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The Tainted Realm #1
Vengeance
Ten years ago, two children witnessed a murder that still haunts them as adults.
Tali watched as two masked figures killed her mother, and now she has sworn revenge. Even though she is a slave. Even though she is powerless. Even though she is nothing in the eyes of those who live above ground, she will find her mother's killers and bring them to justice.
Rix, heir to Hightspall's greatest fortune, is tormented by the fear that he's linked to the murder, and by a sickening nightmare that he's doomed to repeat it.
When a chance meeting brings Tali and Rix together, the secrets of an entire kingdom are uncovered and a villain out of legend returns to throw the land into chaos. Tali and Rix must learn to trust each other and find a way to save the realm -- and themselves.
Tali watched as two masked figures killed her mother, and now she has sworn revenge. Even though she is a slave. Even though she is powerless. Even though she is nothing in the eyes of those who live above ground, she will find her mother's killers and bring them to justice.
Rix, heir to Hightspall's greatest fortune, is tormented by the fear that he's linked to the murder, and by a sickening nightmare that he's doomed to repeat it.
When a chance meeting brings Tali and Rix together, the secrets of an entire kingdom are uncovered and a villain out of legend returns to throw the land into chaos. Tali and Rix must learn to trust each other and find a way to save the realm -- and themselves.
544 pages, Paperback
First published November 8, 2011
44 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read
About the author
Ian Irvine
74 books660 followersI'm an Australian author of 34 novels, mainly fantasy. They include the bestselling Three Worlds epic fantasy sequence, which has sold over a million print copies. It comprises The View from the Mirror quartet, The Well of Echoes quartet and The Song of the Tears trilogy. I’ve just finished The Gates of Good and Evil quartet, the long-awaited sequel to The View from the Mirror. Book 3, The Perilous Tower, was published recently and the final book, The Sapphire Portal, will be published on November 1, 2020.
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ianirvine.au...
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LATEST BOOK
WHY I WRITE
Funny thing is, I never wanted to be a writer. From an early age my ambition was to be a scientist. I’m an expert in pollution and I’ve spent my professional life studying it in far-flung places like Mauritius, Sumatra, Mongolia, South Korea, the Philippines, Papua-New Guinea and Western Samoa, as well as all over Australia. Often scuba diving to the bottom of foul, smelly harbours and hammering tubes deep into the polluted mud to collect samples for chemical analysis. Now that’s living!
I was a small, quiet kid who devoured books from the moment I learned to read. When I was naughty, Mum wouldn’t let me read anything for a week – talk about a cruel and unusual punishment.
I discovered fantasy in the early 70’s, with The Lord of the Rings and the Earthsea trilogy, and was immediately hooked. But there wasn’t much fantasy in those days; within a couple of years I’d read everything available. I wanted more and bigger tales, on vaster canvases, but they didn’t exist. That’s why I had to become a writer – to write the kind of stories I wanted to read.
WHAT I WRITE
I’ve never wanted to write about superheroes or huge, reckless warriors who know no fear. I write epic fantasy about underdogs and ordinary people who, in pursuit of their goals, are put to the limit of human endurance. My characters aren’t fantasy stereotypes, they’re real people with believable motivations and unfortunate flaws. I’m well known for strong female characters who have as many adventures as the men, and frequently get them out of trouble (I have five sisters). My characters are often small or clumsy or inexperienced or handicapped in some way, yet they make up for it with cleverness, ingenuity or sheer, low cunning. My antagonists are real, complex people who do bad things for strong and deeply-held reasons – never ‘just because they’re evil’.
Though my characters suffer every kind of torment imaginable, at their lowest point they discover the truest form of courage – they keep fighting because the fate of the people they care for, and the world they love, depends on them never giving up.
SOME RECENT REVIEWS
"Irvine is a veteran storyteller who excels in sustaining complex plots with well-rounded characters. Here, he delivers a compelling tale of vengeance, loyalty, and the search for a place in the world." Starred review, Library Journal (US)
"That Grand Master of the vast epic is with us again! The first gripping volume of what promises to be a vintage Irvine treat. More please!" Crisetta MacLeod, Aurealis Express
"Incredibly exciting. The end will have you eagerly anticipating the next book." Good Reading (Aus)
"He knows how to spin an epic yarn and tell it with real gusto ... ambitious in scope and tirelessly action-stuffed." SFX
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ianirvine.au...
Signup to my email newsletter for free books and special offers, preview chapters, news and other great stuff. https://www.ian-irvine.com/join-my-ne...
LATEST BOOK
WHY I WRITE
Funny thing is, I never wanted to be a writer. From an early age my ambition was to be a scientist. I’m an expert in pollution and I’ve spent my professional life studying it in far-flung places like Mauritius, Sumatra, Mongolia, South Korea, the Philippines, Papua-New Guinea and Western Samoa, as well as all over Australia. Often scuba diving to the bottom of foul, smelly harbours and hammering tubes deep into the polluted mud to collect samples for chemical analysis. Now that’s living!
I was a small, quiet kid who devoured books from the moment I learned to read. When I was naughty, Mum wouldn’t let me read anything for a week – talk about a cruel and unusual punishment.
I discovered fantasy in the early 70’s, with The Lord of the Rings and the Earthsea trilogy, and was immediately hooked. But there wasn’t much fantasy in those days; within a couple of years I’d read everything available. I wanted more and bigger tales, on vaster canvases, but they didn’t exist. That’s why I had to become a writer – to write the kind of stories I wanted to read.
WHAT I WRITE
I’ve never wanted to write about superheroes or huge, reckless warriors who know no fear. I write epic fantasy about underdogs and ordinary people who, in pursuit of their goals, are put to the limit of human endurance. My characters aren’t fantasy stereotypes, they’re real people with believable motivations and unfortunate flaws. I’m well known for strong female characters who have as many adventures as the men, and frequently get them out of trouble (I have five sisters). My characters are often small or clumsy or inexperienced or handicapped in some way, yet they make up for it with cleverness, ingenuity or sheer, low cunning. My antagonists are real, complex people who do bad things for strong and deeply-held reasons – never ‘just because they’re evil’.
Though my characters suffer every kind of torment imaginable, at their lowest point they discover the truest form of courage – they keep fighting because the fate of the people they care for, and the world they love, depends on them never giving up.
SOME RECENT REVIEWS
"Irvine is a veteran storyteller who excels in sustaining complex plots with well-rounded characters. Here, he delivers a compelling tale of vengeance, loyalty, and the search for a place in the world." Starred review, Library Journal (US)
"That Grand Master of the vast epic is with us again! The first gripping volume of what promises to be a vintage Irvine treat. More please!" Crisetta MacLeod, Aurealis Express
"Incredibly exciting. The end will have you eagerly anticipating the next book." Good Reading (Aus)
"He knows how to spin an epic yarn and tell it with real gusto ... ambitious in scope and tirelessly action-stuffed." SFX
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 3, 2013
It is with a large amount of sadness that I say that this is one of the most disappointing reads I have ever encountered. Irvine has for many years been an author I have held in high esteem, if not one of my favourites, for his Three Worlds saga. Apart from being the first book I ever bought, The View From the Mirror series had such a profound effect on me (I even did an independent study on it in high school) and so I was really looking forward to a new work by Irvine.
To put it bluntly, this book felt like it was written by an inexperienced teenager. Nearly every element of Vengeance was so clumsy and inconsistent, I had to pause at least once every two pages to roll my eyes or wrinkle my nose with distaste. I even completely gave up a quarter of the way through and after a week's break, had to force myself to finish it.
Rix is by far the most perplexing protagonist in the history of everything. Even by the end I had no idea what his character actually was. His reactions and reasoning are so ridiculous in some scenes, it sounds like he is being narrated by a six year old girl.
Many of the books problems come from the pace. In two pages, Rix lusts after another character, swears to remain chaste, meets said character, leers, becomes revolted by her and then randomly rides away, leaving his companion behind for no discernible reason other than it helps the plot along. Absolutely nothing about the characters is precedented or follows through other than Tobry's 'mortal fear of shifters', which Irvine mentions no less than fifty bajillion times.
There are even many situations where the characters leave a climactic and dire situation, which should leave them emotionally and mentally if not physically wounded, and yet mere hours later they are chilling on the couch with wine. Absolutely zero consistency in anyway shape or form.
Don't even get me started on the gaping plot holes, not the least of which is a glaringly obvious oversight in the chronology of things which leaves a good sixty year gap in a part of the backstory.
