The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, #1)

Jan 25, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers of the Parasol Protectorate

Shelves: vampires, steampunk, paranormal-romance

Would you like some wine with your pastiche?*

Soulless meets Beauty, shares meaningful whispers and lingering gazes, then elopes to The War of the Worlds, undoubtedly to spawn a trilogy (if they sell well).

Understand, I didn't mean to read this. But it was a recent monthly read, and I'm trying to be more open minded about urban fantasy. Why? Because I desperately want to believe in the worlds urban fantasy creates--if they weren't so glaringly awful at it.

This is not awful.

This is, however, fair...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Update- Book 2 is The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, #2), it will come out in September 2011, Yeah!!!

Review is still below: :)

The rambling review of a book fanatic…

I finished the book and I hugged it. Yup, I’m gonna admit it. I hugged the book. It was THAT good. You are going to have many reviews for this book that will do an awesome job of detailing what the book is about and they will do a much better job of explaining the story. Therefore, I am going to do a funky bullet point list of what I l...more Update- Book 2 is The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, #2), it will come out in September 2011, Yeah!!!

Review is still below: :)

The rambling review of a book fanatic…

I finished the book and I hugged it. Yup, I’m gonna admit it. I hugged the book. It was THAT good. You are going to have many reviews for this book that will do an awesome job of detailing what the book is about and they will do a much better job of explaining the story. Therefore, I am going to do a funky bullet point list of what I loved about this book and what I did not like.
What I loved about this book:

• The characters- The book is full of them. These are not your superficial I’ll-put-you-in-to-take-up-pages characters but characters with meaning and a story behind each one. You have Princess Adele, the main character of the story. In addition to Adele, you have (and this is just a few of them) Greyfriar (but who is he really?), Clark- the American War Hero (again- who is he really?), Colonel Anhalt (I loved him- he is so sweet), Lord Kelvin (I think he will be big in book 2), Mamoru (such an interesting character), Selkirk, Simon and one of my favorite characters Flay. The characters are so well written, I was never confused. Trust me, that is saying plenty!

• The combining of genres- The book combines horror, romance, action, adventure, politics, war, steampunk, and satire with such ease that you don’t even realize you are reading a book outside your comfort zone because it blends so perfectly.

• The imagery- holy cow can the authors write (can you tell I cant!). The best I can do is give you an example-

“Adele saw dark mounds scattered on the avenues, streets, and alleys. A closer examination revealed that the mounds were piles of dead bodies. The city’s wide circles and narrow courtyards were heaped with bones. The turgid river Thames was at low tide and, as the airship skimmed over it, Adele saw white femurs and rib cages protruding from the muck along the shoreline. Nearly all the glass windows in the city were smashed, except amazingly, some of the stained glass of….”

• The vampires- These vampires are not your typical vampires. It would be easy to say they are vile, horrific, simplistic creatures that either destroyed or imprisoned most of the humans in the “Great Killing” of 1870 but that would be far from the truth. I cannot really explain the vampires since one of the rewards of reading the story is learning about the vampires as Adele does. Not everything is what it seems.

Ok, so I am going to stop now since as the top line states… I am rambling. I forgot to write about what I did not like about the book…. It ended.

Definitely my favorite book of 2010. A 6 star out of 5 (yup, I just wrote 6 out of 5).(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: green bubble goblins

Recommended to Anzu by: Kagama-the Literaturevixen

Shelves: dat-cover-goddammit, ball-busting-chicks, fanged-and-deadly, i-would-kill-to-own, paranormal-fix, zomg-i-must-have-him, i-am-stalking-you, punks-who-are-into-steam, reviewed-2012, absolute-madness, great-concept

Whoah my dear book! Steady now, you just might make me fall on my arse with all the ROCKING you’re doing!

I’m in love!

I’m in love with the story, I’m in love with the authors and most importantly I’m in love with Gareth.

My only tiny problem with the book was the POV switching. It worked so well for Adele and Gareth, but sucked for the other characters. It got me bored. But I won’t take away any stars from the rating because everything was awesome and I had a great time ~~reading~~ experiencing the bo...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Marg K. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-star-rating

The Greyfriar is a steampunk vampire adventure romance. In regards to blending these different elements, I think the book succeeds in doing so quite well. In fact, for the most part, I really enjoyed the story. However, it was the writing that I found rather flawed.

The steampunk genre seems to be experiencing an increase in renewed popularity these days. Sadly, some authors think that all it takes is a pair of goggles paired with a Victorian jacket and brass pistol to call something steampunk. T...more The Greyfriar is a steampunk vampire adventure romance. In regards to blending these different elements, I think the book succeeds in doing so quite well. In fact, for the most part, I really enjoyed the story. However, it was the writing that I found rather flawed.

The steampunk genre seems to be experiencing an increase in renewed popularity these days. Sadly, some authors think that all it takes is a pair of goggles paired with a Victorian jacket and brass pistol to call something steampunk. They forget that it's as much about the technology and way of life as it is about the fashion and style. The Greyfriar, thankfully, incorporates steampunk concepts more thoroughly and effectively. I appreciated the fact that steam technology was plausibly developed, explained, and used in the story. I really liked how the airships were described and utilized throughout the book. I actually wish the authors would have given the reader a more in-depth look into life on such grandiose steam-powered vessels.

I really enjoyed the authors' take on vampires. There was an interesting dichotomy to their description that developed as the story progressed. Initially, the vampires were introduced as savage animalistic creatures of little motivation or purpose beyond feeding and killing. They appeared to be driven solely by instinct, lacking concrete operational cognitive ability like reasoning and logic. However, as the plot unfolds, the reader begins to learn that some vampires are actually quite human-like. They can speak and think quite intelligently, they have families, they have rules and traditions, and they experience emotions. Consequently, just as the female protagonist is forced to question everything she thought she knew about vampires, so is the reader. I also liked the unique strengths and weaknesses of the vampires. In the book, they are able to fly by altering their body density and have retractable talon-like, razor-sharp nails. They don't turn to ash in the daylight, but they are weakened by heat. They also have limited tactile dexterity and sensory perception, making tasks like using tools difficult.

I also quite enjoyed the protagonist duo. Adele is definitely a strong-willed, opinionated, tough female lead. I liked that despite her impressive fighting abilities, she still has moments of vulnerability and experiences fear and uncertainty. She doesn't always rush head first into a fight. She is able to recognize her limitations, rely on others, and run for her life when necessary. There were definitely some things I didn't like about her. Her pampered, sheltered existence becomes glaringly obvious at times, and I became frustrated with how self-absorbed and closed-minded she could be. But overall, I think she was realistic and grew as a character throughout the story.

Greyfriar is a fascinating character primarily because of his true identity, which I can't say is much of a mystery (because pretty much from the very start I was able to figure out his secret). Nonetheless, his true identity presents a dualistic quality to his personality. On one hand, he is a fierce, fearless warrior and on the other, he is almost child-like in his curiosity and evolving emotions. I also appreciated that his romance with Adele develops slowly and believably based on their shared experiences and things they have in common. Unfortunately, I can't say that they have a lot of chemistry together. Their love is more innocent and subtle than passionate.

