THE VIEW FROM THE MIRROR by Ian Irvine

I wonder how much of an abstract autobiography this tale is. The main character shares a name very similar to that of the author (Ian and Llian) and his occupation is that of a chronicler and teller of tales. In other words, he is the rough equivalent of an author and researcher with a Ph.D. Ian Irvine earned a doctorate in environmental sciences before becoming an author, the former probably accounting for his excellent ability to create believable races and places.

Anyhow, this is an incredibly crafted piece of work for a debut author. It is one of those ‘once in a decade’ works that only come along, err, once every ten years.

The world is unique. I’ve never come across anything quite like it. The myths and races contained within these books are also very original. Though there are nearhuman races, there are no elves, dwarves, orc-alikes, or any of the r... Read More