Amph The Saga of Recluce and other series: the L.E. Modesitt, Jr Thread

Heck no I'm more afraid that I'd end up putting aside the other reading I want to get through.

 

Ah, gotcha.

 

Are we still going to do this?

 

I dont know Nat Ive started reading other books that I have. I tried it but it just wasnt picking up my interest for some reason.

 

Bummer

Imp and RJ, I'll still do a reread with you guys.

 

Yeah I'll read it next. I'm just having a tough time finishing the last Black Company book. Too busy lately to read much.

 

Let me know when. Haven't had a whole lot of time to read lately, but I'm always up for reading Recluce again

 

Okay. Post here when you're ready to start, and we'll join you

 

Starting now.

 

Cool! I will too, then

Do you guys want to discuss while we read, book-club style?

 

Sure. I'm 9 chapters in and I like it.

 

Wow, you move quickly I . . . haven't quite started yet, but I will soon.

 

Give good reviews yall. Peek my interest.

 

30 chapters in. I'm liking it. It reminds me of The Name of The Wind in parts. Still don't have a clear picture of the world, but neither does the protagonist at this point. Just waiting for something big to happen.

One thing I'm starting to hate: onomatopoeia

 

I'm two pages in (Partly because I wanted to finish the Chronicles of Prydain and partly because I spent my sick day napping ) Gotta catch up!

 

World development has really become a constant thing in the Recluce series - with every new book it gets refined clearer and clearer, exploring new aspects. That's one of my favorite things about the series

 

I might force myself to read Magic since we all planned this together. Yall mostly read faster then me though. I still would have to finish up Knight Errant and Empire in Black and Gold(Nats bug book) before Id get to start it though so yall would be way ahead of me.

 

Ach bugs You should! Imp's going quickly; RJ and I might be slower

 

I'll slow down. When I started, I thought I'd be way behind the whole time.

 

Well, as many times as I've read the series by now, even if I'm notably behind in this reading I can still discuss parts I haven't gotten to yet

Btw, this is a nice response from Modesitt about certain reviews claiming that all his books are the same story (a claim I strongly disagree with). Please note, however, that there are spoilers all over that blog post, so its generally something to read AFTER you've read the books

 

Started this evening, and promptly remembered (while on page 2) that I'd told myself that next time I read the series, I was going to do it in chronological order, something I do not recommend at all for any first-time readers (publication order, especially in the beginning, is important), but which I'd like to try again sometime (last - and I think only - time I did it was quite a few years ago). But that would kinda defeat the purpose of this reread Guess I'm doing that NEXT time.

Anyway, there's a really nice paragraph of explanation at the bottom of page 20 of Magic of Recluce, where Lerris' father (whose name is Gunnar, though that name doesn't actually appear until much later) is giving Lerris a basic run-down of how order and chaos fit together. It's a pretty solid view, though not 100% accurate - Gunnar does have his own prejudices, and they definitely show up in what he says, but Gunnar is much more able to give a fair view than most, for a reason we don't find out until the end of the book

 

I'm at the bit where Lerris and the other dangergelders are sitting down to their first meal. I had forgotten how young Lerris was -- 17, now, I think.

And I'm remembering that it's been 6 years since I last read this, which blows my mind (how has it been that long?).

 

Question R...J

Does the magic system in this series have a defined rule set, or does it get used to solve plot points all the time. Like do they keep finding bigger and better things to do with the magic that solve their current problem? If you know what I mean.

 

It varies, but not really in the "bigger and better" sense... other than as characters develop, they naturally become more powerful and able to do more - but that's normal. However, in many ways, its character-unique: each character perceives it a little differently, and they each come up with their own special little tricks that they can do that most others can't. But while one character might be really good at one aspect, sometimes they're in situations where if they could do something (seemingly easier) that others can, their problems would be a lot simpler - but that's not how that character sees it, so he (or she) has to find another way. So maybe in one sense that character seems to be finding "bigger and better", but frequently it isn't actually better, and then he has to deal with the consequences. I can easily think of a couple points where Lerris goes "bigger", but its certainly not "better", and he has to pay the price.

That's one of the things the series is really about - each character discovering their own way through the magic system, as well as (in most cases) maturing at the personal level as well.

As for Lerris' age in the first book, I don't think we're ever given a specific number (exact ages are rarely mentioned in the series), but yes, it would be close to 17. Actually, the more I think about it, I'd say even a little younger than that - 16, maybe even 15. He's very much still a kid in many ways. He's considered very young for the dangergeld, as is made pretty clear. Krystal, in contrast, is at least mid-20s at the start, though certainly not older than 30. Tamra's early 20s or so, while the oldest of the bunch is probably Sammel, who is at least in his late 30s, maybe 40. Wrynn's probably somewhere in her 20s, though its not clear, and we really don't get a solid idea of how old Myrten or Dorthae are - but neither of them play significant roles, so its not particularly important.

EDIT: to be clearer for ImpKnight: there is a well-defined set of rules... we just don't see it all at once, and characters perceive those rules in different ways. But the rules are still the same for every character.

 

In the little I read I could a swore Lerris he was 25. He said something like two and half decades of his life.