Hammer of Darkness

Rating:
Summary: My favorite book...
Review: I've been reading the classics of both Speculative Fiction and General Literature recently, trying to expand my horizons. Nevertheless, I have yet to find a book I've enjoyed as much as Hammer of Darkness. Like a lot of Modesitt's books, it's a story of an isolated person who's forced to cope with awesome powers and responsibility. My brother tried to read it and found the novel boring and hard to follow. I can understand where a lot of people would think that way. This book is not for everybody.

Why should you read it then? First of all, because it is very short. It can likely be read in a few hours. Second of all, the action is unparalleled. There are better drawn characters in other great works, but very little that is as exciting. Also, the book does a wonderful job of making an epic storyline take place in such a short space, and Modesitt manages to tie all of the loose threads together at the end.

Also, the scene between Thor and Martin Martel about two thirds of the way through stands out as my favorite scene from any piece of prose fiction ever. It's so powerful, and it simply must be experienced. You'll be tempted to read this and other scenes quickly. Don't do so. Modesitt's extreme attention to detail, like Martin Martel holding Thor's hammer in his left hand and the detail given to Thor's battle goats, really adds to the piece.

In summary, if you've got a good imagination, and can really see, hear, taste, smell, and feel what you're reading, then this is definitely the book for you. I rarely give five star ratings in my reviews, not wanting to rate everything under the sun as being best in its category, but this book certainly deserves it.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite book...
Review: I've been reading the classics of both Speculative Fiction and General Literature recently, trying to expand my horizons. Nevertheless, I have yet to find a book I've enjoyed as much as Hammer of Darkness. Like a lot of Modesitt's books, it's a story of an isolated person who's forced to cope with awesome powers and responsibility. My brother tried to read it and found the novel boring and hard to follow. I can understand where a lot of people would think that way. This book is not for everybody.

Why should you read it then? First of all, because it is very short. It can likely be read in a few hours. Second of all, the action is unparalleled. There are better drawn characters in other great works, but very little that is as exciting. Also, the book does a wonderful job of making an epic storyline take place in such a short space, and Modesitt manages to tie all of the loose threads together at the end.

Also, the scene between Thor and Martin Martel about two thirds of the way through stands out as my favorite scene from any piece of prose fiction ever. It's so powerful, and it simply must be experienced. You'll be tempted to read this and other scenes quickly. Don't do so. Modesitt's extreme attention to detail, like Martin Martel holding Thor's hammer in his left hand and the detail given to Thor's battle goats, really adds to the piece.

In summary, if you've got a good imagination, and can really see, hear, taste, smell, and feel what you're reading, then this is definitely the book for you. I rarely give five star ratings in my reviews, not wanting to rate everything under the sun as being best in its category, but this book certainly deserves it.

Rating:
Summary: What if gods were just humans that had LOTS of psi?
Review: Martin Martel has loved unwisely. The Duke of the planet is NOT amused. Martel is exiled to the planet of the gods, Aurore. Martel has the capability to challenge the gods. He does not. He instead becomes a media person. The gods keep wanting him to declare himself as a new god. He refuses. The entire book is about denying your nature and its consequences. Should he do what he wants or should he do what he ought? This is a gripping pschological thriller.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Authors I have Ever Read!!!!!!!
Review: This book has a bit of every thing! Magic (Psionics) Science Gods and the story of a how a man can become the God that he must be and still stay human. It also shows the truth of the saying "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutly".

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Authors I have Ever Read!!!!!!!
Review: This book has a bit of every thing! Magic (Psionics) Science Gods and the story of a how a man can become the God that he must be and still stay human. It also shows the truth of the saying "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutly".

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Authors I have Ever Read!!!!!!!
Review: This book has a bit of every thing! Magic (Psionics) Science Gods and the story of a how a man can become the God that he must be and still stay human. It also shows the truth of the saying "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutly".

Rating:
Summary: twilight of the gods
Review: This book is not for everybody. The first time I read it I didn't like it. However, I picked it up again at a later time and read it again when my memories of my first reading had somewhat blurred. Somewhat to my own surprise I found that I really enjoyed the novel and I found much in it that I had missed when I first read it and have since read it more than twice.

Martin Martel is a rebel. He fell in love with the daughter of the ruler of his planet. For this crime, and also because he was found to have high esper potential, he was exiled to "the planet of the gods, " where for all intents and purposes he became one himself. However, Martel does not believe in "gods" no matter what fancy name or titles they use and he knows that he is human and is determined to live like one despite what the other "gods" and local mortals try to force him to acknowledge. He is a stubborn man beyond all reason at times and more powerful than anyone else realizes.

This book is almost abstract to read, it leaves a lot the to readers imagination, but it is also lyrical and almost poetical at times. It is my favorite book by this author. The story itself is an allegory of the fall of the gods of ancient Greece in a scifi setting, about the consequences of denying the truth of your own abilities and the risks people take in forcing action when some things are better left alone.

The individual qualities of this book my be blurred if you have read much of this authors later work as his writing style has in many ways remained remarkably unchanged, and he continually explores similar themes and hero-types, but for me, this the first book of this author that I read before he become well known will always remain my favorite.

Rating:
Summary: twilight of the gods
Review: This book is not for everybody. The first time I read it I didn't like it. However, I picked it up again at a later time and read it again when my memories of my first reading had somewhat blurred. Somewhat to my own surprise I found that I really enjoyed the novel and I found much in it that I had missed when I first read it and have since read it more than twice.

Martin Martel is a rebel. He fell in love with the daughter of the ruler of his planet. For this crime, and also because he was found to have high esper potential, he was exiled to "the planet of the gods, " where for all intents and purposes he became one himself. However, Martel does not believe in "gods" no matter what fancy name or titles they use and he knows that he is human and is determined to live like one despite what the other "gods" and local mortals try to force him to acknowledge. He is a stubborn man beyond all reason at times and more powerful than anyone else realizes.

This book is almost abstract to read, it leaves a lot the to readers imagination, but it is also lyrical and almost poetical at times. It is my favorite book by this author. The story itself is an allegory of the fall of the gods of ancient Greece in a scifi setting, about the consequences of denying the truth of your own abilities and the risks people take in forcing action when some things are better left alone.

The individual qualities of this book my be blurred if you have read much of this authors later work as his writing style has in many ways remained remarkably unchanged, and he continually explores similar themes and hero-types, but for me, this the first book of this author that I read before he become well known will always remain my favorite.