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The Wave Trilogy #1
Irenicon
The river Irenicon was blasted through the middle of Rasenna in 1347 and now it is a permanent reminder to the feuding factions that nothing can stand in the way of the Concordian Empire. The artificial river, created overnight by Concordian engineers using the Wave, runs uphill. But the Wave is both weapon and mystery; not even the Concordians know how the river became conscious - and hostile. But times are changing. Concordian engineer Captain Giovanni is ordered to bridge the Irenicon - not to reunite the sundered city, but to aid Concord's mighty armies, for the engineers have their sights set firmly on world domination and Rasenna is in their way. Sofia Scaglieri will soon be seventeen, when she will become Contessa of Rasenna, but her inheritance is she can see no way of stopping the ancient culture of vendetta which divides her city. What she can't understand is why Giovanni is trying so hard to stop the feuding, or why he is prepared to risk his life, not just with her people, but also with the lethal water spirits - the buio - that infest the Irenicon. Times are changing. And only the young Contessa and the enemy engineer Giovanni understand they have to change too, if they are to survive the coming devastation - for Concord is about to unleash the Wave again...
388 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2012
6 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Aidan Harte
10 books13 followersAidan Harte (b 1979) is a writer and sculptor.
His first novel, Irenicon, is published by Jo Fletcher Books, an imprint of Quercus Books. Irenicon is the first part of a historical fantasy trilogy.
He studied in the Florence Academy of Art. His sculpture can be seen in Sol Art Gallery in Dublin. He works in the classical tradition informed by the early 20th century expressionists.
He directed an IFTA winning, BAFTA nominated kids’ TV show, Skunk Fu, seen on BBC and Cartoon Network.
His first novel, Irenicon, is published by Jo Fletcher Books, an imprint of Quercus Books. Irenicon is the first part of a historical fantasy trilogy.
He studied in the Florence Academy of Art. His sculpture can be seen in Sol Art Gallery in Dublin. He works in the classical tradition informed by the early 20th century expressionists.
He directed an IFTA winning, BAFTA nominated kids’ TV show, Skunk Fu, seen on BBC and Cartoon Network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 3, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
The first time I heard about author Aidan Harte was last year when his novel Irenicon was shortlisted for the Gemmell Morningstar award for best debut. Talk about an impressive series starter. The book's historical overtones set in a fantasy world, along with a subtle touch of magic put me in mind strongly of the works by Guy Gavriel Kay, and if Harte's prose lacks Kay's poetic quality then he more than makes up for it with its boldness and intensity.
I also learned the meaning behind a new word: Irenicon, from the Oxford Dictionary "a proposal made as a means of achieving peace." The book's title is a reference to the river which cuts through the middle of the city of Rasenna, ironically named for so many reasons, least of all its brutal history. Blasted into existence by the Concordian Empire using Wave technology developed by their brilliant engineers, the new river effectively divided Rasenna both geographically and socially, sparking wars between powerful families and ensuring that the city will never be able to rise up against Concord. But the Wave also brought other unexpected consequences -- such as the river becoming sentient. And it doesn't seem to like humanity very much.
Central to the conflict is Sofia Scaligeri, future Contessa of Rasenna, brought up and trained by her mentor the Doctor Bardini. Her life changes forever with the arrival of Giovanni, the engineer from Concord tasked to build a bridge across Irenicon as a display of the empire's strength. Their meeting results in discord among all parties, and as the feuding between the different factions in Rasenna have always been at a fever pitch, the presence of a Concordian in their midst have not helped matters. But while the friction and dissension may be at the forefront of this narrative, what I also saw in it was a very twisty and poignant love story. Maybe I'm just a romantic at heart.
Sophia is a great protagonist. At first, I hadn't expected a teenage girl to be at the heart of this story; it just didn't seem to be that kind of novel. But I guess I should have taken a better look at the cover -- which is gorgeous and very dramatic, by the way -- which features a young female warrior at the head of a mounted army. I bring attention to it because it's a very accurate depiction of the character's personality -- strong, and a little stubborn perhaps, but also very skilled, having been groomed to become the leader of a city on the verge of tearing itself apart. But despite her age, this is still a very adult novel, full of complexity and deeper themes. I also wouldn't exactly call it fast-paced, taking a rather measured approach to setting the stage, but in so doing we get really well-rounded portrayals of all the characters involved.
I think the unique setting also bears mentioning. Very early on, we find out about book's world and its version of Christianity, where baby Jesus never escaped the clutches of Herod's forces and thus never grew to adulthood to spread his word. While the universe of Irenicon is home to magic and all sorts of uncanny technologies, there is a very powerful alternate history vibe. Take the names of the people and places, for example, which gave me a strong impression of Italy circa the medieval period. It's fascinating, and if anything I wish the setting could have been expanded further. There were several instances of characters contemplating religion, but those moments never extended very far, and I also wouldn't have minded even more world-building.
Nevertheless, the author did an incredible job providing a vivid backdrop for all the action and the emotion, deftly filling in the spaces with historical and cultural context. Harte has a very interesting biography, and no doubt his experiences in writing, art, and the media have given him a unique perspective with which to approach this trilogy. This first book is full of unexpected surprises, and how cruel is the last line, leaving me speculating! Distinctive and a little unconventional, this debut is a little tough to pin down, but I can also understand all the praise for it. I look forward to seeing how the writing evolves, along with how things will play out in the next book.
The first time I heard about author Aidan Harte was last year when his novel Irenicon was shortlisted for the Gemmell Morningstar award for best debut. Talk about an impressive series starter. The book's historical overtones set in a fantasy world, along with a subtle touch of magic put me in mind strongly of the works by Guy Gavriel Kay, and if Harte's prose lacks Kay's poetic quality then he more than makes up for it with its boldness and intensity.
I also learned the meaning behind a new word: Irenicon, from the Oxford Dictionary "a proposal made as a means of achieving peace." The book's title is a reference to the river which cuts through the middle of the city of Rasenna, ironically named for so many reasons, least of all its brutal history. Blasted into existence by the Concordian Empire using Wave technology developed by their brilliant engineers, the new river effectively divided Rasenna both geographically and socially, sparking wars between powerful families and ensuring that the city will never be able to rise up against Concord. But the Wave also brought other unexpected consequences -- such as the river becoming sentient. And it doesn't seem to like humanity very much.
Central to the conflict is Sofia Scaligeri, future Contessa of Rasenna, brought up and trained by her mentor the Doctor Bardini. Her life changes forever with the arrival of Giovanni, the engineer from Concord tasked to build a bridge across Irenicon as a display of the empire's strength. Their meeting results in discord among all parties, and as the feuding between the different factions in Rasenna have always been at a fever pitch, the presence of a Concordian in their midst have not helped matters. But while the friction and dissension may be at the forefront of this narrative, what I also saw in it was a very twisty and poignant love story. Maybe I'm just a romantic at heart.
Sophia is a great protagonist. At first, I hadn't expected a teenage girl to be at the heart of this story; it just didn't seem to be that kind of novel. But I guess I should have taken a better look at the cover -- which is gorgeous and very dramatic, by the way -- which features a young female warrior at the head of a mounted army. I bring attention to it because it's a very accurate depiction of the character's personality -- strong, and a little stubborn perhaps, but also very skilled, having been groomed to become the leader of a city on the verge of tearing itself apart. But despite her age, this is still a very adult novel, full of complexity and deeper themes. I also wouldn't exactly call it fast-paced, taking a rather measured approach to setting the stage, but in so doing we get really well-rounded portrayals of all the characters involved.
I think the unique setting also bears mentioning. Very early on, we find out about book's world and its version of Christianity, where baby Jesus never escaped the clutches of Herod's forces and thus never grew to adulthood to spread his word. While the universe of Irenicon is home to magic and all sorts of uncanny technologies, there is a very powerful alternate history vibe. Take the names of the people and places, for example, which gave me a strong impression of Italy circa the medieval period. It's fascinating, and if anything I wish the setting could have been expanded further. There were several instances of characters contemplating religion, but those moments never extended very far, and I also wouldn't have minded even more world-building.
Nevertheless, the author did an incredible job providing a vivid backdrop for all the action and the emotion, deftly filling in the spaces with historical and cultural context. Harte has a very interesting biography, and no doubt his experiences in writing, art, and the media have given him a unique perspective with which to approach this trilogy. This first book is full of unexpected surprises, and how cruel is the last line, leaving me speculating! Distinctive and a little unconventional, this debut is a little tough to pin down, but I can also understand all the praise for it. I look forward to seeing how the writing evolves, along with how things will play out in the next book.
