Outcasts of Order

The Saga of Recluce #20

by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Modesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with his 20th book in the long-running series. Beltur began his journey in The Mongrel Mage and continues with Outcasts of Order, the next book of his story arc.

USA Today Bestseller List
io9—Most Anticipated Sci Fi and Fantasy Books for June 2018
Unbound Worlds—The Best Sci Fi and Fantasy Books of June 2018

Beltur, an Order mage, discovers he possesses frightening powers not seen for hundreds of years. With his new abilities, he survives the war in Elparta and saves the lives of all. However, victory comes with a price. His fellow mages now see him as a threat to be destroyed, and the local merchants want to exploit his power.

There’s only one way he can remain free and survive—he’s going to have to run.

Saga of Recluce

#1 The Magic of Recluce / #2 The Towers of Sunset / #3 The Order War / #4 The Magic Engineer / #5 The Death of Chaos / #6 Fall of Angels / #7 The Chaos Balance / #8 The White Order / #9 Colors of Chaos / #10 Magi’i of Cyador / #11 Scion of Cyador / #12 Wellspring of Chaos / #13 Ordermaster / #14 Natural Order Mage / #15 Mage-Guard of Hamor / #16 Arms-Commander / #17 Cyador’s Heirs / #18 Heritage of Cyador /#19 The Mongrel Mage / #20 Outcasts of Order / #21 The Mage-Fire War

Story Collection: Recluce Tales

Other Series by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Imager Portfolio
The Corean Chronicles
The Spellsong Cycle
The Ghost Books
The Ecolitan Matter

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Magic, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Speculative Fiction

873 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 19, 2018

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

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all, I read these Recluse novels for one main reason. They're therapeutic. The main characters are good people, balanced, and just trying to do the best they can in difficult situations. It's a wonderful contrast to most of the fantasy I read.

This is no different. It may not be original at this point, having had the same kind of plot for most of these books, but the slowness of the pace and the in-depth everyday travails of survival WITH magic, love, and even a little mystery makes it all worthwhile.

From here, the second novel in a rare trilogy in the series, we spend more and more time in the growing and the journey and less with the usual subplot of war. I enjoyed it. At this point, it's almost always like coming home to your most comfy chair, snuggling up with tea, and listening to the fire.

I never imagined I'd feel this way from when I read the first book. But if I read it again, today, I'd probably feel just as warm and fuzzy. :)

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent addition to the Recluce books, another one about Beltar. This follows The Mongrel Mage & will be followed by another book. From Modesitt's web site, "I’ve finished the sequel to Outcasts of Order, which will be the third and final book about Beltur [yes, I know it’s the first time I’ve ever written three books about a character in the Saga of Recluce]. It’s entitled The Mage-Fire War, and it’s scheduled for publication and release in July of next year...."

This is not an action-packed fantasy novel. Modesitt concentrates on a lot of the daily drudge that normally isn't mentioned & also on the economics & feelings that drive many decisions. There was some fighting & tense situations as Beltur finds his place in the world & suffers a lot of completely undeserved discrimination.

Modesitt did a much better job with the horses, not that he's ever been bad. This time he had a shoe coming loose & curried the horse, although I've never heard of a "curry brush" & apparently he hasn't either. (It's a curry comb.) Interesting how minor things like that can get into a book. Everyone can look & still minor errors arise. Oh well. He worried about their feed & how tired they were getting which is fantastic. Riders got sore & everything about them was just realistic. I really appreciate that in a fantasy novel. My suspension of disbelief can only be stretched so far, so mundane elements that a realistic really keep me immersed in the world.

I'm really looking forward to the next one. It's a shame I'll have to wait a year. I intend to preorder it as soon as I can, though. I've heard that helps authors out a lot. I own & have read all the rest of his books, so I'm happy to add another to the collection, although I'm going to have to rearrange my bookshelf again. His books take up 2 full rows on the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelf I built into one wall of my bedroom with half a dozen hardback duplicates in another room. Unfortunately, the Recluce portion is totally full even stacking books. Sigh. Tough problem, right?
;)

For the full Recluce chronology including the short stories, see my review of the first book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2/3 of Beltur's adventures picks up where Mongrel Mage ended and continues in the same leisurely but very enjoyable style - Beltur goes back to being a patrol mage and making cupridium, courts Jessyla, is harassed by Cohndar and Waensyn etc until things come to an explosive climax in Elparta and as the blurb notes, Beltur's saga starts having similarities to Relyn's one (as we are reminded often when Beltur starts reading Relyn's memoirs at some point); and so it goes until by the end of the book we get to where Beltur fits into the history of Recluce as actually someone quite important though unknown in the future for reasons one can easily guess; I expect volume 3 to deal with the actual historical achievement of Beltur as volume 2 ends with him accepting the challenge (as a hint - the similarity with Relyn's main concrete achievement, though with a major twist here)

Excellent stuff and anyone who loved volume 1 will love this one

[Joe Goins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow and boring.

