Ghost of the White Nights

If you start by reading the Publisher's Weekly review, you might prefer a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to reading Ghost of the White Nights, and that would be a mistake! The concluding volume of the Columbia-Ghost trilogy is Modesitt's best volume in the series. It is well-paced, start to finish, it has some interesting plot twists, and the hero, Johan Eschbach, is at his finest. Fans of the series will already understand the basic premise. Columbia, an alternate-world semi-USA faces the twin threats of chronic oil shortages and Austrian Emperor Ferdinand's plots to dominate the world. Eschbach, spy, professor, war hero, and good guy who wipes the dishes and makes a fair salad, must handle both issues. This time, Eschbach must broker a deal with a creaky Romanov regime, trading technology for oil. There is plenty of intrigue, and Modesitt really has the Russian character-- proud, paranoid, but ultimately somehow likeable--down pat. It is a shame that Eschbach's ahem--itchy-ahem French wife is still along for the ride, fussing about every bowl of soup, but if you can get past that, White Nights isn't bad at all. Some odd plot twists like having Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel appear in the alternate universe as an insidiously smarmy US Ambassador to Russia, are a lot of fun, too. White Nights is a significant uptick on the previous volume, Ghost of the Revelator, which had almost nothing in it but the French wife crabbing about the chow!

_________________________________________Johan Eschbach, retired from an eventful career as a naval aviator, Spazi agent, and cabinet minister, now teaches environmental economics at Vanderbraak State University in New Bruges (New Hampshire in OTL). He's married to lyric soprano Llysette Du Boise, whose performance at Deseret's Salt Palace (in Ghost of the Revelator), and the best-selling CD recorded then, has made her reputation worldwide. Lysette is invited to perform for the tzar in Moscow -- oh, and would Johan undertake a bit of quiet diplomacy for Columbia with the Imperial government, while he's there?Not surprisingly, this 'quiet' diplomacy ends in violence, but does lead, as hoped, to an oil concession for Columbian Dutch Petro in Russian Alaska. The thriller part is well-done & fun, but the real strength of the book is the continued development of Modesitt's alternate world, and the closely-observed details of daily life in Columbia, which shares North America with Quebec, Deseret and New France -- and the world with Emperor Ferdinand's cruel and aggressive Austrian (Hapsburg) empire.White Nights is the conclusion of the Ghosts novels, per the dust jacket, but I rather hope Modesitt decides to continue. I've become fond of Johan, Lysette, New Bruges, the petty academic politics at Vanderbraak State, the Stanley steamers, and the slow pace of life in Columbia. OTOH, Modesitt doesn't do well with long series...

Johan Eschbach is perfectly content with his life as a college Professor of Environmental Economics and the husband of Llysette, a classical singer. When his government calls both of them into service, Johan finds himself returning to a past that he had thought was long behind him--that of a spy and assassin. In this powerful alternative history novel, Austria-Hungary, allied with Prussia/Germany, sits astride a conquered Europe with only Russia, Sweden, and the fading Ottoman Turks remaining to face it. With both conventional weapons and the ability to create zombie armies, Austria-Hungary is content to nibble away at its enemies. In America, Columbia (representing most of what is the United States and the maritime provinces of Canada in our reality) suffers under the energy blockade that Austria-Hungary now imposes. Under the cover of an artistic exchange, Johan is sent to Russia to negotiate oil leases in Russian Alaska. Russia, still ruled by the Tsars, is a challenge to Johan. The rocket branch of the Russian military seems intent on foiling the oil deal despite the obvious benefits to all parties. Johan comes to suspect a threat to the entire world order--one that neither Russia nor Columbia is likely to survive. Yet what can one man do against the intrenched bureaucracy of a centuries-old state? Author L. E. Modesitt, Jr. brings his emotionally compelling writing to a fascinating alternative history--one vaguely reminisent of Jules Verne, with its steam automobiles, dirigible travel, and its still-surviving Imperial heads of state, yet with a supernatural element of ghosts making their presence felt. Despite a few loose ends (what, exactly, was that bombing about), Modesitt delivers an exciting story with fully human characters. Johan, in particular, is wonderfully sympathetic as an aging college professor forced back into a way of life that he had thought behind him, now with the need to protect his wife as well as his country. Fans of Modesitt's pure fantasy as well as alternative history buffs will enjoy GHOST OF THE WHITE NIGHTS.

This book was described by Publishers weekly as:"This not-especially-thrilling thriller..." This is an awful way to begin the review of this slower, more thoughtfully paced book. The writing is good, the characters are compelling as always and the descriptions of the landscape and the surrounding situations are a pleasure to read. This book is a nice escape into a more civilized and slower paced universe than the one we inhabit. There is not a lot of action, there is some and it is satisfying, but there is not a need for it. There is little moralizing or preaching. There is a constant theme of "protect the environment." But this isn't a bad thing and it is done pragmatically, not at all shrill. It seems most reviewers focus on the idea of the tangible ghosts. That is not the important part of the book. What is important is the idea of family, and love. I found this book to be very satisfying and finished it in 2 days. If you enjoyed the first two books you will enjoy this one

This earth is a lot different than that which contains science fiction readers of popular novels written by authors like L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Here Columbia is one of several nations that have carved out a segment of the North American continent. Columbia is actually what fans of Mr. Modesitt, Jr. would recognize as the eastern United States. In this alternate plane, scientists know how to remove the soul from the living host to create a zombie and that if the soul lingers after the individual dies in distress, a ghost exists. Columbia desperately needs oil and feel Romanov's Russian Alaska is the solution. As part of a cultural exchange with Russia, Columbia sends critically acclaimed singer Llysette to Russia to perform for the Czar. Llysette's spouse Doktor Johan Eschbach, a professor of Environmental Science, accompanies her ostensibly to provide his beloved wife support, but actually to see what he can do to expedite an oil agreement. A former secret agent, Johan soon finds himself embroiled in stopping a dangerous plot for world domination from happening, one that will use new and very dangerous weapons. The final novel in the "Ghost" trilogy, GHOST OF THE WHITE NIGHTS, is an engaging entry that focuses on an alternate world. The book wraps up the series nicely though fans will want more novels. The story line is at its best when delving into "modern" weapons systems and ghosts in the machine technology. However, long sidebars on Llysette's tour turn readers into ghostly zombies. Still the audience will enjoy the final tale as L.E. Modesitt, Jr. paints a realm that feels real from a historical and scientific basis.Harriet Klausner