Ecologic Envoy, The (Mass Market Paperback)

Four centuries have passed since the Secession. Terra still bears the scars of ecological damage and the small planetary population seldom leaves the underground warrens. However, the Empire has otherwise recovered from the war and the Imperial navy has grown even stronger. Now the Empire has mostly assumed that Accord is no longer a major force in the galaxy and has started taking action to recover its former territory beyond the Rift, first subduing Haversol and then asking for tariff revisions in the trade with Accord.

In this novel, Ecolitan Professor Nathaniel Firstborne Whaler is appointed as Trade Envoy and sent to New Augusta. Shortly after his arrival, as he and his Imperial escort approach the Accord Legation in the Diplomat Tower, someone fires a splinter gun at him. The assassin misses, but escapes his pursuers.

While several Imperial marines chase the assassin, Whaler presents his credentials to the staffer at the desk and is taken to meet the other workers. Only three of the legation personnel -- the Legate, his Deputy and the Information Specialist -- are Accordan natives; the others are provided by the Empire itself. Witherspoon, the Legate, has been called home for consultation, so Whaler will be the senior official in the legation.

Later Whaler presents his credentials to the Emperor and then attempts to deliver the official Accordan response to the Imperial tariff proposals. He receives a cordial, but inconclusive welcome at the Ministry of Commerce, but the External Affairs Minister is never available when he calls. He does have an interesting luncheon meeting with a member of Senator Helmsworth's staff and they exchange a few truths.

His first realization of the differences between Accord and the Imperial capital concerns the power of the Special Assistants in the bureaucracy, all of whom are women. While the nominal heads of all ministries are noblemen, they are only figureheads for the women who actually run these organizations. In fact, the Imperials are befuddled when Whaler doesn't bring a Special Assistant with him to the talks.

Whaler also learns that the Grand Admiral of the Imperial navy does not want the trade talks to proceed. She has ordered his assassination so that such talks might be deferred indefinitely. The initial assassination attempt is soon followed by others with varying levels of subtleness. Whaler plays the buffon while circumventing each attack and continuing to shake up the higher levels of Imperial bureaucracy.

In this story, Accord cannot appear to be unwilling to negotiate with the Empire, for the Haversol takeover was partially blamed on stalled trade talks. Of course, the death of the envoy could be considered a stalling tactic by the Impies. And it doesn't help at all that one or more of the legation staffers are actively helping the assassins.

Moreover, Whaler is working against a negative media stereotype of Accordans and especially of Ecolitans. The Imperial populace has long considered the ecological attack on Terra during the Accordan Secession to be particularly infamous. Accordans are still portrayed as evil villains in modern stories as well as historical dramas. Somehow he has to gain the sympathy of the common people.

The story features a protagonist who is simultaneously a scholar and a warrior, an exemplar of the Ecolitan tradition. Whaler has plenty of opportunity to display his close combat skills, yet the story is more of a mystery than a suspense thriller. His mission is further complicated when he becomes attracted toward Sylvia Ferro-Maine, a former Imperial Intelligence agent.

Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of political maneuvering and personal combat with a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

One last point: it is important that you read the other two books originally written with this book. The Ecolitan Secession and The Ecolitan Operation, which actually predate this book in the history of the series even though they were published later. More recently, he has published the Recluce series, and a sequel to the original Ecologic Envoy. I greatly enjoyed his earlier works, and the only real change since then has been a wordier style of prose. If it means anything, this reviewer has purchased [occasionally new; which is astonishing for me!] all of Modesitt's books and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Enjoy!