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The Hammer of Darkness
Martin Martel is an exile in trouble with the gods in this SF novel by the bestselling writer L. E, Modesitt, Jr, now back in a new trade papeback edition from Tor.
After finding out that he has unusual powers, he is banished from the planet Karnak. Martin is thrust into the tranquil world of Aurore, vacation paradise for the galaxy. There he finds that the reality of Aurore is much different from its serene veneer. The gods are wantonly cruel and indifferent to the chaos they cause: are they really gods or just men and women with larger-than-life powers? Whatever the answer Martin Martel must challenge their supremacy to defend his life, love, and the fate of all mankind.
After finding out that he has unusual powers, he is banished from the planet Karnak. Martin is thrust into the tranquil world of Aurore, vacation paradise for the galaxy. There he finds that the reality of Aurore is much different from its serene veneer. The gods are wantonly cruel and indifferent to the chaos they cause: are they really gods or just men and women with larger-than-life powers? Whatever the answer Martin Martel must challenge their supremacy to defend his life, love, and the fate of all mankind.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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281 people want to read
About the author
L.E. Modesitt Jr.
191 books2,591 followersL. 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 11, 2017
Slow, brooding, boring.
Sigh.
Još jedna knjiga od gosn Modesita koja mi nije legla. Ideja je originalna, i ima jako puno stvari koji vode ne razmišljanje ali sama knjiga je dosta naporna za čitanje. Glavni lik je tu glavni krivac pošto je on po meni klasičan primer emo lika. Tih, povučen, prepun samožaljenja, neodlučan i stalno teško melaholičan. Sjedne stvare to omogućava da knjiga ima vrlo jedinstvenu atmosferu ali posle 50tak strana počinje već da smara.
A nije mi se ni svidela rezolucija knjige, sve je nekako suviše filozofski.
Ima potencijala ali nije bila za mene.
Sigh.
Još jedna knjiga od gosn Modesita koja mi nije legla. Ideja je originalna, i ima jako puno stvari koji vode ne razmišljanje ali sama knjiga je dosta naporna za čitanje. Glavni lik je tu glavni krivac pošto je on po meni klasičan primer emo lika. Tih, povučen, prepun samožaljenja, neodlučan i stalno teško melaholičan. Sjedne stvare to omogućava da knjiga ima vrlo jedinstvenu atmosferu ali posle 50tak strana počinje već da smara.
A nije mi se ni svidela rezolucija knjige, sve je nekako suviše filozofski.
Ima potencijala ali nije bila za mene.
September 1, 2012
A disappointing and largely dull book which suffers from many flaws.
It's not science fiction, but probably better referred to as "science fantasy". When I read the blurb on the back cover I was hoping for something similar to Zelazny's "Lord of Light" (or maybe "This Immortal"), but beyond a similar basic premise (a planet in which a few powerful beings have set themselves up as arrogant gods), this book falls far short of those works.
The main character is simply too powerful, and so morose and brooding as to be unlikeable. His name, Martel, hints at his destiny, as the word itself means hammer. Martel insists he is not a god, but the story reveals more and more of Martel's godlike powers.
And in the end, the conflict is inconsequential. Martel spends thousands of years in denial, refusing direct action against the pantheon of gods on the planet until they force the issue, resulting in a final conflict that is entirely unsatisfying for the reader.
And after the final showdown, Martel reveals that he is also...
So if Gump can say "stupid is as stupid does", then I can do the same for Martel: godhood is as godhood does, and Martel, in this story you were a god, but you wasted a lot of time and made things needlessly complicated, and seemed miserable for most of it.
As another of my complaints: the author wrote in a pretentious style, perhaps most similar to the original Dune books by Frank Herbert - where every scene is very serious and overly dramatic, and given heightened importance by symbolism, religion, and politics. Herbert pulled it off, but this reads like an exaggerated effort to be even more dense, and unfortunately lacks the details or the depth.
