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Ivory #1
The Gate of Ivory
THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC ---
is what lures people from all over the galaxy to the world of Ivory. Ivory, exotic and dangerous, where everything is for sale, and law exists only to protect the most powerful families. And to anthropology student Theodora of Pyrene, Ivory --- the one place in the known universe where magic works and where those who command it can control society --- is an irresistible world to explore on her all-too-brief vacation.
But cut off from her companions and her ship, attacked and robbed, Theodora's short pleasure trip soon becomes a terrifying odyssey. For on Ivory all her studies and training are useless, and Theodora is forced to turn to fortune telling to survive. To her amazement, she discovers that she actually is gifted with magical skill, a skill that will plunge her into deadly peril, when she becomes involved with Ran Cormallon, one of the most powerful sorcerers on Ivory --- and a man whose unknown enemies will stop at nothing, including spell-murdering Theodora, in their campaign to destroy Ran and seize his power!
is what lures people from all over the galaxy to the world of Ivory. Ivory, exotic and dangerous, where everything is for sale, and law exists only to protect the most powerful families. And to anthropology student Theodora of Pyrene, Ivory --- the one place in the known universe where magic works and where those who command it can control society --- is an irresistible world to explore on her all-too-brief vacation.
But cut off from her companions and her ship, attacked and robbed, Theodora's short pleasure trip soon becomes a terrifying odyssey. For on Ivory all her studies and training are useless, and Theodora is forced to turn to fortune telling to survive. To her amazement, she discovers that she actually is gifted with magical skill, a skill that will plunge her into deadly peril, when she becomes involved with Ran Cormallon, one of the most powerful sorcerers on Ivory --- and a man whose unknown enemies will stop at nothing, including spell-murdering Theodora, in their campaign to destroy Ran and seize his power!
319 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
13 people are currently reading
1295 people want to read
About the author
Doris Egan
7 books43 followersDoris Egan (1955—) is an American screenwriter, producer, and writer. She has worked on Smallville, Dark Angel, and House as well as many other television programs.
Also publishes as Jane Emerson.
Also publishes as Jane Emerson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 15, 2012
Pace-wise, this is a leisurely story, stretching over more than a year. Theodora - a stranded scholar - is hired by a noble sorceror, Ran, and gets tangled in his business and family affairs while trying to earn a ticket back to her previous planet.
This is a story which I like primarily because I like the heroine (skeptical, dogged, reluctant to be vulnerable), and it's definitely a story for those who like a big dose of world-building, and a bunch of minor problem-solving and self-discovery of the protagonist, rather than relentless hammering of action. It also has a melancholic aspect, rather than one of those good guy beats bad guy books.
The relationship between Theo and Ran is one which will have readers wanting to strangle Ran on more than one occasion - but he makes up for it in the end, the smug git. :)
This is a story which I like primarily because I like the heroine (skeptical, dogged, reluctant to be vulnerable), and it's definitely a story for those who like a big dose of world-building, and a bunch of minor problem-solving and self-discovery of the protagonist, rather than relentless hammering of action. It also has a melancholic aspect, rather than one of those good guy beats bad guy books.
The relationship between Theo and Ran is one which will have readers wanting to strangle Ran on more than one occasion - but he makes up for it in the end, the smug git. :)
July 25, 2014
Here's another book (and trilogy) I know I've mentioned before, because I really love this book and both the sequels, TWO BIT HEROS and GILT EDGED IVORY.
GATE OF IVORY was published 25 years ago, in 1989. It definitely belongs to the (vast) category of old books that really ought to be hauled back into view, but I don't expect it will be. It and the two sequels were reissued in an omnibus version at least once; I remember making a friend buy it at that time.
Even that was a good while ago, though. Let me see. Yes, 2001, that counts as a while ago by this time. Once again, I see the books are out of print and not available in ebook format. Used, the paperbacks are available for pennies, though. That omnibus edition looks like it costs an arm and a leg right now, at least at Amazon.
Now, Doris Egan, also Jane Emerson, had a brief writing career and then went on to write scripts for all kinds of TV shows. I’ve always regretted that she didn’t go on with her Ivory series, though, because these are really fun books. (I also regret she never went on with the CITY OF DIAMOND, which I thought was a bit cluttered but good.)
Anyway, in the IVORY trilogy, Theo – Theodora – is a great protagonist with a wry, somewhat self-deprecating voice. Here’s how GATE OF IVORY opens:
And then, of course, Ran Cormallon hires her. Not as a prostitute, of course. To read his special deck of Tarot cards. Because Theo may be just faking fortune telling in the marketplace to make ends meet, but real actual magic – or something – definitely does work on Ivory.
Possibly one reason this book didn’t really take off, not that you really need a reason because of course almost no books actually do take off, but this one is squarely in the awkward middle ground between SF and fantasy. Science fantasy, say. It reads like fantasy, but there are SF elements.
In this universe, Ivory is the one world in known space where “magic” exists. Theo – Theodora – is from one of the other worlds. She came to Ivory to study folktales and got stranded, turned to fortune telling, met Ran Cormallon, and things take off from there. Adventure, mayhem, betrayal, wizard’s duels, and romance ensue. The romance is just right for me: slow-burn and more than a bit rocky in places. Here’s one of my favorite bits, from a time when a forced march over rough ground has worn Theodora right out. She sits down, refuses to move and tells the men to go on without her, and we get this exchange:
You see. They’re both much harder on themselves than they are on each other, a very good sign in a developing relationship, wouldn’t you say?
Each book in this series goes on from the previous one with the same protagonists and supporting characters, but each is self-contained. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite from the three: all three are strong. I always enjoy the first book where you get to explore the world for the first time, but in this case I might pick the second, which hits some tropes that particularly appeal to me. The writing is good, the characters are delightful, and hey, even the covers are good!
GATE OF IVORY was published 25 years ago, in 1989. It definitely belongs to the (vast) category of old books that really ought to be hauled back into view, but I don't expect it will be. It and the two sequels were reissued in an omnibus version at least once; I remember making a friend buy it at that time.
Even that was a good while ago, though. Let me see. Yes, 2001, that counts as a while ago by this time. Once again, I see the books are out of print and not available in ebook format. Used, the paperbacks are available for pennies, though. That omnibus edition looks like it costs an arm and a leg right now, at least at Amazon.
Now, Doris Egan, also Jane Emerson, had a brief writing career and then went on to write scripts for all kinds of TV shows. I’ve always regretted that she didn’t go on with her Ivory series, though, because these are really fun books. (I also regret she never went on with the CITY OF DIAMOND, which I thought was a bit cluttered but good.)
Anyway, in the IVORY trilogy, Theo – Theodora – is a great protagonist with a wry, somewhat self-deprecating voice. Here’s how GATE OF IVORY opens:
I was laying down cards in the marketplace when I got the latest job offer. “Here comes money,” Irsa, the vender next to me had said, and moved away so as not to scare him off. So I’d told him his fortune, all the usual nonsense, and out he came with this. I hadn’t expected it of him; he’d looked too respectable. True, he hadn’t mentioned the exact nature of this job. But I’d been in the Square long enough – I thought – to know what that meant.
“I might want to hire you,” he repeated, as though he expected a dim-witted foreigner like me might need it said twice.
“Move on,” I said, picking up my Tarot cards. “Your fortune’s been told.”
“I’m serious,” he protested.
“Please, noble sir. I’m well aware that people hired by the Street of Gold Coin procurers are never seen again. Unless you want me for one of the Great Houses?” I smiled with polite rudeness. It was obviously out of the question. By Ivory standards, I’m not even pretty. Eight centimeters shorter than everyone around me, hair auburn instead of black – they wouldn’t let me into a Great House as a domestic servant. Not that I felt I was really cut out for prostitution.
And then, of course, Ran Cormallon hires her. Not as a prostitute, of course. To read his special deck of Tarot cards. Because Theo may be just faking fortune telling in the marketplace to make ends meet, but real actual magic – or something – definitely does work on Ivory.
Possibly one reason this book didn’t really take off, not that you really need a reason because of course almost no books actually do take off, but this one is squarely in the awkward middle ground between SF and fantasy. Science fantasy, say. It reads like fantasy, but there are SF elements.
