The Rift Walker

Vampire Empire #2

by Clay Griffith, Susan Griffith

This second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history combines rousing pulp action with steampunk style, bringing epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism. Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. 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, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria. As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind. If Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory would also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Steampunk, Vampires, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Audiobook

465 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Clay and Susan Griffith are the authors of THE FLASH: THE HAUNTING OF BARRY ALLEN and ARROW: A GENERATION OF VIPERS, as well as the creators of the VAMPIRE EMPIRE series and authors of the CROWN & KEY trilogy.

"Vampire Empire is transforming genre fiction." Paul Goat Allen, B&N Explorations.

If you're on Facebook, please think about going to www.facebook.com/vampireempire and clicking LIKE. If you done it already...Thank you.

Clay & Susan Griffith are a married couple who have written and published together for more than a decade. Their credits not only include two novels for Bantam Doubleday Dell in the mid-1990s and another novel for Pinnacle Entertainment Group in 2002 but also numerous short stories published in many anthologies, some featuring noted genre characters like Kolchak the Night Stalker and The Phantom. They've also written scripts for television and published graphic novels.

Reviews

[Anzû · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rift Walker Y U HAVE TO END???

And ugh the next book is coming out in September! And it has a cover! And it seems amazing! And it’s the final book in the series!!!



Oh gosh I love this series! I guess this gives me an excuse to act like a mindless fangirl. Or mostly swoon over Gareth, cheer for Adele and yell at Cesare and Flay.

Yep, that’s what happened throughout the book. This and wiping tears from my eyes because of all those sweet emotional moments between Gareth and Adele.

Favorite book couple ever!!

Oh, and Colonel Anhalt is added to my favorite characters list as well. I admire him so much and I’m happy that he’s on the Greyfriar’s side. The only problem is that I keep on reading his name as Colonel Asshat. I have the mind of a 10 year old.

Another thing that I love about this series is the take on vampires. Vampires in this world are gruesome creatures. They are monsters; their cruelty does not know limits. Even Gareth is no different than the rest of his people. The scene where he slaughtered and fed on the men who attacked them in the temple was frightening. But I loved it because it shows their true nature. They are not pampered rich creatures that hunt for sex and feed off stored blood. They don’t get smitten and turn into domesticated pets. They are wild, they kill, they plot and they conquer. Humans are mere cattle for them.

As he walked away from her, Adele took guilty pleasure in the fact that he was once again the man she knew, despite the heavy price.

And Adele understands this perfectly. Only a powerful woman could face a partner such as Gareth. This is why I think that all those spoiled and weak heroines who fall in love with so called vampires are a bunch of trash. A frightened little girl could never understand the depth of such a relationship. Their mind could never process such a thing. They would probably be in shock, then clank up and the story would end there.

I can’t wait to get my hands on The Kingmakers!!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hooked on this series.

This book is a little slow in the beginning compared to the first book but it doesn't take long to take off.

Happy Reading 📙📚📗📓📒📘📕📓📗📚📙📕📚📓📗📘📖📃📙📚📓📒📘📗📖📕📙📚📖

[Hayat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the whole trilogy without pause and finished it too quickly for my liking. This series turned into a surprising gem and I can't wait to reread it. All I can say is, if you like books about vampires with slight twist on the vampire myth, humans battling with the vampires for the survival of the human race, a masked hero, a kickass heroine, interesting new take on magic, slow-build romance, steampunk and the Victorian era then this book is for you.

Just a quick heads up...this series has clean romance but you can definitely feel the slow development of respect and trust turned into passion here. I just felt a little deprived for not seeing that long awaited passion expressed fully in all its glory. Apart from that, it was an excellent story full of heart-pounding action that kept me at the edge of my seat, beautiful and yet believable romance and I confess... I fell in love with the hero.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Rating* 5 stars
*Genre* Steampunk/Horror/Vampires

*Review*

The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire book # 2) by Clay and Susan Griffith picks up three months after Princess Adele returned home to Equatoria after being held captive by vampire Prince Cesare, the younger brother of Gareth, better known as the Greyfrair.

Adele continues to put off her intended marriage to the US Senator Miles Clark for as long as she can because in her heart she has found its desire in Greyfrair who she knows is really the vampire Prince Gareth of Scotland. She also sneaks out to watch plays where the Greyfrair is shown rescuing her.

Adele is also coming to terms with her newly found powers that she discovered in the Greyfrair; a power that a secret cabal of geomancers--which includes her trainer Mamorou--wants to use against the vampires to rid the world of them once and for all.

Senator Clark, meanwhile, wants the crown that comes with being wedded to Princess Adele, and he will do anything he can to get it, including raising havoc until Emperor Constantine finally agrees. He firmly believes that the only way to defeat the vampires in the north is with a strong union between his forces, and that of Equatoria, as well as taking away it’s food source; namely the humans by wiping them out completely.

A position that puts him squarely in the opposite side of what Adele believes is the right thing to do. Adele isn't afraid to stand up for her ideas agaisnt Clark, or even her fathers. Adele has fondness for the people of Scotland, and doesn’t want anything bad to happen to them just because they live aside vampires.

This book is truly an amazing story with loads of political intrigue, betrayal on several fronts, action and adventure, deception, as well as a romance that is not overly done to the point of taking away from the actual storyline. There are plenty of action scenes that include both Adele and Greyfrair that will keep readers happy. Adele has become much stronger since she was first introduced in The Greyfrair, and with her new powers getting stronger by the day, she is extremely dangerous to any vampire.

I have found that I like General Anhalt more and more. He stands for what he believes in, and when Adele is taken away by Greyfrair after he found out that she was to be killed on her wedding day, Anhalt gives up his post and aligns himself fully with Adele and the Greyfrair.

The Vampire Empire takes place in a steampunk alternative history universe in the year 2020. 150 years ago, vampires rose up in what is being called the Great Killing, and destroyed much of the world. Humans were forced to flee for their lives to the warmer climates in the south, while others were left behind to end up as food and servants to the vampires.

The Rift Walker expands upon the war between the humans and the vampires, with several strikes at the heart of Alexandria itself which were planned in great expanse and detail by Cesare and his human conspirators.

There are major alliances being formed between the vampires of Europe, as well as America, and the cabal’s intentions towards Adele haven’t been settled or explained fully as of yet.

Some major characters fall to the vampires in this story, while another character reappears and plays an intrigal role in the story as well as the final outcome of the series. Still others are found to have been working alongside the vampires in the hopes of avoiding a full out war.

Positive: No cliffhanger ending! Yes, there are plenty of questions left unanswered, but, I have faith that we shall learn the answers to them in the near future when book # 3 is released.

[Alkyoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Adele is back in Alexandria and despite her efforts to postpone it, her wedding date to Senator Clark which will trigger the beginning of the war against the vampires, is near. She fills her days training her newly discovered powers with her teacher, Mamoru, and at nights she disguises herself as commoner and watches the popular theatrical plays that tell the story of her rescue and the undying love between her and the Greyfriar.

Meanwhile, Prince Gareth visits London as often as possible and tries to stay close to his brother, learning his schemes about the incoming war against the humans, in order to protect Adele from the inside. The minute that he learns about a threat against her, he leaves everything behind and joins her, in one of the most awesome and memorable scenes of this series (and trust me, there are many).

If you’ve already read the first book in the series, then you probably know that it is a character based story. There are alternative POVs that give the reader an insight to each person’s reactions, feelings and motivations. Plenty of politics take place on both camps and everyone is after something: war, power, fame, love...

Princess Adele and the Greyfriar make one of the most adorable couples that I’ve ever read about. She is so strong and determined, despite her young age and the fact that the Court had always treated her like the dangerous wild card that would make a disaster of an Empress. He, on the other hand, is such a multi-layered character, full of curiosity and admiration for the humans and even though he stands alone among his race, he dreams of a better future for them. They found out that they had fallen in love with each other at the end of the previous book and it was so sweet to see that love bloom in this one, despite their different nature.

