The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Colleen Gleason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy of vampire slaying, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget. And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A promising, enthusiastic beginning to a new paranormal historical series, Gleason's major label debut follows the adventures of a conflicted young vampire hunter in Regency England. Victoria Gardella is a young upper-class lady on the verge of her debut; however, just before her society introduction, she learns that she is the last in a long line of vampire hunters—Venators—and must soon choose whether to embrace her destiny. Her decision is complicated by a reunion with her preadolescent love, Phillip, now marquess of Rockley; her desire for romance doesn't mesh well with her new training schedule, much less with her moonlight patrol duties. Matters are made more difficult by the arrival of the queen of the vampires, Lilith, who seeks a mystical tome that will put a demonic army at her disposal. Though it might seem familiar to fans of Teresa Medeiros's Regency vamp series, Gleason quickly establishes an alluring world all her own. Her Buffyesque lead (Gleason has acknowledged the inspiration) is similarly afflicted, but the change of setting makes an intriguing, witty and addictive twist. (Jan.)
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Review

"Sophisticated, sexy, surprising! With its vampire lore and Regency graces, this book grabs you and holds you tight till the very last page!" --J. R. Ward, New York Times Best-selling author

"The Rest Falls Away, Gleason's publishing debut...turns vampire stories--and romances--on their ear with a decidedly dark, decidedly unsentimental Regency heroine who stakes the undead with the best of them." --Detroit Free Press

"The undead rise to great heights through Gleason's phenomenal storytelling. She creates a chilling world with the perfect atmosphere of fear and sexual tension." --Romantic Times

"Gleason keeps upping the ante with each novel, weaving the characters around her readers with each engaging conversation and narrative, every stage set of all the appropriate gothic gloom and melting beauty." --Book Fetish --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451220072
• ISBN-13: 978-0451220073
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #705,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've been bitten by this new series and it is oh, so good (No spoilers), January 3, 2007

By 

Carl V. Anderson (Blue Springs, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

It has been a long time since I have stayed up past the witching hour to finish a book, but what better time to be reading about vampires? Within the first few chapters this book had grabbed ahold of me and would not let go.

Let me start by saying that it has been a long time since I have read any book that would be shelved in the romance section, 15 years or more. Initially, as the first chapter sets the scene and introduces the characters, I struggled a bit with the romance underpinnings of the story. By the time the chapter ended...with a very nice twist...I was immersed in the world and in Colleen's language. Chapter Three was the point of no return. By that time I was lost in the story and understood well why my wife tore through this book so quickly. By the end I could practically feel my own blood coursing through my veins, my heart beating with the anxiety of the final pages.

Let me add that guys should not shy away from this book because it is classified as a `romance'. There is a reason that this book is being and will continue to be compared to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you enjoyed that series, or at the very least the idea behind it, you will enjoy The Rest Falls Away.

If Jane Austen were alive today and rewrote Pride and Prejudice with visits from the undead, the result, in part, would be The Rest Falls Away. I enjoyed the conventions of historical romance juxtaposed against Buffy-esque vampire hunting. While mostly serious throughout, Colleen inserts some very entertaining societal humour reminiscent of Austen's work. Victoria Grantworth is a worthy heroine whose struggles against the demands of society and her vampire hunting legacy are skillfully wrought by Gleason's hand. Whether dancing at a ball or staking vampires, there is never a dull moment in this entertaining tale.

The Rest Falls Away is truly an amalgam of genres: historical romance, horror, mystery, adventure, suspense, comedy...all are present and yet they flow together so well that it feels natural, not forced. And while there are homages to tales both classic and modern it never feels as if Colleen Gleason is copying anyone. Her style and voice are uniquely her own. There is something in this book for everyone and reading it one realizes that shelving it in only one section of the bookstore would be a huge mistake.