In this universe, Ivory is the one world in known space where “magic” exists. Theo – Theodora – is from one of the other worlds. She came to Ivory to study folktales and got stranded, turned to fortune telling, met Ran Cormallon, and things take off from there. Adventure, mayhem, betrayal, wizard’s duels, and romance ensue. The romance is just right for me: slow-burn and more than a bit rocky in places. Here’s one of my favorite bits, from a time when a forced march over rough ground has worn Theodora right out. She sits down, refuses to move and tells the men to go on without her, and we get this exchange:
“I’ve slowed everyone down. I’m not the stuff heroes are made of, Ran. I’m not even the stuff Karlas and Tyl are made of. I’m not worth wasting your time over.”
He was quiet for a minute. Then he said, “I have often had difficulty understanding you, Theodora, but never more than right now. I don’t see what the question of how quickly you can travel through the Simil Valley has to do with how good you are. You’re not a hiker, at least not with these people and in this terrain. Too bad, but I always took you for a city girl anyway, tymon. . . . you’ll probably never be called on to do something like this again, and in the capital, who cares if you take shorter steps when you walk?”
I hadn’t thought of it that way. Still, it was easy for him to be polite about it – he hadn’t failed.
Then he was going on. “I know you have no reason to listen to me. I fell apart just when you needed me. When I found out I wasn’t going to have every move I made backed up by my family, I just gave up living. . . . Don’t think I haven’t thought about that every day since Tenshin –”
“Are you crazy?” I don’t know how long he would have gone on with that nonsense if I hadn’t stopped him.
You see. They’re both much harder on themselves than they are on each other, a very good sign in a developing relationship, wouldn’t you say?
Each book in this series goes on from the previous one with the same protagonists and supporting characters, but each is self-contained. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite from the three: all three are strong. I always enjoy the first book where you get to explore the world for the first time, but in this case I might pick the second, which hits some tropes that particularly appeal to me. The writing is good, the characters are delightful, and hey, even the covers are good!
March 22, 2015
I think I give this 2.5 stars of science-fiction-fantasy melding weirdness.
I liked reading this, but I honestly couldn't tell you what happened in anything but the broadest of terms. I don't know how much of my confusion is down to the author not really bothering to explain anything, or explaining using overly-flowery language that actively made it harder to understand a situation, and how much of it was down to the copy I read being a badly formatted ebook (which I borrowed off a friend and didn't know shouldn't exist until I logged in to Goodreads to mark it as "currently reading").
I think the thing that confused me the most in this book were the characters. I just never seemed to be able to understand their motivations or what they were thinking and feeling, even when they were actually describing them at the time. For example at one point fairly early on it seems to be implied that Ran and Theodora have sex, but it comes out of the blue because I wasn't aware either one of them desired the other in any way, then afterwards they go back to a kind of stand-offish business relationship with absolutely no mention of the possible sex ever again. In fact for large parts of the book I was pretty sure Theodora hated, or was at least frustrated by, Ran. I never knew what Ran felt.
This lack of emotional connection with the main characters meant that a lot of the time I didn't really like them. Ran spent a lot of time being a selfish arsehole who took Theodora for granted, and Theodora spent a lot of time whining and planning how to ditch Ran and get off world. I assume the author tried their best to make me care for them and their various dire predicaments, but I seemed to plateau at "detached interest".
The entire story came across as very old school, which isn't too surprising since it was originally published in 1989, but I find that quite comforting so it shouldn't be taken as a negative comment from me. I may not have really understood all the nuances contained within it, but it still managed to be entertaining along the way and the only mention of a nipple was when someone was being stabbed through the heart. Bonus.
I liked reading this, but I honestly couldn't tell you what happened in anything but the broadest of terms. I don't know how much of my confusion is down to the author not really bothering to explain anything, or explaining using overly-flowery language that actively made it harder to understand a situation, and how much of it was down to the copy I read being a badly formatted ebook (which I borrowed off a friend and didn't know shouldn't exist until I logged in to Goodreads to mark it as "currently reading").
I think the thing that confused me the most in this book were the characters. I just never seemed to be able to understand their motivations or what they were thinking and feeling, even when they were actually describing them at the time. For example at one point fairly early on it seems to be implied that Ran and Theodora have sex, but it comes out of the blue because I wasn't aware either one of them desired the other in any way, then afterwards they go back to a kind of stand-offish business relationship with absolutely no mention of the possible sex ever again. In fact for large parts of the book I was pretty sure Theodora hated, or was at least frustrated by, Ran. I never knew what Ran felt.
This lack of emotional connection with the main characters meant that a lot of the time I didn't really like them. Ran spent a lot of time being a selfish arsehole who took Theodora for granted, and Theodora spent a lot of time whining and planning how to ditch Ran and get off world. I assume the author tried their best to make me care for them and their various dire predicaments, but I seemed to plateau at "detached interest".
The entire story came across as very old school, which isn't too surprising since it was originally published in 1989, but I find that quite comforting so it shouldn't be taken as a negative comment from me. I may not have really understood all the nuances contained within it, but it still managed to be entertaining along the way and the only mention of a nipple was when someone was being stabbed through the heart. Bonus.
April 27, 2017
I really loved this book. It was an interesting blend of fantasy and scifi, with some excellent if non-invasive worldbuilding. Also, a touch of romance (just a tad) thrown in. I think this functions fine as a standalone, but there are two other Ivory books, so I'm curious to see what stories they hold.
June 5, 2019
3.5/5; 4 stars
This book was recommended to people looking for a space opera in the style of Lee and Miller.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the world building. Egan squeezed a lot of material into one book.
My only complaint would be the ending. It seemed like a few too many loose threads and vague descriptions of important points.
This book was recommended to people looking for a space opera in the style of Lee and Miller.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the world building. Egan squeezed a lot of material into one book.
My only complaint would be the ending. It seemed like a few too many loose threads and vague descriptions of important points.
July 15, 2011
This is a good book.
This is indeed a very good book.
I can't quite understand why it isn't more widely known. It definitely deserves more attention.
Theodora, a young woman keen on fables, legends and mythology, ends up stranded on the planet of Ivory - no money, no connections, no anything. She tries to get by, but Ivory isn't really healthy for foreigners; hell, it isn't even healthy for her natives, what with all the sorcery-only-works-here, murders-for-sport, addictive tea-that's-not-tea and competing aristocrats. Magic runs rampart and wreaks havoc in the hands of local aristocrats - especially in the handsome tanned hands of Ran Cormallon, the planet's sorcery ace.
Grandmothers, betrayal, a crackass narrator, helluva spellcasting, lots of assassinations, fires, bribery, a speck of zen plus a tiny bit of sex - what more can you want?
The storyline isn't really complicated, but that's not what truly matters here. This book's witty, the quips funny, the setting's quite original and freshly mixed, the characters likeable and smart - and that's actually the best word to describe this book. Smart. That's what stood out the most to me. None of the stuffy pseudo-intellectual artifice some authors like to use to seem more pseudo-sophisticated - only simple, common-sense smartness.
I especially liked the setting. Although you can see it is somewhat a mix of our Earth-cultures, you can never actually point a finger on just one. You know what I'm talking about - the frequent, big problem of many fantasy authors. If you just call it by a different name, it's... not different. A country called Gaerlan where everyone wears togas, the government is democratic, they keep slaves and males freely display homosexual tendencies while philosophing about the origins of the world is still... yep, the good ol' Greece. Not a speck of difference, right? You cannot just change the names, you need to mix things up! Add some of your own twists! Make it a little familiar... and then twist again. Otherwise, it's what? It's boring. At least for me. I don't want to read about this Earth world. If I wanted that, I'd read historical novels, crime stories, or... the newspaper. Not fantasy. I read fantasy because I want somewhere that's not here.
Doris Egan somehow managed just the right cultural mix. It's fresh. It's twisty.
The exact genre of this book is a little bit of a mystery. It's science-fantasy, that's for sure, but aside from that... It's not a romance, despite some relationship fun; it's not a thriller, despite considerable suspense; it's not a mystery, despite a... well... mystery. In short - it's everything that's good and fun about books. Hear it? Fun is the keyword here. Read the book. It's a light read with an unexpected impact.
