The Ecologic Secession

Ecolitan Matter #2

by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Spanning the human galaxy, the Empire is all-powerful, its agents everywhere, its military forces huge and technologically advanced. No human or alien forces have ever been able to stand against its power.

But now, on the planet of Accord, at the Ecolitan Institute, the seeds of change have been sown.

Jimjoy Earle Wright was the best, the smartest and the toughest secret agent in the Empire forces - until his employers decided to kill him for political reasons. But Jimjoy survived the assassination attempts and fought his way to safety on accord. And there the Ecolitan Institute won his loyalty and changed his identity, Now he is James Joyson Whaler, Ecolitan, in the middle of a war of independence against inconceivable superior forces.

Jimjoy will win or die, as his friends perish and the odds increase against him. What is the cost of victory to a hero?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 15, 1990

About the author

L. E. (Leland Exton) Modesitt, Jr. is an author of science fiction and fantasy novels. He is best known for the fantasy series The Saga of Recluce. He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts, lived in Washington, D.C. for 20 years, then moved to New Hampshire in 1989 where he met his wife. They relocated to Cedar City, Utah in 1993.

He has worked as a Navy pilot, lifeguard, delivery boy, unpaid radio disc jockey, real estate agent, market research analyst, director of research for a political campaign, legislative assistant for a Congressman, Director of Legislation and Congressional Relations for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a consultant on environmental, regulatory, and communications issues, and a college lecturer and writer in residence.
In addition to his novels, Mr. Modesitt has published technical studies and articles, columns, poetry, and a number of science fiction stories. His first short story, "The Great American Economy", was published in 1973 in Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Liviu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book about the foundation of the Accord Coordinate and featuring Imperial Special ops JimJoy Wright now transformed into Ecolitan James Joyson Whaler with a different physical profile due to the Accord's biotech capabilities, while his DNA identifiable "dead body" was retrieved by the Empire, starts where The Ecolita Operation left off and continues as an old-fashioned adventure sf with military overtones including space battles until the expected end; together with the first volume it forms a long continuous novel and while it generally kept my interest to the end, this one was much more predictable and less fresh than the first half

[Boremomsn.Com · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best Modesitt book I've read yet. The author actually makes the reader care about the characters, whereas in previous books, he didn't develop them enough to make you care about them, just to superficially wonder how they would fare. The story still jumps and transitions are harsh at times. There is an on-going dialogue between someone named Mort and Blaine, which eventually comes into focus, but overall, is nothing more than a confusing distraction. Too bad his editors let him keep it in the story. I don't necessarily recommend this book - there is better science fiction available - but if you are a Modesitt fan, it's early in his career, so if you read all the books in the series to this point, you will notice that he is getting better with his craft. Still, there is better sci-fi out there.

[Pickyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I love the futurist hero Jimjoy. He is an idealist to the extreme but humble and much loved. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

[Rick English · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this author quite a bit. He writes science fiction and fantasy. This is science fiction, which is not his strongest suit.
I found the battle scenec to be a bit boring. That doesn't mean I won't continue reading the series. Because it has potential as it moves forward

[Victor Vilchiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

good 2nd installment to the series.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

How they manage to dissuade the Empire from attacking their colony when it secedes.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book picks up more or less exactly where the other one left off, continuing the story of Accord and the Empire. I enjoyed the book and expect that I’ll pick up the sequel at some point, but it had a couple of issues that I found difficult to overcome. First, unlike some of his other works, I never felt like I understood the structures of the Empire, or Accord for that matter. As I said in my review of the previous book, it’s interesting to see Modesitt’s earlier takes on his typical themes, and while I don’t think it was as successful as his later works, I still enjoyed it.

Recommended provisionally; don’t make this your first Modesitt, but if you're exploring the back catalog, enjoy

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. Felt there was good character growth. Looking forward to book 3.

[Akira Watts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining enough, I suppose except 1) it is increasingly difficult to take a character named Jimjoy seriously and 2) the romance side plot is absolutely fucking excruciating.

[Steve Pillinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A suitably exciting sequel to 'The Ecolitan Operation'; though, as with many of Modesitt's books, I got a little tired of the heroine's constant displeasure with the hero over apparently trifling matters. This and 'The Ecolitan Operation' reveal more clearly than other series an otherwise unseen facet of Modesitt's complex background, namely his involvement with and keen interest in politics and all the machinations involved therein.