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Ghost #1
Of Tangible Ghosts
Modesitt returns to science fiction with Of Tangible Ghosts, a carefully crafted alternate universe novel. In this world, the Dutch never lost control of the Northeast, and France, Spain, and Chung Kuo are today's superpowers, as is Colombia. And in this universe, the ghosts of the dead linger, sometimes visible, sometimes speaking to the living. Johan Eschbach has retired from service as an agent of the government of Colombia and gone north to teach at a university in his native Dutch territory. Research is being conducted in the university's physics department - research on the control of ghosts - that is of interest to governments worldwide. And Johan is forced by his former employers to work again as a spy. When he discovers too much, he is marked for death. But at least one ghost wants to keep him alive.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
L.E. Modesitt Jr.
188 books2,482 followersL. E. (Leland Exton) Modesitt, Jr. is an author of science fiction and fantasy novels. He is best known for the fantasy series The Saga of Recluce. He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts, lived in Washington, D.C. for 20 years, then moved to New Hampshire in 1989 where he met his wife. They relocated to Cedar City, Utah in 1993.
He has worked as a Navy pilot, lifeguard, delivery boy, unpaid radio disc jockey, real estate agent, market research analyst, director of research for a political campaign, legislative assistant for a Congressman, Director of Legislation and Congressional Relations for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a consultant on environmental, regulatory, and communications issues, and a college lecturer and writer in residence.
In addition to his novels, Mr. Modesitt has published technical studies and articles, columns, poetry, and a number of science fiction stories. His first short story, "The Great American Economy", was published in 1973 in Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact.
-Wikipedia
He has worked as a Navy pilot, lifeguard, delivery boy, unpaid radio disc jockey, real estate agent, market research analyst, director of research for a political campaign, legislative assistant for a Congressman, Director of Legislation and Congressional Relations for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a consultant on environmental, regulatory, and communications issues, and a college lecturer and writer in residence.
In addition to his novels, Mr. Modesitt has published technical studies and articles, columns, poetry, and a number of science fiction stories. His first short story, "The Great American Economy", was published in 1973 in Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 29, 2007
Wow. Modesitt is one hell of an author. This book is really impressive on several fronts and the only reason i don't give it a 5 star rating is that it does tend to confuse the reader fairly often. However, this is actually kind of a good thing. I really appreciate an author who isn't playing to the lowest common denominator and isn't afraid to say "I'm making this my way and if you don't have the IQ to keep up, it's your loss." Equally impressive is how quiet everything is, which is great when you're not reading with a "get to the damn point" agenda but rather are interested in genuinely experiencing another place. There are more descriptive details about meals and food prep than there are about zany spy action, I think. Again the quiet factor is really something to behold(if you've seen the TV show "Mad Men" you'll have a good reference point)as Modesitt never ever beats you over the head with anything and forces you to both think about what's going on and to read behind the lines. Also, Dr. Eschbach's annoyed interactions with his students are a riot, probably exactly what I'd be like in a teaching position.
Great read if you've got the ability, but not for those looking for cotton candy, capisce?
Great read if you've got the ability, but not for those looking for cotton candy, capisce?
October 23, 2014
I think this would be classified as 'steampunk'. There's a slight difference in how electricity works, so ghosts are a fact of life. The U.S. isn't a country, instead there are several smaller countries across the NA continent. No gas cars, but steamers & there are 'difference engines' instead of computers.
It's an interesting concept & world that he's created. It's mostly a mystery story with a dash of ghostly horror occasionally sprinkled through the series.
It's an interesting concept & world that he's created. It's mostly a mystery story with a dash of ghostly horror occasionally sprinkled through the series.
July 21, 2021
Review of the first two books in this trilogy
Johan Eschbach, retired from an eventful career in service to Columbia as a naval aviator, Spazi agent, and cabinet minister, now teaches environmental economics at Vanderbraak State University in New Bruges (New Hampshire in OTL). Doktor Eschbach lost both his wife and daughter in a political murder -- he himself was badly wounded -- and he would like nothing better than a quiet life in this academic backwater. That would make for a dull book, however, and he is soon caught up in a murder investigation, a love affair, political intrigues, and secret military research into "de-ghosting."
