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Gareth and Adele #1
The Geomancer
The uneasy stalemate between vampires and humans is over. Adele and Gareth are bringing order to a free Britain, but bloody murders in London raise the specter that Adele's geomancy is failing and the vampires might return. A new power could tilt the balance back to the vampire clans. A deranged human called the Witchfinder has surfaced on the Continent, serving new vampire lords. This geomancer has found a way to make vampires immune to geomancy and intends to give his masters the ability to kill humans on a massive scale.
The apocalyptic event in Edinburgh weakened Adele's geomantic abilities. If the Witchfinder can use geomancy against humanity, she may not have the power to stop him. If she can't, there is nowhere beyond his reach and no one he cannot kill.
From a Britain struggling to rebuild to the vampire capital of Paris, from the heart of the Equatorian Empire to a vampire monastery in far-away Tibet, old friends and past enemies return. Unexpected allies and terrible new villains arise. Adele and Gareth fight side-by-side as always, but they can never be the same if they hope to survive.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
The apocalyptic event in Edinburgh weakened Adele's geomantic abilities. If the Witchfinder can use geomancy against humanity, she may not have the power to stop him. If she can't, there is nowhere beyond his reach and no one he cannot kill.
From a Britain struggling to rebuild to the vampire capital of Paris, from the heart of the Equatorian Empire to a vampire monastery in far-away Tibet, old friends and past enemies return. Unexpected allies and terrible new villains arise. Adele and Gareth fight side-by-side as always, but they can never be the same if they hope to survive.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
328 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
25 people are currently reading
1245 people want to read
About the author
Clay Griffith
112 books518 followersClay and Susan Griffith are the authors of THE FLASH: THE HAUNTING OF BARRY ALLEN and ARROW: A GENERATION OF VIPERS, as well as the creators of the VAMPIRE EMPIRE series and authors of the CROWN & KEY trilogy.
"Vampire Empire is transforming genre fiction." Paul Goat Allen, B&N Explorations.
If you're on Facebook, please think about going to www.facebook.com/vampireempire and clicking LIKE. If you done it already...Thank you.
Clay & Susan Griffith are a married couple who have written and published together for more than a decade. Their credits not only include two novels for Bantam Doubleday Dell in the mid-1990s and another novel for Pinnacle Entertainment Group in 2002 but also numerous short stories published in many anthologies, some featuring noted genre characters like Kolchak the Night Stalker and The Phantom. They've also written scripts for television and published graphic novels.
"Vampire Empire is transforming genre fiction." Paul Goat Allen, B&N Explorations.
If you're on Facebook, please think about going to www.facebook.com/vampireempire and clicking LIKE. If you done it already...Thank you.
Clay & Susan Griffith are a married couple who have written and published together for more than a decade. Their credits not only include two novels for Bantam Doubleday Dell in the mid-1990s and another novel for Pinnacle Entertainment Group in 2002 but also numerous short stories published in many anthologies, some featuring noted genre characters like Kolchak the Night Stalker and The Phantom. They've also written scripts for television and published graphic novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 26, 2016
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/10/29/b...
UPDATE: International Giveaway of The Geomancer 10/29/15-11/7/15 http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/10/29/b...
Oh, Adele and Gareth. I just want to wrap them both up in a nice warm hug. How apropos it is that my favorite fictional power couple of steampunk is back this fall in a new adventure written by my favorite real-life literary power couple of fantasy fiction. Three years after the end of the original trilogy, Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith return to the world of Vampire Empire with The Geomancer, the first book of a new spinoff series.
This book is the beginning of a new chapter in every way. The vampire clans in the north have been decimated, their hold on Britain shattered. Empress Adele of Equatoria and her consort the vampire prince Gareth are looking to the future, trying to work together to bring back order. Humans are starting to feel safe on the streets of London again. The war here with the vampires is over.
Or is it? Barely half a year has passed since Adele brought death and destruction to the enemy by using her powers of geomancy, but already there are rumors spreading that vampires are making their return. An investigation into a string of bloody murders in London confirm their worst fears—somehow vampires have found a way to resist the killing powers of geomancy. At the same time, news comes of a mysterious human known as the Witchfinder who has thrown in with the new vampire regime, with plans to help them kill humans on a massive scale. There’s no doubt that the two events are connected, and the path to stopping this new threat will lead our characters on an epic quest across the globe, from the warm heart of Equatoria in Alexandria to the cold, icy mountains of Tibet.
The Geomancer is exciting, action-packed, emotional, and I’m delighted to report that there’s plenty to love here for fans new and old. Readers who began the journey from the beginning with the original series will be happy to be reunited with these wonderful characters, while first-timers will be able to jump right in. The narrative is taking the next step towards resolving the conflict between humans and vampires, and we’re swept along for the ride. There are new dangers to face, new foes to fight, new challenges to overcome, and in this novel Adele and Gareth are perhaps facing the toughest question yet: Can their two species ever learn to co-exist?
For all the good Gareth has done for humans in the guise of the hero Greyfriar, his secret identity remains closely guarded. The world is not ready for the truth, nor is it ready to accept Adele and Gareth’s romantic relationship. One day that time will come, and until then the two of them will just have to do what they can to change people’s minds, one tiny step at a time. But before that can happen, both of them are going to have to deal with his or her own personal demons.
For Gareth, who spends a lot of time struggling with his pride and dealing with a lot of self-doubt in this book, this can be quite a harrowing and emotional journey. Adele herself fears that the awesome power of geomancy might be doing more harm than good, especially since it is a force no one truly understands. But through it all, you can be sure the two of them are going to be there for each other, because if there’s one thing the Griffiths have always done right in this series, it’s the romance. The authors have done an outstanding job with these characters, further developing their relationship. Things are still interesting even after four books, and I just love how Gareth and Adele are closer now than ever before.
It’s also great to be back in this world, which I’ve always admired for its uniqueness. The setting is a great mix of alternate history, paranormal, and steampunk, and the vampires here are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Kudos to the Griffiths for putting a fresh twist on an old trope. I also enjoyed how this book brought us to new places, like the hidden monastery in Tibet where I found a couple of new favorite characters among its intriguing residents. The vampire queen Caterina’s chapters also gave us a closer look at the treacherous power-plays as well as a burgeoning vampire rebellion in the overgrown ruins of Paris.
So if you’re curious about this series, this is a fantastic point to jump on board. I believe fans of the original trilogy will also be very happy with this new beginning, especially since familiarity with the people and places will make the experience all the more rewarding. Either way, prepare for love, action, adventure, and an explosive ending that promises even more to come.
UPDATE: International Giveaway of The Geomancer 10/29/15-11/7/15 http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/10/29/b...
Oh, Adele and Gareth. I just want to wrap them both up in a nice warm hug. How apropos it is that my favorite fictional power couple of steampunk is back this fall in a new adventure written by my favorite real-life literary power couple of fantasy fiction. Three years after the end of the original trilogy, Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith return to the world of Vampire Empire with The Geomancer, the first book of a new spinoff series.
This book is the beginning of a new chapter in every way. The vampire clans in the north have been decimated, their hold on Britain shattered. Empress Adele of Equatoria and her consort the vampire prince Gareth are looking to the future, trying to work together to bring back order. Humans are starting to feel safe on the streets of London again. The war here with the vampires is over.
Or is it? Barely half a year has passed since Adele brought death and destruction to the enemy by using her powers of geomancy, but already there are rumors spreading that vampires are making their return. An investigation into a string of bloody murders in London confirm their worst fears—somehow vampires have found a way to resist the killing powers of geomancy. At the same time, news comes of a mysterious human known as the Witchfinder who has thrown in with the new vampire regime, with plans to help them kill humans on a massive scale. There’s no doubt that the two events are connected, and the path to stopping this new threat will lead our characters on an epic quest across the globe, from the warm heart of Equatoria in Alexandria to the cold, icy mountains of Tibet.
The Geomancer is exciting, action-packed, emotional, and I’m delighted to report that there’s plenty to love here for fans new and old. Readers who began the journey from the beginning with the original series will be happy to be reunited with these wonderful characters, while first-timers will be able to jump right in. The narrative is taking the next step towards resolving the conflict between humans and vampires, and we’re swept along for the ride. There are new dangers to face, new foes to fight, new challenges to overcome, and in this novel Adele and Gareth are perhaps facing the toughest question yet: Can their two species ever learn to co-exist?
For all the good Gareth has done for humans in the guise of the hero Greyfriar, his secret identity remains closely guarded. The world is not ready for the truth, nor is it ready to accept Adele and Gareth’s romantic relationship. One day that time will come, and until then the two of them will just have to do what they can to change people’s minds, one tiny step at a time. But before that can happen, both of them are going to have to deal with his or her own personal demons.
For Gareth, who spends a lot of time struggling with his pride and dealing with a lot of self-doubt in this book, this can be quite a harrowing and emotional journey. Adele herself fears that the awesome power of geomancy might be doing more harm than good, especially since it is a force no one truly understands. But through it all, you can be sure the two of them are going to be there for each other, because if there’s one thing the Griffiths have always done right in this series, it’s the romance. The authors have done an outstanding job with these characters, further developing their relationship. Things are still interesting even after four books, and I just love how Gareth and Adele are closer now than ever before.
It’s also great to be back in this world, which I’ve always admired for its uniqueness. The setting is a great mix of alternate history, paranormal, and steampunk, and the vampires here are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Kudos to the Griffiths for putting a fresh twist on an old trope. I also enjoyed how this book brought us to new places, like the hidden monastery in Tibet where I found a couple of new favorite characters among its intriguing residents. The vampire queen Caterina’s chapters also gave us a closer look at the treacherous power-plays as well as a burgeoning vampire rebellion in the overgrown ruins of Paris.
