The Octagonal Raven

by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Someone is trying to kill Daryn Alwyn. Born to privilege, with pre-selected genetic advantages and the best nanotech augmentation his father's fabulous money can buy, Daryn spurned the lucrative family Media Network to seek his own path, a crafty raven among soaring eagles. After serving with distinction as a space pilot in the military, he enjoys success as a media consultant. But when he finds himself the target of sophisticated murder attempts, his world is turned upside down. It seems unlikely his success outside the family business could have inspired such expensive assassination attempts, and his father and brother and sister would be more obvious targets within the family. Then his sister is killed, and Daryn is her heir--suddenly one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. Modesitt's new SF thriller lays bare the prejudices of the powerful in a fascinating future society, and reads like an express train.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

L. 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

Reviews

[eyes.2c]

Perceptive as always!

[Rob]

...The Octagonal Raven is a book with two faces and a slightly unbalanced feel to it. If you hang in long enough to give the story a read chance it is a very rewarding read. It does have some severe pacing issues however. It is not his best SF novel I have read so far, but it is definitely not in the one read only category either. I guess whether or not you'll enjoy this book depends on how much patience you possess. In the end, I am glad my store of patience sufficed.

Random Comments review

[Icarus]

I bought this book out of desperation because I had nothing else to read. I bought it from a drugstore or a Wal-Mart--you know, one of those places with an incredibly diverse selection of quality literature? I recommend it for . . . people who are stuck in pretty much that position.

[Sharon Porter]

This was a reread. I will have to admit Modesitt is a favorite author' be it science fiction or fantasy. A future in which there is a growing devision between norms and pre-selects (genetically preselected children for preferred attributes). The protagonist is a preselect who has veered off of his family's preferences, becoming a spaceship pilot, then a writer and freelance consultant rather than helping run the family's news network. He has several near death events which seem to be accidents but have a cloud about the events. When he begins investigating these occurrences more happen. He begins to believe there may be a conspiracy of some sort but still can't figure out why he is being targeted.
Chapters switch from his (Daryn Alwyn) current time frame to those of his past, childhood, pilot training, piloting, family meetings. As Daryn tries to find who he can trust he reconnects with several old friends, one of which (Majora Hyriss) becomes a major character. Ironically Daryn's mother had introduced them years before hoping for marriage which had kept Daryn from dating her then.
The future in which the tale is placed is intriguing. There seems to be a world government, and not countries but geographical areas which people live in. There are colonized planets but those are mostly used as destinations for Alwyn's piloting years. Criminals are damped, or somehow mind altered and assigned low level jobs. Cars, or gliders, are expensive and taxes to use them are so high only the very well off can afford to operate them. There is a public transport system but is often doesn't reach the wealthy neighborhoods. Nanos help keep people healthy and also help the law (and others) track their movements.

[Fantasy Literature]

His fantasy, in particular the RECLUCE saga, is a lot more popular but L.E. Modesitt Jr. has also written quite a few science fiction novels. I've read a number of these now and they are usually an all or nothing read for me. Some I enjoyed tremendously (Flash, Adiamante, The Forever Hero), others I will never read again (The Ethos Effect, Archfrom: Beauty). The Octagonal Raven has the unusual distinction of combining these two feelings in one book. I have never come across a book that is so much in need of some serious editing in the first part of the story, yet managing such a thrilling climax that I read the second part of the novel in one sitting.

The main character in The Octagonal Raven is ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Some of this is similar to Flash, another SF novel by Modessit Jr. The isolated, independent protagonist who works as a freelance consultant and is drawn out of his self-sufficient rut by violent attacks on his family and himself. In this case though, Modessit paints a future society where a genetically enhanced elite attempts to seal their dominance by laying in place intelligence tests calculated to favour their own and to instill conformism. Like most Modessitt novels I've read, this one paints in a vividly imagined society in economical strokes, spends much time on mundane activities and a gradual build up of background before getting to the action. I don't agree with all of Modessit's ideas, but I appreciate the thought that goes into his novels and the way he takes time to set up the dilemmas his plot hinges on and the eventual climactic scenes.

[Twine & Ribbon]

Liked it enough to reread a few times over the years. Very captivating story but it feels unfinished. Always liked the fact that I feel as if I've only glimpsed the tip of an iceberg whose layers and girth reach far beyond my own limited view, but in the same way I hate that the book ends without continuing on to what I would consider to be obvious open territory for a sequel.

Ultimately not a keeper but a solid sci-fi and a good read.

[Katharine]

Another re-read! The joys of vacation without an internet connection. An interesting read on tyranny and power by a genetically enhanced elite. The usual Modesitt politicking and ecology mindfulness with an over intelligent and arrogant protagonist who is pushed into action by repeated attempts on his life. I always enjoy Modesitt's science fiction, although sometimes the politics can be a little heavy handed.

[Eric Moebius]

What I love most about these works is the way that he uses, conceptualizes, and extrapolates the use of future tech. I enjoy Mr. L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s work a great deal. He is pretty dang brilliant. I hope you can share the sentiment.

[Christine]

Probably 2 1/2 stars if I could; I the higher rating is because I cared enough about the story to finish reading it. I've enjoyed Modesitt's Recluce stories and will continue to read them; perhaps I won't bother with stories outside that universe. A bit too much politicking and preaching for my taste

[Trana Mathews]

I enjoyed the read but felt the ending was a bit rushed and the climax was underwhelming. I also felt many of the "personal notes" sections could have easily been omitted. It also took me quite awhile to understand the raven / fledging idea.

Wonder if he ever went back and got the raven pin he ordered?