Doktor Eschbach's solution to the ensuing tangle is "rather appalling and not entirely credible" -- to quote Christina Schulman, whose excellent review led me to read Of Tangible Ghosts: http://www.epiphyte.net/SF/of-tangibl...
"A land of dirigibles and difference engines, Modesitt's eerily refined world is compelling and coolly original, a place where you still drive to work in a car--albeit steam-powered--but think nothing of waving good morning to the zombies raking leaves off the lawn." -- Paul Hughes, amazon.com
Ghost of the Revelator picks up Doktor Eschbach's and his new wife Llysette Du Boise's lives as her singing career is taking off, and as the messy ending to Of Tangible Ghosts comes back to haunt Eschbach. The story unfolds slowly, but the same wonderful details of everyday life that enlivened the first book -- lunch at a favorite cafe, icy roads, dense, lazy, occasionally sharp students, petty academic politics, politicians who can "smile and smile and be a villain" -- make the trip worthwhile. This world is slower-paced than ours, and Modesitt's prose has something of the heavy Dutch feel of well-fed burghers, shining-clean windows, and tidy lives. Very human. If slow bothers you -- skim.
Modesitt still hasn't smoothed out his jarring exposition of the differences between his alternate world and ours, here usually dumped as interior monologues. Show, don't tell, please!
Llysette sings at a Presidential Arts Awards dinner and is invited to perform at the prestigious Salt Palace in Deseret -- after fleeing the fall of France and an Austrian political prison. Johan comes to the uncomfortable conclusion that he's about to be eclipsed in fame and fortune by his glamorous wife....
...but maybe Deseret is after more than just a performance by the new prima diva. And what about Austria-Hungary? And New France? And the shadowy "Revealed Twelve"?
Minister Eschbach resolves the ensuing international crisis with verve, skill, and a couple of twists that would be unfair to reveal. Suffice it to say that the ending is most satisfactory, and leaves plenty of room for future Eschbach/Du Boise adventures.
Both books are reasonably self-contained, but if you read one and like it, you'll want to read the other, so it makes sense to start with Of Tangible Ghosts.
Doktor Eschbach and the two books have parallels to Mr. Modesitt's real life: the author was a naval aviator, spent twenty years in our "Federal District" as a political aide, EPA staffer, and college teacher. He's married to a lyric soprano, who teaches at Southern Utah University. He and his family moved from DC to New Hampshire ("New Bruges") and then to Utah: these are the settings for both books. "Write what you know," the old adage goes. I presume the spies and ghosts are from the author's imagination...
My 1998 review:
https://www.sfsite.com/12a/gost46.htm
Lightly edited, 2021
Johan Eschbach, retired from an eventful career in service to Columbia as a naval aviator, Spazi agent, and cabinet minister, now teaches environmental economics at Vanderbraak State University in New Bruges (New Hampshire in OTL). Doktor Eschbach lost both his wife and daughter in a political murder -- he himself was badly wounded -- and he would like nothing better than a quiet life in this academic backwater. That would make for a dull book, however, and he is soon caught up in a murder investigation, a love affair, political intrigues, and secret military research into "de-ghosting."
Doktor Eschbach's solution to the ensuing tangle is "rather appalling and not entirely credible" -- to quote Christina Schulman, whose excellent review led me to read Of Tangible Ghosts: http://www.epiphyte.net/SF/of-tangibl...
"A land of dirigibles and difference engines, Modesitt's eerily refined world is compelling and coolly original, a place where you still drive to work in a car--albeit steam-powered--but think nothing of waving good morning to the zombies raking leaves off the lawn." -- Paul Hughes, amazon.com
Ghost of the Revelator picks up Doktor Eschbach's and his new wife Llysette Du Boise's lives as her singing career is taking off, and as the messy ending to Of Tangible Ghosts comes back to haunt Eschbach. The story unfolds slowly, but the same wonderful details of everyday life that enlivened the first book -- lunch at a favorite cafe, icy roads, dense, lazy, occasionally sharp students, petty academic politics, politicians who can "smile and smile and be a villain" -- make the trip worthwhile. This world is slower-paced than ours, and Modesitt's prose has something of the heavy Dutch feel of well-fed burghers, shining-clean windows, and tidy lives. Very human. If slow bothers you -- skim.
Modesitt still hasn't smoothed out his jarring exposition of the differences between his alternate world and ours, here usually dumped as interior monologues. Show, don't tell, please!
