paperback 1994, Tor Fantasy

The Magic Engineer is the third book in the Saga of Recluce, which began as a fairly promising series. Unlike the first two novels, The Magic of Recluce, and The Towers of the Sunset, The Magic Engineer offers little in terms of overall plot or character development.

Modesitt jumps into the story right away, giving a little bit of background on Dorrin, who has the desire to invent, but is restrained by everyone around him. They believe that machines bring chaos, and that is the one thing banished from Recluce. So Dorrin is cast away, to the large island of Candar.

From this point on, the novel simply gets worse and worse, eventually dissolving into utter stupidity. Dorrin finds a home in the little town of Diev, where he spends 400 pages doing absolutely nothing. He never develops, but simply remains static, because nothing ever happens to him. All he does is make order-bound toys, which he sells to make a living. But how many times can I reread him forging steel? Or eating his food?

Unfortunately, there are more descriptions of the mood at the dinner table than anything else. What technique someone uses to break off a piece of CRUSTY bread, (apparently there is no other kind), or what consistency is the wine? What expression is some minor insignificant character holding as he slowly chews his lamb? I hate to say it, but these types of questions are answered so many times during the course of the novel, there is truly little substance.

With the exception of Dorrin occasionally making love to his manly lady-friend Liedral, the book is empty until the last 20 pages, where Dorrin quicky finishes off some unimportant bad guys.

Instead of trying this piece of utter crap, go bang your head against a hard surface.

Review by A.G.
Reviewed March 29, 1998

ISBN 0812534050

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