A poor read - 1.5 stars to 2 maybe
It's not science fiction, but probably better referred to as "science fantasy". When I read the blurb on the back cover I was hoping for something similar to Zelazny's "Lord of Light" (or maybe "This Immortal"), but beyond a similar basic premise (a planet in which a few powerful beings have set themselves up as arrogant gods), this book falls far short of those works.
The main character is simply too powerful, and so morose and brooding as to be unlikeable. His name, Martel, hints at his destiny, as the word itself means hammer. Martel insists he is not a god, but the story reveals more and more of Martel's godlike powers.
And in the end, the conflict is inconsequential. Martel spends thousands of years in denial, refusing direct action against the pantheon of gods on the planet until they force the issue, resulting in a final conflict that is entirely unsatisfying for the reader.
And after the final showdown, Martel reveals that he is also...
So if Gump can say "stupid is as stupid does", then I can do the same for Martel: godhood is as godhood does, and Martel, in this story you were a god, but you wasted a lot of time and made things needlessly complicated, and seemed miserable for most of it.
As another of my complaints: the author wrote in a pretentious style, perhaps most similar to the original Dune books by Frank Herbert - where every scene is very serious and overly dramatic, and given heightened importance by symbolism, religion, and politics. Herbert pulled it off, but this reads like an exaggerated effort to be even more dense, and unfortunately lacks the details or the depth.
A poor read - 1.5 stars to 2 maybe
March 7, 2018
I forced myself to keep reading, despite early struggles with the disjointed style. The story staggered forwards unannounced months, then years, then centuries, and parachuted important details in as afterthoughts without prior set up, leaving me floundering time and again.
Fair enough, maybe this was intended to be a clever intellectual exercise, but IMO if you want to play mind games teasing your reader like that, then at least have the decency to make it a good and entertaining story. This one limped along, lukewarm at best, and I got the impression that the author was too wrapped up in his own cleverness - dropping hints and tying up loose ends along multiple circular time loops - to be bothered keeping the reader along for the ride.
Even when there was what should have been spectacular action happening, the telling was so distancing that I got no sense of involvement, no stakes, no danger, and no emotional engagement. Sadly, I skimmed the last pages with some impatience just to be able to say "Finished."
Fair enough, maybe this was intended to be a clever intellectual exercise, but IMO if you want to play mind games teasing your reader like that, then at least have the decency to make it a good and entertaining story. This one limped along, lukewarm at best, and I got the impression that the author was too wrapped up in his own cleverness - dropping hints and tying up loose ends along multiple circular time loops - to be bothered keeping the reader along for the ride.
Even when there was what should have been spectacular action happening, the telling was so distancing that I got no sense of involvement, no stakes, no danger, and no emotional engagement. Sadly, I skimmed the last pages with some impatience just to be able to say "Finished."
December 21, 2023
This was great: SF with a similar central conceit to Zelazny's
Lord of Light
and
Creatures of Light and Darkness
, with a somewhat darker voice and less of a coherent pantheon. Also, less philosophy and more plot, which made it considerably less quotable, but no less enjoyable for me. As with the handful of other LEM books I've read, this is decidedly NOT "hard SF." In fact, what really puts it in the SF camp at all is its interplanetary setting, though the vast bulk of the action takes place on a single world that is rather unique in my experience of the genre, the enigmas of which put me in mind of
The Mote in God's Eye
more than once, without being derivative of it.
In short, if you are looking for more god-like beings set in a galactic empire over a period of multiple human lifetimes, you need look no further until you come, all too soon, to the end of this one.
In short, if you are looking for more god-like beings set in a galactic empire over a period of multiple human lifetimes, you need look no further until you come, all too soon, to the end of this one.
June 27, 2010
It's written in a mythological style, about Martel, a man with the powers of the gods but with the conscience they don't have. Because he refuses to be like the gods, he refuses to use the powers that could have saved people who live on the gods' world. Until the time comes. When that time comes, the whole of their universe is overturned and begun again. With great carnage among the innocents -- the reason I rated it so low.
