ISBN: 0-765-30095-8 Order from: Amazon.com
Reviewed by David on January 09, 2002
Genre: Science Fiction (Alternate Reality, Weird Science, Ghosts, Cloak and Dagger)
Synopsis: In an alternate world where ghosts exist and are affected by electromagnetic fields, the history took a different turn from ours. The East American colonies have retained a heavy Dutch flavor, and the North American continent is split between several independent nations.
In what is now Upper New York, Doktor Johan Eschbach, a veteran of the Columbian Republican forces, a retired member of the feared intelligence service and a former sub-minister of Ecology, is quite content to be teaching in a small college, and happy to be married to beautiful Llysette duBoise, a talented opera singer.
The government of Columbia, pressed by the ambitious and ruthless Austrian Empire and the growing shortage of fuel is eager to ally with resource-rich Russia. As tensions grow, and Russia vacilates between sides, Llysette's growing fame is a perfect cover for a visit to the cold St. Petersburg and its music-loving Tzar.
As before, Johan is forced to play the spy, as he tries to do his best to gain allies for his country.
Full Review: Modesitt created an intriguing world, where the history was affected by the fact that violently killed individuals leave ghosts that haunt survivors. From lower birth rate, to the failure of "William the Unfortunate" to conquer England, the world history has taken different turns.
The technology of this alternate world is a bit behind ours, except in the clandestine research of ghost creation and destruction.
The book, a bit lighter than the author's usual on preaching and heavy on spy games, is entertaining. The adversaries seem rather dense to provide much intellectual challenge, and the intrigue, while fast and vigorous, lacks subtlety. While the location is new, there is relatively little of the exotic or historical feel.
In short, this is a mildly entertaining spy adventure, set in an intriguing but not very exciting alternate world. A strong hero and the continuing warmth of his relationship with his wife mitigate somewhat the sketchy nature of all secondary characters.
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 4; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 6; Originality: 7;
Copyright date 2001, Tom Doherty Associates (Tor), October 2001, Cloth, 398 pages
ISBN: 0-765-30095-8 Order from: Amazon.com