Llysette sings at a Presidential Arts Awards dinner and is invited to perform at the prestigious Salt Palace in Deseret -- after fleeing the fall of France and an Austrian political prison. Johan comes to the uncomfortable conclusion that he's about to be eclipsed in fame and fortune by his glamorous wife....
...but maybe Deseret is after more than just a performance by the new prima diva. And what about Austria-Hungary? And New France? And the shadowy "Revealed Twelve"?
Minister Eschbach resolves the ensuing international crisis with verve, skill, and a couple of twists that would be unfair to reveal. Suffice it to say that the ending is most satisfactory, and leaves plenty of room for future Eschbach/Du Boise adventures.
Both books are reasonably self-contained, but if you read one and like it, you'll want to read the other, so it makes sense to start with Of Tangible Ghosts.
Doktor Eschbach and the two books have parallels to Mr. Modesitt's real life: the author was a naval aviator, spent twenty years in our "Federal District" as a political aide, EPA staffer, and college teacher. He's married to a lyric soprano, who teaches at Southern Utah University. He and his family moved from DC to New Hampshire ("New Bruges") and then to Utah: these are the settings for both books. "Write what you know," the old adage goes. I presume the spies and ghosts are from the author's imagination...
My 1998 review:
https://www.sfsite.com/12a/gost46.htm
Lightly edited, 2021
July 14, 2022
Entertaining first-person action-adventure interspersed with a lot of college politics and teaching stuff (which will definitely be better appreciated if one had to deal with that), set in the 1990s of an alternate universe where ghosts exist, the geopolitical situation is quite different as is technology.
Former secret service (SPAZI) operative and assistant minister, Johan Eschbach, hit by tragedy when losing his son to some kind of accident that probably wasn't, then his wife to a terrible disease that could have been at least attempted to be cured in an enemy nation, but with the government refusing to allow it and finally fired from his official duties and retired from his unofficial ones when the opposing party took power, is now teaching environmental politics at a state university in the town of New Bruges, a heavily Dutch settled town in the far northeast of the nation of Columbia - a sort of US-Canada, though more Anglo-Dutch as for example New Amsterdam is still that and not New York, though Washington is still the capital etc, but without the territories taken from Mexico in the 1800's as in this version of history, Mexico- now the New France empire under a Franco-Austrian dynasty, but currently led by Marshal de Gaulle in the name of the young emperor, won.
Johan is now dating Lysette Dubois, a French opera diva, now barely scrapping an existence as a poorly paid music instructor at the New Bruges college, who after being imprisoned and tortured barely escaped the conquest (and devastation) of her country by the Austro-Hungarian empire which dominates large parts of Eurasia here, as the Japanese (another of the great powers of the day) ambassador secured her release and departure to Columbia as he was a big fan.
When one day a colleague of Lysette is murdered and Johan sees her ghost, things start happening as sleepy New Bruges becomes the center of conflict in the covert war about psychic research into the nature and use of ghosts, so between trying to deal with his annoying department chief, with the domineering college dean, with the laziness and lack of dedication of his students and with navigating the many hidden mines in his relation with Lysette, Johan will also have to think quickly and act even quicker to stay alive when his former bosses decide that he will make a convenient scapegoat for all those happenings
Energy, lots of irony and a page-turner.
Former secret service (SPAZI) operative and assistant minister, Johan Eschbach, hit by tragedy when losing his son to some kind of accident that probably wasn't, then his wife to a terrible disease that could have been at least attempted to be cured in an enemy nation, but with the government refusing to allow it and finally fired from his official duties and retired from his unofficial ones when the opposing party took power, is now teaching environmental politics at a state university in the town of New Bruges, a heavily Dutch settled town in the far northeast of the nation of Columbia - a sort of US-Canada, though more Anglo-Dutch as for example New Amsterdam is still that and not New York, though Washington is still the capital etc, but without the territories taken from Mexico in the 1800's as in this version of history, Mexico- now the New France empire under a Franco-Austrian dynasty, but currently led by Marshal de Gaulle in the name of the young emperor, won.
Johan is now dating Lysette Dubois, a French opera diva, now barely scrapping an existence as a poorly paid music instructor at the New Bruges college, who after being imprisoned and tortured barely escaped the conquest (and devastation) of her country by the Austro-Hungarian empire which dominates large parts of Eurasia here, as the Japanese (another of the great powers of the day) ambassador secured her release and departure to Columbia as he was a big fan.