All the secondary characters from the previous book are here too: young Prince Simon who idolizes the Greyfriar, the mysterious samurai Mamoru and his secret cabala who wants to unleash Adele’s power, Senator Clark whose vanity knows no limits, Lord Kelvin and his precious Court protocol, Prince Cesare of the Vampires who wants to take his brother’s place as the heir to the British throne and the amazing Colonel Anhalt who simply rocks.

I hope this series makes it to the movies, or a BBC series at some point. I just couldn’t stop picturing Richard Armitage as the Greyfriar while reading it.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Whenever I read a new book with vampires, the element I most enjoy is seeing what the author attributes to the . Some authors decide vampires will die in daylight, most say that vampires create vampires through attacking humans; they can eat food or they can't; I like this writer team's take on the vampire world and I particularly enjoy th vampiric cultures and empire created.
A really good sequel to the Greyfriar. Adele begins to discover more of her skills, betrayal abounds, changes in the balance of power within Equatoria and the vampire clans. Plenty of action, loyalties tested. All left to play for in the final book.
Recommended series.

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting when I first got into Vampire Empire, probably something light and fun given its vampire and steampunk concept. But I have to say though, this is shaping up to be quite an impressive series. Somewhere along the way, these books have gone beyond simply being candy for my mind, to the point now where I find myself emotionally invested in the story and its characters in particular.

After the events in The Greyfriar, Princess Adele finds herself back in the heart of the Equatorian Empire, trying to put off her dreaded marriage to Senator Clark of the American Republic. Unfortunately, her husband-to-be is eager to get on with sealing their vows so that the new human alliance can start waging war on the vampire clans of the north. His battle plans, however, involve committing atrocities Adele would have no part of.

Besides, her heart still belongs to mysterious swordsman and great vampire hunter known as the Greyfriar. While I would by no means categorize these books as pure "Romance", the relationship between Adele and Greyfriar is still a strong element in this series, and I want to highlight it again because it was what struck me in the first book. Theirs is probably one of the most well-written and engaging love stories I've encountered in my reading, which I think is why the romance still manages to shine through here amidst all the action and adventure. There is just so much chemistry between these two characters.

To put it into perspective, take this one minor scene in which Adele puts on some inconspicuous clothes as a disguise and asks Greyfriar offhandedly how she looks. His response: "Strong. Determined." THAT'S how Greyfriar always sees his beloved! And the world of significance behind his simple two-word answer is like the biggest turn on ever. In any book, the fact that two lovers can originate from vastly different backgrounds but still be able to stand together and treat each other as equals is a very important thing for me.

Quite honestly, despite the various action scenes in the first quarter or so of this book, I find I could not enjoy myself to the fullest until the the two of them were reunited. After that, I was happy and relieved, even if they did get themselves into more than a few harrowing situations, and as ever the vampire clans are a constant threat.

In these books, vampires are a whole separate species from humans, with their own civilizations and desires to expand and conquer. With the humans driven south, a lot of this series takes place in an area of the world not frequently seen in vampire fiction. The seat of Equatoria is in Alexandria, and with the displaced people from all nations and faiths coming together as one to defeat the vampires, I also loved the diversity in the cast of characters.

With secrets blown wide open, the war with the vampires raging on, and Adele and the Greyfriar's future hanging in the balance, I have a feeling there's a lot in store for me in the third book. Can't wait to read the conclusion to this trilogy!

Note: I received a review copy of this book compliments of the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinions. Thanks, Pyr/Prometheus Books!

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rift Walker was an interesting continuation in the Vampire Empire series. More magic, villains and conspiracies with a gentle reminder this story is not a standalone. The Greyfriar is a must-read first or you will be lost.

I have to admit that my favorite parts were when Adele and the Greyfriar were together. From the streets of Alexandria to the tropical forests of Africa to the tomb of an Egyptian sarcophagus, this narrative does not lack action. I would love to see this trilogy made into a movie.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at

The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire #2) by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Urban Fantasy
Paperback
September 6, 2011
Prometheus Books


Favorite Quote: “Fine, I was brooding. It’s not like you don’t.”

“Mine’s inherent in my romantic nature. Cloaks and castles.”

“That’s it. You are forbidden to look at anymore cheap books about yourself.”

Note:There are some mild spoilers from book one in here.

At the end of book one, The Greyfriar, Adele is back with her family in Equatoria, recovering from her experiences with Prince Cesare and being held captive at his vampire holding in London. Adele also learned the identity of the elusive Greyfriar and found herself rethinking many of her own personal prejudices. The Greyfriar has retreated to his own estate and they both are doing their best to forget each other. With an unavoidable war brewing between the vampires and the humans; they know there can never be anything between them.

At the beginning of The Rift Walker, Adele is trying her best to delay her wedding to the obnoxious American, Senator Miles Clark, who wants her crown and her country for himself. She has fallen for the mysterious Greyfriar despite learning who he really is and finds herself unable to forget about him. When Adele learns of a plan by her father and the Senator to use humans as fodder in their war against the vampires, Adele attempts to call off the wedding only to learn it is being held in two weeks regardless of her feelings. While Adele is trying to come to terms with her upcoming nuptials, Greyfriar learns her life is in danger and races to her rescue, effectively spiriting her away from her own wedding. As these two avoid her army and her “husband” they set in motion a chain of events that are staggering in the chaos they release.

The Rift Walker is an splendid continuation to the spellbinding magic of The Greyfriar. Filled with mind boggling political intrigue, betrayal, deception, magic and a healthy dose of romance-you will be once again swept away by this burgeoning epic saga. While The Greyfrair was a brilliant set up for this gothic, horrific, end of the world adventure in which vampires and humans work their way towards a war to end all wars; The Rift Walker expands this world while focusing on deeper development and commitment of the characters; especially our heroine Adele. Adele is a young woman who has matured in the past 3 months. Set to become the next Empress of Equatoia, she has grown into her expected role while settling comfortably into her own skin of expectations and values. If we we not sure before, we are sure now that Adele will be no one’s pawn again. Greyfriar is a solid commanding presence in the book though he takes a backseat to Adele in here. This is Adele’s story 100 percent. I love that while everyone in Adele’s life only sees parts of her (in relation to how they can benefit from her) Greyfriar sees the whole her; good and bad, and loves her regardless . Even knowing that there cannot be a happy ending for them. While the romance plays a heavier role in here then in book one, it continues to co exists comfortably with the main storyline rather then attempting to overshadow it.

The secondary characters are just as important and strongly defined as our protagonists. Rather then simply extending the storyline, they expand and lift it. Senator Clark, along with Flay, General Anhalt, and Mamoru all excel in their scenes and gift us with additional explanations and clues to the roles they are playing and will play in the third and final installment of this series. Additional characters are introduced that leave you shuddering at some introductions and laughing at others. Adele uses her intelligence and political savvy to garner herself additional allies to help her in her quest for her throne and to use as a shield against her husband’s and father’s political agendas.

“Let the senator come to me when we reach Bunia.”

Greyfriar started. “Are you sure?”

“I’m not afraid of him.”

“No, I shouldn’t think you would be,” Msiri laughed in complicity and clapped his hands together. He murmured to himself, “This will be an auspicious reunion. There may have to be cake.”


Multiple storylines and subplots run parallel and intertwine with some staggering revelations. Greyfriar is finding it harder and harder to maintain his anonymity while his brother Cesare has found humans who support his vampire agenda. Adele is learning who can and who can not be trusted as the net surrounding them all tightens. Everyone has their own agenda and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out in the end. Not that it is all doom and gloom though. There are quite a few humorous scenes and dialogue in here that engages the reader.

