Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 31 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
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.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Jane Austen? I think not. , April 18, 2007
With two of my favorites genres combined I was excited to read this book and I really wanted to like it but halfway through I was skimming just to get through it. This can't be compared to Jane Austen or even a mediocre Regency novel. A lot of the history (which is mentioned to set the era I suppose) is wrong. Gas lamps in houses? Not quite. Piano works? Depending on the year maybe, I doubt it - probably a pianoforte. Almacks was mentioned as though the author thinks name dropping is enough to qualify this as a Regency. Also permission for a waltz could not be granted by the parent of the debutant but by the patronesses of Almacks. The clothing descriptons are off too. How old is the Marquess? The author writes him as if he is traditionally older say 30/32 yet if he was 16 when the heroine was 12 and she delayed her debut 2 years he can't be above 23. And as for the vampire aspect . . . there are three kinds apparently - you're garden variety average undead, the Guardians, and the dreaded Imperials - all of which seem to be dusted equally easily. The threat level even for the bad of the bad is minimal. If you're a horror fan looking for a good vamp story this is not it. It is almost as insulting comparing the Regency aspect of this to Jane Austen as it is comparing Victoria to Buffy. Buffy the series and even most of the books has pathos, emotion, and depth - none of that is here. The writing is very poor and the characters have no set voice. The author tells rather than shows and there is no depth the whole is very one dimensional. I've read better online fiction that this. There is a twist at then end which in the hands of a good story teller would have elevated this book but here barely registered any emotion from the characters involved or this reader. There is a good story in here but the execution is so poor the book should be staked.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stellar Debut Novel by Up and Coming Author, January 3, 2007
Let me start this review by saying, I don't read historicals OR vampire books, but I got the opportunity to read this book and it blew me away! What a fantastic concept - a woman on the eve of her debut into society finds out she's part of a birthline of vampire slayers. In an era where women couldn't even wear pants or go out unescorted, Victoria's presented with quite a challenge in order to live her double life.
The author does a fabulous job of bringing this story to life on the page. The plot is full of action and the characters are fully developed and very interesting. I can't wait for the next in this series - and to see which man is the keeper for Victoria.
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