This is indeed a very good book.
I can't quite understand why it isn't more widely known. It definitely deserves more attention.
Theodora, a young woman keen on fables, legends and mythology, ends up stranded on the planet of Ivory - no money, no connections, no anything. She tries to get by, but Ivory isn't really healthy for foreigners; hell, it isn't even healthy for her natives, what with all the sorcery-only-works-here, murders-for-sport, addictive tea-that's-not-tea and competing aristocrats. Magic runs rampart and wreaks havoc in the hands of local aristocrats - especially in the handsome tanned hands of Ran Cormallon, the planet's sorcery ace.
Grandmothers, betrayal, a crackass narrator, helluva spellcasting, lots of assassinations, fires, bribery, a speck of zen plus a tiny bit of sex - what more can you want?
The storyline isn't really complicated, but that's not what truly matters here. This book's witty, the quips funny, the setting's quite original and freshly mixed, the characters likeable and smart - and that's actually the best word to describe this book. Smart. That's what stood out the most to me. None of the stuffy pseudo-intellectual artifice some authors like to use to seem more pseudo-sophisticated - only simple, common-sense smartness.
I especially liked the setting. Although you can see it is somewhat a mix of our Earth-cultures, you can never actually point a finger on just one. You know what I'm talking about - the frequent, big problem of many fantasy authors. If you just call it by a different name, it's... not different. A country called Gaerlan where everyone wears togas, the government is democratic, they keep slaves and males freely display homosexual tendencies while philosophing about the origins of the world is still... yep, the good ol' Greece. Not a speck of difference, right? You cannot just change the names, you need to mix things up! Add some of your own twists! Make it a little familiar... and then twist again. Otherwise, it's what? It's boring. At least for me. I don't want to read about this Earth world. If I wanted that, I'd read historical novels, crime stories, or... the newspaper. Not fantasy. I read fantasy because I want somewhere that's not here.
Doris Egan somehow managed just the right cultural mix. It's fresh. It's twisty.
The exact genre of this book is a little bit of a mystery. It's science-fantasy, that's for sure, but aside from that... It's not a romance, despite some relationship fun; it's not a thriller, despite considerable suspense; it's not a mystery, despite a... well... mystery. In short - it's everything that's good and fun about books. Hear it? Fun is the keyword here. Read the book. It's a light read with an unexpected impact.
August 12, 2011
Strangely cozy, for a science fiction novel. Not so much about Big Ideas--I really liked how it focused on mundane things like baths or how to get a bank account or a job when you've lost all your regular support system. It just happens to be on a planet where there's magic, and the magic isn't especially mystical, it's just how things work, you know?
May 23, 2019
A blend of fantasy and sci-fi, this novel has computers, space travels, and magic, but magic dominates the story. Although I’m a fan of the genre, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would after reading the blurb. I didn’t like the characters and I wasn’t enamored of the world either.
The protagonist Theodora is a survivor. A scholar from the modern, technological, democratic planet Athena, stranded on a backward planet Ivory after a misadventure, she reads Tarot fortunes in a marketplace for a living and hopes one day to save enough money to buy a ticket off planet back to her home world.
When an aristocratic magician Ran hires her to read magical cards for him and offers her a very good salary, she grabs at the chance, even though she doesn’t really believe in magic and doesn’t trust aristocrats. They are all a bunch of murderous, lawless nobles, but money is good, and that’s all that matters.
That one decision plunges her into danger and mayhem, but she is still a survivor. She survives several attempts on her life, as she trails after Ran, a faithful employee that she is, and becomes a target for his enemies. She survives Ran’s disdain and arrogance – after all, in his eyes and the eyes of most Ivory natives, she is an outplanet barbarian. She saves Ran’s life, when he is betrayed by people he trusted. She even falls in love with her employer.
And through it all, she behaves like a doormat. She doesn’t have any goal of her own except to get off Ivory… maybe, hopefully, in a distant future. She takes everything Ran and his enemies dish out to her and keeps up her stupid, positive attitude. She doesn’t fight for her dignity. She doesn’t demand respect. I’m not even sure she respects herself.
So why should I respect her? Ran doesn’t. Neither do I. I dislike people with servant’s mentality, and that’s why I didn’t like Theodora. I didn’t like Ran either. He’s too full of himself. His aristocratic rights and privileges mean more to him than people’s lives. Than his own survival. Theodora is just another servant for him. He could put her life in peril without a second thought and assume she would blithely follow his orders. She always does. She is his tool. Very valuable, true, self-aware, and somewhat pretty, but without her own desires.
I read this book and I wanted to spit on both of them and say: “Really, Theodora? Wake up! He doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Think for yourself for one minute.”
I didn’t like the world of Ivory either. It’s not a democracy. It is a place where aristocrats and their money could buy lives, could buy anything. Where honesty and decency count for naught, when pitched against money. Where corruption is a way of life, and nobody heard of equal rights. Not too different from our own world, alas, just a little exaggerated. No, I didn’t like the world of this book at all.
The protagonist Theodora is a survivor. A scholar from the modern, technological, democratic planet Athena, stranded on a backward planet Ivory after a misadventure, she reads Tarot fortunes in a marketplace for a living and hopes one day to save enough money to buy a ticket off planet back to her home world.
When an aristocratic magician Ran hires her to read magical cards for him and offers her a very good salary, she grabs at the chance, even though she doesn’t really believe in magic and doesn’t trust aristocrats. They are all a bunch of murderous, lawless nobles, but money is good, and that’s all that matters.
That one decision plunges her into danger and mayhem, but she is still a survivor. She survives several attempts on her life, as she trails after Ran, a faithful employee that she is, and becomes a target for his enemies. She survives Ran’s disdain and arrogance – after all, in his eyes and the eyes of most Ivory natives, she is an outplanet barbarian. She saves Ran’s life, when he is betrayed by people he trusted. She even falls in love with her employer.
And through it all, she behaves like a doormat. She doesn’t have any goal of her own except to get off Ivory… maybe, hopefully, in a distant future. She takes everything Ran and his enemies dish out to her and keeps up her stupid, positive attitude. She doesn’t fight for her dignity. She doesn’t demand respect. I’m not even sure she respects herself.
So why should I respect her? Ran doesn’t. Neither do I. I dislike people with servant’s mentality, and that’s why I didn’t like Theodora. I didn’t like Ran either. He’s too full of himself. His aristocratic rights and privileges mean more to him than people’s lives. Than his own survival. Theodora is just another servant for him. He could put her life in peril without a second thought and assume she would blithely follow his orders. She always does. She is his tool. Very valuable, true, self-aware, and somewhat pretty, but without her own desires.
I read this book and I wanted to spit on both of them and say: “Really, Theodora? Wake up! He doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Think for yourself for one minute.”
I didn’t like the world of Ivory either. It’s not a democracy. It is a place where aristocrats and their money could buy lives, could buy anything. Where honesty and decency count for naught, when pitched against money. Where corruption is a way of life, and nobody heard of equal rights. Not too different from our own world, alas, just a little exaggerated. No, I didn’t like the world of this book at all.
September 30, 2014
I really enjoyed this story.
I've always enjoyed the "dump a person into a new world and see how they adapt to the crazy". And this book does it well. Theodora finds herself abandoned on the planet Ivory and she can barely scrape a living out of dealing tarot cards. But when a mysterious stranger comes to hire her to read his cards, she could not have imagined it would put her in the middle of a play for power of one of the great houses on this planet. But it is an offer she cannot refuse.
Theodora is great. She's not stupid, she's not ridiculous, and she actively tries do the right thing. I liked that she comes from a planet that lauds rational thinking above all else (Athena, like Athens naturally, right?). But then is slowly corrupted (or acclimatized) to the crazy of Ivory, where bribes are obvious, family is paramount, and murder is just a game. Oh yeah, and where sorcerers actually exist.
The world building is interesting because it's not the most in depth world I have seen. But for some reason, you can really get a feel for the people here. It's not so much a unique world, but a unique culture. Little things make this world. The frequent references to murder and power jockeying. I loved that she picked up something "native" like tinaje. The way she goes into collecting cultural stories and myths! That is absolutely genius. It gives a sense of the world while keeping her in character. It's probably why I like this book so much: it doesn't sacrifice world building for character, or vice versa.