So if you’re curious about this series, this is a fantastic point to jump on board. I believe fans of the original trilogy will also be very happy with this new beginning, especially since familiarity with the people and places will make the experience all the more rewarding. Either way, prepare for love, action, adventure, and an explosive ending that promises even more to come.
January 7, 2018
I had the disadvantage of not having read any of the books in the Vampire Empire series before I read this one. Sometimes that doesn't matter and sometimes it does. In this case, well I had no problems getting into the book thanks to the author explaining now and then what had happened in the books in the first series and also explaining things like a vampire is not an undead human, it's apparently a parasite that causes it. The geomancy-thing was a bit strange, but I think I got a hang of it.
But I think it's best to read the series from the beginning because even though the book was not boring to read, I just couldn't really find myself engrossed in the story or the characters. For me, something just was lacking and I think it's because in the end I just couldn't connect with Adele and Gareth. And, perhaps it would have worked better if I had read the previous books, I don't know. All I know is that I just didn't find them or their relationship terrible interesting.
But I did enjoy the vampire with a dash of steampunk world that the authors have created. I found it intriguing to read about how the world came to be like that with vampires dominating the northern latitudes and I loved the royal vampire family in Versailles. I just wished that I could have found the story a bit more interesting to read.
Thanks to Pyr and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
But I think it's best to read the series from the beginning because even though the book was not boring to read, I just couldn't really find myself engrossed in the story or the characters. For me, something just was lacking and I think it's because in the end I just couldn't connect with Adele and Gareth. And, perhaps it would have worked better if I had read the previous books, I don't know. All I know is that I just didn't find them or their relationship terrible interesting.
But I did enjoy the vampire with a dash of steampunk world that the authors have created. I found it intriguing to read about how the world came to be like that with vampires dominating the northern latitudes and I loved the royal vampire family in Versailles. I just wished that I could have found the story a bit more interesting to read.
Thanks to Pyr and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
February 1, 2016
Thank you Griffiths for another excellent chapter, in the Adele/Gareth saga. I was lost on your words, traveling from Everest the the sewers of Paris with your characters. The Demon King was such an interesting complex character. I can't wait to see where they go from here.
October 25, 2015
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THE GEOMANCER
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The amazing adventures of the Vampire Empire created by Clay and Susan Griffith continues with the release of The Geomancer.
This story begins with Gareth and Adele residing in Britain dealing with the aftermath of The Kingmaker. Excluding Gareth, the vampire presence was eradicated by Adele’s unique gift. So, when gruesome vampire inflicted murders start to plague Britain, Adele and Garth realize someone with abilities in geomancy must be behind this new threat. To stop cataclysmic devastation, Gareth and Adele must face a new quest that takes them across the globe in search off an ancient artifact. It all comes down to a battle of The Geomancers. Whoever controls the artifact will win the war. Unfortunately, Adele is up against a much more knowledgeable foe.
First, let me preface my review by saying I’m a total Vampire Empire fan girl. I fell in love with this world and its inhabitants instantly and truly can’t get enough. When I heard about the The Geomancer's release, I was thrilled with the prospect to dive back into this amazing world…I was not disappointed.
There was quite a few, I didn’t see it coming and even better, some amazing character developments that left me in awe of how it was masterfully handled. The possibilities are endless and leave you contemplating the what ifs long after you turn the last page.
The Geomancer is a dark steampunk fantasy that had me white knuckle reading and leaving me wanting more. This truly is a book that has earned a place on my favorite read shelf and a saga that I'm sure I will be re-reading many time over.
I received this ARC copy of The Geomancer from PROMETHEUS BOOKS in exchange for a honest review. This book is set publication November 3, 2015.
My Rating: 5 Stars Favorite Read
Written by: Clay and Susan Griffith
Series: Vampire Empire
Paperback: 321 pages
Publisher: Pyr
Publication Date: November 3, 2015
ISBN-10: 163388094X
ISBN-13: 978-1633880948
Genre: Dark Fantasy | Steampunk
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com
November 1, 2015
So yes, a new book. I guess you could read it like this, but to get their story you MUST read the trilogy before. Not only cos it's awesome, but cos it's well book 1 was awesome and should not be missed. And without them you will not get to see their lovestory, and how everything came to be as it is now.
England is free of vampires. Right, to those who do not know this world. It is set now, but in the Victorian era vampires rose in the north and killed and ate. The humans left are part of herds. The ones that got away formed new societies. Adele is the Empress of Equatoria, with the capital in Alexandria. Cos vampires hate warmth and stays in the north. Everything stopped in a way and turned into a steampunk world with flying ships and so forth.
Right, so there is the world. A very cool world. And Adele is our heroine who can feel leylines and used them to kill vampires. And her true love Gareth, the vampire who thinks that the big killing was a bad idea. Cos those pesky humans are smart and he thinks vampires are doomed. Better stay with Adele.
I am still on the backstory! Yikes. Ok, so vampires are gone. Vampires are still plentiful in Europe. There is a new bad guy and they will go after him Phew, there, done.
There is action, and there is, well it made me think. Yes Gareth is nice, but what is the future for vampires really? Oh and will there be more books? The vampire future is still so uncertain, and I do like a few. While the rest should burn.
So yes read the trilogy first so you will not miss out.
England is free of vampires. Right, to those who do not know this world. It is set now, but in the Victorian era vampires rose in the north and killed and ate. The humans left are part of herds. The ones that got away formed new societies. Adele is the Empress of Equatoria, with the capital in Alexandria. Cos vampires hate warmth and stays in the north. Everything stopped in a way and turned into a steampunk world with flying ships and so forth.
Right, so there is the world. A very cool world. And Adele is our heroine who can feel leylines and used them to kill vampires. And her true love Gareth, the vampire who thinks that the big killing was a bad idea. Cos those pesky humans are smart and he thinks vampires are doomed. Better stay with Adele.
I am still on the backstory! Yikes. Ok, so vampires are gone. Vampires are still plentiful in Europe. There is a new bad guy and they will go after him Phew, there, done.
There is action, and there is, well it made me think. Yes Gareth is nice, but what is the future for vampires really? Oh and will there be more books? The vampire future is still so uncertain, and I do like a few. While the rest should burn.
So yes read the trilogy first so you will not miss out.
November 5, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Steampunk, Fantasy, Paranormal
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Welcome back to the Vampire Empire series by authors Clay and Susan Griffith. The Geomancer is actually the FOURTH installment in the series, with more to come! The Geomancer actually picks up a year after the conclusion of The Kingmakers. Equatorian Empress Adele and Prince Gareth, aka Greyfrair, are spending time in Gareth's Scotland castle after Adele destroyed the vampires of England with her geomancer powers.
*FULL REVIEW POSTED @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/04/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd 07/15/2015 via Edelweiss* Published: November 3rd 2015 by Pyr
*Genre* Steampunk, Fantasy, Paranormal
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Welcome back to the Vampire Empire series by authors Clay and Susan Griffith. The Geomancer is actually the FOURTH installment in the series, with more to come! The Geomancer actually picks up a year after the conclusion of The Kingmakers. Equatorian Empress Adele and Prince Gareth, aka Greyfrair, are spending time in Gareth's Scotland castle after Adele destroyed the vampires of England with her geomancer powers.
*FULL REVIEW POSTED @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/04/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd 07/15/2015 via Edelweiss* Published: November 3rd 2015 by Pyr
November 3, 2015
REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!!
So it looks like my thirst for Gareth and Adele shall remain insatiable! I already can't wait for the next book!
---------------------
Adele! Gareth! I missed you guys!
After finishing the first set of books I thought we were at the end of adventures for Gareth and Adele. While I understand when authors want to move on I thought there was more that could be explored in this world. So you can imagine how excited I was to learn that The Griffiths would be returning to the Vampire Empire world.
When I started reading it I did forget a few things that happened in prior books since it’s been a few years, but I wasn’t completely lost in what was happening. I do think if you’re new to this series that it would be to your benefit to start from the top. One book builds on the other. One improvement I noticed is that I was engaged from beginning to end. In the prior books they got off to a slower start for me and I didn’t really feel pulled in until later.
One great thing about this series is that it’s so imaginative and the world building remains excellent. You really feel like you’re escaping into their world of airships and flying vampires, etc. The action and adventure remains top notch. Adele and Gareth continue to make a great team with even better chemistry. They really are one of my favorite couples in the urban fantasy world. What’s even better is that even while they’re together they remain strong and interesting characters individually too. I liked that we were introduced to new characters but we saw familiar faces as well.
I do wonder what is up with this new trend in books that I’ve been reading where the protagonists age prematurely. In the past it’s usually the reverse issue when dealing with supernatural characters. I’m not totally sure what that accomplishes.
For the most part the plot was entertaining and moved along well. It accomplished what few books are able to do; it gave me book drop! I gave this a full 5 stars and though I haven’t read as many books this year, it is one of my favorites by a large margin. I’d love to re-read it at some point. As it stands now, my thirst for Gareth and Adele shall remain insatiable! I already can’t wait for the next book!
*Review also posted to Amazon
*ARC received by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
So it looks like my thirst for Gareth and Adele shall remain insatiable! I already can't wait for the next book!
---------------------
Adele! Gareth! I missed you guys!
After finishing the first set of books I thought we were at the end of adventures for Gareth and Adele. While I understand when authors want to move on I thought there was more that could be explored in this world. So you can imagine how excited I was to learn that The Griffiths would be returning to the Vampire Empire world.
When I started reading it I did forget a few things that happened in prior books since it’s been a few years, but I wasn’t completely lost in what was happening. I do think if you’re new to this series that it would be to your benefit to start from the top. One book builds on the other. One improvement I noticed is that I was engaged from beginning to end. In the prior books they got off to a slower start for me and I didn’t really feel pulled in until later.