Now onto some bad news. I hate to say this, but I found a lot of the dialogue to be stagnate and artificial feeling. The emotion that was meant to be expressed through some of the lines felt either shallow and dry or laughably pompous and forced. This was particularly evident with some of the supporting characters, who seemed to be molded out of cliches.

Additionally, with the exception of chapters that provided the reader with the vampire perspective, I wasn't too crazy about the chapters that switched focus to the side characters. I didn't find the events of those chapters to be all that interesting or informative. I do understand though that the authors were probably using this as a way to make the story appear to develop on a grander scale. Perhaps if the other characters were more fleshed out, it would have worked better.

This also brings me to the issue of transitions between events within the chapters. There were somewhat confusing moments that skipped over varying periods of time or jumped right into action without much preparation. For example, at one point a character is essentially calling it a day and heading off to bed and in the very next paragraph he's propelling from an airship into the midst of battle. Furthermore, some "time skips" covered a few hours, some a day or two, and others an entire week or more. I found all of this to be somewhat disruptive to the smooth flow of the story.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of alternate history, steampunk and adventure based fantasy

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Isamlq

Shelves: adult

Soon he would have to reveal himself to her, and he knew what her reaction would be.
His numb heart broke at that realization.

What to say, what to say, what to say...

Swashbuckling Adventure! Political Intrigue! Forbidden Desire!

My apologies in advance for the sheer amount of quotes I'm saddling you with this time. I tried to cut back as much as possible, but I was so in love with the imagery through words in The Greyfriar that I had such a hard time choosing what to include and what to leave...more

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Feb 20, 2013 harlequin {Stephanie} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Love a book with a good strong name. The greyfriar, rolls off your tongue nicely doesn't it.

This is gonna be a short review. Hello? Five stars should speak for itself. I want to highlight a few key things that blew me away.

1: Not only is this a fantastical tale to work them poor missused brain muscles, but it is truly great literature. Not overly so. Will not bore you to tears. I promise.

2: I don't know about you, but I hate characters with no follow through. Authors have a tendancy to write cha...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Isamlq rated it 5 of 5 stars

Here’s what the blurb on the back says,

“In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablis...more Here’s what the blurb on the back says,

“In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.

It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.

Princess Adele is heir to the Empire Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to a man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.”

The blurb did little to prepare me for the ride that I was about to take. OK. Hype, hype, hype. I know, but I think the book deserves all the hype it got when it was released. Here's why I think vampire lovers/ steampunk lovers/ YA lovers should read it (NOW):

Three words: Alternate. World. History.
Not enough? How about vampires… and not the sparkly kind either. They’re merciless and they’re in control. Enter Adele and the mysterious Greyfriar. It is impossible, impossible, I tell you, not to fall in love with the lot of them. The writing is superb so much so you just want to root for them, because you totally understand what they want and where they’re coming from.

So, merciless vampires meant action was a given… but the hints of romance were freaking KICK ASS!

READ IT! READ IT NOW!
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May 21, 2012 Alkyoni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Alkyoni by: Anzu The Great Destroyer

Shelves: steampunk, from-dusk-till-dawn, say-anything, series-ongoing

The airship that is carrying princess Adele, heir to the throne of the Equatorian Empire, is under attack. Colonel Anhalt is desperately trying to protect her but soon their ship crashes into the hostile vampire grounds and the young girl is separated from him. Thankfully Adele is not alone. A man who is considered to be a legend among her people comes to her rescue and so their journey together begins.

I must admit that the first chapters of the book were hard for me to follow. English is not my...more
The airship that is carrying princess Adele, heir to the throne of the Equatorian Empire, is under attack. Colonel Anhalt is desperately trying to protect her but soon their ship crashes into the hostile vampire grounds and the young girl is separated from him. Thankfully Adele is not alone. A man who is considered to be a legend among her people comes to her rescue and so their journey together begins.

I must admit that the first chapters of the book were hard for me to follow. English is not my mother tongue so the descriptions of the airship, the clothes and the landscapes in a steampunk manner had me googling every second page.

Another thing that didn’t help in the early chapters was the frequent POV change between the characters. I wasn’t eager to leave the character in action only to follow another one that was concerned about court formalities.

However, it didn’t take long for everything to fall into place and for me to leave all my whining behind. I came to appreciate the vivid descriptions as well as the pages that the authors dedicated to the better understanding of each character.

I can't say much about Greyfriar, partly because I don't want to give away the plot and partly because my friend Anzu has claimed him as her own and I can't bring myself to stand in her way. I'll just say that he is one of the most beautifully portrayed characters that I've ever read about.

So is Princess Adele. She never forgets who she is or her responsibility towards her people, but at the same time she is kind, gentle and capable of putting a good fight of her own when needed.

There were parts in the story that these two reminded me of Beuaty and the Beast. That might be a little misleading, since Vampire Empire is not a romance, it's more like an adventure, but there is a hint in it and they do share some very sweet moments together.

I also loved Colonel Anhald, the dedicated officer who failed to protect his princess. I wanted to give him a hug and tell him that it will be ok, but from what I understand his kind of soldier is not the hugging type. Oh, well...

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Mar 28, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of steampunk and alternative history who do not mind a little zombie action

Recommended to oliviasbooks by: Kim + Michelle

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vampires, steampunk, read-2011, horror, historical-fiction, swapped-or-given-away, zombies-monsters, i-cannot-tell-you-my-secret, love-story-romance, adult-fiction

What a potent mixture:
- An alternative history setting that has the human states and kingdoms huddled around the equator since the repelled-by-warmth vampire (homo nosferatii) clans crawled out of their hidden spots to initiate the Great Killing in 1870, leaving only enough human prey alive to keep as cattle herds.
- Steampunk elements like pneumatic sailboats cruising the skies that somehow underline both the excotic atmosphere of the strange British-Egyptian-Persian Empire and the war-and-powe...more What a potent mixture:
- An alternative history setting that has the human states and kingdoms huddled around the equator since the repelled-by-warmth vampire (homo nosferatii) clans crawled out of their hidden spots to initiate the Great Killing in 1870, leaving only enough human prey alive to keep as cattle herds.
- Steampunk elements like pneumatic sailboats cruising the skies that somehow underline both the excotic atmosphere of the strange British-Egyptian-Persian Empire and the war-and-power-crazy American States, who have dropped a little farther south on the globe (Who doesn't hate Senator Clark with all her heart? do I ask).
- Gruesome horror scenes provided by cold-blooded, underestimated, zombie-like vampire clans who can fly by changing their bodies' density and who swoop down onto their human cattle leaving the streets of former Europe littered with mountains of decaying flesh and carpets of crunched bones.
- Action, action, action: A fearless, faceless vampire hunter, a brave princess skilled in martial arts, armies, vampires ambushes, traitors ...
- Dangerous politics, weak kings, cunning planners, advisers who are to be trusted or not to be trusted, a vampires prince with a craving to be human and a vampire prince with a craving to rule the world.
- Predudices, conceit, sibling love, hope, the essence of being human.
- Subtly changing points of view.
- A but later started sweet, sparkling and heart-warming Beauty-and-the-Beast-worthy impossible romance between a dashing, idealistic, vulnerable hero with an aching heart and a strong-willed and lovely heroine, which even includes a library (of fifteen volumes).
- An ending of the sort which ties most of the lose strands but wets your mouth for more adventures to come.

