Part of the The Saga Of Recluce series

The Saga Of Recluce

Name: The Saga Of Recluce
Author: Jr., L. E. Modesitt
ISBN: 9780812505184

by Jr., L. E. Modesitt

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About this book

The Saga of Reclucedescribes a constant war between order and chaos, and its magic system is a significant part of that. Where Order is present in the molecular bonds that make up the world, chaos stands for the destruction of that matter. Magic users can choose one, but they must understand the influence of the other to be successful. Black wizards (order) create magic by strengthening or changing the bonds of existing objects. White wizards, on the other hand, break those bonds, creating earthquakes, explosions, and more. Of course, both come at a cost. Using chaos will inevitably lead to further chaos in the White mage’s lives. As a result, they often die younger. Using Order makes it difficult to tell lies, even inside their own heads, and to use objects that destroy, such as knives or swords. Grey mages, meanwhile, try to balance both, but still often age at an accelerated rate. These tangible consequences give a feeling of reality to the system, and the way magic is used adds to that. Rather than being squirreled away in towers and royal courts, wizards use their magic in a way that makes sense to them. Order uses have a liking for engineering and woodworking, while white mages often clean roads, prevent smuggling, or remove bacteria. Despite this, every wizard has unique traits. Like anything else, use of magic is influenced by the user’s perception. Some will see ways to manipulate the world that others won’t, leading to infinite variety and a thorough, realistic system.