“You ate my food!” Jaga glared at Gareth. “And you try to kill me in front of my son! What sort of monster are you?”

Mr and Ms. Griffith have achieved a perfect balance of dark and light in this series. Enough angst and suspense to keep you glued to the pages while cleverly interjected humorous scenes keeps you from despairing that the outcomes will be anything but wanted.

As we race towards the end, we are once again given a clean viable ending to the main conflict with just enough left to chance to transition us seamlessly into the next book; title to be announced. Once again, Clay and Susan Griffith has managed to astound and captivate me with this series and I am both elated and saddened for the third and last book. The Vampire Empire series remains at the top of my must read list in Urban Fantasy.

RATING: A+

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*The first book, The Greyfriar, was my 2010 Best Steampunk Pick.*

The Vampire Empire trilogy is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites. The Rift Walker is book two and filled with more action and life or death situations than one reader can bear. Book one, The Greyfriar, left the main characters Adele and Greyfriar apart with an unknown future. By the end of The Rift Walker, we are left with an all too unsettling plot twist that includes a very vicious vampire.



The Griffiths have created a world where humans and vampires are enemies, yet between the love of Adele and Greyfriar, I am truly rooting for some sort of truce and cohabitation. I think this is probably a Utopian view on my part because the studies Adele continues with her teacher is making her a very powerful weapon to kill vampires. I'm torn knowing that if Adele sees her full potential through; it could very well mean no future for her and Greyfriar. In fact, Greyfriar would have to be sacrificed for the greater human good. This is a dilemma Adele may be faced with as she grows stronger. This book is more about Adele coming into her own and realizing who she is as a future Empress.



One character I am growing to love is General Anhalt. This man is someone every person should be so lucky to have as a friend. I’m not sure there are people this loyal and true in real life, but in the book, I’d want him by my side. In fact, my favorite quote from the book is “… I will fall on you like unholy hell. Do I make myself clear?” Oh, that Anhalt has passion! One character I'm still not sure about is Mamoru, Adele's teacher. He makes my blood boil in this book at times and others so guiding.



Greyfriar seems to take a step back in this book since it is more about Adele and her journey. He is in many scenes and ever present with Adele, but this book is more about the action, the war, the battles, twists to gain power, and murdering reigning monarchs than love scenes. Although, the printed stories and plays that are written and performed about Adele and Greyfriar I think are a nice bit of humor referred to throughout the book. I’m not sure what to think about how Greyfriar is handling the situation in the north with Cesare. However, since this book was more about Adele and her journey, I’m not making any judgments until book three as to how Greyfriar really handles Cesare.



The writing I can say nothing negative about. It is fluid and seamless, not once was I brought out of the story from something distracting about the writing or editing. The dialogue is believable and appropriate. The scenes are well placed, the story well paced, settings and action scenes well described. The characters are well developed and I even invested in the villains! The steampunk elements continue with airships and weapons, but it is not overdone, nor are you constantly reminded this is a steampunk book. The story takes over and you just read a gripping tale.



If you are a fan of The Greyfriar, you will want to read The Rift Walker. This story is not like most where the reader is mainly reading to see the final outcome of the two love interests. The Vampire Empire story is a gripping tale of not only love, but power, politics, war, loyalties, lines drawn, assassinations, and a species fight for survival. You will swoon for the love and your heart will race for the action. The Griffiths continue to deliver one of the best epic stories I've read.



The Vampire Empire trilogy is also being made into an audiobook with Jame Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) narrating!

[Dominika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess it would normally be a 5-star book for me, but I have to admit we had some unfortunate events spoiling this one star for us. First, I was reading the e-book version of it (I practically stormed through the first 220 pages), but then I gave my Kindle to my friend, so I had to wait more than a week for the paper copy to be delivered (overseas order...). And while waiting I was desperate to read something, so I started reading The Graveyard Queen trilogy - and anyone who has read it knows how engaging that is. So then it had to wait again for another three books to be finished. Then vacation started, and as I'm used to reading in the subway, not at home - and now that I'm not going to school everyday, I rarely take the subway.. and so on and so on. It was a set of very unfortunate circumstances, really. But it still stripped the book of off only one star - which is good, right?

Anyway, about the book itself.

It's absolutely gorgeous. I love every bit of it - the strong and very likable female protagonist, the incredible male protagonist who isn't afraid that his woman is very very powerful, and never ever tries to steal her spotlight. I love the lore, I love that the vampires are a different species and are not vampire-turned human beings. And I love how Gareth, with all his love and appreciation for humans, is still so awkward and at loss when interacting with people, how he attempts to understand them but fails to grasp the basics. He's so heartbreakingly touching! The scene when he was trying to sign a copy of one the stories about Grayfriar and Adele? AWWWWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

And I love that there are so many characters you can hate - but you hate them not because they're fuckin dumb (apologies for my language, but I got emotional), but because they were deliberately constructed that way - they are there to annoy and be hated.

It's really hard for me to find anything I dislike about this book. The only thing I wish for would be some hot times with Gareth - the potential that man has! But I guess that's not really the direction the authors want to go.

On second thought, 4.5 stars.

[Bastard · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com/2012...

Once I finished up The Greyfriar , I dove right into The Rift Walker . As mentioned in the debut's review, an extremely fun novel, but noted some grievances I had with it. So started reading the sequel with some trepidation and leveled my expectations; I shouldn't have.  The Rift Walker took all my concerns and rendered them moot. If Clay & Susan Griffith's debut was a good one, then The Rift Walker is an excellent sequel in the Vampire Empire series.

War has been averted for the time being, though concerns still remain and the possibility of retaliation is being planned. The citizenry have romanticized through numerous plays and stories the possibility of a relationship of Greyfriar with their Princess Adele. In the meantime she's set to be wed to Senator Clark and finally forge the alliance between their respective empires, and the date is fast approaching; Adele has been trying to avoid it. The vampires are on the move, and they're planning something big, maybe even catastrophic with the cunning Cesare leading the way.

I described The Greyfriar as a very fun, but unbalanced novel. It was action packed, but a bit uneven on the plot progression and some of the character interaction. I'm glad to say, that as far as I'm concerned, these issues were fixed in The Rift Walker . While still having plenty of action, it was more sparse allowing many of the underlying elements to come to the forefront to be developed. This is particularly true with how the political intrigue gets into the meat of the story and makes it that much more interesting. I've always felt that a good political intrigue, no matter how small a part it has, really has the potential to enhance a story exponentially. The misuse of it in the debut novel hurt it in my opinion, but it made The Rift Walker that much richer for me. It added another layer to the plot and actually gave it the support it needed, making it stronger.

Going back to the character interaction aspect, once again much improved, particularly with the interaction between Princess Adele and Greyfriar. The dialogue was more natural and abundant, and despite my usual reservations about romantic elements, some of it was introduced to the story which I thought was for the better. They got a good dynamic going, with its usual up and downs, but I think there are some interesting things going on between those two. I just hope that the balance that exists at the moment remains.

Outside of the two main characters great strides were also made, I thought just about every character that has been introduced in the story to this point became plenty better, a marked step in the right direction. Even Senator Clark, who I figured to be annoying in the first book. Still annoying as heck, but Clay & Susan made it work, even making fun of the character's buffoonery which is a sign that the authors know what they actually have with him. There was also Cesare, a prince among vampires and the main antagonist, who I thought was misused in the first book as his tactics were inconsistent and underwhelming, really shines in this one. Lastly, recognition has to be given to two of my favorite side characters, Mamoru and Colonel Anhalt particularly since they were given plenty of exposure, as opposed to being relegated to obscurity.