Vengeance in some ways is very similar to Irvine's previous work; he definitely knows how to stick it to his protagonists, getting them in sticky (that's putting it lightly) situation again and again without reprieve. However, while I think this really worked in the Three Worlds saga, it was overkilled in Vengeance to the point where it became exasperating and unbelievable.
The story itself, while improving dramatically in the last half when elements finally started coming together, was unnecessarily complicated in parts and vastly underdeveloped in others. The terminology introduced in Cython was ridiculously confusing and more than a little naff - actually a lot of things in this book were naff ... like naming the volcanoes 'the vomits'.
The greatest problem I had was that in fact I believed the antagonists to be in the right and began rooting for them ... and it wasn't done in any kind of clever 'there are no clearly good or evil' way either, it was just that the protagonists were clearly on the side that started the whole thing and were in the wrong.
Were there any good things about Vengeance? I have to admit that by the last half I was a lot more invested in the story and it became generally easier to read, although whether this was because it had actually gotten better or that I had just become accustomed to it, I'm not sure. Tali is a character is far more consistent and interesting and was honestly this books saving grace - she reminded me quite a lot of Karan and Tiaan, two of Irvine's previous strong female protagonists.
By the end of the book I was really ready for it all to wrap up, and it could have, except Irvine then throws in some extremely late minute curve balls, setting up for the next two books. I do feel like I want to continue with the story, but only out of obligation rather than because I actually enjoyed it.
So other than harbouring some bitter disappointment, I am now genuinely perplexed as to how an author can produce works of such vastly different quality ... one friend suggested that he got a ghost writer to do it ... it wouldn't surprise me.
To put it bluntly, this book felt like it was written by an inexperienced teenager. Nearly every element of Vengeance was so clumsy and inconsistent, I had to pause at least once every two pages to roll my eyes or wrinkle my nose with distaste. I even completely gave up a quarter of the way through and after a week's break, had to force myself to finish it.
Rix is by far the most perplexing protagonist in the history of everything. Even by the end I had no idea what his character actually was. His reactions and reasoning are so ridiculous in some scenes, it sounds like he is being narrated by a six year old girl.
Many of the books problems come from the pace. In two pages, Rix lusts after another character, swears to remain chaste, meets said character, leers, becomes revolted by her and then randomly rides away, leaving his companion behind for no discernible reason other than it helps the plot along. Absolutely nothing about the characters is precedented or follows through other than Tobry's 'mortal fear of shifters', which Irvine mentions no less than fifty bajillion times.
There are even many situations where the characters leave a climactic and dire situation, which should leave them emotionally and mentally if not physically wounded, and yet mere hours later they are chilling on the couch with wine. Absolutely zero consistency in anyway shape or form.
Don't even get me started on the gaping plot holes, not the least of which is a glaringly obvious oversight in the chronology of things which leaves a good sixty year gap in a part of the backstory.
Vengeance in some ways is very similar to Irvine's previous work; he definitely knows how to stick it to his protagonists, getting them in sticky (that's putting it lightly) situation again and again without reprieve. However, while I think this really worked in the Three Worlds saga, it was overkilled in Vengeance to the point where it became exasperating and unbelievable.
The story itself, while improving dramatically in the last half when elements finally started coming together, was unnecessarily complicated in parts and vastly underdeveloped in others. The terminology introduced in Cython was ridiculously confusing and more than a little naff - actually a lot of things in this book were naff ... like naming the volcanoes 'the vomits'.
The greatest problem I had was that in fact I believed the antagonists to be in the right and began rooting for them ... and it wasn't done in any kind of clever 'there are no clearly good or evil' way either, it was just that the protagonists were clearly on the side that started the whole thing and were in the wrong.
Were there any good things about Vengeance? I have to admit that by the last half I was a lot more invested in the story and it became generally easier to read, although whether this was because it had actually gotten better or that I had just become accustomed to it, I'm not sure. Tali is a character is far more consistent and interesting and was honestly this books saving grace - she reminded me quite a lot of Karan and Tiaan, two of Irvine's previous strong female protagonists.
By the end of the book I was really ready for it all to wrap up, and it could have, except Irvine then throws in some extremely late minute curve balls, setting up for the next two books. I do feel like I want to continue with the story, but only out of obligation rather than because I actually enjoyed it.
So other than harbouring some bitter disappointment, I am now genuinely perplexed as to how an author can produce works of such vastly different quality ... one friend suggested that he got a ghost writer to do it ... it wouldn't surprise me.
July 31, 2012
Tali is a slave, and Rix is a noble, but they share a secret that could break them both. Add to this a brewing war and magic that destroys as well as it creates, and you've got a mix that is both fascinating as a premise and difficult to execute successfully. Yet author Ian Irvine builds a stunning start to an epic fantasy that should become a dark jewel in the genre.
Tali is just a child when she witnesses the brutal murder of her mother. She lives in a state of constant terror -- terror of her slave's life and of dying the way her mother died. There are forces at work within herself far beyond her ability to comprehend, let alone control. She has to find a way to avenge her mother's death and discover her own hidden secrets before history repeats itself, or her masters decide to kill her for fun. Her character is strong, willful, and she never gives up. These qualities make her a first class heroine, but she is also stubborn and immature, which gives her character a layer of flaw that demonstrates Irvine's ability to bring characters to three dimensions.
Rix, too, is an imperfect hero, a haunted young man with a desire to do the right thing by the people he loves and protects with a sense of honor that goes far beyond necessity and nearly into obsession. Rix is Tali's only hope of survival -- and even more may ride on their journey together than they can guess. They, though, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the author's ability to create amazing characters, as Tobry and Lyf, two other important players in this story, can show.
The world building politically, culturally, and physically is top notch. Irvine even uses the land itself as character that can express itself in its own limited way. These two peoples, struggling against each other for centuries, vie for power in the land. Yet what are the true motivations for this power? Is it vengeance for perceived past wrongs? Who is really in control of these cultures behind the scenes?
Rix and Tali's desire to see peace and prosperity for everyone in the land seems an overwhelming task already, even more so given the unseen currents of power trying to weave the future in their realm to their own advantage. Yet Irvine creates a discussion of fate and chance, for though events may seem preordained, no one has the power of a God. The main characters are on a chessboard, moving to a stunningly clever dance, the outcome of which neither side can see. Action and reaction lead to a climactic build up where the reader will be on seat edge wondering who comes out on top.
My favorite part of this story is the dramatic tension. It's exciting as a reader to know most of the pieces of the puzzle, and to watch these characters you love try to piece it together as well. Can they do it quickly enough to build a life for themselves, and to save the people they love against a power they can't truly understand? Sure, this is the definition of dramatic tension, but it is done in classic fashion that helps make this story a thrill ride.
As a first time Ian Irvine reader, I can't comment on how this new series beginning compares with his previous works. However, the depth of character, the quality and pacing of the action, and the heart of the story itself -- the journey of life with all its heartbreak and joy -- all lead me to believe that if any of these qualities interest you, you should go pick up this book now.
Highly recommended.
I received this book as an ARC from SF Revu.
Tali is just a child when she witnesses the brutal murder of her mother. She lives in a state of constant terror -- terror of her slave's life and of dying the way her mother died. There are forces at work within herself far beyond her ability to comprehend, let alone control. She has to find a way to avenge her mother's death and discover her own hidden secrets before history repeats itself, or her masters decide to kill her for fun. Her character is strong, willful, and she never gives up. These qualities make her a first class heroine, but she is also stubborn and immature, which gives her character a layer of flaw that demonstrates Irvine's ability to bring characters to three dimensions.
Rix, too, is an imperfect hero, a haunted young man with a desire to do the right thing by the people he loves and protects with a sense of honor that goes far beyond necessity and nearly into obsession. Rix is Tali's only hope of survival -- and even more may ride on their journey together than they can guess. They, though, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the author's ability to create amazing characters, as Tobry and Lyf, two other important players in this story, can show.
The world building politically, culturally, and physically is top notch. Irvine even uses the land itself as character that can express itself in its own limited way. These two peoples, struggling against each other for centuries, vie for power in the land. Yet what are the true motivations for this power? Is it vengeance for perceived past wrongs? Who is really in control of these cultures behind the scenes?