What did I think? I thoroughly enjoyed it and I thought "What a potent mixture!" Didn't I say that already?
Recommended!

Note: Although the date on the cover says "It's now 2010" this is no science fiction story set in the future. Apart from the steampunk elements the alternative history novel could be set still in the Victorian Era.(less)

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Feb 17, 2011 I am Isis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, steampunk, vampires, reviewed

This is a great book!

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Jul 05, 2011 Justin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, steampunk, pyr

http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/2...

As I was nodding off last night to the thundering pops of at home fireworks outside my window (northeast D.C. thinks the 4th of July lasts for a week), I couldn't get Disney's Beauty and the Beast out of my head. Beautiful Belle is trapped in the Beast's castle and held against her will. During her imprisonment Belle comes to see the Beast for what he is and not what he looks like. He's smart, gentle, and compassionate. Outside the castle, Belle's suitor -...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Joan (official heroine hater) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, adult, tbd-buddy-reads

Buddy read with the TBD girls!

I ended up enjoying this one but it was definitely a case of “took awhile to get into it”. The first 50% really dragged for me; way too much info dumping and military/political maneuvering and plotting. That kind of stuff is just really not my cup of tea, so it was kind of like hiking through knee-deep mud for awhile and I almost considered DNF’ing it. There was also about a bazillion names, locations, and territories to keep straight that added to the tedium. I fel...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Steampunk and Adventure novels

Recommended to Jess the Romanceaholic by: Just about EVERYONE

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-romance, steampunk, vampires, 2010-read, yes-its-really-that-good, auto-buy, tortured-hero, apocalypse-now, arranged-or-mail-order-marriage, blame-it-on-your-parents, family-issues, secret-identity, on-the-run, kidnapped, favorites, favorite-heroes, favorite-heroines

I swear I have no words, but dangit I'm going to try!

This book has a little bit of everything. There's steampunk, romance (the heartfelt kind, not the steamy kind), swashbuckling adventure, horror (complete with gore), politics, religion, family issues, intrigue, betrayal, all wrapped up int a giant ball of awesomeness.

What worked for me:

*The whole secret identity of Greyfriar. I actually had a hard time deciding who I liked better -- "Greyfriar" or his alter-ego, (view spoiler)...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Mad Scientist rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, steampunk, mad-love, paranormal, softcover, vampires, 2011, adult, morbid-romantica-challenge, series, alternate-history

Review appearing at Steampunkery & Book Reviews http://madsteampunkery.blogspot.com

Concoction of a Review:
This was a great ride – not your average ordinary bland bandwagon vampire novel. I wanted to read it fast because it was so good and slow because I didn’t want it to end. When Greyfrair finally did come to an end I was full of emotion for this book that once I read the last word I literally hugged the book. For the Mad Scientist this book was that good. No, it was an amazing string of wo...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Kelly Leigh rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone with a pulse

Shelves: steampunk, sexy-vampires, speculative-fiction

When I finished The Greyfriar I was at a loss for words on what to say in my review. That never happens to me. After sitting in stunned silence for a few moments, here where the first words that flittered across my mind: Thank you, gracias, merci, danke, arigato Clay and Susan Griffith for writing a strong female character who didn’t whine, bitch, or basically annoy the living hell out of me. And thank you for writing a novel that I simply adored.

Where to begin, where to begin, where to begin. I...more When I finished The Greyfriar I was at a loss for words on what to say in my review. That never happens to me. After sitting in stunned silence for a few moments, here where the first words that flittered across my mind: Thank you, gracias, merci, danke, arigato Clay and Susan Griffith for writing a strong female character who didn’t whine, bitch, or basically annoy the living hell out of me. And thank you for writing a novel that I simply adored.

Where to begin, where to begin, where to begin. I loved Princess Adele, Greyfriar, Prince Gareth, Mamoru, and Colonel Anhalt. I adored all these characters, and why is that? Because the authors wrote them so well. They breathed life into them. I was never bored; I was hooked from the beginning; In fact, I did not skim over one single word of this novel.

The Greyfriar starts with Princess Adele being rescued by a masked, caped hero after her royal airship has been attacked by vampires. Her knight in shining armor is named Greyfriar. Picture Zorro, only British. Yes, he actually wears a mask and a cape, and carries a sword. But that’s neither here nor there. Greyfriar ends up losing a fight soon after, and consequently, Adele is kidnapped and taken to the vampire-ruled London where she is held prisoner in the Tower of London, learning more than she wanted to about vampires and also maybe, quite possibly that they all aren’t evil bloodsucking fiends like once thought. Praying the mysterious Greyfriar rescues her once again, she ponders the identity of her caped crusader and how he is able to defeat vampires and has never been captured? By divine providence, Adele soon escapes, and, with the help of Greyfriar, is spirited away to Scotland in hopes to stay hidden from her kidnappers, the royal vampire clan, who are chasing after her. Once in Scotland, and living in a castle filled to the brim with cats, Adele discovers the true identity of Greyfriar, once he removes his mask. While hidden in Edinburgh, through happenstance, Adele discovers she has certain powers that can be deadly to vampires, could be a powerful aid in the human versus vampire war. (This discovery was set up perfectly for future books.) Between the vampires that are hot on Adele and Greyfriar’s trail (following her scent), her American fiance (arranged marriage, much to the chagrin of Greyfriar), a proud vampire slayer, who is hell-bent on rescuing Adele along with his army, all these characters converge making for an exciting conclusion.

Of course there’s romance, of the sweet, innocent variety. Adele is surprised by her growing fondness for everything Greyfriar. And he for her. What makes the romance in this book so fabulous? They can’t be together. The heartbreak factor was definitely felt by moi.

There was a perfect mix of action (that didn't overstay its welcome, if you know what I mean), romance, politics (the right amount, translation: eyes refrain from glazing over), strong female lead, character development, and more romance.

The Greyfriar was such a refreshing, magical, fun, romantic, sweet (Greyfriar loves animals *swoon*) read, I could keep going on and on, but I’ll stop here. I seriously can’t wait for the next book in the series, hopefully sooner rather than later.
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Jan 16, 2013 Lorelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 What a surprise package. I think the best way to review this is to take you on the little journey I undertook as a reader.

As I start reading, im feeling Pirates of the Carribean vibes , minus the ships, replaced with Airships ( although at the time I thought they were ships, funnily enough I found out half way through that pages 23-26 were at the back of the book and i probably would have figured out when they FELL to the ground that they were on an Airship...) So im trying to get my head a...more 4.5 What a surprise package. I think the best way to review this is to take you on the little journey I undertook as a reader.

As I start reading, im feeling Pirates of the Carribean vibes , minus the ships, replaced with Airships ( although at the time I thought they were ships, funnily enough I found out half way through that pages 23-26 were at the back of the book and i probably would have figured out when they FELL to the ground that they were on an Airship...) So im trying to get my head around transport lingo, the ins and outs, the equipment, along with working out whos who , although at this point its pretty clear whos who, but dont hold your breath, soon you will meet loads new friends!