The only real complaint that I recall having through the book is that pace could have been better. This time the story takes a while to develop, and there were some slow, maybe even dull moments, during the middle portions. While I'm usually a patient man, I think the story progression could have used some speeding up, while still remaining detailed. The good thing is that through all of this we get plenty of interesting developments, plot twists and we get plenty of world building; learned about the history of the world and the place of magic in it.

Speaking of world building, once again I have to compliment of the steampunk devices that have been introduced. They fit just right with all other aspects of what has been created, making the action plenty interesting and well balanced with magic and other supernatural aspects. That said, I hope we get even more of the steampunk variety going forward, there's plenty of room for it. And of course, the magic gets a bigger focus this time around, so looking to see what more they can do with it. Lastly, the world is expanding. We're entering new territories, delving deeper into Africa and we also got a few glimpses of life in North America. Asia has been mentioned, so I wonder if we'll get there at some point too.

These books have been quite action packed, and though in The Rift Walker it was a bit less so, when the action comes it comes hard and quite violent. It can get a bit graphic at times, but not overdone. Let's call it tasteful violence. But let's just say, that the story doesn't shy away from creating a bloodbath when it calls for it. And when coupled with the improved plot progression and the numerous plot twists the novel introduced, it simply makes for very good entertaining read.

My main complaints to this point have been about characterization, about plot progression, about balance, about consistency, about character interaction. I think I've said enough to illustrate how The Rift Walker has improved upon these issues. And let's not forget that I also had mentioned about the inconsistency of how warm weather affects vampires, and that's also addressed in this one, and put to good use. The characters have been given more depth, more moral ambiguities, and simply became less predictable throughout. Betrayals and trust issues abound, never quite knowing who we can rely on, adding to the suspense of an already improving plot.

This is one of those books that I feel make a good crossover between the YA market and the adult market, in a similar vein to that of Blake Charlton's Spellwright books have been doing, but only in that context. The story is not complex, it reads simple, but not simplistic. But it's building towards something more which has me plenty interested.

I simply loved reading The Rift Walker , thought it to be an outstanding follow-up to Clay & Susan Griffith's debut. I'm still of mind that the more discerning adult readers might not find much to their liking here, particularly those who look for more challenging reads, but this is a book that I'll recommend with little hesitation, even to those that might have not found the first one to their liking. I'd have seen plenty of the aforementioned readers enjoying the heck of these books, so what do I know? It simply gave me exactly what I was looking to get out of the Vampire Empire series, and very much looking forward to the next installment, The Kingmakers .

[Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rift Walker was everything I expected it to be and more! I don't even know where to begin to put into words just how much I truly love this series. Clay & Susan Griffith are one heck of a team. They have created a world and story that you will be talking about for weeks. The first in the series took me by surprise, especially since I am not a huge Sci/fi fan, and now The Rift Walker has done it again. I am killing my brain here trying to figure out exactly what to say.

More than half of this book left me with my mouth open and with butterflies in my stomach. One minute you are lost in a world of war & politics, and the next you are sucked into an epic romance. The way Greyfair loves Adele will touch your heart in ways you never thought possible. He would give up everything he is and everything he has ever known just to be with her, and Adele the same for him. Together, they are an amazing team. They felt that as long as they have each other they could conquer it all. I was easily pulled into their story and while reading it, I felt like I was standing on the sidelines just watching everything play out.

Adele is such a powerful and smart character you can't help but love her. She has a strong mind and thinks of others first. She isn't selfish and knows what is best for her people. And even when facing the worse situation ever, she never backed down. She knew what was expected of her and wasn't afraid to do what needed to be done. You will just have to read the story to understand what I mean.

I love this series and I HIGHLY recommend it. Even if you aren't into Sci/Fi, I promise you will love it. There isn't one person I know who read the first in the series, Vampire Empire: The Greyfair, and did not love it. It's unpredictable with moments that will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open. There wasn't a moment for me to take a break because so much was happening in each chapter that I just did not want to stop reading.

I am going to end this review with one of my favorite moments in the book, I normally don't do teasers in reviews, but I just love, love, love Greyfair and Adele! Here is a sneak peek...

"We have weathered crisis after crisis and we're still together. If all we have are these brief moments together, I would be content."
Adele embraced him. "I would too."
"We will find a way to make you empress and return you to your home," he said quietly.
She caressed his face with her hand and turned him to look at her, to see her steadfast conviction matched his own. "I am home."

5 out of 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!

[Aly is so frigging bored · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished The Rift Walker last night and I’m still wow-ed by it. Clay and Susan Griffith wrote a wonderful series and I’ll be forever grateful to my friend Anzu[Zombie Hazard blog] for making me read it!

Before starting the proper review I want to mention that I listened to the audiobook. It was narrated by James Marsters, he does great accents and the intonation is wonderful, the woman voices not so much… I’ve been spoiled by the narrator of the In Death series, Susan Ericksen, she is the best I’ve EVER listened to.

[.....]
For the rest go to my blog

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was soooo good. Better than the first. LOVED it. Review coming soon.

Updated- 9/14

I'm such a bad reviewer, I get this wonderful ARC of a book I was greatly anticipating, I read it, love it and I'm a super happy reader and then I completely forget to review it!

I will review this book very soon!!! But until then, the book rocked!!! Isn't that enough? No? Gosh, you guys are a tough crowd.

[Julz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

On to the next. So glad I don't have to wait.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I really liked Greyfriar, The Rift Walker is a major step-up in the series; I just got a pdf arc and opened it and could not put it down until I finished it since I just needed to see what happens, while enjoying every moment of it.

The book is end-to-end adventure with everything you want - duels, battles, treachery, intrigue, revelations, not to speak of romance and magic.

Despite being a middle book in a trilogy, this novel both expands its universe considerably, advances the story and ends at a clear stopping point that promises another entertaining tale.

While in the first novel I thought that Adele and Greyfriar shared the lead well, The Rift Walker is Adele's novel from the beginning to the end, though Greyfriar has his moments too, the most dramatic being his unexpected appearance at a crucial moment, sending everything upside down and letting the pieces fly so to speak.

While there were lots of cool moments before - from Greyfriar meting justice to wayward vampires and their human tools, to Adele going incognito to see the Alexandrian plays about "her adventure with Greyfriar", while having to fight stalkers and evade the ardor of her intended, who wants his war and the crown of course, rather than the princess herself - once Greyfriar sends everything spinning, the novel just rockets and never stops, though all in a very entertaining, never over the top way.


Of the secondary characters, Cesare, Flay and Senator Clark have superb scenes, though the whole cast is very entertaining.

Just to give one little tidbit - the appropriately named Cesare, has deeper plans that we got to see in The Greyfriar and for example started using the human fascination with vampires as the undead, to create his undead army - ie humans that believe in the myth, so they valiantly fight for the vampires and generally do their bidding, while asking to be "transformed in vampires" by giving willingly their blood, so when they die they return as vampires; nonsense of course as Cesare perfectly knows and something that won't work for ever since the dead stay dead so to speak, but very useful for now.

This is probably the most pure fun novel I've read this year, a romp - though with its darker moments too - where each page brings something new and the action is non-stop.

FULL FBC Rv


INTRODUCTION: The Vampire Empire series by Susan and Clay Griffith that debuted with The Greyfriar last year, is a steampunk alt-history in which vampires - homo nosferatus, a parasitic cousin species having powerful physical attributes and living in clans in zones of moderate temperature - banded together and attacked the Northern Hemisphere states in 1870, almost destroying the western civilization.

The survivors retreated south and mixed with the locals creating the Empire of Equatoria -India, S.Africa, parts of Africa, Egypt, the Gulf - with the capital at Alexandria, the American Republic with the capital at Panama City, the Japanese Empire with the capital in Singapore and other smaller states, while free city-states in Southern Europe eke a meager existence, and the vampires have their own states in England, France, Germany, North America, etc.

