Scan barcode
a_chickletz's review against another edition
3.0
I'm gonna admit, this book was not as good as book one. I will say this because the fighting chapters bored me. My eyes just kind of glossed right over the characters and what they were doing during those scenes. Then again, reading while you're sick in bed isn't the greatest time to read a book.
Gareth and Adele are a great couple, but their relationship kind of fizzled out. I feel that when a couple gets too clingy too soon, it leaves me nothing to look forward to in the later books. Theirs is something I want to see, but not right now?
I feel that there wasn't enough focus on the vampire villains. I didn't really care for the scenes that involved Senator Clark - unless he was directly involved, because I find he's such a shit of a guy. I really hope that Gareth and he have a face-off.
I'm still gonna read the next book. Hopefully there is more focus on the vampires.
Gareth and Adele are a great couple, but their relationship kind of fizzled out. I feel that when a couple gets too clingy too soon, it leaves me nothing to look forward to in the later books. Theirs is something I want to see, but not right now?
I feel that there wasn't enough focus on the vampire villains. I didn't really care for the scenes that involved Senator Clark - unless he was directly involved, because I find he's such a shit of a guy. I really hope that Gareth and he have a face-off.
I'm still gonna read the next book. Hopefully there is more focus on the vampires.
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Second in the Vampire Empire steampunk series for young adults that is an alternate reality with war between vampires and humans.
My Take
This was much better than the writing in Greyfriar and I'm anxious to read what happens next in Kingmakers. Still lots of action with quite the melodramatic touch with betrayals galore. Although, I really don't understand how the Griffiths reconcile the Equatorians not wanting war and hating Clark with forcing Adele to marry the jerk so they can go to war. I am so confused.
As for my reactions to actions within the story:
Gareth/Greyfriar is amazingly innocent as far as politics is concerned.
I did love how upset Clark gets! Even if he did have so much more coming to him!
In some respects, I think that the betrayals in Alexandria will be good for Adele. Cleaning out some old, fossilized wood.
I have a hard time believing that Mamoru can be so prejudiced and closeminded.
Oh, yeah, I did love the dramatic entrance that Adele makes into Alexandria with the Greyfriar!
The Story
The story introduces us to the Greyfriar, the saviour of mankind. And a vampire. It also slides us into the dramatic view that the people of Alexandria have of the man who saved their beloved princess.
Unfortunately, it's only the people of Alexandria who love her. Her father, his government, the powers-that-be refuse to acknowledge that she has knowledge about the vampires that is important to their war planning. They treat her like a mindless idiot and have no respect for her. And they intend to force her into this marriage with the obnoxious Clark who believes he will be the emperor.
Only Cesare has other plans for Adele and Clark's wedding day. Plans the Greyfriar will thwart, but which will have enormous consequences for Adele's family and her country.
Meanwhile, it's an escape down the Nile by dahabiya, an air ship to a potential ally, and a jungle trek to war before Adele can consider home.
The Characters
Princess Adele is safe back in Alexandria where her father, Emperor Constantine II, reigns. And she's missing Greyfriar even as she tries to avoid marriage to Senator Miles Clark, the hero of America. I think his public relations people are more responsible for that reputation. He's certainly a major jerk with no manners and no consideration for others. Major Stoddard is his second-in-command and he hates Clark. Colonel Mehmet Anhalt, a Ghurka, is in command of her White Guard, her household troops. Prince Simon is her younger brother and heir to the throne after Adele.
The Greyfriar is a Robin Hood who rescues humans from their conquerors, the vampires. His real life identity is Prince Gareth, the vampire heir to King Dimitri's throne, the ruler of conquered England. Gareth's territory is Scotland where he and Baudoin, his vampire servant, are the only vampires and he cares for the humans there.
Prince Cesare is his younger brother and a scheming, conniving vampire who lives to destroy whether it's humanity or his father. Flay is his out-of-favor war chief. General Montrose is a human and commands Cesare's Undead army. Lady Hallow now works for Cesare and was once with Gareth. She will coordinate the allied effort. Cesare is working on an alliance with King Ashkenazy of Budapest, King Draken of Munich, and Queen Fen of New York (she despises Cesare and hungers for Gareth).