So in Adeles little journey, along with learning about chemical whos its and whats its, coupled with the attire of people of this alternative history, mingled with massive info dumps on how political endeavours are prominent , military campaigns are adhered to, you learn that its now Humans V Vampires, with Vamps sticking to the north cause its cooler, and we will call them the human resistance sticking to the south cause its warm. Adele is human heir to the throne, in a place called Equatoria ( based in Egypt). She is set up to marry brash outlandish yee haaing Vampire slaying American, bringing two major players together to beat the vamps, who are portrayed as evil, barbaric and repulsive, actually take away portrayed, they just are...

So anyway, regardless of storyline, you really need to have your wits about you. If you multi task, you do it at your own peril. Heavy machinery will only be something that you dream of at night when it is safely tucked away, unable to harm you in a physical manner.

This book is heavily focused on world building for the first 100 pages. The Authors will outline every piece of clothing, rank and political and military strategy, in this book for this duration. If you can handle Adele coming across as Keira Knightly going all "chinny" on you as she defiantly stares down her opponents, youll enjoy this quite serious, but beautiful "steampunk" novel. Im keen as to read the other 2!

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Oct 12, 2012 Lyn (The Heartless) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, teen-lit, series, it-s-my-favorite, vampires, fantasy

Check out this review at: Great Imaginations!
Blurb: In an alternative history timeline, vampires ruthlessly invade and dominate the northern cooler continents and cities in 1870. Humankind has fled to the warm, vampire-free lands of the deserts and warmer climate regions during the two year attempted genocide of the human race. For years, the exiled humans attempt to shape their world to reflect their cherished culture and homes lost in the great killings.
In 2020, the forsaken human race is rea...more Check out this review at: Great Imaginations!
Blurb: In an alternative history timeline, vampires ruthlessly invade and dominate the northern cooler continents and cities in 1870. Humankind has fled to the warm, vampire-free lands of the deserts and warmer climate regions during the two year attempted genocide of the human race. For years, the exiled humans attempt to shape their world to reflect their cherished culture and homes lost in the great killings.
In 2020, the forsaken human race is ready to return home.
Driven by airships, machines and revenge, the humans conquer and rebuild the new empire and name their new home Equatoria. The female heir to the throne, Princess Adele, views the wars as just another obligation that must be fulfilled by her empire, and takes her role in the shaping of history as lightly as possible. After falling into enemy hands, she is transported back to the wrecked and vampire-controlled London to be used as a pawn in the upcoming political warfare for the lost lands. In captivity, the princess discovers that her life, her empire, and her future are more fragile than she could have ever imagined. Aided by her mysterious human savior, the Greyfriar, she struggles to survive in the blood-thirsty capital as she attempts to flee back to the south. However, Prince Gareth, the heir to the English vampire throne, complicates Adele’s simplistic view of the larger, more complex point of view. Caught between her future husband’s attempt to win over his Equatoria and her fresh sympathy for the northern settlements, Adele loses her naïve persona and discovers a hidden power inside of herself that could save the world. But what is the cost of this power, and can she save her heart from an unexpected romance with the enemy?
I’ll be completely honest – I was lusting over the cover of this book. I sneered at the title (Vampire Empire, really, REALLY?) when I first opened up the packaging. Then I started to read it, and I hated it. Then I started to like it. Then I loved it. Now I want to love it and make beautiful book babies with this book. The Greyfriar, the first book of Clay and Susan Griffith’s Vampire Empire trilogy, made me fall in love all over again with literature. I praise the Griffiths for renewing my faith in vampires, steampunk, and true love. Don’t be fooled by that lovely cover – the story is just as beautiful as the Victorian-inspired artwork on the front.
The characters. Gods, how I love them all. Adele seems a bit distant and cardboard at the start, and even though she really begins to develop only about two-thirds of the way into the story, she begins to be able to stand out on her own. Egyptian (big bonus points for a non-white female lead!), confident, and able to take care of her own damn self, Adele absolutely blossoms into one of the best female characters in young adult fiction. Adele’s charm develops straight out of her own abilities and self worth instead of stellar good looks or a mysteriously secret attractive personality. She’s awesome because of her OWN TALENTS. How I enjoyed a story where the female main character skipped the part on describing herself as dull, or unattractive while slobbering over the marble (vomit), god-like physique of the male role. I believe that Adele’s eyes were mentioned once (brown), and her auburn hair actually lead to one of the most memorial scenes in the entire storyline. Kudos to the Griffiths for skipping the entire attractiveness dilemma – we have enough of that as it is. On the personality front, Adele might have seemed as dull and lifeless for a majority of the book, but the princess was never a helpless, secretly good-looking heroine just waiting for her true love. Even during her sillier, sheltered moments, Adele always had a head on her shoulder. So when she actually grew a personality, it did not feel forces or weird for her sudden transformation. Instead, her secret badassery was simply locked away, just ready to burst out of her empty, one dimension existence.
Prince Gareth….where do I even start? Dazzling, sweet, and downright loveable, vampire Prince Charming was oddly one of the most human characters in the story. Watching his struggle to comprehend and fathom the human existence ripped my heart straight out of my chest. Watching a god-like creature envy and love the humans caused me to celebrate what makes all of us human. Our music, our art, even our books and literature added a bittersweet touch to the human world. Gareth’s greatest flaw (from a vampire point of view) is his complicated love of all things human. Just think of a male Ariel, and instead of legs, he wants art and books. And the guy loved cats, for crying out loud! Seriously, this hunk of vampire sexiness will leave you screaming for more of his royal I’m-Gonna-Create-Me-Some-Fangirls-highness.
The Greyfriar completely shocked me as well. His role in the plot twists brought a whole never level to this book. As I said over Twitter one day, he is basically the Batman of the vampire universe. Discussing the Greyfriar can lead to some spoilers; but overall, he was the perfect Hero-in-disguise for an already kick-ass book.
Senator Clark left me seriously torn. First of all, what is a good love story without the asshole soon-to-be-spouse? Never fear – Clark had a major and seriously two-sided part to play in this tale. I really enjoyed, as an American, the absolutely ridiculous smoke and mirrors attitude of the part-time annoying character. Because in America, we really love our crap to be as dramatic and flashy as possible. And according to this book, America becomes one big Texan culture, with coyboy hats, guns, rifles, bandanas and the overwhelming color-puke of red, white, and blue. Yee-haw, vampire-killing cowboys. The only people who love big and flashy more than Americans are Texans. I kid you not. Now that I am done sidetracking, I’ll say that Clark is everything you believe the future husband of the protagonist should be – very full of himself. But this was the man who was expected to be what he was. I even found myself rooting for the guy, and I frankly wanted to kick him cowboy ass.
With the big three out of the way, the whole slew of supporting characters – Flay, Caesar, Adele’s protectors – all of them deserve a huge round of applause.
The world building is also another huge advantage of the book. In fact, it wouldn’t have hurt to describe the events and influences a bit more in depth. I am actually advocating for a prequel to this book, or a novella of Equatoria history, and I HATE prequels with a passion. I struggled with this book at first because I had no clue what the heck was happening. After the wars and conquering made an appearance, my interest finally peaked, and I felt that I had a better grasp on what was happening. The authors of this book even had the decency to shift cultural and central influence to different parts of the world (American, Middle Eastern, and European). This is the first book I have read in forever that approached their setting in a global fashion.
There are so many highlights and high points that I could point out, but then this review would be a few hundred pages longer. To sum it up, the first book in the Vampire Empire trilogy attempts to rebuild the injured reputation of the vampire culture while shifting a young adult setting to a wider world point of view. Romance, the human achievement, and an audience’s struggle to choose a side pushes this book to the front of the pack. The Greyfriar is a perfect weekend getaway book that does not dump down the content to become accessible and enjoyable.
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Aug 17, 2012 jD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1_library-yes, fantasy_alt-history, 2012, 2012_5-stars, fantasy_strange, fantasy_vamps, 2_audio-book

This one was very impressive.

