Ian Irvine
Encyclopedia
Ian Irvine is an Australia
n fantasy
and eco-thriller author and marine scientist. To date Irvine has written 27 novels, including fantasy, eco-thrillers and books for children. He has had books published in at least 12 countries and continues to write full-time.
, New South Wales
, Australia
, in 1950. He was educated at Chevalier College
and the University of Sydney
where he received a PhD
in marine science, studying the management of contaminated sediments.
Setting up his own environmental consulting firm in 1986, Irvine has worked in many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including
Australia
, Indonesia
, Singapore
, Philippines
, South Korea
, Papua-New Guinea, Mauritius
, Bali
, Fiji
and Western Samoa. During the course of his career he played a role in developing Australia's national guidelines for protection of the oceanic environment and still works in this field. He was the principal author of Australia’s National Environmental Assessment Guidelines for Dredging, 2009.
During 1987 Irvine began writing the first in his The View from the Mirror
series. He continued working full time as an environmental scientist and so wrote the series in his spare time. The first book in the series was published in 1998 and since this time Irvine has been a full time author, although he still undertakes some environmental consulting work when he has time.
Irvine is married with four grown-up children and lives in the mountains of northern New South Wales.
, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany
, Russia
, Netherlands
, Bulgaria
, Greece
, Poland
, Czech Republic
, Turkey
and South Korea
.
Books for older readers
Irvine's most popular series is the Three Worlds fantasy series, comprising The View from the Mirror
, The Well of Echoes
and The Song of the Tears and selling over a million copies worldwide. The series comprises eleven currently published books set on the three linked worlds of Santhenar, Aachan and Tallallame. The cycle details the struggle for survival between four human species: old humans, Aachim, Faellem and Charon. The View from the Mirror series has also been published in audio book
format.
Irvine's eco-thriller trilogy The Human Rites Trilogy explores a world undergoing catastrophic climate change. They are set a little way in Earth's future and shows the impact climate change is having on politics, the economy and life in general. The series was originally published between 2000 and 2003, and many of the events described in the books (such as the destruction of New Orleans by a huge hurricane) have since come true. A revised and updated edition of the Human Rites trilogy was published in Australia between 2008 and 2010.
Irvine has written two novellas. Poisoned Chalice was published in Mystery, Magic, Voodoo and the Holy Grail (2000), and Tribute to Hell was published in Legends of Australian Fantasy in 2010.
In addition to fantasy fiction Irvine has also written a number of other works including The Truth About Publishing and The Art and Science of Book Promotion which both 'tell it like it is' about being a successful author.
Books for children
Irvine published 11 books for adults before he began his first children's series, Runcible Jones, in 2006. The series comprises four books for children aged 10 and up. His second children's series, The Sorcerer's Tower, is a quartet of short books for younger readers (from around eight years and up) and was published in 2008 and illustrated in black and white by Australian artist and fantasy novelist D. M. Cornish
. This was followed by the Grim and Grimmer quartet of humorous fantasy novels (2010 and 2011).
Many of Irvine's books (for both children and adults) are now available as ebooks.
Irvine has also produced "book trailers" (similar to movie trailers) for a number of his children's and adults books and has placed them on YouTube.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and eco-thriller author and marine scientist. To date Irvine has written 27 novels, including fantasy, eco-thrillers and books for children. He has had books published in at least 12 countries and continues to write full-time.
Career
Irvine was born in BathurstBathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in 1950. He was educated at Chevalier College
Chevalier College
Chevalier College is a Catholic co-educational school in Bowral, New South Wales conducted by the priests and brothers of the international religious order, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart...
and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
where he received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in marine science, studying the management of contaminated sediments.
Setting up his own environmental consulting firm in 1986, Irvine has worked in many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Papua-New Guinea, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Western Samoa. During the course of his career he played a role in developing Australia's national guidelines for protection of the oceanic environment and still works in this field. He was the principal author of Australia’s National Environmental Assessment Guidelines for Dredging, 2009.
