Overcaptain

Overcaptain is the 24th installment in L. E. Modesitt, jr.'s Recluce Saga and the second volume in Alyiakal's story arc. To help promote the book, I've done an interview with the author which will be posted in the coming weeks. So stay tuned!

You may recall that I wasn't entirely thrilled to learn that what was originally meant to be a three-book cycle was turned into a four-book sequence because Tor Books were loath to release Alayiakal's story as three lengthy novels. I was concerned about this, for in the past such a split had a negative impact on Beltur's three-volume sequence. My fear was that Overcaptain would ultimately be about half of the book the second installment was meant to be and it sure looks as though this is the case.

Here's the blurb:

L. E. Modesitt, Jr. continues the Saga of Recluce, the long-running, best-selling epic fantasy series. Overcaptain, the sequel to From the Forest, continues to follow the early life of a man known by many names depending on who you ask—hero, tyrant, emperor.

Alyiakal, overcaptain in the Mirror Lancers of Cyador, has completed his tour of duty as officer-in-charge of a small, remote post. He just wants to finish and see his best friend consorted and assume his next post assignment. If only it were that easy.

He discovers corruption in the Merchanter Clans of Cyador, but investigating Mirror Lancer officers end up dead. Before he can go on leave, he has to replace one of these officers, close a post, dodge an attempt on his life, and an investigation from Magi-i.

At Lhaarat, Alyiakal is assigned as a deputy commander to a post that never had one, and the commander doesn't want one—and that's just the beginning of Alyiakal’s problems.

For my money, the worldbuilding has always been one of the most fascinating facets of any new Recluce title. Each tale allows readers to discover how people and events shaped history during their lifetime. From the Forest was the earliest installment in the Recluce timeline. The action occurs more than three centuries before Magi'i of Cyador and Scion of Cyador, and more than seven centuries before Fall of Angels. I'm not sure if we'll ever get the full story of the arrival of the First from the Rational Stars and the founding of Cyad, but for now I relish the few glimpses from the past that Alayiakal's tale provides. How the wall and the wards that contain the Accursed Forest were built, how the chaos towers and all the technological wonders that can no longer be duplicated by the Magi'i and the Mirror Engineers were created, how chaos could be harnessed in such a fashion merely decades before, who were the Dissidents and what happened to them, what is Alayiakal's strange relationship with the Accursed Forest and what impact will it have on him, all of these secrets remain mysteries for the time being.

Overcaptain is the immediate sequel to From the Forest. As the title implies, it follows Alayiakal's stint as an overcaptain over the course of a few different postings and his rise within the ranks of the Mirror Lancers. His romance with Saelora progresses, but they cannot get married because it would hurt both of their careers. This second volume is also a bit more political. We learn that the Emperor's health is deteriorating and that death seems inevitable. Trouble is, his legitimate heir is unsuited to ascend the throne, while his illegitimate son shows ambition and has connections at court that may see him be crowned. How this will impact a young overcaptain destined for glory remains to be seen.

Modesitt continues to explore the relationship between Order and Chaos, one of the trademarks of this series. Like Lerial and Beltur, being able to manipulate both Order and Chaos forces Alayiakal to test the limits of what he can do, while keeping his abilities secret. This strange dichotomy wouldn't sit well with some of his fellow soldiers, especially his superiors. The same can be said of the Magi'i, who are beginning to suspect that something is afoot. Throughout the novel, Alayiakal continues to funnel chaos energy from the sun every chance he gets.

As expected, Overcaptain suffers from pacing issues from time to time. Modesitt's novels are never fast-paced affairs and Modesitt's latest is no exception to that rule. Still, From the Forest was a more self-contained book. It's obvious that the events taking place in Overcaptain were meant to be the beginning and perhaps the middle of a single novel, which will now continue in the forthcoming Sub-Majer's Challenge.

As a result, there is no endgame and the ending offers no resolution whatsoever. As the title of the third volume implies, Alayiakal gets promoted and we'll have to wait till next year to discover what that means for the young man. I can't say I'm happy about this state of affairs. But Overcaptain ended up being exactly what I expected and I can live with that. I've been reading this series for nearly three decades, so I'll be here for the next book! I just wish it had been published the way it was meant to be. . .

The final verdict: 7.5/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

You can read an extract from the novel here.