One great thing about this series is that it’s so imaginative and the world building remains excellent. You really feel like you’re escaping into their world of airships and flying vampires, etc. The action and adventure remains top notch. Adele and Gareth continue to make a great team with even better chemistry. They really are one of my favorite couples in the urban fantasy world. What’s even better is that even while they’re together they remain strong and interesting characters individually too. I liked that we were introduced to new characters but we saw familiar faces as well.
I do wonder what is up with this new trend in books that I’ve been reading where the protagonists age prematurely. In the past it’s usually the reverse issue when dealing with supernatural characters. I’m not totally sure what that accomplishes.
For the most part the plot was entertaining and moved along well. It accomplished what few books are able to do; it gave me book drop! I gave this a full 5 stars and though I haven’t read as many books this year, it is one of my favorites by a large margin. I’d love to re-read it at some point. As it stands now, my thirst for Gareth and Adele shall remain insatiable! I already can’t wait for the next book!
*Review also posted to Amazon
*ARC received by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2015
I was so surprised when I got this one for review. I hadn't realized that the authors heard the cry for more books in this world and responded with The Geomancer. The first three books do feel complete and I will say this: do not skip those 3 books before you get into this book. It is a fantasy book and often it is hard to skip around in the fantasy genre. This one is no exception and you wouldn't want to miss the goodness in the first three books anyway.
The book continues shortly after the last book and while you knew everything was settled into a perfect situation for our couple, but I wasn't sure where the storyline would take them. You find out that there are still threats and a balance has still yet to surface for the vampires and humans. It is also more than that. It is also both Gareth and Adele's inner growth that still needs to be explored. While Adele does not need to grow into a good leader she still has much to learn about geomancy and her part in it. Gareth still needs to find himself and his place in the world. They both get help from unlikely alliances and that is what makes this book good. Everyone in the book seemed to learn something even if they are secondary characters. So the authors are not only thinking of the adventure but how the characters in the book grow, expand or devolve.
I give this book 4 stars. It is a great addition to the story and also an interesting direction the characters take in their personal lives. If you are looking for steampunk with vicious vampires, impossible relationships, and lots of adventure, this is your storyline. Pick up the series and enjoy!
The book continues shortly after the last book and while you knew everything was settled into a perfect situation for our couple, but I wasn't sure where the storyline would take them. You find out that there are still threats and a balance has still yet to surface for the vampires and humans. It is also more than that. It is also both Gareth and Adele's inner growth that still needs to be explored. While Adele does not need to grow into a good leader she still has much to learn about geomancy and her part in it. Gareth still needs to find himself and his place in the world. They both get help from unlikely alliances and that is what makes this book good. Everyone in the book seemed to learn something even if they are secondary characters. So the authors are not only thinking of the adventure but how the characters in the book grow, expand or devolve.
I give this book 4 stars. It is a great addition to the story and also an interesting direction the characters take in their personal lives. If you are looking for steampunk with vicious vampires, impossible relationships, and lots of adventure, this is your storyline. Pick up the series and enjoy!
Want to read
March 2, 2016OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMOMGKGIMGKWOGOWNOWNEGNBWEO:G:WNDVOPHEUPHGKWNEAGVIWE
I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT! I CAN'T!!!!!
I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT! I CAN'T!!!!!
December 25, 2015
Originally reviewed at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2015/12/review-...
I was very excited to see the Griffith’s had decided to revisit this fascinating world they built in their Vampire Empire Trilogy. This continuation picks up a year after the events in The Kingmakers; telling us what happened after the Empress Adele unleashed her geomancy power on England and it’s vampires. Do you have to read the trilogy first? No, this one does quite well on its own, but by starting here, you will miss the setup of the world and it’s unique characters. Also, you’ll miss the beginning of the main protagonists relationship and the evolution that led them from being enemies to lovers.
The Geomancer opens in Scotland. Empress Adele of Equatoria and her consort, the vampire prince Gareth, aka the Greyfriar, are currently residing at Gareth’s estate when rumors surface of vampires repopulating Britain. Though Adele effectively wiped out most of the vampire population in Britain, she did stop short of destroying them all. She also left herself vulnerable as she is unable to feel the ley lines anymore. Following the rumors, Gareth and Adele find themselves in Paris where they learn of the Witchfinder. This supposed geomancer has allied with some of the vampires and has created an amulet that protects vampires from Adele’s geomancy. He is also working on a way to give vampires the ability to kill humans on a wide scale level.
In order to stop the Witchfinder and the new vampire uprising, Adele and Gareth find new allies while reacquainting themselves with some very old and dangerous enemies. Action and suspense take the reins as Adele and Gareth are forced search out a deadly artifact that could help or hinder them. Journeying across the continent (Asia) Adele and Gareth have ample time to assess their relationship and the perceptions they each hold towards the future of their respective species and themselves.
The Griffith’s have done an excellent job of picking up where they left off with nary a stumble in the storyline. Quite a feat for a three year hiatus. This adventurous steampunk story is action packed with suspense, intrigue, romance, and a surprising amount of humor that works well with the serious subject matter. Its alternative historic view of vampires and humans continues to spellbound with smooth writing, exceptional world building, and the dynamic characters that inhabit it. Strong, well defined characters are the focal point of this series. Though the main trilogy consisted of three main characters (in a sense) the Griffith’s expand their base with new faces that look to have a fine future in the coming storylines. There is a slow start as we are acquainted with the world, it’s players, and introduced to the new storylines. Once all that is out of the way, the pace picks up considerably.
The narrative focuses heavily on rebuilding and re-educating the world. The vampires hold on Britain has been crushed but Adele and Gareth know that they have a long way to go if they are to see any cohabitation between the two species. Adele is far more ambitious in this way of thinking then Gareth. He has long subscribed to the notion that vampires will eventually destroy themselves and cease to exist. Though they know it will be a battle long and hard fought, they luckily have some very strong and courageous allies at their side.
The romance is a main contender in here, having already been fleshed out and established in the previous books. It co-exists comfortably with the main storyline rather than attempting to overshadow it. It is strong and comfortable with some lovely soft intimate scenes but there are still problems with Adele and Gareth being together. He has not been able to shed his alter ego as many in the empire would not understand or tolerate a vampire at their queen’s right hand or bed. Adele also fears her geomancy. It’s still relatively unknown and she almost lost Gareth to it once. They will need to work on their own issues if they are to survive this relationship intact.
The secondary characters are just as define and dynamic as our protagonists. Rather than simply pad the storyline, they are an essential part of it. Flay, General Anhalt, Queen Catatonia, and Simon all excel in their scenes and gift us with additional explanations and clues to the roles they are playing. The scenes from Catatonia’s point of view goes far in explaining the political upheaval in Paris and the ever changing alliances of those involved. I love that the Griffith’s kept previously introduced characters true to their original descriptions.
Multiple storylines and subplots run parallel and intertwine with some staggering revelations and outcomes. As always, everyone has their own agenda and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out in the end. As we jettison towards the end, we are given a shockingly climatic ending of the main conflict with just enough left open to transition us seamlessly into the next book.
Clay and Susan Griffith has managed to submerge me effortlessly back into the world of the Vampire Empire and I look forward to reading the next Adele and Gareth adventure.
GRADE: B
I was very excited to see the Griffith’s had decided to revisit this fascinating world they built in their Vampire Empire Trilogy. This continuation picks up a year after the events in The Kingmakers; telling us what happened after the Empress Adele unleashed her geomancy power on England and it’s vampires. Do you have to read the trilogy first? No, this one does quite well on its own, but by starting here, you will miss the setup of the world and it’s unique characters. Also, you’ll miss the beginning of the main protagonists relationship and the evolution that led them from being enemies to lovers.
The Geomancer opens in Scotland. Empress Adele of Equatoria and her consort, the vampire prince Gareth, aka the Greyfriar, are currently residing at Gareth’s estate when rumors surface of vampires repopulating Britain. Though Adele effectively wiped out most of the vampire population in Britain, she did stop short of destroying them all. She also left herself vulnerable as she is unable to feel the ley lines anymore. Following the rumors, Gareth and Adele find themselves in Paris where they learn of the Witchfinder. This supposed geomancer has allied with some of the vampires and has created an amulet that protects vampires from Adele’s geomancy. He is also working on a way to give vampires the ability to kill humans on a wide scale level.
In order to stop the Witchfinder and the new vampire uprising, Adele and Gareth find new allies while reacquainting themselves with some very old and dangerous enemies. Action and suspense take the reins as Adele and Gareth are forced search out a deadly artifact that could help or hinder them. Journeying across the continent (Asia) Adele and Gareth have ample time to assess their relationship and the perceptions they each hold towards the future of their respective species and themselves.
The Griffith’s have done an excellent job of picking up where they left off with nary a stumble in the storyline. Quite a feat for a three year hiatus. This adventurous steampunk story is action packed with suspense, intrigue, romance, and a surprising amount of humor that works well with the serious subject matter. Its alternative historic view of vampires and humans continues to spellbound with smooth writing, exceptional world building, and the dynamic characters that inhabit it. Strong, well defined characters are the focal point of this series. Though the main trilogy consisted of three main characters (in a sense) the Griffith’s expand their base with new faces that look to have a fine future in the coming storylines. There is a slow start as we are acquainted with the world, it’s players, and introduced to the new storylines. Once all that is out of the way, the pace picks up considerably.
The narrative focuses heavily on rebuilding and re-educating the world. The vampires hold on Britain has been crushed but Adele and Gareth know that they have a long way to go if they are to see any cohabitation between the two species. Adele is far more ambitious in this way of thinking then Gareth. He has long subscribed to the notion that vampires will eventually destroy themselves and cease to exist. Though they know it will be a battle long and hard fought, they luckily have some very strong and courageous allies at their side.