May 28, 2014
4.5 stars
Review Posted on Tenacious Reader
I love when a book that wasn’t on my radar comes my way and takes me by surprise. This is exactly what happened with Irenicon by Aidan Harte. I had heard of the book, recognized the cover, but honestly didn’t know much about it. When I took a closer look and realized that the main protagonist was actually female and the storyline sounded exactly like something I would normally enjoy, I had to give it a chance.
This book reminds me a bit of K. J. Parker in the level of politics and strategizing that is going on behind the scenes. It has a younger feel to it than I got when reading The Folding Knife, and much more in the way of fantastical elements, but I appreciate the world building, the inter-feuding and strategizing that Harte set up.
A river of unnatural water that was unleashed upon Rasenna by rivals divides the city. The river rules the city and keeps the residents in fear because beneath the surface lies unnatural creatures that will carry anyone who ventures too close to their death. And just to keep the residents on their toes, keep them from feeling too safe away from the water, occasionally, one breaks free of the river and will walk the streets. They are kind like a water based zombie, drowning anyone who happens to cross its path.
The people here are raised to fight. They fight Concord, they fight each other (north side versus south side). The city has two predominant families that are in a constant power struggle. Enter out protagonist, Sofia. She is the last living heir to what has been the most powerful family in Rasenna. When she comes of age in the not so distant future, she is will become Contessa of Rasenna. A powerful position, and Sofia has a powerful personality to go with it. She is a very independent, strong willed character that will fight to find a way to accomplish what needs to be done, and do it. She’s not going to wait around to be saved, she is not going to hide behind a title, she’ll get her own hands dirty and take on problems herself. That’s the kind of female character I like to see and to see her as the central character? Even better. Ideally, I wouldn’t even mention gender, but really, there are not that many epic fantasies that have female characters like this. They exist for sure, but whenever I try to come up with examples, I am always a bit surprised to not find more.
The book is not without its faults. There are moments where amazing feats seem to be accomplished with too little effort/price (not everything is this way, but there are a couple of instances). But the faults pale in comparison to the strengths. There was also an unexpected twist at the end that I loved. I felt like I should have seen it coming, but I just didn’t, which was great. I definitely recommend this one, a real unexpected find for me that I really enjoyed. My main question at the end is when will the next book get a US release? Hopefully that is being planned and this won’t be another series where the US has to wait years to get the next one.
Review Posted on Tenacious Reader
I love when a book that wasn’t on my radar comes my way and takes me by surprise. This is exactly what happened with Irenicon by Aidan Harte. I had heard of the book, recognized the cover, but honestly didn’t know much about it. When I took a closer look and realized that the main protagonist was actually female and the storyline sounded exactly like something I would normally enjoy, I had to give it a chance.
This book reminds me a bit of K. J. Parker in the level of politics and strategizing that is going on behind the scenes. It has a younger feel to it than I got when reading The Folding Knife, and much more in the way of fantastical elements, but I appreciate the world building, the inter-feuding and strategizing that Harte set up.
A river of unnatural water that was unleashed upon Rasenna by rivals divides the city. The river rules the city and keeps the residents in fear because beneath the surface lies unnatural creatures that will carry anyone who ventures too close to their death. And just to keep the residents on their toes, keep them from feeling too safe away from the water, occasionally, one breaks free of the river and will walk the streets. They are kind like a water based zombie, drowning anyone who happens to cross its path.
The people here are raised to fight. They fight Concord, they fight each other (north side versus south side). The city has two predominant families that are in a constant power struggle. Enter out protagonist, Sofia. She is the last living heir to what has been the most powerful family in Rasenna. When she comes of age in the not so distant future, she is will become Contessa of Rasenna. A powerful position, and Sofia has a powerful personality to go with it. She is a very independent, strong willed character that will fight to find a way to accomplish what needs to be done, and do it. She’s not going to wait around to be saved, she is not going to hide behind a title, she’ll get her own hands dirty and take on problems herself. That’s the kind of female character I like to see and to see her as the central character? Even better. Ideally, I wouldn’t even mention gender, but really, there are not that many epic fantasies that have female characters like this. They exist for sure, but whenever I try to come up with examples, I am always a bit surprised to not find more.
The book is not without its faults. There are moments where amazing feats seem to be accomplished with too little effort/price (not everything is this way, but there are a couple of instances). But the faults pale in comparison to the strengths. There was also an unexpected twist at the end that I loved. I felt like I should have seen it coming, but I just didn’t, which was great. I definitely recommend this one, a real unexpected find for me that I really enjoyed. My main question at the end is when will the next book get a US release? Hopefully that is being planned and this won’t be another series where the US has to wait years to get the next one.
April 10, 2014
Full review originally at Fantasy Book Critic
ANALYSIS: Irenicon the word sounds mysterious and was unknown to me when I first heard of it. Its meaning, I discovered was a device or proposition for securing peace. Such an intriguing word and the debut from Aidan Harte also dripped intrigue from its blurb to the overall premise. The book is an alternate historical story with the central premise being that Christ never reached adulthood. Herod was successful in killing Mary’s son and thus the prophesied messiah was never able to spread his words. His mother however was venerated as the holy Madonna and she did her best to spread his message. Christianity as we know is forever altered and becomes a different religion altogether.
Fast forward to the 14th century wherein the Italy we know is there in an altered state. Rome is briefly mentioned however is not the power it was in our world. There are two main cities that vied for power, Concord and Rasenna however Concord harnessed a terrible power through a mysterious process invented by Girolamo Bernoulli who managed to astound everyone with his brilliance. He managed to up throw the influence of the church and created a society of scientists and engineers that share some shades with the Dunyain of Earwa. Though not so heartless in their devotion, the engineer guild pioneered by Bernoulli has lead to the rise of the Concordian empire and the crowning movement was when they engineered a wave to disrupt Rasenna’s geography. The offshoot is that the after effects have lead to some sentience being developed by the weapon and now has developed a rather sinister attitude towards humans.
The story begins with the two narrators namely the young to-be-Contessa Sofia Scaglieri and the engineer Giovanni. She’s the to-be-ruler of Rasenna and he’s the enemy sent to build a bridge across the waters of Irenicon so that the Concordian army can march across and show its marital splendor thereby cowing any thoughts of Rasennian rebellion. Thus is a destiny created between these two as they go about their various individual paths not knowing how closely linked they will be to each other. There are other POVs as well however their presence is only from time to time and often gives the reader a perspective beyond the two main characters. The story is quite unpredictable in its scope and the author does his best to dole out much about the world and the enigmatic Bernoulli in the form of footnotes.
Another succulent feature of the book is its Erikson-esque prose that manages to draw the reader in and confound them with the world presented. The magic system is present but more akin to a K.J. Parker world is manifested in small amounts and generally takes a secondary role. The emphasis is strongly on characters and they are what power the story. The character cast is not a large one however the characters presented are a well rounded lot who come in many shades. Their journeys might not be predictable but they are indeed interesting to read about. The author very vividly brings to life a small town riven apart by infighting and its divisive mentality, and this view is thoroughly expanded throughout the book.
The story takes some interesting turns and the readers will be kept guessing till the very end as to what’s happening and how the story ends. The plot also shares some aspects and philosophy with that of the Matrix, though not overtly an SF story, there are some valid edges to it that makes one wonder as to what other surprises the author has in store for the remaining two books in the trilogy. The climatic twist of the story is one that can go either way, either surprise the reader entirely or just be downright off-putting. Readers might have to read it with a certain expectation that the author will clarify more about it in the next book. Lastly on the aspect of character deaths, the author's writing style and presentation reminded me of David Gemmell in some aspects and this was something that I enjoyed.
One of the main drawbacks of the story that I noticed was that while its characterization led to some interesting results, it also robbed the story of its pace and this can be a very concerning factor as the book is a 600 page tome. The tepid pace often causes disconnect with the plot happenings as there are events happening which will want the reader to immediately know what happens next however the sluggish pace might deter readers. Another aspect that is a bit unexplained is the level of technology as well as certain happenings of the story; it is never clearly detailed and hence can cause certain readers to question the premise of the story. I was willing to go along with the story and hence it worked for me. Readers will have to decide for themselves in this regard.
CONCLUSION: Aidan Harte’s debut is an eclectic mix of influences and therefore makes the story a touch more intriguing than the blurb makes it out to be. I went in not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to find a story that is in parts a love story and in parts a thriller. Irenicon is a hard book to define and so all I can say is that give it a try to see whether it matches your interest, I happened to find it pretty exciting and original amid the current fantasy landscape.
