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L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
What is the longest book you’ve written?
That depends on the definition of book. In the first-printed version of novels,The Magic Engineer is the longest book. In any version on one cover, the three-novel compilation of The Forever Hero is the longest, although the three novels were originally printed in paperback separately.
What do you mean by Commonocracy?
Commonocracy is a term I’ve used, if sparingly, in several books. So far as I know, no one else has employed it, but that’s certainly possible. What I was attempting to convey was the idea of a democracy run wild, where the government responds almost immediately to popular whim, rather than responding to popular concerns in a considered and thoughtful manner.
Will there ever be a Recluce novel about the first “Demons of Light” who founded Cyador?
Currently, I have no plans to write about those events in the history of the world of Recluce. That’s not to say that I won’t, but it’s unlikely in the near future. I haven’t considered what time and area of Recluce I’ll explore next, but I’m hoping that readers will enjoy Arms-Commander when it comes out in January.
Are there any plans for Recluce or Corean Chronicles audiobooks?
At present, there aren’t any audiobooks scheduled beyond Imager’s Intrigue, but I imagine that whether the audiobook publisher decides to issue other titles as audio releases will depend on the sales of the Imager audiobooks.
When will the third Imager Portfolio book be released?
Imager’s Intrigue is scheduled for release in the fall of 2010.
How do you pronounce your name?
It’s pronounced MODD-ess-it, where “Modd” rhymes with “odd.” The pronunciation breaks a number of rules, but it wasn’t my decision, obviously.
Will the next Recluce novel continue the story of Rahl and Deybri?
Much as I personally like both Rahl and Deybri, the next Recluce novel, Arms-Commander [due out in early January 2010], tells the story of Saryn, beginning roughly ten years after the end of The Chaos Balance.
Is Hamor a remnant of a breakaway Cyadoran sect or were the ancient Cyadorans heavily influenced by Cyador?
Both, in a sense, in that Hamor was the other continent most strongly influenced besides Candar and because, with the fall of Cyador, a number of refugees settled in Hamor. The Hamorian legal code is a direct crib from that of Cyador, as Kharl finds out in his studies of law.
Is there any one character in the Recluce Saga who is surprisingly like you?
Although I suspect that every author puts parts, if not large parts, of himself or herself into books, I honestly don’t think that any Recluce character is “surprisingly” like me. Lerris does have, of course, the same sort of cluelessness that I had at that age, but the rest of his character is considerably different.
Will you ever write a book in the Recluce Saga dealing with events in Cyador after the time Lorn is emperor and before Cyador falls?
While I will not be writing another book about Lorn, whether I’ll write more about Cyador still remains to be seen. At this point I just don’t know.
After the last Corean Chronicles book with Alucius, what happens to all the structures created by the Ifrits? Will there be more books about what follows with all those characters?
The structures remain… at least they don’t vanish instantly, or in the immediate future. Currently, I’m deeply involved in writing other books, and I haven’t decided whether there will be more Corean Chronicles books, and if so, in what time period they will be set.
Will a clean white map ever be available for the Corean Chronicles?
As some readers may know, I get more questions about maps than about any single subject, and almost no one is happy. Either the maps don’t have enough detail; they aren’t current to whatever Recluce book they’re included in; some particulars don’t match the text. The map for the Corean Chronicles was designed as a colored end paper, and then, for reasons not shared with me, was copied in black and white, which is extremely difficult to read. Unfortunately, given the exceedingly dismal financial state of the publishing industry at present, I don’t see Tor springing for the cash to commission a black and white map… not unless I commit to write at least another trilogy in that world, which, at the moment, I have not done.
Do you ever intend to commission an art book or compendium for any of your series?
Right now, it would be premature for me to attempt this, because it’s still possible that I may add to most, if not all of my fantasy series, and when I add another book, there’s always new “stuff.”
Would you tell us what book you are currently reading and the name of the first science fiction book you ever read?
At the moment, I’m too busy trying to finish Imager’s Intrigue to be reading any fiction, but the last book I read all the way through was an advance copy of Diana Rowland’s forthcoming Mark of the Demon, which is a mix of police procedural and fantasy by a former cop who clearly knows her stuff. It’s good, but a bit “strong” in some scenes for my tastes.
I’m curious about the the worlds from which the people who eventually populated the world of Recluce come. Is there any chance of novels set in one or more of those worlds?
I won’t rule out that possibility, but I’ve never really thought about pursuing stories along those lines. I wouldn’t want to make such stories an anti-climax, or conversely have them overshadow the Recluce books.
In The Order War, Justen and his brother play a game called Capture. Will you ever provide the rules of the game?
That’s unlikely, although I envisioned the game as a cross between a number of existing games, because I never fully fleshed it out.
In The Magi’i of Cyador and Scion of Cyador, a book of poetry is consistently referenced and partly quoted. Do you have any plans to publish it separately or along with other poetry you have written?
At this point, I have no plans to publish such verse. In the future, if it appears likely that there is an audience for it, I may.
You recently indicated that you were still writing Recluce novels. When can we expect to see another book?
Tor has currently scheduled the next Recluce book — Arms-Commander — for release in January 2010.
Are you still active in the environmental field, and do you plan to revisit the worlds of either Flash or The Ethos Effect?
While I still try to remain current by reading the literature in the environmental field, or as much of it as I can squeeze in, I’m no longer an active consultant. At present, I have no plans for additional novels in either the future world of Flash or The Ethos Effect.
