Other Worlds

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Title:	Wellspring of Chaos
Author:	L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Copyright Date:	2004
Publisher:	Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

Plot

"Kharl is the best cooper in Brysta, one of the major cities in Nordla, and his life has been as snug and regular as his barrels. But in the course of just a few days, it's all staved in. The trouble begins when he saves a neighbor's daughter from the violent advances of two upper-class men. Then he rescues an actual rape victim he finds unconscious in an alley. She's a blackstaffer - a young expatriate mage - from Recluse, and that makes his wife very uneasy. The culprit in both cases turns out to have been the local ruler's cruel and corrupt son, Egen, who has no qualms about exploiting his position as Captain of the Watch.
"When the blackstaffer is mysteriously murdered in the cooperage, Kharl is jailed, and then, in a shocking turnaround at the trial, his innocent consort is blamed for the killing and quickly executed. Egen again. Slowly recovering from the brutal flogging he was subjected to before being released, Kharl can only mourn his wife and watch as his business dries up and his sons leave. He ends up destitute and on the run, but he does take the slain woman's black staff, and the book, The Basis of Order, which explains the principles of its power.
"Kharl discovers that he can use the black staff to combat magic, and that he needs to, because the white wizard allied with Egen is stalking and murdering young women, and seeking Kharl. Fleeing Nordla, Kharl becomes a sailor. Each port he visits opens new views of life - and the magical talents he wants to deny, until he is forced to face the responsibilities they entail. Eventually, in the middle of a civil war in Austra, he must stake his life on a single decision that will affect the outcome of the greatest battle fought in generations."
Setting

This is the 12th installment in the Saga of Recluse. After all those novels, one would think the entire world exploited and uninspired. Not so. This is the first book that takes the reader to the countries of Austra, Nordla, and Hamor. Lands mentioned but never explored. Kharl's life as a sailor brings the reader a wide range of cultures and locales.
Characters

The main character is Kharl, a cooper and latent Order Mage.
Hagen, a prosperous Captain and highly respected nobleman of Austra.
Egen, the cruel son of Lord West, ruler of Brysta.
Overall

This is a very satisfying story. The plot is a refreshing change from the previous installments. It seems the more books that are released in the Saga of Recluse, the less they have to do with Recluse at all. This novel offered a better look into the rest of the world. Readers are given a mature main character instead of the usual youths that find their powers. The writer also portrays a male character without his usual deferment to females.

Plot
"Kharl is the best cooper in Brysta, one of the major cities in Nordla, and his life has been as snug and regular as his barrels. But in the course of just a few days, it's all staved in. The trouble begins when he saves a neighbor's daughter from the violent advances of two upper-class men. Then he rescues an actual rape victim he finds unconscious in an alley. She's a blackstaffer - a young expatriate mage - from Recluse, and that makes his wife very uneasy. The culprit in both cases turns out to have been the local ruler's cruel and corrupt son, Egen, who has no qualms about exploiting his position as Captain of the Watch. "When the blackstaffer is mysteriously murdered in the cooperage, Kharl is jailed, and then, in a shocking turnaround at the trial, his innocent consort is blamed for the killing and quickly executed. Egen again. Slowly recovering from the brutal flogging he was subjected to before being released, Kharl can only mourn his wife and watch as his business dries up and his sons leave. He ends up destitute and on the run, but he does take the slain woman's black staff, and the book, The Basis of Order, which explains the principles of its power. "Kharl discovers that he can use the black staff to combat magic, and that he needs to, because the white wizard allied with Egen is stalking and murdering young women, and seeking Kharl. Fleeing Nordla, Kharl becomes a sailor. Each port he visits opens new views of life - and the magical talents he wants to deny, until he is forced to face the responsibilities they entail. Eventually, in the middle of a civil war in Austra, he must stake his life on a single decision that will affect the outcome of the greatest battle fought in generations."
Setting
This is the 12th installment in the Saga of Recluse. After all those novels, one would think the entire world exploited and uninspired. Not so. This is the first book that takes the reader to the countries of Austra, Nordla, and Hamor. Lands mentioned but never explored. Kharl's life as a sailor brings the reader a wide range of cultures and locales.
Characters
The main character is Kharl, a cooper and latent Order Mage. Hagen, a prosperous Captain and highly respected nobleman of Austra. Egen, the cruel son of Lord West, ruler of Brysta.
Overall
This is a very satisfying story. The plot is a refreshing change from the previous installments. It seems the more books that are released in the Saga of Recluse, the less they have to do with Recluse at all. This novel offered a better look into the rest of the world. Readers are given a mature main character instead of the usual youths that find their powers. The writer also portrays a male character without his usual deferment to females.