May 9, 2012
Irenicon was a book that intrigued me by its blurb but the sample available read very YA-ish so I hesitated before getting a copy; the first 200 pages or so are actually interesting despite their somewhat YA style, but from about half on the book becomes a non-stop action thriller and I am not really a fan of such, so I kind of got very bored with it and just turned the pages to see what happens; there are lots of twists and turns for sure, but they left me meh and I have no intention to read more in the series.
Overall I think that the style of the author and my sensibilities are not quite matching, though they did not diverge completely as I enjoyed the first more serious and interesting part of the book, but when Irenicon devolved into mindless action I just shrugged.
If you like fantasy Hollywood style maybe this is for you, but if you like stuff that has depth, substance and characters that grow and are more than stereotypes that fill a role, this book is not really what you want.
And one more thing to note is that while there are lots of named character deaths, the lack of any depth to pretty much all of them (Sofia has glimmers here and there but the "i am a tough girl and I will show it" dominates for most part) makes them very un-involving
Not particularly recommended as there are lots better books out there, but not a disaster either as the prose flows well
Overall I think that the style of the author and my sensibilities are not quite matching, though they did not diverge completely as I enjoyed the first more serious and interesting part of the book, but when Irenicon devolved into mindless action I just shrugged.
If you like fantasy Hollywood style maybe this is for you, but if you like stuff that has depth, substance and characters that grow and are more than stereotypes that fill a role, this book is not really what you want.
And one more thing to note is that while there are lots of named character deaths, the lack of any depth to pretty much all of them (Sofia has glimmers here and there but the "i am a tough girl and I will show it" dominates for most part) makes them very un-involving
Not particularly recommended as there are lots better books out there, but not a disaster either as the prose flows well
dnf
March 2, 2017Meh meh meh
October 9, 2012
Flawed, unusual, great. There are elements of the things I loved about Guy Gavriel Kay about this - the strength of the setting (a strongly evoked northern Italy of Machiavelli) and the romantic brutality of character choices and consequences - but though Harte's style is equally poetic, it is sparse and pared back (sometimes cut too far, too close to the bone to give the necessary weight to the big moment that just went whizzing past). The characters are strong, floundering, human, drawn in virulent and sizzling strokes - and though I have seen comments on it being YA, I had to actually think hard about it to remember that the heroine is 16 for much of the story. (Not that she's not believably 16, she's just living in a city where innocence dies young.)
And the broad strokes of the story and worldbuilding had so much stuff that delighted me. The martial art of Rasenna is inherently ridiculous, and so magnificently delivered that I wish it could be real. The differences from the real world are threefold and not necessarily related, but thematically they're woven together tightly, and with a depth of exploration that I found genuinely interesting. I found myself with a great deal of trust in the author (for all this is his first book) and a genuine interest in how he was going to explore further, and this enabled me to keep my enthusiasm through some slightly bumpy bits in the finale sequence.
It felt fresh but measured. It felt artistic but grounded. And I really enjoyed it.
And the broad strokes of the story and worldbuilding had so much stuff that delighted me. The martial art of Rasenna is inherently ridiculous, and so magnificently delivered that I wish it could be real. The differences from the real world are threefold and not necessarily related, but thematically they're woven together tightly, and with a depth of exploration that I found genuinely interesting. I found myself with a great deal of trust in the author (for all this is his first book) and a genuine interest in how he was going to explore further, and this enabled me to keep my enthusiasm through some slightly bumpy bits in the finale sequence.
It felt fresh but measured. It felt artistic but grounded. And I really enjoyed it.
March 19, 2014
Talk about your unexpected endings! Twists, turns, and “I didn’t see that coming” really describe the action in Aidan Harte’s book, Irenicon – Book I of The Wave Trilogy. The cover consists of what appears to be a group of rag-tag knights on horseback riding out to defend a kingdom, led by a Joan-of-Arc type character carrying a banner. So naturally I expected more of a medieval-type fantasy. Not nearly so!
Family factions of the city of Rasenna spar and battle for supremacy. Words and family names seemed very Italian, very Mafia-like in their tone, violence, and passion. In Rasenna, it’s all about loyalty to your group and family. Factions are further separated by the river, Irenicon. The ruling empire, Concord, created a Wave that plunged the river through the center of Rasenna, effectively permanently severing the north from the south. The ensuing fracturing of geographical cohesion magnified the already squabbling family clans and weakened any resolve to combat Concordian rule.
Concord is ruled by an Engineering Guild, the very same masters of the school of thought that created the Wave. Young Engineer Giovanni is sent to by his guild into the heart of Rasenna to build a bridge over the Irenicon. Rasenna has for its champion Sofia Scaglieri, the heiress to the ruling Scaglieri clan. Sofia and Giovanni’s paths collide while the bridge is being built. With Sofia’s combat training and Giovanni’s engineering skills, chances for the success of the bridge rise along with Rasenna’s steps towards rebellion against Concord.
Harte has really created a unique world here, rich in history and culture. The geography feels similar to our real world map, but has been altered slightly to create this new universe. The characters are also well thought out and complex. From Sofia, a coming of age teenager who is plunged abruptly into isolation and leadership, to Giovanni, the young engineer with a mysterious past who is desperately trying to prove himself. There are many supporting characters who are just as satisfyingly drawn out for us. Harte adds some magic and fantasy elements into the mix along with some sweet and interesting violent battles. The very creepy dungeon with its moving cells and mysterious energy pain beams was very reminiscent of the setting of the movie The Cube. Wonderfully inventive and gruesome at the same, while the seemingly indifference of the captors was chilling.
Finally, the only thing I could have used in this book was a glossary! I don’t speak Italian and don’t know if any the words were real or just Italian sounding words, but I wouldn’t have minded some definitions either way. Understood the words somewhat by context, but the glossary would have helped a bit and since this is a trilogy I can only imagine these words won’t be one-book wonders.
Great book! Can’t wait to read Book II!
Family factions of the city of Rasenna spar and battle for supremacy. Words and family names seemed very Italian, very Mafia-like in their tone, violence, and passion. In Rasenna, it’s all about loyalty to your group and family. Factions are further separated by the river, Irenicon. The ruling empire, Concord, created a Wave that plunged the river through the center of Rasenna, effectively permanently severing the north from the south. The ensuing fracturing of geographical cohesion magnified the already squabbling family clans and weakened any resolve to combat Concordian rule.
Concord is ruled by an Engineering Guild, the very same masters of the school of thought that created the Wave. Young Engineer Giovanni is sent to by his guild into the heart of Rasenna to build a bridge over the Irenicon. Rasenna has for its champion Sofia Scaglieri, the heiress to the ruling Scaglieri clan. Sofia and Giovanni’s paths collide while the bridge is being built. With Sofia’s combat training and Giovanni’s engineering skills, chances for the success of the bridge rise along with Rasenna’s steps towards rebellion against Concord.
Harte has really created a unique world here, rich in history and culture. The geography feels similar to our real world map, but has been altered slightly to create this new universe. The characters are also well thought out and complex. From Sofia, a coming of age teenager who is plunged abruptly into isolation and leadership, to Giovanni, the young engineer with a mysterious past who is desperately trying to prove himself. There are many supporting characters who are just as satisfyingly drawn out for us. Harte adds some magic and fantasy elements into the mix along with some sweet and interesting violent battles. The very creepy dungeon with its moving cells and mysterious energy pain beams was very reminiscent of the setting of the movie The Cube. Wonderfully inventive and gruesome at the same, while the seemingly indifference of the captors was chilling.
Finally, the only thing I could have used in this book was a glossary! I don’t speak Italian and don’t know if any the words were real or just Italian sounding words, but I wouldn’t have minded some definitions either way. Understood the words somewhat by context, but the glossary would have helped a bit and since this is a trilogy I can only imagine these words won’t be one-book wonders.
Great book! Can’t wait to read Book II!
February 10, 2017
An alternate Italy, in an alternate fourteenth century, in a world where Jesus died as an infant and engineers have destroyed whole cities with tidal forces. Throw in a flag-based martial art, a city of towers, and water-based creatures called buio, and you've got concepts to die for.