When one day a colleague of Lysette is murdered and Johan sees her ghost, things start happening as sleepy New Bruges becomes the center of conflict in the covert war about psychic research into the nature and use of ghosts, so between trying to deal with his annoying department chief, with the domineering college dean, with the laziness and lack of dedication of his students and with navigating the many hidden mines in his relation with Lysette, Johan will also have to think quickly and act even quicker to stay alive when his former bosses decide that he will make a convenient scapegoat for all those happenings
Energy, lots of irony and a page-turner.
March 10, 2018
This was pretty bad. I kept feeling like any page now it would be revealed why tangible ghosts have made these changes to politics, vehicles, coffee, and technology, but it never was. The narrator gave incredibly boring and unimportant details, while leaving entire action sequences without explanation. My copy is part of "Ghosts of Columbia" with another book in the same world, but I'm definitely not going to read it.
May 19, 2018
Of Tangible Ghosts is an original take on the alternate universe idea. We have not only the usual branching history—the Dutch are still big players on the North American stage—but also some minor changes In physical laws that make ghosts into a measurable electrical phenomena. To all of this you weld a good espionage story. Fun.
October 17, 2011
The, three so far,"Ghost" books by L. E. Modesitt Jr. were an early introduction to the "Steam" genre. They present a well thought out alternate world, one in which the population must deal with and live with the repercussions of deaths by violence and war. Ghosts are real and persistent, reliving their deaths, making it difficult for those that are alive to ignore them. Some are seen by the political community as merely a nuisance, like the Buddhist protestors, that daily engage in self immolation, keeping their faiths burning passions indelibly etched in the minds of those that see it. Some are lonely and neglected and fade away.
Battles, especially those on land, tend to create many more inconvenient ghosts. After all, who would want to live in a house or town or anywhere that was infested by one or more ghosts whose very essence permeates the fabric of reality, sending waves of pain and suffering. It could really upset the daily routines.
Now imagine whole blocks, cities, countries devastated by War and its Weapons of MASS Destruction. Such technologies as our Nuclear bombs would be unthinkable. Not only could the victor not occupy the area due to Nuclear Radiation, no one could stay in their right minds and fast the Ghostly Radiation. Ghosts are not mere superstition but have a literal physical reality. In a world where your crimes can haunt you, and the ghosts of your crimes are visible to others.
The main character is Dr. Johan Eschbach, a one time spy in the employ of the Dutch run Columbia, now a small northeastern provincial professor tries to teach his students to see beyond the veil of the printed facts, to think and respond, to look for the reasons and the consequences of actions, not to merely read and regurgitate.
There is much to admire and like about this world. Much as Eschbach encourages his students, I too encourage you to go beyond the veil of this review and view his world with your own eyes.
Battles, especially those on land, tend to create many more inconvenient ghosts. After all, who would want to live in a house or town or anywhere that was infested by one or more ghosts whose very essence permeates the fabric of reality, sending waves of pain and suffering. It could really upset the daily routines.
Now imagine whole blocks, cities, countries devastated by War and its Weapons of MASS Destruction. Such technologies as our Nuclear bombs would be unthinkable. Not only could the victor not occupy the area due to Nuclear Radiation, no one could stay in their right minds and fast the Ghostly Radiation. Ghosts are not mere superstition but have a literal physical reality. In a world where your crimes can haunt you, and the ghosts of your crimes are visible to others.
The main character is Dr. Johan Eschbach, a one time spy in the employ of the Dutch run Columbia, now a small northeastern provincial professor tries to teach his students to see beyond the veil of the printed facts, to think and respond, to look for the reasons and the consequences of actions, not to merely read and regurgitate.
There is much to admire and like about this world. Much as Eschbach encourages his students, I too encourage you to go beyond the veil of this review and view his world with your own eyes.
March 26, 2013
If you're looking for an action packed story this one will NOT be it. It's much more of a classic spy novel although set in a steam driven, alternative 20th century history. Bits and pieces of the puzzle slowly are revealed and as with any good spy mystery the real action starts well into the book.