During 1987 Irvine began writing the first in his The View from the Mirror
The View from the Mirror
The View from the Mirror is the first quartet in Ian Irvine's bestselling The Three Worlds Cycle series.-Titles:The View from the Mirror consists of four books:*A Shadow on the Glass*The Tower on the Rift*Dark is the Moon...
series. He continued working full time as an environmental scientist and so wrote the series in his spare time. The first book in the series was published in 1998 and since this time Irvine has been a full time author, although he still undertakes some environmental consulting work when he has time.
Irvine is married with four grown-up children and lives in the mountains of northern New South Wales.
Writing
To date Irvine has written 27 novels, including fantasy, eco-thrillers and books for children. He has had books published in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Books for older readers
Irvine's most popular series is the Three Worlds fantasy series, comprising The View from the Mirror
The View from the Mirror
The View from the Mirror is the first quartet in Ian Irvine's bestselling The Three Worlds Cycle series.-Titles:The View from the Mirror consists of four books:*A Shadow on the Glass*The Tower on the Rift*Dark is the Moon...
, The Well of Echoes
The Well of Echoes
The Well of Echoes is a quartet of novels written by Ian Irvine and is the second arc of The Three Worlds Cycle series.-Titles:The Well of Echoes consists of four books:*Geomancer*Tetrarch*Scrutator / Alchymist...
and The Song of the Tears and selling over a million copies worldwide. The series comprises eleven currently published books set on the three linked worlds of Santhenar, Aachan and Tallallame. The cycle details the struggle for survival between four human species: old humans, Aachim, Faellem and Charon. The View from the Mirror series has also been published in audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
format.
Irvine's eco-thriller trilogy The Human Rites Trilogy explores a world undergoing catastrophic climate change. They are set a little way in Earth's future and shows the impact climate change is having on politics, the economy and life in general. The series was originally published between 2000 and 2003, and many of the events described in the books (such as the destruction of New Orleans by a huge hurricane) have since come true. A revised and updated edition of the Human Rites trilogy was published in Australia between 2008 and 2010.
Irvine has written two novellas. Poisoned Chalice was published in Mystery, Magic, Voodoo and the Holy Grail (2000), and Tribute to Hell was published in Legends of Australian Fantasy in 2010.
In addition to fantasy fiction Irvine has also written a number of other works including The Truth About Publishing and The Art and Science of Book Promotion which both 'tell it like it is' about being a successful author.
Books for children
Irvine published 11 books for adults before he began his first children's series, Runcible Jones, in 2006. The series comprises four books for children aged 10 and up. His second children's series, The Sorcerer's Tower, is a quartet of short books for younger readers (from around eight years and up) and was published in 2008 and illustrated in black and white by Australian artist and fantasy novelist D. M. Cornish
D. M. Cornish
David M. Cornish is a fantasy author and illustrator from Adelaide, South Australia. His first book is Foundling, the first part of the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy. The second book named Lamplighter was released in May 2008...
. This was followed by the Grim and Grimmer quartet of humorous fantasy novels (2010 and 2011).
Many of Irvine's books (for both children and adults) are now available as ebooks.
Irvine has also produced "book trailers" (similar to movie trailers) for a number of his children's and adults books and has placed them on YouTube.
Three Worlds Cycle series
For adult and young adult readers.- The View from the Mirror QuartetThe View from the MirrorThe View from the Mirror is the first quartet in Ian Irvine's bestselling The Three Worlds Cycle series.-Titles:The View from the Mirror consists of four books:*A Shadow on the Glass*The Tower on the Rift*Dark is the Moon...
- A Shadow on the GlassA Shadow on the GlassA Shadow on the Glass is the first novel in The View from the Mirror quartet. The author is Ian Irvine, an Australian writer of fantasy and eco-thriller novels....
(1998) - The Tower on the RiftThe Tower on the RiftThe Tower on the Rift is the second novel in The View from the Mirror quartet, by Ian Irvine.- Official Synopsis:War rages across Santhenar as its powerful forces pursue the Mirror of Aachan. A desperate Tensor, leader of the Aachim people, flees with it into the wilderness, taking the brilliant...
