 Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath. One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory. At first, she has only one defender—a mysterious Greyfriar who roams freely in dangerous vampire regions. |
I love Greyfriar! I can't say much without spoiling it if you haven't read it, but he is such a lovable, complex character. There were so many moments that just made my heart ache for him, where I wanted to just hug him! He so badly wishes his life was different, and there were just so many touching quirks about him that speak to my own interests. He's world-weary in some ways yet innocent and naive in others, having had very little to base his knowledge on, his perception is skewed but also more far-sighted than his family. He wants to be more than what he is, and his attempts at that are poignant. I did enjoy the other characters, Adele and her brother, Colonel Anhalt, even Clark the American war hero, though annoying was larger than life and easy picture.
The world that has been created is interesting, there is a stark contrast between the humans and the vampires. The human world is colorful and mechanical, with airships and palaces, while the vampires, though considering themselves the superior race, live violently in dark cold castles they've taken over, feeding from subjugated human cattle, and scorning things such as reading and writing, believing it is beneath them.
I really like this story, there are some mysteries I'm interested in find out more about, other factions that seem to have a vested interest in what happens, but who's motivation and agenda we're not sure of yet. I highly recommend The Greyfriar and I'll definitely be reading on! Next in the trilogy is Riftwalker, and it concludes with The Kingmakers which just came out a couple weeks ago.
You can visit Clay and Susan at their Website and also follow them on Twitter: @clayandsusan
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