I’d been slavering for Contrarian, having really enjoyed the previous two novels in L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s The Grand Illusion trilogy, Isolate and Councilor. Right off the bat, I have to say that I felt strangely unmoved by Contrarian. I wondered afterwards why this was. The answers are that I had the wrong expectation of the novel, and that whatever action happens in this story, happens to other people, not to the two main protagonists. However, this type of plot is suitable for the genre into which this novel, and the trilogy, fits. I do not think that the novel has been correctly categorized on Amazon – more on that later in the review.
Contrarian, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Action & Aventure [not]; Publisher: Tor Books; Aug. 15, 2023; hardcover; 624 pages)
Review
The daily routine
The handsome and skilled former bodyguard, and now “councilor” (the author uses interesting naming conventions – this is not a typo), “Steffan Dekkard”, and his beautiful, upper class and equally lethal wife, “Avraal Ysella-Dekkard”, go on much as they have done in the previous books.
In every chapter, every day, they get into long and complicated philosophical discussions about politics, social systems, ethics, justice, and government. The descriptions, day by day (“Duadi”, “Tridi”, “Furdi”, etc.), of their routines, means that I can recall exactly what these two eat for breakfast at home, and for lunch at the Offices of the Council of Sixty-Six. Before breakfast, he showers first and she tells him not to use up all the hot water. Then, they go down to the kitchen and each have a “café”; he has a croissant with quince paste. He makes the coffee, while she reads the newspaper, the “Gestirn”, and he splits his croissant in two, then eats it, and she makes a comment about this habit of his. At lunch, the menu in the dining room for councilors is still the same, dishes like white bean soup, three cheese chicken, duck cassoulet, onion soup…you get the idea.
Systematic analyses
The plot is about the detective work on Steffan’s part to uncover the source of financing and backing of the civilian riots, and the terrorist activities – including the assassination of the former Premier – of the anti-government group called the “New Meritorists”. He does this by having long, probing conversations with other councilors and party leaders, and by chairing a legal enquiry. In the meantime, the action takes place elsewhere in the capital city of Machtarn. It does actually take place elsewhere, which means that Steffan comes out unharmed every time, which in turn leads to people becoming suspicious of him. One newspaper article calls him “the improbably questionable councilor Dekkard”.
There are massive explosions, riots, murders, devious plots, bribery, corruption, and, for all practical purposes, a crisis in the city state, as reported in the “Gestirn” (a pun on the German word “gestern”, meaning “yesterday”) newspaper:
“ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION FOILED
Just before noon yesterday morning, Council Guards shot four armed assassins disguised as Council Hall cleaners. The four were deployed in the Council Hall in an effort to shoot the four councilors serving on a special subcommittee investigating how the New Meritorists obtained military explosives. The New Meritorists used dunnite to destroy Security buildings last Summerend and in the later attack on the Council Office Building that killed three councilors and then-Premier Obreduur, as well as a score of staffers…”
Contrarian, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., p. 538
None of these events involve or hurt Steffan and Avraal. (They have their own very efficient bodyguards, one of them an empath, and are themselves trained security officers.) Steffan Dekkard turns out to have talents that set him apart from other councilors; he is suspicious by nature, he has an analytical mind, is unaffected by emotions (he is after all an isolate), he is skilled at cross-questioning, and he knows when to rely on the talents and specialties of his wife, family and staffers.
The chapter where he grills the main suspect in an enquiry is particularly entertaining. There is a saying that goes, if you’re a lawyer pursuing a line of enquiry in a courtroom, you must know the answer before you put the question to the witness. This is what Steffan does, leading the witness to incriminate himself:
‘Sr. Chairman,’ said Ulrich, sarcastically emphasizing the title, ‘I understood that this hearing was about dunnite, not about former Council aides.’ ‘It is., the question remains. Did you or did you not help Jaime Minz establish Capitol Services?’ ‘I object to the entire line of questioning.’ ‘You can object all you want, Sr. Ulrich, so long as you answer the questions.’ ‘Why should I?’ ‘Jaime Minz was about to be charged with high crimes when he was shot. These crimes involved the use of Capitol Services to obtain dunnite for New Meritorists. Now, again, did you assist Jaime Minz in establishing Capitol Services?’ ‘That question does not belong in this proceeding. I refuse to answer that.’ As Ulrich started to stand, Dekkard smoothly yanked the bellpull to summon Trujillo and his guards, then said, ‘You can answer the subcommittee’s questions or you can be incarcerated.’ Ulrich hadn’t gotten more than two steps from the witness table when the Council Guards appeared at both the entrance from the committee offices and at the door to the main corridor. Ulrich stopped and turned back to face Dekkard. ‘You can incarcerate me for the maximum period, but the High Court will free me for this absurdity.’ Dekkard looked levelly at Ulrich, and concentrating his words, replied, ‘The high Court will rule on the law, on the need for your response, and on the facts, not upon your past position or power.’
