7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging and absorbing, May 17, 2000
I consider this to be the best of Modesitt's works. It is not easy to get into--I suggest skipping the first three or so chapters the first time you read it--but once you delve in, you should be trapped by the travails of the protagonist, Creslin.
Perhaps the most distracting part of this book is that it's written in present tense. Some people simply cannot handle it, but I managed to disregard it after a couple of pages. It's well worth the effort, I promise.
The world here is not your typical fantasy setting. Creslin is a male in a female-dominated society, and in an ironic twist of the willful-princess-tale, flees an arranged marriage and manages to get into trouble on his own. He is wry and earnest, in some ways too young to handle the world--but it's watching him overcome those hurdles that makes this story so remarkable.
Modesitt thoroughly explores his characters. They have flaws, like all humans: Creslin can be insensitive; Megaera has a temper. Yet we can understand what they're going through and even though I didn't expect the dramatic acts a perfect hero would give us, what they do manage to accomplish is much more meaningful. Some may believe that a great deal of the story is meaningless wandering, but I was too fascinated by the process rather than the actual resolution. This is not a book you rush: it is a thoughtful piece of work.
His system of magic is based on order and chaos, and is eminently logical. These are not simple substitute-in synonyms for "good" and "evil", simplistic alignments which I've always had trouble swallowing. Much of what Creslin learns is the relationship between the two and the need for balance between them.
Short chapters might seem to ruin the flow, but instead I found them more helpful because they helped Modesitt cut straight to the meat of the scenes.
The writing itself I found quiet and smooth, well-suited for both description and action. I would've re-read it for that alone (but there was also the matter of *finally* understanding the first several chapters). And the end is simply gorgeous. I remained on the last page, letting my eyes scan in that final line over and over. But the beauty of it is that the last line would be meaningless without the entire preceding novel.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Present Tense Use Very Unique and Daring, February 22, 2004
In The Towers of the Sunset by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., there was one thing that really leapt out at me from the absolute beginning: the book was written in the present tense. Obviously, my first reaction was one of confusion. It was strange seeing a book written so after I had been so long reading traditional novels in the past tense. It kept throwing me off to be reading it like that for the first twenty-five pages or so. But soon I developed a keen liking for it. I thought that using the present tense made the book much more exciting, putting you in the action instead of making the reader a bored spectator to the book. I truly admire Modesitt for going out on a limb like this. I think that it takes a lot of guts for an author to do something like this, especially in today's overly confined and narrow-minded society. Also, it did a great job of making this book stand out above all others. I read this book a while ago, but it's still vivid in my memory due to its radical and noteworthy style of writing. Chances are that I will remember this book for years to come, both as the absolutely excellent narrative that it was and the exquisite and daring foray into the present tense. Overall, this was a truly excellent book that I would recommend without any hesitation.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
My personal favorite of the series..., August 4, 2000
While The Magic Engineer is the best book of the series, objectively speaking, The Towers of the Sunset is still my personal favorite. Modesitt doesn't write Creslin in a manner that makes you love him or despise him, but simply respect him for what he can do. Yes the book can be excessively confusing, and it's true that the reader simply knows that Creslin can't be beaten. Nevertheless, Creslin's growth from naive pawn to master of his world is superbly entertaining and real. As usual, Modesitt makes the reader question what is right and what is wrong. The difference is that Creslin, unlike most of Modesitt's other Order Mages, rarely questions his decisions and motivations. He's arrogant and authoritative, and does what he needs to do to suceed. There is also an interesting look at the the sacrifices that must be made, in this case by both Creslin and Fairhaven, for a life safe and secure.
With the possible exception of Fall of Angels this is the best book to read stand alone from the series. If you enjoy harsh and real portrayals of powerful figures, then this is the book for you.
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