Rix and Tali's desire to see peace and prosperity for everyone in the land seems an overwhelming task already, even more so given the unseen currents of power trying to weave the future in their realm to their own advantage. Yet Irvine creates a discussion of fate and chance, for though events may seem preordained, no one has the power of a God. The main characters are on a chessboard, moving to a stunningly clever dance, the outcome of which neither side can see. Action and reaction lead to a climactic build up where the reader will be on seat edge wondering who comes out on top.
My favorite part of this story is the dramatic tension. It's exciting as a reader to know most of the pieces of the puzzle, and to watch these characters you love try to piece it together as well. Can they do it quickly enough to build a life for themselves, and to save the people they love against a power they can't truly understand? Sure, this is the definition of dramatic tension, but it is done in classic fashion that helps make this story a thrill ride.
As a first time Ian Irvine reader, I can't comment on how this new series beginning compares with his previous works. However, the depth of character, the quality and pacing of the action, and the heart of the story itself -- the journey of life with all its heartbreak and joy -- all lead me to believe that if any of these qualities interest you, you should go pick up this book now.
Highly recommended.
I received this book as an ARC from SF Revu.
August 20, 2016
My first review on Goodreads, but not my first Ian Irvine. Vengence is an incredible read with a great world created by Ian. The shorter chapters (for lack of a better word) are deceiving, you keep thinking just one more. I can only imagine how the characters are going to continue to grow and how we will learn more about them as the series continues. Plus I do love the geological references.
August 16, 2020
It’s a week later, I just can’t bring myself to even start book 2, so guess I’m not continuing!
I liked this overall and will continue reading but there were problems.
Characters weren’t always consistent - except when being almost excessively themselves. For instance Tobry’s deepest fear is shared every 30 minutes. Tali supposedly good at staying alive thrusts her life out for anyone to take. Rix is described as steady but suffering nightmares. His mood swings swing so much that I just can’t picture him as a muscly warrior.
Finally, these three are our heroes but towards the end you begin to wonder whether the other side should ‘win’!
I liked this overall and will continue reading but there were problems.
Characters weren’t always consistent - except when being almost excessively themselves. For instance Tobry’s deepest fear is shared every 30 minutes. Tali supposedly good at staying alive thrusts her life out for anyone to take. Rix is described as steady but suffering nightmares. His mood swings swing so much that I just can’t picture him as a muscly warrior.
Finally, these three are our heroes but towards the end you begin to wonder whether the other side should ‘win’!
February 6, 2012
Hello there, everyone. If your here to know about Ian Irvine's new book 'Vengeance' I can tell you, you've come to the right place. After hearing about the publishing of Vengeance I knew I had to get my hands on it, and my eyes within in.
So after just under three days of searching, I found it in my local town. I picked the book up, and begin reading in the middle of the isle. After the first sentence in chapter one, I was already interested. I'm not going to deny it, Vengeance was my first Ian Irvine book. Also my fourth fantasy novelist,(My other fantasy novelist, were authored by J.K Rowling -Harry Potter) But that is a different note, after getting the book home. I began reading, the hours ticked bye. The pages were turning quietly, three hours had passed. The book never left my hands nor did the words leave my eyesight. I much enjoyed the thought and imagination put into the character's Tobry, Rix along the side of Rannilt and Tail.
I didn't know much about the author before reading the book Vengeance, but now. Is a different story, Ian is by far the best fantasy novelist I've ever had the pleasure in reviewing or reading his work. I was very pleased in the way the book folded in with the vengeful side of it's topic.
But, on a negative note. I personally thought that in the planning of Tali's escape, and Rix's introduction. More planning was done on one side then the other, if you may, the scales were uneven. Throughout some of that time I was disappointed, not immensely but a small taste. But, the way Rix was stated in this time, scaled my disappointment back to a minimal level.
After part one my interest grew, immensely. Part two 'Pursuit' was incredible! By far one of the best parts inside the book. After finishing part one I remember asking myself "Will this get any better?" "How will Ian top the previous part? Can he do it?" When 'Pursuit' was just a page turn away I had to take a sneak-peek, I loved every word I read just under the sneak-peak duration, every sentence was a battle to beat the previous one, which was clearly impossible. Or close to it. I've never been gobsmacked so many times, in under five weeks.
The book in general was incredible, epic-fantasy and down-right worth the time and relaxation to read the book, I highly was fascinated by the book overall. I personal can't wait for the second book in the Tainted Realm Trilogy, Rebellion. I'm wondering if Ian can beat the first and live up to being vengeful, I'm also hoping and wondering if Rebellion will be better then Vengeance.
Before I finish this review, I'd like to state that overall I'd rate the book a 9.6 out of 10.00, Ian it was extremely great, for my fifth novel you left me guessing for more. And by far expect me to buy Rebellion. I'm looking forward to it! And for those who are new to Ian's books I'd highly suggest picking book one of the Tainted Realm as a powerful introduction!
All the best for the series Ian and Orbit Books. Directly to you Ian,
Yours faithfully, a follow writer Reece Dow.
So after just under three days of searching, I found it in my local town. I picked the book up, and begin reading in the middle of the isle. After the first sentence in chapter one, I was already interested. I'm not going to deny it, Vengeance was my first Ian Irvine book. Also my fourth fantasy novelist,(My other fantasy novelist, were authored by J.K Rowling -Harry Potter) But that is a different note, after getting the book home. I began reading, the hours ticked bye. The pages were turning quietly, three hours had passed. The book never left my hands nor did the words leave my eyesight. I much enjoyed the thought and imagination put into the character's Tobry, Rix along the side of Rannilt and Tail.
I didn't know much about the author before reading the book Vengeance, but now. Is a different story, Ian is by far the best fantasy novelist I've ever had the pleasure in reviewing or reading his work. I was very pleased in the way the book folded in with the vengeful side of it's topic.
But, on a negative note. I personally thought that in the planning of Tali's escape, and Rix's introduction. More planning was done on one side then the other, if you may, the scales were uneven. Throughout some of that time I was disappointed, not immensely but a small taste. But, the way Rix was stated in this time, scaled my disappointment back to a minimal level.
After part one my interest grew, immensely. Part two 'Pursuit' was incredible! By far one of the best parts inside the book. After finishing part one I remember asking myself "Will this get any better?" "How will Ian top the previous part? Can he do it?" When 'Pursuit' was just a page turn away I had to take a sneak-peek, I loved every word I read just under the sneak-peak duration, every sentence was a battle to beat the previous one, which was clearly impossible. Or close to it. I've never been gobsmacked so many times, in under five weeks.
The book in general was incredible, epic-fantasy and down-right worth the time and relaxation to read the book, I highly was fascinated by the book overall. I personal can't wait for the second book in the Tainted Realm Trilogy, Rebellion. I'm wondering if Ian can beat the first and live up to being vengeful, I'm also hoping and wondering if Rebellion will be better then Vengeance.
Before I finish this review, I'd like to state that overall I'd rate the book a 9.6 out of 10.00, Ian it was extremely great, for my fifth novel you left me guessing for more. And by far expect me to buy Rebellion. I'm looking forward to it! And for those who are new to Ian's books I'd highly suggest picking book one of the Tainted Realm as a powerful introduction!
All the best for the series Ian and Orbit Books. Directly to you Ian,
Yours faithfully, a follow writer Reece Dow.
June 5, 2012
This was my first Ian Irvine book. I had always seen his novels in book stories but never picked one up. Now I am kicking myself. Vengeance is AMAZING! and totally addictive! I read all 534 pages in one go. Probably wasn't such a good idea with exams to study for. Too late now.
This book had me screaming, yelling and even crying at times! I LOVE books that do that to me. :)
Seriously an awesomely awesome MUST read, but only if you have a lot of spare time. And don't do what I did and start reading it just before you go to bed - bad mistake! I was up for at least 4 hours reading this book until my eyes couldn't stay open.
I really liked it how Tali fell for Tobry, a lord with nothing instead of the prince (or lord in this case) which usually happens in other stories.
Please Mr Irvine, don't wait too long to release the second book. I don't think I could handle the agonizing wait.
Now I am going to go buy more Ian Irvine books. :)
This book had me screaming, yelling and even crying at times! I LOVE books that do that to me. :)
Seriously an awesomely awesome MUST read, but only if you have a lot of spare time. And don't do what I did and start reading it just before you go to bed - bad mistake! I was up for at least 4 hours reading this book until my eyes couldn't stay open.
I really liked it how Tali fell for Tobry, a lord with nothing instead of the prince (or lord in this case) which usually happens in other stories.
Please Mr Irvine, don't wait too long to release the second book. I don't think I could handle the agonizing wait.
