Scholar

The Fourth Book of the Imager Portfolio

By: L. E. Modesitt Jr.

Narrated by: William Dufris

Hundreds of years before the time of Imager, the continent of Lydar is fragmented. Years of war have consolidated five nations into three-Bovaria, Telaryn, and Antiago. Quaeryt is a scholar and friend of Bhayar, the young ruler of Telaryn. Worried about his future and the escalating intrigues in Solis, the capital city, Quaeryt persuades Bhayar to send him to Tilbor, conquered ten years earlier by Bhayar's father, in order to see if the number and extent of occupying troops can be reduced so that they can be re-deployed to the border with warlike Bovaria.

Quaeryt has managed to conceal the fact that he is an imager, since the life expectancies of imagers in Lydar is short. Just before Quaeryt departs, Bhayar's youngest sister passes a letter to the scholar-imager, a letter that could well embroil Quaeryt in the welter of court politics he had hoped to leave behind. On top of that, on his voyage and journey to Tilbor he must face pirates, storms, poisonings, attempted murder, as well as discovering the fact that he is not quite who he thought he was. To make it all worse, the order of scholars to which he belongs is jeopardized in more ways than one.

©2011 L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Perhaps the best so far in this consistently fascinating series." ( Kirkus)

Great start to the Imager series

Great characters and thoughtful development of the world of Imagers. I really liked seeing the start of new talents and the foundations of the imagers. An excellent start to the series.

Very well crafted indeed!

Well written tale with twist and turns. I confess to being surprised. A very enjoyable read!

Great book very well read

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I usually listen on my way to and from work. I found myself listening in the parking lot because I did not want to interrupt the story.

Worth it

Pretty good story, if a little stilted. I would have liked a little less agonizing about the nameless. Maybe there's a reason for it in the next few books?

Munchies

In typical Modesitt fashion food takes center stage. As a prequel this book sheds some of the structure imposed by prior books allowing the hero to explore his world and superpowers without stifling the plot with invulnerability.