Rifts Novel: Deception's Web

Rifts #2

by Adam Chilson, Kevin Siembieda, Patrick Ho (Illustrator)

The fabric of space and time is torn asunder and the Earth becomes a nexus--a stepping stone--to countless alien worlds.

300 years later, humankind struggles against inhuman invaders and dark magic from the Rifts. Alien beings from other dimensions, known as "D-Bees", share our planet, as do monsters and supernatural horrors. Earth has become an alien world unto itself. A place awash by an ever shifting tide of magic, madness and chaos.

The Coalition soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Michael Sorenson fight their way back to civilization where they are faced with startling revelations, court-martial and treachery. The lives they have known and the people they trust collide with events and realizations that will strain friendships and test their loyalty to the Coalition States.

Hard choices, strange bedfellows, a living enigma, and the hand of evil all play a role in Rifts: Deception's Web.

The fantastic world of the popular Rifts Role-Playing Game is brought to life in the second book of an epic trilogy.

Science-fantasy as only Palladium Books can do it.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

409 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1999

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I find books that are written based on a game not so great, but this SiFi trilogy was the exception. These were great reads, fast paced and interesting, good characters and storyline. Very recommended

[Nadienne Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly, this is better than the previous novel, "Sonic Boom." The editing is far, far better. The story line a bit more coherent. And a clearer focus on fewer characters (although this may have to do with the fact that many of them died in the previous novel).

However, not much happens in this second book of the trilogy. There is a lot of set-up for what's going to occur in the next novel (perhaps), and some resolutions to threads which were brought up in the first novel. But, if you were to ask me what the overarching plot of this second novel in the series is, my answer would be...um, I think it may have something to do with the Court Martial of one of the main character's from the first book? And even that really only comes up in the last 1/3 of the book perhaps and the character in question barely makes an appearance.

Due to events which occurred in the first novel, I'm about 99% certain who the traitor is, but the author insists on stringing along the mystery for some reason. Also, if I'm wrong, I won't really care, because no one else has been set up as a character who I would be shocked to be betrayed by, or even really care if they were a traitor, so...

Again, if you're a Rifts fan, then I'd probably recommend the book because we only have three novels so, you might as well read them. But if you're not...meh, pass it up.

[Taddow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was better than the previous one but there wasn't anything particularly outstanding in it. The constant switching back and forth between different character perspectives, which happens from paragraph to paragraph at times, was confusing and a disservice to the story presentation. The comedy regarding the continued interactions between the dragon and various parties got a little old and the underlying plot (based on what I'm read and surmised thus far) doesn't seem that big of a deal that the author's "web of deception" is making it out to be (maybe I'll find there's more to it when I read the next and final book of this series).

I did like how the individual Coalition soldier characters are portrayed on a spectrum of acceptance/tolerance in their adherence and belief in the Coalition's pro-humanity above all others position and I also enjoyed the showcasing of various Rifts equipment and character classes (I played Rifts back in the day so its nostalgic) and I think that someone familiar with Rifts would get more out of this story than someone who is not.

I know that the author would know their Rifts' lore (they worked at Palladium Books and I'm sure Kevin Siembieda reviewed the story before it was published) but I found (at least I thought so) some inconsistences in some of the ways that certain characters, considering the Coalition's hard stance against mutants, D-Bees, magic users, and such, were treated in light of some events that happen in the story.

[Derek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember seeing the Rifts ads 'way back in Dragon Magazine, and despite my impressionable youth at the time, the artwork and vaguely-described premise never really clicked other than a vague sense that something was completely out of control.

Later rediscovery, in the form of a novel that came into my possession randomly, indicates that yes indeed, something was completely out of control. The underlying back story--a war opens dimensional 'rifts' that let in any sort of fantasy creature/being or monster otherdimensional nightmare, all layered on a high-technology postapocalyptic Earth--is little more than a lampshade to allow the designers and writers to bolt on whatever weirdness they can imagine, from vampire kingdoms to creepy cybernetic totalitarian city-states with skull fixation to lovecraftian-weird monsters to outright fantasy wizards. And then to take all these things and Frankenstein them together into Psy-Stalkers, Cyber-Knights, Techno-Wizards, Bursters, Juicers, Glitter Boys and other stuff I couldn't understand.

It's not supposed to make sense. It's supposed to be AWESOME, in the eleven-year-old sense. Which I can get behind. I'll ignore the convenient Disneyland balkanization of the continent into topically themed nation-states (military/totalitarian arcology here, fantasy kingdom there, vampire overlords down the street) and the preposterously outrageous conflicts in play, where power armored individuals duke it out with harrowing weaponry and everyone seems to have at least one rail gun.

I have trouble ignoring the fact that this book is damn boring, especially without the first book to provide context. It's focused on the uninteresting members of an uninteresting platoon of the least interesting--least wacko--city-state of the setting, and eventually boils down to treachery within the ranks and trumped-up court martials and preparations for the third book and other things that are not giant exosuits going zoom zoom pew pew pew look out for that dragon! It has a really weird obsession with the details of equipment, each item carefully referenced by its letter-number designation and the logistical discussion of such. It makes only a tiny bit of forward progress toward whatever story arc the series encompasses. And, finally, the clumsy writing fails to energize.

[Sir Wolski · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had a great start with The team caught up fighting off a Glitter boy and a Tattoo woman. I really enjoyed the Van scene and his house, it really gave that feeling of wonder. Van, Anja and Sir Renfield definitely should have had more of a role though. Instead the book focuses on the Coalition team which is a bit of a drag and thats when the book slugs though. However as a Rifts novel it was highly enjoyable.

[Gene · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a difference an edited book makes. Much better than the last one, but not great. If you are a fan of Rifts, yo'll enjoy it. Still not seeing why the author went with coalition soldiers as the protagonists, and what he has against dragons....

[Miss Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite book in the trilogoy. It has great character development and it taught me a lot about the different OCCs.

[Nicholas Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vast improvement over the last book.

[Pharc3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason I don't rate this series higher is the horrible editing job and NOTHING with the story itself