Now I am going to go buy more Ian Irvine books. :)
February 3, 2015
This book was hard to read the language was not good, it sounded as though a teenager was trying to sound intelligent writing a story for a test.
The story jumps around too much and the fights and missions are so drawn out they become unbearable to read.
Names of places in the book were appalling. Over all it was not a very well written or thought out book.
The story jumps around too much and the fights and missions are so drawn out they become unbearable to read.
Names of places in the book were appalling. Over all it was not a very well written or thought out book.
May 31, 2012
Tali, a young slave girl “Pale”, watches the brutal murder of her mother. Vowing to take revenge on the mask perpetrators so must endure being a slave until her powers come in and she can plan her escape.
Rix, is a heir of Hightspall’s family Lord and Lady Ricinus. Although he is a gifted young man his relationship with his parents is antagonistic and he needs a way out.
Tali and Rix have a chance meeting where the evil plot of vengeance is uncovered. They must join forces to help save themselves and the land of Cythe.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Vengeance is non-stop action packed and kept you on the edge of your seat. It became a read into the early A.M., for me, because I didn’t want to put it down and needed to know what happened next. I am a big fantasy fan and Mr. Irvine did a wonderful job building a fantastic world without bogging it down with to many details. I did really enjoyed the interaction between Tali and Rix but especially when Tobry was added to the mix (great triangle). My only issues was I didn’t get completely emotionally vested in the characters, something essential was missing with the characters themselves to make it click 100% for me. This is my first book by Ian Irvine but it will definitely not be my last. I now have to go read all his other works. For Vengeance, I'm torn between 4-5 stars, this is where I wish there was 4.5 stars.
This copy of Vengeance was given to me by Goodreads First Reads and Orbit Books/Hachette Book Group in exchange for an honest review.
Rix, is a heir of Hightspall’s family Lord and Lady Ricinus. Although he is a gifted young man his relationship with his parents is antagonistic and he needs a way out.
Tali and Rix have a chance meeting where the evil plot of vengeance is uncovered. They must join forces to help save themselves and the land of Cythe.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Vengeance is non-stop action packed and kept you on the edge of your seat. It became a read into the early A.M., for me, because I didn’t want to put it down and needed to know what happened next. I am a big fantasy fan and Mr. Irvine did a wonderful job building a fantastic world without bogging it down with to many details. I did really enjoyed the interaction between Tali and Rix but especially when Tobry was added to the mix (great triangle). My only issues was I didn’t get completely emotionally vested in the characters, something essential was missing with the characters themselves to make it click 100% for me. This is my first book by Ian Irvine but it will definitely not be my last. I now have to go read all his other works. For Vengeance, I'm torn between 4-5 stars, this is where I wish there was 4.5 stars.
This copy of Vengeance was given to me by Goodreads First Reads and Orbit Books/Hachette Book Group in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2014
Vengeance is about a slave girl, Tali, who, when she was a child, watched two people kill her mother and who knows that when she comes of age she is next. Tali has a plan to escape to freedom and get justice for her mothers murder.
Tali is joined by a couple of people in her quest, most notably Rix and Tobry. They are both from noble families (though Tobry's has fallen and Rix's doesn't seem far behind). Rix is plagued by nigthmares and a mother who is doing everything to get the family back on it's feet nomatter the cost. Tobry is Rix's best friend he seems to have not a care in the world but his fear of the terrifying shifters and to help his friend.
What to say about Vengeance?... Oh right: Ian Irvine has done it again!
Another fantastic start to what promises to be an amazing trilogy. The book posesses Irvine's trademark: that absolutely anything can happen, noone and nothing is safe until the end.
The characters come alive the plot keeps twisting and turning, this is a book you can't put down.
I would recomend this book to any fan of the genre. And, just an fyi, you don't need to read any of his prior books since this is set in a completely differnet world.
Tali is joined by a couple of people in her quest, most notably Rix and Tobry. They are both from noble families (though Tobry's has fallen and Rix's doesn't seem far behind). Rix is plagued by nigthmares and a mother who is doing everything to get the family back on it's feet nomatter the cost. Tobry is Rix's best friend he seems to have not a care in the world but his fear of the terrifying shifters and to help his friend.
What to say about Vengeance?... Oh right: Ian Irvine has done it again!
Another fantastic start to what promises to be an amazing trilogy. The book posesses Irvine's trademark: that absolutely anything can happen, noone and nothing is safe until the end.
The characters come alive the plot keeps twisting and turning, this is a book you can't put down.
I would recomend this book to any fan of the genre. And, just an fyi, you don't need to read any of his prior books since this is set in a completely differnet world.
October 1, 2012
A spectacular book, Ian Irvine will get a hold of you and drag you in. As a fantacy novel writer Ian is in with the best of them. I was left wanting more with each page. People say that the end of a novel should make it feel like the end… i disagree greatly! A truely good book, I feel, should leave you wanting to read the next book straight away and Ian doesn't disapoint on that.
The novel has some of the best tension building I have ever read. I was left wide awake late at night wanting to know more. Ian paints the world for us to see and takes us along with for the journey. Its got great aspects to it that follow the traditional fantacy scheme of things but also has its own twists thrown in. This is not your typical, 'princess gets captured and the brave knight comes to save her', this is hardly so. No, this book follows a clever slave girl and a noble (at different times to them meeting). Ian sets up the story brilliantly with Tali and Rix meeting, where the ideals of truth and lie come into play.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantacy novels.
The novel has some of the best tension building I have ever read. I was left wide awake late at night wanting to know more. Ian paints the world for us to see and takes us along with for the journey. Its got great aspects to it that follow the traditional fantacy scheme of things but also has its own twists thrown in. This is not your typical, 'princess gets captured and the brave knight comes to save her', this is hardly so. No, this book follows a clever slave girl and a noble (at different times to them meeting). Ian sets up the story brilliantly with Tali and Rix meeting, where the ideals of truth and lie come into play.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantacy novels.
September 30, 2019
I found it to be boring and confusing. I stopped reading on page 37 after reading the following, "A lovely woman was shaking him, her breasts quivering in the golden light of his bedchamber. She was enchanting, all bosom and bottom and a waist that could be circled with a headband, yet he could not remember her name."
STOP WRITING WOMEN LIKE THIS! It's gross and weird!
STOP WRITING WOMEN LIKE THIS! It's gross and weird!
dnf
July 11, 2015It was confusing, it was too much and I did not give a damn. The world was interesting though.
May 14, 2013
"Ten years ago, two children witnessed a murder that still haunts them as adults... When a chance meeting brings [the two] together, the secrets of an entire kingdom are uncovered and a villain out of legend returns to throw the land into chaos. Tali and Rix must learn to trust each other and find a way to save the realm--and themselves."
As the first in a trilogy, let me be honest, the size of this book frightened the ever living daylights out of me, but once I got into the story, I really got into the story! Granted, it took me some weeks to actually get started, but once I did...Whoa! After all, who can't resist a gruesome murder in the very first chapter? And one witnessed by children? Even better! The terror that young Tali feels really enhances the tension early on in the book. The fact that she is able to escape what could have been her own death, shows a courage and an intelligence that promises for a good tale later on, and the author doesn't disappoint!
Ian Irvine's Vengeance, Book one in the Tainted Realm Series, takes place in a fictitious world rife with shape-shifters, swords, sorcery, and slaves. There initially seem to be three races in the book, and while most of the people of the land see the Pale as a separate race, they are in fact Hightspallers that have been underground with their captors so long that they no longer have much pigment in their skin. Tali, our heroine, is of this race. She is the epitome of the noble slave, and something growing within her skull seems to be of great importance to the upcoming war.
Meanwhile, Rix is truly a noble of Hightspall, complete with a grand palace and a side-kick, Tobry, who acts both as his voice of reason and his personal trickster. Together these two young warriors happen to encounter our villain, a ghastly (yet still somewhat solid) ancient mage king out for... Vengeance! Then, on their way home, they just happen to run into Tali, complete with her own side-kick, a much younger slave girl named Rannilt.
The way the characters all come together is a bit reminiscent of a D-n-D game, which, I suppose, is to be expected from just about any modern day book in the fantasy genre and could become quite hokey, but not so here. Irvine managed to weave the mystery into the story in a way which makes the reader want to continue on with our heroes. We see the story unfold through various viewpoints, and each one is not the whole story. Each new piece of evidence is presented through a faulty lens, as each character has their own feelings/worries/agendas, and this kept me truly on the edge of my seat until I finished.