The romance is a main contender in here, having already been fleshed out and established in the previous books. It co-exists comfortably with the main storyline rather than attempting to overshadow it. It is strong and comfortable with some lovely soft intimate scenes but there are still problems with Adele and Gareth being together. He has not been able to shed his alter ego as many in the empire would not understand or tolerate a vampire at their queen’s right hand or bed. Adele also fears her geomancy. It’s still relatively unknown and she almost lost Gareth to it once. They will need to work on their own issues if they are to survive this relationship intact.
The secondary characters are just as define and dynamic as our protagonists. Rather than simply pad the storyline, they are an essential part of it. Flay, General Anhalt, Queen Catatonia, and Simon all excel in their scenes and gift us with additional explanations and clues to the roles they are playing. The scenes from Catatonia’s point of view goes far in explaining the political upheaval in Paris and the ever changing alliances of those involved. I love that the Griffith’s kept previously introduced characters true to their original descriptions.
Multiple storylines and subplots run parallel and intertwine with some staggering revelations and outcomes. As always, everyone has their own agenda and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out in the end. As we jettison towards the end, we are given a shockingly climatic ending of the main conflict with just enough left open to transition us seamlessly into the next book.
Clay and Susan Griffith has managed to submerge me effortlessly back into the world of the Vampire Empire and I look forward to reading the next Adele and Gareth adventure.
GRADE: B
December 24, 2015
I was a big fan of the Vampire Empire series and was excited to see that a new novel in that series (well more of a spin-off series) was going to be released featuring Gareth and Adele. However, I ended up being very disappointed in this book and really struggled to read it. I ended reading the first half of the book and then finally gave up.
Bloody murders are happening in London..again. It looks like despite Adele’s purging of vampires in all of Britain, somehow vampires are finding a way to return to London. Adele and Gareth are puzzled and their investigating lead to them finding about a geomancer called the Witchfinder. The Witchfinder has not only found a way to make vampires immune to Adele’s power but also a way to kill humans on a mass scale, just like Adele did to the vampires. Adele and Gareth must unravel the plot around this Witchfinder until it’s too late and many, many humans die.
There is a lot about this book that I was struggling with. I was excited to see what adventures Adele and Garth went on next...but seriously do we have to use a similar plot all over again? Again the problem is vampires and again geomancy is at the heart of it all.
I expected some growth in these characters and their relationship; especially Gareth and Adele. However they have stagnated; no growth, still the same issues plaguing their relationship, nothing has changed.
Additionally parts of the book are written in completely different styles. I really felt like I was reading two stories mashed together at times; the writing styles clash. For example there are beautifully descriptive scenes where Adele and Gareth are out ice skating together; then suddenly we are dealing with war and strategy again and the writing changes to a stark military like style. I can only assume that the two authors wrote separate parts of the book; but greater care should have been taken to make the writing style more consistent throughout.
My main issue with this book however was that I just didn’t care. The plot was boring, the characters were boring and as I result I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I was literally falling asleep every time I picked up this book. I absolutely could not get through more than a chapter or two at a time (and they are very short chapters). I finally gave up half way through. I just have way too many books to read to slog through this one.
Overall I truly wish I had never read (or read the portion that I did) this book. I would have preferred to leave Adele and Gareth in the happy place they occupied in my head after the last Vampire Empire book. I don’t recommend this book. It’s boring, rehashes the same type of plot that the original Vampire Empire series did, and the characters are stagnant. Not to mention that the writing style is inconsistent and doesn’t flow well. Sorry Gareth and Adele...I guess it’s time for us to part ways.
Bloody murders are happening in London..again. It looks like despite Adele’s purging of vampires in all of Britain, somehow vampires are finding a way to return to London. Adele and Gareth are puzzled and their investigating lead to them finding about a geomancer called the Witchfinder. The Witchfinder has not only found a way to make vampires immune to Adele’s power but also a way to kill humans on a mass scale, just like Adele did to the vampires. Adele and Gareth must unravel the plot around this Witchfinder until it’s too late and many, many humans die.
There is a lot about this book that I was struggling with. I was excited to see what adventures Adele and Garth went on next...but seriously do we have to use a similar plot all over again? Again the problem is vampires and again geomancy is at the heart of it all.
I expected some growth in these characters and their relationship; especially Gareth and Adele. However they have stagnated; no growth, still the same issues plaguing their relationship, nothing has changed.
Additionally parts of the book are written in completely different styles. I really felt like I was reading two stories mashed together at times; the writing styles clash. For example there are beautifully descriptive scenes where Adele and Gareth are out ice skating together; then suddenly we are dealing with war and strategy again and the writing changes to a stark military like style. I can only assume that the two authors wrote separate parts of the book; but greater care should have been taken to make the writing style more consistent throughout.
My main issue with this book however was that I just didn’t care. The plot was boring, the characters were boring and as I result I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I was literally falling asleep every time I picked up this book. I absolutely could not get through more than a chapter or two at a time (and they are very short chapters). I finally gave up half way through. I just have way too many books to read to slog through this one.
Overall I truly wish I had never read (or read the portion that I did) this book. I would have preferred to leave Adele and Gareth in the happy place they occupied in my head after the last Vampire Empire book. I don’t recommend this book. It’s boring, rehashes the same type of plot that the original Vampire Empire series did, and the characters are stagnant. Not to mention that the writing style is inconsistent and doesn’t flow well. Sorry Gareth and Adele...I guess it’s time for us to part ways.
November 25, 2015
Eh.
Nothing beats the first one. That one was pure gold. I think what hinders this series is that there is no conflict or issues between Adele and Gareth. There is also really no character development or development at all (main characters and supporting characters). Things just happen and you just plow through it without reason. Also, gonna be blunt, I think Gareth's secret identity should have been an ongoing thing and not be revealed so early on (aka first book). It would have set up some conflict.
Gareth and his emo phase ticked me off throughout this book. I honestly wanted Adele to let him chill out in the monestary while she was kick ass and killed vampires without his assistance. That's how fed up I got.
I think the geomancy and the ideas they have for vampires are interesting, so I'm always holding out hope that the books will be the books that I want them to be... and the main characters will get more character development. Time will tell.
Nothing beats the first one. That one was pure gold. I think what hinders this series is that there is no conflict or issues between Adele and Gareth. There is also really no character development or development at all (main characters and supporting characters). Things just happen and you just plow through it without reason. Also, gonna be blunt, I think Gareth's secret identity should have been an ongoing thing and not be revealed so early on (aka first book). It would have set up some conflict.
Gareth and his emo phase ticked me off throughout this book. I honestly wanted Adele to let him chill out in the monestary while she was kick ass and killed vampires without his assistance. That's how fed up I got.
I think the geomancy and the ideas they have for vampires are interesting, so I'm always holding out hope that the books will be the books that I want them to be... and the main characters will get more character development. Time will tell.
May 28, 2019
I don't know why it took me so long to catch up with Gareth and Adele. I love the Vampire Empire series and this was just as good.
I loved the new characters Yidak and Takada, I would love to catch up with them in another adventure.
If you're looking for a Vampire book that's different from the norm, then I highly recommend The Vampire Empire series - but read them in order.
I loved the new characters Yidak and Takada, I would love to catch up with them in another adventure.
If you're looking for a Vampire book that's different from the norm, then I highly recommend The Vampire Empire series - but read them in order.
August 20, 2020
An immaculate continuation of Gareth and Adele's adventures. I cannot wait to read more!
September 18, 2016
This makes me so freakin happy!
October 30, 2015
4.5 of 5 stars
http://lynns-books.com/2015/10/30/the...
The Geomancer by Clay and Susan Griffith is a further instalment that brings to us the very readable world of The Greyfriar (Gareth) and the Empress of Equatoria (Adele). This is the fourth story set in this unusual alternate world and whilst I will try to avoid spoilers for this particular novel this review may contain spoilers for previous books. To be honest – I wouldn’t advise reading this as a standalone, but I concede I may be too close to the characters here and simply want you to read all the books - check out this great review by Mogsy at the Biblioscanctum who thinks this can be read without the first three - in which case - dive in! My original review for this was posted at The Speculative Herald and this is an abridged version.
I’m not going to give a long description about the past history - my previous reviews are here for The Greyfriar, The Riftwalker and the KingMakers. They're all great stories!
At the conclusion of the Kingmaker’s Adele was manipulated into using a surge of geomancy which wiped out the British clans, freed the land from vampire rule and created a protective barrier to prevent their return. Unfortunately, it also left huge scars on the natural rifts and badly drained Adele. On a recent visit Adele and Gareth discover that a number of grisly murders have started to re-occur in London. The vampires could be returning and it appears that Adele isn’t the only geomancer. It seems she has a rival called the Witchfinder. The Witchfinder works for the vampires and is discovering ways to protect them from Adele’s power and also to use geomancy in a way that will kill humans instead! And so we enter a race between Adele and the Witchfinder to try and find an ancient artifact that could spark an apocalypse.
I think this was my favourite of the series so far. It has perfect pacing and plenty of action. There are a number of tumultuous battle scenes with airborne scenes of vampire fighting vampire, some amazing locations and further character development accompanied by excellent dialogue.
The winning element is Adele and Gareth. They have a strong relationship and seem so much in love that it’s impossible to read these books and not become involved. This isn’t an easy relationship – Adele is human and Gareth is a Vampire. Adele is strong and stubborn. She will do anything to protect her family, friends and people, she has a vision which doesn’t involve one race wiping out the other, plus she carries a shining torch of optimsm. Gareth differs from other vampires. He believes his race to be ultimately doomed, he believes he's the only one to treat humans with respect and is more despondent about the future. He lacks Adele's belief that both species can live together.
Anhalt also makes a very welcome appearance. I do like this character. He’s so very proper! You feel for him as his battle wounds are taking their toll and he’s not the sort of character that waits on the sidelines while the action plays out. We pay a visit to Adele’s brother Simon – this was an interesting development. Simon is growing up and starting to rail a little bit. He gets left behind with the boring paperwork while Adele dashes around the world pursuing adventure. I wonder where that element of the story might take us.
