Magi'i of Cyador (Saga of Recluce 10) (Paperback)

by L.E. Modesitt (Author) "THE MAN WEARS white trousers and a white tunic, belted with white leather and secured with a glistening white metallic buckle..." (more)
Key Phrases: stun lizard, lady merchanter, student magus, Accursed Forest, Mirror Lancers, Majer Maran (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Once again Modesitt (Colors of Chaos, The Spellsong Cycle series) returns to the fantasy world of his popular Saga of Recluce series, now with the first book in a new story line set in Recluce's past. The only thing standing between the Empire of Cyador and destruction is the power of the Magi'i, who wield the energies of chaos to defend the land against invading barbarians and the ancient dark forces of the Accursed Forest. Lorn, the son of a high-ranking Magi'i, finds the magical order's many rules too constricting and is sent off to join the Lancers and fight Cyador's countless enemies on the borderlands. That distance doesn't remove him from the constant intrigues and power struggles back home in Cyan, however. While Lorn battles to survive barbarian raids and attacks from the Accursed Forest's worst nightmares, his lover, the merchant Ryalth, works to build her business despite threats from unscrupulous rivals. Though Lorn survives and, by the end of the book, manages to take Ryalth as his consort, it's clear that Modesitt has much more in store for his characters. True to form, the author delivers a complex plot wrapped around finely textured settings and intriguing characters. Fans of previous Recluce novels will find this new series darker in tone--and Lorn is quite a bit more ruthless than the usual Modesitt hero--but they won't be disappointed.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Judged lacking in the loyalty and dedication necessary for a position as one of the elite mages of Cyador, Lorn receives an assignment to the Mirror Lancers who protect the land of Cyador from the barbarian frontier--a tour of duty that often results in an early death. The latest in Modesitt's popular "Recluce" series begins a new cycle in the history of a world based upon the delicate balance of chaos and order. The author's talent for combining large-scale action with the minutiae of his characters' daily lives infuses his story with a veracity often lacking in the genre. A good choice for most fantasy collections, particularly where the series is popular.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 555 pages
• Publisher: Orbit (June 7, 2001)
• ISBN-10: 184149027X
• ISBN-13: 978-1841490274
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,542,279 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A rational approach to Rationalists, May 27, 2000

By	K. N. Nelson (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Magi'i of Cyador (Saga of Recluce) (Hardcover)

The cut and dried dialogue and narration that open this story sets the tone of a "rationalist" viewpoint which one quickly sees is both fearful and overtly unemotional simultaneously. The use of the screeing glass by the Magi'i to invade the privacy of the hero and his family is quite chilling for it is a powerful tool for constraint on their behavior and ability to even speak with one another. One learns that the families of the magi'i have no freedom for they can be truth read and spied upon at the whim and will of the magi'i and they are forced to live in a prison of fearful restraint. But, as the story unfolds our hero Lorn begins to evolve into a quietly passionate, deeply intelligent and clever man. He is forced to manipulate and master increasingly hostile environments into which he has been forced to survive the plots against him simply because of his heritage as mage-born. He finds himself uncommitted to the prospect of spending his years trapped within concrete and marble buildings devoted to the boring (to him) future of spending his own life force (chaos) on refuelling energy cells. These energy cells power the firelances of Mirror Lancers and the firewagons used for transportation in the ongoing struggle against the accursed forest and the barbarians. The story is largely spent describing his struggles to overcome the aforesaid barbarians and accursed forest as an outcast magi'i in the role as mirror lancer. However, one has a sense that this is stage setting for his unfolding evolution into the highest echelon of the magi'i. He has acquired wealth and power from that wealth through his own foresight and the skills of his merchanter consort Ryalth. He is destined to become a mover and a shaker in the next part of this saga. The love story is charming even though Lorn is forced to commit multiple murders to protect his lady Ryalth from villans. I would like to know the hero better as a man. He is rather one dimensional, but then this may be part of the plot to separate within the reader's understanding the concept of the cold "rationalists" in contrast to the more passionate and emotionally driven "barbarians". One senses that the author plans a number of "rationalists" novels which will provide, hopefully, a thorough understanding for the reader as to who and how the cold blooded magi'i came to rule Cyad and its people. This is a very good "mirror" to Modesitt's book "Fall of the Angels" in the Recluse series. Hopefully the author will write a book that will enrich this perspective for it is deep territory for intrigue and dark plots. Perhaps more of the machinations within the inner circle of the Magi'i of Cyador and their manipulation of their "dense" Emperor. In any event, the future of Lorn and the city of "Lorn'eth" will unfold in due course.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comfortable continuation for Recluce fans, July 18, 2001

By	Harvey Gatlin (Vinita, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magi'i of Cyador (The Saga of Recluce) (Mass Market Paperback)

O.K. Read the other reviews; it is right down the middle of the other Recluce books. It is about Cyador, the home of the white magicians, before it fell. In this book, you will understand the details of why it will fall, but we are not near that point. There are new wrinkles. It is a cliff-hanger. I expect a sequel for the future plans of the protagonist. You won't learn anything new about how Recluce magic works if you have read the other books, but you get a nice gap filled in for history, an interesting good guy, and some thoughtful extensions of things you already knew. I enjoyed this book as a part of the series, but if you are expecting the same buzz as from the first one you read in the series, you will probably have to go find a new series.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There'll be a sequel to this one!, April 9, 2000

By	Rajesh Goel "raj5318" (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magi'i of Cyador (Saga of Recluce) (Hardcover)

A worthy addition to the Recluce Series. Backfills where THE CHAOS BALANCE and FALL OF ANGELS left off..exploring CYAD in all it's glory.

As usual, Modesitt introduces a heady young man, in this case, SMART, HARD-WORKING, but not a highly-motivated young Mage. The kid gets sent to the Lancers, where he learns the Military ways while secretly strengthening his magely ways.

Modesitt provides glimpses into the founding of CYAD, and references to the First Born, i.e., the White Angels.

As usual in the Recluce Series, Modesitt *REALLY* gets into Lorn's head. While not as strong as some of the previous books (Magic Engineer, Recluce, The Order War and The White Order are my faves), it still stands cubits ahead of other fantasy authors or worlds.

I _EAGERLY_ look forward to the next volume!