Modern Defense?

1) e4 g6

Usually transposes to Pirc or whatever, so a lot of people call it the Pirc/Modern.

What does everyone think of it? 

i think it is good

Not easy to play

IMO it's hard to play (heh, hicetnunc beat me to it)

White has a lot of annoying setups that offer him straightforward play while black's side takes a lot more care.

If you're just starting out that might not matter at all (the winner just the 2nd to last person to blunder a piece or a mate).  But as your skill gets into the meat of class players, this should be a very tough defense to adopt.

In general for openings, I'd advise no closed games and no systems... that's just my two cents.

Hehe, that may just be my bias, maybe my peers can play it better, but stuff like the KIA and modern I just can't handle well

Yeah, I play the French almost every game against e4, but it's getting a little boring now.

One fun variation is the Pterodactyl.

 Wearing your ignorance as a badge I see. I would expect nothing less from RoseQueen

It's can be good especially if you play KID vs 1 d4, but if not I wouldn't play it.  White can play an early f4 and I think that makes it worse than the 1d4, KID. 

I guess I'll be sticking with the French until I become a better player, but I'll revisit it later.

I'd suggest getting hold of or looking at Nigel Davies' Modern book for Everyman Chess and Tiger Hillarp Persson's book for Quality Chess. Both GMs have played the Modern throughout their careers and have numerous interesting, albeit off beat!, ideas.

Both books are full of their games and they aren't shy in sharing what they have tried, found wanting and/or what they believe are white's most dangerous ideas. They mix in verbal explanations with the variations/theory. Another boon is that Nigel and Tiger suggest different moves for their Modern repertoire so the books compliment each other.

If the Modern does take your fancy, it also pays to get hold of some books on the Pirc. James Vigus "Pirc in Black and White" and Albert & Chernin "Pirc Alert!" are two recent works. Being able to vary from pure Modern to Pirc proper has its practical plusses.

Although ancient theory, Ray Keene and George Botterill wrote the seminal books on both defences for Batsford back in the early 1970s. Apparantly, they are still rather good reads.

I agree with other posters, though: the Pirc and Modern are difficult to play. Black really must know his stuff otherwise he will be wiped out after the merest slip.