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Spellsong Cycle #2
The Spellsong War
The sequel to The Soprano Sorceress, from the bestselling author of the Recluce Saga
With The Soprano Sorceress L.E. Modesitt started The Spellsong Cycle, an innovative and compelling new fantasy series that won Modesitt tons of new readers. The Spellsong War will enthrall its readers and continue to build Modesitt's increasingly loyal following.
Anna Marshal is regent of the kingdom of Defalk only a few months after a sorcerer pulled her from her boring life as a music instructor in Ames, Iowa to the world of Erde. With her ability and her integrity she saved Defalk from invasion and became it's regent, now she must defend it against the greedy rulers of neighboring kingdoms who see a weakened state and a possible opportunity.
The Spellsong War is the second book of the Spellong Cycle.
With The Soprano Sorceress L.E. Modesitt started The Spellsong Cycle, an innovative and compelling new fantasy series that won Modesitt tons of new readers. The Spellsong War will enthrall its readers and continue to build Modesitt's increasingly loyal following.
Anna Marshal is regent of the kingdom of Defalk only a few months after a sorcerer pulled her from her boring life as a music instructor in Ames, Iowa to the world of Erde. With her ability and her integrity she saved Defalk from invasion and became it's regent, now she must defend it against the greedy rulers of neighboring kingdoms who see a weakened state and a possible opportunity.
The Spellsong War is the second book of the Spellong Cycle.
657 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
91 people are currently reading
819 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 63 reviews
December 7, 2013
Have you ever had a friend (or nemesis, I won't judge) who thinks that any problem can be solved with enough violence? I did, once. It was kind of weird. He was a nice enough guy, and I liked bantering and hanging out with him, but his willingness to resort to punching in lieu of actually having a serious debate was unsettling, and ultimately led to our friendship collapsing. Overall, I don't recommend dealing with anyone like that. Friend or enemy, someone who can't think beyond hitting a problem with increasingly larger objects isn't someone who you want to have in your life. As they say, "violence is the tactic of the foolish and the delight of the cruel".
I bring this up for two reasons. One, I've become increasingly amused with the idea of opening book reviews with non sequiturs, and two, this is sort of how the main character of this series acts.
As a normal Earth woman dropped into a fantasy world where songs are magic, Anna is in the perfect position to use her insanely powerful sorcery for a good burst of civilization building. She does so... poorly. Granted, she uses her spellsong to build a few bridges, and... and that's the only constructive thing I can remember her doing. Almost everything else involves some permutation of putting fire and or sharp things into her enemies. Also, mind control.
Now, if she were the villain of this story, I wouldn't mind at all. Except she's supposed to be the hero. But honestly, she acts more like Darth Vader than Mother Theresa. Her enemies are problems to be removed, her kingdom will fix itself eventually on its own, so long as she kills any threat to it. At least, that's the attitude she seems to take. And then she resents it in herself, complaining that she's doing bad things. Which, you know, she IS.
I guess my main problem with the story is just how uncreative she is with her limitless power. If she doesn't want to be attacked, why not just wall off the land, China-style? She's proven that she can do mega-construction with her voice; maybe that would help fix the problem of invaders, while still allowing for trade and NOT MURDER. Maybe instead of just mentally dominating anyone who disagrees with her and forcing them to be loyal forever, which is suuuuuuper unethical, she could instead buy their loyalty by improving their lands and showing them that a well-ordered civilization is better than the waring tribes thing they have going on. Hell, just by introducing double-entry accounting, she vastly improves her own kingdom's efficiency. I'm sure she's got another piece of esoteric knowledge stashed away that could help.
At the end of the day, a lot of the book is a repeated pattern; which makes sense for a book about music, I guess. She establishes power, then there's a threat, then she fireballs it, then goes back to stabilizing her hold. Rinse. Repeat. And that's it. There's some interesting character bits, but not enough. There's some interesting ideas with the magic, but they get revealed too slowly, and again, they're not enough.