This book is a long, dragging set up for the next book. The antagonists in the book are not even a slight challenge for the hero as he has already conquered far stronger foes in the first book. The author could have easily left out 90% of the book, took the rest and added it to the end of book one or to the beginning of the forth coming third volume.

I have read almost every book the author has written and this book ishis least praise worthy effort.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modesitt's "Recluse" continues to dazzle!

The story of Beltur, a black order Mage with healing powers, and the companion of his heart, the healer Jessyla continues. Their path is hazadous. As always the on going balance between chaos (white magic) and order (black magic) is reflected throughout the situations that Beltur finds himself in. (The humble yet noble hero, who will make the hard decisions when faced with them, is a recurring theme in Modesitt's works and Beltur is no exception).
Is Beltur being guided by the ways of the universe of Recluse, the natural laws surrounding chaos and order as it were, or are random happenings encouraging non random outcomes? (I am always fascinated that somewhere writings that expound on order and chaos or principles and understandings of the universe appears for the main protagonist to ponder on, which we in turn are privy to. For Beltur such a work is the book, Considerations on the Nature of Man).
Beltur has become a challenge to those in power, not by any threatening actions on his part, but just by being. Beltur works for the city as a Patrol Mage--very effectively, and always with compassion. But the fact that he and the smith Jorhan, are producing cupridium blades and everyday objects by Beltur infusing order/chaos patterns into them, might have something to do with the disquiet of those in charge. It may just be a simple matter of tariffs and economics--other people's, or possibly because another Mage further up in the city"s hierarchy has his eyes on the healer Jessyla. Or perhaps all three. To maintain his freedom it seems Beltur must leave Elparta. The decision is not easy but other's choices leave Beltur very little alternative.
This is Modesitt's twentieth novel in the Recluse series (and yes like others, I read them from the very beginning when "The Magic of Recluse" burst upon the Fantasy/Sci fi world stage). His writings continue to dazzle me, even as I greet them like well known and loved friends, interesting companions on my decades old fantasy reading journey, continually and satisfyingly familiar, yet injecting some new aspect and situation into my understandings of Recluse the place.
This new novel and the formidable characters capture me. Echoes of previous Recluse novels ring faintly through the pages. I know this place! The philosophies embedded in the writing are thought provoking. I am always left satisfied yet wanting more of this fascinating world and the characters Modesitt creates.
Another absorbing read!

A NetGalley ARC

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

l found this second book featuring the Mongrel Mage much more enjoyable than the first one, and more in line with the previous Recluse books l've enjoyed.

lt starts off not long after the events of the Mongrel Mage and features the characters l enjoyed, along with some new ones. The powers that be among the Mages in charge are still jealous of Beltur, his powers and relationship with Jessyla.

This pushes him to a decision that he's been reluctant to pursue. l'll not go into any spoilers. The story follows the formula of previous Recluse books, likeable characters, other characters to serve as foils, and circumstances that lead to difficult decisions. l look forward to the next one

[Metaphorosis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews

Summary:

Having fled one country already, the black-mage-trained-as-white Beltur is trying to make a place in Elparta for himself and his intended Jessyla. The local Council has other plans, and soon Beltur, Jessyla, and their friends are on the run once again.

Review:

"You're a black mage."
"Yes, but I was trained as white. I saw a lot of death and never knew enough about healing."
"A mage and healer. That's ... rare."
"There are a few. I'm just learning."
"Your healer wife is also a mage? That's ... rare."
"Yes."
"The Council ... doesn't like you."
"The Council doesn't like paying for things."
"You're a ... very powerful mage."
"I just move bits of free order around and always add some to wounds."
"You like to always do the right thing ... don't you?"
"I try to."
Sigh. "Hold this and try not to screw it up."
"I can do that."

I'm sorry to say that the above invented dialogue conveys about 75% of the story of Outcasts of Order. Beltur essentially has the same conversation over and over and over again with different characters. And then he tells his wife about having had the conversation, in detail. And then he tells his friends about telling his wife about having had the conversation. In detail. He and virtually everyone else explain things at the drop of a hat - but it's almost always the same things: how he got where he is, how he was trained as a white mage, how he's worried about not earning enough, and how, yes, he's a healer mage, and yes, they're very rare. The repetition is leavened only by contemplation of some fairly broad social lessons along the "Do unto others..." line.

Modesitt's Recluce novels have always essentially been the same story, about the same character type, a collection of verbal tics, and some valuable life lessons. It's worked because it's an appealing character type, the life lessons are positive, and there's an intriguing backstory. Unfortunately, this time (or at this point), Modesitt is carrying the formula too far, and no one has bothered to edit him. There's a decent story here, but it could and should have been told in 200 pages, instead of well over 600 of excruciating minutiae. Modesitt seems to search out mundane things to tell us. At one point, Beltur and Jessyla are entering a new city with a pack mule of goods. He tells the guard he has “Personal goods, inspector. Blankets, clothing, a few cooking pieces, some bedding . . .” The guard replies “That seems . . . strange.” No, it doesn't. It's absolutely normal material for a traveler to carry..

