Ian Irvine (1) (1950–)

I enjoy Irvine's books and the worlds that he has built for his 3 Worlds Cycle but I starting to worry about how much he tortures his female protagonists.

I read this book last year, and having found it to be a wonderful example of gripping Epic Fantasy, this re-read allowed me to delve into the deeper nuances of the story and pick out all sorts of details I had missed on my first, heart stopping read. Vengeance is a thought-provoking book, and in the usual Irvine style, left me desperate for more!

As I have to expect in an Irvine book, world building is immaculate in this book: everything has a purpose, a role, and it’s all vividly realised show more through the prose. The history is rich and complex, and the races of the Cythonians and Hightspallers are wonderfully delineated in terms of customs and speech. It did take me a while to place the Pale and the Herovians within this world, but I got there! One of the things that grabbed me about the book is that the first part – 193 pages – occurs over just a few days hours. It’s insane! I kept waiting for the characters to catch a break, and they never did! Vengeance is difficult to put down, and even when you’re away from it you’re always thinking about it!

The characters in the book carry a special place in my heart – Irvine has written about developed characters with clear conflicts and motivations that I found easy to empathise with. However, I still think that Tali could have been a little more complex: she’s your typical underdog for a lot of the book but does have shining moments where she steps out of that role. My favourite character is Tobry – there’s just something about him that draws me, plus his sense of humour provides a welcome reprieve from the darkness offered in the story.

Reading the story for the second time around, I was struck by the desperation of Lyf to return his people to their former glory. Previously I had just read him as a power-hungry bad guy – but this time around I saw other depths to his character and I’m really looking forward getting to know more about him as the series continues. Credit has to be given to Irvine for writing Lyf so that, even as I am hating him for threatening Tali and Rix’s lives, I am sympathising with him for the horrible things that have been done to him and his people.

Having read and loved Ian Irvine’s The Three Worlds books, I was nervous that I wouldn’t like this new series because, honestly, how could it get much better? Although Ian Irvine has written a completely different type of book in Vengeance, his trademarks of amazing world building and characterisation are still in evidence. It will be enjoyed by both fans of his earlier works, and those new to his work, and I highly recommend it!

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic. show less

Back to the war-stricken place that is Santhenar. Times are indeed desperate and so are the people. The long war against the lyrinx looks likely to end in defeat for the humans. Their reluctant allies, the Aachim, are still wary and look down on humans as the inferior species.

The Scrutators are developing more and deadlier magic that they believe will destroy the lyrinx. Neither side has many endearing qualities. The lyrinx are condemned because they eat the humans after battle. The humans show more are ruled by a dictatorship of Scrutators who care nothing for the individual as all efforts are made to win the war.

The Aachim are isolationists who despise humans and lyrinx alike but make a reluctant bond with the humans as they make their final stand. Small wonder then that the individuals caught up in these catastrophic events whilst trying to do what they believe is right for their species are swept along by the tide of events. Tiaan is still in trouble. Although her back is mended, she is still trying to escape the tar pits at Snizort at the beginning of 'Alchymist'.

Meanwhile, Xervish Flydd has been stripped of his Scrutator's status and condemned to slavery for his part in destroying the node at Snizort. Joined by Cryl-Nish, who has been condemned by his own father, it looks like a quick death by exhaustion and starvation for them. Irisis, one of their only friends, has escaped taking unwilling companions. They, too, are to be hunted down.

Ullii, the Seeker and briefly Nish's lover, finds she is alone and pregnant. She blames her erstwhile travelling companions and events conspire in such a way that soon she vows vengeance on all their heads. There are some true heroes emerging from this tale. They all undergo a learning curve that is painful beyond measure.

Like the flesh forming tanks of the lyrinx, this is a grotesque parody of life's lessons. Talk about growing up! These people suffer all the emotions of being close to death at any given time. They live at the very edge. For all the magic and power involved, it is simply about people making choices. They choose duty, good, evil, right and wrong.

As in life, the choices are not always clear but still have to be made. Often, the vastness of the landscape and the spectacle dwarf the human protagonists but Irvine will always bring it back to the individual and the impact they have. All the characters from the previous two books return and they twist and turn upon the hook of the novelist. Just when you think things could not get worse, they generally do.

It will make you grateful for the quiet life you lead. Once again, the physical descriptions and plotting is excellent with the narrative neatly leaping between the different stories as they converge to conclude the story.

The finale is a gripping and nasty nail-biter that will leave you dry-mouthed and begging for the final instalment. show less

Back to the war-stricken place that is Santhenar. Times are indeed desperate and so are the people. The long war against the lyrinx looks likely to end in defeat for the humans. Their reluctant allies, the Aachim, are still wary and look down on humans as the inferior species.

The Scrutators are developing more and deadlier magic that they believe will destroy the lyrinx. Neither side has many endearing qualities. The lyrinx are condemned because they eat the humans after battle. The humans show more are ruled by a dictatorship of Scrutators who care nothing for the individual as all efforts are made to win the war.

The Aachim are isolationists who despise humans and lyrinx alike but make a reluctant bond with the humans as they make their final stand. Small wonder then that the individuals caught up in these catastrophic events whilst trying to do what they believe is right for their species are swept along by the tide of events. Tiaan is still in trouble. Although her back is mended, she is still trying to escape the tar pits at Snizort at the beginning of 'Alchymist'.

Meanwhile, Xervish Flydd has been stripped of his Scrutator's status and condemned to slavery for his part in destroying the node at Snizort. Joined by Cryl-Nish, who has been condemned by his own father, it looks like a quick death by exhaustion and starvation for them. Irisis, one of their only friends, has escaped taking unwilling companions. They, too, are to be hunted down.

Ullii, the Seeker and briefly Nish's lover, finds she is alone and pregnant. She blames her erstwhile travelling companions and events conspire in such a way that soon she vows vengeance on all their heads. There are some true heroes emerging from this tale. They all undergo a learning curve that is painful beyond measure.

Like the flesh forming tanks of the lyrinx, this is a grotesque parody of life's lessons. Talk about growing up! These people suffer all the emotions of being close to death at any given time. They live at the very edge. For all the magic and power involved, it is simply about people making choices. They choose duty, good, evil, right and wrong.

As in life, the choices are not always clear but still have to be made. Often, the vastness of the landscape and the spectacle dwarf the human protagonists but Irvine will always bring it back to the individual and the impact they have. All the characters from the previous two books return and they twist and turn upon the hook of the novelist. Just when you think things could not get worse, they generally do.

It will make you grateful for the quiet life you lead. Once again, the physical descriptions and plotting is excellent with the narrative neatly leaping between the different stories as they converge to conclude the story.

The finale is a gripping and nasty nail-biter that will leave you dry-mouthed and begging for the final instalment. show less