The Magic of Recluse - L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

THE MAGIC OF RECLUSE

Book 1 of 'The Saga of Recluse'

ISBN - 978-0-8125-0518-4
FIRST PUBLISHED - 1991
PAGES - 501
BINDING - Paperback
GENRE - Fantasy

AUTHOR - L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

BEST-SELLERS - The Order War, Fall of Angels

SYNOPSIS - 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.

EXCERPT - As the summer drew to a close, some things improved.

As far as weapons practice went, Demorsal had been right. So long as I concentrated just on defence with the staff, nothing happened and I got better - so much better that even Gilberto couldn't break through. Then he taught me how to use a staff against blades, and that was interesting. Why a swordsman would ever want to take on someone trained with a long staff was beyond me, but Gilberto assured me that some would. So I listened. Even there, I could barely make one move toward him.

FL Speak - The Magic of Recluse starts the epic series 'The Saga of Recluse' and after 20 years, its still growing. Lerris lives in the town of Recluse, where everything needs perfection. Any work you do, you have to perfect. Perfection keeps chaos at bay. But being young, Lerris is prone to boredom. And his need to know answers leads him to a dangerous predicament.

His parents, seeing his behavior as a pattern for destructive behavior, gives him the option of exile or dangergeld. Because no one is allowed to live in Recluse, unless he is perfect and happy at what he does. And thus Lerris leave Recluse and is accompanied by Tamra, Krystal and a few who chose dangergeld. After a week of training with the black staff {a powerful weapon} of magic, Lerris leaves towards the chaos continent of Candar.

Chaos is the opposite of Order and Recluse is all about Order and for someone who is bored like Lerris, it threatens the stability in Recluse and hence he has to go. Soon he meets Justen, a gray wizard and together they embark on a journey of restoring order whenever chaos threatens to overrun places. And then the most powerful Chaos wizard comes along and Lerris is forced to fight him in order to save Tamra.

The one thing that I found mildly irritating was the various sound effects the author decided to put in through out the novel. Noises like clink clink, thwap and clank clank are through out the book. The worst is the wheee wheee of the horse. I understand the horse is trying to speak but it need not be so vocal about it.

More than war and heroism, this book banks on the system of magic. The balance of order and chaos in everyday lives makes us who we are. And as young Lerris soon discovers, it could make you a powerful ally or an equally powerful pawn for chaos.

My Rating - 4 stars

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