Fast forward some 100+ years later and an union between Adele, the heir of Equatoria and Senator Clark the hero of the temporary reconquest of St. Louis presages an alliance that plans to start the reconquest of the North with better guns and better ships.

And the story in The Greyfriar starts when on a show the flag mission to Marseilles, Adele's party is attacked by the British vampire clans led by Cesare, the younger son of the doddering king Dimitry, infamous for his "human-cleansing" of Ireland and she is ultimately kidnapped despite the best efforts of the mysterious cloaked resistance fighter Greyfriar.

Cesare's older brother and supposed British heir due to the very tradition bound rules of the long lived vampires, Lord Gareth lives alone in Scotland treating his "humans" much better than the usual vampires since while a hero of the great vampire uprising of 1870, he got sick of the massacres afterward. And of course Lord Gareth who tries to learn about human culture, including learning to write is fascinated with Adele and so the first installment goes in a book that pulled me in and despite all the expected cliches, secret identities and the like,turned out to be big time fun.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I had high expectations for The Rift Walker but I still was surprised how it turned out to be a major step-up in the series. Once I opened it, I could not put it down until I finished it since I just needed to see what happens, while enjoying every moment of it. The novel is end-to-end adventure with everything you want - duels, battles, treachery, intrigue, revelations, not to speak of romance and magic.

Despite being a middle book in a trilogy, The Rift Walker expands its universe considerably with a trip into the African interior as well as an apparition of vampire clans from across Europe and North America, advances the plotline with major twists and turns, reversal of fortunes and unexpected revelations, while ending at a clear stopping point that promises another entertaining tale to follow.

While in the series debut, I thought that Adele and Greyfriar shared the lead well, The Rift Walker is Adele's novel from the beginning to the end, though Greyfriar has his moments too, the most dramatic being his unexpected appearance at a crucial moment, sending everything upside down and letting the pieces fly so to speak.

While there were lots of cool moments before - from Greyfriar meting justice to wayward vampires and their human tools, to Adele going incognito to see the Alexandrian plays about "her adventure with Greyfriar" and having to fight stalkers and evade the ardor of Senator Clark, her intended, who wants his war and the crown of course, rather than the princess herself - once Greyfriar sends everything spinning, the novel just goes full throttle and rockets, though all in a very entertaining, never over the top way. And the princess truly steals the show, though I want you to discover how - the title gives a hint - since Adele's character growth is one of the major highlights of the novel.

Of the secondary characters, Cesare, Flay and Senator Clark have superb scenes, though the whole cast is very entertaining. Just to give one little tidbit - the appropriately named Cesare, has considerably deeper plans than we got to see in The Greyfriar. So for example he started using the human fascination with "vampires as the undead", to create his undead army, namely humans that believe in the myth, so they valiantly fight for the vampires and generally do their bidding, while asking to be "transformed in vampires" by giving willingly their blood, so when they die they return as vampires. Nonsense of course as Cesare knows perfectly well and something that won't work for ever since the dead stay dead so to speak, but very useful for now.

The human "magical cabal" of Adele's teacher the mysterious Mamoru and his associates also intensify their actions and we start seeing why the princess could be the key to everything, though of course there is this little thing of Adele's romance with Greyfriar and her natural reluctance to become the "vampire exterminator" the cabal wants.

The Rift Walker (A++ and top 25 book of 2011 for me) is the most pure fun novel I've read this year, a romp - though with its darker moments too - where each page brings something new and the action is non-stop. Forget that it has vampires if you dislike the trope as I heartily do, just enjoy the steampunk setting, the great characters and the wild ride from Alexandria to the mountains of Eastern Africa and then back to Egypt.

[Kendra Recht · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rift Walker is a very good follow-up to the first novel in the Vampire Empire trilogy.

At the beginning, it's a bit mopey and moves far too slowly. Adele is longing for her love (although, granted, I still think their love came about really instantaneously in the last book, and I would have liked a little more development of HOW they came to be that into each other; Adele really didn't have as many struggles with the fact that the beloved Greyfriar was a vampire as she should have, and it all seemed a bit too easy). She is waiting to be married, and dreading her union with the boisterous Senator Clark. She starts learning about the powers she'd discovered in book one, and it becomes clear that Adele is way more powerful than anyone could have ever imagined.

However, the book really picks up about a hundred pages in when on her wedding day, Greyfriar saves the day, pulling her out just before the wedding is truly finalized because his evil brother, Cesare, is planning to kill her. They escape Alexandria, eventually joined by Adele's loyal guard Colonel Anhalt, and exciting adventures ensue! Murders, magic, political uprisings, secret identities revealed, and lots and lots of violent battles.

Like the last book, The Rift Walker has a great balance of romance, adventure, darkness, fantasy, steampunk, and just a little bit of humour. Unlike the last book, the pacing was a little off; the beginning was very, very slow, and could have used some whittling down, while the last half was completely action-packed; there were no dull moments, and the writers really know how to keep readers turning the pages.

The magic touched upon in the prequel gets a bigger part in this book. The concept of geomancy was much better explained, and I felt it was extremely creative and unique. I loved the idea of rifts, and the way the writers described the magic in itself. I do hope there's going to be more of an explanation in the third book as to why Adele is so insanely powerful, though.

Which leads me into some problems I had. Some of them cross over from book one, while some of them are only issues that I really considered after beginning book two.

First: Adele is a little too powerful. She's a brilliant Empress, and that's what I like best about her character. She is charismatic, commanding, strategic, and knows exactly what she needs to do to motivate people and rally them. But the problem is that aside from being a genius at politics and also being the surprisingly powerful geomancer who puts all other geomancers to shame, she is somehow an extremely fantastic warrior woman who somehow has learned to do battle better than many other people. She knows how to fence absurdly well, and is a master of hand-to-hand combat. There's no real reason as to why Adele is so great at everything; I cannot imagine that her upbringing, which seems exceedingly typical of female royalty, would allow for her to train her skills in battle.

Second: I absolutely adore the idea of vampires being a completely different species. But that poses a couple of problems. These problems are typical things that arise from vampire books, but in most vampire books they AREN'T problems, because in most mythologies, vampires have once been human and have died. One thing that almost always happens in these books and movies and TV shows is that the lead romantic vampire often identifies with humanity in some way; in Twilight, which I hate but still provides a pretty good example, the Cullen family becomes "vegetarian" because they seem to prefer humanity over other vampires. That makes sense, in a strange way; even though they are themselves vampires, they were once human, and identify more with that part of themselves than the monstrous part.

In Vampire Empire, vampires are a completely separate species from humans, like tigers are completely different than house cats. Same genus, different species. House cats don't sit around wondering why they're not like tigers. Therefore, it doesn't make sense why Gareth wants SO BADLY to be human. Because ... he never was a human. He never will be human. While I do understand why he might be fascinated by human culture, I cannot possibly understand how he could hope to be a human; how he could side with humans over vampires. I need a good reason as to why this is happening, why he's fighting his kind secretly.

Third: I don't like how quickly the whole situation between Gareth and Adele was resolved. I'm not talking about just the relationship; I'm talking about the fact that when Adele finds out that her growing powers can actually seriously hurt Gareth, even when she's not intentionally using them, she just ups and says "Oh, okay guys, I guess I'll never deal with my powers again, I'm just going to live with you forever and ever and ever," and it literally lasts one paragraph or two. I cannot imagine that situation could even possibly have a solution in that short amount of time. I needed more depth there.

I loved a lot about this book, too; there are a lot of twists and turns in this installment; lots of betrayals, some unexpected deaths, and some forays into the more exotic aspects of the world the Griffiths have so deftly created. But it is also important to note that while the books so far are fun, well-written, and very compelling, some important aspects, like the motives or the whys, are somehow absent.

I'm looking forward to reading book number three!

