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The Rest Falls Away

October 24, 2007 at 1:35 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror

111. The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason (Historical Fantasy) 368 p.

The Rest Falls AwayI really wanted to like this. I like vampire novels, I like romance when it’s mixed with a decent plot, but I didn’t like The Rest Falls Away. Neither the characters nor the plot sparked any interest in me, and the writing felt almost amateurish. I was most closely reminded of a novelization of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer I once read (and having said that, I think this book would also work better as a movie for me, since the uninteresting descriptions of Victoria’s emotional state would not appear.)

In the end, I found The Rest Falls Away both tedious and unconvincing. I wouldn’t necessarily discourage anyone else from trying it, though, since it has a lot of fans, and it wasn’t actually terrible; I just didn’t find it entertaining. Still, if you like somewhat trashy vampire novels along the lines of Laurell K. Hamilton or Charlaine Harris, it wouldn’t hurt to give Colleen Gleason a try.

I’ll probably read the second book if I get the chance, just because I’ve heard that it better, and because I would really really like to enjoy this series. (If you want the opinion of someone who loves the series, CJ has reviewed The Rest Falls Away and the sequel, Rises the Night.)

Books read: 111
Pages read: 33,054

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9 Comments »

Eva wrote, on October 26th, 2007 at 3:17 pm:

OMG, I’m soooo glad to find someone who didn’t like this one at all too! And who thought the writing and characters were just plain bad. :D Yay!

I’ve started the second one, and it hasn’t gotten any better. I’m thinking about abandoning it, which is something I very rarely do. I wanted to like the series, since a lot of my best book blogging buddies seem to love it and find it great writing, but it just wasn’t in the stars.

Poodlerat wrote, on October 26th, 2007 at 8:00 pm:

I feel just the same—glad it’s not only me who was disappointed!

It’s a shame, because after reading Rebel Angels I was so excited for another Victorian fantasy novel with a female protagonist, but the two books really have nothing in common. Not even the setting, really—Gemma Doyle’s Victorian London is very different from Victoria Grantworth’s.

CJHill wrote, on October 27th, 2007 at 4:11 am:

Well, I’m honored you put me down as a source on the ‘like’ side of the scale.

And, that’s the best thing about books, isn’t it? We all have different tastes and there are enough books out there to satisfy us all.

Personally, as far as vampire stories go, I’m not an Anne Rice fan (never finished Interview and haven’t tried any of the others) and I’m about ready to dump Laurell Hamilton. Colleen Gleason will easily take her place in my book.

cjh

Poodlerat wrote, on October 27th, 2007 at 7:08 am:

So true!

Yeah, I tried Interview when I was pretty young and had to force myself to finish it. I’d never imagined anyone could make vampires uninteresting. And LKH…well, it’s awesome that you have Colleen Gleason to replace her!

Also, you might want to try one of Tanya Huff vampire books if you haven’t already. Blood Price, her first Vicki Nelson novel, was released two years before Guilty Pleasures, and Vicki has a lot in common with early Anita Blake (the stories tend to have better characterization but worse plots, IMO.) Vicki’s tough, kind, and occasionally funny, and although she has sex Huff, mercifully, leaves it mostly to our imaginations.

Eva wrote, on October 28th, 2007 at 2:58 am:

I’ll have to check out Rebel Angels; I’ve been wary of it so far, because all the bloggers who’ve enjoyed it also liked Gleason.

Poodlerat wrote, on October 28th, 2007 at 2:14 pm:

The first in the series is A Great and Terrible Beauty, and I loved it, couldn’t put it down. I started reading it at my dad’s house, and had my sister “lend” it to me (i.e. I stole it from her bedside table) so I could finish it that night. I hope you enjoy it, too, but if you don’t, I doubt it will be for the same reasons you disliked The Rest Falls Away; they’re very different.

Imani wrote, on October 30th, 2007 at 9:04 pm:

yes! Two more readers who don’t like this awful, amateurish book. I’m not even bothering to try the second. If it’s way better than the first I’m assuming it just rises to the level of mediocre. :p

Lotus wrote, on October 30th, 2007 at 9:39 pm:

Gosh, seems like everyone in the blogging world is reading this book, but your review is one of the first I’ve come across that seems slightly lukewarm towards it. I love your viewpoint, it’s refreshing.

Poodlerat wrote, on October 31st, 2007 at 1:30 am:

Imani: I’m keeping my expectations low, so if I do read it, hopefully I’ll be pleasantly surprised. It’s not a book I’ll be scouring the shelves for, though.

Lotus: Thanks! I wanted to like it as much as almost everyone else seems to have, but sadly, I didn’t at all.

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