I think I have more or less the same feels as you about Modesitt's general style of writing?

I read Arms Commander a while ago. I didn't really like it, though I ended up "back reading" previous books so I'd know what was going on. (Then I tried to figure out the Cyador and the other continent books.)

Though I like/liked the Imager Portfolio, though he tried to input Real Supernatural Entity/Encounter, when his general fantasy worldview has been very atheist, which threw me for a loop. (IP features "power-behind-the-throne" magic users. And the First Time Modesitt Has Written POC in a Fantasy As Far As I Know. They are vaguely Fantasy Romany.)

(IP in the first few books has a more or less acceptable romance-via-letters. Generally speaking though, Modesitt should Stay Far Away from Romance because he kind of fails in that regard. He is worse than Weber, I swear to god. )

I think he is attempting to be feminist? But severely failing due to a)failing at basic emotions b)still considering females to be mysterious creatures with different and significant motivations, abilities and thought processes from a male.

I am really annoyed at the "Yay! Dictatorships! All the Dictatorships All the Time!"