Mamoru is the mystical samurai who has been teaching Adele how to fight, how to access her abilities as part of a promise to her mother. He is part of a small group who have designs on using Adele. Sir Godfrey Randolph is a fellow member and a surgeon who has written several books including the Treatise on Homo Nosferatii which is one of Gareth's most treasured books. Nzingu and Sanah are women members. Mamoru also runs a spy network Kelvin would love to get his hands on; Selkirk is one of Mamoru's spies and a geomancer assigned to map the leylines of the British Isles.
Trellech and Hawkshaw are two of the ley-protected villages in Britain where Selkirk can find allies including Reverend Richard Goronwy. A man with some deep, dark secrets who is also known as the Doctor of Comparative Spirituality. Whatever helps your conscience, I guess.
Captain Eskandari leads the Imperial Marines. Lord Kelvin is the prime minister who is hungry for power and running the empire to his ideals. The wealthy Lord Aden (Laurence Randolph) is a co-conspirator. Captain Hariri is a renegade whom Anhalt seeks.
King Msiri rules Katanga from his capital of Bunia and is independent of Alexandria. General Ngongo is an old friend of Anhalt's. Msiri's mother is a geomancer and seer. Jaga leads the ndoki vampires who torment Msiri's people.
The Undead are humans who believe the myth that Cesare promotes, that when they die they will rise up again as vampires.
The Cover
The cover finds Princess Adele lying down, asleep or wounded, in a crypt with the Greyfriar staring down at her. The slab on which she's lying is covered in rich fabrics as she is while Gareth, as the Greyfriar, wears his goggles pushed up on his forehead, a military jacket, and the fabric that normally swaths his head around his shoulders. It looks like flower petals or butterflies floating in the air. The background is the stone that makes up the walls and the arched opening to the wide stairway leading upwards.
The title refers to Adele's growing ability as a Rift Walker.
My Take
This was much better than the writing in Greyfriar and I'm anxious to read what happens next in Kingmakers. Still lots of action with quite the melodramatic touch with betrayals galore. Although, I really don't understand how the Griffiths reconcile the Equatorians not wanting war and hating Clark with forcing Adele to marry the jerk so they can go to war. I am so confused.
As for my reactions to actions within the story:
Gareth/Greyfriar is amazingly innocent as far as politics is concerned.
I did love how upset Clark gets! Even if he did have so much more coming to him!
In some respects, I think that the betrayals in Alexandria will be good for Adele. Cleaning out some old, fossilized wood.
I have a hard time believing that Mamoru can be so prejudiced and closeminded.
Oh, yeah, I did love the dramatic entrance that Adele makes into Alexandria with the Greyfriar!
The Story
The story introduces us to the Greyfriar, the saviour of mankind. And a vampire. It also slides us into the dramatic view that the people of Alexandria have of the man who saved their beloved princess.
Unfortunately, it's only the people of Alexandria who love her. Her father, his government, the powers-that-be refuse to acknowledge that she has knowledge about the vampires that is important to their war planning. They treat her like a mindless idiot and have no respect for her. And they intend to force her into this marriage with the obnoxious Clark who believes he will be the emperor.
Only Cesare has other plans for Adele and Clark's wedding day. Plans the Greyfriar will thwart, but which will have enormous consequences for Adele's family and her country.
Meanwhile, it's an escape down the Nile by dahabiya, an air ship to a potential ally, and a jungle trek to war before Adele can consider home.
The Characters
Princess Adele is safe back in Alexandria where her father, Emperor Constantine II, reigns. And she's missing Greyfriar even as she tries to avoid marriage to Senator Miles Clark, the hero of America. I think his public relations people are more responsible for that reputation. He's certainly a major jerk with no manners and no consideration for others. Major Stoddard is his second-in-command and he hates Clark. Colonel Mehmet Anhalt, a Ghurka, is in command of her White Guard, her household troops. Prince Simon is her younger brother and heir to the throne after Adele.
The Greyfriar is a Robin Hood who rescues humans from their conquerors, the vampires. His real life identity is Prince Gareth, the vampire heir to King Dimitri's throne, the ruler of conquered England. Gareth's territory is Scotland where he and Baudoin, his vampire servant, are the only vampires and he cares for the humans there.
Prince Cesare is his younger brother and a scheming, conniving vampire who lives to destroy whether it's humanity or his father. Flay is his out-of-favor war chief. General Montrose is a human and commands Cesare's Undead army. Lady Hallow now works for Cesare and was once with Gareth. She will coordinate the allied effort. Cesare is working on an alliance with King Ashkenazy of Budapest, King Draken of Munich, and Queen Fen of New York (she despises Cesare and hungers for Gareth).
