The Rest Falls Away by

2 February 2007


Genre: ,
Setting: ,
Rated :

ISBN: 9780451220073
#1 in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles
See also: ColleenGleason.com ; SSD review ; Quixotic’s review

His footsteps were soundless, but Victoria felt him moving.
She grasped the bark of the oak, pressing her body into the tree as if it could suck her into safety.

Victoria Gardella has just discovered the secret her family hides; some of them are born Venators or vampire hunters. And she, just about to make her début in C19th London society, is one. Her first choice is whether or not to accept this new life. If she wishes she can give it all up, and be returned to a state of ignorance about the fact that vampires are real. Otherwise her life will be changed forever.

Of course, she chooses to be a Venator, after all, if she hadn’t it would have been a very short book. But once that decision is made she comes to realise that there are more and more choices and decisions she must make, as she tries to balance a living a normal society-lifestyle with staking vampires.

That last sentence should tell you that there is a little bit of Buffy in Victoria. No bad thing and it is more a general similarity rather than any stealing of that programme’s ideas. Victoria, like Buffy, must balance her everyday life, keeping her secret slaying from certain members of her family and friends. But that is about as close to Buffy as this book comes.

I flew through this; started it this morning and finished this evening. It is a very entertaining read, and I grew quite fond of Victoria. Some of the other characters I was less sure of, but that is part of the point, we aren’t meant to know.

Paranormal fantasy/horror books are becoming quite common; this one is different in that it is set in Regency times. I thought that the blending of the horror and the historical elements was done quite well, although I did have to wonder at one point if our Miss Gardella wasn’t a little fast.

If you like vampire stories you should enjoy this one.

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11 Responses

  1. Harlequin says:

    Giz a lend so. :-)

  2. Fence says:

    Fair nuff. No bodder

  3. Carl V. says:

    Glad you liked it.

    Do you mean to say that Victoria was a bit fast and loose?

  4. Fence says:

    Not loose Carl. But fast, in a Georgette Heyer way of speaking :)

  5. Hey Fence…thanks for the great review! 'Preciate it and glad you enjoyed it.

    As for Victoria being a bit…heh heh…fast…well, oh dear! What would her mother say?

  6. Fence says:

    Hi Colleen, thanks for stopping by, I'm sure if Victoria's mother knew all about it there'd be nothing for her to do but faint dead away :)

  7. LOL. Although Lady Melly turns out to be a bit…friendly…herself in the third book, which I just turned in to my editor. ;-)

  8. Fence says:

    See that's not fair, giving hints about a book not even published yet :)

  9. Harlequin says:

    Finished it last night – took my mind off exams nicely! I really enjoyed it – OK for a Heyer obsessive, there may be a few little historical slips but nothing massive and anyway, it's the story that matters rather than the historical detail!!! :-) I thought the story idea was great and despite all the heartache and sad bits there was plenty of humour too. And it was hella sexy. Bam chicka wow wow!

    Would you be surprised if I said I kinda really liked Sebastian? Sucker (boom! boom!) for a bad boy…

    Get the sequel, there's a good girl!

  10. Fence says:

    Glad you enjoyed it, but honestly, do those Lynx ads not just annoy you :)

  11. Harlequin says:

    Oh, God yes, I hate them! I also find them kind of off and disturbing. But there was a running gag in class (started by moi) where someone said something which was an unintentional double entrendre and there was silence broken by mise saying bam chicka wow wow and the cracking-up was huge. And it continued for the rest of the class. It's even possible to mouth bam chicka wow wow to people. Handy little catchphrase.