By the midpoint of the book, we've heard the same conversations and explanations dozens of times; there's nothing new to learn from them, and the verbal tics are just getting annoying. (No one ever answers a request with "Yes"; it's always "I can do that.") There are also some basic continuity errors - for example, he sets a dislocated shoulder, but 200 pages later, has never seen one.

Beltur's rectitude - required of him by his black-mage nature - is also strikingly flexible. He's all about doing the right thing, but is somehow able to kill annoying, unthreatening people without a qualm. He bends over backward when challenged by 'good' people, but is pretty easily riled by 'bad' people. There's also more than one would hope of a Robert Jordan-y 'women are wise and wonderful' feel, and a tendency to segregate men's and women's work. There's nominally a lot of forging going on, but all it seems to take is a bellows, some melted copper, and a heated form. It goes remarkably quickly.

I still enjoy the world of Recluce, but this latest book, at least, was stretched far beyond it's breaking point. Perhaps the silver lining is that a reader could dip in just once every ten pages or so, and miss very, very little, because it's all being repeated all the time anyway.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beltur is seen as a threat by his fellow mages and as a tool to be used to enrich the trader council. When an attempt is made on his life, he and the healer Jessyla are forced to flee the city in the middle of winter. They are accompanied by Lhadoraak's seven year old daughter is developing into a white mage under Beltur's tutoring. While encountering many difficulties along the way they do make some important friendships. This is an enjoyable Recluce tale.

[Christopher Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful. The story had no major plot points we just followed the main character as he traveled town to town as he was exiled for being too powerful and too proud. That and he killed some bandits and murdered at least one person who did nothing overt against him.

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does more or less pick up where the previous book left off, and we find Beltur recovering from the effects of his previous adventure and mourning the loss of one of his friends. He is a refugee in a new city, struggling to establish himself and earn as much as he can, as he wishes to settle down with a special someone. However, there are obstacles to his ambition…

If you are in the mood for a foot-to-the-floor adventure, where it is all kicking off at a breathless rate, then this one isn’t for you. Modesitt doesn’t write like that – he slowly builds the world by taking you through his protagonist’s daily routine in every little detail. We learn what Beltur thinks about the worsening weather conditions; how he feels about working at the forge and the Healing House; what he wears; what he likes to eat and drink; who he trusts; what he thinks about having to get up early in the mornings… I’ll be honest, while I enjoy the accretion of all these daily details, there were times when in this book I felt that the pacing had become just a bit a too stuck in the daily rhythm. There are also places where Modesitt’s normally smooth prose is a little rough around the edges. While I’m aware this is an arc and there are liable to be changes, I do hope some of the missing words and repetitions are sorted out before the publication date. That said, it wasn’t sufficient to blunt my engagement with the story and most of the time, I relished once more being immersed in this richly depicted world.

What all that detail means is that when it does kick off – there is a real sense of shock at the violence and the consequences that occur in its wake. I like Beltur and the people around him, although there are times when I’d like to see him a little more grumpy and not so unfailingly good. As a result, the person who I really bonded with, is the healer and emerging mage, Jessyla. I do like the fact she can be quite snarky, at times.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one – though I recommend that you start with The Mongrel Mage and I’m delighted there is to be a third book in this series. Recommended for fans of epic fantasy. While I obtained an arc of Outcasts of Order from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

[Nicholas George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone expecting the high drama, action and bloodthirsty intrigue of "A Game of Thrones" in a Modesitt fantasy saga will be sorely disappointed. This prolific author's books are far more leisurely and sedate, with clashes and battles very scarce. This one is no different, and with Modesitt that's a blessing (you know what to expect) and a curse (if you've read one you feel like you've read them all). What I like is the world-building cosmology of the forces of chaos and order and their various rules. In one sense they seem like a credible (though admittedly fanciful) explanation for the existence of good and evil. Be prepared, however, for hundreds of pages where nothing much happens, or the same small thing keeps happening again and again.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt a bit like a filler book. Still an enjoyable read but quite slow and more repetition than I would've preferred. Was a longer book than was necessary. So much of the book was similar conversations with people and then conveying that conversation to his consort and maybe again to his friends and always in detail. I just didn't need to hear the details of conversations two to three times each.
I did love the medical and the magery and all the teaching being done. This book is still comfort food to me being a series I love. Just not my favourite volume. I will say the last 50 or so pages do have me quite interested in the next book though.

