, but still would rate it better than a "b" novel.
Overall this story is a "growing up" story about a boy named Lerris. Throughout the book he learns how the world works and who he is. I personally enjoy such novels, so I found this story quite entertaining.
The writing is a step above a lot of the pulp fantasy I read, but not quite on par with the greats. Some of the jumps in ideas, as well as rapid conversation writing can make parts of the story a bit hard to follow. I wouldn't put this on par with Tolkien or Eddings, and, due to its haphazard style would consider it behind Anthony, but still would rate it better than a "b" novel.
reviewed by csean85 on November 24, 2006 6:01 AM
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smmmmaaaaacccck! The sound of my hand striking my forehead when I realized how much time I wasted on this book. Thump! The sound when I throw this rubbish against the wall.
If you decide to read this...book, be ready for incomplete sentences, partial thoughts and the most annoying of all...visual sound effects. Visual sound effects? Yup...think of the old Batman T.V. show when there were "Boiiings!," "Kapows!" and "Crash!" galore. I know that this has been a prevailing theme in most of the reviews, but I just don't think you've been told enough.
There's very little action; characters you've been introduced to MUCH earlier in the book are now known as the woman with dark hair or the large blond woman. A lot of time is spent on a character's thoughts and leaves you every bit as confused as the confused (and whiney) main character.
The chaos and order theory of magic is interesting but not enough to carry the book. If you are going to try to read this, shut off the phone, radio, T.V. Ensure you have NO distractions because you have to CONCENTRATE. Please don't assume because you have to concentrate that it is a thought provoking book. It is just that bad.
If you decide to read this...book, be ready for incomplete sentences, partial thoughts and the most annoying of all...visual sound effects. Visual sound effects? Yup...think of the old Batman T.V. show when there were "Boiiings!," "Kapows!" and "Crash!" galore. I know that this has been a prevailing theme in most of the reviews, but I just don't think you've been told enough.
There's very little action; characters you've been introduced to MUCH earlier in the book are now known as the woman with dark hair or the large blond woman. A lot of time is spent on a character's thoughts and leaves you every bit as confused as the confused (and whiney) main character.
The chaos and order theory of magic is interesting but not enough to carry the book. If you are going to try to read this, shut off the phone, radio, T.V. Ensure you have NO distractions because you have to CONCENTRATE. Please don't assume because you have to concentrate that it is a thought provoking book. It is just that bad.
reviewed by sandi on November 25, 2006 4:19 PM
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I enjoyed very much seeing the main character develop. After finishing the book (about 3AM) I wanted to get all the rest of the series.
reviewed by papi on November 29, 2006 2:49 PM
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I love this book.
Modesitt takes all the standard elements of fantasy - the medieval setting, the young man going out into the world, magic, etc - and gives them new and unique twists. The young hero, for example, typically goes out into the world on a huge quest to save the world. In this book, he's exiled. (The only spoiler in my review, I swear - and it happens very early in the book). No saving the world, no protecting the innocents back home who have no idea what's going on. The folks back home know exactly what's going on, and he's not saving them from it.
I really enjoyed seeing the way he took the trappings and made them his own. The order versus chaos conflict (which is more fully developed in other books) feels much more like a real conflict than the typical good versus pure evil. Each side sees itself as good, just as in most human conflicts each side sees itself as good.
The rules of the magic are clear and well developed throughout the series, with relatively few mysteries left unexplained. (Except the black staff - we never really find out why that terrifies everyone). You get a pretty clear idea of what a magic user can do and can't do, which gives the series a sense of being more firmly grounded than a lot of fantasy series, where it seems there is a new rule about magic users for every situation.
I have to admit though, the character of Lerris really bugged me after a while. But Justin was a fascinating enough character that it more than made up for Lerris's whining.
This isn't a great choice as your first fantasy series, since I think it will appeal far more to those of us who know the conventions, have read Tolkien, Eddings, martin, and Jordan, and know how these things usually play out. But if you've read the usual suspects, this is an engaging riff of the fantasy genre.
Modesitt takes all the standard elements of fantasy - the medieval setting, the young man going out into the world, magic, etc - and gives them new and unique twists. The young hero, for example, typically goes out into the world on a huge quest to save the world. In this book, he's exiled. (The only spoiler in my review, I swear - and it happens very early in the book). No saving the world, no protecting the innocents back home who have no idea what's going on. The folks back home know exactly what's going on, and he's not saving them from it.
I really enjoyed seeing the way he took the trappings and made them his own. The order versus chaos conflict (which is more fully developed in other books) feels much more like a real conflict than the typical good versus pure evil. Each side sees itself as good, just as in most human conflicts each side sees itself as good.
The rules of the magic are clear and well developed throughout the series, with relatively few mysteries left unexplained. (Except the black staff - we never really find out why that terrifies everyone). You get a pretty clear idea of what a magic user can do and can't do, which gives the series a sense of being more firmly grounded than a lot of fantasy series, where it seems there is a new rule about magic users for every situation.
I have to admit though, the character of Lerris really bugged me after a while. But Justin was a fascinating enough character that it more than made up for Lerris's whining.
This isn't a great choice as your first fantasy series, since I think it will appeal far more to those of us who know the conventions, have read Tolkien, Eddings, martin, and Jordan, and know how these things usually play out. But if you've read the usual suspects, this is an engaging riff of the fantasy genre.
reviewed by daddyadd on November 29, 2006 4:03 PM
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First of all people have different taste so many may like this series, or book particularly. However, i thought it to be considerably slow. It had some interesting characters, but very boring after awhile. With williams and the weis books i could fly through them, this one i couldnt read more than 3 chs without quiting. I am giving it a 3 star rating because it did have a bit of a different tone, but i am not reading past the first book. @00 pgs without anything happening is too boring for me.
reviewed by samoan on November 29, 2006 7:08 PM