[Lynn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars out of 5
https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
Just finished reading the Rift Walker, the second in the Greyfriar series by Clay and Susan Griffiths. Whilst the first book threw us straight into a dark and violent world, where vampires rule and the vast majority of people have become little more than cattle with no sense of hope, the second is a much deeper exploration into the world created and in particular a good look at Princess Adele. If you haven’t read the first book yet this will undoubtedly contain spoilers so be warned.

The story picks up a few months after the conclusion of The Greyfriar. Adele has been returned safely to Equatoria where she is being given some time to recover from the ordeal she suffered at the hands of the London vampires. The plan maybe for Adele to marry Senator Clarke (a marriage that will unite these two countries against their common enemy) but it is the Greyfriar who has caught the attention of the people. They’re desperate for a fairytale romance between their Princess and the dashing swordsman who fearlessly stalks and kills their enemies. Senator Clark, however, is not to be so easily deterred and he strong-arms the Emperor into setting a date for their nuptials, much against Adele’s wishes. The wedding date looms and I admit that I think I had as much a sinking feeling about it as Adele. Things don’t go as planned though and following a dramatic entrance the Greyfriar whisks Adele away under the very nose of her would-be husband and all their guests. From there onwards the pair have a lengthy journey to make that will take them over some fiercely hot climates and seriously test the Greyfriar’s (otherwise known as Prince Gareth) resolve and also give a bit more weight to why the myth of vampires not liking sunlight might have grown. They need to get to a more friendly shore and throw themselves upon the mercy of a ruling king who may be prepared to harbour them – there’s no such thing as a free lunch though and any safe haven will undoubtedly have hidden provisos.

I have to admit, and I don’t think of myself as particularly a romance reader, but I do like the romantic elements to this book. I will quickly just say that they’re not overdone – this is no bodice ripper and there’s no mushy vomit inducing lovey-dovey scenes (so relax on that front). The main focus of the story is the potential war between Vampires and humans and the role that Adele and Gareth will play in that event. Basically, I just like the two of them together and it’s interesting to watch the struggles they have to put up with in that respect. It’s not easy loving a vampire in a vampire hating world! It’s even less easy to keep a secret when there’s a bunch of geomancers around. On top of that the very nature of Adele and the magic she seems to be capable of is almost like a poison to Gareth and adds yet another level of difficulty to their being together and then there’s the element of duty that both of them are so very conscious of. I thought their relationship really came along in this book. They have more time together and more dialogue and frankly they can be pretty amusing.

There’s also plenty of travelling with the pair this time around going from Equatoria to Egypt and then further afield where they end up scaling a freezing cold mountain to battle with another clan! I was particularly interested in the differences between this particular clan and the vampires from London.

In terms of the characters. The wonderfully menacing Flay puts in a couple of appearances – as a baddie I have to admit she’s pretty spot on! Cesare doesn’t have quite as much involvement this time around although his final scenes are pretty shocking. Adele is becoming a much stronger character and the magic she is working on with Mamoru is developing well but my favourites are without doubt Gareth and Anhalt. Anhalt is just such a steadfast character that you simply can’t help liking him and Gareth – well, he’s simply Gareth! In terms of certain other characters who I won’t divulge – there’s a lot of back stabbing taking place here with betrayal quite often where I didn’t expect it. (And, can I just mention – can everybody please stop getting stabbed!!)

So, we have plenty of travelling, a little romance and much action. The story moves forward at a great pace and there are some really dramatic scenes to take in, some of them not shy on bloodshed. There’s a great combination of steampunk, alternate history and horror but it’s all tempered with the budding romance and the very engaging chemistry between the two characters. I couldn’t help having a bit of a giggle when Senator Clark and Gareth finally clashed!

I thought this was a great second instalment with a much deeper look into the world created by these two authors. It ends on a real bombshell but fortunately I already have No.3 waiting to be read. Happy days.

I received a copy of this from the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Steampunk series ever! I love these books! And I’m very annoyed that I have to wait for The Kingmakers, because I want to read it now, damn it!

First off, let me say I love the dangerous and exotic world the Griffiths have created. One of the things that I adore about good Steampunk is this idea of an alternative Earth. Vampire Empire has had a massive power shift and all of the countries have been remapped since the vampires have taken over the north. So this series goes everywhere, from England to Turkey, and all the way to Egypt.

The vampires are mean too. They’re vicious killers that like to hunt for sport and play with their food. Since they are a different race, never human, their contempt for humans is understandable and expected. They’re also very clever. Cesare and Flay make great villains.

While the first book introduced us to Greyfriar, I think this book is mostly about Adele, which fits since she is the title character. Adele is starting to realize she has a secret power, but she is far from invincible, which the ending shows quite well. Both Greyfriar and Adele are vulnerable characters, yet they both have certain strengths which compliment each other. Their love for each other is always there. You can tell they are devoted to each other. I find their love more nurturing than romantic. I know I saw some reviews that were disappointed that Greyfriar and Adele didn’t have sex, but I get the feeling maybe they have. The Griffiths just don’t write about it. Their union brings so many questions to me, like what kind of children would Adele and Greyfriar have? Can they even have children? They seem to have no future, clinging to each other, which is a source of sadness for the reader and for them. I have no idea how this series can have a happy ending, so I’m dying to see how the Griffiths pull it off.

As with the first book, the action in The Rift Walker just keeps going and going. I almost want to compare it with a comic book, and I say that with admiration. I would actually love to see Vampire Empire become a graphic novel, since it’s so fast paced, filled with larger than life characters, and has a visually stunning world.

Is it cheesy? Yes it is, but it’s so well done. It’s like fine cheese. I can easily imagine Vampire Empire being turned into a movie. So all in all, I loved this book. I’m very looking forward to the next book. :D

Oh yes, and aren’t the Christ McGrath covers beautiful? I absolutely love his work.

[Ferdy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers

This was so boring. The plot was crap — it basically consisted of Gareth and Adele acting like lovesick idiots and moaning about wanting to be together. The story just dragged and dragged, even when Adele and Greyfriar reunited, all they did was travel from A to B to C whilst occasionally fighting vampires and other enemies. The book was just one long nonsensical journey.
I hated both Adele and Gareth/Greyfriar in this one, they were nowhere near as endearing as they were in the first book. They've both been reduced to angsty teenagers that only care about their epic wuv.
Adele was such a bitch, she honestly thought she had it hard, even though she grew up a well loved, spoilt princess..ugh. She believed she was a martyr for agreeing to marry Senator Clark so he would join the war against vampires. It was the least the spoilt cow could do considering the easy and protected life she was given whilst her people suffered, and were killed and enslaved by vampires. The bitch didn't even go through with the wedding even though it was the best chance of her empire winning the war. Instead she ran off with Greyfriar and didn't think of all the people that were relying on the alliance between her and Clark. If she didn't happen to possess the deus ex machinas power to kill vampires, her selfish actions would have meant certain death for millions of people.
Gareth was a bore. It's hard to believe that Gareth is the only vampire that has any compassion for humans, it doesn't make much sense. If he could become good after centuries of being evil then why the hell can't any other vampires do the same?! The vampires as a whole are just laughable — they're so over the top and the only characteristic they seem to be possess is being evil. The bad guys should show some depth and layers otherwise they come across as cartoonish.
I enjoyed the first book, but this was one was rubbish — the heroine was a Mary Sue, the hero was a Gary Stu, the plot was blah, the romance was cheesy, the side characters were one dimensional and it was all just such a chore to read. I'll be reading the next book because I've already bought it and it's too late for me to return it and because I just want to get rid of it from my TBR.

[Amyiw · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2
Something pulled me back to these characters this week. The first book was slow to start and a bit boring. It had me worrying that the next might be same. It wasn't. The first book does all the set up for the 2nd so we don't need the work up and slow feel. Instead it starts out quick and stays that way throughout. There is usually a few story lines going but you know the characters and they will cross, you can see it coming, so you don't feel like there is no reason or that it is set up.

