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L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
I have read your Recluce books for years; I am reading them yet again; let’s just say I have copies of my books because they are well worn. You are my favourite author. I would love if you would write more Recluce especially order mages, not really a question but a hope.
The next Recluce book — Sub-Majer’s Challenge — will be released tomorrow. Last of the First –the last Recluce book about Alyiakal — is complete and scheduled for release June 30, 2026.
I was wondering for perhaps obvious reasons how you come up with your names? Specifically Rhennthyl, but in general as well. I tried searching the name, but it seems to be entirely original to you.
Generally, I try to come up with original but pronounceable names, often riffs on other names. “Rhennthyl” is actually the spin-off of the name of a dear departed Greek friend [Rennus]. At times, I steal from mythology (Maegara, for example). And for those who say a name is unpronounceable, I suspect they never learned phonics. By the way, “Alyiakal” is pronounced AL-eee-ah-kahl, for those who have complained.
Will there ever be a map available showing Cyador with the Forest bound? It’s getting difficult guessing Post locations.
I’ve tried to persuade Tor to provide a map for the Alyiakal books, and even provided a rough draft, but given the worsening economics of publishing and the fact that each Recluce book does not sell millions of copies, future maps are highly unlikely.
I am a huge fan of the Recluce saga and have been for years. My question is have you ever entertained the idea of the world of Recluse ever becoming an RPG, whether it is a single player game like final fantasy or even more ambitiously, an MMO where players could experience the world of Recluce similar to how the characters do in the books?
I’ve more than entertained the idea. But I’m not a gamer, nor am I a programmer or game designer, and I don’t have the skill set or mindset to create a game. Those who do apparently aren’t interested or believe a Recluce game is either unworkable or would be unprofitable. Years ago, several games companies took options on Recluce to create a game. The options were never exercised. A year ago, I worked with a Canadian gamer to create a prototype, but so far he hasn’t been able to attract anyone able and/or willing to take it further.
You’ve said before that you wouldn’t write about the war in this universe between the Faith and the Unity (however much we may want you to!) Given that, can you tell us more about the war? What are the philosophies of the two sides and why are they fighting? Are the Rationalists less gender-equal than the Faith or is that a perception? Can you tell us any more about Sybra and the other planets involved?
My late (and excellent) editor David Hartwell told me more than once that the beginnings of events in the world of Recluce should always retain an element of mystery. While I’ve already revealed more than he would have preferred, I do feel that his basic point was valid. Also, anything that I reveal that’s not in the books restricts future possibilities. I will say that Sybra is more gender egalitarian than the Rationalist culture, simply because, in my observation, societies dealing with winter-like climates tend to have less gender bias. Not always, but more often than not.
My house burned down in January in the big LA fires, including my complete collection of your books. How do you recommend I replace them? Is there a good website? Especially I would like the Recluce Saga and the Corean Chronicles, plus a few SF. Any advice appreciated.
First, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your house and everything it contained.
As for replacing those books of mine that you lost, I’m assuming that you’re interested in paper copies, since every book I’ve written is available as an eBook. Your two best bets are either Amazon or a large new and used bookstore. Powell’s Books in Portland has a fairly good selection, although many of of the earlier Recluce books will likely only be available as used. Here’s the link: https://www.powells.com/books/search?query=%22L.+E.+Modesitt%22+&page=1
I am a GIG fan of Your work. I have a question that I hope You can help me with. I have an idea for a book and was wondering if YOU were interested in listening to me about it. I have contacted ghostwriters but they all want money ( which I do NOT have) and do not want to negotiate any type of terms. I am hoping that You will consider talking to me because if ANYONE is going to steal my idea, I would prefer it to be YOU. I love Your writing style . I hope You will consider answering my request.
I’m happy to answer your request. For a number of reasons, legal and otherwise, not to mention personal vanity, I do not accept ideas or plots from others. For better or worse, I prefer to have anything published under my name to be entirely my doing. The only exception I’ve ever made was with The Green Progression where I collaborated with another consultant with whom I’d worked for years. My decisions in this regard may have resulted in lost opportunities, but I trust you can understand why I prefer not to fly on “borrowed wings.” I appreciate your kindness and courtesy in making your offer, but I must decline.
