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Viewpoints Critical: Selected Stories
This is the first story collection ever from the bestselling fantasy and science fiction writer L. E. Modesitt, Jr. He began publishing as a short story writer in the SF magazines in the 1970s, mostly in Analog . Some of the earliest stories are kernels for his early SF novels, others display the wide range of his talents and interests, from satire to military adventure.
This collection includes selections of stories from his entire career, as well as three new stories that have never been published “Black Ordermage,� set in the world of Modesitt’s bestselling Recluce series; “Beyond the Obvious Wind,� set in his Corean Chronicles universe; and “Always Outside the Lines,� which is related to the Ghosts of Columbia books.
This collection includes selections of stories from his entire career, as well as three new stories that have never been published “Black Ordermage,� set in the world of Modesitt’s bestselling Recluce series; “Beyond the Obvious Wind,� set in his Corean Chronicles universe; and “Always Outside the Lines,� which is related to the Ghosts of Columbia books.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2008
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194 people want to read
About the author
L.E. Modesitt Jr.
185Ìýbooks2,537ÌýfollowersL. 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 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 23, 2014
Modessit is one of my favorite authors & this is the only collection of his short stories that I'm aware of. These cover the gamut of his work & were interesting to read. There is a Recluse series story included.
June 20, 2011
Just a quick note - my rating for this will surprise some people who know me. I rave on and on L.E. Modesitt Jr., and he is probably one of my favorite authors.
However, these selected stories falls seriously flat for me. Oddly enough it was the "new" stuff to me, the stuff that didn't eventually become a longer tale that I enjoyed reading the most; however, of the stuff that got folded in, especially the Cadiam items, that annoyed me and finally just said "You know what? I can skip to the next one."
Part of the problem is the format of the short story - Modesitt drops in a fair bit of jargon and lingo into his books, and that is fine, you are involved with this world for hundreds of pages, and thus you can learn through context. However, in the short story, you have no time to find the rhythm and pattern to the words, and some of them I still had no clue what the hell what they meant when the story ended. However, the earlier stories had the punch and insight that I was looking for.
While I rated it 2 stars; that is the rating as a whole, because that's what it is, a collection of selected stories, and collections should work together, and be harmonious and create an effect.
The effect these stories create as a whole is not very good. Discordant.
The first few stories I'd probably rank at 3.5-4 stars, they are ones that I would read again, and if I could find a way to get the lawyer one in the original format, I'd give it to a lawyer friend of mine as he'd probably be amused.
The last half was the rough half, the 2 stars for most of the stories. While I liked the ones that were new to me, the jargon issue made the barrier to entry harder than it had to be.
However, these selected stories falls seriously flat for me. Oddly enough it was the "new" stuff to me, the stuff that didn't eventually become a longer tale that I enjoyed reading the most; however, of the stuff that got folded in, especially the Cadiam items, that annoyed me and finally just said "You know what? I can skip to the next one."
Part of the problem is the format of the short story - Modesitt drops in a fair bit of jargon and lingo into his books, and that is fine, you are involved with this world for hundreds of pages, and thus you can learn through context. However, in the short story, you have no time to find the rhythm and pattern to the words, and some of them I still had no clue what the hell what they meant when the story ended. However, the earlier stories had the punch and insight that I was looking for.
While I rated it 2 stars; that is the rating as a whole, because that's what it is, a collection of selected stories, and collections should work together, and be harmonious and create an effect.
The effect these stories create as a whole is not very good. Discordant.
The first few stories I'd probably rank at 3.5-4 stars, they are ones that I would read again, and if I could find a way to get the lawyer one in the original format, I'd give it to a lawyer friend of mine as he'd probably be amused.
The last half was the rough half, the 2 stars for most of the stories. While I liked the ones that were new to me, the jargon issue made the barrier to entry harder than it had to be.
August 28, 2022
This collection of stories spans over thirty years and includes the majority of the shorter works by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Mostly the stories can be divided into three types: tales of Washington bureaucrats and legal workers; stories about pilots and, thirdly, longer stories in a fantasy setting. The author was a navy pilot in the Vietnam war and worked in government departments in Washington so there is a definite air of verisimilitude to these stories. He writes confidently about desk jockeys and when the pilots do things with their thrusters and boosters it seems authentic. The fantasy is convincing too.
