The Shattered Gates (Rifter #1)

Nov 08, 2012 Akansha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, m-m, fantasy

Wow, what a kick-off! Since each book in the series seems to be more like a chapter/installment of a true epic, I won't get into a long-winded review. All I have to say is that the world building is magnificent and completely absorbing, and this is just the beginning! For me, it'd be reason enough to continue reading the entire series. Not to mention the atmosphere Hale creates, it's at once foreboding, sinister and so vivid. Now, on to the next book.

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Jun 10, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

I feel like yahoo-ing to the heavens! Look! Look what I found! A kickass fantasy with gorgeous writing, adventure, strong characters and mystery. Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale had me pretty much at first click with a mysterious key and a one word letter. BOOM! I was in. But throw in talking bones, witch’s blood, and gateways to other worlds…well….I’m yours forever!

“It was more like they just were there. Kind of like they could have always been here, and somehow we just never saw them before.”

I fe...more
I feel like yahoo-ing to the heavens! Look! Look what I found! A kickass fantasy with gorgeous writing, adventure, strong characters and mystery. Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale had me pretty much at first click with a mysterious key and a one word letter. BOOM! I was in. But throw in talking bones, witch’s blood, and gateways to other worlds…well….I’m yours forever!

“It was more like they just were there. Kind of like they could have always been here, and somehow we just never saw them before.”

I fell in love with this world and characters--John, Kyle (Kahlil), Laurie, and Bill. Four unique voices that cut their own paths across the page with humor, magic, and style. For such a short read, Ms. Hale does a fantastic job of introducing these characters with a sense of history and friendship. John’s need for control and answers played against Bill and Laurie’s laid-back mystical vibe perfectly. The trio’s chemistry was comfortable and downright hilarious at times. An odd pairing of friends at first glance, but very fun to see in action. I can’t wait for more. More details, more Kyle, more, more, more! My needy, greedy heart wants more of Kyle’s story right now. A mysterious world hopping, milkman/assassin! Haha… Needless to say, he captured my attention and sparked my imagination in a blink of an eye. Will Kyle’s past and true path ever come to light though?

"He had lied about his name, his occupation, where he had been, what he had done, how he came in, how he went out. He had lied in two languages and to every person he met. What he liked, what he hated, what he believed, what he desired, every detail had been a fabrication. He had lied enough to create an entire other man. And that man told lies as well.”

Magic, danger, secrets, and I have a feeling so much more propel this story along. This leg of the journey alone takes us from diners brimming with heavy foods in comfort to fighting to survive with weasel-broth breakfasts in a harsh snow covered landscape. And this is just the beginning! Ms. Hale already has me muttering under my breath (view spoiler), hunkering down in my seat, and smiling ear to ear. Her words have me swooning. Beautiful, rich, layered language and descriptions that pulled me right in. I could feel the pull of the Gray Space, smell the foods, and hear the labored breathing. No *feel* the breathing! Feel the growing fragility in my own bones. Feel the cold and fear. Every single word here ran through my head and body with joy and shivers.

I will shut up for now because I see a lot of Ginn Hale love and gushing in my future. :D I’ll pace myself. Just know she made one hell of a first impression on me.

This series is not to be missed. Don’t miss it!

I’m off to book two….

Christina—Thanks again for throwing this series in my path. I would not have tripped over it without you! 
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Jun 02, 2013 Shelley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: addictive-reading, fantastical, fantasy, first-in-series, m-m, novella, the-blog-of-sid-love

3.5 Stars

Okay.

This is something different and I think I might have just stumbled onto something quite special, or is it my initial enthusiasm and the enthusiasm of my GR buddies that's influencing me? I'm just not too sure yet. The Shattered Gates is part one of a ten part serialised novel and trying to rate this book is like trying to rate the first ten percentage of a long novel - doesn't seem fair right?

But anyways ...as it stands, this one grabs your attention from the start. The synopsis h...more 3.5 Stars

Okay.

This is something different and I think I might have just stumbled onto something quite special, or is it my initial enthusiasm and the enthusiasm of my GR buddies that's influencing me? I'm just not too sure yet. The Shattered Gates is part one of a ten part serialised novel and trying to rate this book is like trying to rate the first ten percentage of a long novel - doesn't seem fair right?