Mamoru is the mystical samurai who has been teaching Adele how to fight, how to access her abilities as part of a promise to her mother. He is part of a small group who have designs on using Adele. Sir Godfrey Randolph is a fellow member and a surgeon who has written several books including the Treatise on Homo Nosferatii which is one of Gareth's most treasured books. Nzingu and Sanah are women members. Mamoru also runs a spy network Kelvin would love to get his hands on; Selkirk is one of Mamoru's spies and a geomancer assigned to map the leylines of the British Isles.
Trellech and Hawkshaw are two of the ley-protected villages in Britain where Selkirk can find allies including Reverend Richard Goronwy. A man with some deep, dark secrets who is also known as the Doctor of Comparative Spirituality. Whatever helps your conscience, I guess.
Captain Eskandari leads the Imperial Marines. Lord Kelvin is the prime minister who is hungry for power and running the empire to his ideals. The wealthy Lord Aden (Laurence Randolph) is a co-conspirator. Captain Hariri is a renegade whom Anhalt seeks.
King Msiri rules Katanga from his capital of Bunia and is independent of Alexandria. General Ngongo is an old friend of Anhalt's. Msiri's mother is a geomancer and seer. Jaga leads the ndoki vampires who torment Msiri's people.
The Undead are humans who believe the myth that Cesare promotes, that when they die they will rise up again as vampires.
The Cover
The cover finds Princess Adele lying down, asleep or wounded, in a crypt with the Greyfriar staring down at her. The slab on which she's lying is covered in rich fabrics as she is while Gareth, as the Greyfriar, wears his goggles pushed up on his forehead, a military jacket, and the fabric that normally swaths his head around his shoulders. It looks like flower petals or butterflies floating in the air. The background is the stone that makes up the walls and the arched opening to the wide stairway leading upwards.
The title refers to Adele's growing ability as a Rift Walker.
yodamom's review against another edition
5.0
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.
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.
clairedrinkstea's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing!
This is a great follow-up to The Greyfriar and I can't wait for The Kingslayer.
The characters are very well written and well rounded, each have faults and redeeming features and even the bad guys can be respected, I find there is always one character who you just don't like and don't want to read about but with the Vampire Empire series I'm intrigued by them all.
I love the relationship between Adele and Greyfirar/Gareth and you want them desperately to have the have the life the Penny-Dreadfuls depict and the book(s) are so well written that it pulls at your heart strings each time something happens and they give a little more of their lives to their duty.
Read these books,you'll not be disappointed.
This is a great follow-up to The Greyfriar and I can't wait for The Kingslayer.
The characters are very well written and well rounded, each have faults and redeeming features and even the bad guys can be respected, I find there is always one character who you just don't like and don't want to read about but with the Vampire Empire series I'm intrigued by them all.
I love the relationship between Adele and Greyfirar/Gareth and you want them desperately to have the have the life the Penny-Dreadfuls depict and the book(s) are so well written that it pulls at your heart strings each time something happens and they give a little more of their lives to their duty.
Read these books,you'll not be disappointed.
hidingincorners's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic. Adele is my daily inspiration. The imagery is so vivid, I can almost see it.
reddyrat's review against another edition
5.0
The Vampire Empire series is one of those rare creatures where almost everyone who gives it a chance falls head over heels in love. It is probably the most sophisticated, action-oriented, and romantic vampire series I've read to date. I had high expectations for The Rift Walker after reading Greyfriar and luckily it did not disappoint.
Greyfriar and Adele are even better characters in The Rift Walker than in Greyfriar. I liked that the Griffiths avoided the common second novel theme in which the happy couple is torn apart and remains separated throughout most of the novel. In Rift Walker, Greyfriar and Adele begin the novel apart but are soon reunited. From that point, they are a team.
Adele and Greyfriar are definitely a partnership in every meaning of the world. Adele is increasingly coming into her own knowledge of geomancy and able to use the powers to possesses. Moreover, she is a stronger person - more mature, more determined, and more morally certain. Greyfriar is definitely my favorite character. Unlike most male heroes, Greyfriar is not too proud to let Adele lead. Throughout much of this novel, Adele was at the advantage. The climate, terrain, and people were much easier for her to manage than Greyfriar. He had no problem in allowing her to take charge. Certainly he wanted and tried to protect her, but he recognized that she was no shrinking violet.