My only complaint might be that Ran is not completely fleshed out. Since Theodora is the main character and we're reading it all in first person, I'm not surprised by her feelings. But I cannot say the same for Ran. His reactions and emotions can also be seen as purely business. But since this is only the first of the trilogy, there is much to be explored. So in that sense, this could be a potential strength, rather than a weakness.
And ah! The ending is just superbly done! It leaves it open to a bit of mystery, but such anticipation. Fantastic.
Four brilliant stars. Possibly even 4.5.
Highly recommended for people who like scifi with a touch of romance. Or a good female heroine done right.
I've always enjoyed the "dump a person into a new world and see how they adapt to the crazy". And this book does it well. Theodora finds herself abandoned on the planet Ivory and she can barely scrape a living out of dealing tarot cards. But when a mysterious stranger comes to hire her to read his cards, she could not have imagined it would put her in the middle of a play for power of one of the great houses on this planet. But it is an offer she cannot refuse.
Theodora is great. She's not stupid, she's not ridiculous, and she actively tries do the right thing. I liked that she comes from a planet that lauds rational thinking above all else (Athena, like Athens naturally, right?). But then is slowly corrupted (or acclimatized) to the crazy of Ivory, where bribes are obvious, family is paramount, and murder is just a game. Oh yeah, and where sorcerers actually exist.
The world building is interesting because it's not the most in depth world I have seen. But for some reason, you can really get a feel for the people here. It's not so much a unique world, but a unique culture. Little things make this world. The frequent references to murder and power jockeying. I loved that she picked up something "native" like tinaje. The way she goes into collecting cultural stories and myths! That is absolutely genius. It gives a sense of the world while keeping her in character. It's probably why I like this book so much: it doesn't sacrifice world building for character, or vice versa.
My only complaint might be that Ran is not completely fleshed out. Since Theodora is the main character and we're reading it all in first person, I'm not surprised by her feelings. But I cannot say the same for Ran. His reactions and emotions can also be seen as purely business. But since this is only the first of the trilogy, there is much to be explored. So in that sense, this could be a potential strength, rather than a weakness.
And ah! The ending is just superbly done! It leaves it open to a bit of mystery, but such anticipation. Fantastic.
Four brilliant stars. Possibly even 4.5.
Highly recommended for people who like scifi with a touch of romance. Or a good female heroine done right.
September 16, 2017
I enjoyed this one. Light, but not fluffy.
Theodora--product of a planet akin to a western democracy--is stranded in a planet akin to modern arabesque. Here where magic works (lightly, barely explained); where assassination is casual and normal; where technology is limited only to aircars and the Net.
She meets a handsome and rich scion of a wealthy family who is also a sorcerer for hire. Family politics ensue.
Somewhere in between fantasy and SF, with very subdued hint of romance.
The world is not particularly well-fleshed out (for example I cannot visualize how the planets look like; how far apart they are; any historical or current background; any interplanetary or even on-planet economies; or even the actual level of technology). However, individual places are well-described, and the characters exist solidly within them.
I like how Theo actively appreciates the good-looking men she sees all about her (like a real person!) without the trope of every single man somehow falling for her. Her realistic self-confident and awareness of her flaws and limitation is refreshing.
In general, the people described are fairly multi-dimensional, capable of being both crafty and kind, both sweet and murderous, both forthright and secretive, and have complicated relationships with one another.
It is also quite funny at bits.
A fun read. Recommended!
Theodora--product of a planet akin to a western democracy--is stranded in a planet akin to modern arabesque. Here where magic works (lightly, barely explained); where assassination is casual and normal; where technology is limited only to aircars and the Net.
She meets a handsome and rich scion of a wealthy family who is also a sorcerer for hire. Family politics ensue.
Somewhere in between fantasy and SF, with very subdued hint of romance.
The world is not particularly well-fleshed out (for example I cannot visualize how the planets look like; how far apart they are; any historical or current background; any interplanetary or even on-planet economies; or even the actual level of technology). However, individual places are well-described, and the characters exist solidly within them.
I like how Theo actively appreciates the good-looking men she sees all about her (like a real person!) without the trope of every single man somehow falling for her. Her realistic self-confident and awareness of her flaws and limitation is refreshing.
In general, the people described are fairly multi-dimensional, capable of being both crafty and kind, both sweet and murderous, both forthright and secretive, and have complicated relationships with one another.
It is also quite funny at bits.
A fun read. Recommended!
August 16, 2009
Disappointing. This book had been recommended to me highly, AND the main character is an anthropologist (I can't help it, I get excited when fictional characters have careers I might have picked), but there was in fact very little I liked about it.
It's a science fiction novel that feels like fantasy, given the high levels of technology in some areas (interplanetary vessels!) and low levels in others (no trains?), plus... magic works? I guess? The magical system has no real set of rules, and just didn't seem to add up to anything.
Which is a good general comment on the book: the world didn't seem to add up to anything, the plot didn't seem to add up to anything, the romance didn't seem to add up to anything. (The romance reminded me of nothing so much as that in Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel, which many of you know I am not a fan of.) I spent most of the book feeling perplexed, and not in a good way.
It's a science fiction novel that feels like fantasy, given the high levels of technology in some areas (interplanetary vessels!) and low levels in others (no trains?), plus... magic works? I guess? The magical system has no real set of rules, and just didn't seem to add up to anything.
Which is a good general comment on the book: the world didn't seem to add up to anything, the plot didn't seem to add up to anything, the romance didn't seem to add up to anything. (The romance reminded me of nothing so much as that in Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel, which many of you know I am not a fan of.) I spent most of the book feeling perplexed, and not in a good way.
January 17, 2009
I've read four copies of this to death. Wish she would go back to writing books instead of screenplays for TV. Sigh.
April 21, 2015
Why have I nevet heard of this book? Awesome. Loved it.
May 28, 2018
Theodora, an analytical, pragmatic young woman, is stranded on the corrupt and magical world of Ivoran. —aside: The 1980s really loved sci-fi/fantasy mashups, didn’t it?— It’ll take take years of telling fake fortunes in a touristy square in the capital to save up the money for a trip back to her life as a university student, but she’s not the sort to give up. Besides, what other choice does she have?
And when Ran Cormallon, the first of one of Ivoran’s most prestigious houses, offers her a job, she sees both the inherent danger and the shorter timeline of achieving her dreams. After weighing the two against each other, she accepts, and the book is off to the races.
The Gate of Ivory was a delight from beginning to end, and my favorite sort of reading experience: I devoured the book in days not because I felt like I was one page away from unraveling a mystery or putting some sordid plot to bed, but because I enjoyed reading it.
It was fun.
Most of this hinges on Theodora and her first-hand account of events. She’s logical and analytical, but she also doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she’s not above making a fool of herself when the need arises. She’s also loyal and caring, and despite being in a bad situation in which wallowing would be my first choice, she’s resilient as fuck. She’s larger-than-life in a way that still seems attainable. She’s neither a super-hero nor a damsel; she’s a woman. Doris Egan crushed it in Theodora’s characterization.
Even as I loved Theo, I admit I was a little nervous about her employment. There are too many predictable stories about poor young women thrown into an, essentially, aristocratic world. Thankfully everyone—literally everyone—bucks the expected trend.
Ran, Theo’s direct employer, isn’t an abusive twit. He’s a bit standoffish at first, relying on the decorum and manners standard on his world, but he clearly cares for Theo’s comfort and safety.
Kylla, Ran’s sister, isn’t a jealous, snooty bitch. She’s not threatened by the presence of another young woman in the family/company. In fact, she seems to enjoy the camaraderie.
Grandmother, the, uh, grandmother, isn’t scandalized that Ran brought a foreigner into the family/company. Instead, she goes out of her way to treat Theo graciously, and accepts her wholeheartedly.
And Eln, the black-sheep of the family and Ran’s brother, isn’t a misunderstood but gentle misfit with a heart of gold. He’s a person who is shitty at times and nice at other times.
Doesn’t that sound like a breath of fresh air?