'The Great American Economy'. It’s set in the near future and concerns a Washington bureaucrat investigating unexpected inflation in the carefully controlled economy. It was written in 1973 and I believe the scam it foretells has already happened. 'Rule of Law' is about a lawyer given a case he almost certainly can’t win, though if he does win it he’ll get partnership in the firm. He devises an analytical technique that depends on computers and raises moral issues of might versus right. ‘Understanding� is about a Washington womaniser who is taught a lesson by a witch, or maybe a Goddess. ‘Power to�?� is about funding for scientific research and raises questions about patriotism versus practicality in ecological matters. The Chinese willingness to invest is used to blackmail the U.S. government into doing so. The rising financial power of China is also a feature in ‘New Clips Recovered from the NYC Ruins� a story of U.S. decline told in fragments of newspaper stories. It is also mentioned in ‘The Difference� where computers are becoming sentient and taking over the running of major industries. I suppose the rise of China and the decline of the U.S. are inevitable features of stories set in the near future.
There are several military stories, often about pilots. ‘Iron Man, Plastic Ships� is about an officer personally testing the new space ships he is sent because he thinks they are death traps and won’t let anyone else do it. This is about penny pinching by central government making the boys on the front line suffer. Sadly, this issue is probably relevant to every generation. ‘The Swan Pilot� is about trans-ships that gets translated across space by a pilot in a kind of metaphysical way as he becomes one with it. ‘The Pilots� is a bittersweet tale about genuine war heroes whose widows get no pension because they don’t fit into certain bureaucratic parameters. It’s set in the far future but there’s a nice surprise at the end.
Finally, there are a few short fantasy works and a couple of longer fantasy stories set in the worlds Mister Modesitt has created for his novels. I didn’t much enjoy the former but the latter were excellent, proving perhaps that Ben Bova was right when he told the author his future lay in novels. ‘Black Ordermage� is part of the Recluce Saga and tells what happened to Cassius, our hero, when he was first translated to the fantasy world. He was captured by the forces of Chaos and had a lot to learn. This was good but even better was ‘Beyond the Obvious Wind�. Captain Vynhal of the Fourth Tech Company is sent out to the wilderness to investigate a slacking off in iron and dust production, dust being a pharmaceutical product. This reads like an old-fashioned western in a fantasy setting.
Write what you know, they say, and in the stories of military adventure, pilots and Washington office workers, Modesitt does, and I like it. However, his best work is the made up stuff of fantasy. The knack for this presumably comes from day dreams and wishful thinking rather than gritty real life experience but it is the characters that count, and he does character well. I requested this book because I enjoyed a single Modesitt story in a general anthology. Having read it I intend to seek out his fantasy novels. He’s the kind of old-fashioned, plain speaking story teller I like.
'The Great American Economy'. It’s set in the near future and concerns a Washington bureaucrat investigating unexpected inflation in the carefully controlled economy. It was written in 1973 and I believe the scam it foretells has already happened. 'Rule of Law' is about a lawyer given a case he almost certainly can’t win, though if he does win it he’ll get partnership in the firm. He devises an analytical technique that depends on computers and raises moral issues of might versus right. ‘Understanding� is about a Washington womaniser who is taught a lesson by a witch, or maybe a Goddess. ‘Power to�?� is about funding for scientific research and raises questions about patriotism versus practicality in ecological matters. The Chinese willingness to invest is used to blackmail the U.S. government into doing so. The rising financial power of China is also a feature in ‘New Clips Recovered from the NYC Ruins� a story of U.S. decline told in fragments of newspaper stories. It is also mentioned in ‘The Difference� where computers are becoming sentient and taking over the running of major industries. I suppose the rise of China and the decline of the U.S. are inevitable features of stories set in the near future.
There are several military stories, often about pilots. ‘Iron Man, Plastic Ships� is about an officer personally testing the new space ships he is sent because he thinks they are death traps and won’t let anyone else do it. This is about penny pinching by central government making the boys on the front line suffer. Sadly, this issue is probably relevant to every generation. ‘The Swan Pilot� is about trans-ships that gets translated across space by a pilot in a kind of metaphysical way as he becomes one with it. ‘The Pilots� is a bittersweet tale about genuine war heroes whose widows get no pension because they don’t fit into certain bureaucratic parameters. It’s set in the far future but there’s a nice surprise at the end.