These books are well written and easy to read. They convey a wonderful amount of detail without slowing the pace or becoming tedious. In this particular story we once again visit Paris which is simply a great setting with the ruined city, dereliction and catacombs adding a dark and seedy element to the vampire world. We also travel to a hidden monastery in the mountains of Tibet. This was a really surprising element to the story and one I really enjoyed. I can’t go into a lot of detail because it will give too much away but it’s at this point where we finally start to see something of a breakthrough in terms of the way that vampires and humans regard each other.
In terms of criticisms – well, I would have liked some more detail about the Witchfinder and his motivations but although this might be lacking slightly there is another evil baddie on the scene - who, again, I can't really say anything about.
I really enjoyed The Geomancer. It has a great plot with lots of potential for future storylines. If you’re looking for a vampire story with a difference, plenty of action, steampunk and romance then I strongly recommend this series for you.
I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
http://lynns-books.com/2015/10/30/the...
The Geomancer by Clay and Susan Griffith is a further instalment that brings to us the very readable world of The Greyfriar (Gareth) and the Empress of Equatoria (Adele). This is the fourth story set in this unusual alternate world and whilst I will try to avoid spoilers for this particular novel this review may contain spoilers for previous books. To be honest – I wouldn’t advise reading this as a standalone, but I concede I may be too close to the characters here and simply want you to read all the books - check out this great review by Mogsy at the Biblioscanctum who thinks this can be read without the first three - in which case - dive in! My original review for this was posted at The Speculative Herald and this is an abridged version.
I’m not going to give a long description about the past history - my previous reviews are here for The Greyfriar, The Riftwalker and the KingMakers. They're all great stories!
At the conclusion of the Kingmaker’s Adele was manipulated into using a surge of geomancy which wiped out the British clans, freed the land from vampire rule and created a protective barrier to prevent their return. Unfortunately, it also left huge scars on the natural rifts and badly drained Adele. On a recent visit Adele and Gareth discover that a number of grisly murders have started to re-occur in London. The vampires could be returning and it appears that Adele isn’t the only geomancer. It seems she has a rival called the Witchfinder. The Witchfinder works for the vampires and is discovering ways to protect them from Adele’s power and also to use geomancy in a way that will kill humans instead! And so we enter a race between Adele and the Witchfinder to try and find an ancient artifact that could spark an apocalypse.
I think this was my favourite of the series so far. It has perfect pacing and plenty of action. There are a number of tumultuous battle scenes with airborne scenes of vampire fighting vampire, some amazing locations and further character development accompanied by excellent dialogue.
The winning element is Adele and Gareth. They have a strong relationship and seem so much in love that it’s impossible to read these books and not become involved. This isn’t an easy relationship – Adele is human and Gareth is a Vampire. Adele is strong and stubborn. She will do anything to protect her family, friends and people, she has a vision which doesn’t involve one race wiping out the other, plus she carries a shining torch of optimsm. Gareth differs from other vampires. He believes his race to be ultimately doomed, he believes he's the only one to treat humans with respect and is more despondent about the future. He lacks Adele's belief that both species can live together.
Anhalt also makes a very welcome appearance. I do like this character. He’s so very proper! You feel for him as his battle wounds are taking their toll and he’s not the sort of character that waits on the sidelines while the action plays out. We pay a visit to Adele’s brother Simon – this was an interesting development. Simon is growing up and starting to rail a little bit. He gets left behind with the boring paperwork while Adele dashes around the world pursuing adventure. I wonder where that element of the story might take us.
These books are well written and easy to read. They convey a wonderful amount of detail without slowing the pace or becoming tedious. In this particular story we once again visit Paris which is simply a great setting with the ruined city, dereliction and catacombs adding a dark and seedy element to the vampire world. We also travel to a hidden monastery in the mountains of Tibet. This was a really surprising element to the story and one I really enjoyed. I can’t go into a lot of detail because it will give too much away but it’s at this point where we finally start to see something of a breakthrough in terms of the way that vampires and humans regard each other.
In terms of criticisms – well, I would have liked some more detail about the Witchfinder and his motivations but although this might be lacking slightly there is another evil baddie on the scene - who, again, I can't really say anything about.
I really enjoyed The Geomancer. It has a great plot with lots of potential for future storylines. If you’re looking for a vampire story with a difference, plenty of action, steampunk and romance then I strongly recommend this series for you.
I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
December 28, 2015
Adele and Gareth have successfully freed Britain from vampire occupation – and the Equatorian army is moving north into France. On every front humans seem to be winning the war against the vampires
Until vampires are, impossibly, seen again in Britain. The vampires have their own geomancer and the Witchfinder is not just content to protect the vampires from Adele’s powers – he may turn the terrible powers of the Earth against the Empire and humanity itself
Adele and Gareth must act quickly to stop his plan even as it takes them far from the lands they’re familiar with and challenges so many of their assumptions
I could say a lot about this rich world – but I’ve said that in other books. I could mention the fun plot – which is fun and swashbuckling – but I’m going to need all my space to talk about the characterisation of this book which was what really shone out.
I really like the evolution of Gareth in this book. Gareth is an interesting combination of self-loathing and arrogance. Steeped in human culture, he has come to hate everything vampiric, including himself. He hates the clans, he hates his species, he hates everything they do. He sees no value in their culture, their society – anything. He sees his species as not only doomed to extinction, but possibly even deserving of it.
But from that is also an incredible arrogance. He hates vampire culture and even himself – but he also puts himself on a pedestal – because he is willing to learn human language, use human tools, learn human ways. He is better than other vampires because he is willing to emulate humans – and he can’t accept that other vampires may be redeemable in anyway. When he sees other vampires using tools he simply cannot accept it, he doesn’t believe that anyone could mimic his own progress. Only he is special enough for that
Then we have Yidak who is even more unique – because he is a vampire through and through a vampire who is progressing and advancing through more than imitating human ways. I think the most powerful example is his “written” language. We see Gareth over and over trying to use human writing despite the difficulty of using a pen considering vampires’ limited manual dexterity – then we see Yidak developing a language based on sound (to fit their oral tradition) and with a writing system better suited to vampiric strength and claws.
I love how this is presented. How the choice isn’t “don’t change at all” or “emulate your ‘betters’” – that there is another way of neither being static nor being forced to conform to another’s standards. It’s a wonderful metaphor for colonisation, cultural imperialism and compulsory westernisation
Interestingly it’s Adele who continually pressures Gareth to see the value of his own culture, to see vampires capable of achieving more beyond himself, who continually pushes Gareth to see beyond himself. It’s an interesting dynamic because, of course, Adele has already adapted to see vampires as something more than monsters by seeing Gareth as a person.
There’s a lot of excellent racial diversity in the Equatorian Empire – in the world building the northern powers fled south to warmer climates to avoid the vampires that rose up (vampires hate the heat). It would have been easy to transplant the British Empire to the Equator – but many of the main characters are POC. Adele and her brother are mixed-race, their mother was Persian. Adele’s main confidant, General Mehmet is a POC as is Anhault one of the primary military leaders in the Empire – and the characters use Arabic as a go-to lingua-franca as well as commonly using Hindi and Swahili.
The vampire monks they stay with are also largely POC – Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese and it’s they who are leading the way in a new way to be vampires in contrast to the majority of the European clans (while it’s not reduced so simplistically because we still have the King of the Paris clan being very family and child orientated).
Read More
Until vampires are, impossibly, seen again in Britain. The vampires have their own geomancer and the Witchfinder is not just content to protect the vampires from Adele’s powers – he may turn the terrible powers of the Earth against the Empire and humanity itself
Adele and Gareth must act quickly to stop his plan even as it takes them far from the lands they’re familiar with and challenges so many of their assumptions
I could say a lot about this rich world – but I’ve said that in other books. I could mention the fun plot – which is fun and swashbuckling – but I’m going to need all my space to talk about the characterisation of this book which was what really shone out.
I really like the evolution of Gareth in this book. Gareth is an interesting combination of self-loathing and arrogance. Steeped in human culture, he has come to hate everything vampiric, including himself. He hates the clans, he hates his species, he hates everything they do. He sees no value in their culture, their society – anything. He sees his species as not only doomed to extinction, but possibly even deserving of it.
But from that is also an incredible arrogance. He hates vampire culture and even himself – but he also puts himself on a pedestal – because he is willing to learn human language, use human tools, learn human ways. He is better than other vampires because he is willing to emulate humans – and he can’t accept that other vampires may be redeemable in anyway. When he sees other vampires using tools he simply cannot accept it, he doesn’t believe that anyone could mimic his own progress. Only he is special enough for that
Then we have Yidak who is even more unique – because he is a vampire through and through a vampire who is progressing and advancing through more than imitating human ways. I think the most powerful example is his “written” language. We see Gareth over and over trying to use human writing despite the difficulty of using a pen considering vampires’ limited manual dexterity – then we see Yidak developing a language based on sound (to fit their oral tradition) and with a writing system better suited to vampiric strength and claws.
I love how this is presented. How the choice isn’t “don’t change at all” or “emulate your ‘betters’” – that there is another way of neither being static nor being forced to conform to another’s standards. It’s a wonderful metaphor for colonisation, cultural imperialism and compulsory westernisation
Interestingly it’s Adele who continually pressures Gareth to see the value of his own culture, to see vampires capable of achieving more beyond himself, who continually pushes Gareth to see beyond himself. It’s an interesting dynamic because, of course, Adele has already adapted to see vampires as something more than monsters by seeing Gareth as a person.