There were so many questions to be answered, and almost every answer brought up new questions: Who killed Tali's mom? Why is Tali so important? Will Tali figure out how to use her magic? How can her enemy help her to learn to use said magic? What exactly is Rannilt's gift? What happened to Tobry's family? Who is the wrythen? How does Rix and his family fit into this whole story? And so much more?
So why only four stars instead of five? I did find some flaws, which hopefully are just misunderstandings that will be cleared up in the second book. First of all, I was about 80-100 pages in before I really got a feel for the place, or understood who some of the characters were. We meet a lot of people when we first see Tali all grown up, and some of her wanderings left me very curious. If she's a slave, why can she just walk about and no one notices her? We find later that it might have something to do with her magic, but it's never really clear.
Plus, even though Tali seems to know exactly where she is in the labyrinth of tunnels where the Cythonians, or the enemy, as Tali calls them (another confusing point at first), live, I as a reader was hopelessly lost trying to figure out where she was or what she was doing, or, as I noted, why no one seemed to notice her, even when she was obviously in a place she should not be.
It felt a little lost, like in the beginning of Lord of the Rings, when Frodo and his friends first leave the Shire, and it becomes obvious that Tolkien wasn't sure where they were going anymore than the characters were, especially when we meet Tom Bombadil and wonder when we will see him again, but don't. I get a similar feeling here. We meet a lot of people, and it seems the author is trying to get a feel for the character of Tali by showing her with a bunch of different types of characters and in a bunch of different situations, and then we meet "Mad" Wil, and we wonder if we'll ever see him again, but in this book, we DO! So that's something at least...
The ending had a similar feel, a bit. It came rapidly to a close, and yet certain characters knew things they really shouldn't know. Like Rix knew Tali was lying about her feelings, yet Tobry didn't. This seemed very unlikely. Throughout the book, Rix was the dolt who needed someone to keep him out of his own way, so for the two to switch and Rix to inform Tobry of Tali's true feelings, it was really stretching, in my opinion. It's a small thing, but something that really bothered me. I didn't know if perhaps she had told Rix something and I'd missed it as I began to read faster to get to the conclusion.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor, a minor villain, I think, continuously knows things he shouldn't but not certain key elements that it would be dangerous for the plot development of the story if he knew. On the one hand, I want to know who his sources are; on the other, shame on Irvine for taking the easy way out with this one. If it turns out that the Chancellor has an unreliable spy or just doesn't want to tip his hand, then cool, but if not, it was kind of a sleazy way for the author to advance some key plot elements.
Again, hopefully it all gets cleared up in the next book, which I will totally be reading this summer, along with the rest of the trilogy, and perhaps some other works by this author.
As the first in a trilogy, let me be honest, the size of this book frightened the ever living daylights out of me, but once I got into the story, I really got into the story! Granted, it took me some weeks to actually get started, but once I did...Whoa! After all, who can't resist a gruesome murder in the very first chapter? And one witnessed by children? Even better! The terror that young Tali feels really enhances the tension early on in the book. The fact that she is able to escape what could have been her own death, shows a courage and an intelligence that promises for a good tale later on, and the author doesn't disappoint!
Ian Irvine's Vengeance, Book one in the Tainted Realm Series, takes place in a fictitious world rife with shape-shifters, swords, sorcery, and slaves. There initially seem to be three races in the book, and while most of the people of the land see the Pale as a separate race, they are in fact Hightspallers that have been underground with their captors so long that they no longer have much pigment in their skin. Tali, our heroine, is of this race. She is the epitome of the noble slave, and something growing within her skull seems to be of great importance to the upcoming war.
Meanwhile, Rix is truly a noble of Hightspall, complete with a grand palace and a side-kick, Tobry, who acts both as his voice of reason and his personal trickster. Together these two young warriors happen to encounter our villain, a ghastly (yet still somewhat solid) ancient mage king out for... Vengeance! Then, on their way home, they just happen to run into Tali, complete with her own side-kick, a much younger slave girl named Rannilt.
The way the characters all come together is a bit reminiscent of a D-n-D game, which, I suppose, is to be expected from just about any modern day book in the fantasy genre and could become quite hokey, but not so here. Irvine managed to weave the mystery into the story in a way which makes the reader want to continue on with our heroes. We see the story unfold through various viewpoints, and each one is not the whole story. Each new piece of evidence is presented through a faulty lens, as each character has their own feelings/worries/agendas, and this kept me truly on the edge of my seat until I finished.
There were so many questions to be answered, and almost every answer brought up new questions: Who killed Tali's mom? Why is Tali so important? Will Tali figure out how to use her magic? How can her enemy help her to learn to use said magic? What exactly is Rannilt's gift? What happened to Tobry's family? Who is the wrythen? How does Rix and his family fit into this whole story? And so much more?
So why only four stars instead of five? I did find some flaws, which hopefully are just misunderstandings that will be cleared up in the second book. First of all, I was about 80-100 pages in before I really got a feel for the place, or understood who some of the characters were. We meet a lot of people when we first see Tali all grown up, and some of her wanderings left me very curious. If she's a slave, why can she just walk about and no one notices her? We find later that it might have something to do with her magic, but it's never really clear.
Plus, even though Tali seems to know exactly where she is in the labyrinth of tunnels where the Cythonians, or the enemy, as Tali calls them (another confusing point at first), live, I as a reader was hopelessly lost trying to figure out where she was or what she was doing, or, as I noted, why no one seemed to notice her, even when she was obviously in a place she should not be.
It felt a little lost, like in the beginning of Lord of the Rings, when Frodo and his friends first leave the Shire, and it becomes obvious that Tolkien wasn't sure where they were going anymore than the characters were, especially when we meet Tom Bombadil and wonder when we will see him again, but don't. I get a similar feeling here. We meet a lot of people, and it seems the author is trying to get a feel for the character of Tali by showing her with a bunch of different types of characters and in a bunch of different situations, and then we meet "Mad" Wil, and we wonder if we'll ever see him again, but in this book, we DO! So that's something at least...
The ending had a similar feel, a bit. It came rapidly to a close, and yet certain characters knew things they really shouldn't know. Like Rix knew Tali was lying about her feelings, yet Tobry didn't. This seemed very unlikely. Throughout the book, Rix was the dolt who needed someone to keep him out of his own way, so for the two to switch and Rix to inform Tobry of Tali's true feelings, it was really stretching, in my opinion. It's a small thing, but something that really bothered me. I didn't know if perhaps she had told Rix something and I'd missed it as I began to read faster to get to the conclusion.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor, a minor villain, I think, continuously knows things he shouldn't but not certain key elements that it would be dangerous for the plot development of the story if he knew. On the one hand, I want to know who his sources are; on the other, shame on Irvine for taking the easy way out with this one. If it turns out that the Chancellor has an unreliable spy or just doesn't want to tip his hand, then cool, but if not, it was kind of a sleazy way for the author to advance some key plot elements.
Again, hopefully it all gets cleared up in the next book, which I will totally be reading this summer, along with the rest of the trilogy, and perhaps some other works by this author.
September 25, 2018
3.5 stars. Overall I enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading the next one. There were a few things that bothered me- the character Rix was all over the place, and some of the plot line was too- but I really liked Tobry, and the story in general.
September 1, 2012
I wanted to like this book.
I interviewed Ian Irvine for the Galactic Chat podcast and have since met him in person – he’s a gentleman. Which makes having to review this book difficult because my desire to like a fantasy by an Australian author comes up against the book itself.
We didn’t get along, Vengeance and me.
Character
It began with the characters. I didn’t feel drawn to any of them and for the life of me I am unsure as to why? There’s certainly enough time for the reader to explore each of them (the novel doesn’t really take off until somewhere between page 110 – 150) but none of them hooked me in.
Tali a Pale slave girl who carries a magic pearl embedded in her brain is witness to her mother’s murder. She’s condemned to fits of anger, awakening magical ability and a desire for vengeance. She’s a typical underdog / dispossessed noble figure that I have no trouble in going along with usually. But I got nothing here.
Rix, son and heir of one of the wealthy up and coming houses of Hightspall is similarly a tragic figure, haunted by past horrors and emotionally crippled by nightmares. His dialog and actions seem schizophrenic – an intentional move I’d say considering what we a told about his character. Rix felt forced to me rather than tormented.
Tobry, son of a fallen house is the character that I felt an awakening interest for. This came from the mystery surrounding his past, the extra depth he seemed to posses displayed in a consistent portrayal of character through dialog.