Finally, there are a few short fantasy works and a couple of longer fantasy stories set in the worlds Mister Modesitt has created for his novels. I didn’t much enjoy the former but the latter were excellent, proving perhaps that Ben Bova was right when he told the author his future lay in novels. ‘Black Ordermage� is part of the Recluce Saga and tells what happened to Cassius, our hero, when he was first translated to the fantasy world. He was captured by the forces of Chaos and had a lot to learn. This was good but even better was ‘Beyond the Obvious Wind�. Captain Vynhal of the Fourth Tech Company is sent out to the wilderness to investigate a slacking off in iron and dust production, dust being a pharmaceutical product. This reads like an old-fashioned western in a fantasy setting.
Write what you know, they say, and in the stories of military adventure, pilots and Washington office workers, Modesitt does, and I like it. However, his best work is the made up stuff of fantasy. The knack for this presumably comes from day dreams and wishful thinking rather than gritty real life experience but it is the characters that count, and he does character well. I requested this book because I enjoyed a single Modesitt story in a general anthology. Having read it I intend to seek out his fantasy novels. He’s the kind of old-fashioned, plain speaking story teller I like.
February 20, 2019
An interesting collection of short stories from L. E. Modesitt, jr. A couple I had read out of another collection, but most were new to me. I enjoy most of the universes that Modesitt writes in, so this was a treat for me when I found this volume at a Half Price Books in Columbus (OH). Some interesting ideas are at the heart of some of the stories; others flesh out stories told elswhere, but from a secondary character's point of view. If you like Modesitt, you owe it to your self to read this collection.
Shelved as 'xx-dnf-skim-reference'
August 26, 2021So here's the deal. The author has been recommended to me more than once. His novels, even more so his series, are unappealing to me. So, try this 'sampler.'
Well, no. Too dark, oblique, etc. I rather liked "The Difference" because it had a very 'golden age of pulp' vibe to it. Also it was short, also it took the question of sentient AI/ complex computers in a slightly different direction than I've seen before. But it wasn't great.
Mostly I read intro. note, first paragraph, and skipped to next. Sorry.
August 2021
Well, no. Too dark, oblique, etc. I rather liked "The Difference" because it had a very 'golden age of pulp' vibe to it. Also it was short, also it took the question of sentient AI/ complex computers in a slightly different direction than I've seen before. But it wasn't great.
Mostly I read intro. note, first paragraph, and skipped to next. Sorry.
August 2021
December 15, 2016
I really like alot of the stories in the book, they are very well written, make me smile, laugh irritated and after finishig the book, I still don't like the ghost series or short story. Every othet story is very readable, not that the ghost one is badly written, the writting is great I just can't seem to like the world in plays in.
March 12, 2024
Those who know me know that I love L.E. Modesitt Jr. books! I rave about them all the time. People who know me also know that I do not like short stories. I prefer longer running stories with lots of plot and some amazing character development. These short stories were not bad but I may be biased.
June 19, 2024
A very mixed bag. In one story, the GOP attacks on education leads to eventual fall of the US, that's a prophetic nightmare. A few Vietnam related stories plus extracts from the authors various series. A decent read.
June 27, 2021
When I worked at Borders in Colorado Springs, L. E. Modesitt Jr. would occasionally stop in and head over to the shelves to sign books. He wanted no attention, and although of course I interacted with him enough to know what was happening, we never really talked. He was an unassuming guy.
So at some point I was going to have to read some of his work.
Most of what Modesitt does is series science fiction. He’s got a whole string of them. I’m not really a series science fiction kind of guy (unless you count Douglas Adams). So it was nice to come across a short story collection.
It was less nice to actually read.
Let me choose one of the early stories to explain. “Iron Man, Plastic Ships� is one of many stories in the collection to draw from Modesitt’s own background. He has had a surprisingly varied experience in the job market, but his formative development came, as with many of his generation, from Vietnam.