But anyways ...as it stands, this one grabs your attention from the start. The synopsis has this one pretty much covered but doesn't give any real insight into what you are getting into here. So without being spoilery I'll do my best.

There are two worlds and the grey space between. Two pivotal characters from each world bound by fate and world ending prophecy – all wrapped up in mystery, magic and dark arts. So exciting! I love this premise.

Along with captivating new worlds, I’ve been introduced to some sparklingly original characters; although not yet enough of each to form a conclusive deduction on any of them. I’m approaching everyone with open eyes and dubious mistrust right now because I’m afraid to form attachments too early on. Pfft, yeah right … alas I fear I may be lost already *slumps* I am such a sucker for a scarred, tattooed hero and Kahlil (Kyle) is all that plus warrior, plus assassin, plus mysterious, plus gifted, he is just PLUS!! I’m totally mesmerised and infatuated with him.

It’s easier to remain detached from John right now. I find the 23 year old self-centred and self-righteous, a bit of a boring geek and too uptight. John is keeping his secrets close to his chest while exploring and hiding out in a new cruel world. His character intrigues, but doesn’t captivate me … yet. I have hope.

This has HUGE potential. MASSIVE! It’s only the beginning and I’m really excited to see where it all leads. The only irritations here is the new language, although I did find a glossary at the end of the book – would have helped if I’d known before I read the book! And the time lapses in Basawara – I felt I could have benefitted from John’s first impressions of this strange barren land.
Onward to Servants of the Crossed Arrows

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May 21, 2013 Dreamer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic, novella, m-m, kindle, own-series, epic-fantasy, love-a-bad-boy, lip-bitingly-good

Excellent beginning to this epic fantasy. Always been a sucker for characters passing through gateways to other worlds!

Graduate student John has a mysterious room-mate Kyle who is actually from the world of Basawar. John opens a letter for Kyle (Kahlil) and comes into possession of a key to this other world.

'(Kahlil) had lied about his name, his occupation, where he had been, what he had done, how he came in, how he went out. He had lied in two languages and to every person he met. What he liked...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Jenre added it

Shelves: fantasy, m-m

Now here's something new. A serialised novel in ten parts being issued once a month by Blind Eye Books. My interest was already aroused by that idea alone, but then when you add into the equation that the serialised book is written by the frankly quite astounding Ginn Hale, I knew this would be something I would want to read. I wasn't wrong.

It's a bit odd to review the first part of a serialised novel. The book has been divided roughly into 100 pages per issue and so this first part is the openi...more Now here's something new. A serialised novel in ten parts being issued once a month by Blind Eye Books. My interest was already aroused by that idea alone, but then when you add into the equation that the serialised book is written by the frankly quite astounding Ginn Hale, I knew this would be something I would want to read. I wasn't wrong.

It's a bit odd to review the first part of a serialised novel. The book has been divided roughly into 100 pages per issue and so this first part is the opening section to what is going to be a 1,000 page book. Obviously, it's going to end as a cliff hanger and obviously this first part is going to contain a lot of scenes setting up the world building and characters who are to play the important roles within the book. I suppose what I need to be looking at during this review is the effectiveness of this part as the opening to a novel. So here goes!

Blind Eye Books publishes fantasy/spec fiction novels so that should give you an idea of what type of book The Rifter is. It's a dark fantasy set in two worlds. There is the modern day world of America where we meet our hero John and his friends Bill and Laurie, and there is the world of Basawar where our other hero Kahlil (or Kyle) originates from. Kahlil has the ability to travel between these worlds and has been sent on a special mission to America for reasons we are told about as the opening progresses. The narrative alternates between John and Kahlil and so gives us background and insight into both characters, their thoughts and the reasons they act as they do. I did find Kahlil a little confusing at first, especially when he is in Basawar at the beginning of this first part and on the whole I felt more settled and sympathetic with the character of John. John is a geology grad student who gets inadvertently pulled into the story (like all good fantasy heroes) and then has to make the best of situation beyond his control. I liked John, especially that he was scientifically minded but also had a strange affinity with the planet. I look forward to seeing where the author takes this character and develops some of the abilities we are given teasing hints about in this first part.

