Antiagon Fire by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Series: Imager Portfolio, #7, #7
Published by Macmillan on May 28, 2013
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / Fantasy / Military
Pages: 464
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bookstore
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In L.E. Modesitt, Jr.'s Antiagon Fire, the hard-won battles fought in Imager's Battalion have earned Quaeryt a promotion to commander, as well as an assignment to convince the Pharsi High Council in the nation of Khel to submit to Lord Bhayar's rule, which is key to Bhayar's ambition to unite all of Solidar. Joined by his pregnant wife Vaelora, who is also Bhayar's sister, Quaeryt leads an army and a handful of imagers deeper into the hostile lands once held by the tyrannical Rex Kharst, facing stiff-necked High Holders, attacks by land and sea—including airborne fire launched by hostile imagers from the land of Antiago—and a mysterious order of powerful women who seem to recognize the great destiny that awaits Quareyt and Vaelora, as well as the cost of achieving it.

The Imager Portfolio
#1 Imager / #2 Imager’s Challenge / #3 Imager’s Intrigue / #4 Scholar / #5 Princeps / #6 Imager’s Battalion / #7 Antiagon Fire / #8 Rex Regis / #9 Madness in Solidar / #10 Treachery’s Tools / #11 Assassin’s Price (forthcoming)

Other series by this author:
The Saga of Recluce
The Corean Chronicles
The Spellsong Cycle
The Ghost Books
The Ecolitan Matter

Antiagon Fire is a standout entry in the Imager Portfolio. What makes it so compelling is not just the external conflict but the internal battles Quaeryt faces as he tries to reconcile his ideals with the harsh realities of leadership and war. Modesitt’s signature attention to detail is on full display — from the logistics of marching an army to the philosophical musings on power and responsibility.

The book also deepens the sense of inevitability that runs through the series. Every decision Quaeryt makes has ripples, both for those who follow him and for the broader vision of what imaging could become in this world. It’s not light reading — Modesitt asks you to think, to wrestle with the same moral gray areas as his characters — but that’s what makes it so rewarding.

For fans of the Imager Portfolio or epic fantasy with political and philosophical depth, this is a must-read. Modesitt proves once again that he can deliver action, heart, and reflection in equal measure. A brilliant continuation that cements why this series stands out in the fantasy genre.