Modesitt writes two kinds of novels: those that follow his normal
formula, and experiments. I usually like the former, though I confess
the formula’s beginning to get old; I usually like the latter as well,
but, alas, not in this case.

Archform: Beauty is set a couple of centuries in the future.
Most consumer goods, and even most food, is assembled by nanomachine.
The big thing is “resonance”: the use of sound engineered to produces
specific responses. “Rez” is used in pop music and in advertising;
non-rez music is a dying art.

The book is something of a mystery novel, mostly involving a power grab by an
organized crime family. The family is mostly organized as a bunch of
corporations, and almost everything the family does is above board. The
rest is the kicker.

I’ve got a number of complaints about this book. To begin with, it’s got
too many viewpoint characters: a music teacher, a reporter, a senator, a
crime boss, and a detective, and maybe a couple of others I’m not
thinking of at the moment. Each character has his or her own distinct
voice and concerns, none of which really overlap in any obvious way as
the book begins. Consequently, you have to get quite a ways into the
book before you find out what it’s all about.

And that’s my next complaint. The book doesn’t know what it’s about.
It ought to be about “rez”, and the tension between the “rez” and real
music; it’s clearly supposed to be about the importance of beauty. And
these things are discussed to some extent, but the plot doesn’t hinge on
them. You could pull “rez” and the music teacher out the book with
little effect on the story.

On the whole, I was disappointed. Usually, a Modesitt novel grabs me and
won’t let go until I’m done. This one I had to push to get through.