Isolate

Name: Isolate
Rating: 3.577 (39 reviews)
ISBN: 9781250777416

By L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Publisher Description

L. E. Modesitt, Jr., bestselling author of The Mongrel Mage, has a brand new gaslamp political fantasy Isolate.

Book Bub—The 24 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of Fall 2021

Industrialization. Social unrest. Underground movements. Government corruption and surveillance.

Something is about to give.

Steffan Dekkard is an isolate, one of the small percentage of people who are immune to the projections of empaths. As an isolate, he has been trained as a security specialist and he and his security partner Avraal Ysella, a highly trained empath are employed by Axel Obreduur, a senior Craft Minister and the de facto political strategist of his party.

When a respected Landor Councilor dies of “heart failure” at a social event, because of his political friendship with Obreduur, Dekkard and Ysella find that not only is their employer a target, but so are they, in a covert and deadly struggle for control of the government and economy.

Steffan is about to understand that everything he believed is an illusion.

The Grand Illusion
Isolate
Councilor
Contrarian

Other Series by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Imager Portfolio
The Corean Chronicles
The Spellsong Cycle
The Ghost Books
The Ecolitan Matter

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Download the free Fable app

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

Isolate Reviews

3.5

Anthony 🍉

Created 7 months ago

“If you’re looking for a slow paced, vastly immersive fantasy book about the deep and mundane inner workings of politics, with a low emphasis on the magical elements. Boy have I got the book for you! Isolate is the first book in the “Grand Illusion” trilogy. This book is nothing if not slow and methodical. Modesitt will absolutely pummel you with small and seemingly meaningless details throughout the whole book. Ironically, there are elements to which he never goes into detail, like the descriptions of characters for example. But he will tell you repeatedly (literally every chapter), the exact meals everyone is eating, how much they enjoyed it, which gray suits they’re wearing, what’s in the morning news sheets and every street the steamer is turning onto. The slow pace does take some time to get used to, but I noticed after a while, it actually allows you to be fully immersed in the world. The mundane details on the surface would appear to be meaningless, but they’re Modesitt’s way of building his world. His immersive world building doesn’t necessarily happen through descriptive scenery, but rather through the large amount of dialogue where the characters interests and feelings expand a deeper understanding of the world. The political intrigue elements are definitely intriguing. The stakes are somewhat high, but the actual elements would appear to be boring, ie tariff fixing, corporate collusion etc. However, Isolate is such a methodical book, that you’re granted access to small details throughout that do actually mean something as you go rather than throwaway info. Isolate moves very slow, and is 850 pages to boot! There is virtually no action to really speak of, the fantasy elements are minimal, and the political intrigue is not for the faint of heart. And yet, I found myself deeply immersed in this story and wondering where it would take me. I actually really enjoyed this book a lot, but it is certainly not for everyone. Readers beware, if you want an action packed fantasy about revolution, this ain’t the book for you!”

Formulaic Likeable Addictive Repetitive Slow-paced Well-structured Expansive Immersive world-building Setting fits the story Descriptive Repetitive Takes getting used to

pointofsighs

Created 8 months ago

“i had reasonably high hopes for this one, but instead of slowburning it was a damp squib that never ignited. at no point did this book get exciting, not even at the end (after 1000 ebook pages!). the worldbuilding is incredibly thorough on all the politics, but venture outside the politics is almost nonexistent and you definitely don't get any clue as to the lives of characters outside of those involved in the council. it was dry and the characters are hardly better developed than the world. and the plot became hellishly repetitive after a point.”

Sarah Tapper

Created 10 months ago

Lucy Larsen

Created 10 months ago

“I love me some L.E. Modesitt Jr. book. He’s one of my favorite fantasy authors who writes books that interest me and really make me think. This book was set in a historical fantasy esque city. There’s magic and some fantasy type weapons like blow darts. However, there are also some historical-esque technologies such as a steam powered car and a few early styles of guns. It made the setting super interesting without making it too much like a steampunk novel. One thing about L.E. Modesitt Jr. books is that they are basically political thought or ethical issues novels thinly disguised as fantasy. I feel like almost all of his books are really political commentary, but they are very interesting to read. This one also had some interesting female characters which I enjoyed seeing even if they felt a little flat. There also was some romance in this story as is usual in his book with a spicy level of one. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book just as much as I enjoyed reading his others. If you aren’t a fan of books mostly about politics or ethics maybe not a good read but if you do, it’s an interesting and though provoking read.”

Squeezeboxpharm

Created 10 months ago

About L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

L. E. MODESITT, JR. is the author of more than seventy books—primarily science fiction and fantasy—including the long-running, bestselling series the Saga of Recluce and the Imager Portfolio, as well as a number of short stories.

Other books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Premier

Isolate

Publisher Description

Download the free Fable app

Isolate Reviews

About L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Other books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Start a Book Club

FAQ

Books Similar to Isolate

Clubs

Explore

About

Learn more

Follow us