I started reading this one night, put it down about 1/3 of the way through and read the rest the next day. It was great. The reason I give it only 4 1/2 stars is that it is incomplete and leaves you hanging in many ways. The last book did that but only to a small degree. The main story felt like it was complete. Here there are many loose ends and the main story is just at a major point. So this felt more like a half story. Since my understanding is that the stories all finish in the next book, I think I'll like it even more. (Update, I just finished book 3 and do like this one more because of it)

Could I stop here? No not really, you want the rest of the story. I'm already reading it. So be ready to read the next book too. If it were more complete I may have given it a 5 star.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice 2nd book in the trilogy. The villains are nice and villainous and the Heroes and Heroines are dashing and in love. Good action and plot. Nice new take on vampires and their abilities, (NO SPARKLES!!!!) Recommended

[Elaine Howlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

....it was ok. I liked the ending but the first half was a bit slow and boring.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon further reflection, Greyfriar is also a 5 star book, in my opinion, although this book is better. The Rift Walker is above a 5, as far as I'm concerned.

"Adele gave him a sly look. 'I'm in this relationship for the capes and castles.'

'So am I,' he said with mock seriousness.

'We can't both be romantics. One of us has to be a realist.'"

The Rift Walker takes place a few months after the events of The Greyfriar. Adele is back in Alexandria, doing everything in her power to avoid her upcoming nuptials to Senator Miles Clark, the brash American. Gareth is in Scotland, Ceasare is in England, Flay is presumed dead and a new vampire, Lady Hollow, is cozying up to Ceasare as his right hand confidante. Lady Hollow does not play a large role in The Rift Walker, although she has a definite past with Gareth. Gareth pays her no mind when he sees her, but I predict that she will have a much larger role in the upcoming third book in this trilogy.

Adele spends the beginning of the book "recovering" from her experiences in the previous book. She has taken to sneaking out of the palace to attend plays about her and Greyfriar. She only thinks of her mysterious love and wishes to see him again. Mamorou and his crew are continuing to plot their usage of Adele, and she is even tested by them and manipulated into killing a vampire "prisoner." Eventually, Senator Clark decides it's time to marry Adele - his vampire war is hinging on the union between him, the American senator, and Adele, the Equatorian princess. Clark figures that once they marry, he will assume leadership of Equatoria. Adele finds out Clark's plans for killing the vampires in the North, which involves killing humans to starve the vampires into supplication. She does not agree with this at all and tries to talk sense into her father, the Emperor. Adele's father, Constantine, agrees to killing innocent humans, and Adele tries her best to avert that disaster. She is soon forced into marrying Clark, who she despises.

In England, Gareth hears word that Ceasare is planning on killing Adele and Clark on their wedding day, and immediately travels to Equatoria to keep Adele safe. The Greyfriar makes a grand, swashbuckling entrance back into Adele's life and takes the palace by storm. Adele immediately, without question, follows Greyfriar, trusting him more than any other person, and fleas.

"The elder prince feared new schemes targeting Adele. Whether or not she was Equatoria's heart, she was certainly Gareth's."

This begins the adventure of Adele and Gareth down the mighty Nile. Along the way, Colonel Anhalt helps Adele and Greyfriar find shelter. They travel to a kingdom lead by King Msiri, who gives the Empress and Greyfriar asylum. In return for this asylum, Msiri asks a dangerous favor of Adele, who automatically complies.

Meanwhile, at the palace in Alexandria, all hell is breaking loose - vampires have attacked the capital of Equatoria, leaving the country in disarray. Due to this political upheaval, Clark sets out in search of Adele, with Mamorou in tow. Clark figures that if he claims Princess Adele, he can take over leadership of Equatoria. Yes - I said "claims." Unfortunately, Senator Clark only wants to possess Adele, and is upset with her ability to think on her own. Adele dispatches Senator Clark and returns to Alexandria to clean up the ruins of her country.

"Clark knew the man who had brought this disaster upon him. That swordsman's damnable interference had sparked Adele to think for herself."

Adele grows very much in this book. When The Greyfriar began, she was little more than a young, inexperienced, girl. She is no longer that girl. She has grown in her power and her ability to make difficult decisions. Gareth supports Adele no matter what. He understand that Adele may yet kill him, and he DOESN'T CARE. His only loyalty is to Adele, and he would rather die than live without her. He understands the position she is in and the responsibility she has to her people. He will not stand in her way, and will do whatever is asked of him, no matter the cost to himself.

"Despite Greyfriar's reputation as a man of action, he had ceded command to her with unconcern. There was no traditional masculine jealousy or resistance to a woman giving orders - such as Senator Clark. Anhalt was impressed by the man's respect and trust in the princess."

Gareth/Greyfriar is one of my most favorite types of heros. He is a swashbuckling, Victorian-type hero. He will do ANYTHING to protect Adele, but at the same time allows her to make decisions on her own. And he is very supportive of her decisions. He believes she is strong and intelligent and will make the right choices for her people. He is there when she needs him, but does not try to tell her what to do. I adore Gareth, and he has quickly become one of my favorite fictional heros.

The Rift Walker doesn't end with a cliff hanger. However, there are many, many, many questions left unanswered. There are twists and turns and shocking events that unfurl throughout this book. I won't even mention them here - they are too good and too well-written to spoil. There is loads of betrayal, political maneuverings, manipulation, tested loyalties, and love. I can't wait to see where the third book in this series leads Adele and Greyfriar.

There is quite a bit of humor in this book, especially towards the end. It's a wonderful way to keep the darkness of this novel at bay. There were many lines I enjoyed immensely, such as:

"Oh, and I would have loved to hear how you explained your remarkable recovery only a day after we found you with such gruesome wounds!"

"I'm an enigma. Legends do those sorts of things."


"'You make me nervous when you do that.'
'Do what?'
'Brood. Your brooding is rather loud.'
'Oh, please. I was hardly - ' His eyebrows rose. 'Fine. I was brooding. It's not like you don't.'
'Mine is inherent to my romantic nature. Cloaks and castles.'"


I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys UF. I think you'll love Gareth and Adele and the complex world they live in.

"She caressed his face with her hand and turned him to look at her, to see her steadfast conviction matched his own. 'I am home.'"

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anche questa serie l'avevo vista, ma poi me l'ero persa per strada. Per fortuna l'anno scorso ho visto un post sui social e quindi sono riuscita a recuperare i due libri nell'usato (sì, costavano meno i cartacei degli ebook...).

Ebbene, pur essendo una storia molto più YA, anche quest'ambientazione mi è piaciuta: parte dal presupposto che nel 1870 i vampiri abbiano conquistato l'intero emisfero settentrionale.
Gli uomini si sono ritirati nel continente americano (a meridione), così come hanno creato l'impero di Equatoria in Africa e altre civiltà che sfruttano la tecnologia del vapore, e che possono muoversi con grandi aeronavi.
L'erede al trono, la principessa Adele, è stata addestrata per governare una grande nazione, ma un'imboscata improvvisa dei vampiri la separa dai suoi uomini, costringendola a chiedere l'aiuto di un eroe misterioso e molto celebrato, Greyfriar. Ma anche lui ha i suoi segreti...

Di questa serie ho apprezzato molto il fatto non vi sia una netta distinzione tra buoni e cattivi: i vampiri sono malvagi per davvero, eppure alcuni di loro hanno delle motivazioni dietro la loro violenza; e gli umani non sono da meno, pronti a tradire per egoismo e capaci di essere straordinariamente ottusi nel condividere risorse e un progetto comune.