The setting
Aside from the characters I didn’t really get a clear feel for the setting and that’s despite the clear thought and effort Irvine has invested in the world.
Vengeance is a little unusual for a fantasy setting – a magical medieval world blended with a magical technological world. The Hightspallers are your traditional fantasy kingdom and Cythonians have developed an understanding of chemistry and biology and have a distinctly mechanical worldview.
I should love this sort of thing, I dig Steampunk, and cross genre fiction. Mentions of the Cythonian culture were replete with names like Chymister, and Alchymister. There were references to Subsisteries and other Cythonian industry intended to convey a certain feel. But again it didn’t draw me in.
The ecology and physical setting seems a bit at odds with your traditional fantasy too, which is probably the intention. I think Irvine is aiming for original and distinct but falling short, for my taste at least. This strikes me most in simple things like naming conventions and place names. To me they lack a cohesiveness or a sense of cultural verisimilitude – they don’t ring true and this drops me from the story. We have for example place names like the Vomits, or Precipitous Crag juxtaposed with Reffering and Nyrdly.
Now I am not saying the Irvine needed to come up with 10,000 years of history and language formation to justify place names ala Tolkien but in epic fantasy more than anything else place names reflect the culture and thereby the impression you are trying to create.
In summary
Honestly I think Vengeance is aimed at a slightly less experienced readership. Irvine does tend to spell things out for the reader, motivations, emotions and the like. This is something that I imagine a reader with less life experience might require or appreciate, whereas older, more experienced readers will find inference to be enough.
This book was provided to me by the publisher.
I interviewed Ian Irvine for the Galactic Chat podcast and have since met him in person – he’s a gentleman. Which makes having to review this book difficult because my desire to like a fantasy by an Australian author comes up against the book itself.
We didn’t get along, Vengeance and me.
Character
It began with the characters. I didn’t feel drawn to any of them and for the life of me I am unsure as to why? There’s certainly enough time for the reader to explore each of them (the novel doesn’t really take off until somewhere between page 110 – 150) but none of them hooked me in.
Tali a Pale slave girl who carries a magic pearl embedded in her brain is witness to her mother’s murder. She’s condemned to fits of anger, awakening magical ability and a desire for vengeance. She’s a typical underdog / dispossessed noble figure that I have no trouble in going along with usually. But I got nothing here.
Rix, son and heir of one of the wealthy up and coming houses of Hightspall is similarly a tragic figure, haunted by past horrors and emotionally crippled by nightmares. His dialog and actions seem schizophrenic – an intentional move I’d say considering what we a told about his character. Rix felt forced to me rather than tormented.
Tobry, son of a fallen house is the character that I felt an awakening interest for. This came from the mystery surrounding his past, the extra depth he seemed to posses displayed in a consistent portrayal of character through dialog.
The setting
Aside from the characters I didn’t really get a clear feel for the setting and that’s despite the clear thought and effort Irvine has invested in the world.
Vengeance is a little unusual for a fantasy setting – a magical medieval world blended with a magical technological world. The Hightspallers are your traditional fantasy kingdom and Cythonians have developed an understanding of chemistry and biology and have a distinctly mechanical worldview.
I should love this sort of thing, I dig Steampunk, and cross genre fiction. Mentions of the Cythonian culture were replete with names like Chymister, and Alchymister. There were references to Subsisteries and other Cythonian industry intended to convey a certain feel. But again it didn’t draw me in.
The ecology and physical setting seems a bit at odds with your traditional fantasy too, which is probably the intention. I think Irvine is aiming for original and distinct but falling short, for my taste at least. This strikes me most in simple things like naming conventions and place names. To me they lack a cohesiveness or a sense of cultural verisimilitude – they don’t ring true and this drops me from the story. We have for example place names like the Vomits, or Precipitous Crag juxtaposed with Reffering and Nyrdly.
Now I am not saying the Irvine needed to come up with 10,000 years of history and language formation to justify place names ala Tolkien but in epic fantasy more than anything else place names reflect the culture and thereby the impression you are trying to create.
In summary
Honestly I think Vengeance is aimed at a slightly less experienced readership. Irvine does tend to spell things out for the reader, motivations, emotions and the like. This is something that I imagine a reader with less life experience might require or appreciate, whereas older, more experienced readers will find inference to be enough.
This book was provided to me by the publisher.
August 1, 2013
Vengeance, the first book in the Tainted Realm trilogy, was my first chance to experience Ian Irvine's writing. I have seen the author's works on the shelf before, but never had the urge or time to pursue any of the other fantasy series.
Vengeance had all the elements I was looking for at the time in a book -- fantasy, mystery, adventure, and a newly created world to jump right into. Add that to the mysterious, yet not unique plot and I thought I'd give this novel a try.
I enjoyed my journey into Ian Irvine's writing. I found that the world was surprisingly unique, yet not so complicated that I felt weighted down with lengthy descriptions or tons of information. Irvine seemed to know just how to set up the world so that readers could understand and picture it in their minds without the need of 20-30 pages of lengthy descriptions.
That is not to say that the world is not complicated or simple. Irvine adds a lot of history, depth, and magic to the world without making it feel like you have picked up a history book and started reading.
In addition to the world building, I loved the action and adventure. Things seemed to move at a fairly consistent pace that never really allowed the book to slow down, yet wasn't so fast that I felt lost or as if I was missing something due to the need for action.
While I enjoyed the world building and fast paced nature of the story, there were several potential problems that I ran into with the novel. The first problem was a slight confusion that I felt during the first one-third to half of the book.
There were numerous names, background stories, and other things that just seemed thrown out there. It almost felt like I was picking up on a middle book in the series, but I was not. This is the first book of a series. Things are eventually cleared up and by the end of the book, I was no longer confused and everything fell into place, but it was a little aggravating.
Another problem I encountered was the lack of an emotional attachment to any character. Typically, in a novel I feel attached to someone. Sometimes it is the good guy, sometimes it is the bad guy, sometimes it is the random side kick. This book I felt nothing for any of the characters. Maybe this was due to the action and world building, maybe it was just a 'first book getting to know characters' problem, I am not really sure.
I did find Tobey, a side kick to the main character Rix, mysterious and fascinating. However, it was not until the end of the book that I really started to connect with him and by then the book was over.
Overall, I enjoyed Vengeance. There were slight issues that arose, but I don't think it hurt my reading experience. I do wish that I had connected more with some of the characters, but maybe that will happen in the second book. I plan on reading the second book in this series to see how things turn out and may even explore other works by Irvine.
Vengeance had all the elements I was looking for at the time in a book -- fantasy, mystery, adventure, and a newly created world to jump right into. Add that to the mysterious, yet not unique plot and I thought I'd give this novel a try.
I enjoyed my journey into Ian Irvine's writing. I found that the world was surprisingly unique, yet not so complicated that I felt weighted down with lengthy descriptions or tons of information. Irvine seemed to know just how to set up the world so that readers could understand and picture it in their minds without the need of 20-30 pages of lengthy descriptions.
That is not to say that the world is not complicated or simple. Irvine adds a lot of history, depth, and magic to the world without making it feel like you have picked up a history book and started reading.
In addition to the world building, I loved the action and adventure. Things seemed to move at a fairly consistent pace that never really allowed the book to slow down, yet wasn't so fast that I felt lost or as if I was missing something due to the need for action.
While I enjoyed the world building and fast paced nature of the story, there were several potential problems that I ran into with the novel. The first problem was a slight confusion that I felt during the first one-third to half of the book.
There were numerous names, background stories, and other things that just seemed thrown out there. It almost felt like I was picking up on a middle book in the series, but I was not. This is the first book of a series. Things are eventually cleared up and by the end of the book, I was no longer confused and everything fell into place, but it was a little aggravating.
Another problem I encountered was the lack of an emotional attachment to any character. Typically, in a novel I feel attached to someone. Sometimes it is the good guy, sometimes it is the bad guy, sometimes it is the random side kick. This book I felt nothing for any of the characters. Maybe this was due to the action and world building, maybe it was just a 'first book getting to know characters' problem, I am not really sure.
I did find Tobey, a side kick to the main character Rix, mysterious and fascinating. However, it was not until the end of the book that I really started to connect with him and by then the book was over.
Overall, I enjoyed Vengeance. There were slight issues that arose, but I don't think it hurt my reading experience. I do wish that I had connected more with some of the characters, but maybe that will happen in the second book. I plan on reading the second book in this series to see how things turn out and may even explore other works by Irvine.
