Customer Reviews

The Hammer of Darkness

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Martin Martel has loved unwisely. The Duke of the planet is NOT amused. Martel is exiled to the planet of the gods, Aurore. Martel has the capability to challenge the gods. He does not. He instead becomes a media person. The gods keep wanting him to declare himself as a new god. He refuses. The entire book is about denying your nature and its consequences. Should he do what he wants or should he do what he ought? This is a gripping pschological thriller.

The Hammer of Darkness is one of Modesitt's best novels. It's also one of the hardest to read and understand. It was about the third time I read the book before I realized that everything is written in the present tense. Modesitt also doesn't take the time to explain the broken dialog, the half thoughts of the characters, nor does he provide background for the characters. As a result I think many will find the narrative confusing and difficult to get through. I first purchased this novel back in 1985 or 1986. I've read it at least a dozen times and I always find something new every time I read it.

Like many of Modesitts later novels, this novel deals with power, it's uses and abuses, religion, and tyranny. There are also many references to greek history and mythology that may confuse a reader if they are not familiar with those subjects.

Here's the basic story with minor spoilers. The main character Martin Martel is discovered to be a full range esper. He's banished to the world of Aurore. Aurore is a unique planet with a 'energy field' that amplifies ESP. On Aurore, Martin discovers that he could be one of the 'gods', the espers that basically rule the planet. All espers fall into classes based upon the strength of their powers. Gods, demi-gods, heros, etc. Martin would rather be just a man and that sets up his confrontations with the 'gods' of Aurore. There's more, but I won't spoil it.

This book was either the first or one of the first I'd read of Modesitt's back around 1989-1990. I remember reading it once and thinking it was good...and then re-reading it and everything just sort of clicked. I remember doing atypical things as a College Student (in those days) and going to the trouble to buy another copy just to give to a friend to encourage him to read it - at the time, buying versus merely loaning was a "big thing".

This story isn't Recluce although it's clearly in the same universe as all of Modesitt's stories...I believe the Recluce tie in was dropped as a ships crew that crash landed on the planet. Fuzzy on memory - think it was "Fall of Angels" that re-told the blurb and then greatly expanded it. Modesitt seems to have a fascination with Time Travel storylines such as in later books (Time Divers Dawn) and I found his versions a catch read - I was hooked to read the entire thing and didn't want to put it down. I have run out of steam on some of his series but I suspect that's because of other demands and impatience waiting for the next book to release. One day I expect to go back and catch up.

I consider F&SF to be the best genre (Fantasy and Science Fiction are really two sides of the same coin) because of the openness of the possibilities in creation of the milieu, and the fact that the author can say bold things about philosophy, politics, arts, science, psychology, or any other area of human exploration, while providing escapist entertainment, i.e. without necessarily descending into pedantry or argument.
I consider Modesitt to be the best F&SF author because he tends to maintain a great balance of an easy read, escapism (the protagonist is usually powerful in ways we normal human beings aren't), and speculation/exposition. His worlds, characters, nations and so-on may not be the most realistic, but they say interesting things, and they do exciting and/or satisfying things (his characters often build, or have things built, as well as destroying, and they also develop, as in coming-of-age).
I consider this book to be his best because it is both highly accessible and multi-leveled. As artwork, it may be more impressionist than some of his other works, so that different aspects of it must be enjoyed at different distances, but if you take the time, you will be rewarded over and over by this book. The first scene stands out as one of the best of all time, both for what it reveals and what it conceals, all in a brief span of words and action. This happens again and again throughout the book, and it is true that the pleasure only grows upon reading it a second, third, and fourth time, as the reader enjoys how Modesitt plays with perceptions, both the characters' and the readers'.

i read this originaly when i was younger and happened to find it again a definate good read.

I'm a sucker for a good man against the universe story and this is one of the best. The book is a bit hard to follow the first time through. I'd almost suggest reading the first half or so and then starting again... it'll make much more sense. The ending sequence was a bit convoluted, but the story flowed well and the characters were realistic. Also like the darkness and light tie ins.

With a Query next to his name Martin Martel is unable to live as a student on the planet Karnak and his girlfriend Kryn, the duke's daughter, has the guards fire at him when she realized he was an esper. The Brotherhood takes him to Aurore a planet many scientists believe should not exist, a place where people with esper powers have a chance to grow into them and use them at will.

It is also a place where gods walk among the populace; only Martel believes at first they are more powerful espers such as the galaxy has never seen and the gods rule to keep from getting bored. Martel has the potential to become one of them but because he turns his back on them, both sides know a confrontation will eventually occur. A millennium has passed and Martel is viewed as a god by the people who worship him, he can control his powers which are greater than the so called gods and Kryn is now the Viceroy ruler of a galaxy. Martel does the impossible to get what he wants and if he is successful, for the first time in a thousand years, he will finally be happy.

THE HAMMER OF DARKNESS is a reprint of a book first published in 1985. Although the plot is not as fast-paced and exciting as the later works of L.E. Modesitt, Jr., it is evident by the storyline that he showed back then he was destined to be a highly regarded master storyteller. What hasn't changed in over two decades is his ability to create characters that are interesting and larger than life placed in a future setting.

Harriet Klausner