There’s a lot of excellent racial diversity in the Equatorian Empire – in the world building the northern powers fled south to warmer climates to avoid the vampires that rose up (vampires hate the heat). It would have been easy to transplant the British Empire to the Equator – but many of the main characters are POC. Adele and her brother are mixed-race, their mother was Persian. Adele’s main confidant, General Mehmet is a POC as is Anhault one of the primary military leaders in the Empire – and the characters use Arabic as a go-to lingua-franca as well as commonly using Hindi and Swahili.
The vampire monks they stay with are also largely POC – Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese and it’s they who are leading the way in a new way to be vampires in contrast to the majority of the European clans (while it’s not reduced so simplistically because we still have the King of the Paris clan being very family and child orientated).
Read More
April 29, 2017
Another great installment to the 'Vampire Empire' series. Now that the British clan is dead the vamps are on the run and grouping up in Paris where they are being lead by the Witchfinder. What does he want you might ask? Death to all humans! To use geomancy to kill people is really the main plot of this story.
Now I gotta say the Witchfinder is just dumb. I love Mr. & Mrs. Griffith's writing ability but I find that some of what happens in this book doesn't make sense. If the Witchfinder wants to kill all humans then how has he not come to the conclusion that he won't die because he is human?
And why are the vampires okay with this? Humans are food so if all the humans are dead then they will die too. So I gotta say that part wasn't really well thought out and kinda boggled my brain. Even so, I was still entertained throughout the whole story.
I was a bit bewildered by Gareth being emo and sulking with self hatred in this book and it irked me for a while but it seems to get resolved in the most unexpected way. Yidak is an amazing character and I just adore him! His whole clan really just added so much to the story and made the idea of peace between the two species seem possible.
Adele is having nightmares about barbecuing Gareth when she goes to sleep and I can't blame her. I think killing the one you love with earthen fire would be enough to traumatize anyone. With little sleep and the threat of the Witchfinder our heroine is on stress overload and is apparently looking like it. Simon, that little twerp, says she looks closer to 30 than 20! He recants it to looking younger shortly after but still......
He also goes on about how much he hates vampires in front of Gareth so I can just imagine how much that makes our swordsman hate himself even more. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Gareth was feeling so adrift and angry with himself now that his mission to stop Cesare is over.
There was an easily predictable moment in this book that I saw coming a mile away and I am pretty sure everyone else saw it coming too . We get to see into King Lothaire's court and how Queen Caterina helps to try to keep things together.
Everything has seemingly gone down the toilet and would have if not for some new admirers. Despite my few qualms with the book it is definitely worth the read. Like always the Griffith's deliver a well crafted story full of adventure, learning, good vs evil, a little bit of drama, and love.
It does end in a way that could lead to another book if the author's feel so inclined and I sure hope they do. It still feels like there are a lot of unresolved things for our favorite duo to fix.
The world is still shattered, hatred and intolerance run high, vamps and humans still clash, and some especially nasty vampire women are still lurking in the shadows. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that my wish for a new novel is answered!
Now I gotta say the Witchfinder is just dumb. I love Mr. & Mrs. Griffith's writing ability but I find that some of what happens in this book doesn't make sense. If the Witchfinder wants to kill all humans then how has he not come to the conclusion that he won't die because he is human?
And why are the vampires okay with this? Humans are food so if all the humans are dead then they will die too. So I gotta say that part wasn't really well thought out and kinda boggled my brain. Even so, I was still entertained throughout the whole story.
I was a bit bewildered by Gareth being emo and sulking with self hatred in this book and it irked me for a while but it seems to get resolved in the most unexpected way. Yidak is an amazing character and I just adore him! His whole clan really just added so much to the story and made the idea of peace between the two species seem possible.
Adele is having nightmares about barbecuing Gareth when she goes to sleep and I can't blame her. I think killing the one you love with earthen fire would be enough to traumatize anyone. With little sleep and the threat of the Witchfinder our heroine is on stress overload and is apparently looking like it. Simon, that little twerp, says she looks closer to 30 than 20! He recants it to looking younger shortly after but still......
He also goes on about how much he hates vampires in front of Gareth so I can just imagine how much that makes our swordsman hate himself even more. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Gareth was feeling so adrift and angry with himself now that his mission to stop Cesare is over.
There was an easily predictable moment in this book that I saw coming a mile away and I am pretty sure everyone else saw it coming too . We get to see into King Lothaire's court and how Queen Caterina helps to try to keep things together.
Everything has seemingly gone down the toilet and would have if not for some new admirers. Despite my few qualms with the book it is definitely worth the read. Like always the Griffith's deliver a well crafted story full of adventure, learning, good vs evil, a little bit of drama, and love.
It does end in a way that could lead to another book if the author's feel so inclined and I sure hope they do. It still feels like there are a lot of unresolved things for our favorite duo to fix.
The world is still shattered, hatred and intolerance run high, vamps and humans still clash, and some especially nasty vampire women are still lurking in the shadows. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that my wish for a new novel is answered!
November 17, 2015
The Geomancer is a continuation of the authors' Vampire Empire series featuring the Gareth, a vampire who acts like no other vampire, and Adele, Empress of Equatoria. It's an alternate history, steampunk adventure set in the late 1870s that's unlike anything I've read before. Although it's possible to read this book without reading the prior three, I wouldn't recommend it. There's a ton of history to all of the relationships, particularly to understanding Gareth and Adele, and action that led up to the start of this book. It's been a year since Adele used her geomancy to burn the vampires out of Britain and scorched the earth in the process. She and Gareth are trying to have a more normal life but they end up on the trail of a human who has the power to kill other humans via geomancy and of course he's working for the vampires. They chase all over the world in a quest to beat this man to a powerful geomancy tool and are outwitted at every turn. In the end, it's Adele, Gareth and some new allies against a massive vampire force led by a few familiar and nasty foes.
I read over my review for the last book in the Vampire Empire series and ended it with the thought that I wanted to see where Adele and Gareth went from there. It's strange to get my wish and not be as excited as I expected. The book was a solid read but I didn't find myself as engaged as I was with the previous three. Gareth drove me nuts. A large part of the plot here revolves around Adele and Gareth finding other groups of vampires that are more like him than he's ever encountered. One group reveres him and his way of life as if they're disciples and the other essentially consists of vampire monks who have a different life philosophy. Both are capable of some of Gareth's more "human" behaviors and his reaction is pretty harsh. In particular, I really enjoyed the time they spent with the vampires in the Himalayas and how it forced Gareth to reassess his view of other vampires. I'd love to see them resurface in a future book since I think they have a lot to offer Gareth. I continue to enjoy Adele and Gareth together as well as seeing the supporting characters from the prior three books. The action was rough and dirty at times which is fine by me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I didn't enjoy except it's possible I had mentally closed the door on this series and had trouble opening it back up. I didn't think I'd read another book in this world and I might have been okay with that.
I read over my review for the last book in the Vampire Empire series and ended it with the thought that I wanted to see where Adele and Gareth went from there. It's strange to get my wish and not be as excited as I expected. The book was a solid read but I didn't find myself as engaged as I was with the previous three. Gareth drove me nuts. A large part of the plot here revolves around Adele and Gareth finding other groups of vampires that are more like him than he's ever encountered. One group reveres him and his way of life as if they're disciples and the other essentially consists of vampire monks who have a different life philosophy. Both are capable of some of Gareth's more "human" behaviors and his reaction is pretty harsh. In particular, I really enjoyed the time they spent with the vampires in the Himalayas and how it forced Gareth to reassess his view of other vampires. I'd love to see them resurface in a future book since I think they have a lot to offer Gareth. I continue to enjoy Adele and Gareth together as well as seeing the supporting characters from the prior three books. The action was rough and dirty at times which is fine by me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I didn't enjoy except it's possible I had mentally closed the door on this series and had trouble opening it back up. I didn't think I'd read another book in this world and I might have been okay with that.
September 14, 2019
A brilliant sequel to the vampire empire tri!ogy
The Vampire Empire is the first series in the genre that has gripped me as much as the Jim Butcher Harry Dresden series. This book leaves the reader with enough loose ends to tantalize. I would love for more of these stories to emerge from the pens of the Griffiths...please!!
The Vampire Empire is the first series in the genre that has gripped me as much as the Jim Butcher Harry Dresden series. This book leaves the reader with enough loose ends to tantalize. I would love for more of these stories to emerge from the pens of the Griffiths...please!!
July 16, 2015
The Griffith couple are the most awesome steampunk action writers in the present tense. I don't think anyone comes close to their flawless style and emotional involvement. Can't say enough how cool this book is!!
May 27, 2017
I know some may have not liked this installment of the last book. But I think it wrapped up the story quite nicely.
I really enjoyed this series. Sad to see it end.
I really enjoyed this series. Sad to see it end.
March 29, 2018
Just as awesome as the rest. I am a forever fan of this series <3
May 13, 2017
I really liked the original trilogy. So, I picked this up. I liked the world; vampires are evil parasites in this one. Adele and Gareth both continue to be unique characters. Adele, the Empress, had the power to harm vampires. Gareth, her lover and a vampire, was different. This picks up after the events of the last book. The vampires have been defeated....or have they?
The Witchfinder, the new Big Bad, is introduced. He has found a way to help and protect the vampires from Adele. He is powerful (shocker, right?). What follows is an adventure. Adele and Gareth travel to France, Tibet. They meet up with previous and new secondary characters. I think what frustrated me was, this wasn't that different from the previous trilogy. Adele and Gareth have the some Issues in this book. I don't think their relationship developed that much. Blah, blah, blah. I just didn't care about these characters like I used to.
Luckily, the original trilogy kicks ass and stands on it's own just fine. Without this one.
(And yes, I looked back at my reviews (or book thoughts) and noted some loose ends at the end of book 3- it's been long enough and I don't remember what they were anymore. But I do remember being happy and satisfied).
