Ghost of the White Nights
L. E. Modeistt has gained a legion of devoted fans for his science fiction as well as for his epic fantasy novels, and Ghost of the White Nights is one of the best displays of his ability to blend dramatic, imaginative stories with rigerous social and scientific extrapolation. This is the concluding novel of the alternate-history adventure trilogy that Modesitt began with Of Tangible Ghosts and The Ghost of the Revelator.
Doktor Johan Eschbach, Professor of Environmental Science and semi-retired service agent, and his lovely wife, the world-renound singer Llysette, return for another adventure, this time in Russia. Their world is an intriguing alternate present in which many things are changed. What we know as the eastern United States is the nation of Columbia, and Russia is still ruled by the Romanovs.
Johan had hoped for a quiet life of teaching. Llysette, a refugee from the burning remains of France, has put her time in the prison camps of the Hapsburg Empire behind her and successfully resumed her singing career. But the Columbian government cannot afford to waste their particular talents and calls upon them again.
Llysette is being sent on a cultural exchange mission to St. Petersburg, where she will sing for the Tzar. Johan will, of course, accompany her, allowing him to work behind the scenes on the oil concession in Russian Alaska that Columbia so desperately needs. But even the oil shortage will fade to insignificance when Johan discovers what new weapons technology the Russians are developing, a threat even more fearsome than the atomic bombs of Austro-Hungary.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr., carries on the science fiction tradition of Gordon R. Dickson and Poul Anderson, hard-edged adventures with sophisticated social and political dimensions. Ghost of the White Nights is a powerfully imaginative addition to this tradition.
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L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. is a name that resonates deeply in the world of science fiction and fantasy, particularly for readers who crave intricate world-building, compelling characters, and philosophical musings woven seamlessly into action-packed narratives. With a career spanning decades, Modesitt’s works explore complex themes of power, morality, and societal structure, all set against the backdrop of expansive universes where every decision ripples out with consequences.
Born in the mid-20th century, Modesitt’s early life was shaped by a love of literature, history, and the natural world. His formal education in political science and economics, coupled with his time as a writer, editor, and even a political assistant, gives his work a layer of intellectual depth rarely seen in speculative fiction. These experiences have contributed to the sharp political and ethical dilemmas that surface in his novels, particularly in his Recluce series, which explores a world governed by the struggle between order and chaos.
Ghost Novels
In the alternate history world of L.E. Modesitt’s Ghost series, the United States never came into existence, Russia is still ruled by the Romanovs, and ghosts are not mere superstition but have a literal physical reality - and political implications. Your crimes can haunt you, and the ghosts of your crimes are visible to others.
Ghost Novels consists of three primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
