Nocturnal Book Reviews

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.