Saryn, even as a grey mage, had a hard time dealing with the backlash from killing people with order/chaos. Rahl didn’t seem to have the same issues – he was nauseous but not blinded or frozen in the same way Kharl or Creslin were, even when he killed large numbers of people. What’s different about him?
Rahl isn’t innately as sensitive to people’s feelings. His whole journey involves, among other things, learning to perceive and feel more beyond himself.
I’m back in Westwind on my readthrough and Ryba continues to be a very compelling character, even though we never directly see her thoughts. Where does her misandry come from? Did she already feel that way before the shift to the Recluce universe, and if so why, or is it something that’s grown in response to her experiences running Westwind?
Both. Her experiences as a Sybran commander made her wary of men in power, and Candaran males are far, far worse in their treatment of women. And when women will risk beatings, floggings, and death trying to get to a refuge (Westwind) in the middle of one of the least hospitable mountain heights in Candar, that does have a tendency to reinforce Ryba’s skepticism about men.
I still have difficulty in understanding, in peace time, how Congressional funding is directly (specifically through lack of funding) responsible for equipment not getting maintenance it requires. If a mechanism fails, the serviceman is dead: that is not acceptable. We send our young citizens to risk death in our defense; not just to die. So how does lack of funding determine what the Service maintains rather than determining the amount of equipment that can be maintained? Or how can they allow the use of equipment that is not ready to be used in peace time? How does this decision making effect the substance of these types of articles: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/12/weapons-production-munitions-shortfall-ukraine-democracy/680867/ https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/is-the-united-states-becoming-a-hollow-maritime-power/
Unfortunately, the answer is fairly simple. The amount of funds appropriated for the specific armed forces and their programs is set by Congress. The various services have limited latitude, determined by the authorization and/or appropriations language, to shift some funds within their budgets, but not to make major changes. So if Congress mandates, for example, a thousand more tanks, the Army gets a thousand tanks, even if they need APCs or ground support aircraft. In the Vietnam war, the Navy juggled funds to upgrade the H-2 from a one-engine jet helicopter to a two engine helicopter, because the original H-2 couldn’t operate effectively in the high density altitude of Southeast Asia. The Navy justified the funds juggling as necessary because Congress couldn’t or didn’t appropriate funds for the upgrade. The changes were not carried out as well as they might have been, and the number of pilots and crew lost to the problems created by malfunctions in the upgrades has never been revealed (at least to my knowledge). I have a certain familiarity with that problem, since I flew the “upgraded” H-2 for a time.
I have read all the Recluce novels. I started in 1991. I recently decided to go back and reread them all. I just saw the Recluce Chronology for the first time. Do you recommend rereading them in the order they were published or in the order of the chronology?
That’s a personal preference. For most readers, for a FIRST read, I suggest reading in publication order. For a rereading, I’d suggest the chronological order.
Is being a Natural Ordermage a psychological or physiological thing? Before the fall of Fairhaven, mages in Hamor seem to be reasonably well treated and even welcomed into the Mage-Guards. By Lerris’ time, Hamor is regarded as the most dangerous place to send a dangergelder. What changed and how did Lerris’ brother fair so badly there?
Being a natural ordermage is both psychological and physiological, in a way, being similar to being a natural athlete.
As for the changes in Hamor, those would take several books. All societies change, and Hamor is no different.
Thanks, as ever, for answering questions. In Natural Ordermage, Rahl is told that order magic cannot be taught and that he’s developed his skills strongly and late, so has no basic training. Lerris also seems to develop his skills late and is given even less information before his dangergeld. Why were the magisters even less willing to give Lerris any information on what he was capable of?
Rahl grew up in the hide-bound north of Recluce where everything was so traditional that no one had the experience and skill to tutor him. Nor was there a mage there powerful and skillful enough to deal with him. He’s also incredibly stubborn, and until he discovers Debri and lands in the ironworks at Luba, where Taryl finds him, that’s the first time in his life where he has the motivation and a mentor able to help him fully develop his skills.
In the case of Lerris, he’s also a questioning and whining late-bloomer who doesn’t connect with his father, and after what Justen and his father did years before, no one really trusts him… or wants to.
You said earlier that it was unlikely that your books would come as Mass Market paperbacks. Is that confirmed? or worth waiting? I have all yours as Mass Market and prefer same size.
Unfortunately, the economics of publishing mass market paperbacks have become so unfavorable that most publishers are unwilling to print books in that format and are instead publishing in the trade paperback format [the same size as hardcovers but all paper]. My publisher is no different, and I’m been told that future editions of my work in “paper” format will only be hardcover and trade paperback.
Will we ever see the story continue from after Lerris undid both order and chaos? The story as much as says they’ll drift back to restoration over time. Combine this with technological advancements and you’d have a rather interesting story.
While I’m reluctant to give absolute answers to questions, I’d say that it’s extremely unlikely that I’ll be writing a “post-Lerris” Recluce novel.
The white wizards after the fall of Fairhaven seem to be more evil and the world as a whole seems less safe. Is that true or is that just my impression? Either way, do you think Justen was right to destroy Fairhaven?
I don’t see the world of Recluce as less “safe” after the fall of Fairhaven. Had Justen not destroyed Fairhaven, even more of Candar would have suffered the ills that Fairhaven was perpetrating on Sarronnyn. The choice, in effect, was between evil concentrated by Fairhaven and dispersed evil from mages using chaos to their own personal ends. Empires often create stability or the illusion of stability, which people accept in place of uncertainty.
Will there be a sequel to the Imager trilogy? A sort of tying up of loose strings? (I do realize stories never end, just morph)
It’s extremely unlikely that there will be any more Imager Portfolio books. Each of the four plot strings in the twelve books is as resolved as they can be. Each of those primary protagonists has consolidated his power base to the point that any serious opposition is unlikely in his lifetime. While it’s technically possible that I could create yet another plot string, I personally feel that would weaken the overall strength of the Imager Portfolio.
Just finished Scion of Cyador, which I really enjoyed. Cyador seems to have changed a lot between Lorn’s time and The Chaos Balance. By the latter time, unaccompanied women seemed to be considered fair game and the Emperor was an unanswerable despot. What happened to change the culture so much?
Gender roles in human society are based on comparative power. The power that women hold in most societies is based on custom/tradition and occasionally law. Men’s power is based on physical strength. Unless law and custom limit how men can use their physical power, history suggests that in most societies (with the possible exception of nomadic ones) women will have fewer rights. In early Cyador (in the time of Alyiakal) men have more power than women, but enough women have the talent to use magery. This semi-balance lasts through Lorn and Kerial, but as the chaos towers fail, that changes.
I have recently discovered you as an author & enjoy the books. I wonder if there is a glossary somewhere of things like quints, half glass & kay.
For better or worse, no such glossary exists. Most such terms are derived from our world, however. “Glass” as an interval of time actually comes from hourglass; so half-glass is the equivalent of half an hour. “Quint” comes from the Latin “quintus” (fifth). “Kay” is short for kilometer (even in our world). I used such take-offs in my fictional worlds as part of establishing their difference without using terms totally unfamiliar.
In your Imager, Recluce and Corean fantasy series characters are able to magically shield themselves. There is a reasonably popular sub-genre of fantasy called portal fantasy where the main character is transported from our world to a fantasy setting which you’ve approached twice I believe with Cassius in your Recluce series and Anna Marshall in your Spellsong series. Slightly tangential to that genre is one where a character is transported from one made up world to another. Fall of Angels might fit in that category. I’ve been wondering for a while now what if a character who was a highly skilled mage after years of training and experience was transported from one of your fantasy worlds to another and had to start over learning a new magical system from scratch? I wondered if they might struggle because they have to unlearn a lot of ingrained ways of thinking about magic. For example maintaining shields is something they trained to do to the point that they barely consciously think about it and then have to learn a whole new method of shielding and their old way of thinking keeps tripping them up. Do you imagine the sort of protagonist you usually write having these kind of issues or would they be able to adapt?
I haven’t really thought about adaptation, but most of my protagonists are adaptable. As you point out, it would likely pose initial difficulties for all of them, but the degree of difficulty would depend in some degree on the differences between the magic system they had already mastered and the one of the world they then found themselves in. I suspect most would not be as proficient in learning/handling the new system. This would be especially true of most who were transported to Erde, because no amount of study will substitute for innate musical ability.
