Ordermaster

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.. Tor Books, $27.95 (494pp) ISBN 978-0-7653-1213-6

In Ordermaster, the picaresque 13th entry in L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s Saga of Recluce and the immediate sequel to Wellspring of Chaos (2004), Kharl the cooper, now lord of Cantyl, successfully battles chaos-wielding white wizards, turns a whole mountain into glass, quashes a rebellion and studies law. Spiked with the author's customary pop psychology and propelled by rapid-fire plot spurts, this tale of a humble artisan's rise to mageship will likely leave YA fantasy readers hungry for more. .

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