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Rifters #1
The Rifters
A junction erupts between the worlds. The Gold Rush trickles to a fool’s quest and a string of stagecoach heists. In 1888, Earl Blacke decides to make a new start and become a better man. He escapes into the mountains, heading north. In the wilds of Oregon, a rift inside an ancient volcano opens and sends him into the future, into the present day. It also shaves forty years off his age, forty years to live over again and atone for what he’s done. Starting over is hard to do. In current day New York, Daelin Long’s dream job at a publishing house goes the way of the dinosaurs her sister chases. With no money and nowhere else to go, Daelin accepts the librarian position in her sister’s dinky town in the middle of Oregon. Nestled inside ancient volcanic peaks, the town of Settler holds onto many secrets. Residents roam the streets with weirdly fashioned devices, and odd lights pulse in the night skies. People whisper of a phantom outlaw and start dying, murdered and missing their heads. On top of it all, Daelin’s sister is missing, and Daelin doesn’t know who to trust. Earl knows more than he’s saying. He shares a notorious history with the phantom, one he’ll see remains buried. Keeping Daelin’s sister’s secrets is his only chance at redemption, and the only way to keep this world safe.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2014
98 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
M. Pax
46 books298 followersM. Pax is author of the sci-fi series, The Backworlds, and the new adult urban fantasy Hetty Locklear series. A Browncoat and SG fan, she's also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats. Want to connect? Visit www.mpaxauthor.com
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October 23, 2014DNF
The first two chapters are confusing, with no likable characters and difficult dialog. I didn’t continue on because I wasn’t curious enough about what was happening.
There’s something to be said for opening in media res, but this book doesn’t give you anything resembling a lifeline. It starts with a chapter where everyone but you knows what’s going on (and they aren’t sharing) and then switches POV to a character who’s just as in the dark as you… and who doesn’t learn anything in her first perspective chapter.
The sentence structure is confusing and blocky, with odd allusions that make no sense. There were too many questions without a hint of an answer. That does not bode well for the rest of the book, so I doubt I’ll be returning to this one.
The first two chapters are confusing, with no likable characters and difficult dialog. I didn’t continue on because I wasn’t curious enough about what was happening.
There’s something to be said for opening in media res, but this book doesn’t give you anything resembling a lifeline. It starts with a chapter where everyone but you knows what’s going on (and they aren’t sharing) and then switches POV to a character who’s just as in the dark as you… and who doesn’t learn anything in her first perspective chapter.
The sentence structure is confusing and blocky, with odd allusions that make no sense. There were too many questions without a hint of an answer. That does not bode well for the rest of the book, so I doubt I’ll be returning to this one.
June 24, 2016
Darlin Dae Long (Daelin for short) has had a rough week. Fired and kicked out of her apartment, she decides to visit her sister, Charming, in Settler Oregon. When she arrives, Daelin is greeted by a town of crazies and her sister seems to have disappeared.
To find her sister, Daelin must embrace her inner crazy and help the town battle a homicidal ghost with a penchant for heads.
I'll admit to being a little frustrated by how nothing is ever explained. While I understand that keeping Daelin "innocent" is part of the plot, I (as the reader) found it irritating. By the end of the book, I still had no idea what motivated any of the ancillary characters or the "villain."
To find her sister, Daelin must embrace her inner crazy and help the town battle a homicidal ghost with a penchant for heads.
I'll admit to being a little frustrated by how nothing is ever explained. While I understand that keeping Daelin "innocent" is part of the plot, I (as the reader) found it irritating. By the end of the book, I still had no idea what motivated any of the ancillary characters or the "villain."
June 8, 2017
I read this book some time ago, but just wanted to let you all know I thoroughly enjoyed the quirkiness and the quick pace of M Pax's writing style. I recommend this to those readers who enjoy paranormal. You will find believable characters, otherworldly themes and ghosts. Enjoy!