Overall, recommend that you skip this series. The first book is not bad. The second book is more of the same with no significant developments. I'm not planning on pressing this literary expedition.
I bring this up for two reasons. One, I've become increasingly amused with the idea of opening book reviews with non sequiturs, and two, this is sort of how the main character of this series acts.
As a normal Earth woman dropped into a fantasy world where songs are magic, Anna is in the perfect position to use her insanely powerful sorcery for a good burst of civilization building. She does so... poorly. Granted, she uses her spellsong to build a few bridges, and... and that's the only constructive thing I can remember her doing. Almost everything else involves some permutation of putting fire and or sharp things into her enemies. Also, mind control.
Now, if she were the villain of this story, I wouldn't mind at all. Except she's supposed to be the hero. But honestly, she acts more like Darth Vader than Mother Theresa. Her enemies are problems to be removed, her kingdom will fix itself eventually on its own, so long as she kills any threat to it. At least, that's the attitude she seems to take. And then she resents it in herself, complaining that she's doing bad things. Which, you know, she IS.
I guess my main problem with the story is just how uncreative she is with her limitless power. If she doesn't want to be attacked, why not just wall off the land, China-style? She's proven that she can do mega-construction with her voice; maybe that would help fix the problem of invaders, while still allowing for trade and NOT MURDER. Maybe instead of just mentally dominating anyone who disagrees with her and forcing them to be loyal forever, which is suuuuuuper unethical, she could instead buy their loyalty by improving their lands and showing them that a well-ordered civilization is better than the waring tribes thing they have going on. Hell, just by introducing double-entry accounting, she vastly improves her own kingdom's efficiency. I'm sure she's got another piece of esoteric knowledge stashed away that could help.
At the end of the day, a lot of the book is a repeated pattern; which makes sense for a book about music, I guess. She establishes power, then there's a threat, then she fireballs it, then goes back to stabilizing her hold. Rinse. Repeat. And that's it. There's some interesting character bits, but not enough. There's some interesting ideas with the magic, but they get revealed too slowly, and again, they're not enough.
Overall, recommend that you skip this series. The first book is not bad. The second book is more of the same with no significant developments. I'm not planning on pressing this literary expedition.
March 28, 2008
Note:This is my review from 03.
I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and was excited to read the next one. What I got was a very blah book. It's hard to pinpoint the exact problem.
Almost all character/world building is left to the first novel. The first novel had Anna's introduction to Erde and many of her reactions to her new circumstances, and learning about her new powers. This book doesn't build on those themes much, though relying on the same complaints she often had, from the first book.
All politics are mostly shown by snippits of the other world leaders of Erde having bland discussion with their subordinates. Perhaps this is all building towards something larger in the next book, but I felt that I would have been just fine with Anna's storyline, and not had the world politics revealed to me without so much as a spellsong.
OK, the novel is called the Spellsong War, but the Spellsong War parts bored me to tears, as well as the traveling between them, so what was left to this book? Not much.
Speaking of long sections. I haven't read many Modestitt Jr books, so I don't know if this practice of copying text is common in the other ones. I could almost feel the copy-paste in the computer happening as I read. I had the sense that I had read several sections before, almost to the letter.
The same description about flowery language, same complaing from Anna about the things following it happened over and over.
It's always Holly Lolly Polly Pop... We learned more warm ups in 2nd grade, why does she almost never vary it?
Almost everytime the hat is mentioned it is 'the floppy hat' with no other description. If you're not providing new information about an item, why bother mentioning it? I can almost always remember to imagine it as floppy. or flowery, or that she has to clear the same mucus from her throat or ect.
