Fall of Angels

by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

Overview

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.'s bestselling fantasy novels set in the magical world of Recluce have established a standard of entertainment in contemporary fantasy. "In Modesitt's universe, where good and evil, chaos and order, are in perpetual conflict, a young wizard finds that his destiny is to strike a balance, but at considerable personal cost. Modesitt creates a deeper and more intricate world with each volume," says Publishers Weekly. "Modesitt's elaborate and intelligent working out of a system of magic and a system of technology parallel to it is becoming more the lifeblood of the Recluce books with every new volume. . . . His saga continues to gain in popularity," says Booklist. Each Recluce novel tells an independent story that nevertheless reverberates though all the other Recluce novels to deepen and enrich the listener's experience.



Now, in Fall of Angels, Modesitt moves deep into Recluce's past to chronicle the founding of the Empire of the Legend, the almost mythological domain ruled by women warriors on the highland plateau of the continent of Candar. He tells the story from the point of view of Nylan, the engineer and builder whose job it is to raise a great tower on the plateau known as the Roof of the World. Here the exiled women warriors will live and survive to fulfill their destiny. Here a revolutionary new society will be born . . . if Nylan can get the tower built and defenses in place before the rulers of the lowland nations come with their armies to obliterate them all. And if Nylan can learn to control the magical powers that are growing within him.



Thus Modesitt relates the story of how magic comes into the world of Recluce, in a fantasy novel destined to please the growing Recluce audience and win new fans of the series.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

A prequel to Modesitt's fantasy series about planet Recluce with its war between Order (black magic) and Chaos (white magic) (The Death of Chaos, 1995, etc.). Here, a spaceship full of human "angels" (they're involved in a dreadful war in space against "demons") falls into another universe and is forced to land on a high plateau, the remainder of the planet being far too hot for the angels. As they struggle to survive against hostile locals wielding baffling Chaos magic, engineer Nylan must learn to control his own growing Order magic powers. The two groups are easily distinguished. The newcomers' story is recounted in the past tense, while the locals rejoice in a present-tense narrative: just one of the eccentricities in an often intriguing if fairly predictable installment.

Booklist

The latest novel in Modesitt's Recluce series is one of the best and most accessible for readers new to the saga. . . . Will hold existing series fans and probably recruit some new ones.

From the Publisher

The latest novel in Modesitt's Recluce series is one of the best and most accessible for readers new to the saga....Will hold existing series fans and probably recruit some new ones.” —Booklist

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170117437
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	02/17/2014
Series:	Recluce Series , #6
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

I

“There were angels in Heaven in those days, and there were demons, and the demons were the creators and the creation of chaos…

“In that distant battle between the fires of the demons and the ice lances of the angels, the very skies twisted in upon themselves, and the angels, who came from cold Heaven, were cast down and strewn across the stars.

“Those angels, the first and last from far Heaven, when they found the world, knew not where they were, nor could they see even the stars from whence they had come. And they descended unto the Roof of the World.

“There they built the Citadel of the Winds, the tower called Black, with those chained lightnings yet they had retained, carving unto themselves a high refuge and a reminder of their past.

“So as they had come, so earlier had come those from the lands and heritage of the demons, and those were men who believed not that women should wear blades nor speak their minds and thoughts.

“In the time of that first summer came armsmen, inspired by the demons, and there were battles across the Roof of the World, and blood…

“Thus continued the conflict between order and chaos, between those who would force order and those who would not, and between those who followed the blade and those who followed the spirit.

“Of the great ones were the angel Ryba, Nylan of the forge of order and the fires of Heaven, Saryn of the dark blades of death, and Ayrlyn of the songs.…”

Book of Ayrlyn
Section I
[Restricted Text]

Copyright © 1996 by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Videos