Another thing I liked about the story is that it currently only focuses on five characters (and a dog). This allows the reader to concentrate on what will be the main protagonists in the tale and be drawn into their different characters and relationships. It also meant that some time could be devoted to the world building, which was complex but not overwhelming without also having to keep track of too many characters. The setting of Basawar is similar enough to Earth so that things are not so strange, but contains significant differences which affect the characters. This familiarity eases the reader into the world building and it wasn't long before I was immersed into the world that the author had created and eager to discover further differences that will affect the characters. As the first part draws to a close, the setting is beginning to widen and I don't think it will be long before more characters are introduced, plus the possibility of politics and intrigue into the plot. I can see especially that there is going to be a lot of change and growth in John and his friends and I am looking forward to seeing how their relationship deepens, or otherwise, as their friendship is tested. The author has also gone the extra mile of creating a whole new language in the world of Basawar, and those who find these thing fun and amusing have a glossary of terms to peruse.

Overall, this was a pretty terrific opening to what looks like it may well be a complex and spellbinding fantasy novel. Strong on character and imaginative in setting, it nevertheless contains a slowly unfolding plot which has already grasped my attention. I think the hardest thing for me with this serialisation is going to be waiting impatiently for the next instalment! I urge all fantasy fans out there to give this serialisation a go. I don't think you will regret it.

I'm not going to give this book a grade, because how can you grade something which is only 1/10th concluded? Instead I shall give the book an overall grade once I get to part 10.(less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Foolish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthologies-short-stories, e-book, fantasy, m-m, magic, paranormal, seriel

I'm really excited to finally get to start this epic series. After reading Ginn's Lord of the White Hell books, I knew I was going to enjoy the Rifter saga and its off to an impressive start. It has imaginative world building and believable characters and I'm moving straight onto Servants of the Crossed Arrows!

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May 10, 2013 Rachel Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbtq, fantasy

In the killer hook opening to this portal fantasy, John, a gay graduate student, has a problem. He and his mysterious roommate Kyle ran into each other in a bathhouse, and fled in opposite directions. Several weeks later, Kyle still hasn't returned, and the rent is coming up. And while Kyle is extremely strange - he's covered with weird tattoos, carries around swords and knives, always keeps his room locked, and, bizarrely, claims to be a milkman - he has never failed to pay the rent on time, wh...more In the killer hook opening to this portal fantasy, John, a gay graduate student, has a problem. He and his mysterious roommate Kyle ran into each other in a bathhouse, and fled in opposite directions. Several weeks later, Kyle still hasn't returned, and the rent is coming up. And while Kyle is extremely strange - he's covered with weird tattoos, carries around swords and knives, always keeps his room locked, and, bizarrely, claims to be a milkman - he has never failed to pay the rent on time, which makes up for all other flaws as far as John is concerned.

While John is trying to figure out what to do, a letter arrives addressed to Kyle - the first Kyle has ever received - with no return address. In a mixture of desperation and pent-up curiosity, John opens it. It contains an ornate gold key, and a sheet of paper reading, "DON'T."

Cut to Kahlil (aka Kyle), who is on a mysterious errand in his own world, carrying a bag containing a talking skeleton and gloomily musing that once he gets back to our world, he will probably get the order to kill John at any moment. When he returns to our world (just in time to pay the rent), we see it through his eyes. Everything is shockingly vibrant, intense, and beautiful... compared to where he's from.

This is one of the most engrossing and fun otherworld fantasies I've read in a while. The worldbuilding is fascinating. Kahlil's world is suffused with a sense of wrongness, but not in the grimdark way where everyone is a rapist sociopath and nobody ever has any fun. It's meticulously detailed - there's a funny scene where John sits in a bath and tries to figure out what the hell the cleaning implements and ointments are for, then finds out when the servants arrive and start cramming tooth powder into his mouth - but faded. The food has little savor, the colors are dimmed, and even the air is thin. Some catastrophe seems to have cast a magical pall over the entire landscape.

While there are horror elements (like the talking skeleton and some very creepy magic), the tone is more like old-school swords and sorcery given a modern gloss than actual horror. It's dark in parts, but playful in others. There's banter and egg-laying weasels. The plot is complex and intriguing. I assume John and Kahlil will eventually have a romance, and that they will be instrumental in restoring life to the world. But in terms of how that will happen, I have no idea. The broad outlines may be clear, but the way in which things have happened has been consistently surprising.

