Scholar: a novel in the Imager portfolio

Modesitt branches out from the original Imager trilogy (which concluded with Imager's Intrigue in 2010) with this somewhat sluggish political fantasy. Scholar Quaeryt Rytersyn is sent by Lord Bhayar of Telaryn to check into some anomalies occurring in the province of Tilbor. Quaeryt digs deeply into all aspects of the province and its people before he reaches the garrison, where he asks provocative questions while downplaying his own abilities-including his magical skill as an imager. Quaeryt never receives or seeks any specific orders on how to proceed; instead, he merrily awards himself the task of fixing all the problems he can find in Tilbor province, by murder and treachery if necessary. Modesitt piles on the details as various players jockey for power and political gain, but much of it is extraneous information that tends to drag between the bursts of high drama and action. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The scholar Quaeryt, friend of young King Bhayar, ruler of Telaryn, accepts a royal mission to journey to the land of Tilbor, conquered by Bhayar's father ten years earlier, to assess the possibility of reducing the occupation forces. Concealing the fact that he is also an imager, a mage who can create mental images and endow them with material being, Quaeryt weathers pirates and a shipwreck on his journey to Tilbor. Once there, he faces more subtle political dangers as his suspicions grow concerning a conspiracy that could throw Telaryn into chaos. Set in the time before the events of the first book of the "Imager Portfolio" (Imager; Imager's Challenge; Imager's Intrigue), Modesitt's latest addition to his fantasy saga focuses on the complex character of its hero, an unlikely combination of serious scholar and, when need be, ruthless opponent. The author excels in creating worlds that are believable down to the last detail and characters whose vitality expresses itself in actions that have resounding consequences. VERDICT Fans of the author's "Recluce" novels and the works of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and Raymond E. Feist should enjoy the elaborate world-building and believable characterizations. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The scholar Quaeryt, friend of young King Bhayar, ruler of Telaryn, accepts a royal mission to journey to the land of Tilbor, conquered by Bhayar's father ten years earlier, to assess the possibility of reducing the occupation forces. Concealing the fact that he is also an imager, a mage who can create mental images and endow them with material being, Quaeryt weathers pirates and a shipwreck on his journey to Tilbor. Once there, he faces more subtle political dangers as his suspicions grow concerning a conspiracy that could throw Telaryn into chaos. Set in the time before the events of the first book of the "Imager Portfolio" (Imager; Imager's Challenge; Imager's Intrigue), Modesitt's latest addition to his fantasy saga focuses on the complex character of its hero, an unlikely combination of serious scholar and, when need be, ruthless opponent. The author excels in creating worlds that are believable down to the last detail and characters whose vitality expresses itself in actions that have resounding consequences. VERDICT Fans of the author's "Recluce" novels and the works of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and Raymond E. Feist should enjoy the elaborate world-building and believable characterizations.

Modesitt branches out from the original Imager trilogy (which concluded with Imager's Intrigue in 2010) with this somewhat sluggish political fantasy. Scholar Quaeryt Rytersyn is sent by Lord Bhayar of Telaryn to check into some anomalies occurring in the province of Tilbor. Quaeryt digs deeply into all aspects of the province and its people before he reaches the garrison, where he asks provocative questions while downplaying his own abilities—including his magical skill as an imager. Quaeryt never receives or seeks any specific orders on how to proceed; instead, he merrily awards himself the task of fixing all the problems he can find in Tilbor province, by murder and treachery if necessary. Modesitt piles on the details as various players jockey for power and political gain, but much of it is extraneous information that tends to drag between the bursts of high drama and action. (Nov.)