Modessitt is an excellent writer so even if the dialogue is about everyday events you become thoroughly engrossed by the new view point of a world where Ferdinand conquers Europe so there is never a First or Second World War and France has had to relocate to South America, while America is Dutch Columbia. He extrapolates this right down to clothing, food and other cultural preference as well as the political.
The 'Catch' to the world difference, however; is that Ghosts exist and are seen often years after traumatic death (along with various degrees of zombies, including those that mow your lawn.) It helps stem horrendous wars because who wants to be haunted by thousandths of the mournful dead. Ghosts are also the element that leads the protagonist into some questionable government spook operations which I will not spoil for future readers.
Modessitt is an excellent writer so even if the dialogue is about everyday events you become thoroughly engrossed by the new view point of a world where Ferdinand conquers Europe so there is never a First or Second World War and France has had to relocate to South America, while America is Dutch Columbia. He extrapolates this right down to clothing, food and other cultural preference as well as the political.
The 'Catch' to the world difference, however; is that Ghosts exist and are seen often years after traumatic death (along with various degrees of zombies, including those that mow your lawn.) It helps stem horrendous wars because who wants to be haunted by thousandths of the mournful dead. Ghosts are also the element that leads the protagonist into some questionable government spook operations which I will not spoil for future readers.
August 31, 2011
I really enjoyed this book.
It starts as an alternative history morphing into a murder mystery with political intrigue thrown in. The story has enough twists to keep it interesting, but not so many so as to be difficult to follow.
The ending also throws a bit of a twist to the tale.
This is a lite read - good for the beach or plane.
I'm looking forward to the second book in this series. ( The Ghost of the Revelator
It starts as an alternative history morphing into a murder mystery with political intrigue thrown in. The story has enough twists to keep it interesting, but not so many so as to be difficult to follow.
The ending also throws a bit of a twist to the tale.
This is a lite read - good for the beach or plane.
I'm looking forward to the second book in this series. ( The Ghost of the Revelator
October 3, 2007
I think this is one of the first true steampunk books I've read. A parallel universe where the Dutch still have control of part of the US, and the rest is controlled by France & England. Steam-powered cars, Babbage machines, ghosts as a normal part of life. Good intro to a series, hope the rest live up to the first!
October 5, 2020
Got in the mood to reread this tale again! This is the opening volume in the Ghost series. It still holds up well today, even after multiple rereadings. If you have not indulged yourself, do so!
September 12, 2010
Great alternate history world with a fascinating take on ghosts being the reason weapons of mass destruction didn't take over on this world.
July 12, 2018
Modesitt has created an interesting alternate history setting, but has filled it with deeply tedious characters and a plot that takes a backseat to interminable descriptions of meals and lackluster university students. He's clearly a fine writer - I've enjoyed some of his other works - and he clearly spends a fair amount of time thinking the intricacies of social interactions. But he's written a book that is a chore to slog through.
March 5, 2020
This book mostly deserved a 3 star, one of Modesitt's tries I didn't like as much as usual. But the ending so pissed me off it's getting 2 stars.
This ending could have been the definition of deus ex machina in the dictionary, it was that bad/extreme.
This ending could have been the definition of deus ex machina in the dictionary, it was that bad/extreme.
March 23, 2024
Steampunk alternate history that suffers from both a surfeit of detail — I swear to God we hear about every single meal and/or cup of tea/coffee/chocolate the main character has — and a lack of explanation for wtf is going on. Incredibly intricate machinations and no idea why we are reading about them. Also, nothing ever goes wrong for the MC.
June 27, 2020
The ghost of a murdered music professor appears to Johann Eshbach, a former minister of state, now working as a professor at a university, setting in motion a chain of events that involves Eshbach in a deadly struggle for the ultimate super-weapon--an electronic control of the spirits of the dead.
October 8, 2023
I was expecting more of a ghost story, but it's a dystopia instead. Alternate universe, a little steampunk, with a sprinkle of ghosts and zombies. It's way too political for me, but if you don't mind political intrigue you might like this book.
June 6, 2019
I tried to like this, but I just couldn't. Life is short, it was too much of a chore to figure out what was going on, so I didn't finish.
November 28, 2019
Four stars for the ideas, two stars for the delivery, I guess it balances out.
