Book completed

[eve_prime]

Outcasts of Order, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Recluce #20. This is one of my favorite of the Recluce books, because it has an interesting protagonist (Beltur) doing things other than the usual military / police / magical assassination typical of Modesitt books, in a reasonable and reasonably appealing place (Axalt). As the book opens, Beltur has become a military hero in Elparta, but soon he has to flee, along with his blacksmith colleague and his sweetheart. They head to Axalt, where he continues his smithing and learns more of the nuances of magical healing. By the end of the book, though, they have to flee again – Beltur is just too powerful a mage for Axalt, plus he’s feeling responsible for young Taelya, who’s only seven but likely to become a powerful white mage, and white mages aren’t welcome in Axalt. The book ends with Beltur, Jessyla, and Taelya’s parents taking on the challenge of creating a city that will work for people like them. It’s interesting and relaxing reading.