Now imagine the story unfolding around these people, with Doris Egan’s deft writing. The dialogue is fun and smooth. The world is built up just enough to support Theo’s adventure, but doesn’t overwhelm the reader, and even though we don’t delve deep into the world, it’s clearly fleshed out.
(I should add that the story-telling feels more fantasy than sci-fi, and the world really is secondary to the characters and the plot. I think her world-building, though scant, is superb, but it isscant. If you’re wanting a hard sci-fi read, this isn’t going to scratch that itch.)
The pacing is unusual, with starts and stops and unexpected intervals, but each stop leaves us with new characters to meet and more ideas to explore. And though most of The Gate of Ivory is light and refreshing and fun, I vehemently disagree with reviews that refer to it as a ‘guilty pleasure.’ It’s by no means vapid or shallow. There’s a lot to chew on, but since the story is told from the point of view of practical, analytical Theo, the writing itself only digs in so far as she needs to to find comfort or closure. That still leaves plenty for the reader to linger over, though. And in addition to the big moments that I won’t touch on for fear of spoiling anything, there were more than a few revolutionary-feeling small moments, too.
The first is biological. Theo is schlepping about on a quest, and as I was following her I thought “convenient that folks in books never seem to get their periods,” and them *bam* Theo gets her period at an incredibly inconvenient moment. It’s not the end of the world, it’s not even really a plot-point, but it makes her day that much worse. I could feel that disgruntlement, that grumpy feeling of “of course I get my period right now. When else would I get it?”
It was such an honest moment, and a moment that could have easily been excluded, yet it was there. I’m not entirely sure why it made me so happy, but it did.
Another wholly-realistic-but-often-missing-from-fiction moment is when Theo finds herself alone with a man she doesn’t know. The man has done nothing wrong, and there’s no reason to suspect he means her any harm. Regardless, she’s a wee bit wary and curses herself for letting herself be drawn off, alone, with him. I hate that this is so realistic, but it is, and it’s conspicuously absent from a lot of fiction, unless the plot specifically hinges on the danger of this moment.
No, a woman being apprehensive and then the moment passing without incident isn’t a thing you often see in fiction, even though it’s a fairly constant thing in our lives. Women don’t think every man is a murderer or a rapist or a plain-old-creep who would use such an opportunity to hit on you so aggressively it scares you, but, well, it’d be stupid to assume that every man is harmless, too.
This next thing that felt amazing to me might be a spoiler. It doesn’t reveal the ending or give away any big plot points, but it does reveal the attitudes of some people even after shit hits the fan. Fair warning.
I want to say that The Gate of Ivory is the best book I’ve read for ForFemFan, but I don’t think that’s 100% honest. The Seven Citadels series, IMHO, is richer and deeper, and perhaps technically ‘better.’ The Seven Citadels made me sob, though, and I don’t really love subjecting myself to that sort of heart-wrenching realism.
So I think it’s better, and safer, to say that The Gate of Ivory is my favorite book so far, and I’ve read a lot of damn good books. I wish more novels followed this style and tone of story, and now I’m really torn between immediately diving into the next book in the series, or saving that delight for later.
[I read old fantasy and sci-fi novels written by women authors in search of forgotten gems. See more at forfemfan.com]
And when Ran Cormallon, the first of one of Ivoran’s most prestigious houses, offers her a job, she sees both the inherent danger and the shorter timeline of achieving her dreams. After weighing the two against each other, she accepts, and the book is off to the races.
The Gate of Ivory was a delight from beginning to end, and my favorite sort of reading experience: I devoured the book in days not because I felt like I was one page away from unraveling a mystery or putting some sordid plot to bed, but because I enjoyed reading it.
It was fun.
Most of this hinges on Theodora and her first-hand account of events. She’s logical and analytical, but she also doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she’s not above making a fool of herself when the need arises. She’s also loyal and caring, and despite being in a bad situation in which wallowing would be my first choice, she’s resilient as fuck. She’s larger-than-life in a way that still seems attainable. She’s neither a super-hero nor a damsel; she’s a woman. Doris Egan crushed it in Theodora’s characterization.
Even as I loved Theo, I admit I was a little nervous about her employment. There are too many predictable stories about poor young women thrown into an, essentially, aristocratic world. Thankfully everyone—literally everyone—bucks the expected trend.
Ran, Theo’s direct employer, isn’t an abusive twit. He’s a bit standoffish at first, relying on the decorum and manners standard on his world, but he clearly cares for Theo’s comfort and safety.
Kylla, Ran’s sister, isn’t a jealous, snooty bitch. She’s not threatened by the presence of another young woman in the family/company. In fact, she seems to enjoy the camaraderie.
Grandmother, the, uh, grandmother, isn’t scandalized that Ran brought a foreigner into the family/company. Instead, she goes out of her way to treat Theo graciously, and accepts her wholeheartedly.
And Eln, the black-sheep of the family and Ran’s brother, isn’t a misunderstood but gentle misfit with a heart of gold. He’s a person who is shitty at times and nice at other times.
Doesn’t that sound like a breath of fresh air?
Now imagine the story unfolding around these people, with Doris Egan’s deft writing. The dialogue is fun and smooth. The world is built up just enough to support Theo’s adventure, but doesn’t overwhelm the reader, and even though we don’t delve deep into the world, it’s clearly fleshed out.
(I should add that the story-telling feels more fantasy than sci-fi, and the world really is secondary to the characters and the plot. I think her world-building, though scant, is superb, but it isscant. If you’re wanting a hard sci-fi read, this isn’t going to scratch that itch.)
The pacing is unusual, with starts and stops and unexpected intervals, but each stop leaves us with new characters to meet and more ideas to explore. And though most of The Gate of Ivory is light and refreshing and fun, I vehemently disagree with reviews that refer to it as a ‘guilty pleasure.’ It’s by no means vapid or shallow. There’s a lot to chew on, but since the story is told from the point of view of practical, analytical Theo, the writing itself only digs in so far as she needs to to find comfort or closure. That still leaves plenty for the reader to linger over, though. And in addition to the big moments that I won’t touch on for fear of spoiling anything, there were more than a few revolutionary-feeling small moments, too.
The first is biological. Theo is schlepping about on a quest, and as I was following her I thought “convenient that folks in books never seem to get their periods,” and them *bam* Theo gets her period at an incredibly inconvenient moment. It’s not the end of the world, it’s not even really a plot-point, but it makes her day that much worse. I could feel that disgruntlement, that grumpy feeling of “of course I get my period right now. When else would I get it?”
It was such an honest moment, and a moment that could have easily been excluded, yet it was there. I’m not entirely sure why it made me so happy, but it did.
Another wholly-realistic-but-often-missing-from-fiction moment is when Theo finds herself alone with a man she doesn’t know. The man has done nothing wrong, and there’s no reason to suspect he means her any harm. Regardless, she’s a wee bit wary and curses herself for letting herself be drawn off, alone, with him. I hate that this is so realistic, but it is, and it’s conspicuously absent from a lot of fiction, unless the plot specifically hinges on the danger of this moment.
No, a woman being apprehensive and then the moment passing without incident isn’t a thing you often see in fiction, even though it’s a fairly constant thing in our lives. Women don’t think every man is a murderer or a rapist or a plain-old-creep who would use such an opportunity to hit on you so aggressively it scares you, but, well, it’d be stupid to assume that every man is harmless, too.
This next thing that felt amazing to me might be a spoiler. It doesn’t reveal the ending or give away any big plot points, but it does reveal the attitudes of some people even after shit hits the fan. Fair warning.
I want to say that The Gate of Ivory is the best book I’ve read for ForFemFan, but I don’t think that’s 100% honest. The Seven Citadels series, IMHO, is richer and deeper, and perhaps technically ‘better.’ The Seven Citadels made me sob, though, and I don’t really love subjecting myself to that sort of heart-wrenching realism.
So I think it’s better, and safer, to say that The Gate of Ivory is my favorite book so far, and I’ve read a lot of damn good books. I wish more novels followed this style and tone of story, and now I’m really torn between immediately diving into the next book in the series, or saving that delight for later.
