A Shadow on the Glass

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.

This long story in four novels (it's not really a quartet) was originally published in Australia in 1998, and then in the UK during 2000/2001 and, more recently, in the US.

Australian SF and Fantasy is definitely on the rise at the moment, witness the recent publication stateside of some of Sara Douglass' books, so is this one any good?

There is no denying that there is a lot of fantasy on the market at the moment, a lot of it pretty simplistic and generic, some people like that stuff, unfortunately that seems to be where people are heading when they realise after seeing The Lord of the Rings that fantasy is actually a valid genre. Really, of course, they should be heading to George RR Martin (even at his glacial writing speed), Tad show more Williams, Robin Hobb and JV Jones. I don't think Irvine's work falls quite into that category but nevertheless it's a lot better than a lot of the dross on the market.

The View from the Mirror is a complex tale, primarily focused around the mystery of the Forbidding, a magical shield that has trapped three 'human' races on the same planet, along with the original inhabitants, 'old human'. The four races only marginally get along, and though interbreeding is possible, the blendings produced are often unstable - though powerful.

All of the intruder races want to get home, and so seek to find a way through the Forbidding. Two separate events trigger the events of this series: The Chronicler Llian discovers documents written at the time of the Forbidding, and a blending, Karan, is recruited to steal a magical Mirror - which was present during the creation of the Forbidding, and may hold the secret to its breaking.

From there the hunt is on! This is a world where no-one is truly evil, all have their own motivations, magic has its cost, and the survival of the various species is all important.

I really can't recommend this series enough. The first book has its flaws, but the writing improves as the series progresses. The series is thematically complex, extremely original, and very rewarding. show less

This long story in four novels (it's not really a quartet) was originally published in Australia in 1998, and then in the UK during 2000/2001 and, more recently, in the US.

Australian SF and Fantasy is definitely on the rise at the moment, witness the recent publication stateside of some of Sara Douglass' books, so is this one any good?

There is no denying that there is a lot of fantasy on the market at the moment, a lot of it pretty simplistic and generic, some people like that stuff, unfortunately that seems to be where people are heading when they realise after seeing The Lord of the Rings that fantasy is actually a valid genre. Really, of course, they should be heading to George RR Martin (even at his glacial writing speed), Tad show more Williams, Robin Hobb and JV Jones. I don't think Irvine's work falls quite into that category but nevertheless it's a lot better than a lot of the dross on the market.

The View from the Mirror is a complex tale, primarily focused around the mystery of the Forbidding, a magical shield that has trapped three 'human' races on the same planet, along with the original inhabitants, 'old human'. The four races only marginally get along, and though interbreeding is possible, the blendings produced are often unstable - though powerful.

All of the intruder races want to get home, and so seek to find a way through the Forbidding. Two separate events trigger the events of this series: The Chronicler Llian discovers documents written at the time of the Forbidding, and a blending, Karan, is recruited to steal a magical Mirror - which was present during the creation of the Forbidding, and may hold the secret to its breaking.

From there the hunt is on! This is a world where no-one is truly evil, all have their own motivations, magic has its cost, and the survival of the various species is all important.

I really can't recommend this series enough. The first book has its flaws, but the writing improves as the series progresses. The series is thematically complex, extremely original, and very rewarding. show less

6/10
This is book 1 in a tetralogy, so the author spends a lot of time on world-building and historical back-notes. Yet we do get to know the main characters, Llian and Karan, quite well. i thought all the major characters seem fairly nuanced--real people with flaws and strengths, warts and virtues.

I thought some of the interminable journeying could have been condensed, but the events in the escapes and chases did help develop the characters and their relationships with each other.

I certainly enjoyed this enough and am intrigued enough to continue the series.

I’ve given it a lot of thought and decided that I could not have finished this book if I had read it. However, for me, listening to certain types of books is different.

My biggest issue was that parts of the storyline, especially the world’s history, were drawn out. Too lengthy for me. To be honest, I didn’t want to know in that much detail. Some people do, and you can’t please everyone. I realise that typically, fantasy books are inclined to do that, but it’s not something I enjoy (any more). Lengthy descriptions of any type are boring.

That aside, after some listening, I grew attached to Llian and Karan. And to be frank, I wanted to know what adventure they would experience. Llian can be a bit annoying, but I’m sure he’ll show more grow into someone worthy by the end of the series. We all have our ways, and we learn from experience. Llian hasn’t had it easy, but I wouldn’t say he’s had a hard life either. At least he had a roof over his head and had some semblance of normality.

In comparison, Karan’s life was harder and lonelier, which gives her the tools to look after herself in a world about to go to war (mostly). The two together manage to figure out what to do to survive.

Of course, other characters upset their plans. Some help them, some are loyal, and others betray. The mix makes for an interesting story (once all the description is pushed aside).

I’m halfway through book 2. Persevere, it gets better. show less

At first, I found the beginning of this book quite odd and dissapointing. But as I read on, I found the book amazing. The plot is well written, with plenty of twists and turns. The characters are well developed. The world (i guess i could say "worlds") that Irvine creates with this series is amazing! All I have to say, is don't get put off by the beginning. That happened to my cousin, and I still can't get him to read it. Tough it out!

How did this get published? It became really boring after a while, so I chose to drop this. Please don't waste your time on this one.