Vengeance (The Tainted Realm, #1)

Apr 17, 2013 Rebecca Lovatt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Growing up, Ian Irvine‘s The Three Worlds Cycle introduced me to the world of fantasy, and to reading epic fantasy. His characters and worlds have a complexity and sense of realism like nothing I had read before; drawing me in, and engulfing my imagination. His novels have always been amongst my favourites.

Vengeance, book one in The Tainted Realm series is no different. His world, and his characters complex and unique. However, I am at odds with this book.

On one hand, I found it to be quite an e...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Hate2beLate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own-this-one

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 scanne...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Ward Bond rated it 5 of 5 stars

Product Description

VENGEANCE is the first book in the Tainted Realm Trilogy. It's a story of betrayal, murder and a girl's hunt for justice in a world where two peoples are divided and mistrust can only lead to war. In Cython’s underground slave camps, only the timid and obedient survive – but Tali is neither of these. In Cython, having magic means the death penalty, and Tali’s gift is swelling out of her control.Though no slave has ever escaped, Tali must, for she has sworn to bring her mothe

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Feb 06, 2012 Reece Dow rated it 4 of 5 stars

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...more 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.

(less)

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Jan 21, 2012 Jason Stevens rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you've read the Three Worlds books and are approaching this new trilogy with trepidation, allow me to state unequivocally: you will enjoy this! How do I know? I went into it with some trepidation myself, fearing it wouldn't be as enjoyable or as rich as the books in the Three Worlds. This primarily came from the summary of the book itself. While sounding moderately interesting, it didn't seem like one that would capture my interest if I wasn't already a fan of the author (the cover design, to...more If you've read the Three Worlds books and are approaching this new trilogy with trepidation, allow me to state unequivocally: you will enjoy this! How do I know? I went into it with some trepidation myself, fearing it wouldn't be as enjoyable or as rich as the books in the Three Worlds. This primarily came from the summary of the book itself. While sounding moderately interesting, it didn't seem like one that would capture my interest if I wasn't already a fan of the author (the cover design, too, fails to engage on the same level as the covers for the Three Worlds books). Then I started reading it, and my trepidation evaporated after only two chapters.

Those first two chapters were so vivid and engaging, I was immensely disappointed that I had to put the book down. However, each subsequent session of reading was equally as enthralling. This is probably one the first fantasy books I've read where I felt I really had to keep reading, even when I had no more time to do so. With others, it's not quite as difficult to put them down when I have to, but the pacing in this one is RELENTLESS.

While that same relentless pacing makes this book such a joy and a fun experience to read, I have to say I felt that it also resulted in a loss of depth. It is for this reason that I can only give it four stars (though more accurately, I'd give it 4.5 if I could). Vengeance seemed to me to be non-stop action (not a bad thing, as I've made clear), almost a movie on the page, whereas with the Three Worlds series (or other fantasy novels), there is more of a build up to the set pieces and a greater focus on characters.

That's not to say the characters in Vengeance are unlikable, or even undeveloped. In particular, I enjoyed the characters of Tobry and the wrythen, though I am very keen on seeing what's in store for all of the characters in the next installments (especially given the nature of events at the book's close). Due to the emphasis on action, however, it just doesn't feel like we're spending as much time with the characters as we would elsewhere. As a result, they don't feel quite as deep.

Ultimately, Vengeance is a different beast than the Three Worlds books, though is does share some qualities, primary of which is its ability to entertain. It is definitely worth the read, regardless of if you're a fan of the Three Worlds or a first time reader of Ian Irvine. I am very much looking forward to the next book, and my only other complaint is that I'll have to wait until it comes out to read it!(less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Sean the Bookonaut rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more

