More Questions from an L.E. Modesitt Fan

[Brians256]

Thanks, I think in that case i'll just persue a general course of research into it. The main problem I'm having is trying to understand how the persual of a consistent set ethics can inevitably lead to what amounts to genocide and planetary scale ethnical cleansing.

I feel that surely not everyone can be responsible to the same degree for crimes against humanity, and yet all are punished the same with the only justification being that of securing an ethical outcome.

You might also take some classes in sociology. You can see a lot of the practical effects of ethical systems by observing groups of people and the resultant structures.

[Aunflin]

Mr. Modesitt,

Why did you decide to go with two main viewpoints rather than your usual one with Alector's Choice? I liked it, but I am merely curious.

Other questions [answer them if you will or not]: are the Ifrits some sort of far future human race or an alien race entirely? I recall you saying there were four or five continents on Acorus...but in Alector's Choice there are only the continent of Corus and the big southern continent covered by ice and some big islands...? Will the third book be called Soarers' Choice because that's the only title I can think of that would fit? Will you ever feel up to Alendra's story... (I sure hope so...] However, I'd prefer to leave you with the storywriting decisions...you've done marvelously so far...so why ruin a good thing...

Can't wait for the Eternity Artifact!

[lmodesitt]

I don't recall mentioning four or five continents on Acorus, but if I did, it was an error on my part.

All three of the second trilogy books will be from the two viewpoints. For the resolution, I believe that is necessary. I'd rather not say more at this time.

The title for the third book is not set yet... certainly Soarer's Choice is one possibility.

Right now I don't know what I will do with the Corean Chronicles after this story arc.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Aunflin]

I don't recall mentioning four or five continents on Acorus, but if I did, it was an error on my part.

Not that I really want to point out your error but...

It was on page 299 of Legacies [the hardcover version] and is as follows: "Our world has one large continent--that is Corus--and four small continents, as well as a number of groups of islands." Perhaps the Matrite teacher was merely confusing large islands with continents--anything can be justified if you feel the need.

[Aunflin]

The title for the third book is not set yet... certainly Soarer's Choice is one possibility.

Well, it has to be someone's choice to follow the title sequence correctly. Maybe Archon's Choice...in deciding where to put the Master Scepter... Or Duarch's Choice... [Sorry to bother you with my pointless ramblings...] As long as it doesn't end up being Editor's Choice

I must say, I've enjoyed all your books, from one extreme to another, but the Corean Chronicles books have so far turned out to be my favorites. I like the quasi-nineteenth-century feel + the presence of Talent (magic), alien overlords, alien and vaguely humanoid-like beings (Soarers and Sanders), weird creatures, the silver-green sky, mystery, romance, action/adventure, interesting ideas...I love it all. And I especially love the line: "But the Soarer's child praise the most, for she will rout the Sander's host..." Which makes little sense, actually, being as Soarers and Sanders seem like men (sanders) and women (soarers)...so maybe maybe the Soarer's Child has to defeat an allegorical "Sander...?"

Actually, no reply is necessary to this rather rambling and obsessive post. I just felt the need to voice my random thoughts...and tell you I really love reading the Corean Chronicles.

[cosmic_clown]

Have you ever given thought to another novel set in the same universe as the Parafaith War and the Ethos Effect?

Your science fiction novels are just as enjoyable as your fantasy....and I have an affinity for those two.

Just wondering!

[Kenneth]

Or flash, I love that book so much, after reading it about 2-3 times, I really began to appriciate its AWSOMENESS. And, I thought you kinda left the ending open for a sequal

[lmodesitt]

Most of what I write in science fiction is written as stand-alone novels. Sometimes, as in the case of The Ethos Effect, I later come up with another story in the same universe, but just as often, I don't.

Right now, I honestly don't know what my next SF novel [afterThe Eternity Artifact, which will be released in hardcover by Tor in October] will be. I won't even decide that until I finish the current Corean novel.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Aunflin]

Mr. Modesitt,

I've noticed that your characters are either an only child or have two siblings at the most. However, I recall you have something like eight children, a large family by todays standards, though somewhat medium-sized compared to some families in the past [and in the present.]

Have you ever thought of writing a character from a large family? You say you write what you know and you would obviously know about that...so, why not.