[Christian Freed · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I would have given it higher since I really enjoy his writing style and the easy flow of his books, but the sheer repetition of the first 700 pages was gnawing on my nerves. Then, the ending felt rushed and out of place with the rest of the book. I got the impression he realized he was getting long winded and needed to wrap it up in a hurry. At over 800 pages, this was a long volume in the series and he still has another one to go with these characters. I fully plan on buying the next one however.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has great character development but its a bit slow. I am totally bought into the universe so it gets 4 stars despite how slow it is.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an overly long, dull book, with the usual issues of repetitive explanations and strange names that are confusingly similar. The only excitement comes from a few confrontations with thieves and a few men of power who confront the MC.
For the first 225 pages, absolutely nothing happens. Then the MCs flee to another land, where for a couple hundred more pages they set up house. To relieve the boredom, trouble shows up on their doorstep. This is seemingly resolved easily and quickly.
Then a trivial family rivalry ends in tragedy, and some scenes were surprisingly moving to me. The outcome of this episode cause the MCs and their enlarged party to leave again. Finally they arrive at a welcoming land with a challenging but intriguing opportunity.
There are references to past books that I only vaguely recognized. They end up in Haven, which may have been important previously, or else I am remembering another series.

[Kurtbg · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Old age & treachery often triumph over youth an ability” especially when backed by institutions.

“Those who believe blindly usually try to push their beliefs on others.”


“Don’t ever try to convince others by fact or logic. A stupid man will not be swayed by facts. An intelligent man already know th facts, and f he doesn’t agree with you, ether has more accurate information, or his personal beliefs prevent him from accepting what you know to be true. In either case, insisting on pressing facts and logic will only strengthen their beliefs that they are correct and you are not. A gentle question, politely framed can help deter,me the basis for firmness and what and what course of action is appropriate.”

[Patrick St-Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modesitt fans got spoiled in 2017 with two different Recluce books published; Recluce Tales and The Mongrel Mage. And although the 19th installment in the saga, this one also the opening chapter in a much bigger tale, was a good read, it felt as though the novel was not as self-contained as other similar Recluce offerings. Back then, I believed that The Mongrel Mage was the beginning of a brand new story arc, the first book in what would likely be another two-volume sequence. But it turns out that Beltur has a big story to tell. L. E. Modesitt, jr. tried to write this story arc in his habitual two-book format, yet the manuscripts soon reached a size that made it impossible for Tor Books to release them as a pair of novels.

Hence, the decision was made to split Beltur's tale into three separate installments. Which explained why The Mongrel Mage did not stand as well on its own as I expected. And now my fear was that Outcasts of Order would suffer from the middle book syndrome. Given the fact that there was never meant to be a second volume, I was afraid that all the good stuff and resolution would take place in the final chapter of the cycle and that this new Recluce offering would act as some sort of interlude. And now that I've read it, it did feel a bit incongruous compared to its predecessors.

Here's the blurb:

Modesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with his 20th book in the long-running series. Beltur began his journey in The Mongrel Mage and continues with Outcasts of Order, the next book of his story arc in the Saga of Recluce.

Beltur, an Order mage, discovers he possesses frightening powers not seen for hundreds of years. With his new abilities, he survives the war in Elparta and saves the lives of all. However, victory comes with a price. His fellow mages now see him as a threat to be destroyed, and the local merchants want to exploit his power.

There’s only one way he can remain free and survive—he’s going to have to run.

Personally, I've always felt that the worldbuilding was one of the most fascinating aspects of these new Recluce books. It's too early to tell how Beltur's story will fit in the greater scheme of things, yet I'm looking forward to discovering how he'll leave his own indelible mark upon the Recluce timeline. In The Mongrel Mage, we did learn a lot about Elparta. This continues in Outcasts of Order and we discover more about Axalt and Montgren. And while Beltur trains as a healer and as he trains both Jessyla and young Taelya, we do learn a lot about Chaos, Order, and the manner in which they can both be used for healing.

As a matter of course, Modesitt continues to explore the relationship between Order and Chaos, one of the trademarks of this series. In Cyador's Heirs and Heritage of Cyador, being able to manipulate both Order and Chaos forced Lerial to test the limits of what he could do, often with unanticipated results. The same goes for Beltur. Although trained as a White Mage, he soon finds out that he's more Black than he ever thought possible. This strange dichotomy doesn't sit well with some of his newfound allies, hence the nickname of mongrel mage. The unexpected discovery that Taelya, daughter of a Black Mage, has the potential of becoming a very powerful White Mage forces Beltur to teach her what he knows before she can hurt herself.

As was the case in The Mongrel Mage, the characterization would have benefited from more POV protagonists. In the last Recluce story arc, Lerial, a teenager with an inquisitive mind, was a sympathetic protagonist which was easy to root for. Although his heart is always in the right place, Beltur can be dense at times and he's not as endearing as Lerial turned out to be. Still, having grown on me over the course of a novel already, Beltur is easier to root for in this sequel. Once again, the supporting cast is particularly engaging, chief among them the baker mage Meldryn, the Healers Margrena and her daughter Jessyla, Jorhan the smith, as well as Lhadoraak and his wife and daughter.