Una trama scoppiettante, piena di colpi di scena, con un principe oscuro capace di momenti di tenerezza in un mondo di ombre.
Purtroppo sono pigra, ma avrei voglia di sapere come va a finire...

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

*** Spoiler Warning ***

While spoiler-free for The Rift Walker, this review does contain spoilers for The Greyfriar. Please scroll to the next BOLD text if you wish to avoid any possible spoilers.

Expected Release Date: September 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Imprint: Pyr
Author’s Website: http://clayandsusangriffith.blogspot.com
My Source for This Book: Gift from the Publisher
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, Vampire Empire Trilogy
Series Best Read In Order: Yes
Steam Level: Warm

Official Blurb:

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. 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, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.

As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele 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.

The Rift Walker is the second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.


The Rift Walker picks up a short time after The Greyfriar left off. When we last saw Adele, she had returned to Alexandria to "recover" from her time with the vampires, and to await her political marriage to the insufferable Senator Clark, while Gareth returned to Caesar's side, hoping to ingratiate himself to his younger brother in order to get inside information into Caesar's plans for the war.

Expanding on the incredible Steampunk world created in the first novel, The Rift Walker follows Adele's adventures through the African interior, as she attempts to not only avoid marriage to the deplorable Senator Clark, but struggles to harness her newfound ability to actually manipulate the powers of the earth to in turn superheat and destroy vampires from the inside out. A perpetual pawn in the schemes of others, she is finally beginning to come into her own as a leader, and while Garret/Greyfriar does play a large part in the story, this is truly Adele's moment to shine.

[End Possible Spoilers]

While perhaps not quite as gory as the first novel, there are still plenty of action sequences that should satisfy the more blood-thirsty readers, and there are more than enough surprising twists to catch anyone's interest.

Like The Greyfriar before it, The Rift Walker quite literally has something for everyone: politics, betrayals, mysteries, romance, murder, family drama, action, steampunk, magic, and more, which make this novel quite literally the most incredible narrative that I've had the pleasure of reading for the entire year.

One thing that some readers may object to is the price of this novel. I will freely admit that this series falls far outside of my own comfort zone as far as price point goes. The MSRP of the paperback is $16.00 and the ebook's MSRP is $11.00. However, there are two very important things to note on this. First off, is that as of the time this review is published, the paperback is $10.88 at Amazon.com and the Kindle version is $9.59, which should make it more comfortable for most readers to click the "buy" button. Secondly, and most importantly, this book actually is worth the MSRP. I'm just as frugal as the next girl when it comes to purchasing books, but I promise you, buying anything from the Vampire Empire trilogy will be money well spent.

One thing I should stress, however, is that I very highly suggest reading The Greyfriar first, because not only is it an absolutely incredible book in and of itself, but because I think new readers to the series will be pretty much lost in the plot without the experience of the previous novel to fall back on. Plus, part of the awesomeness of The Rift Walker is probably just the sheer and utter joy of being thrown back into the world readers came to love from The Greyfriar.

In the end, I of course adored it. It is by far the best book I have read all year long (which is definitely saying something) and I am delighted to give it an incredibly solid 5/5 Stars.

--

I am currently running a giveaway on my blog, where one lucky winner will receive a paperback of either The Greyfriar or The Rift Walker (winner's choice).

To enter, please visit The Romanceaholic's review for The Rift Walker

[jD · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVISED 1/21/13 -- This series is amazing. It's complex storytelling with engaging characters. I am amazed by how much Clay and Susan Griffith expanded the scope of the story from book one, Greyfriar.

Princess Adele has returned home from her adventures with Greyfriar in vampire infested England. She has learned much about the vampires that she can't share including Greyfriar’s true identity. The world knows him as the legendary vampire slayer and hero of the people. Adele has also returned to many complications including the discovery that she possesses a strange magic. She remains engaged to American Senator Clark who may or may not be crazy. I like his character for the most part but he does have a ruthless edge that comes through more vividly in this book. I have him filed under characters I love but hate too. He brings the comic relief to the story so he gets a pass most of the time. Of course, Greyfriar returns to rescue Adele from a brilliant vampire plot to kill her on her wedding day. As the authors are plot development masters, the assignation attempt has quite a few unexpected layers of betrayal I didn't see coming. Flay is back which is not a spoiler as her death was suspect in the first book and she wasn’t dead the last time she was seen.

The vampire nation cranks up their war with the humans with bloodshed and straight up horror. I could feel the terror. Very well written scenes of carnage and suffering kept me turning pages well into the night. I nearly cried as heartbreaking events forced Adele out of her kingdom and once again on the run with Greyfriar. The journey revealed even more about the strengths and weaknesses of vampires as Adele learned more about the consequences of her magic.

I did not give this book five stars because Greyfriar's angst got on my nerves on more than one occasion. There were times I felt he needed to be slapped. Adele's courage and dedication to her people was mesmerizing. Some may see this tale as a love story but I would disagree. Yes, the two characters are in love and have kissed but it's more about finding out the extent of their respective characters. Because Adele is 18 and not having sex with Greyfriar, I consider this book YA. Sometimes that is a cuss word for me if I didn't know ahead of time but in this case, it doesn't matter. This series is fantasy, adventure, intrigue, and world-building at it's highest level of accomplishment.

The political aspects are creative and the story is very dark for the most part. This is a nightmare world for humans. If you are considering reading this trilogy -- two things you should know, book one is a must and all three books are published although only book one is available as on audio.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the authors (Goodreads): "Clay and Susan Griffith are married. Coincidentally, they write together and have publish books, short stories, and graphic novels. They share a love of adventure stories, sprawling epic romances, pulp-action tales, Victoriana, and dark fantasy. And since they both like those things, they put them all in the Vampire Empire trilogy. "

And I love them for that. I'm so so glad to have jumped into this series! Hey, Mr. and Mrs Griffith. Are you thinking in adapting it into a graphic novel? That would be AWESOME. Really.

The Walker Rift is a must read for everyone that have read and loved The Greyfriar.

I might have thought that there were some chapters not so thrilling as others but I don't think the book has indeed any drawback. It probably has some up and downs, but more likely it was just me, impatiently looking forward to more Gareth and Adele chapters. I got some lukewarm moments but I also get others that get me fangirling endlessly.

Once more, this is classic adventure. It's fearful vampires and one misterious masked swordman to fight them all. It's part of a classic romantic novel, not the steamy PNR that gives us hot sex scenes but sometimes gets us tired because at the end they are all pretty much the same. In Vampire Empire, less is more.

"Will this infatuation with helpless creatures ever end?" "No", came the immediate replay. The servant sighed and followed his liege.

If you liked The Greyfriar, do not hesitate and pick up this too. There is no middle book syndrome in The Walker Rift. You have adventures to live, vampires to fight, villains to discover, and Gareth and Adele relationship is nothing easy but still, so so good. People still loves The Greyfriar but the animosity against him inside Adele's inner circle means threatens him even more than Cesare's.

"Your brooding is rather loud." "Oh please, I was hardly-" His eyebrow rose. "Fine. I was brooding. It's not like you don't." "Mine is inherent to my romantic nature. Cloaks and castles.

Best thing I can say of this series is that I can't get the characters out of my head and it won't take long before I jump into The kingmakers.

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series. I get deeply lost in the turmoil that is this world created by these master writers. This second book in the series lives up to the excellence of the first novel. Greyfriar and Adele have been separated by species and hatred for months. Adele is to wed the horrible Mr Clark, combining America to Equatoria. She dreams of her Greyfriar but knows where her duty must be. The wedding day arrives, she is escorted down the isle.. something happens, and the two (Greyfiar and Adele) are united once again. Their journey will lead them and others to death and discoveries never thought possible. Many beliefs and loyalties will be tested.
I loved every word, held my breath many times and felt exhilarated and exhausted at the end. I wish the book did not end...waiting for book #3.