Music. This is a problem. I have never been an opera singer, but I have been in a performing orchestra. Anna is missing some spark that makes it seem like she's been up on the stage. That she knows more about music than words like vocalise, or strophic (which is not clear to me, as a musician, though I could research it). She never seems to feel the music build in her, never describes what it's like to be the music, the intrument, to be carried by the rush of performance. Perhaps she's too...tired.(as she always is) But would it have hurt L.E. to do a bit more research into how music feels? how it feels to perform? Has he ever talked to a group of musicians? felt their passion? seen how they can geek out over an overture, or aria? Also, I understand she may not be a composer, but the snippets provided don't do enough to show that they are actually part of songs, The closest we get is a bit from The Battle Hymn, but as a classically trained opera singer(usually charged with memorization of their music) she should have a much larger set of music to draw from, even children's music as she's had children.
Many of these things I forgave in the first novel, due to the intresting premise, characters, places. Somehow Anna has become a flatter character, with less to offer in this novel. I had expected things to evolve more, and was let down.
With all of that said, I'll still likely give the 3rd book a try, I'm still interested in the premise, and want to see if things really do improve with the 3rd novel. I'm hoping for less travel, and more character building.
I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and was excited to read the next one. What I got was a very blah book. It's hard to pinpoint the exact problem.
Almost all character/world building is left to the first novel. The first novel had Anna's introduction to Erde and many of her reactions to her new circumstances, and learning about her new powers. This book doesn't build on those themes much, though relying on the same complaints she often had, from the first book.
All politics are mostly shown by snippits of the other world leaders of Erde having bland discussion with their subordinates. Perhaps this is all building towards something larger in the next book, but I felt that I would have been just fine with Anna's storyline, and not had the world politics revealed to me without so much as a spellsong.
OK, the novel is called the Spellsong War, but the Spellsong War parts bored me to tears, as well as the traveling between them, so what was left to this book? Not much.
Speaking of long sections. I haven't read many Modestitt Jr books, so I don't know if this practice of copying text is common in the other ones. I could almost feel the copy-paste in the computer happening as I read. I had the sense that I had read several sections before, almost to the letter.
The same description about flowery language, same complaing from Anna about the things following it happened over and over.
It's always Holly Lolly Polly Pop... We learned more warm ups in 2nd grade, why does she almost never vary it?
Almost everytime the hat is mentioned it is 'the floppy hat' with no other description. If you're not providing new information about an item, why bother mentioning it? I can almost always remember to imagine it as floppy. or flowery, or that she has to clear the same mucus from her throat or ect.
Music. This is a problem. I have never been an opera singer, but I have been in a performing orchestra. Anna is missing some spark that makes it seem like she's been up on the stage. That she knows more about music than words like vocalise, or strophic (which is not clear to me, as a musician, though I could research it). She never seems to feel the music build in her, never describes what it's like to be the music, the intrument, to be carried by the rush of performance. Perhaps she's too...tired.(as she always is) But would it have hurt L.E. to do a bit more research into how music feels? how it feels to perform? Has he ever talked to a group of musicians? felt their passion? seen how they can geek out over an overture, or aria? Also, I understand she may not be a composer, but the snippets provided don't do enough to show that they are actually part of songs, The closest we get is a bit from The Battle Hymn, but as a classically trained opera singer(usually charged with memorization of their music) she should have a much larger set of music to draw from, even children's music as she's had children.
Many of these things I forgave in the first novel, due to the intresting premise, characters, places. Somehow Anna has become a flatter character, with less to offer in this novel. I had expected things to evolve more, and was let down.
With all of that said, I'll still likely give the 3rd book a try, I'm still interested in the premise, and want to see if things really do improve with the 3rd novel. I'm hoping for less travel, and more character building.
July 17, 2010
Anna, Regent of Defalk, is intent on making the country a peaceful, just one for Lord Jimbob, the heir, to rule. To her dismay, it seems the only way toward peace is through war. Her southern neighbor is stirring up rebellion among some of Defalk's more chauvanistic lords. Is there a way to make them respect a good ruler? Only by proving that she is strong and ruthless -- not good. But she will kill herself if necessary, to produce the sorcery her country needs to end the threat.