I had my concerns going in because it's steampunk but that was secondary to an awsome concept. In Mr. Griffith's world vampires are predators. They have come out of the crypts and reshaped the world into a horrible place. The worldbuilding was so fresh it blew me away. I could fully visualize vampires taking control of the world from humans during a period of time where technology was just coming out of the dark ages. People did not have the science and technology to...more

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Mar 14, 2012 VampireNovelFan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, vampires, steampunk, paranormal-romance, favorites

The Greyfriar (Book 1 in the Vampire Empire Trilogy) was my first proper introduction to the steampunk genre. In this bold alternate universe authored by husband and wife team Susan and Clay Griffith, vampires are vicious, powerful, and wisely feared by the human population. 150 years ago, vampires and altered the course of history as they emerged and destroyed much of human civilization toward northern territories, forcing survivors to move south. But humans are resilient beings and with time t...more The Greyfriar (Book 1 in the Vampire Empire Trilogy) was my first proper introduction to the steampunk genre. In this bold alternate universe authored by husband and wife team Susan and Clay Griffith, vampires are vicious, powerful, and wisely feared by the human population. 150 years ago, vampires and altered the course of history as they emerged and destroyed much of human civilization toward northern territories, forcing survivors to move south. But humans are resilient beings and with time they become determined to fight back and restore their glory.

Part of that fight includes Princess Adele of Alexandria, a young lady poised to marry American Senator Clark in a political move that will unite their people and allow a full scale war against their fanged enemies. All goes according to plan until Adele is captured by the enemy and held prisoner in the northern lands. All hope seems lost, but there is The Greyfriar, a mysterious and legendary masked warrior that's able to take on the vampires and win. He aides Adele, helping to keep her alive in this hostile territory.

First off, the model for the covers of these books totally reminds me of Mitchell the vampire on BBC’s Being Human, played by actor Aidan Turner.
description

I figured that was a good pic to use since the costuming is fairly close, though that’s from a photoshoot for The Hobbit.

As for the story, I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I will say that the beginning started out really great and action-packed, but then it hits a bit of a slump for me becoming riddled with politics and side characters that I know are important, but I found myself not caring about it very much. In short, I was bored for a good deal of time. I liked Adele and Greyfriar's point of view and wanted more of that, so I was considering giving up on the book until it hit the 50% mark. After that I was really hooked and finished the book being really happy that the second book was available.

There is a lot of world building, but it's really pretty fascinating as it incorporates airships, special weapons, and even a unique sense of wardrobe which really drives home that steampunk feel.

Adele makes mistakes, but overall for me she was a likable heroine. She is not the same person by the end of this book as she was in the beginning, so it was a satisfying evolution that promises even more as this trilogy unfolds.

I want to say a lot about the Greyfriar, but I found a pleasant surprise as I read the book, though I will not spoil it in this review. All I will say is that his character also experiences significant evolution. He was probably my favorite character. It's nice when the title character can accomplish that, especially for me because I'm usually the type of reader who often follows a series for the sake of the side characters.

There's a lot of action, a real sense of adventure, and a building romance that really make this book a success. I wasn't expecting to become attached to these characters, but by the end I found myself completely invested in what would happen next. The book isn't perfect, but I finished reading it being really glad that I invested in it.

*Review also posted to Amazon (less)

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Mar 12, 2011 Suz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, steampunk

In the late 1800s the vampires, previously believed to be nothing more than fictional fancy, rose up in savage masses and turned against humanity; driving them south to the warmer climates that were intolerable for vampires. They then proceeded to occupy and rule the northern lands and those humans who did not escape to the south became the vampire's subjugated herds. The escaped humans abandoned magic and faith for technology; and steam, steel, and chemicals became the acceptable future of huma...more In the late 1800s the vampires, previously believed to be nothing more than fictional fancy, rose up in savage masses and turned against humanity; driving them south to the warmer climates that were intolerable for vampires. They then proceeded to occupy and rule the northern lands and those humans who did not escape to the south became the vampire's subjugated herds. The escaped humans abandoned magic and faith for technology; and steam, steel, and chemicals became the acceptable future of humanity. Borders shifted, political systems rose and fell, the world changed irrevocably and three major powers of the human world rose: Equatoria, the Americas, and the Asias. The vampires are divided into clans that control differing territories of the north. While these new powers arose so, too, did new myths and legends of heros and saviors.

More than one hundred and fifty years later and the human empire of Equatoria wishes to forge an alliance with the human Americas for the specific purpose of taking a final, genocidal war to the savage bruts of the vampire north. This alliance is to be forged by the marriage of Princess Adele, heir apparent to the Equatorium Empire, and Senator Clark, vampire killing hero of the Americas, who have never seen each other. But while negotiations are being finalized the princess's touring fleet of airships is set upon by a vampire horde and she is taken hostage by the junior son of Britain's vampire clan king. This is how she meets the masked man previously believed to be myth, the Greyfriar. He repeatedly appears when the Princess's circumstances are most dire, fighting by her side with a level of skill never before seen in humans, and spiriting her away towards safety only to have her snatched back by vampiric claws. Thus the stage is set for the first chapter of the Vampire Empire series.

The first half of the book is engaging enough but is obviously developing not only the story line for this book but also laying the lore and foundation for the entire series. There is enough action even in the first half of the book to keep the reader engaged although the reader's investment in the characters during this time is still tenuous. We come to understand that the world is fraught with political intrigue. The human political machines each have their own machinations and motivations. We get a close glimpse of just how dangerous and repulsive life in the vampire north is. The vampire clans are savage, brutal, destructive, and although they have their own traditions there is very much a "might is right" overtone to everything in that realm, and there is no shortage of political intrigue amongst them. Even the human magical and spiritual communities, much maligned and scorned by human society at large, have their own agendas which they whisper to each other while meeting in long forgotten places.

Princess Adele is no wilting flower of a heroine, although most of her world sees her that way. She is not seen as strong enough to hold the Empire and head a war, and therefore her marriage is being brokered to someone reputed to be a "strong leader." However, she has spent her life training in many topics and subjects and is much more adept than she is given credit for. In her very first confrontation with attacking vampires she manages to kill one and blood a war chief who is renowned throughout the vampire world. When the rubber hits the road she doesn't flinch. She takes her role as Heir to the Empire quite seriously and does not slouch her duties. She is naive, and she is a bit blinded by her prejudices and preconceptions, but she is not weak nor is she stupid. She is a heroine I both applauded and was frustrated with but at no time was I disgusted with her. She is also an unwitting tool for several groups, but she has enough spine that I look forward to seeing how she handles this as the light is shined on said groups. She has an undisclosed destiny that is shadowing her.

