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Amazon.co.uk Review
Magic pathways from world to world were a curse, making possible invasion and enslavement, and long ago those paths were closed leaving three worlds and the void between them a hopeless jumble of what had been and what is now. Ian Irvine's A Shadow on the Glass, first volume of his fantasy quartet "The View from the Mirror", takes us to one of those worlds and to two adventurers, a scholar and a psychic, who find themselves dragged into the conflicts of the mighty and the ambitious. Karan is blackmailed into helping steal a magic mirror, and finds herself on the run from warlords and warlocks; all that Llian wanted to do was find a great story to tell, and clarify some minor ambiguities in the archives of the college of storytellers--but he finds himself expelled and ostracised, and accompanying Karan on her breakneck journeys on high barrens and treacherous rivers. What Irvine brings to the mix is a sense of irony and some intelligent observation of character: Llian and Karan are not your average squeaky clean hero and heroine, and their opponents are hardly villainous, just people acting out the planned treacheries that seemed like a good idea. --Roz Kaveney
Review
'Irvine has built a history and wonderful culture for his vivid world. His first novel vibrates with originality' THE WEST AUSTRALIAN 'The complex cultures, detailed geography, and the palpable weight of history provide a solid background to an intense story that ... becomes increasingly compelling. This stands out as a worldbuilding labour of love with some truly original touches' LOCUS
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First Sentence
It was the final night of the Graduation Telling, when the masters and students of the College of the Histories at Chanthed told the Great Tales that were the very essence of human life on Santhenar. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
It was the final night of the Graduation Telling, when the masters and students of the College of the Histories at Chanthed told the Great Tales that were the very essence of human life on Santhenar. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This was the very first Irvine book I ever read and to this day it remains one of my favorite books of all time. The characters are well developed and the plot is exceptionally involved. Unfortunately, some people may be put off as this book has a rather slow start, however, once it gets going you will not be able to put it down for hours! Irvine gives his characters huge scope and manages to develop all of them to a remarkable extent, while at the same time keeping the story going, unlike in so many other books when one comes at the expense of the other.
The story follows Lliam and Karan, the one a chronicler (a sort of poet/ scribe) the latter a poor landowner. Karan is coerced into stealing the mirror of the Archim, and there the story begins. Lliam is the archetypal anti-hero, while Karan is halfway in between. In this first book, the characters compliment each other well and, by the end of the book you will find yourself halfway to your local library or bookshop to read the next in the series.
If there is any criticism I would make, it is that Irvine advances his characters too much in this one book, and therefore is forced to make them regress back to what they were at the begining at the start of the second book. This makes the latter books in the series very dissapointing and almost as if they were in a different series. Therefore, while I would definitely advise you to read this book, I would also suggest that you think twice before buying any of the later books in the series, which are, at best, dissapointing.
The story follows Lliam and Karan, the one a chronicler (a sort of poet/ scribe) the latter a poor landowner. Karan is coerced into stealing the mirror of the Archim, and there the story begins. Lliam is the archetypal anti-hero, while Karan is halfway in between. In this first book, the characters compliment each other well and, by the end of the book you will find yourself halfway to your local library or bookshop to read the next in the series.
If there is any criticism I would make, it is that Irvine advances his characters too much in this one book, and therefore is forced to make them regress back to what they were at the begining at the start of the second book. This makes the latter books in the series very dissapointing and almost as if they were in a different series. Therefore, while I would definitely advise you to read this book, I would also suggest that you think twice before buying any of the later books in the series, which are, at best, dissapointing.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
All the elements of a good start to a fantasy series are here: a well-thought out world, clever plot devices, and an easy-to-read writing style. But something just doesn't work. Usually in this type of novel, you'll find lots of dramatic, plot-advancing moments, separated by transition periods. This author, however, seems to focus endlessly on the transition periods. Long, long stretches of text where characters struggle across the wilderness waiting to be caught, or sit captive in enemy fortresses waiting for something to happen...the plot is good, but there just isn't enough of it in any given chapter to keep the attention. A pity, because I think the basic idea is excellent. Worth giving it a try, but not if something better is available.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is one of the best books I ever read. The author must be rewarded for being capable of composing the story like a puzzle, with union, separation and re-union of characters, adventure, suspense, peril, and of course love. The only thing that I'd suggest the author to be more careful with is the absurdity of some situations, not for the story (this is a fantasy book after all), but some of the situations are scarcely believable. Two examples for all: Karan's runaway through the swamps (how could possibly a human endure all that?) and Karan's and Llian's runaway from the Whelms (again, too much sufference, not humanly bearable).
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing :(
I so wanted to love this. Ian Irvine has been on my list of 'Must Try' authors for, blimey, years if I'm honest. Read more
Published 21 days ago by FantasyBytes
Fabulous read
I am currently about to start reading the third book in this series and so far i am totally engrossed in the story. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Becs06
The CD book is just as brilliant and it makes a change to listen to...
This was always my favourite fantasy read, and when the CD came out i got that too and is really worth listening too.
Published 21 months ago by Rulke
Underwhelming
Unfortunately this book just doesn't do it for me, there's a whole long-winded history given to you about different races and the power of a magic flute and yes, this is fantasy,... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Cat Fitz
Dull, Dull, Very Very Dull
I have come to have an interest in the fantasy genre by way of science fiction a genre I have loved for many years. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Michael Liddell
My first Ian Irvine book - and my last?
My method for choosing which fantasy book or series to read is straight forward and somewhat arbitrary. I look at the maps in the front of the book. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2009 by David XIII
Outstanding Series - Read them all
I had never read a Fantasy book until I picked this up at a bookshop. I have to admit it was the cover that grabbed my attention, but once i started reading, i couldn't put it... Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2008 by Jane Belcher
unique fresh fantasy series!
If you are like me who vomits up over the plethora of mindless action/battles good vs evil cliche ridden fantasy. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2008 by Was it something I said????
Pants
I'm a fantasy mad reader - I have just bought this book (second hand thankfully) and I'm giving up at page 141. Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2007 by Fairy_Disturbed
Great background, shame about the foreground
The action takes place in the world of Santhenar, one of three worlds now cut off from each other by the Forbidding. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2007 by Jeff
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