(1998) - Dark is the MoonDark is the MoonDark is the Moon is the third novel in The View from the Mirror quartet, by Ian Irvine.- Official Synopsis :Volume 3 of the acclaimed The View from the Mirror quartet continues the action begun in A Shadow on the Glass and The Tower on the Rift. Rulke the Great Betrayer is free at last to use the...
(1999) - The Way Between the WorldsThe Way Between the WorldsThe Way Between the Worlds is the fourth novel in The View from the Mirror quartet, by Ian Irvine.- Official Synopsis :There is a dark full moon one mid-winter's day. The foretelling has come to pass. Rulke the Charon is unstoppable now. Karan is held captive in desolate Carcharan tower. Rulke...
(1999)
- A Shadow on the Glass
- The Well of Echoes QuartetThe Well of EchoesThe Well of Echoes is a quartet of novels written by Ian Irvine and is the second arc of The Three Worlds Cycle series.-Titles:The Well of Echoes consists of four books:*Geomancer*Tetrarch*Scrutator / Alchymist...
- GeomancerGeomancer (Well of Echoes)Geomancer is the first book of the The Well of Echoes quartet, written by Ian Irvine. It is set on the world of Santhenar, 200 years after the events of The View from the Mirror series. The old humans of Santhenar are engaged in a war against the Lyrinx, a monstrous humanoid race that emerged from...
(2001) - TetrarchTetrarch (Well of Echoes)Tetrarch is the second novel in Ian Irvine's The Well of Echoes quartet.- Plot summary:Tiaan wanders the ancient, abandoned city of Tirthrax aimlessly. She still clutches the dead body of her adopted-sister, Haani, who was killed by a nervous Aachim shooter...
(2002) - ScrutatorScrutatorScrutator is the third book in Ian Irvine's The Well of Echoes quartet. It is named Alchymist in the UK and Canada.- Official Synopsis :...
/ Alchymist (U.K. title) (2003) - ChimaeraChimaera (Well of Echoes)Chimaera is the fourth and final book in Ian Irvine's The Well of Echoes quartet.- Official Synopsis :All resistance has been crushed. In a few minutes of overwhelming violence the Council's air-dreadnought fleet has destroyed Fiz Gorgo's defences...
(2004)
- Geomancer
- The Song of the Tears Trilogy
- Torments of the Traitor / The Fate of the Fallen (U.K. title) (2006)
- The Curse on the ChosenThe Curse on the ChosenThe Curse on the Chosen is the second book in Ian Irvine's The Song of the Tears trilogy.- Official Synopsis :The allies are trapped on Mistmurk Mountain and the God-Emperor guards every way of escape...
(2007) - The Destiny of the DeadThe Destiny of the DeadThe Destiny of the Dead is the third book in Ian Irvine's The Song of the Tears trilogy.It is broken up in three parts over 3 main areas, the Battle at the Range of Ruins, the search for the White-Ice Fire and the Last Battle....
(January 2008)
Human Rites Trilogy
For adult readers.- The Last AlbatrossThe Last AlbatrossThe Last Albatross is the first book in Ian Irvine's Eco-thriller titles, set in 2010. It depicts what our world might be like in a few years time, focusing on environmental depletion and cultural degeneration. There is a large emphasis on green cults and terrorists, as well as a love story.-...
(2000, revised 2008) - Terminator GeneTerminator GeneTerminator Gene is the second book in Ian Irvine's Eco-thriller titles. Set after The Last Albatross, this is the story of Jemma Hardey's daughter. This book is due to be re-released as a revised edition in September 2009.-Plot:...
(2003, revised 2009) - The Life LotteryThe Life LotteryThe Life Lottery, a futuristic eco-thriller, is the final book in Ian Irvine's Human Rites Sequence, set after the events in Terminator Gene, it is also only published in Australia and currently out of print, but will be re-released as a revised edition in March 2010.- Titles of the Human Rites...