But Irenicon doesn't quite match the sum of its parts. It's difficult to fully immerse yourself in the story as it skips through the POV of so many different characters, often in the same chapter. Rasenna as a city doesn't come fully to life until the bridge across the Irenicon is built; the engineers' city of Concord barely comes alive at all. There's a sudden surge of narrative drive once the Contessa Sofia is taken to Concord, and there's a great swathe of history suddenly revealed there that lends fresh impetus to the story, but it takes far too long to get to that point.
It's an oddity - there are moments of brilliance, such as the looming Wave that threatens Rasenna in the last part of the book, the menace of the Three Apprentices, the out-dated defiance of John Acuto, the bandieratori themselves, spinning across the rootops, and of course the central historical conceit. Real-life characters are reflected in this alternate Etruria - Acuto himself is a parallel of noted mercenary John Hawkwood, for example. It may just be Harte's style that's kicking me out so much, and that's a shame because otherwise I'd say that Irenicon has a heck of a lot to recommend it.
But Irenicon doesn't quite match the sum of its parts. It's difficult to fully immerse yourself in the story as it skips through the POV of so many different characters, often in the same chapter. Rasenna as a city doesn't come fully to life until the bridge across the Irenicon is built; the engineers' city of Concord barely comes alive at all. There's a sudden surge of narrative drive once the Contessa Sofia is taken to Concord, and there's a great swathe of history suddenly revealed there that lends fresh impetus to the story, but it takes far too long to get to that point.
It's an oddity - there are moments of brilliance, such as the looming Wave that threatens Rasenna in the last part of the book, the menace of the Three Apprentices, the out-dated defiance of John Acuto, the bandieratori themselves, spinning across the rootops, and of course the central historical conceit. Real-life characters are reflected in this alternate Etruria - Acuto himself is a parallel of noted mercenary John Hawkwood, for example. It may just be Harte's style that's kicking me out so much, and that's a shame because otherwise I'd say that Irenicon has a heck of a lot to recommend it.
April 16, 2014
The city of Rasenna is divided, in more than one sense of the word. Geographically speaking, the city is split in two by the river Irenicon, which was blasted straight through the middle of the ancient city using Wave technology, a major feat of engineering by the Concordian Empire to subdue its main rival.
Maybe more importantly, though, the people of Rasenna are divided into factions. Competing families on each side of the river continually launch deadly raids and vendettas against each other. Bandieratori fight on the streets and roofs for dominance. Sofia, heir of the old Scaligeri ruling family and soon-to-be Contessa, is powerless to stop the waves of violence that weaken the already-divided city.
Then everything changes: Giovanni, an engineer of the same Concordian Empire that originally caused the Wave, arrives in Rasenna to build a bridge across the Irenicon. Concord once again wants to expand its reach, and Rasenna is in its way…
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
Maybe more importantly, though, the people of Rasenna are divided into factions. Competing families on each side of the river continually launch deadly raids and vendettas against each other. Bandieratori fight on the streets and roofs for dominance. Sofia, heir of the old Scaligeri ruling family and soon-to-be Contessa, is powerless to stop the waves of violence that weaken the already-divided city.
Then everything changes: Giovanni, an engineer of the same Concordian Empire that originally caused the Wave, arrives in Rasenna to build a bridge across the Irenicon. Concord once again wants to expand its reach, and Rasenna is in its way…
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
June 10, 2014
A fascinating reshaping of late medieval Europe undergoing a very different Renaissance in a world where Christianity developed very differently after Herod managed to kill the Infant Jesus.
Mary is worshipped in stead and a world is very different without the selfless sacrifice of Jesus.
Rasenna is the setting of much of the story and the factions and infighting have resulted in their conquering by another powerful town turned Empire, Concordia. The book centres on the reshaping of Rasenna following the arrival of an engineer from Concordia, where engineers have displaced the ruling class.
The Book was a little hard to get my head around at the start with the level of detail but it was worth the effort. The story, politics and reimagined world is fascinating
and the plot gains a great pace.
Not for those who'll take offence to altering Christianity but a fascinating fantasy novel from a great imagination.
Mary is worshipped in stead and a world is very different without the selfless sacrifice of Jesus.
Rasenna is the setting of much of the story and the factions and infighting have resulted in their conquering by another powerful town turned Empire, Concordia. The book centres on the reshaping of Rasenna following the arrival of an engineer from Concordia, where engineers have displaced the ruling class.
The Book was a little hard to get my head around at the start with the level of detail but it was worth the effort. The story, politics and reimagined world is fascinating
and the plot gains a great pace.
Not for those who'll take offence to altering Christianity but a fascinating fantasy novel from a great imagination.
January 6, 2014
I very much enjoyed this book, enough twists to keep you interested and a very different take on Christianity, (Jesus never survived infancy and his mother is worshiped instead) and medieval Europe.
A city divided must unite to defeat the enemy or be left in ruins.
great characters with their own personal and external conflicts to cope with, in a world that doesn't make anything easy for them.
one of my favorite books of the past 12mos and I'm glad it is one of the first of 2014.
onwards, to the warring states!
A city divided must unite to defeat the enemy or be left in ruins.
great characters with their own personal and external conflicts to cope with, in a world that doesn't make anything easy for them.
one of my favorite books of the past 12mos and I'm glad it is one of the first of 2014.
onwards, to the warring states!
January 19, 2019
Ohhh this book. First, let me say that I absolutely enjoyed reading Irenicon. After saying that, let me begin to unpack this whole situation.
This book was slow to get through for me, but that is because the entire first section of the book is absolutely and beautifully filled with world-building. Harte has a masterful skill with completely filling out this alternative universe fantasy Etruscan setting. Not only is the world building so thorough and believable, but Harte manages to establish a universe and a novel in which every character he introduces is important. Even characters that you think may be filler characters end up having an impact on the plot. Each character feels well thought out and individualized as well, without feeling like a trope.
After Harte takes the time to establish his world, the entire book speeds up. While there is no shortage of action throughout the book, the lack of need to further explain how and why the world works makes a huge difference to the pace of the read.
I did find the density at the beginning to be a little discouraging and overwhelming, but was grateful I stuck with this book and finished it out. Harte does not exactly leave you with a cliffhanger, but he absolutely sets up the next book in the series. Irenicon speaks to Harte's ability as a scholar, researcher, creator, and writer. I am eager to see where and how these characters progress.
This book was slow to get through for me, but that is because the entire first section of the book is absolutely and beautifully filled with world-building. Harte has a masterful skill with completely filling out this alternative universe fantasy Etruscan setting. Not only is the world building so thorough and believable, but Harte manages to establish a universe and a novel in which every character he introduces is important. Even characters that you think may be filler characters end up having an impact on the plot. Each character feels well thought out and individualized as well, without feeling like a trope.
After Harte takes the time to establish his world, the entire book speeds up. While there is no shortage of action throughout the book, the lack of need to further explain how and why the world works makes a huge difference to the pace of the read.
I did find the density at the beginning to be a little discouraging and overwhelming, but was grateful I stuck with this book and finished it out. Harte does not exactly leave you with a cliffhanger, but he absolutely sets up the next book in the series. Irenicon speaks to Harte's ability as a scholar, researcher, creator, and writer. I am eager to see where and how these characters progress.
June 15, 2013
Irenicon is Aidan Harte's debut novel. Aidan Harte has studied sculpting in Florence and currently works in Dublin. Prior to finding this new career Aidan was the creative mind behind the children's tv show Skunk Fu. What caught my interest of Irenicon was the combination of the synopsis and the cover. The cover of Irenicon features a set of medieval knights with banners and barded horses and the mentioning that this story takes place in the year of 1347, but a bit contrasting to the cover are the bit of SF-y mentioning in the synopsis; mainly the wave technology. I was curious to how this story would unfold.
Irenicon is set in an alternate version of Europe, where one important thing in history did not occur. Christ was killed by Herod as a child before he could spread he spread his word across the world. Rome has been destroyed and the force that now reigns supreme is the empire of Concord. What is expected during the time in which Irenicon takes place is the ruling of cities by the Church, however since Christ never survived, there is change in this ruling. Concord is ruled by a group engineers and scientist with a clear hierarchal ranking. One smart engineer, Girolamo Bernoulli, managed to create a technology so powerful that it laid waste to the other city Rasenna that was warring to gain the upper hand against Concord. The Wave created a river that split the earth and everything in between, Rasenna included. Now that the wave has hit Rasenna, Concord doesn't need to fear them any longer. However the wave has brought some other things along with it that even the smartest engineers couldn't have thought of... the river Irenicon became sentient. And as a direct consequence the division of Rasenna has brought along hate, envy and family feuds to the north and south side of Rasenna.