December 30, 2013
I picked up Ghosts of Columbia in excitement, thinking it was a new book, only to find it was Of Tangible Ghosts and The Ghost of the Revelator put together in one book. Sigh. Oh well, it had been quite some time since reading those books so why not have another go at them?
The first book introduces our dashing (aging?) hero, Johan Eschbach. As is typical with most Modesitt books, especially the sci-fi, it takes a bit to really grab a hold of this new world/country/time period and the characters in it. Luckily, unlike the fantasy novels, the names are not a spaghetti-mess of consonants and therefore lead to easier understanding.
Johan is a past government official, and as it turns out spy, who now just wants a quiet life despite the boredom and occasional frustration his quiet life has lead to. His past and past traumas are slowly revealed as he deals with the machinations of the powers that be in the present.
I won't go into more detail except to say that I had completely forgotten the ending and so it was a surprise, though a good one.
Past that I'm going to say just read all the other reviews or the back of the book for a synopsis. Quite frankly, you can get that anywhere so I like to just give impressions. Modesitt always manages to work in a lot of ethical questions. How far do you go to protect yourself from someone who hasn't acted against you but that you know will, or that has acted against you but you avoided the act and have no proof? What kind of preventative actions, those that leave others dead or wounded, are ok when they are not retaliatory but are anticipatory. But you know that retaliatory may never happen because you'll be dead, so either you anticipate or die? Does might make right and when does it or doesn't it? When does technology go too far and who gets to make that decision?
Don't read this paragraph if you don't want a small spoiler from the end of the first book. (The second book brings back our hero, Johan Eschbach, and his lovely wife, diva and singer most supreme, Llysette, are yet again in danger as various governments scheme for power and control. Llysette is invited to give a concert in the country of Deseret, which is of course part of a political power play, though at the least, those who aren't struggling for control are blessed to experience Llysette's truly formidable and impressive vocal talents.)
As with all of Mr. Modesitt's sci-fi books involving power struggles (or is that just plain all of his sci-fi and most of the fantasy as well?) many different players are introduced and it's a little tricky to get them all organized as to their place and participation in the story. Not to mention figuring out what their motivations are. However, once you get them down, as with most of his books, things get interesting.
If you are familiar with Modesitt, you already know how it goes and so I won't go into great detail. If you are not, let me say these things. First, his sci-fi is definitely different, especially in this series, than a lot of other authors write. Give it a bit, get well into the book, and then suddenly you will find that you are engrossed. Ok, with most of them anyway. There are a couple I never could quite latch on to, but for the most part, I grab his new releases eagerly.
Second, in particular to this book (but definitely touched on in some others) he really goes into detail about his version of the Mormon faith. I say his version because it is not accurate to the actual Mormon faith as practiced by members of that religion, and of course his version because it is after all a fiction novel. Things are going to be different. It is a fictional futuristic society.
I loved the first book, I have enjoyed most of his other books, and I enjoyed this one. Some of his caricature representations of the Mormon faith bothered me. While I respect his right to write fiction, and believe he does it well, I am so disgusted by the strong and mistaken beliefs about the LDS faith continually perpetuated in the media from those who are not LDS. Therefore, it is frustrating to see some of the inaccuracies replicated in a novel by a popular author. Unfortunately too many readers are not able to understand that when they are reading fiction that contains a great deal of fact, it is still fiction. If very many characteristics are true to a faith, or actual person or situation, then readers do not separate out the fiction and begin to apply those fictional characteristics to real people. It's not really a criticism as much as a frustration. I know that somewhere, sometime, readers are forming an opinion about my faith based on fictional characters in a fictional society.
Overall a good series. Not my favorite in his writings (definitely the Imager series or Corean Chronicles) but a good solid read.
The first book introduces our dashing (aging?) hero, Johan Eschbach. As is typical with most Modesitt books, especially the sci-fi, it takes a bit to really grab a hold of this new world/country/time period and the characters in it. Luckily, unlike the fantasy novels, the names are not a spaghetti-mess of consonants and therefore lead to easier understanding.
Johan is a past government official, and as it turns out spy, who now just wants a quiet life despite the boredom and occasional frustration his quiet life has lead to. His past and past traumas are slowly revealed as he deals with the machinations of the powers that be in the present.
I won't go into more detail except to say that I had completely forgotten the ending and so it was a surprise, though a good one.