There are some flaws, which have not spoiled my enjoyment. Some of the supporting characters get a lot of page time but very little character development. There are a few points where characters fail to take what seems like the obvious, sensible action, for no particular reason other than that the plot needed them not to. And while parts of the story have a very real feel to them, other parts are paper-thin. In particular, John seems to have sprung out of thin air, with no school responsibilities, no family, no history, and no associates other than the ones who are central to the plot.

Still, like I said: really fun. Without getting too spoilery, I will mention that John's introduction to the world is sufficiently rocky that I initially thought, "Oh, God, this is going to be that cliched crapsack world where every single character is a total asshole and everyone is constantly getting slaughtered for no reason." That turns out to not be the case. Or, at least, so far it hasn't been.

This is an extremely long novel broken into ten parts of about 100 pages each. If you have already read this, please note that I am only on Part 2. Please do not spoil me for anything past that! (less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Three Crow Press rated it 4 of 5 stars

And so it begins, another Ginn Hale inspired addiction, this one woven somewhere between the contemporary and an alternate reality that is only just starting to take shape as a place of extreme danger, a place where being an outsider might mean a painful death, and a place where John’s enigmatic roommate Kyle has a job to do. So many questions remain unanswered—Why? How? The most significant of which is what, as in what will happen next?

The trap has been successfully baited, and I’m entirely inv...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Kate O'Hanlon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

It's hard to review the first instalment of a serial, and make no mistake, that's what The Shattered Gate, the first instalment in a serial, not the first book in a series. Whether it's good or bad will largely depend on what's to come. Have I been set up with the right expectations? Do I care enough about the characters to stay with them through the nine remaining parts? We shall see.

What I can say is thatThe Shattered Gate makes me want to read the next Rifter book. That's a good thing too sin...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Kassa rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars rounded up

Book One of the new ten part serial from Ginn Hale is an explosive introduction. The excellent writing, tight editing, and creative imagination that readers have come to expect from Hale is once again at the forefront of this new venture. At the same time this particular novella comes in at a mere 100 pages or so and barely, barely scratches the surface of the world building, introduces characters as mostly names with some witty dialogue, and starts to develop a story that i...more 3.5 stars rounded up

Book One of the new ten part serial from Ginn Hale is an explosive introduction. The excellent writing, tight editing, and creative imagination that readers have come to expect from Hale is once again at the forefront of this new venture. At the same time this particular novella comes in at a mere 100 pages or so and barely, barely scratches the surface of the world building, introduces characters as mostly names with some witty dialogue, and starts to develop a story that is confusing and complicated from the very beginning. With nine more parts to come and no doubt the final tally at least 1000 pages, the idea of a serial is very interesting. I’m curious if readers will respond to this idea, especially when this story will no doubt have some incredibly dark overtones. I’m willing to go along for the ride though and the first book does an excellent job of introducing you to the themes and dark elements that will become the driving forces of this new epic fantasy.

In The Shattered Gate we’re introduced to John, a graduate student and roommates with the mysterious and reclusive “milkman” Kyle. John is something called a Rifter though what that is or what it means to the story is unclear. Kyle is actually named Kahlil and is a warrior priest from another dimension/world. We’re introduced to Kahlil as he’s trekking through farmland with a bag of animated bones on his back. Kahlil returns to contemporary Earth, although injured and the without the key that lets him travel between his world and Earth. John happens to open some of Kyle/Kahlil’s mail and discovers a golden key. This key sends John and his two friends, Bill and Laurie, to Kahlil’s alternate world. Lost there the three friends struggle to survive and adapt in a totally alien universe. At the same time Kahlil realizes what’s happened and attempts a blood ritual to follow but finds his own trouble.

The plot likely sounds complicated and convoluted from the beginning and that’s because it really is. Even after finishing book one I’m not really entirely sure what is going on with whom and which of the characters will actually survive when it’s clear there will be death in this epic journey. Furthermore there are definitely more questions asked than answered and if there are any answers offered, I’m sure it’s just a ruse to later turn those answers on their head. So really this introduction won’t give you the main plot, the main characters, even any real solid world building. Instead this first book intrigues you, mystifies you and draws you in so you want to know more.