“Iron Man, Plastic Ships� concerns a new generation of futuristic tugboats that are being vetted in the field. The guy in charge doesn’t believe they’re fit for service. He proves this by deliberately wrecking most of them in test runs.
That’s the story. This guy’s supposed to be the good guy. Modesitt states in a brief note about the story (every story in the collection gets a brief note, none of them hugely informative) that the guys he used to work with in Vietnam would totally get it.
So here’s the thing. Even if in Vietnam he had equipment that wasn’t properly vetted, I doubt very much he was ever in the position to deliberately wreck any of it. I suspect that would very quickly stick him in front of a review board.
The reasonable thing would be to recognize limitations and work around them, or do everything possible to upgrade the things. The guy even has an unrequited love interest who is literally set up to be able to do that. But of course only enables him. Calls him a hero. And of course whom he wins over, in the end. And he of course is recognized as a hero.
Modesitt is exactly the kind of person who stumbles into a million opportunities, a jack of all trades. He is a bastard son of the genre who stands on the shoulder of giants and can’t even see to his own shoelaces.
The end result of all this is an object lesson in why I don’t read this sort of thing all the time. This is the kind of fiction that is generated, and read, by the kind of people you see making the most asinine comments on the internet. The kind of people who never consider reading, or writing, anything beyond this level. The kind of people these publishers love. The reliable, the unchallenging, the kind of people they themselves are�
So if I were to bump into Modesitt today, I still wouldn’t have much to say to him.
So at some point I was going to have to read some of his work.
Most of what Modesitt does is series science fiction. He’s got a whole string of them. I’m not really a series science fiction kind of guy (unless you count Douglas Adams). So it was nice to come across a short story collection.
It was less nice to actually read.
Let me choose one of the early stories to explain. “Iron Man, Plastic Ships� is one of many stories in the collection to draw from Modesitt’s own background. He has had a surprisingly varied experience in the job market, but his formative development came, as with many of his generation, from Vietnam.
“Iron Man, Plastic Ships� concerns a new generation of futuristic tugboats that are being vetted in the field. The guy in charge doesn’t believe they’re fit for service. He proves this by deliberately wrecking most of them in test runs.
That’s the story. This guy’s supposed to be the good guy. Modesitt states in a brief note about the story (every story in the collection gets a brief note, none of them hugely informative) that the guys he used to work with in Vietnam would totally get it.
So here’s the thing. Even if in Vietnam he had equipment that wasn’t properly vetted, I doubt very much he was ever in the position to deliberately wreck any of it. I suspect that would very quickly stick him in front of a review board.
The reasonable thing would be to recognize limitations and work around them, or do everything possible to upgrade the things. The guy even has an unrequited love interest who is literally set up to be able to do that. But of course only enables him. Calls him a hero. And of course whom he wins over, in the end. And he of course is recognized as a hero.
Modesitt is exactly the kind of person who stumbles into a million opportunities, a jack of all trades. He is a bastard son of the genre who stands on the shoulder of giants and can’t even see to his own shoelaces.
The end result of all this is an object lesson in why I don’t read this sort of thing all the time. This is the kind of fiction that is generated, and read, by the kind of people you see making the most asinine comments on the internet. The kind of people who never consider reading, or writing, anything beyond this level. The kind of people these publishers love. The reliable, the unchallenging, the kind of people they themselves are�
So if I were to bump into Modesitt today, I still wouldn’t have much to say to him.
November 27, 2008
Modesitt is as thought provoking as ever, and is able to make his points succinctly and entertainingly in this book of short stories. He adds bits and pieces to various of his universes that reconnect us with minor characters from Recluse. Overall, however, the short story format points out that he really does use the scope of the novel to explore ideas. Whereas Azimov made his points equally well in short stories and novels, Modesitt really does flesh out his ideas far more fully in his novels. Whereas after reading one of his novels I need to spend some serious time thinking through his points, after reading the short stories, I got the points within a few minutes.
Nonetheless, with only 1 exception, I really enjoyed all of the stories in the book, and when I finished I really wished there were more stories.
Nonetheless, with only 1 exception, I really enjoyed all of the stories in the book, and when I finished I really wished there were more stories.