The conflict between power and conscience is a favorite theme of Modesitt's. I was especially struck by the way his initial approach is the opposite of THE SOPRANO SORCERESS. Martel's solution includes even more collateral damage.
I enjoyed the fact that a martel is a war hammer, so the title told me where the character was going in spite of the many years he spent disconnected from his world. That abstraction was made deeply real by the writing style, and gave me as much difficulty relating to the character as Martel's difficulty in relating to himself.
The conflict between power and conscience is a favorite theme of Modesitt's. I was especially struck by the way his initial approach is the opposite of THE SOPRANO SORCERESS. Martel's solution includes even more collateral damage.
I enjoyed the fact that a martel is a war hammer, so the title told me where the character was going in spite of the many years he spent disconnected from his world. That abstraction was made deeply real by the writing style, and gave me as much difficulty relating to the character as Martel's difficulty in relating to himself.
November 21, 2017
This book very much blurs the line between fantasy and sci-fi. It's also very similar to a later book, Adiamante that also features powerful telepaths in a science fiction world and explores a similar philosophy.
This book, like many of Modesitt's works, is mostly about philosophy and actually seems more hopeful about the possibility of a grey path than most of Modesitt's books. I found it to be a short, quick read with engaging ideas and an engaging world.
I liked the idea of gods and the use of time travel in this book. It seems like an atheist conception of gods.
This book, like many of Modesitt's works, is mostly about philosophy and actually seems more hopeful about the possibility of a grey path than most of Modesitt's books. I found it to be a short, quick read with engaging ideas and an engaging world.
I liked the idea of gods and the use of time travel in this book. It seems like an atheist conception of gods.
April 29, 2013
The is probably the most difficult to get into Modesitt books one can read. It suffers from a disjointed and fractured pace and writing style that fails to keep the story flowing -- I even wonder if the main character possibly schizophrenic. Despite this it is filled with conflict concerning power and how it corrupted a whole pantheon of apparent godlike humans. Somewhat tedious given just how painful the reading experience is, but still worth the reward upon completion when it finally all comes together in that "Aha!" moment.
July 18, 2017
I can see the seeds of themes that would later appear in other works like the Recluce saga in this. However, I've tried to read this twice, and it feels like an early, clumsy effort compared to so much of Modesitt's later work that I enjoy so much. The dialogue feels stilted and unrealistic, and the narrative is pretty jumpy.
November 13, 2019
I hace read over 15 books by this author and enjoyed most of them. I found this book to be over the top and rather pointless. I know that others have found meaning in this work. So don't use my opinion as a reason to NOT read it. Try it if you like and hopefully you will get more from it than I did
March 2, 2022
I keep trying to like Modesitt, but the characters are too confused and drifting. They go through the whole book refusing to make decisions and then kill a bunch of people without every really explaining their thought process or motivation.
March 12, 2019
Omg this is painful to read, it is a poor me, to be or not to be, I can't continue this drivel.
November 23, 2020
Oddball, slow telling, man is banished to a planet that is governed by 'gods'
November 7, 2022
Very confusing book
I've read all or at least most of L.E.Modesitt books. This is my least favorite, too many time changes too many obscure plot twists.
I've read all or at least most of L.E.Modesitt books. This is my least favorite, too many time changes too many obscure plot twists.
September 18, 2023
Listened to audiobook, but I would probably have set the actual book aside.
Disjointed, circular, and an ending that left me wondering why I kept listening.
Disjointed, circular, and an ending that left me wondering why I kept listening.
August 25, 2024
Weird confusing story, Martel doesn't want to be a god, although he is more than capable.
March 11, 2017
This book was weird, even for Modesitt. I'm used to his heroes philosophizing, but usually they make some sort of sense!
August 1, 2012
I’ve read a lot of L.E. Modesitt’s books and enjoyed all of them. Except for this one. The Hammer of Darkness just confused me. I don’t understand the main character, one Martin Martel. I don’t understand his motivations or his goals.
