Book excerpt: L.E. Modesitt, Jr.'s Wellspring of Chaos continues his bestselling fantasy series the Saga of Recluce, which is one the most popular in contemporary epic fantasy. Kharl's life has been always been as ordered and dependable as the barrels he makes. His trouble begins when he saves saves a rape victim he finds unconscious in an alley, a blackstaffer—a young expatriate mage—from Recluce. When the blackstaffer is mysteriously murdered in Kharl's cooperage, Kharl is jailed, tried, and flogged, and in a shocking turnaround released—and his wife executed for the murder, which she did not commit. Kharl ends up on the run, taking the slain woman's black staff and her book, The Basis of Order, which explains the principles of its power. The diligent cooper is about to learn a new, very different skill. “An intriguing fantasy in a fascinating world.”—Robert Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of The Wheel of Time® series Saga of Recluce #1 The Magic of Recluce / #2 The Towers of Sunset / #3 The Magic Engineer / #4 The Order War / #5 The Death of Chaos / #6 Fall of Angels / #7 The Chaos Balance / #8 The White Order / #9 Colors of Chaos / #10 Magi’i of Cyador / #11 Scion of Cyador / #12 Wellspring of Chaos / #13 Ordermaster / #14 Natural Order Mage / #15 Mage-Guard of Hamor / #16 Arms-Commander / #17 Cyador’s Heirs / #18 Heritage of Cyador /#19 The Mongrel Mage / #20 Outcasts of Order / #21 The Mage-Fire War (forthcoming) Story Collection: Recluce Tales 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.