Contrarian, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., p. 518 – 519
A character that evolves
People cannot determine the emotions of Steffan Dekkard, because he is an isolate, nor can he identify other people’s emotions at a distance, or project his emotions to influence other people, like Avraal, his empath wife, can. He is basically dispassionate. However, as the situation gets more complicated and risky, Steffan begins to show a very contrarian type of ability: he can project emotions, through his words:
‘He was furious when you first came in,’ replied Avraal in a low voice. ‘He stayed that way for several minutes.’ ‘Did he lie about anything?’ ‘Not that I can tell.’ ‘How was he just before I left?’ ‘A bit of resignation, a little of what I’d call cautious hope, along with a bit of residual anger.’ ‘That’s about what I’d expect.’ ‘You know…there is one thing…I think you did it again.’ ‘Did what?’ ‘Whatever you said at first stunned him. There was an emotional impact to your words.’ ‘You said I’m not an empath.’ ‘You’re not, but somehow, when you feel strongly, you can put emotional force into your words. It’s not from you. It’s in the words, but only, I think, when you believe what you’re saying.’
Contrarian, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., p. 308
This is a useful ability in politics, it frightens the wits out of people, but it puts Steffan at risk of losing his job, because empaths are not allowed to be councilors.
Conclusion of the trilogy
Despite the hearings, bills that are tabled, resolutions that are taken, and a raft of riots and deaths, by the end of the story, he is still a councilor, the ruling party is still in charge, the people are still starving and angry. He is looking forward to a long career as a councilor.
This is a trilogy – there will not be another story about these two. And so it ends by winding down, the crimes having been solved. I have concluded that the reason I felt so little while reading the book, is that I had expected a crime thriller, or a mystery. It is not that – it is a political thriller, it is Social Science Fiction. My expectations led me to wanting something else from the story. I have, after I thought about it, re-read the novel, and, as a political thriller, albeit set in a fictional or fantasy world, it is excellent.
Fitting it into a genre
I do not think that these novels fit into the Fantasy genre, though Modesitt is seen as a Fantasy author. There are no fantasy creatures, magic, or mythical or supernatural elements, and actually very little suspension of disbelief is required from the reader. It is more Science Fiction, with the emphasis on the “science” part. It may be set in a retro-type future planet, but it’s only retro because the main source of energy is steam. And in the genre of Science Fiction, this is Social Science Fiction.
Modesitt created a fascinating universe in this trilogy. The characters are interesting, and the setting is exceptionally creative. Machtarn and Guldor, with its green sky and steam-powered industries, its rigid caste or class system, and its uniform dress codes, are a bit dystopian. However, I could easily visualize it. The time covered by the plot is one month, one day at a time. That goes on for 608 pages. The level of detail expressed on every page is impressive.
The message in an internal novel
The message that the author wants to bring across, is stated in the final pages of the book, in a quote from the internal novel which Steffan and Avraal both read. This book, “AVERRA – The City of Truth”, is a device that the author uses to direct the understanding of the reader about the quite complicated socio-political arguments in Contrarian. (In the header image of this post, there is a line from the final extract from “AVERRA”.) One can, after all, say much more, but more succinctly, in a long quote rather than by describing an action sequence or dialogue. This last quote is about truth and illusion. It is appropriate for the fictional world that Modesitt created, but also apt for the real world, today, where truth is not regarded as definitive by some people.
I wish that this was not the last of the trilogy. I have grown quite fond of these characters. It is a significant work of fiction, with serious purpose, and with the potential for more adventures, or development into a film. But this is what Modesitt does. He is a productive, professional writer, and he completes series and standalone novels as planned and announced, and moves on to the next project. His novels, whether in series or alone, remain as his legacy, not to be tampered with or spoiled with unplanned sequels or spin-offs. I’m looking forward to reading whatever he comes up with next.
SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES 
I’d been slavering for Contrarian, having really enjoyed the previous two novels in L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s The Grand Illusion trilogy, Isolate and Councilor. Right off the bat, I have to say that I felt strangely unmoved by Contrarian. I wondered afterwards why this was. The answers are that I had the wrong expectation of the novel, and that whatever action happens in this story, happens to other people, not to the two main protagonists. However, this type of plot is suitable for the genre into which this novel, and the trilogy, fits. I do not think that the novel has been correctly categorized on Amazon – more on that later in the review.
Review
The daily routine
The handsome and skilled former bodyguard, and now “councilor” (the author uses interesting naming conventions – this is not a typo), “Steffan Dekkard”, and his beautiful, upper class and equally lethal wife, “Avraal Ysella-Dekkard”, go on much as they have done in the previous books.
In every chapter, every day, they get into long and complicated philosophical discussions about politics, social systems, ethics, justice, and government. The descriptions, day by day (“Duadi”, “Tridi”, “Furdi”, etc.), of their routines, means that I can recall exactly what these two eat for breakfast at home, and for lunch at the Offices of the Council of Sixty-Six. Before breakfast, he showers first and she tells him not to use up all the hot water. Then, they go down to the kitchen and each have a “café”; he has a croissant with quince paste. He makes the coffee, while she reads the newspaper, the “Gestirn”, and he splits his croissant in two, then eats it, and she makes a comment about this habit of his. At lunch, the menu in the dining room for councilors is still the same, dishes like white bean soup, three cheese chicken, duck cassoulet, onion soup…you get the idea.
