Legalist

"Legalist" is a prequel in L. E. Modesitt, Jr.'s gaslamp political fantasy series, set fifty years after the establishment of the Imperium. It follows Dominic Mikail Ysella, an ancestor of a key character, as he navigates a crumbling empire, building a coalition in the Imperial Council and secretly drafting a new constitution. Amid widespread corruption and danger, Dominic's journey highlights the challenges faced by a legalist striving to save the Imperium from itself.