Hammer of Darkness [Paperback]

L. E. Modesitt Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1996

Hammer of Darkness is a fantasy novel from t he best-selling author of the fantasy saga Recluce. It shoul d appeal to science fiction readers. '

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

"Modesitt's abundant novelistic virtues -- great characters and plotting, impressive attention to detail -- aside: this is smart, aware, provocative, and engrossing on several political, economic, and professional levels."
--Kirkus, starred review on Flash

"Nonstop action, which . . . never sidelines good world-building and characterization. . . . A marvelous thriller that plausibly extrapolates from current possibilities in IT, AI, media, and crime, it also constitutes the way for newcomers to get acquainted with Modesitt-at his best."
--Booklist on Flash

"Thoughtful SF readers will appreciate this weighty tale of humanitarian intentions and social speculations.”
—Publishers Weekly on Ethos Effect

“If you’re seeking space battles and diplomatic intrigue within a well though-out universe then Modesitt delivers in patches.”
--Vector on Ethos Effect

“Modesitt has outdone himself . . . This brilliant novel is as thought provoking as it is entertaining.”
--Publisher Weekly, starred review on Archform: Beauty

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

L. E. Modesitt, Jr., is the bestselling author of the fantasy series The Saga of Recluce, Corean Chronicles, and the Imager Portfolio. His science fiction includes Adiamante, the Ecolitan novels, the Forever Hero Trilogy, and Archform: Beauty. Besides a writer, Modesitt has been a U.S. Navy pilot, a director of research for a political campaign, legislative assistant and staff director for a U.S. Congressman, Director of Legislation and Congressional Relations for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a consultant on environmental, regulatory, and communications issues, and a college lecturer. He lives in Cedar City, Utah.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812563220
• ISBN-13: 978-0812563221
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,668,559 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

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars twilight of the gods, June 25, 2003

By 

K. Maxwell "katmax1" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hammer of Darkness (Paperback)

This book is not for everybody. The first time I read it I didn't like it. However, I picked it up again at a later time and read it again when my memories of my first reading had somewhat blurred. Somewhat to my own surprise I found that I really enjoyed the novel and I found much in it that I had missed when I first read it and have since read it more than twice.

Martin Martel is a rebel. He fell in love with the daughter of the ruler of his planet. For this crime, and also because he was found to have high esper potential, he was exiled to "the planet of the gods, " where for all intents and purposes he became one himself. However, Martel does not believe in "gods" no matter what fancy name or titles they use and he knows that he is human and is determined to live like one despite what the other "gods" and local mortals try to force him to acknowledge. He is a stubborn man beyond all reason at times and more powerful than anyone else realizes.

This book is almost abstract to read, it leaves a lot the to readers imagination, but it is also lyrical and almost poetical at times. It is my favorite book by this author. The story itself is an allegory of the fall of the gods of ancient Greece in a scifi setting, about the consequences of denying the truth of your own abilities and the risks people take in forcing action when some things are better left alone.

The individual qualities of this book my be blurred if you have read much of this authors later work as his writing style has in many ways remained remarkably unchanged, and he continually explores similar themes and hero-types, but for me, this the first book of this author that I read before he become well known will always remain my favorite.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book..., August 4, 2000

By 

Matthew A Callahan (Richardson, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hammer of Darkness (Paperback)

I've been reading the classics of both Speculative Fiction and General Literature recently, trying to expand my horizons. Nevertheless, I have yet to find a book I've enjoyed as much as Hammer of Darkness. Like a lot of Modesitt's books, it's a story of an isolated person who's forced to cope with awesome powers and responsibility. My brother tried to read it and found the novel boring and hard to follow. I can understand where a lot of people would think that way. This book is not for everybody.

Why should you read it then? First of all, because it is very short. It can likely be read in a few hours. Second of all, the action is unparalleled. There are better drawn characters in other great works, but very little that is as exciting. Also, the book does a wonderful job of making an epic storyline take place in such a short space, and Modesitt manages to tie all of the loose threads together at the end.

Also, the scene between Thor and Martin Martel about two thirds of the way through stands out as my favorite scene from any piece of prose fiction ever. It's so powerful, and it simply must be experienced. You'll be tempted to read this and other scenes quickly. Don't do so. Modesitt's extreme attention to detail, like Martin Martel holding Thor's hammer in his left hand and the detail given to Thor's battle goats, really adds to the piece.

In summary, if you've got a good imagination, and can really see, hear, taste, smell, and feel what you're reading, then this is definitely the book for you. I rarely give five star ratings in my reviews, not wanting to rate everything under the sun as being best in its category, but this book certainly deserves it.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Do you love the Recluce books?, August 2, 2006

By 

Greger Wikstrand (Höör, Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hammer of Darkness (Paperback)

Perhaps you are considering this book because you love the "Recluce"-books by the same author and you are now asking yourself if you would be disappointed or not?

Well, there are many similarities between this book and his later work. Yes, the hero is a young man who is exiled because of his powers. Yes, he does take up a humble occupation as a sort of TV announcer (rather than a junior engineer, carpenter, smith etc). And yes, circumstances finally force him to use his VAST powers to 'set things right'. The latter includes sending ships to new planets (as in Fall of Angels).

The writing style is also similair with most of it written as a sort of first hand account of the events and small parts as excerpets from the legends the events engendered.

What about order and chaos? Well, there are different kinds of magical power, the hero's black power while other beings possess white/gold powers. The powers are much more neutral and less intricately described than in the later works. But there is a lot of using "senses" and so on.

The only thing you do not get is the medieval setting, this is more SF and futuristic.

In short, you will find all the elements of his later work in one brief volume. That makes for an exciting book spanning a lot of philosophical, moral and religiuous questions.

* If you have read his later work, you might enjoy reading this to see where it all started.
* If you have not read his later work, this might be a good place to start.