Viewpoints Critical by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

L.E. Modesitt, Jr., is an author better known for his novel length writing than his short fiction. In the introduction to Viewpoints Critical, Modesitt points out that he has published half as many stories as novels, an unusual achievement for a writer who began his career in the pages of Analog and Asimov’s. Equally unusual, given these “Hard SF” roots, is Modesitt’s shift into and success in the fantasy genre. Viewpoints Critical gives a retrospective overview of Modesitt’s development as a writer, from the early seventies to the present day

The collection opens with five stories published between 1973 – 1990 in Analog and Asimov’s. “The Great American Economy” explores the idea of a loophole in a computer administered economy that allows the almost invisible theft of massive amounts of money. “Second Coming” is a play on the hypocrisy of “Believers” when confronted with the realities of their belief. “Rule of Law” hypothesises the use of predictive computer technology to manipulate state legal systems by studying the past behaviour of judges and lawyers. “Iron Man, Plastic Ships” is a commentary on the corrupt relationship between government and industry in the military procurement system from the viewpoint of one iron willed, frontline officer. “Power To…?” can be read as an early contribution to the now commonplace debate within SF on global warming, in which Modesitt touches on both Gaia theory and positive/negative feedbacks in environmental systems.

In addition to being idea led “Hard SF,” all five stories share other distinguishing features. The repeating motif of corrupt hierarchies challenged by maverick individuals is ever present, as it is through much of the collection. There are also clear links to Modesitt’s real life experiences, in particular his background in government and law, and perhaps more importantly, his experiences as a pilot, experiences that reappear throughout the collection.

“Precision Set” is amongst the collection’s shorter stories. While having an interesting core idea—the division between artificial/human consciousness and identity—it reads too much like a précis of a longer story to have much impact.

“Fallen Angel” presents a fantasy scenario of angels and demons interfering in the real world and is the first appearance in this collection of another repeated theme, that of sexual betrayal. Lucian de Noir is employed by the powerful Jaweau to cast an attraction spell, a task he completes by seducing then betraying the blonde singer, Kyrilann. “Understanding” returns to the theme of sexual betrayal, this time allowing the female contingent a retort as the violent, predatory male, Randy, is subjected to a drawn out revenge at the hands of Cyane for his mistreatment of previous girlfriends. Modesitt paints Randy as a believably dislikeable character, with vanity and limited intelligence to add to his other flaws. Cyane, however, is little more than a foil for Randy’s punishment, and the greater potential of her mythical character is not explored.

“Black Order Mage” is the story many fans of Modesitt will likely be attracted to first, being a “prequel” of sorts to his well known Recluce saga. In the context of the collection, it is one of the most marked changes of voice that Modesitt attempts, being told from the viewpoint of Cassius Barca Samuels, a black sailor magically transported to the world of Recluce, and the adopted Black American voice is fairly successful. The story relies on some knowledge of the Recluce series for its impact, so will be less effective for new readers of Modesitt.

“News Clips Recovered from the NYC Ruins” is the collection’s strongest standalone story. Modesitt presents a series of texts in the style of news reports. The story of America’s economic and social collapse is told in hints and snatches of suggested imagery. The story could easily have descended into cliché by blaming the collapse on war or terrorism, but instead, Modesitt incisively demonstrates a self perpetuated cultural decline into ignorance as a future challenge for Western society. As Modesitt says, his decision to do away with traditional story devices such as “characters” gives the story a haunting, emotional resonance.

“Beyond the Obvious Wind” is probably the collection’s most rounded story. Later to inspire Modesitt’s Corean Chronicles, here is told the story of Tech Captain Vynhal on a mission to troubleshoot a distant Cadmian military outpost. The stories repeated dives into the imagined military hierarchy of Myrmiddon, Tech, and Cadmian and the direct tale of Captain Vynhal’s determined triumph over adversity will please many military fiction readers, and a more general readership will be able to engage with the subtext of Vynhal’s own awakening to his long denied human emotions as the mysteries of Iron Stem unfold before him. The story also encapsulates many of Modesitt’s key themes:

“You are not like the others.” She said. “You see what they do not. You think they should see what you do, because it is so apparent. But they never will.”

The protagonist gifted with the ability to see beyond, either through lies and corruption or through reality itself, is perhaps the single most engaging element of Modesitt’s writing.

“Always Outside the Lines: Four Battles” and “Ghost Mission” are both linked to Modesitt’s longer works, in this case the Ghosts of Columbia series. They are not the strongest stories in the collection and seem a little out of place, like ideas out of context.

The collection closes with six stories that cover Modesitt’s more recent work. “The Pilots” seems like the most personal piece of writing in the collection. A future pilot encounters the ghost of a twentieth century pilot at the sight of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C., producing a story with an intense, fugue-like quality. “The Dock to Heaven” and “Spec Ops” reflect heavy cyberpunk influences and would not be out of place beside Pat Cadigan, Rudy Rucker, and Bruce Sterling. “Sisters of Sarronyn, Sisters of Westwind” returns to Modesitt’s famed Recluce series and might make a good introduction to that world for new readers. “The Difference” shares a lot in common with Modesitt’s earliest writing, an idea led story in which AI’s become sentient and create real God’s…with a twist that takes Modesitt back into the war between the sexes. Finally, “The Swan Pilot” closes the collection with a story about stories, about myths and how they are formed.

Viewpoints Critical is a broad, wide-ranging collection, and this is both its strength and its weakness. Existing fans of Modesitt’s writing will be drawn to the new stories in his established worlds, and for Modesitt completeists, the stories from his early career will be essential for shedding light on his development as a writer. But readers without prior knowledge seeking a taste of his work might be better served with a shorter collection bringing together only the stronger, more recent stories.

Publisher: Tor Books (March 2008)
Price: $17.13
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN: 0765318571