Transcript
The Rifwalkers is an ongoing saga of short books, structured like a TV series. Five books make up a season. If you are at all familiar with me, you know I love this type of format. Each book has its own story, but there is a grander story or arc being told behind it all. Kind of like a bingable show on Netflix.
So what’s it about?
Sarah Corden is an FBI agent with a mysterious background. She is tasked with recruiting the even more mysterious Duncan Wolfe to help as a consultant. Holes are appearing in the veil between our world and the spirit realm. Angels and Demons are coming through and battling over a small town, and Duncan is an expert in this kind of thing. Is there something in the water, or are these real supernatural events? I got a lot of X Files vibes from this story.
It becomes apparent that something real is going on in this town, when sick people are suddenly cured, and dead crops begin to revive.
Rounding out the cast is Snyder, Sarah’s FBI partner. He has much less regard for Duncan, which brings in some nice character tension between those two.
Both Sarah and Duncan have mysteries surrounding them, and the world itself presents additional mysteries. Some of these mysteries are revealed, some of these revelations pose additional questions, and some mysteries are left for further exploration. This clearly demonstrates that the author has a plan and is wanting to earn our trust.
The book also explores the dynamics of a small town, when industries change, livelihoods are affected, and people choose sides.
The whole town is up in arms over the newly opened Steel mill. And these volatile emotions are feeding the supernatural rift, making the problem bigger.
The book does a good job of balancing the fantastical elements with some good down-to-earth human drama.
Book 1 of this series, The Riftwalkers and The Pierced Veil, does everything a pilot episode should do. It introduces both the characters and the setting. It sets up the premise and raises a lot of attention-grabbing questions. It’s a full story in it’s own right, but it establishes a much larger story, and it ends on a powerful hook (not a cliffhanger as such) that entices you to jump into book 2.
This book also introduces a villain that promises to be a recurring thorn in our heroes sides. Who is he? What does he know about these rifts. There’s a lot of stuff teased here.
Dotted through the book, are illustrations, taken in-universe, from Duncan’s journal. These provide some extra colour to the world, and some humour.
The riftwalkers series are supernatural thrillers, incorporating elements of science fiction and fantasy. If you’ve read any of Robin Parrish’s book before, you’ll know he’s good at mystery and suspense, set against mythic worlds that pull you in and make you want to know more. These same elements are present in Riftwalkers and the Pierced Veil, but I get the impression we’re just scratching the surface of what the author has in store for us.
Another thing this book does well is subtle foreshadowing. It’s the kind of book you might want to go back and read a second time, to pick up on all the things you didn’t notice the first time around. And because it’s relatively short, that’s not such a big commitment.
One of the interesting themes that comes out of this book is how we see things. At one point, Sarah is struck with something that would be considered a disability. Something to be viewed in a negative light. However, as the story goes on, it becomes evident that this is something else entirely. While she’s lost one ability that we all take for granted, she’s gained another. You might almost call it a super power. It makes me think about the things we face in life. We’re often so quick to see the downsides of everything. Sometimes, we miss the unexpected gift or blessing in our circumstances. I think that’s an interesting challenge for us.
I loved this book and I heartily recommend it. It will especially appeal to you if you enjoy TV shows like The X Files, Fring, and Warehouse 13. But don’t misunderstand me. This book doesn’t feel like any type of copy. Riftwalkers is very much it’s own unique thing.
Robin Parrish is a fantastic storyteller, who is very underrated, in my opinion.
I hope more people will check out his work so he can get the recognition that he deserves.
And if you like books that are structured like serialised TV shows, you might also be interested in my Jewel of The Stars series. I’m adding the first episode to Wattpad, one chapter per week, where you can read it for free, or you can get the whole book for just 99 cents.
I’ve got exciting developments coming up on this channel, including a bit of a re-brand, and the option to listen to some of my content in podcast form. Expect the launch to happen this coming January, just in time for Star Trek Picard, which I’ll be examining episode by episode.
Until then, keep geeking out,
And I’ll see you.
Out there.
by 