Modesitt's style is so smooth and pacey that it is hard to stop reading. The story would not stand up so well, IMO, without the smooth writing.
Modesitt's style is so smooth and pacey that it is hard to stop reading. The story would not stand up so well, IMO, without the smooth writing.
October 15, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but I can see why it might be unpopular.
Newly regent of Defalk, Anna sets about consolidating her power. The Southern lords are threatening rebellion - so she then runs around quelling them. It's not intensely political, but has quite a bit of battles.
Along the way, she innovates schooling and accounting (including a new system of numbers). She also sets out to increase the number of women in power - though this seems to be slow and limited by Defalk's societal norms.
There's also hints of the toil Darksong is taking on her so she starts working more on Clearsong.
2.5/5 stars - it's not gripping, but it's a steady narrative.
Newly regent of Defalk, Anna sets about consolidating her power. The Southern lords are threatening rebellion - so she then runs around quelling them. It's not intensely political, but has quite a bit of battles.
Along the way, she innovates schooling and accounting (including a new system of numbers). She also sets out to increase the number of women in power - though this seems to be slow and limited by Defalk's societal norms.
There's also hints of the toil Darksong is taking on her so she starts working more on Clearsong.
2.5/5 stars - it's not gripping, but it's a steady narrative.
October 6, 2014
I like these books I like the magic system (slightly reminiscent of the poetry system in Stafsheff's wizard in rhyme books, but much more involved.)There are a few flaws here but not too many. Good reads. Picked these up after reading many of his Recluse books.
Anna is now regent of Defalk...she defended it once, but now neighbors believe the kingdom to be weakened... I guess "a woman's work is never done", when she can do magic with music and her voice. I suppose being regent of a fantasy kingdom is probably just work, work work all the time. I suppose Anna finds it more exciting than Ames Iowa though. (see book one). :)
Anna is now regent of Defalk...she defended it once, but now neighbors believe the kingdom to be weakened... I guess "a woman's work is never done", when she can do magic with music and her voice. I suppose being regent of a fantasy kingdom is probably just work, work work all the time. I suppose Anna finds it more exciting than Ames Iowa though. (see book one). :)
September 13, 2014
The singer stranger in a strange continues to work on pulling the 33 lords together and fighting against an entrenched patriarchal mindset. Not many fantasy books spend their time on the logistics of building a kingdom like education, accounting systems, bridges & dams, but you get it here. Anna, the stranger, is now regent in Defalk, and is surrounded by enemies as she tries to keep everything together. She keeps her eyes on the prize of unification, but her own subjects need a bit of convincing. If you liked the first one, and you like a rolling story then you won't be disappointed with the next installment.
October 15, 2007
What happens when a female musician gets pulled from our world into one where music is magic? Read this book to find out possibilities. Intriguing how it explores not only the magic of the world but gender rolls in a fantasy setting.
2nd book in the series of 5.
2nd book in the series of 5.
November 3, 2017
It was a good book but I swear if I had to hear her mucus cough ups and globs of this one more time I might have put the book down. This author loves to be descriptive but at times I find it rather too much.
July 31, 2013
Read 2007
Read 2008
Read July 2010
Read 2012
Read 2008
Read July 2010
Read 2012
June 4, 2008
i am loving these books
August 10, 2010
I gave up on this one. I got tired of reading all the time about how Anna complains that she has to eat like a horse to maintain her magic powers. Of course, she is still too thin. Grrr!
September 20, 2011
Nice leisurely read. I enjoy the idea of music as a magic system as well.
July 1, 2012
Even more predictable than book1, but easy reading and enjoyable stuff. I love the science of Recluse.
June 29, 2015
I love it just as much as the first part.
March 27, 2017
Good
This was good not one of my favorites but intriguing enough to finish and see where the next in the series takes me.
This was good not one of my favorites but intriguing enough to finish and see where the next in the series takes me.