Modesitt's novels are never fast-paced affairs and The Mongrel Mage was no exception to that rule. As was the case in every Recluce installment, the author needed time to establish the various plotlines. Once done, you then follow the main character as he or she must learn, experiment, and puzzle out ways to escape a number of predicaments before the endgame can take place. In that respect, The Mongrel Mage followed the classic Recluce recipe and long-time fans end up with another compelling read. Problem is, Outcasts of Order is a middle book and offers nothing in the way of resolution. So yes, the pace can be an issue at times. Its predecessor was an introduction, and this second installment builds on those plotlines to bridge the gap between the events chronicled within the pages of The Mongrel Mage and the finale to come in the final volume. To a certain extent, Outcasts of Order was only meant to give Beltur the opportunity to train more and get more powerful, and to ultimately get the characters to Montgren, where it's now evident Beltur and company will leave their mark upon the history of Recluce.

And though it suffered from middle book syndrome, Outcasts of Order nevertheless sets the stage for what should be an interesting endgame. I'm curious to see how Beltur will make history and what obstacles he'll have to overcome in order to do so.

For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[Markus Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the Recluse Series. I enjoy the characters of this book. I finished it out of curiosity and devotion, but the delivery was painful. Wash, rinse, and repeat. I would think that the action in the prior book would provide more confidence and direction in the 2nd book. Yes, I will read what looks to be a setup of another book, but one might consider making it a two book run rather than a 3 book run on this character especially with rushing the end . . .

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent, typical read for those familiar with Recluce, however it's the middle book of a trilogy that begins with The Mongrel Mage, so read that one first. This one has the government of the conservative status quo combined with constant monitoring. It has it's pros and cons, mostly cons for unique people like Beltur. Once again he and his friends have to move along.

[Shane Jardine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of L.E. Modesitt Jr’s books ever since I stumbled across his Saga of Recluce series over 15 years ago, so I was pretty excited when I received my copy of the newest book in the mail a few weeks ago. Outcasts of Order by L.E. Modesitt Jr was a fun and fast-paced story full of enough action, adventure, and political intrigue to keep you on the edge of your seat and constantly guessing what’s going to happen next. I don’t know why I always insist on starting a new book when I get home from work in the evenings when I know if I like it I won’t have the willpower to stop reading it until I’m too exhausted to focus on the words. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I was up reading this book until around 4 am in the morning.

I don’t think I’ve disliked a single Recluce book so far so I know going in that I was going to enjoy Outcasts of Order, but I’m honestly a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed reading it and how quickly it has become one of my favorite books in the series. As good as the Recluce books are they can be a bit repetitive at times I thought this book really stood apart from most of the others. One of the things I liked the most about this book is the fact that it takes place a decent amount of time before the founding of Recluce so I feel like we get to see order and chaos through the eyes of people who don’t see everything as black and white as the people of Recluce seem to.

I always enjoy when we see that order mages can be as petty and power hungry as anyone else or how not all chaos mages are evil down to their bones like we do in this book. I also liked the fact that much of Outcasts of Order takes place on the road as Beltur and his companions flee from town to town and country to country in search of a safe and stable place to call home. May of the Recluce books take place in a very localized area, even when the protagonist is riding off to war or exile, so it’s nice that this one feels like a bit more of a traveling adventure story. Though it’s always a little bit odd when we get a book in the Saga of Recluce that doesn’t focus on crafting as heavily as most of the earlier books do.

Now normally this is where I would probably list and complain about the little things in Outcasts of Order that bother me, which tend to be the same things that bother me in every Recluce book, but they didn’t really happen much here. It’s both nice and a little bit weird that we didn’t get a ridiculous amount of detail on what Beltur or his friends were eating or drinking or how many times they chewed before swallowing. I noticed this same lack of detail the Mongrel Mage as well, but I thought the lack was definitely more noticeable here. I feel like a bit of a hypocrite because I kind of miss it and almost want to complain about the lack of such details when normally they would be the thing that bothers me the most.

I think I can honestly say I would rate Outcasts of Order up there as one of my favorite books in the Saga of Recluce and I would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for something new to read. Though I would suggest reading The Mongrel Mage first so that you get Beltur’s story from the very beginning. I expected this to be a duology like most of the Recluce books seem to be but its clearly a trilogy and I can’t wait to see what happens to Beltur and his friends next.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Outcasts of Order" eBook was published in 2018 (June) and was written by L. E. Modesitt Jr. (http://www.lemodesittjr.com). Mr. Modesitt has published nearly 80 novels. This is the twentieth novel in his "Saga of Recluse" series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence and a little Mature Language. The story is set in a world where magic is possible. This novel continues to follow the young Mage Beltur introduced in "The Mongrel Mage".

Beltur, though raised by his uncle and trained as a While Mage, has found he is a powerful Black Mage. He used his skill to help defend Elparta from invasion. Now that the threat is over, he finds himself under new threats.

