The Towers of the Sunset
Book 2 of Recluce
Language: English
Action & Adventure American Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Fiction General Good & Evil Magic Military Recluce (Imaginary Place) Wizards order as published
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: Jul 15, 1992
Description:
L.E. Modesitt, Jr.'s The Towers of the Sunset continues his bestselling fantasy series the Saga of Recluce, which is one the most popular in contemporary epic fantasy.Rather than accepting a marriage arranged by his mother, the powerful military matriarch of Westwind, he chooses exile, setting out to find his own identity and developing his magical talents through conflict with the enigmatic white wizards of Candar.What Creslin doesn't know he stands in the way of their plot to subjugate the world.
Return now to the world of Recluce in The Towers of the Sunset
From Kirkus Reviews
A
prequel'' to The Magic of Recluse (1991), this sometimes engaging, more often frustrating novel details the founding of the island-kingdom of Recluce. Young Creslin, kept ignorant of his powers in both magic and swordcraft, grows unsatisfied with his lot as a male in matriarchal Westwind. Unwillingly betrothed to thesub-Tyrant'' of a neighboring nation, Creslin flees eastward, where he is captured by the White (Chaos) magicians, aided by the Black (Order) wizards, and finally forced by circumstance to wed his less-than-thrilled betrothed Megaera, who has been manipulated by magic into the marriage herself. Together (though constantly bickering), they undertake the regency of the desolate isle of Recluce, hoping to turn it into a prosperous haven free of the White wizards. But the wizards have other plans--and Creslin must master his own powers, make the desert Recluce bloom, and defeat the Chaos magicians if he hopes to survive. Unsatisfying--despite some interesting inversions of typical fantasy elements. The first half moves very slowly, as Creslin wanders purposelessly toward Fairhaven, the lair of the White wizards, and the second section is plagued by Megaera's shrewish and cruel treatment of Creslin. But the worst flaw is Modesitt's choice of the present tense throughout the book--very distracting and deadly to any building sense of drama. Disappointing. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.Review
"A complex world based on a plausible system of magic." -Publishers Weekly
"I could not put it down. This is an outstanding fantasy tale." -Andre Norton