To start with, I am an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction.  Most years I read several hundred titles.  Several years back I was pleasantly surprised to find a writer whose writings, that for whatever reason, I had not come across before.  L.E.Modesitt, Jr. now ranks as one of my top five writers of all time. 

The first book of his that I ever read, The Magic of Recluce, caught me off guard.  I didn't know what to expect.  Most fantasy books that aren't written by JRR Tolkien aren't what you would consider thinking man's (or woman's) fare.  There is a whole lot of drivel out there in the market.  The Magic of Recluce is the reason I keep reading.  I know I will find the occasional gem.  This, and by the way--most of Mr. Modesitt's other books, is one of those hidden gems.

The book starts out fairly innocuously.  Lerris is the main character of the book.  He is quickly sent by his parents to apprentice as a woodworker with his Uncle Sardit.  From there, the book accelerates quickly as he moves from one area to another trying to find that elusive skill, perfection in a world of chaos and imperfection.  Lerris faces an incredible number of intellectual challenges throughout the book. 

Modesitt has truly created a masterpiece, not only with this book, but with his entire series.  The Magic of Recluce is a character driven fantasy novel that does not disappoint.  Truly difficult decisions face Lerris throughout and whatever decision he makes, he lives with the consequences.  Not a smash them up, kill all the dragons type of book, I feel that Modesitt's work excels and exceeds the norm within the genre because of it's gritty, real world feel and because of his attention to rational details.  He has created a realistic world that has truly interesting characters that face real decisions.

I would heartily recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.  It isn't the choppy, fast paced trash that is so frequently thrown out there in today's fantasy arena. The characters, some of them at least, have access to a form of magic that costs them dearly in energy and focus.  Those who fail, frequently die. 

 I have never written to an author before.  This was all about to change.  I enjoyed this book so much, I thought it necessary to write to L.E.Modesitt, Jr. and let him know what I thought.  I did so by email.  Several weeks later, I was extremely surprised to hear back from him.  He responded thoughtfully to my comments and thanked me for reading his work.  I was amazed.  Several years later, he was doing a book signing at the local Barnes & Noble.  I had to go and meet him.  Imagine my disappointment when I got there and there were two other authors at the same table.  I approached him to talk with him about his works and one of the other two authors, an impertinant, jumped up little brat, kept interrupting to tell me all about his works.  Mr. Modestit handled the interruptions with care and delicacy.  He answered each of my questions.  He remembered by email and we discussed a few shared interests for a few minutes.  I, in good conscience, would recommend his books to anyone looking for a good read.  I would suggest you read any of his series in order. This may seem an obvious suggestion, but even between series, he sometimes takes general conditions and worlds and carries them into subsequent series.  Best, but not necessary, to read his books in the order they were written.