In the beginning of the book you are introduced to two main protagonists, that you first follow separately and later their stories start to intermingle. Firstly there is soon-to-be Contessa Sofia Scaligeri, who lives in the northern part of Rasenna. Sofia should be the ruler of all of Rasenna as her lineage indicates but the constant hate and rivalry between the divided parts of Rasenna, won't allow her to fulfil this goal. Sofia is in for an adventure to navigate through a thick political minefield. What was great to see about her character early was that she is quite stubborn; having been trained, under the directions of her tutor, Doctor, but as the story continues and by the introduction of the second protagonist, Giovanni, her perspectives seem to change. Seeing how much better a united people can act. Secondly you follow the story of Giovanni, an engineer from Concord, who is tasked with building a bridge across the Irenicon river to build a way for the might of Concord to cross and advance their reign. In this task, Giovanni faces a lot of challenges not only with construction of the bridge but also with the people of Rasenna, since the Concordian people are one hand held in regard and on the other hand are quite despised. Similar to Sofia, Giovanni's character is in for quite some navigation and self-discovery to find out where his allegiances really lie. I like how Aidan put Giovanni in several encounters where he had to choose between the two sides and with all that happened, how Giovanni made some unexpected decisions. Overall the characters were just super to read about. Mainly due to the amount pages that Irenicon has, there was enough time and space reserved to show a great development.
The story of Irenicon started off a bit slow for me. I don't really why this was. I think it is more the start-up of the story and the Italian words. All the titles and some other terms in the book are mentioned in Italian like Contessa and much more, I didn't know what most of these words meant so I had to look them up to get the full meaning. Next to this the start-up did feel a bit too loose and that there wasn't a clear direction into which the story was steered into. However after a quarter of the book I felt like I was present into the world of Irenicon. I must mention that there is no fault in the way that Aidan Harte wrote this story because the writing style is clear and does greatly manage to keep your attention to the pages. It is just that the introduction in the plot was done a bit slowly. But like I said once you're in, you're in to the finish. The latter part of the book really turns everything around, where there is the linear start up of building the bridge, there is complete turnaround of events too follow this all up. Irenicon is riddled with twists and turns and not only between the people of Concord and Rasenna but also between soldiers of Concord and the different families of Rasenna. This is maintained until the last page and greatly increases the pacing of the book.
Overall Irenicon is an impressive debut. The start of the book picks you up in a subtle way and doesn't let you go until you're finished. There are a lot of cool things in Irenicon that really blend the fantasy genre. Irenicon is best shelved as a historical fantasy but even as it is taking place in the 1400's there is still this influence of, a for that time alien technology, which allows for an interesting storyline. It's not full science fiction but the hints thrown in here and there they make a great promise. Next to this rich world, there is a great set of characters that truly come to life as you delve deeper and deeper into the story. Plot wise you are in for quite a surprise as almost everything that you would have guessed in turned around. Aidan Harte delivers with Irenicon an ambitious introduction into the wave trilogy, revealing a lot of the world but keeping more than enough secret. There are enough unexplored opportunities for the next books in the series.
Irenicon is set in an alternate version of Europe, where one important thing in history did not occur. Christ was killed by Herod as a child before he could spread he spread his word across the world. Rome has been destroyed and the force that now reigns supreme is the empire of Concord. What is expected during the time in which Irenicon takes place is the ruling of cities by the Church, however since Christ never survived, there is change in this ruling. Concord is ruled by a group engineers and scientist with a clear hierarchal ranking. One smart engineer, Girolamo Bernoulli, managed to create a technology so powerful that it laid waste to the other city Rasenna that was warring to gain the upper hand against Concord. The Wave created a river that split the earth and everything in between, Rasenna included. Now that the wave has hit Rasenna, Concord doesn't need to fear them any longer. However the wave has brought some other things along with it that even the smartest engineers couldn't have thought of... the river Irenicon became sentient. And as a direct consequence the division of Rasenna has brought along hate, envy and family feuds to the north and south side of Rasenna.
In the beginning of the book you are introduced to two main protagonists, that you first follow separately and later their stories start to intermingle. Firstly there is soon-to-be Contessa Sofia Scaligeri, who lives in the northern part of Rasenna. Sofia should be the ruler of all of Rasenna as her lineage indicates but the constant hate and rivalry between the divided parts of Rasenna, won't allow her to fulfil this goal. Sofia is in for an adventure to navigate through a thick political minefield. What was great to see about her character early was that she is quite stubborn; having been trained, under the directions of her tutor, Doctor, but as the story continues and by the introduction of the second protagonist, Giovanni, her perspectives seem to change. Seeing how much better a united people can act. Secondly you follow the story of Giovanni, an engineer from Concord, who is tasked with building a bridge across the Irenicon river to build a way for the might of Concord to cross and advance their reign. In this task, Giovanni faces a lot of challenges not only with construction of the bridge but also with the people of Rasenna, since the Concordian people are one hand held in regard and on the other hand are quite despised. Similar to Sofia, Giovanni's character is in for quite some navigation and self-discovery to find out where his allegiances really lie. I like how Aidan put Giovanni in several encounters where he had to choose between the two sides and with all that happened, how Giovanni made some unexpected decisions. Overall the characters were just super to read about. Mainly due to the amount pages that Irenicon has, there was enough time and space reserved to show a great development.
The story of Irenicon started off a bit slow for me. I don't really why this was. I think it is more the start-up of the story and the Italian words. All the titles and some other terms in the book are mentioned in Italian like Contessa and much more, I didn't know what most of these words meant so I had to look them up to get the full meaning. Next to this the start-up did feel a bit too loose and that there wasn't a clear direction into which the story was steered into. However after a quarter of the book I felt like I was present into the world of Irenicon. I must mention that there is no fault in the way that Aidan Harte wrote this story because the writing style is clear and does greatly manage to keep your attention to the pages. It is just that the introduction in the plot was done a bit slowly. But like I said once you're in, you're in to the finish. The latter part of the book really turns everything around, where there is the linear start up of building the bridge, there is complete turnaround of events too follow this all up. Irenicon is riddled with twists and turns and not only between the people of Concord and Rasenna but also between soldiers of Concord and the different families of Rasenna. This is maintained until the last page and greatly increases the pacing of the book.
Overall Irenicon is an impressive debut. The start of the book picks you up in a subtle way and doesn't let you go until you're finished. There are a lot of cool things in Irenicon that really blend the fantasy genre. Irenicon is best shelved as a historical fantasy but even as it is taking place in the 1400's there is still this influence of, a for that time alien technology, which allows for an interesting storyline. It's not full science fiction but the hints thrown in here and there they make a great promise. Next to this rich world, there is a great set of characters that truly come to life as you delve deeper and deeper into the story. Plot wise you are in for quite a surprise as almost everything that you would have guessed in turned around. Aidan Harte delivers with Irenicon an ambitious introduction into the wave trilogy, revealing a lot of the world but keeping more than enough secret. There are enough unexplored opportunities for the next books in the series.
January 20, 2018
There were times when I wondered why I was bothering to continue reading this book. There were just as many times when I didn't want to put it down to go to work. It took twice as long as I expected to finish. It was satisfying enough that I went and got book 2 in the trilogy straight away.
February 7, 2017
Terrific world-building, great set of characters, top-notch prose.....this was a pleasant surprise, I really enjoyed reading this novel. And bonus, first of a trilogy !
November 26, 2019
Sweeping, epic, full of action and twists, and set in an intriguing world with great characters. What's not to like?
January 4, 2024
DNF 3%
I found the prose and opening hard to get into.
I found the prose and opening hard to get into.
November 24, 2014
3,5 stars.
http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2...
Irenicon is a book that had to grow no me. Not necessarily due to the story, but more because of the structure in the very beginning of the book. The first few chapters confused me immensely. I didn’t understand what was going on or what it was supposed to introduce me to.
More and more, as the story unfolded and the world building got more extensive, the story grew on me. A quarter in I was hooked.
It has been said about this book before, it is even stated on the cover, but the world building is absolutely fantastic. The culture Harte has created here is stunning and very special. It represents an old alternate Italy, with Italian sounding names and the Mediterranean climate. Rasenna, the stage for the most part of this story, is special in its own peculiar ways. The most prominent thing is the artificially made river who destroyed part of the city years before. The river was sent as a Wave by the engineers of Concord, as a way to conquer them. The fact that the river is artificial isn’t the most special thing about it though, it is sentient. Or rather, it contains sentient beings, that the people call buio’s. Sometimes these beings escape the river and roam the streets, drowning everyone they encounter. It seems only one woman, a nun, is able to lead them back to the river.
