Steampunk Review: The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith

The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith (Vampire Empire #2)

bought

Synopsis from Goodreads
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.

The Rift Walker is the second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternative 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.
 
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9/10

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 The Greyfriar, book one of Vampire Empire series was one of the first steampunk books I've ever read, and was partially responsible for my falling in love with the genre.



The Rift Walker is just as awesome. I adore how Clay and Susan meticulously describe the world of Equatoria, the human empire, and London, the centre of Vampire Empire, and their numerous, rich and colourful characters.

Both Adele and Gareth's characters are larger than life,  epic, world-revolves-around-me, i-change-history figures. Their love is impossible and gets even more impossible with every day and every obstacle they face.

He is a vampire prince, betraying his own kind, refusing the throne of the Empire that rightfully belongs to him, because he doesn't believe in treating humans like animals, he doesn't believe in mindless slaughter and superiority of vampires. So like a vampire Zorro he hides under the masque of Greyfriar and saves humans where he can.

She is the heir to the Empire of Equatoria and its beautiful capital of Alexandria, she is destined for greater things, she is believed to be able to become the weapon of vampire destruction, a powerful geomancer who will use the Earth rifts, ley lines to destroy the vampire race... 

Every day together Greyfriar and the princess risk his discovery and her ruination as a symbol of hope for her people; every day Adele learns how to control her powers it's more and more  painful for Gareth to stay next to her. 

Twisted politics, treachery and deception run amok in both courts, there is a lot of brutal deaths, violence and heartache, and Adele's and Gareth's happy ending just got even more improbable.

Superbly written series, beautiful characters, powerful world-building and sense of malevolence dominating it all.

For fans of steampunk, fantasy and urban fantasy this series is a must read.

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Феерическая серия, которую необходимо читать всем фанатам стимпанка, фэнтэзи и городского фэнтэзи.

Первая книга, Грейфрайар, очень сильно повлияла на моё увлечение стимпанком. Следует сказать, что в этой серии он приглушённый, но всё же не заметить его нельзя.

Вампирская Империя - это тщательно разработанное построение мира, сильные и колоритные персонажи и абсолютно эпическая, невозможная история любви на фоне политических интриг, предательства и войн между человечеством и вампирской расой.

Адель - принцесса и наследница Экваторианской Империи с её прекрасной столицей Александрией, могущественный геомансер, который при должном обучении сможет манипулировать лей-линиями Земли и с их помощью уничтожить всех вампиров.

Гарет - вампирский принц Лондона и наследник Вaмпирской империи, добровольно отказавшийся от трона в пользу своего младшего брата, маниакального Чезаре. Он предал свою расу, не веря в то, что люди - всего лишь животные, а вампиры - превосходящий их вид, он носит маску Грефрайара и спасает людей от вампиров по всему миру, и о нём складываются легенды... Только всего лишь пара существ на Земле знает его секрет, то, что Гарет и Грейфрайар - это одно и то же лицо.

Каждый день вблизи Адель угрожает разоблачением с катастрофическими последствиями им обоим, к тому же чем больше она учится управлять своими способностями геомансера, тем физически больнее Гарету находиться вблизи неё... Невозможная любовь, как я и сказала.

Потрясающая серия, которую я всем советую читать!