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| | | | | Review of THE DEATH OF CHAOS L.E. Modesitt Jr |
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THE DEATH OF CHAOS
L.E. Modesitt Jr
TOR 1995
Pb 629 pgs
ISBN# 0-812-54824-8
Welcome to the dichotomy of Lerris--a story so rich in the complexities of characterization that you will be questioning your own life as you read. This is one of the reasons I enjoy Modesitt's stories so much: he delivers intricate detail with depth, in easy to read books that are not boring. The Death of Chaos follows Lerris with first-person, but every other chapter graces the reader with short segments from other characters' perspectives, thus "balancing" this story that just happens to be about the Balance between Chaos and Order. Modesitt is as powerful a writer as the characters he creates.
Note to the reader: this is a case where the list of books in the series (found at the beginning of each book) is not the same order as the plot. The Death of Chaos picks up immediately where The Magic of Recluce (see review) left off. These are the books about Lerris, a grey mage in a world where black is favored as good Order magic which opposes white Chaos magic. Lerris is a gentle soul who crafts wood furniture, worries over chickens and homeless people, and is the devout house-husband to Krystal--the commander of the autarch's Finest blades. Lerris and Krystal live in a matriarchy called Kyphros, which is a country in the middle of the island of Candar. But they were originally from the island of Recluce where they were considered too unorderly to be allowed citizenship. Lerris and Krystal love their new home, though they need to continually help in its defence. Chaos is welling up everywhere, and no one is safe. So it is that our gentle Lerris is called upon time and again--or is he volunteering? he asks himself, knowing that no one can protect Krystal like he can. Lerris is horrific as a mage. He kills hundreds with each single blow. And he nearly dies in the process.
On the other side of the world is the island of Hamor. They are angry that Recluce controls everything in the world, including trade. So the Hamorians have set out to destroy Recluce. And they've been quite sly about it, too. The Hamorians know that to take on the power of Recluce, they first have to weaken its mages. The emperor of Hamor knows that several of Recluce's most powerful mages are on the island of Candar. So he sends great numbers of men and great technology of weapons with them, and a very capable war-leader to Candar. They conquer the port cities and hinder trade, actions that severely affect the people of Kyphros. Lerris has just recovered from battling off a chaos wizard, and now he faces the invading army of Hamor. In his audacity he wins yet another battle but pays for it by having aged ten years. And Hamor isn't conquered, just turned back. They come at Kyphros yet again, and Krystal is furious with Lerris for playing the hero. (She not only doesn't want to lose him, but she also feels helpless against such odds as the Hamorians are throwing against her chosen homeland.) Lerris and Krystal both have to make some very desperate choices when their battle takes them back to Recluce. But in the process, Lerris discovers why Recluce has hidden knowledge from not only him but everyone else as well, and how that led to the new problems of their time. And he rediscovers his relationship with his father--only to lose it again.
The Death of Chaos is a powerful story of self-will and self-discovery. The "magic" is plausible in this context, and very well described. This book is recommended for anyone who wants to be lulled into a deep fantasy that is so well crafted that it feels real. Score it a ten out of ten.
KC Heath
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