Past that I'm going to say just read all the other reviews or the back of the book for a synopsis. Quite frankly, you can get that anywhere so I like to just give impressions. Modesitt always manages to work in a lot of ethical questions. How far do you go to protect yourself from someone who hasn't acted against you but that you know will, or that has acted against you but you avoided the act and have no proof? What kind of preventative actions, those that leave others dead or wounded, are ok when they are not retaliatory but are anticipatory. But you know that retaliatory may never happen because you'll be dead, so either you anticipate or die? Does might make right and when does it or doesn't it? When does technology go too far and who gets to make that decision?
Don't read this paragraph if you don't want a small spoiler from the end of the first book. (The second book brings back our hero, Johan Eschbach, and his lovely wife, diva and singer most supreme, Llysette, are yet again in danger as various governments scheme for power and control. Llysette is invited to give a concert in the country of Deseret, which is of course part of a political power play, though at the least, those who aren't struggling for control are blessed to experience Llysette's truly formidable and impressive vocal talents.)
As with all of Mr. Modesitt's sci-fi books involving power struggles (or is that just plain all of his sci-fi and most of the fantasy as well?) many different players are introduced and it's a little tricky to get them all organized as to their place and participation in the story. Not to mention figuring out what their motivations are. However, once you get them down, as with most of his books, things get interesting.
If you are familiar with Modesitt, you already know how it goes and so I won't go into great detail. If you are not, let me say these things. First, his sci-fi is definitely different, especially in this series, than a lot of other authors write. Give it a bit, get well into the book, and then suddenly you will find that you are engrossed. Ok, with most of them anyway. There are a couple I never could quite latch on to, but for the most part, I grab his new releases eagerly.
Second, in particular to this book (but definitely touched on in some others) he really goes into detail about his version of the Mormon faith. I say his version because it is not accurate to the actual Mormon faith as practiced by members of that religion, and of course his version because it is after all a fiction novel. Things are going to be different. It is a fictional futuristic society.
I loved the first book, I have enjoyed most of his other books, and I enjoyed this one. Some of his caricature representations of the Mormon faith bothered me. While I respect his right to write fiction, and believe he does it well, I am so disgusted by the strong and mistaken beliefs about the LDS faith continually perpetuated in the media from those who are not LDS. Therefore, it is frustrating to see some of the inaccuracies replicated in a novel by a popular author. Unfortunately too many readers are not able to understand that when they are reading fiction that contains a great deal of fact, it is still fiction. If very many characteristics are true to a faith, or actual person or situation, then readers do not separate out the fiction and begin to apply those fictional characteristics to real people. It's not really a criticism as much as a frustration. I know that somewhere, sometime, readers are forming an opinion about my faith based on fictional characters in a fictional society.
Overall a good series. Not my favorite in his writings (definitely the Imager series or Corean Chronicles) but a good solid read.
November 2, 2015
I'm writing this review on my phone (now isn't that a fabulous sci-fi phrase to use?! - to those of us brought up with dial telephones and party lines, that is), which means that I can't see quite everything I have on Goodreads. I'm almost certain, however, that my son recommended this book to me. Thank you! What a terrific book!
This is a spy and political intrigue type of novel - not my preferred genre, but in this case it's set in an alternate universe where ghosts are known to be real. In fact, massive wars are no longer fought because nobody will live where huge numbers of ghosts are hanging around. Well, as you can imagine, the balance of power will lean in favour of a government that has technology that will kill without creating a ghost, or that can 'clean up' any ghosts.
The narrator of this story is an ex-spy, or such, now retired to a university professorship. He attempts to not get involved in all the petty politics and departmental intrigues, but then somebody is murdered, and he is called back into service.
I was fascinated by this world. Modesitt unveils its history and its technology with terrific detail, and he does this through the narrator's voice - one that appreciates meticulous detail (to an almost pedantic state), having stayed alive by dint of pursuing detail to its finest point. So Modesitt can get away with much description that a lesser writer would not be able to.
I know that some of his references to the USA and its politics of 21 years ago (the original publication date) went over my head. I have a reasonable general knowledge but have never paid much attention to US history or current events. Still, I could tell most of the time, and certainly I knew references to world history. Even without these glimpses it's a great novel with the ghosts playing such an important role. Again I say fascinating.