My dad is one of six kids, my maternal grandpa the youngest son of seven, my paternal grandpa the youngest son of eight (his mother was the second wife, the first having died after three children. My Great-grandfather died of a heart attack at 44 after five more kids. After that, my Great-grandma finished raising them all herself, working two jobs! She was one tough woman. She lived independentally until she was 93, still taking care of her own yardwork, housework, cooking, volunteering at the church, and etc. Unfortunately she slipped on the ice and broke her knee walking to church one Sunday in January--she refused to miss mass. After that, she went to the nursing home for about two years and died of an anurism (sp?) in her sleep...--sorry for the digression, it was rather off the topic...)

Anyway, I've always been fascinated by how it would be like to be a part of a large family, only having two siblings myself. My ex-fiancee was #11 of 11--her oldest sister was only a couple years younger than my mom...

However, I know having multiple siblings for a character can add unneeded complication to a story--and your novels are complex enough already, which is why I love them! I get a good story and interesting things to contemplate at the same time.

Another question: why does no one in your fantasy books, other than Anna Marshall and Aellyn Eldyss, have a last name?

[lmodesitt]

Perhaps I haven't written about large families -- although Mykel in Alector's Choice has two siblings -- because, as suggested, the interactions and complexities can become overwhelming with that many agendas.

As for last names, I'm not sure why I don't use them more, except that last names tend to appear and be used in more highly populated and complex societies.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Aunflin]

I'm re-reading Gravity Dreams [I forgot how much I enjoyed the book ] and was curious as to where Tyndal is from. I know he lived on earth...but I couldn't quite figure out where... I recall mention of "the old Rockies" and other things. Henvor always makes me think of Denver...but I don't know. However, I can't place Dorcha, Rykaska, or etc. I really got a kick out of planets being named Conan and [the other one I can't recall at the moment]...and I also loved the bizarre "overspace"...Why did you choose to have it like that. I found it fascinating and somewhat confusing at the same time...

Also, in Archform:Beauty rez supposedly didn't come about until 50 years before...but Flash is like 100 or so years before and they have rez...?

[lmodesitt]

First, Henvor is a corruption of "Hanover" [New Hampshire], and the border between Dorcha and the Rykasha is roughly the southern edge of the White Mountains.

Second... technically Flash is not quite a prequel to Archform: Beauty because not all the history tracks perfectly... as you have noted. I took certain "liberties" because of what I wanted to do with the story.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Kvetch]

So more of a 'parallel world' rather than the same world.

Certainly the whole atmosphere of the two books felt different to me, even more than the differences beween Lornian Cyador and Lerrisan Recluce

[RecluceMage]

Second... technically Flash is not quite a prequel to Archform: Beauty because not all the history tracks perfectly... as you have noted. I took certain "liberties" because of what I wanted to do with the story.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

It is possible that the differences in time represent the "official" and "actual" beginnings of the use of Rez.

[Aunflin]

I almost wondered if Rez fell out of style after Jonat's report of it being ill-used in politics...and maybe it got covered-up, forgotten for a while and reappeared years down the road.

Henvor/Hanover...makes sense. I hadn't read the book since it first came out...so I asked the question about half-way through my re-read, having forgotten much in the six odd years since I read Gravity Dreams. After I got further, I noticed more names I could more easily deduce...

Mr. Modesitt: After finishing reading Gravity Dreams and starting on Adiamante, I have begun to wonder if any sort of ethical system can exist without the use of force (from lesser to greater extents)? Can societies/individuals ever be truly honest/ethical/responsible without some sort of outside pressure requiring them to act so, whether it be genetically ingrained, technically enforced (like the nanotech in Gravity Dreams), or socially required? And there is also the problem: what is ethical or moral? It differs from person to person, culture to culture. It's almost a variation of "One man's garbage is another man's treasure" which would be "One man's morals are another's vices" or something like that. However, it seems that no matter the case, a general consensus must be reached in determining ethical/moral standards...but even when a consensus is reached it can be but a deceptive illusion...

Also, I was struck, as I read through Adiamante yesterday, how similar the Cyb's are to some people I work with: no matter how many times I tell them something, they just don't seem to get it. And when they do something stupid in the same way, they say, "I didn't know" even though I gave specific reasons NOT to do such and such a thing--they only hear/see what they want to...it's very frustrating...

Anyway, enough of my rambling...

[lmodesitt]

I tend to be somewhat cynical about certain aspects of human behavior. Although every society has a core of "good" people, who will do what is "right" without some form of coercion, the majority require "reminders" based on some form of force, or combination of forces, and such are necessary to maintain a moral consensus within any society. Such forces can be economic, social, religious, as well as those legally required and enforced through such institutions as police, laws, and courts.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Aunflin]

Funny, that's about what I thought you would say. "But like others of the human gene type" I require confirmation of the obvious.