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May 10, 2012 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: spec-fic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. C2012: Themes abound in this book – inter alia - what price honour? What value truth? What balm is vengeance?. At first, it is an easy assumption to make that this is the same old fantasy plot used tirelessly ie poor slave girl who is a noble in disguise defeating her circumstances, finding the love of her life and making good. Whilst some of this is true in this book, the plot certainly veers off into a direction that is unexpected. At some points, I felt that this was a YA book but then I reme...more C2012: Themes abound in this book – inter alia - what price honour? What value truth? What balm is vengeance?. At first, it is an easy assumption to make that this is the same old fantasy plot used tirelessly ie poor slave girl who is a noble in disguise defeating her circumstances, finding the love of her life and making good. Whilst some of this is true in this book, the plot certainly veers off into a direction that is unexpected. At some points, I felt that this was a YA book but then I remembered the truly gruesome scene at the beginning of the book and started to doubt this description. A pet peeve is that the publisher felt it apt to put in the blurb that a “chance meeting” between the 2 protagonists starts the whole thing off. This chance meeting only actually happens on P218 out of 646 pages. Grrrrrrr. I am always a little hesitant where themes are so obvious but the plot was good enough to keep me reading avidly. There were a few little things that bothered me. One, in particular, was towards the end of the book where the volcano was erupting all over the place and people were leaving the city in their thousands, yet when a ginormous piece of volcano ended up in the lake with the resultant tidal wave like effect of first drawing all the water away from the shore, the “children ran to gather stranded fish and eels”. And then of course the heroine was all upset that she couldn’t save them. Ummm. In other places, some of the narrative seemed ploddy and long winded but then sometimes the characters seemed to just suddenly understand the particular mystery/event/history. Weird but not weird enough to stop me desperately wanting to get my hands on the next one in the series and recommending it to the normal crew. FWFTB: slave, killers, justice, murder, nightmare. FCN: Tali, Rix Ricinus (‘the tainted hero forced to choose between betraying his family and helping..’), Tobry Lagger (the real hero in my eyes with ‘a pleasantly craggy face.’), Rannilt, Lyf. (less)

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May 31, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, action-adventure, fantasy, magic

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...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Iben rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-bookshelf

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 i...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Matthew rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 relatio...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Erin-Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although a fun, fast-paced novel, set in an interesting and unique world - something that seems increasingly difficult to create in this genre - I feel that this latest novel of Ian Irvine is a slight disappointment given his wonderful work on his last few series. The characters are largely two dimensional and at times seem drawn straight from stereotypes, and even with those that seem more interesting strong parallels can be drawn with similar characters in his other series. I feel that this no...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Sasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-ma-zing

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...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Ben Richardson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: All fantasy fans

Recommended to Ben by: www.booktopia.com.au

Shelves: books-i-own, first-reads-winner

I recieved my copy of Vengeance, book One in The Tainted Reaslm Trilogy by Ian Irvine from goodreads first reads givaways. Ian was nice enough to sign the book for me and I suspect that he knew that by signing the book he has ensured that the copy will have a permenant spot on my book shelf and will never be lent out or given away. Well played Mr Irvine. Well played. :)
Vengeance tells the story of tali, a slave girl who escapes her captors (The Cythonians) and sets about unraveling the secrets b...more I recieved my copy of Vengeance, book One in The Tainted Reaslm Trilogy by Ian Irvine from goodreads first reads givaways. Ian was nice enough to sign the book for me and I suspect that he knew that by signing the book he has ensured that the copy will have a permenant spot on my book shelf and will never be lent out or given away. Well played Mr Irvine. Well played. :)
Vengeance tells the story of tali, a slave girl who escapes her captors (The Cythonians) and sets about unraveling the secrets behind her mothers brutal murder while trying to unleash her hidden magical powers.
There are three races in Hightspall (the ancient land formally known as Cythe)The Pale who are a race of slaves held captive by, The Cythonians who are a race of grey skinned cave dwellers that 1500 years before were the masters of the land untill The Hightspellers betrayed them and took the land they loved.
After tali escapes, the cythonians attack hightspell with alot of nasty chemical weapons like small pox. When you get three races togeather that both hate and fear each other you've got all the ingredients for one hell of a good story.
Its no secret that I'm a big fiction fan, fantasy in particular. I like lots of stuff going on in a story I'm reading and Vengeance does not dissapoint. Ian Irvine captivates the reader in the world he has created and makes in near impossible to stop thinking about what he has instore for you in the next book in the trilogy, luckily Ian write fast and I understand that Rebellion book two in The Tainted Realm Trilogy is already in the editing stage.
In summary this book has everything I look for in a fantasy of epic proportions, I was entrapped in this world and not even slugging out 65+ hours at work every week could keep me from reading this awesome story.
Ian Irvine has woven an engrossing and exciting tale of betrayal, friendship, magic and genocide.
This story will keep even the most cynicle fantasy fan glued to its pages untill they have devoured
every last word.

