Title: Rift
Author: Andrea
Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date:
8.7.2012
Pages: 448
Genre:
Paranormal, Historical
Series: Yes (Nightshade Prequel #1)
Source: ARC
from BEA
Rating: A
Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old
Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers
saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords,
learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She
also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and
powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is
dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira
into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.
Review:
I don’t think there was an Andrea Cremer fan out there
that wasn’t a bit nervous about Rift. There was a very divided fanbase
in her first series, Nightshade, and
I was one of those rabid-fans who felt sorely let down and shafted at the
conclusion of the series. To say I was apprehensive about a prequel series is
putting it mildly.
Apprehensive, but also really excited because Cremer is a
total genius when it comes to world-building. The idea of going back and
learning the origins of the Nightshade
world is brilliant. There is so much story potential there!
The first thing I love is that there isn’t a love
triangle here. It’s Ember and Barrow all the way. Not only did I not have to
contend with a triangle, but Cremer does one better and takes her time with
this romance. There is no lightening-strike attraction that propels them into each
other’s arms. Barrow is actually pretty apprehensive, especially because of
their age difference, and that made their love all the more real. The focus was
65% plot and 35% romance, and I loved that ratio.
This story has a more historical setting (think horses instead
of cars), which adds to the mystique and allure. The world feels utterly
magical and enchanted. There’s action scene upon action scene to keep your
attention riveted.
I think I am going to enjoy this series more than I
enjoyed Nightshade. There’s just so
much more attention to detail and I feel like the pacing is much more
deliberate and calculating. It heightens the drama and mystery rather than
stalling it. The characters in this one are already ones I can wait to spend
more time with.
If you’re still a raving Cremer fan, then I’m sure you
spent the majority of this review nodding along and don’t need to be told twice
to read this. If you were holding any grudges against Cremer for what happened
before, get over it. This is one series you won’t want to miss out on.
Buy: Amazon |
The Book Depository