This is a spy and political intrigue type of novel - not my preferred genre, but in this case it's set in an alternate universe where ghosts are known to be real. In fact, massive wars are no longer fought because nobody will live where huge numbers of ghosts are hanging around. Well, as you can imagine, the balance of power will lean in favour of a government that has technology that will kill without creating a ghost, or that can 'clean up' any ghosts.
The narrator of this story is an ex-spy, or such, now retired to a university professorship. He attempts to not get involved in all the petty politics and departmental intrigues, but then somebody is murdered, and he is called back into service.
I was fascinated by this world. Modesitt unveils its history and its technology with terrific detail, and he does this through the narrator's voice - one that appreciates meticulous detail (to an almost pedantic state), having stayed alive by dint of pursuing detail to its finest point. So Modesitt can get away with much description that a lesser writer would not be able to.
I know that some of his references to the USA and its politics of 21 years ago (the original publication date) went over my head. I have a reasonable general knowledge but have never paid much attention to US history or current events. Still, I could tell most of the time, and certainly I knew references to world history. Even without these glimpses it's a great novel with the ghosts playing such an important role. Again I say fascinating.
May 24, 2013
An alternate history where the US is settled by the Dutch instead of the English. And he doesn't let you forget it. Every 5 minutes, the main character has to remind you he's Dutch. The other problem I had with the book is the main character is almost exactly like the main character in Flash (which I enjoyed very much). Johan in Of Tangible Ghosts is an ex-intelligence agent who is now a professor at a college. In flash, Jonas is an ex-military man turned consultant. In both books, they are flung back into their old lives through no fault of their own.
Update: I first read this book in 2008, then reread it in 2013. I bumped it to 4 stars from 3. I think I initially gave this book a 3 because I enoyed Modesitt's other series more. It's a better than average book, although the constant mentioning of Dutch heritage is still annoying.
Update: I first read this book in 2008, then reread it in 2013. I bumped it to 4 stars from 3. I think I initially gave this book a 3 because I enoyed Modesitt's other series more. It's a better than average book, although the constant mentioning of Dutch heritage is still annoying.
November 21, 2023
So this was a reread, but it's been long enough since I read it that I'd forgotten all but the basic outlines of the story. It was much as I remembered, a kind of spy thriller/murder mystery, set in an alternate world where ghosts are real. I think the most impressive part is the worldbuilding, this isn't just the modern (well, modern to the book in 1994) US with ghosts, the whole global socio-political landscape is different, influenced by how ghosts interact with people and what causes them to appear. It has the usual Modesitt trick of grounding the whole story in some very day-to-day interactions, so you have to enjoy that (you get to hear about the main character's every meal, and his exercise patterns, and the classes he teaches . . .). I do enjoy that, but it's not for everyone. On the whole, quite fun, and good to revist after all this time.
March 20, 2012
This book is about an alternate reality where ghosts are real and the main character tells you what he has for every single meal and snack. The whole book can be summed up like this: "In an alternate reality, everyone drinks chocolate instead of coffee." That's the whole book - and they drink a lot of chocolate. It was terrible.
January 31, 2008
This strange little book takes place in an alternate history, with some fundamentally strange premises about the metaphysics of ghosts.
I've tried several other of the author's works, and could not get into them.
More in a bit - thanks for your patience.
I've tried several other of the author's works, and could not get into them.
More in a bit - thanks for your patience.
February 10, 2010
A very interesting idea. The author does stress the main character's eating habits quite a bit. The thing I will remember the most is that the Dutch are prevalent and most people enjoy drinking chocolate. A lot of chocolate. I was a bit lost in the plot of this.
September 14, 2011
Because of the existence of ghosts, when Henry VIII saw the ghost of his wife he died of a heart attack and there was no reformation. Thus, there is no U.S. but rather a colony of the Dutch Republic on the east coast of North America. Interesting exploration of the implications.
August 10, 2016
Another enjoyable book. I really enjoyed the alternate history and posing the question of what if ghosts were real and how would that change the development of world history and warfare. It was very enjoyable and I am starting book two right away.
December 29, 2010
I felt like it fell slightly flat at the end, but it was a pretty interesting read.
June 17, 2012
I enjoy Modesitt's world building. The ending was a bit flat. I would like to see cookbooks created from most of his books. He does enjoy adding mundane action to his work.
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