The writing and themes are laced with heavy dark tones. The fantasy world Kahlil is from and the three friends stumble into is very violent and terrifying. In a practical sense there is almost no world building offered since the friends are largely trekking through snowy countryside for the entirety of the novella. Yet the few details offered combined with the difficult subsistence living and interaction with a young man attempting to be the new Kahlil depict a scary, often bloody world. Although I’m not a fan of violence, the dark overtones intrigued and engaged me almost immediately. You know the story is going to be scary and people will likely suffer and die along the way. However the very mentions so far have been tasteful and well executed to offer the impressions and affect without graphic scenes. So the themes may be dark but I don’t think they’ll turn anyone off.

The narrative is told in third person and alternates between John and Kahlil’s perspectives. John and Kahlil are interesting men, filled with complicated emotions and difficult goals. They have strengths and weaknesses already and the few twists thrown in about John’s Rifter nature and what that means to Kahlil sets up some amazing potential. John and Kahlil are best compared and contrasted with the landscape itself. The barren, bleak countryside, the cold snow and freezing temperatures contrast with the heat and pain of blood and how it’s used create a more somber, absorbing tone. This seems to reflect the early nature of the characters themselves. Likewise, the few beginning chapters feel slightly chaotic as you bounce from Kahlil’s world to the modern time on Earth and back again. The leap between perspectives is so vivid and different that it’s jerky and awkward at first. The constant questions and wondering what’s going on do distract from simply enjoying the story, but as with anything this settles down towards the end when more details start to slowly emerge.

The writing is very dynamic and shows the actions of the various characters in clean, crisp, evocative prose. The dialogue used is quite funny and Laurie and Bill are wonderful light additions to what is an otherwise pretty dark debut. They are interesting in their own right though and help keep your interest when the confusion of the story starts to build. The clean editing offers no distractions from the story and although the ending is actually no ending at all, I’m definitely curious and intrigued enough to want to read more.

I know several authors offer serialized novels on their websites and so hopefully readers will take a chance on this one. I actually jumped at this book knowing nothing more than it was the first book of ten by Ginn Hale and described as an epic fantasy story. Put together I’m sure 1000+ pages would scary many, many readers away so I’d definitely encourage readers to start with this novella and see if you’re interested. Hale is a master storyteller and she may make me cringe later in the series but I trust her and delight in the creativity offered. I think this first book has done its job of getting readers interested and it’s up to subsequent books to build the world, the concept, the story, the characters, and the plot.

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Jan 16, 2013 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

It has been a while since I read the Cadelonian series, but so far this series is quite different. The writing is still good, it's just hard for me to connect with the characters (but this is the first of ten). I do like John and Kyle, especially the latter's way of reasoning out the way the world works. At the moment, though, it's just a little confusing as to where things are headed. Laurie seems to have some abilities in Basawar she didn't in America, but I'm not sure what Bill's purpose is y...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-review-copy, ebook, read-in-2011

When I was offered the opportunity to review Ginn Hale’s ambitious, 10-part serialized novel, I jumped at the chance. Not only am I a big fan of Ginn Hale, I was also intrigued by the structure of this project. It conjures up visions of those old-time radio dramas, serialized adventure movies, and telling stories around a campfire where the storyteller always left one wanting more.

This first installment of the 10-part serialized novel pretty much did what it needed to do, and has hooked me!

John...more When I was offered the opportunity to review Ginn Hale’s ambitious, 10-part serialized novel, I jumped at the chance. Not only am I a big fan of Ginn Hale, I was also intrigued by the structure of this project. It conjures up visions of those old-time radio dramas, serialized adventure movies, and telling stories around a campfire where the storyteller always left one wanting more.

This first installment of the 10-part serialized novel pretty much did what it needed to do, and has hooked me!

John and his mysterious roommate, Kahlil/Kyle come from different worlds, but are connected by magic. John is just discovering that there is more to the everyday world he knows. He is thrust into the action (and Kahlil’s world) when he makes a fateful mistake. Now, he’s doing everything he can to survive—and keep his friends alive—in a strange land. I like John. He’s forthright, and a bit skeptical of the magic that he’s just becoming aware of.

Kahlil is still a bit of a mystery. He’s on a mission to protect his world and John’s, even if it means killing. He’s a bit of a fish out of water in John’s world, but I love the wonder he has at the everyday (our) world. even something as simple as ordering breakfast at a diner is a special experience for him. The author really conveys Kahlil’s awe in a beautiful and believable way.

The sense of loneliness and isolation of both men is conveyed beautifully, and it ties them together, even while they are unaware of their similar feelings.

