/lit/ - Literature

>>20284524
Antiagon Fire, Imager Portfolio #7 - L.E. Modesitt Jr. (2013)

Antiagon Fire was the weakest of the series thus far. The vast majority, 70% or so, is Quaeryt being on a pacification campaign. He travels from place to place reminding the local powers that his lord's forces has already won and that they really ought to stop being so recalcitrant, or as it's described by characters, being stiff-necked. That isn't a term I've really seen outside of biblical references. The last 30% is Quaeryt deciding to conquer a nation on basically a whim with whatever little forces he has with with him.

Strangely, several of the characters have arguably become less developed over time and less individuated. Maybe that's a statement on the military causing homogeneity of personality over time, but I don't think that's what was intended. This is also evident in Quaeryt as he becomes ever more monomaniacal. It's a similar character arc to the starting trilogy and I assume it will end in the same way. There's one book left with him and wrap it all up.

I was disappointed with this book, but it still made for a fine read and I assume the last will be as well. Hopefully it's not almost all about conquering the last remaining nation. This probably should have been a trilogy as well rather than a quintet, but I'll reserve my final judgement until after I finished the fifth of the Quaeryt books.

Rating: 3/5