(2004, revised 2010)
Runcible Jones Quartet
- Runcible Jones: The Gate to NowhereRuncible Jones: The Gate to NowhereRuncible Jones: The Gate to Nowhere is the first novel of the Runcible Jones Quintet featuring the magical adventures of Runcible Jones and his fey friend Mariam Orpiment, written by the author Ian Irvine.- Plot summary:...
(2006) - Runcible Jones: The Buried CityRuncible Jones: The Buried CityRuncible Jones: The Buried City is the second novel of the Runcible Jones Quintet featuring the magical adventures of Runcible Jones and his fey friend Mariam Orpiment, written by the author Ian Irvine.-Plot summary :...
(2007) - Runcible Jones: The Frozen CompassRuncible Jones: The Frozen CompassRuncible Jones and the Frozen Compass is a young adult fantasy novel by Ian Irvine, published in 2008....
(2008) - Runcible Jones: The Backwards Hourglass (2010)
Sorcerer's Tower Quartet
For younger readers aged 8 to 11.- Thorn CastleThorn CastleThorn Castle is a children's book written by Ian Irvine, the first part of The Sorcerer's Tower four part series. Each book is a short story which builds on the last, allowing the book to be read by younger readers -Blurb:...
(2008) - Giant's Lair (2008)
- Black Crypt (2008)
- Wizardry Crag (2008)
Grim and Grimmer quartet
For younger readers aged 9 to 15.- The Headless Highwayman (2010)
- The Grasping Goblin (2010)
- The Desperate Dwarf (2011)
- The Calamitous Queen (2011)
The Tainted Realm trilogy
Epic fantasy for adult and young adult readers.- Vengeance (November 2011, Australia. April 2012, UK and US)
- Rebellion (late 2012, Australia, UK and US)
- Justice (early 2013, Australia, UK and US)
Other writings
- Novella, Poisoned Chalice, in Mystery, Magic, Voodoo and the Holy Grail, Harper-Collins, 2000.
- Article, The Truth About Publishing, 2005.
- Chapter, The Art & Science of Book Promotion in The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, Dragon Moon Press, Canada, 2007.
- Chapter, How the Inheritance Series Differs from Previous Fantasy Epics, in Secrets of the Dragon Riders, Your favourite authors on Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Series. Borders Exclusives, Ben Bella Books, Austin, Tx, August 2008.
- Introduction to A Bid for Fortune or Dr. Nikola's Vendetta, by Guy Boothby. Classic Australian SF Series, Chimaera Publications, September 2010.
- Essay on V for Vendetta, in Cinema Futura (essays on 50 SF movies), PS Publishing, UK, Sept 2010.
Unpublished titles
The Three Worlds series will continue with a trilogy entitled The Fate of the Children, which is yet to be written. It chronicles the story of the children of both Karan and Maigraith after the end of The View From The Mirror.Awards, honourable mentions, listings
- A Shadow on the Glass. Shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, best fantasy novel (1998). Listed in ScienceFiction.com’s Best of 2001 (US edition).
- The Tower on the Rift. Listed in Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Books of 1998. Listed in ScienceFiction.com’s Best of 2001 (US edition).
- The Last Albatross. Listed in The Australian’s Best of Summer Reading (2000).
- Terminator Gene. Shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, best SF Novel (2003).
- Scrutator. Honourable Mention, Aurealis Award, best fantasy novel (2003). Listed in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Books of 2003.
- Chimaera. Listed in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Books of 2004.
- The Art & Science of Book Promotion. Chapter, The Art & Science of Book Promotion in The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, Dragon Moon Press, Canada, 2007. Winner of the 2007 Eppie Award, best non-fiction book.
- The Sorcerer’s Tower. Shortlisted for the 2008 Aurealis AwardAurealis AwardAurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction is an annual literary award for Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. Only Australians are eligible for the award.-History:...
for best children’s novel.