Okay. So. There are gods and demi-gods and terrified worshipers. Odd, for a sci-fi novel. They have really mental powers, I get that. But the mental powers, the energy field they use, their god-like immortality, none of that is explained. It bothered me.
It’s also pretty clear from the writing this is an early book. I don’t know how early, but one of his earliest books. I mean, there is a big difference between this one and his latest book from this year.
What I liked: the main character does some sort of documentary of the religions of the planet. It was pretty fascinating. I would have liked to see more on this aspect of the world.
I think my biggest problem with the book is that the main character never really seemed to connect emotionally with others. He gets woman after woman. I mean, he says he loves this one, than the other one and he really lusts after these two. Another god kills the woman he says he loves, but he does nothing.
Then, later, he goes to another planet and destroys half the world. I never really understand why. He never really gave any reason for going to the other world in the first place. Afterward, the other gods see an opportunity – seeing as how he was away from his power base – to kill him. They fail and that fight that destroys a lot, too, but at least I understand destruction during a fight.
Than he comes back and takes one of the other goddesses back in time and places her as the daughter of a powerful lord in his world. It turns out she was the love of his life. But I don’t get why he took he back to the past. I just don’t.
The last scene is sweet and romantic. Apparently after destroying her rule and figuring out he wiped her memory and placed her as the daughter of a powerful noble, she decides she loves him after all.
I don’t get this book. I just don’t get it.
Okay. So. There are gods and demi-gods and terrified worshipers. Odd, for a sci-fi novel. They have really mental powers, I get that. But the mental powers, the energy field they use, their god-like immortality, none of that is explained. It bothered me.
It’s also pretty clear from the writing this is an early book. I don’t know how early, but one of his earliest books. I mean, there is a big difference between this one and his latest book from this year.
What I liked: the main character does some sort of documentary of the religions of the planet. It was pretty fascinating. I would have liked to see more on this aspect of the world.
I think my biggest problem with the book is that the main character never really seemed to connect emotionally with others. He gets woman after woman. I mean, he says he loves this one, than the other one and he really lusts after these two. Another god kills the woman he says he loves, but he does nothing.
Then, later, he goes to another planet and destroys half the world. I never really understand why. He never really gave any reason for going to the other world in the first place. Afterward, the other gods see an opportunity – seeing as how he was away from his power base – to kill him. They fail and that fight that destroys a lot, too, but at least I understand destruction during a fight.
Than he comes back and takes one of the other goddesses back in time and places her as the daughter of a powerful lord in his world. It turns out she was the love of his life. But I don’t get why he took he back to the past. I just don’t.
The last scene is sweet and romantic. Apparently after destroying her rule and figuring out he wiped her memory and placed her as the daughter of a powerful noble, she decides she loves him after all.
I don’t get this book. I just don’t get it.
September 1, 2010
I actually read this when it came out in paperback, but accidentally repurchased the ebook. It was long enough ago I had forgotten the details, so I reread it.
Despite the futuristic setting, this supposed science fiction is really a work of fantasy. Nominally about people whose ESP is so strong everyone considers them gods, Modesitt so disdains the details that he comes unmoored. In this cutthroat society were one can never let down one's guard, apparently the ESPers somehow concentrate on maintaining situational awareness and shields while sleeping. Martel performs major surgery and rejuvenation without knowing anatomy or biology, and later cosmic manipulation without bothering with physics. He spends a thousand years doing nothing, supposedly locked in a cosmic struggle but really waiting for nothing at all.
Apparently Modesitt postulates two kinds of 'gods', one able to draw varying degrees of power from Aurore, and one singular individual who is similar enough to be recognized and judged by the others, who somehow fail to notice that he also has access to a totally different power source (eventually apparently a substantial fraction of a galaxy's power level -- all going through one human brain and personality!?!)
A real science fiction treatment would have been interesting. What does one do with an unlimited lifespan, mental control over objects and people, and a huge amount of power? How does one create a god from a human? Alas, these are all brushed aside in favor of dangerous obstinance and heroic self-centeredness.