[I read old fantasy and sci-fi novels written by women authors in search of forgotten gems. See more at forfemfan.com]
April 30, 2021
Very mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand, the set-up is intriguing, and the world-building interesting. I liked the mix of science and magic, which felt pretty original. The pace is on the slow side and the action a bit episodic, but I didn't mind that. I'm fine with leisurely, and some of the episodes I liked a fair bit (especially the time when Theo and Ran spent months in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere and she became a tinaje artist).
But on the other hand, there's the big problem that it felt like I was reading this through a thick veil. I never felt I really understood the characters. Many of their motivations remained a mystery. They would do things and I had no idea why or what they were trying to do. And of course, this lack of understanding led to no emotional connection. And similarly for the plot. I'm still not sure about what happened with certain things. I felt I understood only just enough to not abandon the book and I kept reading hoping that at the end everything would be explained. Nope, I'm still not sure.
So... meh. I'm not planning to read the rest of the series.
On one hand, the set-up is intriguing, and the world-building interesting. I liked the mix of science and magic, which felt pretty original. The pace is on the slow side and the action a bit episodic, but I didn't mind that. I'm fine with leisurely, and some of the episodes I liked a fair bit (especially the time when Theo and Ran spent months in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere and she became a tinaje artist).
But on the other hand, there's the big problem that it felt like I was reading this through a thick veil. I never felt I really understood the characters. Many of their motivations remained a mystery. They would do things and I had no idea why or what they were trying to do. And of course, this lack of understanding led to no emotional connection. And similarly for the plot. I'm still not sure about what happened with certain things. I felt I understood only just enough to not abandon the book and I kept reading hoping that at the end everything would be explained. Nope, I'm still not sure.
So... meh. I'm not planning to read the rest of the series.
March 31, 2020
The next in my great reread of the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown. This one didn't quite make it to a full five stars, but earned a very respectable 4.5 instead. I hardly remembered anything about this one, but thorughly enjoyed rereading it.
July 11, 2011
Pretty decent but not great. I actually wish it had grabbed me a lot more than it did, because it had some interesting things going on -- it came to my attention in a rec thread (I forget whose) asking for interplanetary magic-based fantasy. (Digresion: Come to think of it, every Star Wars product that doesn't mention "midichlorians" would count as that, right?) The main character does anthropology, there are smart thoughts about what an interplanetary economy could actually consist of, the culture is interesting and cool, there's the continuing mystery of what magic actually IS and why it only works on one planet. But it was kind of episodic and drifty, and like I said, it didn't grab. There are two sequels, but I think I'll give em a miss.
(Jo Walton liked it, though.)
(Jo Walton liked it, though.)
August 4, 2011
The Gate of Ivory, by Doris Egan, is a charming sci-fi novel (first in a series) that was recently recommended as a book with a strong female protagonist. Published in 1989, The Gate of Ivory is the first-person narrative of practical scholar Theodora of Pyrene, stranded on the universe's only magical planet after a sight-seeing trip goes awry. Theo spends the majority of the book trying to get off the world of Ivory, but events, in the form of sorcerer Ran Cormallon, keep interfering. The book isn't quite a romance, or an adventure, or even a straightforward world discovery story. Instead, it's a layered exploration of several characters, especially Theo, who comes to realize that she can make herself a place in the world rather than letting events dictate her situation.
January 20, 2015
Oof. So many disappointments lately, and this time I can't even blame the translation, because I read this in English. What went wrong? The premise seemed intriguing, the main character has a fun voice, all the reviews here on Goodreads were pretty good. I still don't know why, but I just couldn't get myself to care about the characters. Maybe it was the lack of a proper exposition, a chance to actually get to know the characters, because they all felt distant and not real enough for me. Maybe it was also the whole magic-and-science thing that I didn't feel was well dealt with. I guess it could be a good book for most people, but I just didn't care for it. Too bad, I really wanted to like it...
Read
June 15, 2011Gosh this was fun. Finished over the course of the in between bits of an otherwise awful day, so maybe the contrast helped. Its actually got quite a lot going on under the surface - theres tragically twisted family dynamics, some intrigue, a smidge of romance, all sorts of thematic stuff on culture, morality, loyalty, assimilation, etc, but its very minimally written (reminds me somewhat of Zelazny) - virtually no description or internal monologuing, and the plot is amazingly straightforward and pragmatic, so its mostly a fairly simply quasi coming of age adventure story with an unusually no-nonsense protagonist and remarkably likeable characters all around. Just fun.
August 9, 2014
I love this book and this series in general. I read it a while ago, though I still keep looking around for more books by this author, who seems to have found writing for television (series such as House) more lucrative. Damn her and damn capitalism! I want books!
I especially remember enjoying the witty dialogue and creative world-appropriate exclamations favored by the heroine. I must re-read and write a proper review.
I especially remember enjoying the witty dialogue and creative world-appropriate exclamations favored by the heroine. I must re-read and write a proper review.
July 24, 2011
I hardly remember when I read this book (luckily I found my 2008 book list, chronologically organized), but I remember the plot was not particularly interesting. Although, fragments have stuck with me, so I modified the star rating by +1 two years after initially writing this review. Something about magic and a "middle river" martial art. And poison tasting. Also spaceships.
May 13, 2010
at one time, this was one of my favorite books. I still take it out every decade or so and re-read it.
The author now is an executive producer and writer on House.
The author now is an executive producer and writer on House.
January 1, 2025
Characters are the beating heart of The Gate of Ivory; they’re what make this book stand out. Among the denizens of Goodreads, a common criticism is that the characters feel distant or flat.
With the utmost respect, I disagree. I suspect people are confusing subtlety with detachment. Doris Egan characters’ interactions are loaded with context clues and subtext, so if you’re used to obvious romance tropes—like characters blushing or avoiding each other’s gaze—you might overlook how masterfully she portrays two people growing closer. She doesn’t bash you over the head, that’s for sure. And it doesn’t help that the male lead, Ran, is stoic to the core, very much in the vein of Mr. Darcy.
Theodora, our narrator, is spunky, intelligent, daring, and capable. She’s got her flaws—she lacks physical endurance and has a temper—but these only make her more human and engaging. I adore how she interacts with the entire cast, from Ran to his family, and I especially love how her story begins—stranded on an alien planet, barely scraping by to earn a ticket back to her university. It’s such a compelling setup and kicks off the story perfectly.
I think this is where the book makes or breaks it for readers. You have to buy into Theodora and Ran for the story to work. Most science fiction hinges on a groundbreaking concept or what critic Darko Suvin calls a “novum.” This book flips that script, focusing instead on character dynamics and growth—Theodora’s relationships with Ran, his brother Eln, his grandmother, and his sister Kylla (love her) are at the center of everything. It’s subtle and builds in a mature and realistic fashion.
As for the worldbuilding, it’s a rare inversion of the usual science fantasy trends. Most books in the genre lean heavily on the science fiction side, bending over backward to explain magic through scientific principles—usually with some variation of Clarke’s infamous rule. But in The Gate of Ivory, magic simply exists. It’s confined to the planet Ivory and practiced by only a select few. Egan offers only the barest explanation for its origins, summed up in a brief, almost throwaway line: “Aliens. Maybe.” (Paraphrased, of course.)
It’s such an unapologetic approach, and I love it. This isn’t science fantasy. It’s fantasy science. It’ll catch on. I’m sure of it.
That said, the books has its flaws:
The pacing drags in the middle, where the main duo is forced to survive on their own. Theodora’s resourcefulness shines here, but I wanted their situation to feel more desperate, dire. Once Ran is back in action, he continues to hide information from Theodora, for her “protection” of course. It never felt like their survival was truly on the line, that they had to work together, and that was a missed opportunity.
Then there’s Theodora’s motivation. I would’ve loved for her to feel more tempted by Eln’s offers or even manipulate Ran a little. That would’ve added some drama and complexity to her arc. Instead, she rejects Eln’s offer outright, without any real struggle, which I assumed was because of falling for Ran. But I guess not because, by the end, she’s back to wanting to leave and does so without telling Ran. It just comes off as wishy-washy. I suspect Theodora had cold feet, but I wish this had been conveyed more clearly.
Overall, The Gate of Ivory is a solid, engaging novel. If you like nuanced characters, subtle romance, fantasy in a science fiction world, and a focus on personal growth over groundbreaking ideas, you’ll enjoy this one. It’s not perfect, but then again, not much is.