I understand why all the reviews I read of this book were so glowing. I too was immediately ready for the sequel as soon as I finished it. It does feel as though the story has only begun in the last half of the book; and in the closing chapters the beginnings of a heart wrenching, self-sacrificing, impossible love is born. There is no way I can tell you more about this budding relationship, because to do so will spoil too much. There is a world war coming that could decimate, if not end, two species. Powers previously lost are arising anew. New levels of awareness and understanding are possible, but to what end? Will this understand bring peace or further one side over the other? How far is too far for duty?

I feel as though I've only seen the tip of the iceberg and I want to take a pick axe to the ice to find the rest of this story.(less)

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Dec 12, 2010 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010_release_read, genre-fantasy, read_2010, series_read

The Greyfriar by Susan and Clay Griffith is a steampunk alt-history with vampires and a debut of a series in which vampires - homo nosferatus, a parasitic but with very powerful physical attributes cousin species living in clans in zones of moderate temperature - banded together and attacked the Northern Hemisphere states in 1870, almost destroying the western civilization; the survivors retreated South and mixed with the locals creating the Empire of Equatoria (India, S.Africa, parts of Africa,...more The Greyfriar by Susan and Clay Griffith is a steampunk alt-history with vampires and a debut of a series in which vampires - homo nosferatus, a parasitic but with very powerful physical attributes cousin species living in clans in zones of moderate temperature - banded together and attacked the Northern Hemisphere states in 1870, almost destroying the western civilization; the survivors retreated South and mixed with the locals creating the Empire of Equatoria (India, S.Africa, parts of Africa, Egypt, the Gulf...) with the capital at Alexandria, the American Republic with the capital at Panama City, the Japanese Empire with the capital in Singapore and other smaller states, while free city-states in Southern Europe eke a meager existence, and the vampires have their own states in England, France...

Fast forward some 100+ years later and an union between Adele the heir of Equatoria and Senator Clark the hero of the (temporary) reconquest of St. Louis presages an alliance that plans to start the reconquest of the North with better guns, better ships...

On a show the flag mission to Marseilles, Adele's party is attacked by the British vampire clans led by Cesare the younger son of the doddering king Dimitry, infamous for his "human-cleansing" of Ireland and she is ultimately kidnapped despite the best efforts of mysterious cloaked resistance fighter Greyfriar; Cesare's older brother and British heir due to the very tradition bound rules of the long lived vampires, lord Gareth lives alone in Scotland treating his "humans" much better than the usual vampires since while a hero of the great vampire uprising of 1870 - the way they see it - he got sick of the massacres afterward...

And of course lord Gareth who tries to learn about human culture, including learning to write is fascinated with Adele and so it goes...

I did not expect to like this one, but the writing pulled me in and despite all the expected cliches, secret identities and the like, the book was big time fun, the ending was satisfying for a first installment and the sequel is definitely a high priority novel. (less)

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Apr 12, 2013 Valeottantadue rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ho deciso di scegliere Vampire empire perche è un libro che, a meno di una forte spinta, non avrei

mai letto di mia iniziativa.
Questo è dovuto in parte al fatto che ho problemi con il genere, lo steampunk. Anni di esami di storia, archeologia, scavi e musei mi portano a essere molto severa quando incappo negli anacronismi. Sento un male fisico. Perciò se da un lato amo i fantasy, con mondi inventati e creature fantastiche e mi piace molto la fantascienza..la via di mezzo che questo genere rappres...more Ho deciso di scegliere Vampire empire perche è un libro che, a meno di una forte spinta, non avrei

mai letto di mia iniziativa.
Questo è dovuto in parte al fatto che ho problemi con il genere, lo steampunk. Anni di esami di storia, archeologia, scavi e musei mi portano a essere molto severa quando incappo negli anacronismi. Sento un male fisico. Perciò se da un lato amo i fantasy, con mondi inventati e creature fantastiche e mi piace molto la fantascienza..la via di mezzo che questo genere rappresenta non sempre mi va a genio.
Insomma se le tecnologia di un popolo è tale che le navi riesce a farle volare..Dio buono non possono avere l’aspetto di una cocca medievale!!! Come minimo devono essere costruite in una lega metallica sconosciuta e superesistente.
Detto questo e dopo aver fatto pace con me stessa, Vampire Empire è stato comunque un romanzo che ho letto tutto d'un fiato.
Siamo catapultati nel futuro, anno 2020, l’Europa settentrionale è ormai occupata dai Vampiri, che da oltre due secoli, sono usciti dall’ombra e hanno attaccato la razza umana, seminando morte e devastazione.
Non sono i soliti vampiri a cui siamo abituati, non c’è nulla di sexy in loro, anzi sono più animaleschi, spietati e assetati di sangue. Il loro re, il sovrano Dmitri, ha ormai più di 800 è vecchio e debole di mente, ed è ormai in balia del figlio minore Cesare, che vorrebbe sterminare gli uomini in via definitiva.
L’umanità, nel frattempo, si sta riorganizzando. Dopo il Grande Eccidio, la civiltà si è definitivamente spostata a sud, dove sono nati i due imperi di Equatoria e quello americano. La società si è parecchio evoluta tecnologicamente ed è pronta a sferrare il suo attacco ai vampiri per riprendersi il nord. Per questo l’erede al trono di Equatoria, la principessa Adele, e il capo dell’America il senatore Clark convoleranno a nozze. Per sancire un alleanza contro il comune nemico.
Durante una visita nelle regioni di confine, la principessa viene rapita dai tirapiedi di Cesare, che ne farà sua prigioniera. Adele sarà salvata dal misterioso Greyfriar e farà la conoscenza con Gareth, fratello di Cesare ed erede al trono, un vampiro davvero fuori dal comune.
Nonostante i miei limiti per via del genere, ho amato moltissimo le ambientazioni, la descrizione della Londra vampiresca, con i suoi colori cupi, il sudiciume e la devastazione, che sono descritti in modo talmente vivido da sembrare reali.

Ho apprezzato la narrazione esterna e in terza persona, che ci da la possibilità di seguire i diversi punti di vista e conoscere meglio i diversi personaggi. Anche se ritengo che non siano stati comunque tratteggiati in maniera completa, ma è anche vero che ci troviamo di fronte al 1° capitolo di una trilogia e che probabilmente li conosceremo meglio nei volumi successivi .
Non potevo non affezionarmi ad Adele, per la sua determinazione, forza e coraggio..un personaggio che già da questo primo libro, inizia un percorso di crescita che la porterà da principessina un po’ viziata a donna forte e risoluta.
Altro personaggio che ho adorato è Gareth, il suo amare la cultura umana, il volerla emulare, lo rende un personaggio particolare e delicato, non c’erano dubbi sulla scintilla che sarebbe scoccata con Adele, nonostante le differenze i due cercheranno, e troveranno, un punto in comune per poter salvare entrambe le specie
Mi sarebbe piaciuto conoscere un po’ meglio la situazione politica dei diversi imperi che compaiono nel romanzo, ma come ho detto prima confido di avere una quadro più esaustivo nei volumi seguenti a questo.
In ogni caso Vampire empire è un romanzo diverso e originale nel marasma dei libri a tema vampiresco di questi ultimi anni.

