Modesitt, L. E., Jr., 1943-

L. E. (Leland Exton) Modesitt Jr. (; born 1943) is an American science fiction and fantasy author who has written over 80 novels. He is best known for the fantasy series The Saga of Recluce. By 2015, the 18 novels in the Recluce series had sold nearly three million copies. By 2019, there were 22 Recluce novels. In addition to his novels, Modesitt has published technical studies and articles, columns, poetry, and a number of science fiction stories. His first short story, "The Great American Economy", was published in 1973 in Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact. In 2008, he published his first collection of short stories, Viewpoints Critical: Selected Stories (Tor Books, 2008). Modesitt was the Writer Guest of Honor at Balticon 58, held from May 24 to 27, 2024.