Empire & Ecolitan: Two complete novels of the Galactic Empire: 'The Ecolitan Operation' and "The Ecologic Sucession' [Paperback]

The United Confederation of Independent Worlds -- otherwise known as the Empire -- is an hegemony of over 190 worlds plus their colonies and other dependencies. The capital of the Empire is at New Augusta on Terra, although many support functions are based off-planet, particularly on Alphane.

The Emperor is the titular head of the United Confederation, but most power resides in the Senate. The Empire nominally includes about fifty semi-autonomous planets on the fringes. The largest principality in this region is the Conglomerate of Fuard, which is aggressively flaunting its military might.

The Empire has long ago ceased to work for the welfare of its member planets, but instead has strived for maintenance of the status quo and perpetuation of the institutions of the Empire itself. The dependent worlds have been hit the hardest with increased taxes and conscripted troops. Armed rebellions have occurred sporadically throughout the colonies.

In The Ecolitan Operation (1989), Major Jimjoy Earle Wright III is a Special Operative for the Imperial Space Service who manages to successfully complete the most difficult missions, but who displeases his superiors with the intemperate violence of his methods. They would prefer something more subtle, but Jimjoy does whatever must be done to achieve the objective. In his current mission, he causes a fusion plant explosion to kill off the Halstani High Command, but has a collateral kill count of over fifty thousand bystanders. His case officer sends him next to Accord to report on the Ecolitan Institute, but the Empire has a lethal surprise waiting for him on the planet.

In The Ecologic Seccession (1990), Jimjoy is now Ecolitan Professor James Joyson Whaler II, Senior Fellow of the Institute. The Empire believes that he is dead and hopefully they will continue to do so. Jimjoy has created a new department within the Institute -- Applied Ecologic Management -- which is actually the new Special Operations branch. It is clear to Jimjoy and to the Ecolitan Prime that the Empire will soon be imposing more stringent controls on Accord and that the planet must rebel to keep its liberty. As a first step, Jimjoy single-handedly destroys the System Control station at Haversol.

These novels are mostly about the ethics of violence, personal and social. All ethics are contingent upon survival; i.e., survival of yourself or your descendants or your group is a prime concern. However, certain methods of survival are wrong, for they destroy they very things you wish to preserve. These novels explore the ethical limits of defense of a society -- that is, a large group of people -- which is threatened by external forces. What types and degrees of violence are legitimate under those circumstances? Are civilians legitimate targets of violence and, if so, under what conditions? The author raises some interesting questions, but more importantly, he points out the uncertainties surrounding all such issues.

Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of political intrigue and special operations with a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This book keeps you turning the pages with interesting characters, great action scenes, and a nicely tuned plot. If you are an avid book reader you will find similarities in style and plot to a number of other great series such as Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, Piers Anthony's Bio of a Space Tyrant, and Chris Brunch's Matador.

You might also want to check out The Ecologic Envoy which takes place 400 years after this book.