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Vampire Empire series
Today we review the first two books in the Vampire Empire series.
“The Best Vampire Fiction Releases of 2011”, a recent post on Explorations: The BN SciFi and Fantasy Blog, highlights this series and looks forward to both the final book in the trilogy, due in September, and Justin Cronin’s The Twelve (to follow 2010’s The Passage), as titles to look forward to in 2012. Agreed!
GRIFFITH, Clay & Susan Giffith. The Greyfriar. Bk. 1. 301p. 2010. ISBN 978-1-61614-247-6.
––––. The Rift Walker. Bk. 2. 402p. 2011. ISBN 978-1-61614-523-1.
ea vol: (Vampire Empire Series). Pyr. Tr $16. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–This mashup of steampunk and vampires is an exciting new take on both genres. The Greyfriar sets the scene: during the Great Killing, vampires slaughtered countless humans and took over land in Europe, North America, and Africa. Humans are kept in herds to feed vampire communities. Gareth, a member of a ruling vampire clan, is sickened by this and defends humans in the guise of the Greyfriar. Gareth’s scheming brother Cesare hears about the planned marriage of Princess Adele of Equatoria to Senator Clark of America, a political union that will consolidate their armies against the vampires. In response he plots a massive attack. After Adele lands in his hands, Greyfriar rescues her. A skilled vampire fighter herself, Adele must decide whether she can trust this vampire to help save her people. The Rift Walker sees humans and vampires even more determined to go to war, each side going further and further to destroy the other. Adele and Greyfriar have their loyalties tested as Adele begins to harness powerful abilities hinted at in the first book. Where The Greyfriar focuses on vampires vs. humans, The Rift Walker advances Adele and Greyfriar’s relationship and explores more of the internal political gamesmanship on both sides of the struggle. Teens will enjoy this fresh vampire story, full of stunning battles fought with steampunk weaponry. The political intrigue and complex relationship between Gareth/Greyfriar and Adele widens the book’s appeal. Although The Rift Walker contains some exposition, the stories are much richer when read in order.–Carla Riemer, Berkeley High School, CA
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Filed under: Fantasy
About Angela Carstensen
Angela Carstensen is Head Librarian and an Upper School Librarian at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City. Angela served on the Alex Awards committee for four years, chairing the 2008 committee, and chaired the first YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adult committee in 2009. Recently, she edited Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a New Generation (ALA Editions, 2011). Contact her via Twitter @AngeReads.
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