My only quibble with the story was John’s initial lack of curiosity about his knife/weapon carrying roommate. I really found it sort of brought me out of the story when he never even questioned Kahlil’s comings and goings while armed to the teeth (at least beyond wondering about it to himself).

The world—especially Kahlil’s world—has plenty of depth. It’s clear that there’s still a lot to learn about it, but it’s complexity doesn’t completely overwhelm the story. I like the knowledge that I will learn more about it as the story continues to unfold in future installments.

The events were mysterious and compelling enough to suck me in, and make me want more. I have plenty of questions about where the story is going: what role does John play in Kahlil’s world? What will happen when Kahlil connects up with John again? What exactly is going on with the shattered gate? I’m sure that all of my questions will be answered.

In all, I really enjoyed part 1, and can’t wait to read part 2 .

New installments will be released on the second Tuesday of each month. Singles installments and subscriptions are available from Weightless Books.

I received this book for review purposes. This review cross-posted from my blog, Renee's Book Addiction.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 D rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge, ebook, favorites

(view spoiler)

This is the first installment in a serial of ten, so the action is still picking up at the end of #1: there is no way I can tell you if I like storyline or not (but seeing as how it's Ginn Hale, you know you're in good hands).

There are times when descriptions get bogged down with too many words--it gets somewhat repetitive, but it never gets too bad. I like...more

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May 29, 2013 Charty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was sucked in by the premise, a regular Joe from earth who has a weird, knife-wielding roommate whose supposedly a milkman, and before you knew it I was caught up in this fantasy where three friends from Earth end up on a completely different world, following their struggles to survive in both a hostile physical environment, as well as navigate a completely foreign language and culture. Although the story took a bit to really get going, I was intrigued enough to go out and buy book two. There...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: assassin-protag, fantasy, mm-romance, witchcraft-sorcery

Just fine.

If it were a novel I'd have kept reading, but instead it's a 100-page first installment in a serial, and it just wasn't good enough to get me on the treadmill. $4 each, ten times for the complete story, $40...I maybe care $5 worth, or $6 worth, or, heck, $12 worth, but $40? There's a neat set-up and the worldbuilding is pretty interesting, and I like the characters...but I kept wanting to take a red pen to the text. I thought Ginn Hale was supposed to be an amazing stylist, but I foun...more

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Mar 30, 2011 Hilcia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbt-books, my-bookshelf, fantasy, 2011-read, impressions-blog-review

The Shattered Gates is Book 1 in Ginn Hale's brand new ten part serialized fantasy series, The Rifter. It is tough trying to review the beginning of a book instead of the whole thing, so I'm just going to give you my impressions on the world building and her introduction of characters at this point.

Ginn Hale begins the story in our contemporary world with John opening a letter addressed to his unusual roommate Kyle. The letter contains a key and John keeps it. In the meantime Kyle or Khalil is f...more The Shattered Gates is Book 1 in Ginn Hale's brand new ten part serialized fantasy series, The Rifter. It is tough trying to review the beginning of a book instead of the whole thing, so I'm just going to give you my impressions on the world building and her introduction of characters at this point.

Ginn Hale begins the story in our contemporary world with John opening a letter addressed to his unusual roommate Kyle. The letter contains a key and John keeps it. In the meantime Kyle or Khalil is fighting a war in his own world. A strange world where there are such things as oracle bones and talking dogs. After a series of unusual events, John uses the key and unwittingly opens a gate that transports him and his two closest friends to a strange and hostile world where they find themselves trapped. When Kahlil realizes what has happened, he attempts to follow John through the gate. He arrives at a place that is both familiar and yet different. Kahlil finds himself alone as all he knows seems to be gone forever.

The initial part of the world building in this first part of the book was excellent. It's easy to understand and follow and fascinating enough to hook the reader. Of course there's still much left to develop, but having read this first episode, there's no way I wouldn't continue reading this book.

The characters are also interesting, although at this point the world caught my attention much more. Hale concentrates a bit more on John's development than on Khalil in this episode, but there's enough information about both characters to give the reader an idea of what is to come. John has an affinity with the earth itself and seems to receive comfort from it. He's a bit of a lone wolf and although he shares part of himself with his friends, there's a lot there within him that's still unknown. I want to know the reason behind some of his reactions and can't wait to see where his character goes from here. Khalil is even more of a mystery as the reader receives only enough information to wet the appetite. We know he was chosen as the protector of his world and somehow failed by not keeping John from going through the gate. I can't wait to read more about him.