However, I've noticed that morals a society holds dear aren't always so held--except in public. The monogamy issue is one example. In my experience, many people are polygamous, though they feign monogamy in public. I recall from reading Jared Diamond's The Third Chimpanzee that there was a study done in the 1940's (dealing with early genetic reserach) where a considerably number of the children born at certain unnamed hospitals weren't the true offspring of their supposed fathers (it was like 40%+ or something...). The man who headed the study decided not to publish the evidence...though he allowed Diamond to site his information some 50+ years later as long as he remained anonymous...

But then, as you have often hinted at, life is deception. We want to hide from what is. It's easier to make excuses than face reality.

I must say I'm glad I picked up Towers of the Sunset way back in 1994 because the cover looked interesting. It has led me down an interesting path. You have opened my mind to various possibilities and made me think: I'm sure if you were a teacher most of the kids would dread your classes...but not all: a small few would see the brilliance and wisdom therein and rejoyce... Thank you for your books!

[Winship]

Mr Modesitt

In several of your SciFi story you have referred to a disaster on Earth in one form or another, have you even entertain the thought of doing a Recluce like chronicle of one such scenario? The practices that lead to the event, followed by how some survived it to finally how the new society was formed from the "ancients" mistakes.

[lmodesitt]

Actually, in a sense, I'm in the process of doing something similar with one of my other fantasy series, The Corean Chonicles. The first books deal with the "post-disaster" culture, and the myths created following the catastrophe, while the "trilogy" in progress deals with the events leading up to that disaster.

There are aspects of the same thing in the Saga of Recluce. You see the Fairhaven of Cerryl, and you see what it becomes and what happens to it in The Order War. You see the fall of Westwind in The Towers of the Sunset, and through all the subsequent books you see how Recluce evolves from that disaster.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Winship]

I have enjoyed both of those series and yes I have seen those elements in each of them. The only reason I ask about one revolving around Earth is I am more of a SciFi fan. Dawn of a Distant Earth was the one that kept me coming back for more.

[lmodesitt]

In that case, I'll recommend the forthcoming SF novel --The Eternity Artifact. I can't say why, because to explain would constitute a spoiler of sorts.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[fortyseven]

Mr. Modesitt, have you read Collapse by Jared Diamond?

[lmodesitt]

I've read both Collapse and Guns, Germs, and Steel. Personally, while I enjoyed and appreciated both books, I like the earlier book somewhat better.

I'd also recommend Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[danoday]

I have been rereading the Recluce stories lately, and had some questions. I also wondered why these interesting characters had so little written about them. Why, after spending a day or two with them, they were gone, and the next book would come out and another great character would begin.....
It was like spending the week with a new friend, seeing that there was a lot to them, you just barely scratch the surface of this fascinating new person in your life, and then they fall off the face of the earth. And you just know there is so much more to them that you would like to know about.....
Anyway, I wondered if there was a website that perhaps could help me find out about these things....and Lo and Behold! I found this place! It appears to be exactly what I was looking for!
And I see that someone else has asked many of the same questions!
Even more interesting is that the author actually answers (!) in a straightforward manner! I very much am looking forward to going through all the posts and seeing what there is in here!
At any rate, I think your questions are much the same that I would like to ask. Especially the one and done nature of the characters. Perhaps not 10 books, but more than one for some of these guys!
Now, please understand, I own all the Recluce books(that I am aware of) and enjoy them tremendously! (Which is why I actually own them, and reread them) So don't think I am unhappy about these books. I just would like to know more of how these guys are doing, or what happened in their lives.

To Mr. Modesitt, all I can say is please keep going! I have been reading your books for years and that you are one of the few authors that I will buy a book strictly because your name is on the front. <shrug> I know it is gonna be a great read, and that is all I need to know!

[lmodesitt]

What you've brought up is a real and continuing problem for an author, because there's a range of interest in readers. There are those readers who always want something new; the very thought of a sequel or a prequel angers some of them beyond belief. I once received a review that began with words to the effect that, "this is a book that didn't need to be written and shouldn't have been because it's a prequel and we already know what happened." On the other hand, there are readers who would enjoy fifteen books about their favorite character.

Each author has to strike a balance that fits both the subject matter about which he or she writes and the author's own temperment. In my case, I decided never to write more than two books about the same main character in the Recluce Saga, and three anywhere else. That's arbitrary, but it seems to work for me.



L. E. Modesitt, Jr.