Water and these creatures play an important role throughout the book. When we are introduced to the mysterious ‘Water style’ it really challenges you to keep an open mind and think differently about something as basic as water.
The river in itself is important, but what it left in its wake is even more so. The river has divided Rasenna in two sides, literally and figuratively speaking. Because when the river destroyed part of the city, their leader perished as well. With his daughter, Sofia, being too young to take over his position, prominent families from both sides compete for it. Both sides clash frequently, but there is elegance in their fighting, because they fight with flags. Flags, you say? Yes! This got me very confused at first, because this fact is kind of thrown at you in the very beginning and I just didn’t get it at first. But the more you read about it, the more it fits and the more natural it seems. These flags have great meaning and they are carried with pride. Each family has its own flag and is based in its own tower in Rasenna, creating this kind of elite population.
Another interesting change to the world we know is the Christianity in Rasenna. In this alternate world, Herod succeeded in slaying baby Jesus, therefore this world has never known the words of the Messiah.
The story takes off when Giovanni, an engineer from Concord, arrives in Rasenna to build a bridge over the river and unite the two rivaling sides. Concord has its own reasons to build this bridge, so he is met with a lot of hostility and distrust and soon a war is brewing, among the people of Rasenna, but also with Concord.
Sofia, who will become Contessa as soon as she turns eighteen, shares their distrust at first but soon warms to the Concordian engineer and his plans for Rasenna.
In between chapters there are fragments from a book that describes a bit of the history of Concord, with a focus on Bernoulli, the brilliant man who formed the engineer guild. There are a lot of footnotes, who were fun to read at first, but I soon found myself skipping them, because they hampered my reading rhythm. It was interesting, though, to read about Concord’s history and learn more about this infamous Bernoulli.
As for the characters, compared to the brilliant world building, they were ok. Sofia was my number one character. I like that we had a strong, young heroine who also had a lot of faults. Doctor Bardini, her tutor and one of the main forces in Rasenna, and the nun were also very interesting to read about. Others had the tendency to become a bit clichéed at certain moments. Though the characters are varied and carry the story well, making more of them shine would have made this book amazing.
Irenicon is a book that took me a bit by surprise, especially after the confusing and somewhat false start (for me). Along the way lots of surprising twists are revealed that I didn’t see coming at all. We also learn a lot of new things about this special world throughout the book that added an extra layer to the already excellent world building. I’m intrigued by the role water plays in this world, it really did challenge me and I like it when a book can achieve that.
With the surprising twist for a few of the main characters at the end and the intriguing world building I’m very curious to read the other two books in the Wave trilogy.
Next up is ‘The Warring States’!
http://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2...
Irenicon is a book that had to grow no me. Not necessarily due to the story, but more because of the structure in the very beginning of the book. The first few chapters confused me immensely. I didn’t understand what was going on or what it was supposed to introduce me to.
More and more, as the story unfolded and the world building got more extensive, the story grew on me. A quarter in I was hooked.
It has been said about this book before, it is even stated on the cover, but the world building is absolutely fantastic. The culture Harte has created here is stunning and very special. It represents an old alternate Italy, with Italian sounding names and the Mediterranean climate. Rasenna, the stage for the most part of this story, is special in its own peculiar ways. The most prominent thing is the artificially made river who destroyed part of the city years before. The river was sent as a Wave by the engineers of Concord, as a way to conquer them. The fact that the river is artificial isn’t the most special thing about it though, it is sentient. Or rather, it contains sentient beings, that the people call buio’s. Sometimes these beings escape the river and roam the streets, drowning everyone they encounter. It seems only one woman, a nun, is able to lead them back to the river.
Water and these creatures play an important role throughout the book. When we are introduced to the mysterious ‘Water style’ it really challenges you to keep an open mind and think differently about something as basic as water.
The river in itself is important, but what it left in its wake is even more so. The river has divided Rasenna in two sides, literally and figuratively speaking. Because when the river destroyed part of the city, their leader perished as well. With his daughter, Sofia, being too young to take over his position, prominent families from both sides compete for it. Both sides clash frequently, but there is elegance in their fighting, because they fight with flags. Flags, you say? Yes! This got me very confused at first, because this fact is kind of thrown at you in the very beginning and I just didn’t get it at first. But the more you read about it, the more it fits and the more natural it seems. These flags have great meaning and they are carried with pride. Each family has its own flag and is based in its own tower in Rasenna, creating this kind of elite population.
Another interesting change to the world we know is the Christianity in Rasenna. In this alternate world, Herod succeeded in slaying baby Jesus, therefore this world has never known the words of the Messiah.
The story takes off when Giovanni, an engineer from Concord, arrives in Rasenna to build a bridge over the river and unite the two rivaling sides. Concord has its own reasons to build this bridge, so he is met with a lot of hostility and distrust and soon a war is brewing, among the people of Rasenna, but also with Concord.
Sofia, who will become Contessa as soon as she turns eighteen, shares their distrust at first but soon warms to the Concordian engineer and his plans for Rasenna.
In between chapters there are fragments from a book that describes a bit of the history of Concord, with a focus on Bernoulli, the brilliant man who formed the engineer guild. There are a lot of footnotes, who were fun to read at first, but I soon found myself skipping them, because they hampered my reading rhythm. It was interesting, though, to read about Concord’s history and learn more about this infamous Bernoulli.
As for the characters, compared to the brilliant world building, they were ok. Sofia was my number one character. I like that we had a strong, young heroine who also had a lot of faults. Doctor Bardini, her tutor and one of the main forces in Rasenna, and the nun were also very interesting to read about. Others had the tendency to become a bit clichéed at certain moments. Though the characters are varied and carry the story well, making more of them shine would have made this book amazing.
Irenicon is a book that took me a bit by surprise, especially after the confusing and somewhat false start (for me). Along the way lots of surprising twists are revealed that I didn’t see coming at all. We also learn a lot of new things about this special world throughout the book that added an extra layer to the already excellent world building. I’m intrigued by the role water plays in this world, it really did challenge me and I like it when a book can achieve that.
With the surprising twist for a few of the main characters at the end and the intriguing world building I’m very curious to read the other two books in the Wave trilogy.
Next up is ‘The Warring States’!
January 7, 2016
This is a novel about a river.
No, really.
Decades ago, the river Irenicon tore through Rasenna, effectively dividing the city into two, and thoroughly terrifying its citizens. The feuding factions occupying the city more or less carried on with business as usual – working during the day, and attacking each other at night – but the river, a huge, relentless force that had torn so easily through their city, couldn’t be ignored, and their daily lives had to adjust to accommodate it. Since then, Rasenna and Concord have maintained a complex relationship, and even at its most cordial, the danger and the threat presented by that strong city linger.
This premise certainly does not suffer from being overly simplistic. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. There are enough distinct, and, dare I say it, intriguing threads to satisfy even the most demanding reader, it provides a clear indication of what direction the novel is likely to travel in – without spoiling the ending, which shouldn’t be as rare as it is – and more than adequate space for a great plot and brilliant characters.
However.
(Drumroll please)
I’m still, sometime after finishing Irenicon, not quite sure how I feel about it. To put it absurdly simply: I opened the book expecting one thing, and what I found was entirely different. While that was not necessarily bad – and, for many reasons, it was very good – I was ultimately faced with a narrative that, instead of meeting or exceeding my expectations, somehow circumnavigated them to run wildly in the other direction, leaving rose petals drifting in its wake.
The problem with the plot was twofold. On the surface, Irenicon is a particularly interesting succession dispute. Sofia, heir apparent, is faced with a whole host of enemies, several long-standing and frankly rather ridiculous traditions, and seemingly ironclad internalised prejudices on her way to success. It’s a long, uphill battle to the top, and the odds are certainly not in her favour. But Irenicon is also about the man that falls in love with her, an Engineer – not the usual sort, might I add – sent from Concord to build a bridge that will enable them to continue taking over the world. And, reading it, I wasn’t quite sure which I was supposed to be more interested in. They are the two obvious main characters, but their narratives do not combine well, and that damages the cohesion of the novel.
On the other hand, the world building in Irenicon is, in a word, exquisite. Everything from the widest concept, to the smallest detail, shows evidence of being considered at length. It’s incredible work, and really brings the novel to life, vivid enough to draw the reader straight into the action. I almost felt as if I could really be there, peering around a building to spy on the action, and that is not something to be taken lightly.