December 17, 2016
An interesting follow on to the first book with further threats from neighbouring countries for the Sorceress-Regent. Enjoyed this next installment, wonderful descriptives of Abenfel particularly.
January 25, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this. The ongoing tension of trying to be an enlightened ruler while at the same time having to deal with a macho male culture that only accepts superior force is well portrayed.
June 27, 2020
Modesitt continues the adventures of Anna Marshall, the Iowa State University music instructor unwillingly brought to Erde by a magic spell. Discovering that as a trained singer in a world where magic is song based, she is the most powerful sorceress alive, Anna must decide how to use her power. As the book opens, Anna is regent of Defalk for the 12-year-old ruler, and must protect his regime from both internal and external threats. Opposed to killing, Anna must become a military strategist to protect her ward and his people. As in all of his work, Modesitt is concerned with the use and misuse of power. A feminist and downtrodden divorcee, Anna finds herself wielding real power in a world where men rule and some women are kept in chains. Anna must prove herself as regent, protect the land's inhabitants and infrastructure, and plan for the future--all while dealing with the constant interruptions by rebellious subordinate lords and plotting by trading rivals. Anna herself, deeply depressed by the knowledge she will never again see her children, left behind on Earth, must build herself a new life in the little time she has to spare from her duties as regent. Part of her dilemma is the decision of whether, as a woman from the late 20th-century United States, she can find happiness with a man of feudal mindset who continually questions her actions and decisions. A deeply philosophical novel disguised as an action-adventure military fantasy, "The Spellsong War" is highly recommended for all YA collections.
July 27, 2023
This is the second book in the Spellsong Cycle. It's similar to book one, continuing Anna's story along the path already established. As it turned out, it's a little *too* similar to book one for my tastes. I can see that the basic course of events follows logically from what came before, but it feels repetitive this time around.
Without altering the main framework, there still could have been more evolution in Anna's interactions with the other characters. The ending hints -- spoiler warning -- That said, I nonetheless enjoyed "The Spellsong War." The moral issues remain gray, which makes it thought-provoking.
Three and a half out of five dissonant stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Without altering the main framework, there still could have been more evolution in Anna's interactions with the other characters. The ending hints -- spoiler warning -- That said, I nonetheless enjoyed "The Spellsong War." The moral issues remain gray, which makes it thought-provoking.
Three and a half out of five dissonant stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
May 3, 2020
Say that again
I rate this 3 stars due to the uniqueness of the ideas. This second book in the series was quite disappointing. There was not much character development and they all stayed pretty two dimensional. The same phrases were repeated over and over without getting into the depth of the matter. So much detail and not so much depth. Fewer interesting conversations than the first. Despite being narrated from a woman's point of view, her ideas and thoughts were fairly 2 dimensional and lacked emotion. Real emotion. Very little was done with love or passion.
At the end I still had the question. As a foreigner, why did she do all the killing for Defalk? Why did she become a conqueror?
Sadly I will not read more of this series. Though the core ideas are so brilliant. There were so many possibilities Anna and her ever faithful Jecks could have explored. So many.
I rate this 3 stars due to the uniqueness of the ideas. This second book in the series was quite disappointing. There was not much character development and they all stayed pretty two dimensional. The same phrases were repeated over and over without getting into the depth of the matter. So much detail and not so much depth. Fewer interesting conversations than the first. Despite being narrated from a woman's point of view, her ideas and thoughts were fairly 2 dimensional and lacked emotion. Real emotion. Very little was done with love or passion.
At the end I still had the question. As a foreigner, why did she do all the killing for Defalk? Why did she become a conqueror?
Sadly I will not read more of this series. Though the core ideas are so brilliant. There were so many possibilities Anna and her ever faithful Jecks could have explored. So many.