The Shattered Gates was engrossing. I was transported to this world and wanted to know more about these characters and the events that were taking place. Of course the tough part is waiting for that next episode to come along next month! This was a solid beginning to this serialized fantasy series. (less)

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Mar 10, 2013 J.D. Ruskin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-fantasy

I've read the whole series, but I wanted to put a review on book one just in case you are like me. I had a hard time getting through book one until about ¾ of the way through. It was only because people I respect a lot raved about this series that I keep reading. I was totally confused about what the heck was going on. I am so glad I kept reading, because otherwise I would have missed out on one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. And really, it is one 1000 page book and not a series of bo...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Brad rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stunning. Seriously. Ginn's world building is thorough and immaculate, as I expected. What surprised me was how extensive it is. She's developed a language for this work, the first of 10 installments in the series, and a culture as fascinating as it is bleak. Very fond of hard edges, is our Ginn, but she tempers the darkness with extremely likable characters in whom I quickly developed a vested interest. I'm eagerly devouring the second installment, and glad to have the third and fourth already...more

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Apr 16, 2011 David Purse rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you are already familiar with the work of Ginn Hale then you will be in no doubt as to why I have given her latest release five stars.

If you have not read anything by the author the first thing I would suggest is that you remedy that straight away. Go on, I'll wait..............

Now The Shattered Gates is the first of ten serials to be released throughout this year and boy does it begin with a blast. The entire concept completely blew my mind and I instantly fell in love with both main charact...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Mitchell E. rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is certainly a first book in a series sort of story. It's incredibly fast, almost too fast for my taste. Things jump ahead months, and if you're not paying attention, you won't notice it. There are also times that I don't even notice Ms. Hale saying time has passed until the end of a conversation. It didn't really like it to much.

That being said: There are qualities in the story (the concept) that I am naturally drawn too. And I love the idea of two worlds touching and almost coexisting. Th...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Ulysses Dietz rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is really a review of the entire Rifter series - because once you've started, you'll want to read all of them one after the other.

At first The Rifter's first book "The Shattered Gates," seemed a little dry to me - it takes time to embrace the world-building and get to know the characters - and there's a certain spareness to Hale's prose that takes a while to grow on you. Hale's narrative never drags, and while certain motifs repeat, it is never redundant. You have to piece together the rema...more

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Oct 22, 2012 SSirppi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt-themed

The whole Rifter series: 4,5 stars

As always Ginn Hale has created marvelous story with interesting and well crafted characters. The story is multilayered and may feel a little confusing at first, but Hale never loses her plotlines.

That being said this fell a little short when comparing to her other works. Even thought the characters were good I don't love them as much as I love Javier, Kiram, Belimai and Harper. The minor characters also didn't reach the levels of especially those from Lord of ...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Lady*M rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, glbt

3.5 stars

It's lucky I decided to wait until entire series/novel was published before I started reading because, I have to admit that I really got involved in it after the first book.

The book barely touched the world and the characters and, when there was potential for something interesting to happen, the two protagonists got separated. The character of Kyle was too mysterious for me to really care about him at this point and, while I liked Bill, I didn't much care for Laurie (or Ginn Hale was j...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Bookwatcher ~Mary MooCow~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, glbt-gay, read-it-or-manu-will-kick-my-ass, magic

So.... Probably you want some words about this book and why I gave 5 stars... Hummmmm...
Ok, let me tell you it's funny, and dark. That's certain... I'm sure about it.
It's also a fantasy... No doubt about it neither... And... John... Well... No wait... His roommate is... No, maybe not, he isn't...

Yeah I know, sorry I don't make sense at all... Let me try again... There are another world, to travel from one to another John roommate get hurt... He is funny, and sad, and a killer, and bad, but also...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Sylvie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, urban-fantasy

UPDATED: Jan. 2012

4 stars for the entire series.

I've completed the entire series - enjoyable, yet not quite enough. Spoilers below.
Reading the review I had of book one, I realized my expectation of the saga was a bit different from what actually transpired.

Overall, the book tackled religion, social norms, society, culture, ethics, and almost all the moral trappings one can encounter in the face and time of humanity. As much as I absolutely adore Ginn Hale as a writer - and her brilliance as a p...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Cole Riann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, m-m-fantasy, m-m-serials-complete, own-in-paperback

Impressive Start!