For some in Elparta he is too strong in magic and they see him as a threat to their power. His romantic interest in a young healer, Jessyla, is seen as a threat by a Black Mage that desires her. His ability to aid the coppersmith Jorhan to cast rare and beautiful cupridium pieces is seen as a threat to the traders.

He finds that he must flee Elparta in fear of his life. Jessyla insists on coming with him and becoming his consort (wife). They must face the dangers of traveling to Axalt. Not only must they travel through winter storms, but brigands threaten travelers along the road.

Once they arrive in Axalt, things are better, or at least seem so on the surface. Both Jessyla and Beltur are able to further their skills as Healers. Baltur is able to produce more cupridium pieces with Jorhan. He is an outsider though and different. Even though they have distanced themselves from Elparta, the Council there tries to make trouble for him as his friends.

Beltur must protect himself and his friends from attack from one direction after another. It becomes a question of how far will he have to go. What will he have to do to survive? Will he ever find a place that he and Jessyla can have a home and a family?

I thoroughly enjoyed the 19+ hours I spent reading this 656 page fantasy. I have enjoyed reading the last two novels in the "Saga of Recluce", and they make me want to go back and start the series from the beginning. This novel reads pretty well on its own, but certainly reading "The Mongrel Mage" first helps. I do like the characters that have been created. Beltur, while a very strong Mage, is still finding his own strengths and abilities. This novel was a little slower than the previous one, though I did still find myself drawn to reading it. This novel is more about his growth as a Mage and a Healer. I like the cover art chosen for this novel. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

he Saga of Recluce is an interesting series, told in small book arcs and self-contained novels, jumping back and forth through the timeline, with each story adding more depth and color to the world. Books 19 through 21 form one such arc, centered around a mage by the name of Beltur. They are an interesting read, but not one of L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s better efforts.

While the books do have their moments, I found them to be largely dry in both the telling and the details, sluggish in their pacing, and repetitive in content. I’m okay with a leisurely told story, so long as it does move forward, developing the characters and advancing the plot. In The Mongrel Mage we spend the first 150 pages riding to a handful of identical villages, having the same conversations with the same stock characters, and watching as Beltur skulks around similar-looking walls, listening to similarly banal snippets of conversation. In Outcasts of Order we spend 200 pages healing, smithing, marching, talking, and walking through snow. In The Mage-Fire War we seem to keep reading in circles, with characters doing something in one chapter, talking about it in the next, and thinking about in the one that follows.

It doesn’t help that Beltur is such a bland protagonist. He does grow on you, but he’s too good, too nice, too even to be interesting. It’s rare that we see any emotion from him other than casual concern for the social injustices of the world or mildly frustrated romantic longing for Jessyla. Okay, so that last one is a bit unfair as his courtship of Jessyla is one of the high points of the trilogy (alongside Taelya), and the books only really come alive when either of them step onto the page.

Where the books do excel, and this is something Modesitt always does well, is in the more intellectual aspects. There are puzzles and mysteries galore, medical and magical experimentation that further builds upon what we know of Order, Chaos, and the shades of grey in between. There is a solid story behind all that, an intellectual journey that establishes Beltur’s place in history, and were the three books condensed into one, with all the repetition removed, there’s a strong novel to be found.

Everything does end on a high note inThe Mage-Fire War (which was, otherwise, the weakest of the three books), with the standoff in Haven, the establishment of Fairhaven, and the development of Taelya – who, despite my reservations about this arc, I’m eager to catch up with in Fairhaven Rising next year.


https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/...

[Frode · Rating 4 out of 5]

L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is one of my favorite fantasy authors. His books have a nice pace to them, and he makes the places and people real with all the details such as what they eat and wear and what the surroundings are like. Outcasts of Order is the second in his series about Beltur, a young black mage who was reared as a white. This book picks up after the war between Spidlar and Gallos.

Beltur goes back to some of his pre-war activities, patrolling and working with Jothan the smith to make cupridium wares: swords, daggers, candelabras, mirrors, and so forth. However, circumstances brought about by envy and greed on the parts of others force him to leave Elparta. He and a couple of others travel to Axalt with some traders. Some action is required when they are attacked by brigands.

Axalt is welcoming, but it is also very traditional, which Beltur is not. Beltur practices and learns some healing and teaches his healer consort some magery. Two events occur that shift things for Beltur, and it is apparent that he will have to move on, which he eventually does. His goal is Montgren, where he is favorably received and offered a job at cleaning up and running a town. That story will be taken up in the next book.

The author makes a few favorable references to a deceased black mage who was a homosexual. Athaal was a nice fellow, and so is Meldryn, his partner. It seems part of the author’s pitch that people who are different are still people. Certainly Beltur is different. Of course, some really bad people in the book are also people, but they are dispensed with, usually by killing them. One wonders if an agenda is being pushed. Mr. Modesitt puts in some interchanges about human nature and greed that are interesting. It is apparent that he believes the letter of the law is often perverted for the benefit of those in power. Worse yet, sometimes laws are passed to give advantage to those in power. Yep, what's new?

