The Octagonal Raven    by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2002 (2001) Hardcover, Paperback, e-Book      Reviewed by Wesley Williamson Daryn Alwyn is a preselect, a younger son of a fabulously wealthy family with inborn genetic advantages, both physical and mental. He also has the best nanotech augmentation available. However both he and his sister have refused to work under their father and elder brother in their enormous media network company. She has risen to the top in a competing company; he survived the arduous training to become a military space pilot, and retired to set up as an independent media consultant. Without warning, he becomes the target for several assassination attempts. Trying to find the reason for these attacks, he uncovers stresses in his society from which his privileged position had previously shielded him. Resentment against the preselect is building, spurred particularly by the perceived use of perceptual testing to restrict the upper levels of Government and business to them. Then his sister is murdered, and Daryn finds that as her heir, he can become one of the richest and most powerful men in the world, if he can find who is attempting to kill him and why before they succeed. Modesitt is an excellent adventure writer, and his imagination never flags. While not quite on the same level as his Recluce fantasies, this is well written and engrossing. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews