[ensign edwards]

So this place has gotten boring so I thought I'd start a thread about one of my favorite authors: Ian Irvine. Anyone care to discuss his work?

I picked up his books because I thought "The tower on the rift" was a cool name for a book but once I started reading I was blown away. I love how things aren't black and white or simple and his character development is awesome. Nish is a great example, I despised him at first, now I like him.

I also love the mysteries he has, there was a period last winter when I nearly went nuts trying to figure what this means: "Break down the golden horn, wish the glass unmade, beware the thrice born but fear the thrice betrayed." And I'm chomping at the bit to discover the identity of the numinator.

I've read as far as "The fate of the fallen which is book 1 of "The song of the tears."

What about you people? What do you think of his books? What's your favorite book? Favorite character? Also if someone wants to speculate on what will happen next in "The song of the tears" I'm all for it just use spoiler code for those who haven't gotten that far yet.

[Vol]

Ian Irvine is one of my favourite authors too. I don't have a favourite book, because they are all the same basic story, so it's hard to choose a favourite, they are all good! I really enjoyed "The View from the Mirror" series, I really liked Lian. In the later series Nish is my fav too, I didn't like him much at first either, but he grew as a character, which was good. What I like about his books are that they aren't predictable, he throws in little twists and not everything works out for the best, which is neat because it keeps you guessing the whole the time.

Last book I read was "The Torments of the Traitor", can't wait for "The Curse on the Chosen"

[ensign edwards]

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Ian Irvine is one of my favourite authors too. I don't have a favourite book, because they are all the same basic story, so it's hard to choose a favourite, they are all good! I really enjoyed "The View from the Mirror" series, I really liked Lian. In the later series Nish is my fav too, I didn't like him much at first either, but he grew as a character, which was good. What I like about his books are that they aren't predictable, he throws in little twists and not everything works out for the best, which is neat because it keeps you guessing the whole the time.

I didn't like Llian because he reminded me of myself in all the wrong ways, I can just see myself in that "I've come to rescue you" scene where he knocks himself out.

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Last book I read was "The Torments of the Traitor", can't wait for "The Curse on the Chosen"

"The torments of the traitor" is called "The fate of the fallen" here, I don't why. You're version makes more sense. And yes I'm totally looking forward to the next one.

[Vol]

Lian is just an intellectual, and some intellectuals are hopeless outside of their field of expertise Ian Irvine no doubt being an intellectual himself would of observed this at University. Apart from that, here's a guy who is a historian, his life revolves around books, he's not trained to go off adventuring and saving the world, he's making it up as he goes. Plus Ian Irvine likes character's with flaws, that's why I like Lian so much, he's a flawed character, he's not any sort of super hero who can't do wrong. Lian's character was refreshing.

[ensign edwards]

I'm sure I would agree if I didn't see myself in him so much.

Ever been to Ian's website? One thing that makes me laugh is there's a picture of him in some jungle from back when he was an enviromental scientist (or whatever he was), it's labelled "Researching the leech scene from 'The view from the mirror'".

[ensign edwards]

Resurrecting this for Barbara.

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Maigraith was rude and obnoxious at first, but now under Yggur's hold, I'm starting to feel sorry for her.

Once you learn more about why she acts the way she does, she's a lot more likable. For some strange reason, I really identified with her. Plus she does some very cool stuff later on (trying not to be too spoiler-tastic here).

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Hysterical!! I'm like "that's me. I'd do that".

I felt the same way, which, as mentioned above, was my problem with him.

I liked Llian more on my second readthrough, though, now that I think about it. And like all Ian Irvine characters, he gets more interesting with time. I'll also say that I think making the main character a historian was a very clever move on Irvine's part. His universe (and this quartet in particular) is very dependent on its rich history, and Llian allowed major info dumps about the past to be seemlessly introduced into the plot. And his tales were always so cool. I don't know if you've read "The Tale of Tar Gaarn" yet, but I phloxing loved that scene. And as I've said before, the Graduation Telling has to be the best opening a book's ever had.

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Nish is not a character - yet, I guess.

Sorry, I often say things people won't understand even though I know they won't. Bad habit. Nish doesn't show up until the "Well of Echoes" quartet, which follows "The View from the Mirror." He's one of my top literary characters of all time.

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Yggur was really nasty! But I just got to a part where I'm wondering .... and maybe softening to him. But come on - at first!!! He's down right EVIL!!! Lots of twists and turns and action and adventure. I'm half way done with book 1.

Yeah, I tend to pretend the nasty early Yggur doesn't exist because I like him so much. But still, even then, he was a bringer of law and order, albeit law and order at the point of a sword.


Ah, memories. I'm amused by how sloppy my writing was back when I made this thread. Also, I didn't realize the writing contest had been going on for two years now. Time flies.

[Barbara]

Every tale is just so awesome. I'm drawn in without even realizing it.

YES - usually it takes me 50 or so pages before I can get into a book. And I usually read that 50 pages several times going back to it when I'm like half way through a book, and then toward the end. But in this book, I was captivated from the very very beginning. Best opening bar none.

Here's where I am.

I've just "been introduced" to Mandark - ouuuu.... shifty. He has just met with Tensor and discussed the Karan issue and Yggur. I'm deep in the mountains w/Karen and Llian in Shazmak. Tensor is about to arrive and Karan is freaking out. Llian is in the library (but of course). The book I have ends on page 640. I'm on page 355 (just so you can get an idea of where I am)

Llian can be a jerk. But then again, so can Karan. Sometimes I think they deserve each other.


One note of interest: since we just went through one horrendous cold section in the mountains with snow and wind and freezing clothes and shivering bodies - when the A/C came on in the house, I threw a blanket over me. Uh, I felt, uh, cold. It's 90 here!!! I'm like - why am I cold?

[ensign edwards]

See, the thing about Llian is, he's an idiot. He's actually a really good guy, but he's a complete idiot. So that can make him kind of jerky at times.

[Barbara]

Totally agree, though I keep hoping he'll grow up and fulfill his destiny w/grace. And everytime I think there's a shot of hope, he kills it by doing something idiotic. I'm like "dude! What are you thinking?"

[ensign edwards]

He does grow (eventually). Actually, character growth is one of the hallmarks of Ian Irvine characters. Again, without spoiling things too much, he does some pretty awesome stuff by the end of the series.

[Barbara]

He better, cuz I'm getting more and more disappointed in both him and Karan. She's so emo it's killing me. She flips from severe anger to ecstasy in two seconds. Oh, Tensor just arrived. Llian just seems - lost.

[ensign edwards]

The thing you gotta understand about Karan is just how awful it is to be a sensitive. Time doesn't dull her negative memories in the slightest, and when she pictures something bad happening, she feels it as it is actually happening right then and there. Plus, all her emotions are always turned up to 200% whether she likes it or not. It's really a horrible way to live.

It also helps to remind yourself what a terrible life she's had. Sometimes I think he could have done a better job explaining that, cause I didn't take much notice of it on my first reading. But on the second run through, it really struck home how these events are just the latest in a long series of horrible calamities to befall her, each of which is even more painful for her than for someone else and still totally fresh in her mind because she's a sensitive. It's a wonder she held together as well as she did.

[Barbara]

I have just finished the book. Incredible mind blowing ending. I'm hooked. Maigraith is totally awesome. I was so into the last 30 pages that I forgot I left the tea boiling on the stove. I nearly burned down the house. All that was left in the pan was 1/4" of water and burned tea bags.

Poor Karan - I see your point. What's worse is that she doesn't know why she is the way she is. I need to go order Book 2 - didn't think I'd finish Book 1 so fast, especially since I should be doing other things - like working on this video, and searching for a job. Eeeesh.

Ian's characters are so complicated that you can easily see the good and bad in each. Additionally, those points balance themselves, so there are times where you think Tensor(or just put in a name here) is the answer to humanity and other times where you think he's the worst of all of them. Keeps you on your toes for sure.

The book is very LOTR-ish, but in a more fascinating way. Truly, it would be an epic motion picture, if done correctly.

[Barbara]

Double Post:

@EE: I just ordered Vol 2-4. Should be here in less than a week.

[ensign edwards]

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I have just finished the book. Incredible mind blowing ending. I'm hooked. Maigraith is totally awesome. I was so into the last 30 pages that I forgot I left the tea boiling on the stove. I nearly burned down the house. All that was left in the pan was 1/4" of water and burned tea bags.

Yeah, I can see how that could happen.

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Ian's characters are so complicated that you can easily see the good and bad in each. Additionally, those points balance themselves, so there are times where you think Tensor(or just put in a name here) is the answer to humanity and other times where you think he's the worst of all of them. Keeps you on your toes for sure.

This is one of the top reasons I'm such a huge fan of his. I loved how I spent all of "The View from the Mirror" trying to decide just who really was good and bad; nothing was clear until the very end. And even then, it was never black and white. Each of them has good and bad. Mendark is a great example.

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The book is very LOTR-ish, but in a more fascinating way. Truly, it would be an epic motion picture, if done correctly.

Actually, this is one series I wouldn't want to see filmed. It's so utterly complex that no movies could ever do it justice. "The View from the Mirror" alone would have to be watered down heavily, and it's just the beginning of the story. There's still "The Well of Echoes," "The Song of the Tears," and "The Fate of the Children" (the tentative title of the as yet unwritten final trilogy) to wrap everything up.

At best, maybe they could extract some part of the universe and make a movie of it. The tale of Shuthdar and the flute, maybe.

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@EE: I just ordered Vol 2-4. Should be here in less than a week.

The best is yet to come.

[Barbara]

My books just shipped. I should have them in 3-4 days. I'm still realing over the ending of the first book. And - I've passed it on to one of my good friends. She's also a Trek geek and loves stuff like this. I think she'll be hooked and I'll have someone to talk to.

Yes, the tale of Shuthdar and the flute would be a good movie.

I realize hollywood kills a good book, but truly, the characters and the actual story line is fascinating. I think they could take Book I and create an epic 2 part movie as long as they had an awesome director and incredible actors.

[ensign edwards]

I think Hollywood can do good adaptations, but this universe is just too big. I could maybe see "The Well of Echoes" being adapted into a trilogy or something okay (it's more of epic war thing, which lends itself to movies well), but it would still have to be paired down a lot. And they'd probably have to include some elements from "The Song of the Tears" for it to really make sense.

[Barbara]

I hope I get my books by Monday ..... it will be a productive video weekend with no distractions I guess.

[Barbara]

UPDATE: I am in book 4. The last and final book of the series. Thank you EE. So far, I have been totally captivated, on the edge of my seat, and utterly entertained. (found a few errors though, but it didn't stop me from reading on).

[ensign edwards]

Book four is incredible. The entire series is brilliant, but "The Way Between the Worlds" is on a whole other level once again. It's probably the best of his books, though "The Destiny of the Dead" is stiff competition to say the least.