Additionally, the characters are vibrant and exceedingly well crafted, without a stereotype in sight. They’re three-dimensional enough to feel realistic, and they fit their world to perfection. Sofia might easily have turned into the archetype ‘strong’ female devoid of all feelings, but she doesn’t, and it is the combination of her sympathetic, quick-thinking outlook and her fighting prowess that arguably enables her to save the day.
However, Sofia’s narrative quickly turns into a Romeo and Juliet snoozefest that we know and loathe. Star-crossed lovers are a perfectly respectable narrative trope, but I expected her character development to arise from the actual plot, not from her inexplicable interest in the Engineer sent from Concord. To add insult to grievous injury, said Engineer’s character development arises from the plot developments that exist alongside the realisation of his all-consuming love for Sofia.
There’s a clear imbalance, and it’s not one that I liked.
Ultimately, then, I liked many aspects of Harte’s Irenicon. It’s well written, the world building aspects are exceedingly admirable, and there are many excellent characters, all of which undergo significant development throughout the course of the narrative. For the problems mentioned above, however, I was unable to give it 5 stars.
No, really.
Decades ago, the river Irenicon tore through Rasenna, effectively dividing the city into two, and thoroughly terrifying its citizens. The feuding factions occupying the city more or less carried on with business as usual – working during the day, and attacking each other at night – but the river, a huge, relentless force that had torn so easily through their city, couldn’t be ignored, and their daily lives had to adjust to accommodate it. Since then, Rasenna and Concord have maintained a complex relationship, and even at its most cordial, the danger and the threat presented by that strong city linger.
This premise certainly does not suffer from being overly simplistic. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. There are enough distinct, and, dare I say it, intriguing threads to satisfy even the most demanding reader, it provides a clear indication of what direction the novel is likely to travel in – without spoiling the ending, which shouldn’t be as rare as it is – and more than adequate space for a great plot and brilliant characters.
However.
(Drumroll please)
I’m still, sometime after finishing Irenicon, not quite sure how I feel about it. To put it absurdly simply: I opened the book expecting one thing, and what I found was entirely different. While that was not necessarily bad – and, for many reasons, it was very good – I was ultimately faced with a narrative that, instead of meeting or exceeding my expectations, somehow circumnavigated them to run wildly in the other direction, leaving rose petals drifting in its wake.
The problem with the plot was twofold. On the surface, Irenicon is a particularly interesting succession dispute. Sofia, heir apparent, is faced with a whole host of enemies, several long-standing and frankly rather ridiculous traditions, and seemingly ironclad internalised prejudices on her way to success. It’s a long, uphill battle to the top, and the odds are certainly not in her favour. But Irenicon is also about the man that falls in love with her, an Engineer – not the usual sort, might I add – sent from Concord to build a bridge that will enable them to continue taking over the world. And, reading it, I wasn’t quite sure which I was supposed to be more interested in. They are the two obvious main characters, but their narratives do not combine well, and that damages the cohesion of the novel.
On the other hand, the world building in Irenicon is, in a word, exquisite. Everything from the widest concept, to the smallest detail, shows evidence of being considered at length. It’s incredible work, and really brings the novel to life, vivid enough to draw the reader straight into the action. I almost felt as if I could really be there, peering around a building to spy on the action, and that is not something to be taken lightly.
Additionally, the characters are vibrant and exceedingly well crafted, without a stereotype in sight. They’re three-dimensional enough to feel realistic, and they fit their world to perfection. Sofia might easily have turned into the archetype ‘strong’ female devoid of all feelings, but she doesn’t, and it is the combination of her sympathetic, quick-thinking outlook and her fighting prowess that arguably enables her to save the day.
However, Sofia’s narrative quickly turns into a Romeo and Juliet snoozefest that we know and loathe. Star-crossed lovers are a perfectly respectable narrative trope, but I expected her character development to arise from the actual plot, not from her inexplicable interest in the Engineer sent from Concord. To add insult to grievous injury, said Engineer’s character development arises from the plot developments that exist alongside the realisation of his all-consuming love for Sofia.
There’s a clear imbalance, and it’s not one that I liked.
Ultimately, then, I liked many aspects of Harte’s Irenicon. It’s well written, the world building aspects are exceedingly admirable, and there are many excellent characters, all of which undergo significant development throughout the course of the narrative. For the problems mentioned above, however, I was unable to give it 5 stars.
April 30, 2014
Irenicon has so many different elements. Alternate history of the European Renaissance variety, steampunk fantasy, understated romance, superhero battles, magical water creatures. It also has elements of religious allegory.
This book tells the story of Captain Giovanni, architect to the Concordian empire, and Sofia, heir to the city of Rasenna. Their lives intertwine when Giovanni is sent to build a bridge over the wily Irenicon river in Rasenna, a city dominated by two gangs. Decades ago, the Irenicon was flooded by a mechanical device built by Concord, to depress the wealth and power of its rival. Lives, homes, and people were destroyed, and since then, two groups of tower-jumping gangs have ruled the north and south sides of the city. Sofia is approaching her 17th birthday, and the day she officially becomes Countess of Rasenna. Her position and birth make her a powerful pawn in the struggle between the gangs, but she has plans of her own. Giovanni, disgraced architect of Concord, meets her when he arrives to build the bridge over the Irenicon. Though it is a symbol and tool of Concord's dominion over Rasenna, and will be used by an invading army to pass through the city, Giovanni gives it a different significance - one of unity. As the bridge is built, politics in the city shift, power moving swiftly between the north and south sides. Outside Rasenna, Concord makes plans of its own, which are revealed as the plot advances.
The region is based on Renaissance Italy, with culture, language, and people influenced by our own Italian culture. My absolute favorite aspect of this book, it is clear that the author has an intimate knowledge of Italian language and culture. This knowledge permeates the book in minor and major ways, but the minor ways were really the most impressive.
The historical fantasy world was intricately drawn, with international politics, city politics in a gang-ruled city, an Empire not unlike the Roman Empire, steampunk-inspired technology (mostly clockwork and incredible/fantastical architecture), and a religious belief system that claims Jesus died young, perhaps as an infant, and Mary was the real messiah. A tug of war between humans and the buio, or water spirits, erupted centuries ago, and these mysterious creatures influence the conflicts in the events of the book.
Sofia enchanted me from the start: stubborn, proud, clever, and unsure of what she wants, her bravery in battle is offset by her cowardice when it comes to relationships and trust. Yet, she has the opportunity to grow, and does. The secondary characters fit well into the whole, and I really enjoyed reading as a few of the Small People gained confidence in their own power to influence events in Rasenna.
Throughout the novel, snippets of religious history and belief systems popped up, but it wasn't until the end that this plays a large role. As I am personally uninterested in the way the ending hangs off a cliff, I will not be reading the next book. That written, I did enjoy Irenicon, for its characters, its political plotlines, and the worldbuilding. Recommended for readers who love hints of Italian culture, and for fans of historical and/or alternate fantasy.
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This book tells the story of Captain Giovanni, architect to the Concordian empire, and Sofia, heir to the city of Rasenna. Their lives intertwine when Giovanni is sent to build a bridge over the wily Irenicon river in Rasenna, a city dominated by two gangs. Decades ago, the Irenicon was flooded by a mechanical device built by Concord, to depress the wealth and power of its rival. Lives, homes, and people were destroyed, and since then, two groups of tower-jumping gangs have ruled the north and south sides of the city. Sofia is approaching her 17th birthday, and the day she officially becomes Countess of Rasenna. Her position and birth make her a powerful pawn in the struggle between the gangs, but she has plans of her own. Giovanni, disgraced architect of Concord, meets her when he arrives to build the bridge over the Irenicon. Though it is a symbol and tool of Concord's dominion over Rasenna, and will be used by an invading army to pass through the city, Giovanni gives it a different significance - one of unity. As the bridge is built, politics in the city shift, power moving swiftly between the north and south sides. Outside Rasenna, Concord makes plans of its own, which are revealed as the plot advances.
The region is based on Renaissance Italy, with culture, language, and people influenced by our own Italian culture. My absolute favorite aspect of this book, it is clear that the author has an intimate knowledge of Italian language and culture. This knowledge permeates the book in minor and major ways, but the minor ways were really the most impressive.