I've waited quite a while to start reading this, as I didn't really want to read it as a serial. On the one hand, having it broken up would nicely break up the tension that I can see slowly building already, but I just don't trust myself. I'll want to read it all and who knows what my crazy mind will be in the mood to read one month from now, not to mention more. So I waited, and I'm glad I did because I'm about to dive into Servant of the Crossed Arrows and I'm SO EXCITED!

I'm a...more Impressive Start!

I've waited quite a while to start reading this, as I didn't really want to read it as a serial. On the one hand, having it broken up would nicely break up the tension that I can see slowly building already, but I just don't trust myself. I'll want to read it all and who knows what my crazy mind will be in the mood to read one month from now, not to mention more. So I waited, and I'm glad I did because I'm about to dive into Servant of the Crossed Arrows and I'm SO EXCITED!

I'm a new reader to Ginn Hale. I've bought all of her books (I'm bad about buying things I never get around to reading). I know they're great -- too many readers I trust have told me what a wonderful author she is. So not only was this big, unfolding story set before me but I'd yet to become acquainted with her writing, her style, anything. She does many, many things well, at least from this small perspective of her work, but what I love most is how balanced her writing is. There seems to a lot of great care in her writing, which could also come from the editing of Nicole Kimberling as well. Still, it works for me.

Now, to this first very brief introduction into a much longer story. With The Shattered Gates we're getting a very small bit of the story. I confess that I read quite a few reviews when this first installment was published last year and I can now understand the difficulty it must be for everyone to really take this fragment and consider it on its own and as one tenth of a long novel. It could have very easily fallen into the world-building trap, or really fallen either way into a trap of extremes. What Ginn Hale did correctly was open the story to us in a setting that we slowly understand and only then start to build on it. Even then, I must say that by the end I was lost out of my mind. I'm not a huge puzzler as a reader. My mind just doesn't work that way. I tend to get wrapped up in the present tense of the story, right there with the characters, and I never guess anything that will happen (one reason I'm not big on whodunits, or mysteries of any kind, really). But, I have faith.

Maybe that's why this works so well as a serial. Maybe it's just me -- even though I will read these all back to back, I just know it, my mind knows where to pause for a bit of a time out.

So, while I don't have much to say on the story, and writing ten long reviews (long for me anyway) for each installment of this story will probably be too much, I can't wait to see what happens next and I can't wait to actually have something to say about the plot!(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, novella, serial, favorites, glbt, magic

And so it begins, another Ginn Hale inspired addiction, this one woven somewhere between the contemporary and an alternate reality that is only just starting to take shape as a place of extreme danger, a place where being an outsider might mean a painful death, and a place where John’s enigmatic roommate Kyle has a job to do. So many questions remain unanswered—Why? How? The most significant of which is what, as in what will happen next?

The trap has been successfully baited, and I’m entirely in...more

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Aug 25, 2012 blub rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-fantasy, mm

I've been waiting for the series to be completed before reading since I didn't want to be left at a cliffhanger (which is how the first book ends). It a bit hard to grasp whether I will like the series since I'm only at the start and have 9 more books to influence my opinion. As of right,the start of the series looks interesting and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The suspense is probably going to frustrate me but I look forward to reading the rest of books in the series.

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Apr 21, 2012 M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-all-time-favs, fantastical-mm, queer-sorting-hat

The word "epic" has been bandied about a lot lately. It's become a pop culture joke, lost its actual meaning in the overuse. I don't really like to use it. So, it has been ages since I felt the need to describe a thing as "epic". But by the gods of good books, this story was EPIC. Really, truly, out-of-the-Oxford-dictionary epic. I read the blurb and I kind of thought it might be a bit of a fantasy/comedy thing. Like, "haha, his roommate is a weirdo from another world". Oh boy, was I wrong. This...more

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May 27, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, nookbook, fantasy, mm, historical

Well... This is different. It's not a romance but has gay characters. Definitely interesting world building but I do see bits of The Lord of the Rings in it. It's a nice change of pace from what I have been reading.

I've marked it as both contemporary and historical because some of the main characters are contemporary transferred to a different world less advanced.

It's actually two shorter books in one. I'm off to find the next.

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The Shattered Gates (Rifter #1)

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