I generally liked the book and look forward to the next one in the series. Beltur is a good hero. He is capable and steps up to meet the situations that come his way, but at times he wonders about himself and what he did. He is not a proud person, and he attempts to do what is right although it doesn’t always turn out the way he hopes.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fear can unite people behind the most unsuitable of leaders, especially when that fear is strong and targeted at a common enemy, or those who are different, or sometimes both. When people are fearful, the last thing they want to hear is that their fears are unreasonable or unjustified."

In his recent Recluce books, Modesitt has included more direct commentary on current events, making them even more interesting a read. Corrupt leadership - and often particularly corrupt/selfish Traders - have always been a background part of the tales he has told, vary rarely is it the main story like it is now. Gender discrimination has been at the forefront too but now he's showing more depth and layers of the problem. As this was book two of the first three book tale in the Recluce Saga, there felt to be more space for the tale to breathe and look around, and see the world as it is: a world different but similar to our own, with people suffering from abuse, corruption, sexism, poverty, xenophobia, and simple ordinary pettiness and selfishness.

But we also get to see people being honest and decent with each other, and even get to see someone empathize with a rival's position and decisions. There's an acknowledgement that sometimes the options are "bad" or "worse", and that there's a burry line where selfishness goes from troubling to destructive.

Particular to that world: we finally learn more about the teachings of Relyn and his gospel of Order. We seen the potential of Order and Chaos mages to work together! We see actual direct Magely teaching for the first time - and the teacher is able to guide their students by explaining that everyone must learn their own way, but still helps them find the ways that work. We get to see more lands we have only glimpsed at over the years. And we are left set up for what should be a vary interesting conclusion to this story.

(Edit: after thinking through the ending a little more, along with geography of Candar, I have a suspicion of what the next book will feature, and am now even more excited for the upcoming finale. If my assumption is right, it would be a remarkable bit of lost history, featuring some of the unique ironic contradictions for which this whole saga is noted.)

[Tom Intiso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, an excellent piece of work!

After 21 books, I have finally settled on what makes this series so uniquely phenomenal.

In many ways, most might consider these books dry, or at least pedantic, to say the least. However, what makes them truly appealing is not just the unique approach to magic, but the study in morality that Modesutt uses as the basis for each of his books.

Whether of the “black” or the “white,” each of his protagonists must cope with the conflict between his inherent desire to do “the right thing,” and the machinations of those in power, be they politicians or the wealthy. Invariably, and somewhat humorously, his protagonists end up becoming wealthy politicians as the only recourse that will allow them to do “right.”

Without a doubt it is certainly an interesting outlook on the meaning and uses of “power,” and it is even more certainly rife with implication for our contemporary world.

Perhaps the most important point he makes is not one to be found in any specific book, although he does allude to it more than once in THIS book, and that is that in any conflict, both sides are almost always absolutely convinced that their side is right. This in turn leads to judgments of good and evil, but things are NEVER that black and white (pardon the pun).

Modesitt aptly demonstrates this by building narratives around key figures from both sides, the black and the white, and lets us see specific events from the perspectives of those key figures on either side. Suddenly, good and evil, right and wrong, are much less clear and far more complicated than such simple labels would imply.

Again, I will repeat what I said in my review of the previous book: I am astounded to realize that Fairhaven, the “Great White City,” turns out to have been founded by a black! The irony is not lost on me.

If you’ve read the entire series, you know what I mean.
If you haven’t, don’t read this book. Yes, they do read sufficiently well as stand alone volumes, but you are losing a tremendous wealth of context, which is invaluable.

Do yourself a favor. Start with “The Magic of Recluce,” and then work your way forward. You won’t regret it

[Paul Calhoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally it's the lovable rogues who recount the long list of towns they've been thrown out of. This time, it's the super-duper responsible wizard who keeps being evicted. It's kind of funny that Beltur can't catch a break.

"I'm going to settle down in this city."
"You're making all the other mages look like twits; get out."
"Well, this very lawful town seems nice. I think I'll buy a house."
"You're shaking up the status quo; buzz off."
"Y'all realize I can make super amazing magic copper that no one else has in years."
"Yeah, and it's messing up the economy. Who needs the black market when you keep making new things? Get out."
"This is getting silly. I can heal, make super-metal, conceal, shield, "
"Yes, and it creeps us out that you do all that but don't want to be in charge. It's suspicious."
"This is the most paranoid continent. I'm going to Recluce!"
"Hey, don't bring us into this. We're not even sure if we exist yet."
"Hamor?"
"Does Candar even do ships?"
"Those continents nobody ever talks about."
"..."

