an Albert, commander of the Republic Space Force cruiser Fergus, receives orders to divert to the Scandya system to replace another RSF ship, the Collyns. Albert is an experienced, capable officer, but his career was damaged when he accidentally destroyed a passenger liner while pursuing a pirate ship. Since then, he has been assigned small, nearly obsolete ships to command. When coming out of the jump to Scandya, the Fergus is attacked by a much larger ship. The Fergus wins the battle, thanks to Albert's tactical superiority, but the identity of the attacking ship is unknown.
Upon arrival at Gotland, capital planet of the Scandya system, Albert is assigned to replace the Republic embassy's military attache, who died in a boating accident. Scandya is an independent system coming under external pressures, as the major powers manipulate its internal political divisions. Albert spends his first months studying the delicate situation and meeting
with his counterparts at the other embassies. He begins to suspect that his predecessor's death may not have been an accident. Furthermore, the Collyns disappeared on its jump back to Tara, and the RSF is keeping the circumstances secret. Even with his clearances, Albert can't find much information about the accident. He also discovers the existence of a
mysterious private foundation, Integrated Information Systems.
Before he makes much progress on the mysteries, however, Albert thwarts an assassination attempt on the Scandyan prime minister during a reception at the Keltyr embassy. He is severely injured in the attack. During his many months of recovery, the RSF promotes and retires Albert. Trystin Desoll, the executive director of IIS, pays him a visit and offers him employment as a director and pilot. Initially, Albert is not interested, but he finds few opportunities and a deteriorating political environment at home. He finally accepts the offer. His decision places him on a path leading to profound ethical dilemmas as he confronts political upheaval and
interstellar war.
Good ideas, but a flawed presentation
The Ethos Effect takes place 200 years after Modesitt's The Parafaith War, but Modesitt fills in enough history to make this novel self-contained. Modesitt's universe is a rich one, filled with competing interstellar powers that are the descendants of Earth's ethnic
groups, one of which is an empire of theocratic expansionists. Added to the mix is an interesting alien species, the Farkhans, who have limited involvement with human affairs. Unfortunately, though he takes readers to a number of different worlds in systems ruled by different powers, Modesitt never really shows readers the cultural and political differences and the sources of tension. Instead of using sharp, illuminating details to make these places unique and bring the conflicts to life, he has a tendency to concentrate on matters that are neither important nor particularly interesting. The problem especially plagues the first 100 pages, which consist mostly of Albert having meetings that do very little to move the story along.
As the title suggests, the novel's theme explores ethical choices. Modesitt presents some interesting ideas in a series of scholarly articles scattered throughout the novel, and he makes effective use of the passenger liner incident to foreshadow later events. Weak characterization
undermines what could have been a powerful exploration of moral dilemmas, however. Albert, the viewpoint character, is analytical in his approach to everything, which is fine. But little distinguishes him from the rest of the novel's characters. The lack of contrast precludes any meaningful debate among the characters about the problems confronting them. Ethics is one of the foundations of character, and the near absence of real characterization distances readers from the issues and potential thematic power of the novel.
Despite the flaws, there are some worthwhile ideas in The Ethos Effect, and after the first 100 pages it is an enjoyable novel. But it had the potential to be a much better book than it is.