With the utmost respect, I disagree. I suspect people are confusing subtlety with detachment. Doris Egan characters’ interactions are loaded with context clues and subtext, so if you’re used to obvious romance tropes—like characters blushing or avoiding each other’s gaze—you might overlook how masterfully she portrays two people growing closer. She doesn’t bash you over the head, that’s for sure. And it doesn’t help that the male lead, Ran, is stoic to the core, very much in the vein of Mr. Darcy.
Theodora, our narrator, is spunky, intelligent, daring, and capable. She’s got her flaws—she lacks physical endurance and has a temper—but these only make her more human and engaging. I adore how she interacts with the entire cast, from Ran to his family, and I especially love how her story begins—stranded on an alien planet, barely scraping by to earn a ticket back to her university. It’s such a compelling setup and kicks off the story perfectly.
I think this is where the book makes or breaks it for readers. You have to buy into Theodora and Ran for the story to work. Most science fiction hinges on a groundbreaking concept or what critic Darko Suvin calls a “novum.” This book flips that script, focusing instead on character dynamics and growth—Theodora’s relationships with Ran, his brother Eln, his grandmother, and his sister Kylla (love her) are at the center of everything. It’s subtle and builds in a mature and realistic fashion.
As for the worldbuilding, it’s a rare inversion of the usual science fantasy trends. Most books in the genre lean heavily on the science fiction side, bending over backward to explain magic through scientific principles—usually with some variation of Clarke’s infamous rule. But in The Gate of Ivory, magic simply exists. It’s confined to the planet Ivory and practiced by only a select few. Egan offers only the barest explanation for its origins, summed up in a brief, almost throwaway line: “Aliens. Maybe.” (Paraphrased, of course.)
It’s such an unapologetic approach, and I love it. This isn’t science fantasy. It’s fantasy science. It’ll catch on. I’m sure of it.
That said, the books has its flaws:
The pacing drags in the middle, where the main duo is forced to survive on their own. Theodora’s resourcefulness shines here, but I wanted their situation to feel more desperate, dire. Once Ran is back in action, he continues to hide information from Theodora, for her “protection” of course. It never felt like their survival was truly on the line, that they had to work together, and that was a missed opportunity.
Then there’s Theodora’s motivation. I would’ve loved for her to feel more tempted by Eln’s offers or even manipulate Ran a little. That would’ve added some drama and complexity to her arc. Instead, she rejects Eln’s offer outright, without any real struggle, which I assumed was because of falling for Ran. But I guess not because, by the end, she’s back to wanting to leave and does so without telling Ran. It just comes off as wishy-washy. I suspect Theodora had cold feet, but I wish this had been conveyed more clearly.
Overall, The Gate of Ivory is a solid, engaging novel. If you like nuanced characters, subtle romance, fantasy in a science fiction world, and a focus on personal growth over groundbreaking ideas, you’ll enjoy this one. It’s not perfect, but then again, not much is.
December 9, 2021
I'm not sure you can guess from the cover of The Gate of Ivory what an engaging, fast-paced, and interesting story it truly is. The setting is far into the future, where humans are settled on multiple worlds and travel between them is expensive, but a common occurrence. When Theodora is robbed on vacation and stranded on the planet Ivory, she scrapes by reading tarot cards for strangers, until she meets Ran, a sorcerer and high ranking member of a well-regarded house, who needs her to read his magic tarot cards since he cannot read them himself. So starts a journey full of magic, kidnapping, rescues, flights, family politics, duels, all while learning about the planet's stories, traditions and culture. There's a lot going on here, and it's not a very skimmable story- I found myself backing up to reread certain paragraphs to make sure I had gotten everything.
Ran is a likeable enough character, but he plays everything very close to the chest, not letting Theo in on much in terms of plans or dangers. Theo is rather hard to get a read on at times, but she's certainly brave and intelligent, and very capable of surmounting most any hardship in the story without complaining much.
I only had a few issues here. The story, at points, becomes repetitive in nature, with Theo becoming kidnapped and Ran and his family rescuing her from her predicament. They were constantly dodging attacks and on the move, and it did become rather exhausting at times. Also, I couldn't determine what Ran and Theo's relationship actually was. They spent the night together once, but then treated each other like strangers. She would risk her life for him and he wouldn't show much emotion. They'd randomly kiss without warning, after I was sure they weren't together. And they never talked about it. It was rather confusing. I don't need a label for what they had necessarily, but it was difficult as a reader to expect what either would do in a certain situation regarding their relationship. There were also a ridiculous amount of Cormallon family members that I had trouble keeping track of at times. Had we met this person before? How high ranking are they? Are they important? I just gave up and went with it, hoping the story would clue me in. It did, but I would have appreciated a list of characters in the back of the book.
On the whole, the story was unique and unexpected, and I truly enjoyed it. Sometimes the older fantasy and sci-fi novels are still great- and this one is a good example.
Ran is a likeable enough character, but he plays everything very close to the chest, not letting Theo in on much in terms of plans or dangers. Theo is rather hard to get a read on at times, but she's certainly brave and intelligent, and very capable of surmounting most any hardship in the story without complaining much.
I only had a few issues here. The story, at points, becomes repetitive in nature, with Theo becoming kidnapped and Ran and his family rescuing her from her predicament. They were constantly dodging attacks and on the move, and it did become rather exhausting at times. Also, I couldn't determine what Ran and Theo's relationship actually was. They spent the night together once, but then treated each other like strangers. She would risk her life for him and he wouldn't show much emotion. They'd randomly kiss without warning, after I was sure they weren't together. And they never talked about it. It was rather confusing. I don't need a label for what they had necessarily, but it was difficult as a reader to expect what either would do in a certain situation regarding their relationship. There were also a ridiculous amount of Cormallon family members that I had trouble keeping track of at times. Had we met this person before? How high ranking are they? Are they important? I just gave up and went with it, hoping the story would clue me in. It did, but I would have appreciated a list of characters in the back of the book.
On the whole, the story was unique and unexpected, and I truly enjoyed it. Sometimes the older fantasy and sci-fi novels are still great- and this one is a good example.
August 18, 2019
Theodora of Pyrene, an anthropology student with a particular interest in folklore and mythology, is stranded on Ivory after being attacked and robbed. It's a dangerous and exotic place that isn't particularly kind to foreigners. It's also the only place in the known universe where magic works. As she struggles with her plight Theodora tries her hand at fortune telling in a marketplace in order to accrue the funds needed to get home. She meets Ran Cormallon, one of the most powerful sorcerers on the planet with equally powerful enemies looking to seize his power. Trouble follows.
The story picks up just before Theodora and Ran meet and is a first-person retelling of ensuing events from Theodora's perspective. This structure works against the book in some ways because we know Theodora's ultimate fate so certain scenes can be robbed of their tension. On the other hand some of Theodora’s portentous declarations can heighten the suspense and tension sufficiently to propel you through chapters as you rush to find out exactly what she meant by them.
It's a more than worthwhile trade in the end as the author has a wonderful voice for Theodora. She is a strong female character who is smart, witty and loyal to a fault. A charming and likable protagonist to spend an entire novel with. Ran, fairly likable in his own right, has a fantastic repartee with Theodora which adds to the charm. Even the villain of the piece is kind of likable. The further out you get from this trio the less attention the characters receive. It works in this case as it’s a fairly personal story rather than epic in scope.
The genre is hard to pin down. It’s a science-fantasy with a mix of mystery, thriller and romantic sensibilities without ever focusing too heavily on any one element. There’s some terrific worldbuilding with a heavy focus on Ivorian culture and magic, the fantasy half of the combination, with some mentions of outlandish technology from other worlds such as Tellys that have a stranglehold on it, to round out the science half of the story. There's definitely a greater focus on the fantasy though. It’s generally a light-hearted and fun, low-stakes story punctuated with moments of sadness and despair. I’ve seen it described variously as delightful, enjoyable, fun and absorbing. I’d agree with all of those.
Highly recommended for those looking for a charming, low-stakes and personal story that works well as a standalone (even though it’s the start of a trilogy). I’m reminded of A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. Fans of that book and series may find something to suit their tastes here.