October 8, 2014
This is the first story I’ve read by M. Pax and it was a wonderful introduction to her writing and I plan on reading more by her. What I really liked about this story was how confused I felt. That may seem weird, but the main character Daelin doesn’t have a clue about what’s going on and I felt like I was her in the story trying to piece everything together as well. And Pax doesn’t hit the reader over the head with her world-building and lets it happen naturally easing the reader into the weird and unknown. The characters are delightful even if you don’t know who to trust really. The element of suspense kept me glued to the story and now I’m looking forward to the second installment.
January 22, 2015
After living in the big city of New York, NY, the small town of Settler, OR offers a bit of culture shock to Darlin Dae Long. That's just within moments of her setting foot in town. The interesting, the strange, and the mind-blowing kick into gear and take Darlin and the reader for a fantastic ride, nicely jam-packed in this wonderful story. And the steampunk elements are so cool.
Definitely worth the read.
Definitely worth the read.
dnf
July 9, 2019DNF at 48%
The premise of this one sounded so promising. I just found myself struggling with it so badly. I felt for a relatively short book of 161 pages, it was taking me way too long to get through it. The pacing really needed a bit of work in my opinion.
The opening scene I was a bit jolted by as we are thrown into the middle of an action scene, which is great, but the character's POV that we are in, is talking about people like I should know who they are, and talking about things that are happening like I'm aware of what's going on, which I totally was not.
I was actually a little excited at first because it reminded me a little of Wynonna Earp, which I ended up absolutely LOVING. Mr. Black had some very Doc Holiday feels happening with me. The characters seem interesting enough, and I was particularly interested in Dante (or not Dante as he's changed his name), Black, and Daelin. I would have loved to find out where these characters ended up but I just couldn't push through the pacing issues any longer. Like don't get me wrong, there's stuff happening, it's just taking a really looooonnggg time to get anywhere. I may try and pick it up again at a later date, but with the way my TBR pile is looking lately, I doubt I'll have the time.
The premise of this one sounded so promising. I just found myself struggling with it so badly. I felt for a relatively short book of 161 pages, it was taking me way too long to get through it. The pacing really needed a bit of work in my opinion.
The opening scene I was a bit jolted by as we are thrown into the middle of an action scene, which is great, but the character's POV that we are in, is talking about people like I should know who they are, and talking about things that are happening like I'm aware of what's going on, which I totally was not.
I was actually a little excited at first because it reminded me a little of Wynonna Earp, which I ended up absolutely LOVING. Mr. Black had some very Doc Holiday feels happening with me. The characters seem interesting enough, and I was particularly interested in Dante (or not Dante as he's changed his name), Black, and Daelin. I would have loved to find out where these characters ended up but I just couldn't push through the pacing issues any longer. Like don't get me wrong, there's stuff happening, it's just taking a really looooonnggg time to get anywhere. I may try and pick it up again at a later date, but with the way my TBR pile is looking lately, I doubt I'll have the time.
February 7, 2019
I couldn’t finish this book. The macho hero was supposed to be protecting the world from evil, powerful Rifters but he kept showing up at the Rift with no weapon or plan. Consequently, they wiped the floor with him. Um, what?
April 22, 2018
Have you ever started a book and wondered what on Earth was going on but carried on anyway in the hope that by the end everything will make sense? In the first few chapters of The Rifters we meet Earl Blacke, an oddball cowboy-lookin' type who is having some bizarre things happening with him and a girl named Charming; and Daelin, a girl feeling like a fish out of water as she moves from city to the back-of-beyond town on Settler. Daelin has no idea what's going on. Sadly as a reader, nor did I.
There's something of a TV show pitch about the story - the weird supernatural events and colourful characters who know more than they let on could be such a great selling point. But it's the description that lets down what could be a promising (if slow) start to a series. I wondered if the images were so strong in the author's mind that they didn't put down in words everything we'd need to know to fully understand what was happening. The paranormal events pop out of nowhere without build-up, sometimes after a time-skip that could be disorientating. Part of the premise is that Daelin is ignorant of the oddities in Settler, but none of it is really explained to the reader by the allusions and snatched references from characters in the know. It felt disappointingly unfulfilling getting to the end of the story and finding out... nothing. The narrative focuses on the action rather than the characters, and to be fair there's plenty of action to be had. If only it made more sense at the time it was happening rather than long after the event.
