Review: The Rift Walker

The Rift Walker
Clay & Susan Griffith
Steampunk
Vampire Empire Trilogy/Book 2
Prometheus/September 20, 2011

*Spoilers for Book 1*

Princess Adele abandons duty and embarks on a desperate quest to keep her nation from genocide as the Equatorian Empire and American Republic strategize plans for victory against the vampire clans of the north.  Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, Senator Clark. With the human alliance in disarray, Prince Cesare, lord of the British vampire clan, strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.

As Adele fights to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. If she could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires.  But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar.

A captivating mix of high adventure and alternate history, the Vampire Empire trilogy brings epic political themes to life withing a tale of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.

The second book in this vampire steampunk trilogy gives the reader more insight to the world of the vampires and the humans.  We see how the vampires think of humans as cattle, much in the same way humans of today view animals - as a food source.  This is shown in graphic detail not only with the feeding from but the hunting of the humans.  Hunting is a sport to relieve boredom with the added bonus of a meal at the end.  This isn't always an easy read but brutal at times.

Princess Adele, recovered from her dangerous adventures in the north, now faces her wedding to the arrogant, overbearing Senator Clark.  Clark sees Adele as a means to an end, a way for him to become Emperor rather than a wife to cherish.  Adele knows this, loathes Clark but doesn't see a way out of the marriage.  She does try to discuss the situation with her father but it leads nowhere.  You can't help feel sorry for Adele but that doesn't last long because Adele is a strong heroine and part of that strength lies in her ability to see beyond the surface and believe in her own powers.

Greyfriar is a fascinating hero.  He goes against his basic instincts of a vampire and instead treats humans as more than just a meal on two legs.  He lives in the north, pretending to be the weaker of the two heirs to the British throne when all along he is just as cunning and intelligent, perhaps more so, than his brother Cesare.   It's interesting to see Gareth aka Greyfriar interacting with other vampires specifically his brother and his allies.  Gareth must play the role of vampire while ensuring no one suspects where his true feelings lie.  He lets his brother think he's weak and no threat to the throne even though Gareth is the eldest of the two.

The story holds much action and adventure which keeps the pace moving along at a fairly quick beat.  There are some slower moments that allow for the political drama to play out.  There were a couple occasions when I became a bit anxious for the faster pace but overall the story was well balanced with action, adventure and political intrigue.  The politics are complex but well thought with a few surprises that leave the reader wanting the next book now!  Each characters has their own agenda, their own vision, for what the world should look like.  For Adele and Gareth, they have similar visions but the means to the end may not be what they had planned.  I did enjoy seeing the actions and reactions each character made and how the authors brought it all together. 

The world building should be mentioned since it is an integral part of the trilogy.  There are plenty of what are considered steampunk elements throughout the story from the descriptions of the clothing to the airships and the battles in the skies.  There is also an urban fantasy feel with vampires, magic and loads of weapons.  I love how this world has been created with the different elements so it is not so simple to place in one genre but a mixture, giving  a decidedly unique feel to it. 

After a little bit of a slow start, the second book in the Vampire Empire trilogy had me racing to the end to see who would live and who would die.  With plenty of revelations and no doubt more to come, the third book can't get here fast enough!

Rating: A-

Vampire Empire Trilogy 

The Greyfriar
The Rift Walker
The Kingmakers (September 4, 2012)

Review: The Greyfriar

The Greyfriar
Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Steampunk/Urban Fantasy
Vampire Empire Trilogy/Book 1
Pyr/November 18, 2010

From the back cover ~

In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.

IT IS NOW 2020 AND A BLOODY RECKONING IS COMING.

Princess Adele is heir to the Empire Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to a man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires form the deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.

Why, oh why, did I wait so long to read this amazing book?! The story started off a little slow but once I got into it, I didn't want to stop. I was sucked in to this fascinating world of vampires and princesses, airships and sword fights. The world building blew me away. It's beautiful in it's intensity. I don't have much experience with steampunk but if this is any example, I will certainty be searching for more.

Princess Adele is on journey before she settles into wedded bliss or at the least, a mutual respect of her intended. When we first meet Adele, you can tell she is intelligent and curious, with a great sense of family and duty. She also has a darker side that comes out when vampires attack. She is not one to sit on the sidelines and hope to be rescued. In this world, you need to know how to defend yourself.

It's during one of these attacks that Adele meets the infamous Greyfriar. He is part legend and part mystery with a dash of elegance thrown in. He's also wicked quick with swords and guns. Adele is left with no choice but to take the help Greyfriar offers. They are an unlikely pair who have more in common than they think. The two are written in such a way as to play off each other. With Adele not fully trusting Greyfriar but coming to rely on him. She still uses her wits and her fighting skills whenever she needs to. I liked that she kept her royal bearing but didn't deny her survival instincts.

Greyfriar is a fascinating character. His reasons for helping Adele and fighting the vampires are complex. He is pulled in two different directions, walking a very fine line while trying to stay alive in this harsh world. The war is coming and he knows it. I found the contrast between his secret life as Greyfriar and his real identity highly intriguing.

The land where the vampires rule is stark, brutal and depressing. Humans are cattle to be used and discarded when they're no longer useful. The vampires have few morals and even less honor. They want to dominate the world and bring the humans to heel. The humans have little chance of defeating the vampires without a lot of firepower. Even then, the odds are not good. If you're going to make vampires the antagonists then make then cruel, make them evil, make the reader feel fear when those vampires come on the page. These are the vampires of nightmares and I loved it!

There are a number of important players in this world. Aside from Adele and Greyfriar there is Adele's intended, Senator Clark, an American. He is brash, obnoxious and a complete ass. He is also very good when fighting the vampires. His interactions with the formality of the Equatorian court were as amusing as they were telling of the vast differences in the two countries. Court politics and intrigue play a role in who and how the humans will fight the vampires. Alliances must be made. We see this clearly with the Americans and the Equatorians.

This first book in the Vampire Empire trilogy left me wanting more. I loved how we saw the pageantry of the court and the brutality of the fight. The characters are well developed with depth and emotions that pull at you, making you want to cheer them on. There are secondary characters that I want to know more about. I want to know what will happen with Adele and Greyfriar. And I want to know if the vampires will be defeated. Hopefully, some of these answers will be in The Rift Walker, book 2, coming out this September.

Rating: A

Books in this trilogy ~

The Greyfriar
The Rift Walker (September 20, 2011)
Book 3