And so on.
You could swap this cast for the one in the series finale of Imager and get a very similar story. Not exactly a bad thing, but I feel like the "responsible person is persecuted" concept has been explored pretty thoroughly. I feel like this is the continuation of the "life's unfair" series of stories where we saw how people who aren't prepared get screwed, people who are prepared get screwed, the smart and stupid get screwed, and the improvisers get screwed. I think the overall message of the last 10 years of Modesitt books is, "it doesn't matter who you are, life isn't easy."

Enough rambling. Point is, I liked it, it was a fun exploration of someone who is excellent and thus suspect, and I enjoyed going deep into the daily lives of mid-temporal Candarians.

[Clay Kallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume following Beltur, a Black mage who was raised White and thus confuses mages of both types. (If you don't know the difference between the two, it all starts back in volume 1, "The Magic of Recluce," and that's definitely where to begin.) Beltur's conflicts with authority continue, and unlike most Recluce books, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., takes his time getting to what's obviously going to happen.

Once there, though, the pace picks up and the usual complexities ensue.

In "Outcasts of Order," though, Beltur spends a lot of time working in what amounts to an emergency room, and that gives Modesitt a chance to focus on the evils of domestic violence. Women and children arrive beaten and/or with broken bones, as men take advantage of their strength and their position in a patriarchal society to physically abuse those with less power.

It's this kind of focus that elevates the Recluce series, and in "Outcasts of Order," it's not the only overarching issue Modesitt tackles. The economy of the unnamed world is capitalistic, and with that economic format comes a disparity between rich and poor. Beltur wants to help the poor and suffering, even though he has little money, but realizes there are many, many poor people and he can do nothing that will help them all. At the same, the value and importance of trade and development is clear, so it's not as if Modesitt is settling for a simplistic world view. His fantasy world is a political and economic whole -- at least as far as such models can be complete -- and its realism, for better and worse, is part of its attraction.

[Klobetime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 20th entry in the Saga of Recluce and a direct sequel to The Mongrel Mage. Like many (if not most) of the books in this series, the basic plot points are the same: talented young man develops a unique set of skills, falls afoul of the power structure, and uses his wits to stay alive and safe while cultivating a group of unbelievably nice and honest people. While not breaking any new ground, Modesitt imbues a life into his characters that invests you emotionally and keeps you turning page after page. Once scene in particular brought a tear to my eye; the wife of a recently killed man (Barrynt) is speaking at his funeral. "It was when Barrynt and I first rode up to this house. He turned and looked to me and said, 'You're home now.' I was, but what made it home was Barrynt." The sentiment perfectly captures the love two people can have for one another. I greatly look forward to the next volume in the epic.

First Sentence:

Beltur sat bolt upright in the dark, sweating and shivering, the echo of thunder in his ears so loud that it took a moment before he could hear the pelting of heavy raindrops on the split slate roof.

[MM · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written masterpiece of writing from one of the best there is. Does it sound like I am biased?

I so thoroughly enjoy good writing and Mr Modesitt does a fabulous job. It is not just the writing that is so enjoyable though. It is his ability to relay, the the main character's view, a uncommonly refreshing view of truth about people and their activities: "sometimes, when you try to avoid something too much, you end up drawing it to you." "when people are fearful, the last thing they want to hear is that their fears are unreasonable or unjustified." "Those who believe blindly usually try to press their beliefs on others. Of course, they insist that what they believe is only the truth."

I've read everything Mr. Modesitt has published. More than once. I find his books uplifting and I find I have a clearer view of things - especially people and their intentions and motivations - after I've read some of his writing.

Mr. Modesitt is particularly adept with his portrayal of villains and their deeds and activities and complete, (in some cases), lack of empathy or their disregard of others, (while attempting to appear to be the opposite). Having the misfortune of having met some of these types in my personal life and taking their measure, (and bearing the scars of the association), it surprised me to see that he has duplicated this type of personality so well in his writings.

Loved this book. Five outstanding stars!

[William Bentrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outcasts of Order by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
This will be the 31st Modesitt I have reviewed. I don’t doubt that I read some before I started by blog. I have to say I am never disappointed. This is another novel set in the Recluce environment. Beltur, identified as a mongrel, in the Mongrel Mage is the focus of this book. After serving his nation, perhaps too well, in the war, Beltur finds his success and strength engender fear and jealousy in his community. Beltur is forced to make a change.
Modesitt is a philosopher. I don’t know that he has ever identified himself as such but his topics and musings certainly indicate that he writes far more than entertainment. This book deals with discrimination in many forms. Fear and a climate of intolerance provide some of the settings. The plight of the poor and uneducated is addressed and society’s obligation to an under-represented segment of the populace is highlighted. Sound familiar? Picked up a newspaper recently? You know the paper version of the digital newsfeed.
If you can handle deeply intricate character studies, Modesitt is not for you. He provides insight to the character’s motivation as well as their insecurities and fears.
Another excellent, thought provoking book by Modesitt which I highly recommend.