There's not a lot of development with Earl and Daelin, and the rest of the towns residents and "Rifters" only appear as short cameos. I wish we could have met some more of them, even briefly, just to find out a bit more about who makes the strange town of Settler their home. (I'd also like to know: do people in Settler only eat sandwiches? In all the dictionaries...)
It's an interesting premise, but I didn't feel I could fully appreciate it. It's like there's something missing that would let the reader get what was going on while still allowing Daelin her innocence.
-I got this book free from the author's mailing list-
There's something of a TV show pitch about the story - the weird supernatural events and colourful characters who know more than they let on could be such a great selling point. But it's the description that lets down what could be a promising (if slow) start to a series. I wondered if the images were so strong in the author's mind that they didn't put down in words everything we'd need to know to fully understand what was happening. The paranormal events pop out of nowhere without build-up, sometimes after a time-skip that could be disorientating. Part of the premise is that Daelin is ignorant of the oddities in Settler, but none of it is really explained to the reader by the allusions and snatched references from characters in the know. It felt disappointingly unfulfilling getting to the end of the story and finding out... nothing. The narrative focuses on the action rather than the characters, and to be fair there's plenty of action to be had. If only it made more sense at the time it was happening rather than long after the event.
There's not a lot of development with Earl and Daelin, and the rest of the towns residents and "Rifters" only appear as short cameos. I wish we could have met some more of them, even briefly, just to find out a bit more about who makes the strange town of Settler their home. (I'd also like to know: do people in Settler only eat sandwiches? In all the dictionaries...)
It's an interesting premise, but I didn't feel I could fully appreciate it. It's like there's something missing that would let the reader get what was going on while still allowing Daelin her innocence.
-I got this book free from the author's mailing list-
November 26, 2014
When it comes to imagination, this author sure knows how to knock a story out of the ballpark. What am I saying? This gal knocks 'em out of this WORLD!
In this, the first book of another series, we aren't exactly taken off-planet, but Settler, Oregon isn't like any other place on earth, either. At least it isn't like anyplace I ever want to visit. Oh, it looks picturesque enough, and all those trees and fresh air make it smell real good, but the place has a sinister undercurrent. It's... weird. And the people who live there are... weirder. See, the town has its very own rift, kinda like a gateway to unknown dimensions, and strange creatures from "somewhere", and dead people from the past sometimes try to come through. For many years, a group of townspeople have assumed the duty of guarding the rift, and try to protect their town from whatever evil creatures seek entry.
When Daelin first came to Settler to move in with her sister Charming, she didn't know what the heck was going on, or who she could trust. To start out with, her sister wasn't even there when she arrived. What kinda welcome was that?
Little by little, the truth comes out, and Daelin adapts to her strange new world. Before she knows it, she's taking advise from a ghost. She even manages to save some lives by destroying a scary three-headed dead dude. All in a day's work. All in the name of trying to save her sister, and trying to help keep her new town safe.
There's no real ending to the story with this book, so you're gonna want to get the next book(s) in the series, too. I guarantee you; this is different from anything you've ever read. Check it out!
I'd give it a strong three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
In this, the first book of another series, we aren't exactly taken off-planet, but Settler, Oregon isn't like any other place on earth, either. At least it isn't like anyplace I ever want to visit. Oh, it looks picturesque enough, and all those trees and fresh air make it smell real good, but the place has a sinister undercurrent. It's... weird. And the people who live there are... weirder. See, the town has its very own rift, kinda like a gateway to unknown dimensions, and strange creatures from "somewhere", and dead people from the past sometimes try to come through. For many years, a group of townspeople have assumed the duty of guarding the rift, and try to protect their town from whatever evil creatures seek entry.
When Daelin first came to Settler to move in with her sister Charming, she didn't know what the heck was going on, or who she could trust. To start out with, her sister wasn't even there when she arrived. What kinda welcome was that?
Little by little, the truth comes out, and Daelin adapts to her strange new world. Before she knows it, she's taking advise from a ghost. She even manages to save some lives by destroying a scary three-headed dead dude. All in a day's work. All in the name of trying to save her sister, and trying to help keep her new town safe.
There's no real ending to the story with this book, so you're gonna want to get the next book(s) in the series, too. I guarantee you; this is different from anything you've ever read. Check it out!
I'd give it a strong three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
January 28, 2016
Really enjoyed it
I wasn't sure at first if I would enjoy this book. However as the story of Daelin and the mysteries of Settler, Oregon drew me in, I was hooked. If you enjoy urban fantasy, I recommend reading this series.
I wasn't sure at first if I would enjoy this book. However as the story of Daelin and the mysteries of Settler, Oregon drew me in, I was hooked. If you enjoy urban fantasy, I recommend reading this series.
July 30, 2017
What a nice surprise! I had read, and reviewed, two “Backworlds” novels by M. Pax, and was much appreciative of her visualization of gene-engineered humans trying to eke out a living a long way from the “more civilized” folk who live closer to the center of human expansion into the galaxy.
Then I started The Rifters, was immediately drawn in to the rich descriptions she gave to settings, action, and characters. Even sensory experiences – visual, sound, and smell – draw you deeper into the story as it unfolds. M. Pax obviously put a lot of time and love into this story.
The plot has been used before by other authors. A young woman goes to an isolated small town (Settler) and experiences unusual interactions with its somewhat odd/ eccentric residents. Inexplicable phenomena are noted, everyone seems to have secrets, and odd gadgets, purpose unknown, are turning up all over the place. But, M. Pax has put her personal stamp on this one, and the story flows with a smooth and confident pace, leaving you wondering what will happen next and then surprises you with twists that keep your interest high. In my case, my response was to order the next two books in the series – The Initiate, and The Reader.
Then I started The Rifters, was immediately drawn in to the rich descriptions she gave to settings, action, and characters. Even sensory experiences – visual, sound, and smell – draw you deeper into the story as it unfolds. M. Pax obviously put a lot of time and love into this story.
The plot has been used before by other authors. A young woman goes to an isolated small town (Settler) and experiences unusual interactions with its somewhat odd/ eccentric residents. Inexplicable phenomena are noted, everyone seems to have secrets, and odd gadgets, purpose unknown, are turning up all over the place. But, M. Pax has put her personal stamp on this one, and the story flows with a smooth and confident pace, leaving you wondering what will happen next and then surprises you with twists that keep your interest high. In my case, my response was to order the next two books in the series – The Initiate, and The Reader.
August 5, 2018
In all the dictionaries, Darling Day Long never expected for Settler to be anything more then a small town escape. Her only goal was to distance herself from big city problems and to reconnect with her sister Charming.
The town is anything but ordinary. Things seem disqusitive and a tab erroneous. It's only a matter of time before skeletons are out of the closet and the rift becomes known to Daelin, " Darling Day Long."
Daelin will do anything in her influence to aid her sister Charming. She just doesn't know who can be trusted. After her crisis at gun point she is finding it arduous to trust what is happening before her eyes. Earl and Dante. Culver, Trinity, Sabine. So many reticent individuals reside in Settler, Oregon and she has yet to be reunited with her sister Charming.
At every turn there is adventure. I found it difficult to follow in the begining, then the plot began to unfold. There were a few editing blunders yet the storyline kept me plastered to the pages. The cliffhanger indubitably had me apt to get the next book in the series.
The town is anything but ordinary. Things seem disqusitive and a tab erroneous. It's only a matter of time before skeletons are out of the closet and the rift becomes known to Daelin, " Darling Day Long."
Daelin will do anything in her influence to aid her sister Charming. She just doesn't know who can be trusted. After her crisis at gun point she is finding it arduous to trust what is happening before her eyes. Earl and Dante. Culver, Trinity, Sabine. So many reticent individuals reside in Settler, Oregon and she has yet to be reunited with her sister Charming.
At every turn there is adventure. I found it difficult to follow in the begining, then the plot began to unfold. There were a few editing blunders yet the storyline kept me plastered to the pages. The cliffhanger indubitably had me apt to get the next book in the series.
January 18, 2018
Charming and Earl are Rifters, they protect this dimension from creatures from the other dimensions. Charming is missing and Earl is trying to find her. Enter Charming's sister Darling, she prefers Daelyn. Daelyn wants to escape from the city and Settler OR seems like a nice sleepy town, until she get's caught up in the rift and has to make some tough choices.
I wasn't quite sure what to rate this story. The beginning of this book has a lot of activity going on but it a bit hard to follow. There are a lot of technical terms and descriptions that kind of throw you off the story. What I actually did was finish the story and then re-read the first few chapters so I fully understood what was happening. I was hovering between 3-4 stars, but after the first few chapters the story really takes off.
I wasn't quite sure what to rate this story. The beginning of this book has a lot of activity going on but it a bit hard to follow. There are a lot of technical terms and descriptions that kind of throw you off the story. What I actually did was finish the story and then re-read the first few chapters so I fully understood what was happening. I was hovering between 3-4 stars, but after the first few chapters the story really takes off.
August 22, 2017
The premise of this book is interesting, but the execution falls short. It reads more like a prequel than the first part of the novel. In fantasy and sci-fi, world building is particularly important, and The Rifters does not do a great job of describing the laws and rules of Settler, Oregon. M. Pax tries to maintain mystery about how the rift functions while using it, having side characters discuss it, and showing it. After reading the whole novel, it still isn't clear what is going on, or how any of it works.
M. Pax does a good job of describing characters, though some of the names are obnoxious in their attempt to be unique. Also, by the end of the book I thought the phrase "in all the dictionaries" was the most annoying thing.
M. Pax does a good job of describing characters, though some of the names are obnoxious in their attempt to be unique. Also, by the end of the book I thought the phrase "in all the dictionaries" was the most annoying thing.
August 24, 2018
What a screwy place with its crazy history and off-the-wall yet somehow endearing inhabitants! No wonder Daelin is about to go off her head, especially when ghosts start appearing and speaking to her. She has to accept and cope with all the strange happenings, but her focus is saving her sister. Most enjoyable.
September 8, 2018
The Rifters is the first book in The Rifters series. This should not be read as a standalone. There is violence. This is an interesting twist on a rift in time/space storyline. At first it is a bit confusing but does clear up after a while. While the storyline is average, it was worth reading. Now I want to read The Initiate to see what happens next.
May 26, 2022
Richly Imagined
Settler, Original as the stepping stone to the Rift is fun. It's like any number of small towns with secrets and oddness you never quite see or hear about except out of the corner of your eye and rumors.
Characters are well drawn and have their own flavour. Creatures and Beasts are grisly.
The story is complex and intriguing.
I'll keep reading!
Settler, Original as the stepping stone to the Rift is fun. It's like any number of small towns with secrets and oddness you never quite see or hear about except out of the corner of your eye and rumors.
Characters are well drawn and have their own flavour. Creatures and Beasts are grisly.
The story is complex and intriguing.
I'll keep reading!
April 28, 2023
2 stars. This book started off pretty well, but then it got very violent and also very choppy. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying; way too many unresolved plot lines. I also didn't care about the characters; they seemed flat. Almost DNF, but had put in the time so I did finish, but won't be continuing this series.
April 2, 2017
Not Kindle Unlimited, interesting premise but there were parts it just wasn't pulled off quite right, hence the liked but not luved it 4 star rating but thought compared to what, then decided on 5. Also got offered #2, later #3 so off to fix review to match as well. This is a 3 book collection in total.
The Rifters: Mystery in a Strange Western Town
The Initiate (The Rifters Book 2)
The Reader (The Rifters Book 3)
The Rifters: Mystery in a Strange Western Town
The Initiate (The Rifters Book 2)
The Reader (The Rifters Book 3)
April 9, 2018
Out of this world, fantastic. Loved every part. In 1888 Earle goes to the mountains and a rift opens. He lands in the future and loses forty years off his age. Extra time to redo things. Ready for more books by this superb author.
August 5, 2018
A wonderful introduction to this small town’s secret
I felt very connected to the main character, Earl. He came across as a complete person facing a very terrible threat from outside our “normal” reality. I look forward to reading more from this series.
I felt very connected to the main character, Earl. He came across as a complete person facing a very terrible threat from outside our “normal” reality. I look forward to reading more from this series.
November 30, 2018
The rating should be more like 2.5. It is a little better than OK, but not quite what I was expecting. I also have the 2nd book in this series, so will reserve any further review until I complete that one.
January 11, 2018
Interestong pos-steampunk ideas, but ultimately falls flat. To much is built up to be slved in the sequel, it svery unsatisfying.
added-it
January 31, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/31/2021)! 🎁
November 23, 2024
Different magical, didn't grab me. Easy to put down. Not going looking for more M. Pax, but decent story. Might take your fancy
July 23, 2025
Wow!
Unique and intriguing series. I loved the prequel to this and just had to continue the story. Amazing characters, fantastic world building!
Unique and intriguing series. I loved the prequel to this and just had to continue the story. Amazing characters, fantastic world building!
January 21, 2015
Overall rating 4.5/5 stars
The first two books of M. Pax's newest promising series are quick and enjoyable reads. In The Rifters we are introduced to Daelin Long, who comes to the town of Settler, OR from New York City to take on a new job as a librarian and to move in with her sister, Charming, after a series of unfortunate events leaves her with next to nothing. Little does she know that her sister is lost in the Rift, a hole in the fabric of reality that allows creatures in from other realities to enter ours. Daelin's also in the dark about the fact that some of Settler's inhabitants are the Rift's gatekeepers. What she does find in Settler is Earl Black, a kind of time traveler who came through the Rift previously and who is a friend of her sister's, but who won't tell her much. Throughout the book, Daelin finds a bit of an adventure when she does some ghost busting, loses her memory a couple of times, gets it back and joins the Rifters with a pledge to protect our reality from anything that comes through the Rift.
The Initiate picks up almost exactly where The Rifters leaves off and answers most of the questions raised in the first book about where Charming is, who Earl Black really is and what lies beyond the Rift. As a new member of the Rifters, an initiate, Daelin must try and trust the other Rifters as they battle a new threat that has come through the Rift. She also learns more about her and her sister's ancestry and how it connects to the Rift. Earl has his own adventure in the desert which ends up leading him full circle, and Daelin is reunited with Charming in the end. However, this reunion is the beginning of something else as Pax sets up another installment of this series when learn a little more about the other worlds beyond Rift.
1. Creativity 4/5 stars
The world Pax creates here is like the Wild West meets Ghostbusters with some Stargate and a bit of Steampunk thrown in. Even though everything seems a bit familiar, it's not, which is what makes it compelling.
2. Craft 4/5 stars
Pax introduces you to her characters and the settings in a direct, no-nonsense manner with an almost (but not quite) minimalist style of exposition that doesn't mince words. But this is how her characters are--no nonsense, so it works. Every now and then there are some odd metaphors and similes which almost seem as if they could be satiric nods to 1950s style pulp fiction Westerns, but they might also just be odd comparisons. It's hard to tell. Nevertheless, they don't detract much from the overall solid quality of the writing. There is a bit of repetition here and there as if Pax forgot now and then how much she has revealed to the reader. However, I'd rather have a piece of information repeated than not know what's going on.
3. Characters 4/5 stars
The main characters, Daelin and Earl, are well developed throughout both books. Daelin is both believable and likeable, and she is a bit of a poor judge of her own abilities as we see her being completely competent in very stressful situations. This makes for some interesting discord between what Daelin thinks about herself and what we think about her. It also makes her all the more human. We learn more about Earl in The Initiate, but his motivations and existence are tied up with another character who is from the Rift, Dante. Despite Dante's interesting transformations, he remains a bit of a mystery. Some of the secondary characters are a bit stereotypical, but then again, so are some real people. We never really learn all that much more about Charming's personality and motivations and her need to be in the Rift, but I expect that might develop later on in the series.
4. Plot 4.5/5 stars
The plot of both books is laid out in a couple of threads in a linear fashion with flashbacks to the past here and there to aid the general exposition and character development. The story lines are reminiscent of a two-part episode of something off the SyFy channel, but isn't that what I was looking for when I picked these up?
5. Organization 5/5
I loved that I could follow the action without too much effort. Flashbacks were clearly flashbacks, and one scene logically followed the next, even with multiple threads. Call me a lazy reader if you like, but postmodernism is for the birds. As I've already mentioned, things are a little repetitive here and there, but a less careful reader might not notice this.
6. Technicalities 5/5
Yes! I found only one error in both books--a missed word in a sentence, and the formatting was just grand with decorations and all. Kudos for the careful formatting and editing efforts.
And just a final note about the covers of these books. They didn't quite fit with what I imagined while reading. I certainly wouldn't be caught dead wearing an evening gown top showing my cleavage in Settler, but the Rifter's cover does provide a nice nod to the Wild West's brothel culture.
Please see my blog:Choose Your Own End
The first two books of M. Pax's newest promising series are quick and enjoyable reads. In The Rifters we are introduced to Daelin Long, who comes to the town of Settler, OR from New York City to take on a new job as a librarian and to move in with her sister, Charming, after a series of unfortunate events leaves her with next to nothing. Little does she know that her sister is lost in the Rift, a hole in the fabric of reality that allows creatures in from other realities to enter ours. Daelin's also in the dark about the fact that some of Settler's inhabitants are the Rift's gatekeepers. What she does find in Settler is Earl Black, a kind of time traveler who came through the Rift previously and who is a friend of her sister's, but who won't tell her much. Throughout the book, Daelin finds a bit of an adventure when she does some ghost busting, loses her memory a couple of times, gets it back and joins the Rifters with a pledge to protect our reality from anything that comes through the Rift.
The Initiate picks up almost exactly where The Rifters leaves off and answers most of the questions raised in the first book about where Charming is, who Earl Black really is and what lies beyond the Rift. As a new member of the Rifters, an initiate, Daelin must try and trust the other Rifters as they battle a new threat that has come through the Rift. She also learns more about her and her sister's ancestry and how it connects to the Rift. Earl has his own adventure in the desert which ends up leading him full circle, and Daelin is reunited with Charming in the end. However, this reunion is the beginning of something else as Pax sets up another installment of this series when learn a little more about the other worlds beyond Rift.
1. Creativity 4/5 stars
The world Pax creates here is like the Wild West meets Ghostbusters with some Stargate and a bit of Steampunk thrown in. Even though everything seems a bit familiar, it's not, which is what makes it compelling.
2. Craft 4/5 stars
Pax introduces you to her characters and the settings in a direct, no-nonsense manner with an almost (but not quite) minimalist style of exposition that doesn't mince words. But this is how her characters are--no nonsense, so it works. Every now and then there are some odd metaphors and similes which almost seem as if they could be satiric nods to 1950s style pulp fiction Westerns, but they might also just be odd comparisons. It's hard to tell. Nevertheless, they don't detract much from the overall solid quality of the writing. There is a bit of repetition here and there as if Pax forgot now and then how much she has revealed to the reader. However, I'd rather have a piece of information repeated than not know what's going on.
3. Characters 4/5 stars
The main characters, Daelin and Earl, are well developed throughout both books. Daelin is both believable and likeable, and she is a bit of a poor judge of her own abilities as we see her being completely competent in very stressful situations. This makes for some interesting discord between what Daelin thinks about herself and what we think about her. It also makes her all the more human. We learn more about Earl in The Initiate, but his motivations and existence are tied up with another character who is from the Rift, Dante. Despite Dante's interesting transformations, he remains a bit of a mystery. Some of the secondary characters are a bit stereotypical, but then again, so are some real people. We never really learn all that much more about Charming's personality and motivations and her need to be in the Rift, but I expect that might develop later on in the series.
4. Plot 4.5/5 stars
The plot of both books is laid out in a couple of threads in a linear fashion with flashbacks to the past here and there to aid the general exposition and character development. The story lines are reminiscent of a two-part episode of something off the SyFy channel, but isn't that what I was looking for when I picked these up?
5. Organization 5/5
I loved that I could follow the action without too much effort. Flashbacks were clearly flashbacks, and one scene logically followed the next, even with multiple threads. Call me a lazy reader if you like, but postmodernism is for the birds. As I've already mentioned, things are a little repetitive here and there, but a less careful reader might not notice this.
6. Technicalities 5/5
Yes! I found only one error in both books--a missed word in a sentence, and the formatting was just grand with decorations and all. Kudos for the careful formatting and editing efforts.
And just a final note about the covers of these books. They didn't quite fit with what I imagined while reading. I certainly wouldn't be caught dead wearing an evening gown top showing my cleavage in Settler, but the Rifter's cover does provide a nice nod to the Wild West's brothel culture.
Please see my blog:Choose Your Own End
March 21, 2017
Very Confusing the
This story starts out very confusing and I almost quite reading because it was not making sense. I hate to not finish a book so plowed on. It finally started to come around but by the e d I am still undecided about this book. Author states at end of book if a review is posted and emailed to her she will send the next book free. I might take her up on it, trying to decide if it is worth my time though.
This story starts out very confusing and I almost quite reading because it was not making sense. I hate to not finish a book so plowed on. It finally started to come around but by the e d I am still undecided about this book. Author states at end of book if a review is posted and emailed to her she will send the next book free. I might take her up on it, trying to decide if it is worth my time though.
March 15, 2017
Darling Long is broke, out of work and without any immediate job prospects, so she accepts the position of librarian in a one horse town called Settler, where her sister Charming lives. That's the end of normal life as she knows it. When she arrives her sister is missing. She meets a lot of weird people and they are all very evasive about her sister. Almost within hours of arrival she is plunged into a fantastic and unwanted adventure, which stretches her sanity to the limits. To get her sister back, Darling is almost forced to join the Rifters, a group of people, all the weird ones she met, which guard a portal to another dimension. Through the portal come very strange and dangerous beings. I enjoyed this story, but it is very light on explanations. Who, what or why isn't answered. I would recommend this book only to those who like the weirder type of fantasy.
August 29, 2014
It's not easy starting over. Not for Daelin Long who lost her dream job in NYC and has to go to her sister's house in the tiny Oregon town of Settler. Nor is it for Earl Blacke who was a famed outlaw in 1888 but now a cowboy atoning for his sins in modern day Settler. It doesn't help that Daelin's sister is missing and there's rumors of phantoms and missing heads. Earl must keep his secrets, but to save Daelin and Settler, he'll have to risk something more.
An incredibly original tale of brave small town folks, cowboys, and monsters. It's urban fantasy, science-fiction, and steampunk wrapped within an action-packed plot and a quirky cast of characters. Settler has a small town flair, but something even more unusual stretching back through its history. The place itself is a fascinating character itself!
Daelin won me over quickly. She lost everything in NYC, and when she came to her sister Charming's home, Charming had gone missing. Thrust into a strange little town away from everything she worked for, Daelin is forced to fight for her life against things she doesn't understand. She's smart and brave, but there is a bookish innocence about her that I adored. Earl is like a knight in dusty cowboy boots. I could feel the weight of his secrets and I wondered if he could remain true to them. There was something I liked about everyone in Settler, and many times, I found myself giggling as I read. The threat looming over the town is a mystery, but no less deadly.
This is the first book in the series, and I can't wait to read more to answer the thousand questions bumping around in my head! I highly recommend THE RIFTERS to everyone.
An incredibly original tale of brave small town folks, cowboys, and monsters. It's urban fantasy, science-fiction, and steampunk wrapped within an action-packed plot and a quirky cast of characters. Settler has a small town flair, but something even more unusual stretching back through its history. The place itself is a fascinating character itself!
Daelin won me over quickly. She lost everything in NYC, and when she came to her sister Charming's home, Charming had gone missing. Thrust into a strange little town away from everything she worked for, Daelin is forced to fight for her life against things she doesn't understand. She's smart and brave, but there is a bookish innocence about her that I adored. Earl is like a knight in dusty cowboy boots. I could feel the weight of his secrets and I wondered if he could remain true to them. There was something I liked about everyone in Settler, and many times, I found myself giggling as I read. The threat looming over the town is a mystery, but no less deadly.
This is the first book in the series, and I can't wait to read more to answer the thousand questions bumping around in my head! I highly recommend THE RIFTERS to everyone.
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