Rating: 
Summary: Not for the dumb...
Review: Having appreciated Modesitt's works in both fantasy and science fiction more than any others, save Williams and George R.R. Martin (oh, and Gene Wolfe) I feel that i can say the only real drawback to Modesitt's "Recluce" novels is the fact that idiots can't appreciate them. Between his careful, realistic characterization, finely realized world and amazing, original system of magic, it seems that many raders just don't get it, and would prefer to read trash by Goodkind and Brooks. Whatever; I just hope Modesitt keeps turning out intelligent work, and others follow his lead.
Rating: 
Summary: A great story.
Review: The Magic of Recluce is the start of a classic epic and an epic The Saga of Recluce is. This being my 3rd book (I've read Fall of Angels and The Chaos Balance) I cannot wait to pickup Towers of the Sunset (book 2). This book is not fast paced and does not take you on an emotional roller coaster. That is not what these books are about (at least the 3 I've read anyway). These books are still special. They are told from the perspective of the main character, in this case Lerris, who we come to know very well. We travel with him, we eat with him, we fight with him, we feel with him, we fear with him, we learn with him and we grow up with him. This allows for the slow pacing in some places as the author allows us to mature with Lerris, to introspect, to experience things on a day to day basis in the world of Recluce. We learn about Recluce, we meet the people who inhabit it, we smell the air, we sleep in it's inns. Lerris's adventure becomes our adventure, became my adventure and I did not want to put the book down. Thats why these books are special, because you become the character, you live the adventure. The adventure is alot more than hacking and slashing. It is a sojourn of sorts. The character has choices to make. Simply put those choices are between good and evil, order and chaos. In the best tradition of Luke Skywalker / Darth Vader, our hero must decide, we must decide.
Rating:
Summary: MAGIC OF RECLUE MORE an excelent oringinal!!
Review: MAGIC OF RECLUE is probably one L.E. Modestitt, Jr. best piece of work with a some what slow begging but with an end that leaves you begging for more. This book begins with a character the Lerris who is forced to leave his prospering home because he has different ideals and is quite frankly bored with his homes why of life. After a little inadequate training Lerris is exiled to a new land were he finds things to be anything but boring. He searches for away to keep count less others alive when he is struggling just to keep him self alive. This book probably deserves 5 stars but I have trouble rating any thing no matter how good with a perfect score. I would recommend to any one who enjoys a good epic adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: A Not-So-Great Begining to a Phenomenal Series...
Review: I have to honestly say that the first book in this series was okay at times, dull at others and excellent at yet other parts. The fact is, this book sets up the entire rest of this series, and is necessary in order to read the REALLY good Recluce books. Read it (or get through it) and then enjoy the nnext couple of books.
Rating: 
Summary: I can't believe any of you gave this a five or four star....
Review: Yuck is about all I have to say. True, Lerris was a great character and I enjoyed a few rare parts of the book, but the rest I could only skim. Trust me, if you like fantasy, seek out Raymond E. Feist, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, or Robert Jordan. Tracy Hickman's Deathgate Cycle Books are also very good. Leave this series alone though. Trust me as one who has read plenty of fantasy. There are way better books out there.
Rating:
Summary: Stay away from this one.....
Review: I'd heard some good things about this series so I decided to read the first book. I couldn't have been more disappointed. It was so boring that I barely finished it. Come on now! There's only so much of this femenist stuff I can handle. I can't remember reading a book where women were any more superior and stronger than the men. Yes, women are strong and equal, but to make them so invincible and anti-man is very unbelievable and gave the entire book a sour taste. I like books that portray strong women but not superwomen. Come on now! Also, the magic system got boring after the first couple chapters. The only interesting characters that were slightly realistic were Lerris and his horse. At least they provided some entertainment. I give this book a lonely one star.
Rating:
Summary: M.o.R. was a solid read.
Review: This book had a very promising beginning with a unique idea of a magical world. However, after starting with interesting characters, descriptions, and pacing, the end of the book and the resolution of the plot is too (here's a paradox) quick, yet labored. Also, the author has an annoying habit of sprinkling the background noise as words all through the text.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book only if you have lots of time to spare
Review: I have just completed reading M.o.R. and; 1. It is not a top success. 2. It does not whisper to your ears after the end. 3. It is like a movie you would go just to pass away from reality for a while. 4. Modesitt promises a lot but giveth comparedly too little intelligent joy. 5. Farewell and remember there are better books.
Rating:
Summary: The word "boring" comes to mind...
Review: While generally mediocre, I found that this book excelled as a sleep aid. The story and characters were interesting enough to keep my attention but not so compelling as to keep me from getting to sleep.Unlike many of the other reviewers, I found the pseudo-intellectual theory about the balance between order and chaos a bit tiresome. Modesitt mentions it early in the book, yet we are apparently sopposed to have the same trouble comprehending the ramifications as that dimwit Lerris. Modesitt doesn't go far enough in eplaining this theoretical gibberish to truely explain how things work in his fantasy world, for instance if Lerris can block the chaos that powers his enemy, why can't his enemy block the order that powers Lerris? Not that reading more of these explanations would make the book more entertaining, just better. Aside from some questionable interaction between characters and the heaps of irritating animal speaking parts, the rest of the book is OK. However, If you are interested in reading a better book with a typical person type of hero and better character development, try Fortress in the Eye of Time by C J Cherryh. Or for a more detailed story of magic and intrigue, try Janny Wurts' Mistwraith series, which my not be techincally superior prose, but is emotionally and mentally gripping nonetheless.
Rating:
Summary: An killer novel with an (apparently) great magic system.
Review: I've read this book three times, and liked it every time. It's worth the money and the time it takes to read. This is the first novel (but not the first in the timeline) of a whole line of Recluce books. Don't bother with the rest of them because after this one the author completely hacks up the magic system to the point where it's obvious that anyone who uses it is an irresponsible moron who is literally endangering the safety of the world. This is because magic is divided into light and dark, and any use of either one causes the other to become stronger. Therefore over-using the good (dark/order) side of magic causes a huge buildup of the bad (light/chaos) side of magic, in turn causing wicked backlashes that can disrupt the tectonic strata of the world; followed by a massive long-term decline in the presence of magic (so much that people who depend on it for life extension up and die for its lack). Gee, like using this stuff is smart. Not!
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