August 24, 2011
Not a bad story collection, with nothing I found too memorable for being either too terrible or especially excellent. Both sf and fantasy stories are included, and I can't help but mention that the cover is one of the most unappealing that I've ever seen. Some of the stories seemed to be parts of longer works, and perhaps I couldn't always get a clear picture of what was happening. I tended to prefer the older science fiction stories, though there was a nice fantasy puzzle story called "Beyond the Obvious Wind."
September 29, 2014
I am a big fan of L.E. Modesitt's work and a book of short stories could not be ignored.
The collection includes a story of Recluse and one of Corean. The rest of the stories are similar in style and content to the books he has written that are not of the two aforementioned series. In other words, they are more of the science fiction with an environmental moral type, rather than fantasy.
You don't need to be a fan of Modesitt's, to enjoy the book and it's well worth the read to anyone who likes his work already.
The collection includes a story of Recluse and one of Corean. The rest of the stories are similar in style and content to the books he has written that are not of the two aforementioned series. In other words, they are more of the science fiction with an environmental moral type, rather than fantasy.
You don't need to be a fan of Modesitt's, to enjoy the book and it's well worth the read to anyone who likes his work already.
May 9, 2015
This was a quick fun read. I got it because I was hoping for some insight into the world of Recluse and how others may have gotten there. There was some pieces of that but also snippets from many of his worlds. I enjoyed most, if not all of the stories. Some were weak but the ideas strong and interesting. I have read many many of his books. Not the imager series yet but my favorite it Recluse. I could tell the stories he wrote in the earlier years and he has refined as an author but some of the most creative ideas were those early ideas. Enjoyable read.
March 1, 2012
I'm not sure what it is about Modesitt's science fiction but sometimes I can't quite grasp what is going on. This is especially true with his short stories; at least with a novel I have more time to figure it out...
The fantasy short stories are fantastic and I enjoyed all nonetheless but prefer his novels over-all.
The fantasy short stories are fantastic and I enjoyed all nonetheless but prefer his novels over-all.
June 12, 2014
I'm a big fan of Modesitt, and while not every story in this collection worked for me, most of them did. I really expected for my favorites to be stories set in worlds I was already familiar with, but was surprised to find that my favorites were one that was written before I was born ("Rule of Law") and one much more recent that I expected to dislike ("The Swan Pilot").
October 26, 2012
I read a few stories in this collection and had to put it down. Just wasn't a fan, at all.
He openly admits that he isn't good with short stories, which is why this has two stars instead of one.
I like sci-fi, fantasy, and such but these stories just weren't executed well at all.
Maybe his novels are better and I will try to read them someday.
He openly admits that he isn't good with short stories, which is why this has two stars instead of one.
I like sci-fi, fantasy, and such but these stories just weren't executed well at all.
Maybe his novels are better and I will try to read them someday.
January 31, 2016
A very tender outlook matched with a hard edge. The cover art is useful, a rare phenomenon, since this work is clearly the result of the clashing and combining of female and male viewpoints. Hard work, in other words. I enjoyed both the essays and novellas, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
March 21, 2008
A nice mix of short stories, some in Recluse, another from the universe of the Corean Chronicles (I would like to have seen a Spellsong story as well, but oh well). A good number of standalones. Engaging, and well written, if a hair uneven at points.
April 8, 2012
Thought provoking. The extent of Modesitt's interests matches my own pretty well, so I was intrigued by each and every story in this collection, even those that touched on greater universes in which I had never read.
Thanks to my sister Victoria for buying it for me.
Thanks to my sister Victoria for buying it for me.
June 24, 2008
Mr. Modesitt states in the opening of this book that he is not a good short story writer. Don't let that stop you from enjoying this collection. As usual, he is thought-inspiring and deep.
February 8, 2009
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2010
I really didn't like most of these short stories. I'll sell this book back to the Used Book Store.
December 26, 2011
Short stories by L.E. Modesitt Jr. written over a period of more than 35 years are found in this book. His strengths are better served in novels, but I liked most of the stories.
April 14, 2019
I have read close to 100 Modesitt books and this was by far the worst. I have liked every other book I have read by him.
September 5, 2013
A scattered assortment of enjoyable stories.
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