And while I respect everyone's opinion and right to their opinion I disagree with the other reviewer's remarks on there being too many characters. There are really only a handful of characters in the book, the majority of which are given enough time for the reader to form a picture and opinion about them. I personally did not find the book meandering. Is it non-stop action. Thankfully no! The Rest Falls Away achieves a nice balance of action with dialogue and more contemplative moments that help establish the various characters and their relationships, allowing the reader to both take a breath and to get to know who these people are who inhabit Colleen Gleason's world.

After having the pleasure of staying up late, anxiously turning page after page, caught up in the suspense as The Rest Falls Away reaches its climactic end, I highly recommend this book. Once finished you, like me, will be anxiously awaiting the release of Rises the Night this June.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Start, February 21, 2007

By 

Lauren Dane (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'd just read several paranormal contemporaries in a row and it was hard to get into the historical set language. But, IMO, that's a good thing because Gleason did it right.

Anyway, after my initial stumble in the first fifty or so pages, I fell into the story. This is a historical, yes, but it's got a decidedly modern feel - and it's done well. Gleason treads the line between historical accuracy and modern vampire hunter novel with skill. I liked Victoria a great deal even though I often have a hard time identifying with characters in regency romances who are so very young. But Victoria, while wanting a normal life, didn't storm off and cry about her fate, although she did challenge it and yes, with some tragic results.

The meta story of the Venators was really well done and interesting and I want to know more. I loved the backstory about Victoria's great aunt and I hope to hear more in the next book. The vampires are baddies, which was delicious and most of the characters were not so much virtuous or evil but flawed, as humans can be. The secondary characters were memorable and not so many you lost count.

I loved this book. I loved the spin Gleason gave the vampire genre, keeping it alive and interesting. I will definitely be back for more!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading! Reawakened my love for the historical romance!, April 4, 2007

By 

D. Rae "Founder, Operator of VampireRomanceBo... - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I had the chance recently to finally sit down and read Colleen Gleason's The Rest Falls Away and I have to say it is one heck of a book.

I cut my teeth in the romance genre back in my teen years. I bypassed the lighter, contemporary fare that so many of my peers read and headed straight for the lusher historical epics by romance mavens Kathleen Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsey. I read every one I could get my hands on but eventually moved away from the genre when someone put the Dune chronicles by Frank Herbert in my hands. They, along with many other sci-fi books, fed my need for meaty reads, especially book series. I've read other types of books as well - I enjoy non-fiction and am particularly fond of the Scarpetta book series by Patrica Cornwell - but it was many, many years before I returned to reading romance books, and it's been even longer since I read a historical one.

Enter The Rest Falls Away.

In this, the first volume in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Colleen spins a wonderful, suspenseful and sexy tale that left me wanting more. Indeed, I can't wait for the second installment in this series. (Note to Colleen: I'm not usually one for the bad boys, but Sebastian ... what a very hot and naughty fella. The darkness in Max is also rather ... stimulating ... yes, that's the right word, stimulating. There's definitely a story there. )

I devoured each page of The Rest Falls Away and was reminded of how much I had loved reading about different time periods, the way people dressed and behaved, even spoke. It was always like looking through a window into the past, albeit a sometimes fogged one from all that action between those hulky heroes and lovely heroines. The Rest Falls Away gave me the chance to look back again, this time into 19th century London, moving back and forth between high society balls and parties, and midnight raids as part of a secret battle between good and evil. What great fun!

Victoria, our tough, fiery and passionate (damn, that Sebastian knows what buttons to push ... and undo ... so naughty) heroine wears ballgowns and frets about where to hide the wooden stakes so necessary to her job as a vampire hunter.

I really enjoyed The Rest Falls Away. I found it an engrossing read with compelling characters and a detailed and intriguing mythology that holds great promise. I am eager to see how things go for Victoria and her vampire slaying compatriots. Something tells me we've not heard the last from her archnemesis, the evil vampire queen Lilith. Victoria has, after all, a destiny to fulfill.

So, bring it on, Colleen! I'm ready for more!