Thankyou very much Ian, Vengence was a pleasure to read.(less)

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May 01, 2013 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, fantasy

VENGEANCE is a sword and sorcery style fantasy set in a country called Hightspall, but whose previous rulers had called Cythe. The native population of Cythe had been driven into a subterranean existence by the Hightspallers and lived a twisted version of their former lives. A third element of this population are the Pale who are slaves to the Cythonians and looked upon as traitors by the Hightspallers. The heroine of this book is a Pale named Tali. Her coming of age starts a series of events th...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Squire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

This first volume of Irvine's The Tainted Realm has everything going for it: a great and epic story; a terrific cast of characters; and some inspired action sequences. Unfortunately, it fails to achieve the heights it so earnestly strives for.

I expect to have a period of adjustment to a fantasy series' language and context. But here, that period is made frustrating by initially presenting three sides of a story that don't match up--I found myse...more

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May 13, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

"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 i...more

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May 20, 2013 Krystal Hickam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I would like to first thank the author, publisher and goodreads for allowing me a ARC of Vengeance.
This book took me a while to finish reading, this is due to it being a decently long book and I only had time to read it on my breaks at work. Not many books can keep stay in my mind that long where I never found myself what had happen prior in the book. It reads well and has been edited well, with few story breaks and a compelling plot that keeps you entwined until the end. The best part of this b...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Curtis Vidulich rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Jul 31, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, favorites

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...more 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.(less)

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Oct 24, 2012 Shaheen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hachetteau

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 throug...more 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 .(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Josh rated it 1 of 5 stars

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 bo...more 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.(less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thoroughly enjoyable and full of suspense. Irvine creates a stunningly realistic new fantasy world whose very foundations are built on a core of secrets and conspiracies. The characters Rix and Tali evolve from their young and close-minded ideals and redeem themselves as strong and capable heroes as the story progresses. The final third is impossible to put down. Overall a satisfying read, helped me through several days of housebound boredom. I can't wait for Rebellion!

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May 11, 2012 Carole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fantasy fans, anyone with eyes

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...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

this book was like picking up an old friend. Love the way irvine writes, it grabs you at the first page and pulls you in. Was nervous to read the new start of a new series, as i am such a big fan of the other series, however, its was refreshing to see such a detailed new world, and a plot where you just dont know where you'll be taken. This series is gonna be great. Cant wait for the next book. Thankyou ian irvine

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May 02, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

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...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Dawn Howie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brilliant writing as usual from one of my favourite authors. He doesn't seem to get his much deserved share of exposure. I've read most of his previous work but wasn't sure what to expect with this new series. I have to say as usual there was no disappointment. The worlds he builds are excellent as anyone can testify who has read his previous books. Looking forward to what is yet to come.

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Jan 17, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

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.

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Apr 28, 2012 Cathyhajo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Long book that runs full tilt from action to action, characters start out interesting, but they are not deep. Petty thoughts and actions make them feel like high school kids and by the end, I'm exhausted and don't care that much what happens. And I like fantasy novels! May try another of his out based on the ratings, but not sure if I'll check out #2 of this.

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Jan 16, 2012 Jenni rated it 5 of 5 stars

The few chapters i have read so far really captured my interest. It is full of detail with interesting characters. I really felt for the main character and what she was going through. At the end of the few chapters I read as a preview i was so disappointed that there wasn't more to read.... so as soon as I am able to I am getting the book!!!

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Mar 11, 2012 Jill Mclean rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastic installment from this magnificent weaver of adventures. Ian's style is easy to read and highly engaging. I read this entire book in 2 sittings - and only had a break because I had to go to work! Very much looking forward to continuing the story in the next book!

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Vengeance (The Tainted Realm #1)

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