The story picks up just before Theodora and Ran meet and is a first-person retelling of ensuing events from Theodora's perspective. This structure works against the book in some ways because we know Theodora's ultimate fate so certain scenes can be robbed of their tension. On the other hand some of Theodora’s portentous declarations can heighten the suspense and tension sufficiently to propel you through chapters as you rush to find out exactly what she meant by them.
It's a more than worthwhile trade in the end as the author has a wonderful voice for Theodora. She is a strong female character who is smart, witty and loyal to a fault. A charming and likable protagonist to spend an entire novel with. Ran, fairly likable in his own right, has a fantastic repartee with Theodora which adds to the charm. Even the villain of the piece is kind of likable. The further out you get from this trio the less attention the characters receive. It works in this case as it’s a fairly personal story rather than epic in scope.
The genre is hard to pin down. It’s a science-fantasy with a mix of mystery, thriller and romantic sensibilities without ever focusing too heavily on any one element. There’s some terrific worldbuilding with a heavy focus on Ivorian culture and magic, the fantasy half of the combination, with some mentions of outlandish technology from other worlds such as Tellys that have a stranglehold on it, to round out the science half of the story. There's definitely a greater focus on the fantasy though. It’s generally a light-hearted and fun, low-stakes story punctuated with moments of sadness and despair. I’ve seen it described variously as delightful, enjoyable, fun and absorbing. I’d agree with all of those.
Highly recommended for those looking for a charming, low-stakes and personal story that works well as a standalone (even though it’s the start of a trilogy). I’m reminded of A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. Fans of that book and series may find something to suit their tastes here.
June 21, 2018
An exceptional blending of fantasy and sci-fi with fresh concepts. Characters are well developed, to the point where you can feel for the antagonist.
The story is about an academic who was left behind on a corrupt planet during a research trip. It is the only planet where magic exists, though she believes it to just be tricks, at first.
The protagonist, Theo, has a strong voice, as is showcased by this paragraph from page 42:
Doris Egan handles Theo's foreign-ness fantastically, revealing bits of the various cultures on Ivory.
The only mystery that remains is how a magical artifact from an old man works. It appears Theo understood it well, but its rules were either not disclosed or I missed it during my reading. I also had a hard time grasping the extent of their magic through the first half of the book, but it was a minor distraction.
I wish more books followed the format used in The Gate of Ivory. The focus on character and culture development, alongside an exceptional plot that kept me guessing until the end, was top-notch.
The story is about an academic who was left behind on a corrupt planet during a research trip. It is the only planet where magic exists, though she believes it to just be tricks, at first.
The protagonist, Theo, has a strong voice, as is showcased by this paragraph from page 42:
Well, there was the gallery-whatever that was-and the library. There was also the bath, but I didn't feel like stripping in front of people I didn't know. Especially since sitting with Kylla just now had reminded me of what a comparative ugly duckling I was around here. That's what I would leave Ivory with: an inferiority complex, and chronic back pain. Why were there so few chairs on this damned planet? For the moment my worries about money, dealing with corrupt officials, and murderous aristocrats paled before these two considerations.
Doris Egan handles Theo's foreign-ness fantastically, revealing bits of the various cultures on Ivory.
The only mystery that remains is how a magical artifact from an old man works. It appears Theo understood it well, but its rules were either not disclosed or I missed it during my reading. I also had a hard time grasping the extent of their magic through the first half of the book, but it was a minor distraction.
I wish more books followed the format used in The Gate of Ivory. The focus on character and culture development, alongside an exceptional plot that kept me guessing until the end, was top-notch.
April 7, 2024
This book was an interesting one indeed. Generally I don't much care for scifi when it's mixed with fantasy, and this book felt like it was more scifi than fantasy. The blurb was intriguing if also very noncommittal. It was like someone handed me a rock with something purple on it poking out from a crack. For some reason something nagged at me that this book was a very good one with a lot of potential. Thank goodness I listened to that little voice and cracked open that rock because it was a geode of fantastic.
So the story starts off pretty run of the mill; woman is stranded on a strange planet in a strange culture. A person of money and power finds her and hires her in hopes of funding her way back home.
What we end up getting is a tale of independence challenged and preserved, personality and so many twists. At one point we end up stranded (again) somewhere else on the planet and travelling/running basically for their lives. The powerhouse becomes dead weight. We meet people that the reader distrusts but are in no ways so two-dimensional.
For (in my opinion) such a short novel, so much happens!
My only minor nit-pick was the culmination with the 'bad guy', to me it feels rushed in how it begins and how it ends. Do like how the author made it so easy to sympathize with the 'bad guy' though.
That ending, like many here who have reviewed was pretty great. It made me laugh as I'd hoped it would end the way it did.
Unfortunately the physical books are not easily obtained, but that hasn't stopped me. Book 2 and 3 have been acquired and I'm hoping that they are just as good as this one. Also, Richard Hescox's art is just fantastic.
So the story starts off pretty run of the mill; woman is stranded on a strange planet in a strange culture. A person of money and power finds her and hires her in hopes of funding her way back home.
What we end up getting is a tale of independence challenged and preserved, personality and so many twists. At one point we end up stranded (again) somewhere else on the planet and travelling/running basically for their lives. The powerhouse becomes dead weight. We meet people that the reader distrusts but are in no ways so two-dimensional.
For (in my opinion) such a short novel, so much happens!
My only minor nit-pick was the culmination with the 'bad guy', to me it feels rushed in how it begins and how it ends. Do like how the author made it so easy to sympathize with the 'bad guy' though.
That ending, like many here who have reviewed was pretty great. It made me laugh as I'd hoped it would end the way it did.
Unfortunately the physical books are not easily obtained, but that hasn't stopped me. Book 2 and 3 have been acquired and I'm hoping that they are just as good as this one. Also, Richard Hescox's art is just fantastic.
January 18, 2022
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I expected it to be Indiana Jones-esque pulp adventure but it's actually a thoughtful, smartly-written fish out of water story about a young woman who finds herself stuck in a culture very different from her own and needs to learn to adapt and thrive in her new environment. I love this kind of story, and Doris Egan handles it so deftly. She manages to weave the cultural details into the narrative in such a way that feels seamless. It was a pleasure to read about everything from local martial arts to cuisine to expectations about social etiquette and politeness. It's no coincidence that the protagonist, Theo, is an anthropologist by training.
Speaking of Theo, she may be one of my favourite protagonists in a long time. She's got such a strong, intelligent, introspective voice. I loved reading her observations of other characters and the society she's found herself in. I also liked how she was clearly the one telling this story, and focusing and unfocusing on certain events as she saw fit. This is most clear in the romance, which is my favourite kind of romance because it's such an important part of the characters' feelings and motivations but is relatively de-emphasized on the page.
I could go on but tl;dr this is a genuine hidden gem and I'm so glad I found it. And there's two more!
Speaking of Theo, she may be one of my favourite protagonists in a long time. She's got such a strong, intelligent, introspective voice. I loved reading her observations of other characters and the society she's found herself in. I also liked how she was clearly the one telling this story, and focusing and unfocusing on certain events as she saw fit. This is most clear in the romance, which is my favourite kind of romance because it's such an important part of the characters' feelings and motivations but is relatively de-emphasized on the page.
I could go on but tl;dr this is a genuine hidden gem and I'm so glad I found it. And there's two more!
January 9, 2018
Maybe it was because I did not know anything about this book or the author before reading, this book was a big surprise. I have got it as a present from a book-store, when I ordered another book. So I leisurely opened the book and started reading. The translation was not to my mother language, but to the language that is very similar to ours so beside several words that I could not understand, it was fine. But back to the story.
Author created a world that is not only magical, but practical and somehow you can really imagine such world existing. This book, is more science-fictional than fantastic, although the magic is there. The main character Theodora is one of the strongest and best female characters in books. She is strong-willed and very reasonable throughout the whole story.
I can't wait for the next book.
Author created a world that is not only magical, but practical and somehow you can really imagine such world existing. This book, is more science-fictional than fantastic, although the magic is there. The main character Theodora is one of the strongest and best female characters in books. She is strong-willed and very reasonable throughout the whole story.
I can't wait for the next book.
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