March 28, 2019
This is book two of a five book series. I didn't like this as much as the first book- "The Soprano Sorceress". Although I gave both books three stars, the first one is more like 3.5 stars and this one is more like 2.75 stars. "The Spellsong War" is long on political intrigue and short on action. Lots of thinking but not much doing. And enough with the descriptions of food the main character is eating. She uses a lot of energy casting her spells as a sorceress so she needs more food and drink than everyone else. We get it. But just about every page there are descriptions of her drinking three bottles of water, two pieces of stale dark bread, three pieces of cheese. Then the next page she is drinking vinegary wine, eating softer dark bread and a slab of cold beef. Who cares?
September 2, 2017
This series is nostalgic for me because I first read it years ago. I'm reading it one last time before selling/donating the books, and don't feel like I'm going to miss them. As with the L.E. Modesitt Jr work in the Order/Chaos magic-world, it gets very very repetitive -- I think this series is worse than the other in terms of repetitiveness within the same book. The same words, phrases, plot action just got old for me. I like the characters alright, in general I enjoy strong female main characters, but...meh. Enjoyed it more as a teenager.
January 17, 2020
There's a lot going on! I like the blooming if conflicted relationship between Anna and Jecks. The first few pages offer a quick introduction that should make a great recap for those jumping in without reading the first book - or for anyone who hasn't read book one in a while. There are a lot of different names and places to keep track of as Anna moves from enemy to enemy, on top of the occasional peeks into Cities Elswhere which are full of their own barrage of names to remember. I still enjoyed it enough to finish and move on to book three, but whoa!
February 24, 2021
Book 2 was enjoyable, as we continued to follow Anna's journey in dealing with other regents who question her authority and fear her power as a sorceress. I think I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because all of the other regents who are plotting against her seem to blur together and seem very one dimensional. I hope that in the following 3 books, that we'll start to see the impact of Anna's actions.
March 27, 2024
Would this book be half as long if Modesitt dispensed with constantly telling us how much Anna must eat, or how much water she has to drink, or how much she loathes eating as much as she does? What if he cut out the multitude of descriptions about her coughing or having to tune her voice before she starts spell slinging? We got the memo. Slinging spells requires energy and Anna has to eat to keep up. After Book One and 50 something chapters of Book Two, the concepts are implied. On the upside, there are not as many ruminations about why some folks only respond to force as in Book One.
June 4, 2019
I am still giving the series as a whole 3 stars.
As others have pointed out, lazy world building, and while there is some good points to the main character..the world itself and the inability of the main character to think of anything but endless variations on a fireball spell seem very artificial and only there to make the plot move along in a predictable manner.
As others have pointed out, lazy world building, and while there is some good points to the main character..the world itself and the inability of the main character to think of anything but endless variations on a fireball spell seem very artificial and only there to make the plot move along in a predictable manner.
September 15, 2020
I did not like it as much as the first book. It is still a good read but I found it a bit repetitive. There is an enemy, Anna deals with it, is incapacitated afterwards due to the use of her magic and eats & drinks a lot. I did skip some pages here and there as the outcome of battles is always the same.
January 18, 2025
I am loving this series! L. E. Modesitt Jr. is an amazing world-builder! His magic system does not evolve, the rules are set and there is no bending or breaking them, which I appreciate greatly! Anna's adventures continue as she attempts to move Defalk forward and better it as a nation while simultaneously dealing with many other countries that are attempting to thwart and kill her!
August 11, 2021
Fricking finally.
Carried this book around for probably close to 20 years. Was it worth the muscle? Probably not. Am I sorry to have read it? Nah, it was fine. Modesitt is such a formative author for me that reading his writing is soothing, even when the story is far from his best. This one was very repetitive and long, and although things happen, it feels like nothing does at all. I'd still like to continue with the series, but we'll see. It's not a high priority.
Carried this book around for probably close to 20 years. Was it worth the muscle? Probably not. Am I sorry to have read it? Nah, it was fine. Modesitt is such a formative author for me that reading his writing is soothing, even when the story is far from his best. This one was very repetitive and long, and although things happen, it feels like nothing does at all. I'd still like to continue with the series, but we'll see. It's not a high priority.
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