Ecolitan Prime (Ecolitan Matter) [Paperback]

L. E. Modesitt Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ecolitan Matter | Publication Date: November 1, 2003

This new omnibus from L. E. Modesitt, Jr., includes the third and fourth of his four- volume Ecolitan series, The Ecologic Envoy and The Ecolitan Enigma, both starring Nathaniel Whaler.
Four hundred years after winning secession from the Terran Empire (as chronicled in the earlier omnibus, Empire & Ecolitan), the star system Accord wants to sign a simple trade treaty with the Empire on microchip export tariffs. But if the agreement is so minor, why is Professor Nathaniel Whaler, chief economist at the Ecolitan Institute and his world's top commando killer, chosen as Accord's Envoy? Because the Imperial capital is a maddening bureaucracy of sniveling diplomats, high-profile figureheads, powers behind the throne, and spies---everywhere, spies. So the Envoy has to face red tape, politics, prejudice, as well as and a gauntlet of kidnappers, assassins, snipers, and bombs. And some ministry---but which?---doesn't want the treaty.
In fact, some in the Empire still blame Accord for Earth's poisoning and for the defection of fifty star systems after the war between Imperial nuclear might and Ecolitan bio-ecological weaponry. A hidden cabal wants to fight that war again---even if, this time, the entire galaxy dies.
And only Nathaniel Whaler, the Ecologic Envoy, has the power to stop the catastrophe.
This omnibus concludes one of L. E. Modesitt's most powerful science fiction series.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

L. E. MODESITT, JR. lives in Cedar City, Utah.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I
 
 
The needle-boat blinked out into norm-space. Both high and low wave detector plates flared.
"Flame!" The pilot scanned the board, jabbed a series of control studs to put all energy radiating equipment into a passive mode, and waited for the picture to build on his screens.
Energy concentrations peaked around the fourth planet, Haversol, then spread to a standard picket line and deep warning net typical of an Empire operation.
Whaler's fingers flickered over the control studs as he took in the information flowing from his receptors. While all the material would stay on tap for the Institute to dissect after his return, his own survival might depend on a nearly instantaneous understanding of the tactical pattern.
"Ten stans, max," he muttered to the controls, eyes darting from screen to screen. The needle-boat itself was a single pilot craft, jammed with sophisticated sensors and communications equipment, and made possible only through a combination of thin hull, minimal support and backup systems, and overpowered drives.
At the upper left of the board in front of Whaler, a flat panel flashed amber twice, then settled into a steady glow. He touched the panel and listened to the direct feed of the Imperial comm net through his own implant.
"Seven…clear on grid november five…interrogative…"
"That's negative."
"Angel four…negative on survivors…send the junkman."
"Hawkstrike! Hawkstrike! Gremlin, Arthur class, vector zero eight five, radian one three three, ecliptic plus two."
"Hawkstrike, gremlin acquisition, closing."
The Imperial Fourth Fleet was obviously mopping up the scattered remnants of the Haversolan system defense forces.
"Class four on radian two five seven. Hotspot three. Interrogative waster. Interrogative waster."
"Waster's down. Negative."
Screeeee!!!!
"Unscramble, Northwave. Unscramble."
"Gremlin secured, Hawkstrike. Repeat, Gremlin secured."
The needle-boat pilot shook his head and touched the pale green panel to start the power-up for nullspace reentry.
The return coordinates for his out-space base flashed across the display. The Institute maintained its own forces independent of the Coordinate. So independently, thought the Ecolitan who was the needle-boat's pilot, captain, and crew, that the government itself had no idea of the Institute's strength.
"Sooner or later, they'll need us again," murmured the pilot. "Sooner, if this is any indication. Much sooner."
Nathaniel Firstborne Whaler, sometime scholar and full-time practicing Ecolitan, automatically squared himself within his seat cocoon and cleared the board readouts, returning all the data to the coded master disc in the center of the boat.
As the bell chime sounded in his ears, Whaler tapped the sequencing plate, and the needle-boat vanished from the norm-space where the Imperial detectors had failed to notice the discrepancy in the energy levels that had been the only sign of its presence.
 
Copyright © 2003 by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Product Details

• Paperback: 492 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765308983
• ISBN-13: 978-0765308986
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,252,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After spending years writing poetry, political speeches and analyses, as well as economic and technical reports on extraordinarily detailed and often boring subjects, I finally got around to writing my first short story, which was published in 1973. I kept submitting and occasionally having published stories until an editor indicated he'd refuse to buy any more until I wrote a novel. So I did, and it was published in 1982, and I've been writing novels -- along with a few short stories -- ever since.

If you want to know more, you can visit my website at www.lemodesittjr.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Economics of Empire, June 10, 2004

By 

Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ecolitan Prime (Ecolitan Matter) (Paperback)

Ecolitan Prime is an omnibus edition of the third and fourth novels in The Ecolitan Matter series according to the internal chronology. It includes The Ecologic Envoy and The Ecolitan Enigma.

Four centuries have passed since the Accordan Secession. Terra still bears the scars of ecological damage and the small planetary population seldom leaves the underground warrens. However, the Empire has otherwise recovered from the war and the Imperial navy has grown even stronger. Now the Empire has mostly assumed that Accord is no longer a major force in the galaxy and has started taking action to recover its former territory beyond the Rift, first subduing Haversol and then asking for tariff revisions in the trade with Accord.

In The Ecologic Envoy (1986), Ecolitan Professor Nathaniel Firstborne Whaler is appointed as Trade Envoy and sent to New Augusta. There he survives several assassination attempts and cordial, but frustrating discussions with Imperial bureaucrats. Then he has an interesting luncheon meeting with Sylvia Ferro-Maine, a former Imperial Intelligence agent and currently a member of Senator Helmsworth's staff, and they exchange a few truths.

In The Ecolitan Enigma (1997), Whaler returns to Accord in the company of Sylvia Ferro-Maine, who is promptly admitted as a Professor at the Ecolitan Institute. Shortly thereafter, the Institute is asked to conduct a study of the infrastructure economics of Artos, one of the New Avalon colony planets. The request seems strange, but the Institute has reasons of its own to allow the study. Whaler and Sylvia travel to Artos. After several so-called accidents, the Ecolitans begin to see a pattern in the local economy that indicates civil war. Meanwhile, the Empire is suffering from some form of ecological warfare and is close to going to war with Accord.

These stories involve Whaler and Sylvia in interstellar intrigue both within and without the boundaries of the Empire. Whaler and, in the latter novel, Sylvia are the center of numerous violent attacks. Whaler and Sylvia avoid major injury and death only by a combination of skill and luck.

In their spare time, Whaler and Sylvia discuss their personal conflicts and work out means of blending their solitary lives into a partnership. Whaler has a tendency to take charge of situations, but Sylvia has a better feel for relationships. Both must contribute if they are to solve these political dilemmas.

Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of political chicanery, military maneuvering, and public investigations together with a budding romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

4.0 out of 5 stars Ecolitan Prime, July 1, 2010

By 

Lee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ecolitan Prime (Ecolitan Matter) (Paperback)

The capstone books for the Ecolitan Series. Does a great job of tying up the story lines begun in the first 2 books.

5.0 out of 5 stars L. E. Modesitt, Jr--Ecolitan Prime, July 24, 2008

By 

William A. Averill "wildbillzamora" (corrales, nm usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ecolitan Prime (Ecolitan Matter) (Paperback)

Product was everything the supplied information indicated and more. Delivery was FAST!

Modesitt is an outstanding writer and this sequel to Ecolitan & Empire is actually written better--not that the first books were badly written!

The story line covers a future history of the human race as it evolved after the space-bound diaspora. The Empire has control of a significant fraction of the human race and suppresses what would be considered "Green" Technology. The ecolitans on the planet Accord have developed eco-friendly technologies and an ethical framework which poses a risk to the Empire and other non-consensual governing structures. One of those governments plots the downfall of Accord using the Empire's biases and power. The ecolitans respond in non-traditional ways consistent with their ethical framework.

A GREAT read!