October 24, 2012
I read this book last year, and having found it to be a wonderful example of gripping Epic Fantasy, this re-read allowed me to delve into the deeper nuances of the story and pick out all sorts of details I had missed on my first, heart stopping read. Vengeance is a thought-provoking book, and in the usual Irvine style, left me desperate for more!
As I have to expect in an Irvine book, world building is immaculate in this book: everything has a purpose, a role, and it’s all vividly realised through the prose. The history is rich and complex, and the races of the Cythonians and Hightspallers are wonderfully delineated in terms of customs and speech. It did take me a while to place the Pale and the Herovians within this world, but I got there! One of the things that grabbed me about the book is that the first part – 193 pages – occurs over just a few days hours. It’s insane! I kept waiting for the characters to catch a break, and they never did! Vengeance is difficult to put down, and even when you’re away from it you’re always thinking about it!
The characters in the book carry a special place in my heart – Irvine has written about developed characters with clear conflicts and motivations that I found easy to empathise with. However, I still think that Tali could have been a little more complex: she’s your typical underdog for a lot of the book but does have shining moments where she steps out of that role. My favourite character is Tobry – there’s just something about him that draws me, plus his sense of humour provides a welcome reprieve from the darkness offered in the story.
Reading the story for the second time around, I was struck by the desperation of Lyf to return his people to their former glory. Previously I had just read him as a power-hungry bad guy – but this time around I saw other depths to his character and I’m really looking forward getting to know more about him as the series continues. Credit has to be given to Irvine for writing Lyf so that, even as I am hating him for threatening Tali and Rix’s lives, I am sympathising with him for the horrible things that have been done to him and his people.
Having read and loved Ian Irvine’s The Three Worlds books, I was nervous that I wouldn’t like this new series because, honestly, how could it get much better? Although Ian Irvine has written a completely different type of book in Vengeance, his trademarks of amazing world building and characterisation are still in evidence. It will be enjoyed by both fans of his earlier works, and those new to his work, and I highly recommend it!
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
As I have to expect in an Irvine book, world building is immaculate in this book: everything has a purpose, a role, and it’s all vividly realised through the prose. The history is rich and complex, and the races of the Cythonians and Hightspallers are wonderfully delineated in terms of customs and speech. It did take me a while to place the Pale and the Herovians within this world, but I got there! One of the things that grabbed me about the book is that the first part – 193 pages – occurs over just a few days hours. It’s insane! I kept waiting for the characters to catch a break, and they never did! Vengeance is difficult to put down, and even when you’re away from it you’re always thinking about it!
The characters in the book carry a special place in my heart – Irvine has written about developed characters with clear conflicts and motivations that I found easy to empathise with. However, I still think that Tali could have been a little more complex: she’s your typical underdog for a lot of the book but does have shining moments where she steps out of that role. My favourite character is Tobry – there’s just something about him that draws me, plus his sense of humour provides a welcome reprieve from the darkness offered in the story.
Reading the story for the second time around, I was struck by the desperation of Lyf to return his people to their former glory. Previously I had just read him as a power-hungry bad guy – but this time around I saw other depths to his character and I’m really looking forward getting to know more about him as the series continues. Credit has to be given to Irvine for writing Lyf so that, even as I am hating him for threatening Tali and Rix’s lives, I am sympathising with him for the horrible things that have been done to him and his people.
Having read and loved Ian Irvine’s The Three Worlds books, I was nervous that I wouldn’t like this new series because, honestly, how could it get much better? Although Ian Irvine has written a completely different type of book in Vengeance, his trademarks of amazing world building and characterisation are still in evidence. It will be enjoyed by both fans of his earlier works, and those new to his work, and I highly recommend it!
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
October 29, 2013
I’ve been reading a lot of traditional fantasy novels at the moment, books I find so dull and lacking in originality that it is slightly disheartening. I love fantasy but I think great authors like Joe Abercombie and Mark Lawrence have raised my expectations too far for any other authors to keep up. That being said, I enjoyed Ian Irvine’s Vengeance a great deal. It was a breath of fresh air.
Several things worked for me. Irvine has crafted a new and interesting world, and although we didn’t get to see many of the locations in it, what we did see was brought to life. I particularly liked the feel of Cython’s underground slave camps. The characters are flawed and show a fair amount of progression over the course of the novel, and while I found a few of them slightly infuriating (Rix), they were all interesting. The magic system also feels fresh, although I suspect there is still a vast amount of ground to be covered in the subsequent books about this.
The plot is intriguing and complex. The war between Cython, haters and oppressors of magic, and the Highspallers, who have the opposite values, is kind of shoved to the back of things, and you don’t get much of a glimpse of it, as this is Tali and Rix’s story, but I found the premise to be a good one. I don’t want to reveal too much about it but Tali’s journey is thrilling and doesn’t let up for a minute, gripping you tightly until the end. My one main issue with the plot, however, is that it felt like the characters were going round and round on some of the plot points. Characters would appear to have several options to progress the story, argue which is best, pick the best, go to do that, only to wind up going off and doing one of the other options. The best example I could say is Rix’s painting of his father. I understand this was a significant part of the story but I feel like the story could have benefited from being a little more streamlined and to the point.
I also can’t help that mention that the grim cliff-hanger of an ending is a slight smack in the face. If it wasn’t for the fact that the rest of the books were out I would have probably screamed. Don’t take that as a bad thing though. It just makes you want more.
All in all, despite a few minor flaws, Ian Irvine has created highly original and exciting novel. I enjoyed it immeasurably and if you are looking for a book that is unique and has far more to offer than the blurb would suggest, this book is for you.
Several things worked for me. Irvine has crafted a new and interesting world, and although we didn’t get to see many of the locations in it, what we did see was brought to life. I particularly liked the feel of Cython’s underground slave camps. The characters are flawed and show a fair amount of progression over the course of the novel, and while I found a few of them slightly infuriating (Rix), they were all interesting. The magic system also feels fresh, although I suspect there is still a vast amount of ground to be covered in the subsequent books about this.
The plot is intriguing and complex. The war between Cython, haters and oppressors of magic, and the Highspallers, who have the opposite values, is kind of shoved to the back of things, and you don’t get much of a glimpse of it, as this is Tali and Rix’s story, but I found the premise to be a good one. I don’t want to reveal too much about it but Tali’s journey is thrilling and doesn’t let up for a minute, gripping you tightly until the end. My one main issue with the plot, however, is that it felt like the characters were going round and round on some of the plot points. Characters would appear to have several options to progress the story, argue which is best, pick the best, go to do that, only to wind up going off and doing one of the other options. The best example I could say is Rix’s painting of his father. I understand this was a significant part of the story but I feel like the story could have benefited from being a little more streamlined and to the point.
I also can’t help that mention that the grim cliff-hanger of an ending is a slight smack in the face. If it wasn’t for the fact that the rest of the books were out I would have probably screamed. Don’t take that as a bad thing though. It just makes you want more.
All in all, despite a few minor flaws, Ian Irvine has created highly original and exciting novel. I enjoyed it immeasurably and if you are looking for a book that is unique and has far more to offer than the blurb would suggest, this book is for you.
February 2, 2012
I have read and loved all of Ian Irvine's 'A Tale of The Three Worlds' cycle novels, so I was interested to see what he would do with a brand new adult fantasy series in a new setting, with new characters. I was pleasantly surprised with the result. 'Vengeance' keeps all the best elements of the 'Three Worlds' cycle novels - the violence and horror, the painfully-difficult-to-cast magic, the realistic descriptions of geography, the big cliffhanger ending and most importantly, the central relationship between its male and female leads. All those elements are preserved, but Irvine still manages to throw in plenty of new surprises.
Rix and Tali make for very interesting lead characters. Rix is strong, loyal, smart and gifted, yet he is tortured and opressed by his parents, the Lord and Lady Ricinus. Tali, on the other hand, is shaped by the horrible events of her childhood. She is small, beautiful and super-powerful - yet she worries and suffers just as much as Rix, grappling with a destiny she cannot control. They're both so very different characters, and yet they're so similar. And I love how a love triangle forms later in the novel, with both Tobry and Rix falling for Tali.
The land of Cythe, in which the story is set, is much less stooped in histories and complicated back stories than the land of Santhenar of the 'Three Worlds' cycle, and it's much smaller and easier to swallow, which is nice. Also the shorter chapters are a welcome change. It feels like Ian Irvine has recognised what made his past books so difficult to stick through, and then worked his damn hardest on eliminating those flaws.