[Samuel]

Rather heavy reading with a focus on political science as played out in a sci-fi thriller. The ongoing theme here is social structure and the power and position of elites. As in usual Modesitt style, you mostly only know what the protaganist knows, which means you really have to intuit what's really going on.

Compelling but you do need some stamina to persevere through to the end.

[Rachel]

While I enjoyed the book and the writing for the most part, I take issue with the authors purported post-gender society. Yes everyone is referred to a 'ser', but only hetero-normative couplings are illustrated in the story, with no hit of other sexualities. In my opinion in a true post-gender society couplings would run the entire LGBTQIA spectrum.

[Craig]

Not bad stand-alone SF/mystery combo. A little too much political philosophizing at times (although it's not always completely clear what the author is trying say with it), but mostly interesting characters and a fairly tight plot.

Re-read, listened, 12/22.

[Jesse]

A fun break to revisit this novel. It's been years since I read it, but I remembered most of the main points. It starts with a very slow burn, but builds up to a fast last quarter or so of the book. Most of the trademark Modesitt pieces are here, and if you enjoy his work you'll enjoy this.

[Matt Kelland]

Interesting world, good main character, some insightful political observations, but somehow didn't quite do it for me. Too much focus on stock ownership and corporate shenanigans, not enough on the implications, I guess.

[James Reed]

intriguing it more so

I don’t know how he does it but I become hooked from the first paragraph. His methodology of switching between paragraphs historical information and then back to the original story is magical.

[Terry]

Another great read from a fascinating and prolific author who isn't afraid to tackle society's moral issues .

[Pam]

Interesting concept. But I personally found the created names distracting, and the writing not clear enough for the convoluted plot

[Alex Gunsean]

8.2/10

L.E. Modesitt Jr clearly knows how to construct a unique yet classic futuristic sci-fi world, and The Octagonal Raven certainly satisfies the 'science' label while not getting bogged down on the concept - Modesitt Jr also tells a really interesting story alongside the worldbuilding. This book moves at a slow pace especially in its first half, which, while it may lack some thrill (which does come in sections), really means you become immersed in this future which is made to feel conceivable and is built upon very naturally as the story progresses. Instead of explaining everything in the first chapters, words and concepts are gradually explained, greatly helped by Modesitt Jr's use of a split-time narrative - the short chapters alternating between the past and present, which I am always a fan of. The story is dominated by a sense of lingering mystery, of which our protagonist, Daryn Alwyn, repeatedly wonders about, meaning as a reader you never feel too lost, as you uncover the truths of events alongside the main character. While it certainly does take a while to get going, the plot does pick up in the latter half, and you really care more about what is occurring once you fully understand the way in which this world operates. The past narrative in the first half of the book does not serve the plot at all really, instead just builds the world, but it would have been nice for it to link to the present story a little more and ultimately have more consequence.

There are many philosophical questions raised by the author in the concepts presented by the novel, which are genuinely interesting and really anchor the story. Pre-selection, the ability of the wealthy to handpick genetic traits, is a particularly interesting concept which I think Modesitt Jr handles really well. This ties into Daryn, a pre-select himself, which gives the book an interesting dynamic, as you sympathise for him while also recognise certain faults with his character. While mostly a very stereotypical sci-fi leading man, Modesitt Jr's subversion of his character by giving him an aspect of split loyalty really adds a lot to his character. Much of the supporting characters are not particularly interesting on their own, more interesting on which part of this complex society they represent. I will say, Modesitt Jr writes what is maybe the least romantic romance of all time, and there is really no strong emotional bond between characters demonstrated, which, you never know, could be a comment on the the way in which emotion falls by the wayside in this future. The writing of Modesitt Jr is very well done and is very capable of fully realising this sci-fi world, and does provide genuine action in small parts.

Ultimately, The Octagonal Raven is a typical, yet very interesting and entertaining science fiction novel, with some great philosphical themes and intriguing political maneuverings.

[David]

Probably at least 100 pages too long, particularly as it starts to lose cohesion about 2/3 rds of the way through. Some inconsistencies I was unable to shake off went far toward dampening my enthusiasm here. For example, through the better part of the book this vastly rich person makes no effort to seek out security professionals when it becomes clear how persistent are the bad guys. I think the idea is that he can do it all himself - not very plausible.

[Simon Forsyth]

Rereading this book in 2021 produces a fascinating perspective on the ideas in this book viewed through the hindsight of the last decade.

Most notably, there is a short comment that foreshadows the need of YouTube and Twitch creators to keep producing content in order to maintain income years before either platform existed. However, the entire book is filled with comments on what amounts to social media, and it's placed against the backdrop of a pandemic and social unrest against a privileged group of people.

A much more interesting book now than when it was originally published.

[Brian Allen]

An interesting book on the justifications of power. Are any tyrants in the right? Or does does such power automatically corrupt. That question is loosely explored in this book. Its more of a mystery than a thriller. Not the best sci-fi novel, but worth reading if you have the time and patience for a stand alone title that looks into a very possible future of the privileged versus the unprivileged.

[Curtis Schofield]

After reading all the modesit I could get my hands on - I scraped the bottom of this barrel with this on - intriguing , potitical, engaging - how does he do it!!!!?

This book itself was fun and sometimes drawn out - not my favorite but still the work of a master.

[Robert Negut]

Not as hard as Gravity Dreams, The Ethos Effect or Adiamante, but certainly just as deep. The thoughts are less spelled out and more included in the story. Great ideas and good story. Feel bad that it was the last SF book by Modesitt I could get my hands on...

[Aurora]

Intricate but enjoyable.

[Patrick Ruth]

It's the usual Modesitt story. The young person discovers a latent talent
or magic, develops it, meets/gets boy/girl.

[Howard]

5