Despite the futuristic setting, this supposed science fiction is really a work of fantasy. Nominally about people whose ESP is so strong everyone considers them gods, Modesitt so disdains the details that he comes unmoored. In this cutthroat society were one can never let down one's guard, apparently the ESPers somehow concentrate on maintaining situational awareness and shields while sleeping. Martel performs major surgery and rejuvenation without knowing anatomy or biology, and later cosmic manipulation without bothering with physics. He spends a thousand years doing nothing, supposedly locked in a cosmic struggle but really waiting for nothing at all.
Apparently Modesitt postulates two kinds of 'gods', one able to draw varying degrees of power from Aurore, and one singular individual who is similar enough to be recognized and judged by the others, who somehow fail to notice that he also has access to a totally different power source (eventually apparently a substantial fraction of a galaxy's power level -- all going through one human brain and personality!?!)
A real science fiction treatment would have been interesting. What does one do with an unlimited lifespan, mental control over objects and people, and a huge amount of power? How does one create a god from a human? Alas, these are all brushed aside in favor of dangerous obstinance and heroic self-centeredness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2010
I was sadly disappointed with this book. The writing style was disjointed. I don't know how else to describe it. It didn't flow.
I felt like I had to force myself to read it. I've read all of Modesitt's other books and have enjoyed almost all of them. He normally writes in such a way, that I can't wait to find out what happens next. However, this one felt like it stopped moving forward.
Perhaps it was one of Modesitt's earlier works and he still hadn't developed his award winning writing style.
I felt like I had to force myself to read it. I've read all of Modesitt's other books and have enjoyed almost all of them. He normally writes in such a way, that I can't wait to find out what happens next. However, this one felt like it stopped moving forward.
Perhaps it was one of Modesitt's earlier works and he still hadn't developed his award winning writing style.
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August 22, 2010I'm about 2/3 of the way done. It's an interesting read, but I feel like the story is sort of stuck. The main character has been doing basically the same tap-dance since about 1/3 of the way into the book and I keep waiting for something to happen.
Okay, I'm done now. Yeah, I was ready for this book to be done long before it was. It started strong but by the time it ended I was VERY ready to move on.
Okay, I'm done now. Yeah, I was ready for this book to be done long before it was. It started strong but by the time it ended I was VERY ready to move on.
August 8, 2016
I bought this in a book also containing the story Haze. I liked that one much better so I separated the reviews. This story really left me with no insight about the main character. I have no idea why he's vastly different than the others like him and can accomplish things they can't. Anything he can't do seems arbitrary and doesn't have much impact on his goals - goals I have no idea as to why he even has. I didn't find it fulfilling.
September 22, 2008
This book was schizophrenic. The chapters were so disjointed as to be disorienting. My main gripe however is that few (if any) of the why's got explained. Why does Martel have powers? Why do gods exist? Why does Aurore augment those powers? It just seems as if the author expects us to take for granted that some characters have unlimited powers, and others are just human.
Well, I didn't buy it.
Well, I didn't buy it.
November 30, 2010
This is a very strange book. Somewhat disjointed, lots of ellipses in the text, and all that. Often, I wasn't sure why Martel was doing something, or even what he was doing. And the time travel always complicates things.
Martel may be an example of a too powerful character...at the end, there, just about nothing was any threat.
Martel may be an example of a too powerful character...at the end, there, just about nothing was any threat.
July 10, 2008
This book had some very interesting ideas on the nature of gods, power and humanity, and the main character was fascinating, with his own sense of morals, opposed to those around him, with the powers to alter reality.
August 1, 2007
It's both scifi and fantasy in one book.
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January 9, 2010Amazon preorder
August 2, 2011
Interesting study in the twists one man will put themselves through to be with one particular women. Not fast-paced, but reasonably satisfying.
Read
August 4, 2011Not the best book of late, but bits of it were quite spectacular.
February 15, 2015
Intriguing, the author took the book to a weirdly fascinating direction. I only wish he had left an actual opening for more books set in the same universe...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews