Review. The Rift Walker - Clay and Susan Griffith

Series: Vampire Empire #2
Genre: Alternate history/steampunk
Pages: 399
Published: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Prometheus books
Source: For review

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 disarrray, 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.

My thoughts:

I could not believe how the last book ended! Adele going back to marry that ass Clark, and greyfriar staying behind  to save humans. I could not wait to get my hands on book 2 because I needed to know what would happen.

And that is where this book starts. Clark is pressuring Adele to marry him at once, she is staling, Prince Cesare is planning revenge back in London and Greyfriar is missing her. What we have is a book that promises lots of action and that it sure delivers. There are assassinations, vampire fights (and new vampires to meet) and Adele finding a power within her that can change the upcoming war.

I like how they have created this world where vampires came out of hiding and took over the northern hemisphere and more (since the heat makes them slow.) They rule and eat the humans who did manage to flee. It's a great world, the creation that is, because life back north is horrible. I also like how they use magic, that it can be found and used by some, at stone circles and other places, and that the vampires do not like these places. And of course the steampunk elements are just awesome.

To the story then, even if I did not like it as much as book 1 (which was freaking awesome), I still liked it a lot. It had the forbidden romance, and this is a romance that can never work. He is a vampire, she is human and a future empress. I just can't see a happy ending and it is breaking my heart.

There is action, plots, politics and so much more. It has a great cast of side characters too, from Senator Clark (whom I do not like), Prince Cesare (gotta love a crazy vampire prince), Adele's teacher Mamoru (another guy I just do not like anymore, you will find out why) and many more.

So if you have not read book 1 yet then do go and buy it because else you will miss a lot of good things. And if you have read book 1 then enjoy this one.

Conclusion:

Vampire steampunk, and a series you just have to try. It's feels fresh and the mix of things makes it something for everything to like.

Rating:

Good

Cover.

Nice