Sulla cover. Quella italiana non si batte stavolta, l’originale è orribile.
Voi che dite? (less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Scrittevolmente rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Prendiamo devi vampiri quasi vecchio stile, dico quasi perché anche questi possono stare fuori di giorno, ma stanno male e quindi vanno a dormire, com’è giusto che sia per i vampiri, che conquistano quasi tutto il mondo.
Prendiamo due o tre potenze che si uniscono per tentare di contrastarli per non diventare dei semplici greggi di cibo per i suddetti vampiri.
Prendiamo i soliti americani che altro non sanno fare che essere degli spacconi rompiscatole, una principessa che si deve sposare con i cap...more Prendiamo devi vampiri quasi vecchio stile, dico quasi perché anche questi possono stare fuori di giorno, ma stanno male e quindi vanno a dormire, com’è giusto che sia per i vampiri, che conquistano quasi tutto il mondo.
Prendiamo due o tre potenze che si uniscono per tentare di contrastarli per non diventare dei semplici greggi di cibo per i suddetti vampiri.
Prendiamo i soliti americani che altro non sanno fare che essere degli spacconi rompiscatole, una principessa che si deve sposare con i capo degli americani e un rapimento.
Mescolate gli ultimi tre elementi e troverete la parte iniziale del libro, dove viaggeremo insieme ad Adele, la principessa che viene rapita dai vampiri che la vogliono usare per scatenare una sanguinosa guerra tra vampiri ed umani. Quello che non prevedono, però, è che Adele ha una forza di spirito e d’istinto davvero incredibili per essere una principessa che viene viziata da quando è venuta in vita.
Scampa al rapimento, in un primo tempo, ma deve contare sull’aiuto di uno spadaccino mascherato che combatte da anni ed anni i vampiri, nascondendosi ad essi per poterli uccidere con tutta facilità quando ne ha la possibilità.
Cercano di sfuggire entrambi ai vampiri che li inseguono e che hanno quasi sterminato completamente la scorta che proteggeva la ragazza, di cui ora Adele non sa nulla, come loro non sanno nulla della loro principessa.
Purtroppo la loro fuga viene interrotta da uno stuolo di vampiri che riesce finalmente a posare le grinfie su Adele, che lotta invano e viene portata dal figlio del Re di Londra, che ha ordinato il suo rapimento.
Da qui, la sua vita diventa un calvario cosciente, mescolato a interminabili interrogatori dove non parla a ore e ore di solitudine, dove lei ripassa gli insegnamenti del suo precettore, simulando combattimenti sotto gli occhi dei suoi aguzzini carcerieri.

Per leggere la recensione per intero: http://scrittevolmente.com/2013/03/04/recensione-vampire-empire-il-principe-di-sangue-nero-di-clay-griffith-e-susan-griffith/#more-20438 (less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Brad Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire-fiction

Princess Adele of Alexandria will be a key player in humanity's struggle to finally destroy the Vampire Empire, and reclaim the whole of the world for their own. Her upcoming wedding to Senator Clark of America will unite their nations, resulting in an allied war machine that will surely be powerful enough to defeat the vampires once and for all. But while abroad on a diplomatic tour, things go awry for Adele after she is attacked by a horde of vampires, yet her capture is thwarted by the myster...more Princess Adele of Alexandria will be a key player in humanity's struggle to finally destroy the Vampire Empire, and reclaim the whole of the world for their own. Her upcoming wedding to Senator Clark of America will unite their nations, resulting in an allied war machine that will surely be powerful enough to defeat the vampires once and for all. But while abroad on a diplomatic tour, things go awry for Adele after she is attacked by a horde of vampires, yet her capture is thwarted by the mysterious Greyfriar, a legendary fighter from Northern Europe whom she had previously believed was only a made-up character from wild adventure stories. Thanks to her own fighting skills attained from years of combat training, Adele manages to hold her own alongside the powerful folk hero, but the two cannot hold back the vampires forever. She soon finds herself captured and imprisoned in the heart of bloodsucker territory, and although the senile monarch is barely aware of her existence, his two sons -- the evil Cesare and his more moderate sibling Gareth -- each have their own ideas as to what to do with the Princess. With the two vampire brothers locked in a power struggle for the throne, Adele's headstrong fiancee leads a misguided rescue mission that will surely put the future of both groups at risk. And even though Adele finds an unexpected ally amongst the vampire populace, it seems as though nothing will prevent an all out war to the death between the two societies.

In this steampunk-infused tale that takes place in an alternate history, vampires -- classified as Homo nosferatii -- are a parasitic species (a cousin to humans) who in 1870 banded together in an attempt to subjugate human society. Now 150 years later, this empire of bloodsuckers populates the colder regions of the earth, where they inhabit the major cities and keep a good number of humans as their slaves and primary food source. The remaining free human population, having retreated to the warmer climates, formed two primary regions: the Empire of Equatoria and the American Republic. Individually they have fought their own battles with the vampires, but through this royal union, they will finally combine forces in an effort to defeat their common enemy.

This fast-paced yarn is an excellent yet unchallenging read, and even though it is about vampires, one must still look past the more implausible aspects of the novel. It's akin to a Cold War tale about a world divided, and although the story of star-crossed lovers is a familiar one, the authors certainly have a fresh take on the subject. Interesting, too, is their take on the vampire mythos, where the truth behind the folklore is often more mundane than expected. But for the most part it works, although one major ability that the vampires possess seems more like a useful plot device, rather than a trait that can easily be explained to any degree of satisfaction. Both the hero and heroine are strong, well-rounded characters, and the supporting cast are equally interesting in their own right, each with their own distinct motivations and voices.

"Vampire Empire, Book One: The Greyfriar" is definitely a page-turner that will appeal to a wide audience. The ending suffers from the fact that the story already has a planned sequel, so after a brief infusion of action, the various story lines flat line somewhat, lacking any major resolution. But in a way, this leaves you wanting more -- which is a good thing. It is one of the better vampire books published this year, and definitely one of the more notable stories of recent memory. I look forward to reading Book Two.
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Sep 03, 2012 Sunscented rated it 3 of 5 stars

The overall story was interesting. There were a few world-building issues, which is why 3 stars.
The vampire cannon in this book wasn't believable to me. I know, it's fiction, right? Still we've all read books in this genre that left us thinking, "I could see that happening!"
I couldn't see this happening.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Roberta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I vampiri hanno conquistato la parte nord del pianeta sterminando gli uomini e distruggendo grandi città. Gli umani hanno creato nuove grandi potenze e si preparano ad una guerra che dovrà sterminare definitivamente i vampiri. Durante il suo viaggio verso il nord la principessa Adele viene attaccata e catturata... Durante la fuga e poi la prigionia la principessa incontrerà il leggendario eroe Greyfriar e conoscerà Cesare e Gareth, i due eredi al trono del regno nord dei vampiri...