The side characters become increasingly complex in The Rift Walker. Colonel Anhalt is ever the loyal support. He places Adele's interest above all else, including his country. Mamoru is harder to characterize. He truly cares for Adele, but his desire to capitalize on Adele's geomancy powers leads him to take actions that seem deplorable. Senator Clark continues to be a somewhat cardboard foil to Adele and Greyfriar's love. He becomes even more odius in The Rift Walker. The main political characters in the novel, Lord Aden, the Emperor, Cesare, and Flay, also play an important role. The political and power-wielding machinations grow more complex and nefarious on both sides.
Edinburgh Castle is almost entirely absent from The Rift Walker. I missed glorious Scotland and characters like Morgana and Baudin. However, I admire the Griffiths for introducing a new setting. Adele and Greyfriar were on the run for most of the novel - running south. The book was full of tense scenes as they barely escaped their pursuers or faced enemies head on. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but once Greyfriar and Adele got back together so many different things occurred that the book flowed quickly.
The only criticism I can come up with for this series is that I still have difficulty understanding the idea of geomancy. It's not for lack of explanation as both books speak about it in significant detail. However, I still don't see why the rifts create energy and why Adele is able to channel that energy more than others. Perhaps it will make sense as the book goes on, but if not, it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Greyfriar and Adele are even better characters in The Rift Walker than in Greyfriar. I liked that the Griffiths avoided the common second novel theme in which the happy couple is torn apart and remains separated throughout most of the novel. In Rift Walker, Greyfriar and Adele begin the novel apart but are soon reunited. From that point, they are a team.
Adele and Greyfriar are definitely a partnership in every meaning of the world. Adele is increasingly coming into her own knowledge of geomancy and able to use the powers to possesses. Moreover, she is a stronger person - more mature, more determined, and more morally certain. Greyfriar is definitely my favorite character. Unlike most male heroes, Greyfriar is not too proud to let Adele lead. Throughout much of this novel, Adele was at the advantage. The climate, terrain, and people were much easier for her to manage than Greyfriar. He had no problem in allowing her to take charge. Certainly he wanted and tried to protect her, but he recognized that she was no shrinking violet.
The side characters become increasingly complex in The Rift Walker. Colonel Anhalt is ever the loyal support. He places Adele's interest above all else, including his country. Mamoru is harder to characterize. He truly cares for Adele, but his desire to capitalize on Adele's geomancy powers leads him to take actions that seem deplorable. Senator Clark continues to be a somewhat cardboard foil to Adele and Greyfriar's love. He becomes even more odius in The Rift Walker. The main political characters in the novel, Lord Aden, the Emperor, Cesare, and Flay, also play an important role. The political and power-wielding machinations grow more complex and nefarious on both sides.
Edinburgh Castle is almost entirely absent from The Rift Walker. I missed glorious Scotland and characters like Morgana and Baudin. However, I admire the Griffiths for introducing a new setting. Adele and Greyfriar were on the run for most of the novel - running south. The book was full of tense scenes as they barely escaped their pursuers or faced enemies head on. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but once Greyfriar and Adele got back together so many different things occurred that the book flowed quickly.
The only criticism I can come up with for this series is that I still have difficulty understanding the idea of geomancy. It's not for lack of explanation as both books speak about it in significant detail. However, I still don't see why the rifts create energy and why Adele is able to channel that energy more than others. Perhaps it will make sense as the book goes on, but if not, it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
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.
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.
betterbeereading's review against another edition
4.0
Ammetto che ad un certo punto nella lettura ho temuto il peggio. La storia per la maggior parte del libro è piuttosto statica i colpi di scena ci sono ma ad una distanza tra loro tale da non tenere alta l'attenzione. Fortunatamente tutto sembra riprendersi verso le ultime 100 pagine del libro. E per me va bene così!
Quattro stelle più che meritate!
Quattro stelle più che meritate!
mayetra's review against another edition
2.0
I'm finished. It's all one big blur. This book was one of those that I ground my way through just so I could get it off my list. I had such high expectations after the first novel. What I got was two superpowers and their quest for Twue Wuve. Gareth is the only vampire that his opinion/attitude towards humans? That seems statistically unlikely. After a while the vampires were just cartoonishly boring. All in all this book suffered from a lot of problems.