Jayaprakash Satyamurthy's Reviews > The Towers of the Sunset
The Towers of the Sunset (The Saga of Recluce, #2)
by
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This is a significant volume in the Recluce saga, going several generations back in time to witness the founding of Recluce as a bastion of Order amidst Chaotic or indifferent nations. It begins well enough with poetic language that is a step or two above anything in The Magic Of Recluce (although the cod-Biblical language we are treated to at one point is cringe-inducing as are the many song lyrics interspersed, although not as totally lacking any attempt at actual lyricism as the rather dull poetry in Erikson's novels). Things get to an exciting start with the protagonist making a daring escape across snowy cliffs and continue to be exciting as he is captured by the White (Chaos) wizards, has his memory blocked and is put to work on a road crew. Overcoming this indenture is the last moment of high adventure in this book.
Thereafter, the protagonist winds up marrying the very woman he has spent half the novel escaping. They proceed to the isle of Recluce where they carry on the most inane, annoying love-hate relationship that eventually breaks down into love. It's hard to see how anyone could love the self-righteous hero or his equally self-righteous wife; perhaps it's just Modesitt who loves them too much not to give them some sort of happy ending.
Anyhow, the powerful White mages do what they can to scuttle this incipient Black(Order-based) haven, so the protagonist has to weave more and more powerful magics, which have unfortunate side-effects for the rest of the world, something that is rather glibly glossed over as 'necessity'. And then there's all the fucking logistics. It seems as if the second half of the novel is one long list of administrative decisions interspersed with an annoying love plot and a few big ticket magical displays which are undermined by their ambiguous consequences.
Maybe this is a sophomore slump for this series. Maybe I shouldn't have read this book so soon after the first one. Maybe Modesitt doesn't really get much better than this. I shall have to decide if its worth finding out.
Thereafter, the protagonist winds up marrying the very woman he has spent half the novel escaping. They proceed to the isle of Recluce where they carry on the most inane, annoying love-hate relationship that eventually breaks down into love. It's hard to see how anyone could love the self-righteous hero or his equally self-righteous wife; perhaps it's just Modesitt who loves them too much not to give them some sort of happy ending.
Anyhow, the powerful White mages do what they can to scuttle this incipient Black(Order-based) haven, so the protagonist has to weave more and more powerful magics, which have unfortunate side-effects for the rest of the world, something that is rather glibly glossed over as 'necessity'. And then there's all the fucking logistics. It seems as if the second half of the novel is one long list of administrative decisions interspersed with an annoying love plot and a few big ticket magical displays which are undermined by their ambiguous consequences.
Maybe this is a sophomore slump for this series. Maybe I shouldn't have read this book so soon after the first one. Maybe Modesitt doesn't really get much better than this. I shall have to decide if its worth finding out.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
January 29, 2012
– Shelved
January 29, 2012
– Shelved as:
fantasy
January 29, 2012
–
Finished Reading