Systematic analyses
The plot is about the detective work on Steffan’s part to uncover the source of financing and backing of the civilian riots, and the terrorist activities – including the assassination of the former Premier – of the anti-government group called the “New Meritorists”. He does this by having long, probing conversations with other councilors and party leaders, and by chairing a legal enquiry. In the meantime, the action takes place elsewhere in the capital city of Machtarn. It does actually take place elsewhere, which means that Steffan comes out unharmed every time, which in turn leads to people becoming suspicious of him. One newspaper article calls him “the improbably questionable councilor Dekkard”.
There are massive explosions, riots, murders, devious plots, bribery, corruption, and, for all practical purposes, a crisis in the city state, as reported in the “Gestirn” (a pun on the German word “gestern”, meaning “yesterday”) newspaper:
None of these events involve or hurt Steffan and Avraal. (They have their own very efficient bodyguards, one of them an empath, and are themselves trained security officers.) Steffan Dekkard turns out to have talents that set him apart from other councilors; he is suspicious by nature, he has an analytical mind, is unaffected by emotions (he is after all an isolate), he is skilled at cross-questioning, and he knows when to rely on the talents and specialties of his wife, family and staffers.
The chapter where he grills the main suspect in an enquiry is particularly entertaining. There is a saying that goes, if you’re a lawyer pursuing a line of enquiry in a courtroom, you must know the answer before you put the question to the witness. This is what Steffan does, leading the witness to incriminate himself:
A character that evolves
People cannot determine the emotions of Steffan Dekkard, because he is an isolate, nor can he identify other people’s emotions at a distance, or project his emotions to influence other people, like Avraal, his empath wife, can. He is basically dispassionate. However, as the situation gets more complicated and risky, Steffan begins to show a very contrarian type of ability: he can project emotions, through his words:
This is a useful ability in politics, it frightens the wits out of people, but it puts Steffan at risk of losing his job, because empaths are not allowed to be councilors.
Conclusion of the trilogy
Despite the hearings, bills that are tabled, resolutions that are taken, and a raft of riots and deaths, by the end of the story, he is still a councilor, the ruling party is still in charge, the people are still starving and angry. He is looking forward to a long career as a councilor.
This is a trilogy – there will not be another story about these two. And so it ends by winding down, the crimes having been solved. I have concluded that the reason I felt so little while reading the book, is that I had expected a crime thriller, or a mystery. It is not that – it is a political thriller, it is Social Science Fiction. My expectations led me to wanting something else from the story. I have, after I thought about it, re-read the novel, and, as a political thriller, albeit set in a fictional or fantasy world, it is excellent.
Fitting it into a genre
I do not think that these novels fit into the Fantasy genre, though Modesitt is seen as a Fantasy author. There are no fantasy creatures, magic, or mythical or supernatural elements, and actually very little suspension of disbelief is required from the reader. It is more Science Fiction, with the emphasis on the “science” part. It may be set in a retro-type future planet, but it’s only retro because the main source of energy is steam. And in the genre of Science Fiction, this is Social Science Fiction.
Modesitt created a fascinating universe in this trilogy. The characters are interesting, and the setting is exceptionally creative. Machtarn and Guldor, with its green sky and steam-powered industries, its rigid caste or class system, and its uniform dress codes, are a bit dystopian. However, I could easily visualize it. The time covered by the plot is one month, one day at a time. That goes on for 608 pages. The level of detail expressed on every page is impressive.
The message in an internal novel
The message that the author wants to bring across, is stated in the final pages of the book, in a quote from the internal novel which Steffan and Avraal both read. This book, “AVERRA – The City of Truth”, is a device that the author uses to direct the understanding of the reader about the quite complicated socio-political arguments in Contrarian. (In the header image of this post, there is a line from the final extract from “AVERRA”.) One can, after all, say much more, but more succinctly, in a long quote rather than by describing an action sequence or dialogue. This last quote is about truth and illusion. It is appropriate for the fictional world that Modesitt created, but also apt for the real world, today, where truth is not regarded as definitive by some people.
I wish that this was not the last of the trilogy. I have grown quite fond of these characters. It is a significant work of fiction, with serious purpose, and with the potential for more adventures, or development into a film. But this is what Modesitt does. He is a productive, professional writer, and he completes series and standalone novels as planned and announced, and moves on to the next project. His novels, whether in series or alone, remain as his legacy, not to be tampered with or spoiled with unplanned sequels or spin-offs. I’m looking forward to reading whatever he comes up with next.
Other novels in the trilogy
Review of Isolate, by L.E., Modesitt Jr.
Review of Councilor, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
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