The Witchfinder, the new Big Bad, is introduced. He has found a way to help and protect the vampires from Adele. He is powerful (shocker, right?). What follows is an adventure. Adele and Gareth travel to France, Tibet. They meet up with previous and new secondary characters. I think what frustrated me was, this wasn't that different from the previous trilogy. Adele and Gareth have the some Issues in this book. I don't think their relationship developed that much. Blah, blah, blah. I just didn't care about these characters like I used to.
Luckily, the original trilogy kicks ass and stands on it's own just fine. Without this one.
(And yes, I looked back at my reviews (or book thoughts) and noted some loose ends at the end of book 3- it's been long enough and I don't remember what they were anymore. But I do remember being happy and satisfied).
May 22, 2025
This one picks up a little while after the Vampire Empire trilogy ended. It reads rather like a gregarious action flick and moderately less character development than the parent series.
Not bad for a walk-and-read book but otherwise wouldn’t recommend as seems to try to cram too much into too short a book (and the authors never wrote more books in this series unfortunately).
Not bad for a walk-and-read book but otherwise wouldn’t recommend as seems to try to cram too much into too short a book (and the authors never wrote more books in this series unfortunately).
December 16, 2015
This was the first book I’ve read in the Vampire Empire series and I have to say I’m completely sold. Of course I now already know all the twists and turns from the previous books but that won’t stop me buying and reading all the books in the series right away.
Clay and Susan Griffith have succeeded in taking a vampire story to the next level. It is quite atypical and refreshing.
Adele is a fantastic protagonist. She the Empress of Equatoria, she’s very wilful, a skilled fighter and she’s also a Geomancer. She can feel and walk the rifts of energy in the Earth and use them. Gareth is her perfect counterpart: vampire prince half of the time and vampire-slaying vigilante the other half. Together they make an interesting team. Not only because of their mind-set and abilities, but also because of the love they feel for each other.
The chemistry between Adele and Gareth feels wonderfully real. Their dynamic is something every person dreams of. The absolute highlight of this for me was the ice-skating scene. Though this is a novel about slaying vampires, distorted geomancy and brutal politics, this moment shone through everything. It’s one incredible moment of light where Adele and Gareth can just forget about everything and enjoy each other. It warmed my heart and made me a wee bit emotional.
Adele’s magic is not anything new, the energy of the Earth has been used on multiple occasion before in a plethora of books. Somehow though, it didn’t feel overused or overly familiar here. I loved the descriptions of her geomancy. The way she can taste and smell certain typical things depending on which particular place the rifts in the Earth go to or come from. I also really enjoyed reading how it could become corrupted by human actions and which effect this has on her. Especially at the end of the book, the geomancy plays such an important role and it was fantastic to read Adele experiencing it and really understanding it. With a magic as complex and tied to nature as this, it seems that most people who have the gift don’t fully understand what they are dealing with and how it works. It was wonderful to see this understanding dawn on Adele while she was in the middle of a precarious situation. It gave a lot of depth to her and her abilities.
This is the first time I read a book that’s written by two authors, so I was really curious to find out how the book would read. I was wondering if I would be able to tell, but there’s no sign at all of any disruption because of this, or any difference in style and narration. The book reads very smoothly and is incredibly fast-paced. They know exactly which parts are not worth including and would slow down the reading experience. It was kind of refreshing not to have to read long pages about travelling, but to just jump from starting point to destination. It made the story pick up speed, without leaving out any important information or events.
The traveling throughout the story made this an even more interesting book in my opinion. It gave us the opportunity to see more of the post-apocalyptic world, dominated by vampires, even though it’s a very desolate world most of the time. I was very delighted to read that the city I was born in, Bruges, was featured. It seemed fitting somehow for my beautiful medieval city to feature as a setting for this.
I’m a big, big fan of steampunk and the hint of steampunk in this book made me particularly happy, it really was the cherry on top for me.
I’m really glad I got the chance to read The Geomancer. I normally don’t start in a book that are a later part of a series, but I had read that this wouldn’t be a problem with The Geomancer. So I took a chance and I don’t regret it at all. Even if you don’t know anything about Vampire Empire or Adele and Gareth, previous events are clearly explained to the reader so no one gets lost. Having these bits of information like this instead of throughout several books might maybe take away some of the enjoyment of them, but it certainly didn’t diminish the enjoyment of reading this book. The Geomancer is a book full of fast-paced action, gore and fighting, but also love and hope. Hope for a better future, one where vampires and humans could live side by side.
The Geomancer was a wonderful read and if you haven’t tried any of the Vampire Empire books before, or if you are a fan of them, definitely read this one!
Clay and Susan Griffith have succeeded in taking a vampire story to the next level. It is quite atypical and refreshing.
Adele is a fantastic protagonist. She the Empress of Equatoria, she’s very wilful, a skilled fighter and she’s also a Geomancer. She can feel and walk the rifts of energy in the Earth and use them. Gareth is her perfect counterpart: vampire prince half of the time and vampire-slaying vigilante the other half. Together they make an interesting team. Not only because of their mind-set and abilities, but also because of the love they feel for each other.
The chemistry between Adele and Gareth feels wonderfully real. Their dynamic is something every person dreams of. The absolute highlight of this for me was the ice-skating scene. Though this is a novel about slaying vampires, distorted geomancy and brutal politics, this moment shone through everything. It’s one incredible moment of light where Adele and Gareth can just forget about everything and enjoy each other. It warmed my heart and made me a wee bit emotional.
Adele’s magic is not anything new, the energy of the Earth has been used on multiple occasion before in a plethora of books. Somehow though, it didn’t feel overused or overly familiar here. I loved the descriptions of her geomancy. The way she can taste and smell certain typical things depending on which particular place the rifts in the Earth go to or come from. I also really enjoyed reading how it could become corrupted by human actions and which effect this has on her. Especially at the end of the book, the geomancy plays such an important role and it was fantastic to read Adele experiencing it and really understanding it. With a magic as complex and tied to nature as this, it seems that most people who have the gift don’t fully understand what they are dealing with and how it works. It was wonderful to see this understanding dawn on Adele while she was in the middle of a precarious situation. It gave a lot of depth to her and her abilities.
This is the first time I read a book that’s written by two authors, so I was really curious to find out how the book would read. I was wondering if I would be able to tell, but there’s no sign at all of any disruption because of this, or any difference in style and narration. The book reads very smoothly and is incredibly fast-paced. They know exactly which parts are not worth including and would slow down the reading experience. It was kind of refreshing not to have to read long pages about travelling, but to just jump from starting point to destination. It made the story pick up speed, without leaving out any important information or events.
The traveling throughout the story made this an even more interesting book in my opinion. It gave us the opportunity to see more of the post-apocalyptic world, dominated by vampires, even though it’s a very desolate world most of the time. I was very delighted to read that the city I was born in, Bruges, was featured. It seemed fitting somehow for my beautiful medieval city to feature as a setting for this.
I’m a big, big fan of steampunk and the hint of steampunk in this book made me particularly happy, it really was the cherry on top for me.
I’m really glad I got the chance to read The Geomancer. I normally don’t start in a book that are a later part of a series, but I had read that this wouldn’t be a problem with The Geomancer. So I took a chance and I don’t regret it at all. Even if you don’t know anything about Vampire Empire or Adele and Gareth, previous events are clearly explained to the reader so no one gets lost. Having these bits of information like this instead of throughout several books might maybe take away some of the enjoyment of them, but it certainly didn’t diminish the enjoyment of reading this book. The Geomancer is a book full of fast-paced action, gore and fighting, but also love and hope. Hope for a better future, one where vampires and humans could live side by side.
The Geomancer was a wonderful read and if you haven’t tried any of the Vampire Empire books before, or if you are a fan of them, definitely read this one!
November 18, 2015
The Geomancer, the first book in the Gareth and Adele Novels, introduces new readers to the fantastic world that began with Vampire Empire trilogy.
Set in the same exciting alternate-history world as Vampire Empire, writing team Clay and Susan Griffith give readers a world filled with dangerous vampiric creatures, action-packed swordplay & magic, and a kick-ass couple. Fans will not want to miss out on the further adventures of Gareth & Adele.
I first discovered authors Clay and Susan Griffith with their series Crown & Key and basically went crazy over their writing. When the opportunity to read Geomancer came up, I could not resist saying yes. I was a bit hesitant about jumping into the new series, having not read the previous VAMPIRE EMPIRE books. I can honestly say I had no issues following along the storyline, and soon found myself cheering for Adele and Gareth like an old favorite book couple.
The story opens up with the knowledge that a brutal war has transpired between the humans and vampire clans in Britain, one that began and ended with Adele's power of Geomancy. Now the north is picking up the pieces with Adele and Gareth leading the way. A new danger arises as news spreads of a dangerous man know as the Witchfinder who threatens to undo all that Adele has achieved by turning her very gift she tries to protect the humans with against them.
The setting for The Geomancer is this wonderful mashup of a post-apocalyptic, alternate history filled with paranormal and steampunk goodness. There're airships and cameras, pubs and dens, clans and vampire monarchies, that make it feel unique. I loved not knowing what oddities Clay & Susan Griffith would insert into the story, surprising me.
As a fan of action and adventure, there's plenty of globe trotting and sword brandishing to keep the pace exciting. Adele and Gareth basically end up on a quest that takes them from Edinburgh, London, and the Equatorian Empire (Alexandria, I believe) to the icy mountains of Tibet. Of course, along the way there's plenty of fighting against vampiric creatures, plus new & old enemies.
Gareth and Adele are a fantastic couple! I have to say, that after reading The Geomancer and getting to know Gareth and Adele, I'm completely inspire by this kick-ass couple, the kind that makes me want to go and read all their back history in Vampire Empire, not so much because I was lost, but because I want to know all those little facets about them before they became a couple.
