Subject: Review: The Ghost of the Revelator by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

From: [email-masked] (SFRevu)
Date: 17 Nov 1998 14:56:21 -0500

The Ghost of the Revelator by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
	Review Copyright 1998 by Ernest Lilley

In L.E.Modesitt, Jr.'s Alternate Universe, there never was a United States
of America. Washington died before taking office, and Adams wasn't the man
for the job. Europe is in tatters, France destroyed under the heel of a
despot, and North America is made up of nations struggling for control of
precious energy resources.

Johan Esbach is a retired Minister of the Colombian Government, as well as
a former member of the Colombian Intelligence Agency, the Spazi. Johan is
supremely content with his position as university professor, sharing his
family homestead with his beautiful wife, the former French Diva - Lysette
DuBois.  Both are back from Modesitt's earlier book, OF TANGIBLE GHOSTS,
whose back story colors the present novel without dominating it. GHOST OF
THE REVELATOR is a sequel, but aside from the lack of a much needed map of
the territories in question and a few well placed paragraphs about the
divergence of this alternate timeline, it stands on its own quite well.

In the previous book Lysette lost France, freedom, and her music. Settling
in New Bruges with Johan, accepting a teaching position at University and
teaching voice to "Dutch Dunderheads" is survival, of a sort, but - for
one once expected to develop into the world's next Prima Donna - hardly
living.

Johan is devoted to his wife. Happy to be retired from politics and
intrigue, and hopeful that the closet full of ghost creation technology
hidden in his study will never need to see the light of day again.
Ghosts, are very much a real part of Modesitt's universe.  They are the
astral component of each of us, released in death to pass onto another
plane if lucky, bound to the spot if not. Bad luck manifests itself as
violent death or other psychic trauma. Recent advances in difference
engine technology (You remember, Gibson, Sterling, THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE?
Computers, you dunderheads!) allow the artificial creation and destruction
of ghosts. Johan is one of the few who possesses the technology, the
legacy of his previous adventures. The Colombian Government is the other,
and neither is telling anyone.

When Lysette is suddenly given an invitation to perform for the Mormon
Nation of Deseret, at the arts center in Salt Lake City, the innocent
recognition of her talents seems at hand. But innocent is something former
Spazi Agents aren't, and when briefing materials concerning the impending
performance and the oncoming energy crisis and negotiations between
Columbia and Deseret start appearing in unmarked manila envelopes Johan
knows better than to take things at face value. When the attempts on their
lives begin, he reluctantly realizes that no matter how much he might
enjoy retirement from the Intel community, it's time to shed his turtle
shell and again become the hunter, lest his new wife be the hunted.

Esbach is my kind of Secret Agent. Quiet, thoughtful, observant, a great
cook and a loving husband. And when need be, incredibly deadly and without
remorse.  Ian Fleming would have enjoyed Esbach (Esbach.... Johan
Esbach....) if he were alive today. Of course in Modesitt's universe his
ghost may yet. THE GHOST OF THE REVELATOR is part Alternate History, part
Hard SF, and from beginning to end a superb piece of fiction.

%G ISBN 0-312-86426-4
%I Tor Hrdcvr
%D Sep-98
%T The Ghost of the Revelator
%A L.E. Modesitt, Jr.