Una trama inso...more I vampiri hanno conquistato la parte nord del pianeta sterminando gli uomini e distruggendo grandi città. Gli umani hanno creato nuove grandi potenze e si preparano ad una guerra che dovrà sterminare definitivamente i vampiri. Durante il suo viaggio verso il nord la principessa Adele viene attaccata e catturata... Durante la fuga e poi la prigionia la principessa incontrerà il leggendario eroe Greyfriar e conoscerà Cesare e Gareth, i due eredi al trono del regno nord dei vampiri...

Una trama insolita e un genere per me nuovo e diverso: vampiri, aeronavi, città distrutte e magia... Un cocktail ben riuscito che mi ha rapita e sorpreso.
La storia è narrata in terza persona e fin dall'inizio il lettore riesce ad avere un quadro completo degli avvenimenti avvenuti nel corso degli anni. Fin da subito ci si ritrova immersi nella storia e si cominciano a conoscere i vari personaggi che si susseguiranno pagina dopo pagina.
Molti i protagonisti di questo libro, forse troppi, ma ciò non rende affatto difficile la comprensione della trama e ogni personaggio non solo è ben caratterizzato e descritto in maniera minuziosa, ma resta ben impresso nella mente del lettore che non perde mai il filo della narrazione.
Adele è una giovane principessa dell'Impero di Equatoria, una giovane ragazza di 19 anni che durante il periodo di prigionia cresce, diviene donna e inizia a guardare in maniera diversa sia i vampiri sia gli umani che sono al loro servizio. Adele pagina dopo pagina, cresce e si mostra al lettore sotto ogni suo aspetto: una donna coraggiosa e determinata, ma anche una ragazza dolce che pur provando paura cerca sempre di non scoraggiarsi. Altri protagonisti della storia sono il misterioso e leggendario Greyfriar, un eroe mascherato che combatte i vampiri e che più di una volta porta in salvo la principessa... Vi è poi Gareth, l'erede al trono dell'impero dei vampiri del nord: un vampiro con un'umanità insolita, che negli anni si è avvicinato alle tradizioni degli uomini, studiandole e imparando anche a leggere e scrivere... Sarà lui una delle tante rivelazioni di questo libro!
L'ambientazione scelta dai coniugi Griffith per questo loro romanzo è perfetta e rende bene l'idea di come è cambiato il mondo con il passare dei secoli... Lo stile e il linguaggio dei due scrittori sono semplici, lineari e coinvolgenti, riescono perfino a far innamorare il lettore dei due personaggi principali (Gareth e Adele) e pagina dopo pagina ci si ritrova immersi in una storia d'amore appena accennata, ma che nell'insieme rende ancor più bello il racconto.
Vampire Empire porta senza ombra di dubbio una ventata di novità nel mondo letterario e ci presenta una visione diversa e più dispotica dei vampiri.
Un libro consigliassimo e che vi saprà trascinare all'interno di un mondo tutto da scoprire!
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Apr 02, 2012 Rae Ryans rated it 5 of 5 stars

Vampire Empire, Book One: The Greyfriar is a mix of paranormal, steampunk, and post-apocalyptic life. We are introduced to many of the key players that one can assume we will continue to see. Princess Adele, Greyfriar, Senator Clark, and one nasty vampire Prince who is set to take the throne as well as the whole world.

You see, back in 1870 the vampires let themselves be known to all of mankind. In a well developed and plotted sweep that lasted only two years, the vampires undid the human world....more Vampire Empire, Book One: The Greyfriar is a mix of paranormal, steampunk, and post-apocalyptic life. We are introduced to many of the key players that one can assume we will continue to see. Princess Adele, Greyfriar, Senator Clark, and one nasty vampire Prince who is set to take the throne as well as the whole world.

You see, back in 1870 the vampires let themselves be known to all of mankind. In a well developed and plotted sweep that lasted only two years, the vampires undid the human world. Cities as we know them fell to their hands, and the people fled south to regroup. Now, in 2020, humans have been rebuilding, strengthening, and waiting for the day to start a major war against the vampires.

One of the largest nations is the massive Empire Equartoria to which the Princess Adele is the rightful heir. When she is sent out on a mission tour, her air ship as well as the accompanying ships, are attacked by Prince Cesare the heir of the vampire clan in England. While his right hand woman, Flay, tries to secure the Princess, a mysterious man appears out of nowhere to save the day.

Greyfriar comes to the rescue of the Princess, and tries to keep her safe. He wears a mask over his face to cover his identity, and he's armed to the hilt with guns and swords. Princess Adele feels safe by his side, but she has no idea of the deep secrets he hides. The clandestine mask he wears is only the sheer beginning of who, or what, this man is.

Will the Princess and Greyfriar thwart the plans of the twisted vampire Prince? Can Adele accept what lies behind the mask? Tsk, Tsk... You will have to read it to find out!

I had a good feeling about this story just from the cover. It is such a lovely cover, really. Air ships, a good looking duo, dressed to kill – literally kill! But then I opened up the book, and found myself enthralled with the story presented to me. Each page is filled with conflict, action, mystery or suspense that kept me hanging onto to every word.

I think the characters are highly developed, and I loved the word painted scenery of desolate Europe. I enjoyed the descriptions of the steam powered ships, as well as the other little knick knacks here and there. If it weren't for the vampires, I wouldn't of minded living there.

Then there was the end, and my heart sank just a little bit. Then I remembered, “Hey, this is only the FIRST book!” I am really looking forward to the next part of the series. If you're thing to read is alternate history, steampunk, or action than pick this one up for a downright good read.(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Erin

Beware of spoilers

I avoided this book when it first came out. A Princess is captured (by vampires), and then rescued by a masked man? It sounded too hokey and predictable to be good. But a year after it came out, it was consistently getting 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon and GoodReads. So I bought it. I’m SO glad I did. It reads like the 30s and 40s Swashbuckling Errol Flynn movies, without any of the ridiculous posing (except from Senator Clark, Pri...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Sonia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Siamo tutti stanchi dei vampiri.
Appena incrociamo un libro che nel titolo contiene le parole sangue, dark, vampiro (appunto), diari del & affini, distogliamo immediatamente lo sguardo prima che quella copertina possa convincerci. Non ci facciamo più fregare. Sappiamo che ormai tutte le storie sono le stesse, i protagonisti sono gli stessi: ne abbiamo abbastanza!
Ecco perché il titolo Vampire Empire avrebbe dovuto tenermi lontana... no? Stando a ciò che ho appena detto, il mio sguardo non avre...more

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Nov 02, 2011 Dawn Vanniman rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received this book from the authors' publicist for a review.

This book combines alternate world history, steampunk and vampires. In short, it's awesome! I really loved the characters, they were all drawn strongly and had their own personalities. The main characters are:

Princess Adele, The Greyfriar, Senator Clarke, Colonel Anholt, Lord Kelvin, Mamoru, Flay and Prince Cesare.

The story goes that vampires rose up in The Great Killing of 1870 and began killing all the humans. Now it's 2020, is it t...more

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The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1)

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