The historical fantasy world was intricately drawn, with international politics, city politics in a gang-ruled city, an Empire not unlike the Roman Empire, steampunk-inspired technology (mostly clockwork and incredible/fantastical architecture), and a religious belief system that claims Jesus died young, perhaps as an infant, and Mary was the real messiah. A tug of war between humans and the buio, or water spirits, erupted centuries ago, and these mysterious creatures influence the conflicts in the events of the book.
Sofia enchanted me from the start: stubborn, proud, clever, and unsure of what she wants, her bravery in battle is offset by her cowardice when it comes to relationships and trust. Yet, she has the opportunity to grow, and does. The secondary characters fit well into the whole, and I really enjoyed reading as a few of the Small People gained confidence in their own power to influence events in Rasenna.
Throughout the novel, snippets of religious history and belief systems popped up, but it wasn't until the end that this plays a large role. As I am personally uninterested in the way the ending hangs off a cliff, I will not be reading the next book. That written, I did enjoy Irenicon, for its characters, its political plotlines, and the worldbuilding. Recommended for readers who love hints of Italian culture, and for fans of historical and/or alternate fantasy.
Find read-alikes at The Book Adventures
March 7, 2016
Another debut novel, this is one of the best out there. Siege warfare, political wrangling, romance (sort of), magic, mystery and plot twists, this book has them all. Set mainly in the city of Rasenna, in the mid 14th Century, the story centres around Contessa Sophia and Concordian engineer Giovanni.
Pros: Giovanni, a strong yet fallible character with a secret past. Italian-style city with its high towers and narrow alleyways. The Concord empire with the mysterious Apprentices. The Molé prison. The 2nd half of the book, the author found the right pace, built up the tension, developed the history well. Impressive finale.
Cons: Sophia, angry and annoying at first, was developed better as a character later on. I was uncomfortable with the "alternative Christianity" context, but found it to be quite sensitively applied, and it actually worked well as a world-building tool. Magic water idea was interesting though not entirely convincing. 2nd quarter of the book hit a low point in writing style, author seemed to rush through scenes and it felt a bit like a highlights reel, however recovered well in 2nd half of the book.
Will definitely read sequel in near future.
Pros: Giovanni, a strong yet fallible character with a secret past. Italian-style city with its high towers and narrow alleyways. The Concord empire with the mysterious Apprentices. The Molé prison. The 2nd half of the book, the author found the right pace, built up the tension, developed the history well. Impressive finale.
Cons: Sophia, angry and annoying at first, was developed better as a character later on. I was uncomfortable with the "alternative Christianity" context, but found it to be quite sensitively applied, and it actually worked well as a world-building tool. Magic water idea was interesting though not entirely convincing. 2nd quarter of the book hit a low point in writing style, author seemed to rush through scenes and it felt a bit like a highlights reel, however recovered well in 2nd half of the book.
Will definitely read sequel in near future.
June 3, 2015
Aidan Harte’s debut novel Irenicon is a mostly impressive beginning to his WAVE trilogy; its richly detailed world, tense plot, and subtle mix of science and magic offset some issues of pace, structure, and character sufficiently enough that I plan on continuing right on with its sequel The Warring States, which just arrived last week.
Irenicon is set in a somewhat off-kilter Renaissance Italy, where centuries earlier Herod’s slaughter of children actually worked, killing Jesus Christ as an infant and leaving Mary to become the focal point of a still pervasive but not quite as dominant religion. In this world, Concord, not Rome, rose as the foremost city of a large Empire, and the almost-Catholic Church was supplanted by natural philosophy in a kind of alternate Reformation, led by Girolamo Be... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Irenicon is set in a somewhat off-kilter Renaissance Italy, where centuries earlier Herod’s slaughter of children actually worked, killing Jesus Christ as an infant and leaving Mary to become the focal point of a still pervasive but not quite as dominant religion. In this world, Concord, not Rome, rose as the foremost city of a large Empire, and the almost-Catholic Church was supplanted by natural philosophy in a kind of alternate Reformation, led by Girolamo Be... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
August 29, 2016
Less about the river, more about the fueding families of this city, Rasenna. (think Montagues and Capulets) This Italian fantasy focuses on the details of a city divided and an interloper from the conquering people trying to mend (or start, depending on who you're reading) the civil war.
Overall, I disliked the book for a number of reasons. I couldn't get into the story, I didn't care about any of the characters, and the style of writing confused me occasionally. The coolest part of the whole book - the prison.
The biggest gripe I had I noticed early on and it bothered me the entire time. There were hardly any women. The only women were there to suit plot needs. One might argue, one of the main characters is female. Well, yes... one, compared to the twenty other named characters that we follow and are male. It wasn't balanced enough for me, therefore I give it a low rating.
Overall, I disliked the book for a number of reasons. I couldn't get into the story, I didn't care about any of the characters, and the style of writing confused me occasionally. The coolest part of the whole book - the prison.
The biggest gripe I had I noticed early on and it bothered me the entire time. There were hardly any women. The only women were there to suit plot needs. One might argue, one of the main characters is female. Well, yes... one, compared to the twenty other named characters that we follow and are male. It wasn't balanced enough for me, therefore I give it a low rating.
June 30, 2013
c2012: FWFTB: river, Engineers, feuding, Concord, Wave. I found the heroine's age to be disconcerting and I couldn't help thinking whether or not an older heroine would have sufficed. I enjoyed the read though and although the world was not particularly unique, the belief systems and feudal systems were well built. I never felt that I had a handle on the magic element though. Again, a bit of a lull two thirds of the way through but then it raced to the end - a bit like a wave I suppose! The prison in Concord is one of the most diabolical that I have come across in many years of reading and I do not mean in a blood and gore way."Deciding was difficult. It was easier to let his sons fight it out and then choose a middle path."
August 5, 2017
How do you fight against impossible odds? Twenty years before the opening of Aidan Harte's Irenicon, an unnatural wave ripped through the city of Rasenna and ended their resistance against the Concordian Empire. Since then, the city has torn itself apart as factions fight pointless, bloody vendetta. The heir is underage. The city's regents scheme and squabble. The beginning of the book is rocky, but if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded with a fantastic (in both senses of the word) vision of an alternate late medieval Italy...
Read the rest of my review on my blog at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review on my blog at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
July 19, 2012
hmmm.....bit of a curate's egg this.....
The plot's difficult to summarise, but basically we're in an alternative history where the church never gained the power it has in this world. We're in an Italian city-state which has been subjugated by the ruling city of Concord . We're a bit confused by all the internecine power struggles....
There are some good ideas in this book , & the set-piece battle that ends the story is very well-written . However , the book's at least 100 pages too long , & for me lacked any sympathetic characters .I pretty much had to force myself to finish it.
Maybe one to pick up in your local library....can't really recommend it .
The plot's difficult to summarise, but basically we're in an alternative history where the church never gained the power it has in this world. We're in an Italian city-state which has been subjugated by the ruling city of Concord . We're a bit confused by all the internecine power struggles....
There are some good ideas in this book , & the set-piece battle that ends the story is very well-written . However , the book's at least 100 pages too long , & for me lacked any sympathetic characters .I pretty much had to force myself to finish it.
Maybe one to pick up in your local library....can't really recommend it .
March 12, 2012
There are a few things I did not like about Irenicon, but the last third of the book turned things around quite drastically,and left me with a positive feeling. At almost 600 pages Irenicon is a brick of a book, but it is fastidiously written brick. It stands out with its, somewhat surreal, world building and well rounded characters. If you want something a bit different to your traditional fantasy Irenicon might just be the book for you.
Read my full review
Read my full review
July 28, 2014
"Inheriting a city full of anger, corruption, and fear isn't exactly what a future Contessa would want. Sofia Scaligeri desperately wants to change her home, but it seems impossible with all the enemies they face. When a Concordian engineer, Giovanni, agrees to build a bridge over the Irenicon, a solution starts to present itself. But with a deadly Wave coming, no one can tell who will survive." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id...
September 25, 2016
Epic fantasy adventure! Full of stuff you don't understand and stuff you do.
It has a brand new world which is remarkably familiar. A new religion, again very familiar and the obligatory medieval setting.
The sort of book you want for a rainy afternoon or a duvet day.
It is part of a trilogy, so try to have the other two to hand.
Note to publishers, employ better proofreaders. My edition had a few grammatical errors.
It has a brand new world which is remarkably familiar. A new religion, again very familiar and the obligatory medieval setting.
The sort of book you want for a rainy afternoon or a duvet day.
It is part of a trilogy, so try to have the other two to hand.
Note to publishers, employ better proofreaders. My edition had a few grammatical errors.
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