Adele is so fascinating, she has this power of Geomancy - think ley/dragon lines of power that run along Earth's surface that she can tap into. She also carries a bad-ass khukuri (think Nepalese knife similar to a machete) that she uses more than once. Then there's Gareth who is Adele's consort, her partner in every way, both in battle and romantically. I loved how both Gareth and Adele felt so ordinary, yet each has a power that makes them something more. They struggle to find their place with each other and the world surrounding them. Though I missed out on their burgeoning romance, it is evident that this is a couple fans continue to love.
In the end, The Geomancer was all that I hoped it to be. A great introduction to Gareth & Adele's characters and the creative world that began with Vampire Empire. It has whetted my appetite for both the future adventures of Gareth & Adele and wanting to immerse myself into the original series as well.
Please Note: A courtesy review copy of this book was provided by publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Set in the same exciting alternate-history world as Vampire Empire, writing team Clay and Susan Griffith give readers a world filled with dangerous vampiric creatures, action-packed swordplay & magic, and a kick-ass couple. Fans will not want to miss out on the further adventures of Gareth & Adele.
I first discovered authors Clay and Susan Griffith with their series Crown & Key and basically went crazy over their writing. When the opportunity to read Geomancer came up, I could not resist saying yes. I was a bit hesitant about jumping into the new series, having not read the previous VAMPIRE EMPIRE books. I can honestly say I had no issues following along the storyline, and soon found myself cheering for Adele and Gareth like an old favorite book couple.
The story opens up with the knowledge that a brutal war has transpired between the humans and vampire clans in Britain, one that began and ended with Adele's power of Geomancy. Now the north is picking up the pieces with Adele and Gareth leading the way. A new danger arises as news spreads of a dangerous man know as the Witchfinder who threatens to undo all that Adele has achieved by turning her very gift she tries to protect the humans with against them.
The setting for The Geomancer is this wonderful mashup of a post-apocalyptic, alternate history filled with paranormal and steampunk goodness. There're airships and cameras, pubs and dens, clans and vampire monarchies, that make it feel unique. I loved not knowing what oddities Clay & Susan Griffith would insert into the story, surprising me.
As a fan of action and adventure, there's plenty of globe trotting and sword brandishing to keep the pace exciting. Adele and Gareth basically end up on a quest that takes them from Edinburgh, London, and the Equatorian Empire (Alexandria, I believe) to the icy mountains of Tibet. Of course, along the way there's plenty of fighting against vampiric creatures, plus new & old enemies.
Gareth and Adele are a fantastic couple! I have to say, that after reading The Geomancer and getting to know Gareth and Adele, I'm completely inspire by this kick-ass couple, the kind that makes me want to go and read all their back history in Vampire Empire, not so much because I was lost, but because I want to know all those little facets about them before they became a couple.
Adele is so fascinating, she has this power of Geomancy - think ley/dragon lines of power that run along Earth's surface that she can tap into. She also carries a bad-ass khukuri (think Nepalese knife similar to a machete) that she uses more than once. Then there's Gareth who is Adele's consort, her partner in every way, both in battle and romantically. I loved how both Gareth and Adele felt so ordinary, yet each has a power that makes them something more. They struggle to find their place with each other and the world surrounding them. Though I missed out on their burgeoning romance, it is evident that this is a couple fans continue to love.
In the end, The Geomancer was all that I hoped it to be. A great introduction to Gareth & Adele's characters and the creative world that began with Vampire Empire. It has whetted my appetite for both the future adventures of Gareth & Adele and wanting to immerse myself into the original series as well.
Please Note: A courtesy review copy of this book was provided by publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
February 18, 2016
The Vampire Empire series is my all time favorite set of vampire books. And that's pretty high praise from me. This is the fourth book in the series - essentially I think this is going to shape into two related trilogies. I was so happy to revisit Gareth and Adele. I always approach unexpected series continuation with some trepidation. Will it live up to the prior books? Yes, it absolutely does!
It took me quite awhile to get through this book. It wasn't the book's fault. I had some personal stuff going on that derailed all my reading. Plus at one point, I got so excited to revisit Gareth and Adele that I felt compelled to go back and re-read the first book in the series - which is my favorite one of all of them.
Here's a few of my favorite things about the book:
1. Adele - Adele continues to be the most powerful person in this story. Here, her geomancy powers are diminished since the Witchfinder is deploying it against her. This helps demonstrate that her inner strength does not rely upon supernatural powers. Adele is a passionate, headstrong person. She gets close to recklessness in her desire to find solutions to save her people.
2. Gareth - I always have a soft spot for vampires. And Gareth is one of my favorites. I think this series is going to involve a lot of emotional growth for him. Gareth has viewed all vampires, and by extension, himself with hatred for a very long time. Now he has to confront the idea that vampires are not the uniform creatures he thinks of them as. And this, I think, will change his view of himself.
3. Gareth and Adele - The chief plot of the first series was the burgeoning and maturing romance between Gareth and Adele (amongst lots of other things). Now we get to see how they function as a couple. There's still some romance but mostly it's wonderful to watch them as a pair of equals. They have so many different experiences in this book. In some, Gareth leads and in others, Adele leads. They are protective of each other, but also honor the other's experience and ability.
4. Expanding mythology - We meet a lot more people in this book, mostly vampires. We learn that vampires do not have uniform opinions on humans, on progress, or on violence. I love the richer world that's presented here. Having more shades of gray than black and white makes the book feel more realistic.
5. Fast moving plot - All of the Vampire Empire books are well written and quick reads. They're the kind of books you can get through quickly and then go back and read more thoroughly for extra detail. The chapters are short and viewpoints change quickly. This can be a bit jarring, but I ultimately think that the jumps make the book more exciting because you never know what's coming next
If you haven't read the Vampire Empire series, you should immediately pick up Greyfriar, the first book in the series. The Geomancy is a fabulous addition. It continues the world I love and starts a new plot that I'm excited to read more about. It is definitely more of a sequel than a companion novel. Even though it has a plot distinct from the first three books, it draws heavily upon the knowledge of the earlier story. All the more enticement to go back and get Greyfriar!
It took me quite awhile to get through this book. It wasn't the book's fault. I had some personal stuff going on that derailed all my reading. Plus at one point, I got so excited to revisit Gareth and Adele that I felt compelled to go back and re-read the first book in the series - which is my favorite one of all of them.
Here's a few of my favorite things about the book:
1. Adele - Adele continues to be the most powerful person in this story. Here, her geomancy powers are diminished since the Witchfinder is deploying it against her. This helps demonstrate that her inner strength does not rely upon supernatural powers. Adele is a passionate, headstrong person. She gets close to recklessness in her desire to find solutions to save her people.
2. Gareth - I always have a soft spot for vampires. And Gareth is one of my favorites. I think this series is going to involve a lot of emotional growth for him. Gareth has viewed all vampires, and by extension, himself with hatred for a very long time. Now he has to confront the idea that vampires are not the uniform creatures he thinks of them as. And this, I think, will change his view of himself.
3. Gareth and Adele - The chief plot of the first series was the burgeoning and maturing romance between Gareth and Adele (amongst lots of other things). Now we get to see how they function as a couple. There's still some romance but mostly it's wonderful to watch them as a pair of equals. They have so many different experiences in this book. In some, Gareth leads and in others, Adele leads. They are protective of each other, but also honor the other's experience and ability.
4. Expanding mythology - We meet a lot more people in this book, mostly vampires. We learn that vampires do not have uniform opinions on humans, on progress, or on violence. I love the richer world that's presented here. Having more shades of gray than black and white makes the book feel more realistic.
5. Fast moving plot - All of the Vampire Empire books are well written and quick reads. They're the kind of books you can get through quickly and then go back and read more thoroughly for extra detail. The chapters are short and viewpoints change quickly. This can be a bit jarring, but I ultimately think that the jumps make the book more exciting because you never know what's coming next
If you haven't read the Vampire Empire series, you should immediately pick up Greyfriar, the first book in the series. The Geomancy is a fabulous addition. It continues the world I love and starts a new plot that I'm excited to read more about. It is definitely more of a sequel than a companion novel. Even though it has a plot distinct from the first three books, it draws heavily upon the knowledge of the earlier story. All the more enticement to go back and get Greyfriar!
December 9, 2015
I loved, loved, LOVED this book! Pure awesomeness! I was a little afraid there would be too much steam punk and romance in it for my taste but it was the PERFECT amount to make it exciting and wonderful! Normally when books have romance in it the authors over do it and it feels like you are reading book porn... Thankfully that wasn't the case in this, which I was very delighted about.
I also think it is simply adorable that this book was written by a married couple, in which case two minds were definitely better than one because of how well written this turned out to be and I couldn't bring myself to put it down. This was the first book that I read by these authors and now I am definitely going to check out their other work (I won this book in a giveaway- thank you so much!).
I really like seeing the cover art show details of characters from the book and the cover definitely matched what I envisioned Adele and Greyfriar to look like. Another thing I liked is that simple explanations were mentioned of events in the previous books to fill you in without ruining the want to go back and read the others. I also like that you aren't left hanging in this book from lack of knowledge of what previously happened.
Quite an interesting take on vampires, I love the uniqueness. Did I mention the word "love" too much? This definitely is a new favorite placed in my most treasured books collection bookshelf.
I also think it is simply adorable that this book was written by a married couple, in which case two minds were definitely better than one because of how well written this turned out to be and I couldn't bring myself to put it down. This was the first book that I read by these authors and now I am definitely going to check out their other work (I won this book in a giveaway- thank you so much!).
I really like seeing the cover art show details of characters from the book and the cover definitely matched what I envisioned Adele and Greyfriar to look like. Another thing I liked is that simple explanations were mentioned of events in the previous books to fill you in without ruining the want to go back and read the others. I also like that you aren't left hanging in this book from lack of knowledge of what previously happened.
Quite an interesting take on vampires, I love the uniqueness. Did I mention the word "love" too much? This definitely is a new favorite placed in my most treasured books collection bookshelf.
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