I eagerly await book two.
Rix and Tali make for very interesting lead characters. Rix is strong, loyal, smart and gifted, yet he is tortured and opressed by his parents, the Lord and Lady Ricinus. Tali, on the other hand, is shaped by the horrible events of her childhood. She is small, beautiful and super-powerful - yet she worries and suffers just as much as Rix, grappling with a destiny she cannot control. They're both so very different characters, and yet they're so similar. And I love how a love triangle forms later in the novel, with both Tobry and Rix falling for Tali.
The land of Cythe, in which the story is set, is much less stooped in histories and complicated back stories than the land of Santhenar of the 'Three Worlds' cycle, and it's much smaller and easier to swallow, which is nice. Also the shorter chapters are a welcome change. It feels like Ian Irvine has recognised what made his past books so difficult to stick through, and then worked his damn hardest on eliminating those flaws.
I eagerly await book two.
April 10, 2013
This is my first Ian Irvine book. I glanced through some of the other reviews in order to get an idea of the general feeling of some of the readers. I have no reference for his other books, so, I can make no comparison there. Initially I felt as though the characters and story were 'thrown on the canvas in wild bold strokes' and I wanted a deeper more personal connection and in some places an explanation. As the story progressed, I became so intrigued with the originality that I basically scanned things I didn't want so I could get to things I did. My personal opinion is that this was a story that came so fast that he needed it to be written quickly. That's awesome, but with so many ideas and characters, it would have been OH so much better if it had been redone and refined at least one more time. At some points a bit juvenile and repetitive, but not terribly. That being said, it did not stop me from wanting to read it to the very end and now, I'm in a hurry to get the 2nd one and continue the story. I look forward to reading his other works. p.s. LOVE the cover art!
September 6, 2021
So glad I came across this author! Ian Irvine is an amazing world builder!
This book series should be among the classics with Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings!
A strong slave, Tali and a moody/artistic prince, Rix both have their own troubles, but when the land of Hightspall starts to fall apart from war and ancient secrets and enemies are awoken they have to work together to save their land and themselves!
Pretty serious story. Rix’s best friend Tobry was kind of the comedy relief as well as the positive element in the story.
Loved the beginning and ending. The middle was a little hard to get through. I went through a bit of depression getting through the middle, but I think partly because this book really speaks the truth of what people will do to gain power and revenge (cough….genocide). This book also references global warming and how the land/earth is slowly tearing itself apart from lack of care.
I do however, with all the ups and downs, highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy with lots of action!
This book series should be among the classics with Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings!
A strong slave, Tali and a moody/artistic prince, Rix both have their own troubles, but when the land of Hightspall starts to fall apart from war and ancient secrets and enemies are awoken they have to work together to save their land and themselves!
Pretty serious story. Rix’s best friend Tobry was kind of the comedy relief as well as the positive element in the story.
Loved the beginning and ending. The middle was a little hard to get through. I went through a bit of depression getting through the middle, but I think partly because this book really speaks the truth of what people will do to gain power and revenge (cough….genocide). This book also references global warming and how the land/earth is slowly tearing itself apart from lack of care.
I do however, with all the ups and downs, highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy with lots of action!
May 11, 2012
A fantastic read. I was a big fan of Three Worlds Cycle so I have to admit I didn't expect this to be quite as good and I'm glad to admit I was wrong. It was a great first installment to the series and I can't wait for the next one.
The story follows Tali, a slave from underground Cython, who escapes seeking justice for her mother's murder. There's vengeance, betrayal, murder, war, a little love, but not a lot of justice. It's one of those stories that just when you think the situation can't get any worse, the characters can't possibly suffer any more, it does and they do.
Not for the first time reading an Ian Irvine novel, I find myself pondering whether or not the "bad" guys really are bad. I have a feeling I may find myself rooting for the bad guy before the end of the series :)
It has to be said that Ian Irvine is a master storyteller. If you haven't read an Ian Irvine novel, do it, do it now!
The story follows Tali, a slave from underground Cython, who escapes seeking justice for her mother's murder. There's vengeance, betrayal, murder, war, a little love, but not a lot of justice. It's one of those stories that just when you think the situation can't get any worse, the characters can't possibly suffer any more, it does and they do.
Not for the first time reading an Ian Irvine novel, I find myself pondering whether or not the "bad" guys really are bad. I have a feeling I may find myself rooting for the bad guy before the end of the series :)
It has to be said that Ian Irvine is a master storyteller. If you haven't read an Ian Irvine novel, do it, do it now!
May 3, 2013
Tali is a young slave girl (one of the Pales) who witnesses her mothers brutal murder. She vows venegeance. Rix is heir to Hightspalls greatest fortune. He worries that is linked to the murder. The two characters are brought together and they must begin to trust each other and find a way to save the realm.
This was a very fun and action packed story. It is set in a very different world compared to many of the other books available. The book did seem to be geared more toward YA, but the brutality of the story makes it more adult. I wanted a bit more depth in the characters, but it was still a very good fantasy read.
I have not read the other books by Ian Irvine so I cannot compare to his past books, but he would be an author I would read again for this genre.
Reader received a complimentary copy from the publisher through the Good Reads First Reads Program.
This was a very fun and action packed story. It is set in a very different world compared to many of the other books available. The book did seem to be geared more toward YA, but the brutality of the story makes it more adult. I wanted a bit more depth in the characters, but it was still a very good fantasy read.
I have not read the other books by Ian Irvine so I cannot compare to his past books, but he would be an author I would read again for this genre.
Reader received a complimentary copy from the publisher through the Good Reads First Reads Program.
February 4, 2012
What an epic read Tali is a slave a Pale lowest of the low hated by every one , only those that bow and comply to the rule survive.Tali has a temper so her days are harder .Tali witnesses the murder of her mother and vows revenge. The story is evenly paced exciting ,different elements coming together magic ware creatures an enchanted sword .Rix provides a hero like charature that doesnt know he`s a hero yet .I cannot wait till the next book Rebellion comes out .
September 11, 2015
Confuzzling at beginning but I couldn't stop reading.
December 2, 2018
Okay, so like, Irvine is a great writer and his View from the Mirror series is amazing, and his eco thrillers were supremely underrated (seriously, if you can find any copies...).
But oh my god does he put his fantasy characters through unending realms of pain and loss and so. much. shit. I'd somehow managed to forget just how badly his characters have it. And like, I just can't deal with that right now. The world is already bullshit terrible enough, I can't deal with reading about it too. Especially when the (main) characters all think they *deserve* and are at fault for all the shittiness. It generally all comes right in the end, but ugh for now im going to avoid the slog.
But oh my god does he put his fantasy characters through unending realms of pain and loss and so. much. shit. I'd somehow managed to forget just how badly his characters have it. And like, I just can't deal with that right now. The world is already bullshit terrible enough, I can't deal with reading about it too. Especially when the (main) characters all think they *deserve* and are at fault for all the shittiness. It generally all comes right in the end, but ugh for now im going to avoid the slog.
July 15, 2021
3.5 stars but not really a 4 so it gets a 3. The story is really good but the ending, well it kind of sucked. While the ending was original it was not very satisfying. I can't decide if I want to continue the series or not. I'll have to think about it.
October 8, 2017
This was really good. Complex, interesting and excellent as a audio book.
March 23, 2021
This storyline was all over the place. It was so disjointed it was hard to stay interested. The plot has potential but I won't be reading the next in the series unfortunately.
August 10, 2025
Disappointed. I found myself increasingly frustrated with the main characters. Their decisions felt incoherent—driven more by inflated egos than logic or growth. Even when they acknowledged their mistakes, they doubled down, showing little to no personal development throughout the saga.
Early on, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, assuming the author had intentionally set the bar low to allow for meaningful growth later. Unfortunately, that growth never came. Instead, the plot seemed to bend over backward to shield them from the consequences of their actions, making the story feel contrived and unearned.
It was a deeply annoying experience. I read the entire saga, hoping for them to finally grow up, but I regret sticking with it.
Early on, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, assuming the author had intentionally set the bar low to allow for meaningful growth later. Unfortunately, that growth never came. Instead, the plot seemed to bend over backward to shield them from the consequences of their actions, making the story feel contrived and unearned.
It was a deeply annoying experience. I read the entire saga, hoping for them to finally grow up, but I regret sticking with it.
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