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The Rifter is a ten-part serialized novel by award-winning author, Ginn Hale. The first episode, The Shattered Gates, was published on March 8, 2011. Further installments will be published on the second Tuesday of each month.
Part 5, The Holy Road, was published on Tuesday, June 14th.
When John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world.
“The true sorcery here is in Ginn Hale’s writing, which is by turns funny, fierce and lyrical. I can’t say enough good things about her work. Rifter is an astonishing story: terrifying and yet romantic. I was bewitched from the first sentence.”
—Josh Lanyon
Read an Excerpt:
Chapter Forty-Four
Despite the heavy canvas walls of the taverner’s tent, the noise and perfumes of the surrounding Harvest Fair infiltrated the air. John easily picked out the musical calls of taye sellers and salt vendors. He could smell frying dumplings and freshly cut onions. The laughter of men and children drifted past, as did the soft murmurs of women’s conversations.
Inside, his surroundings felt far more subdued. The muscular, bearded proprietor and his serving women gathered around the stacked barrels of beer, wine, and liquor. They spoke quietly among themselves as they filled flagons and rough clay pitchers. One girl tended a small charcoal fire where kettles of daru’sira stood heating.
The majority of the men seated around the tables spoke in lowered voices and wore expressions that struck John as somber if not solemn. He supposed it wasn’t the joyous men of the world who needed to drink themselves into oblivion before noon. Though, the dampening presence of both an ushiri and an ushman among their company could also have been responsible for the oddly sober atmosphere.
“Such a serious expression, Jahn.” Ravishan swayed on the bench seat beside him. A flush colored his pale cheeks and his eyes were both dark and glistening beneath the shadows of his sharp black brows. “You should have a drink.” He held up his small glass and the strong floral tang of potent flower liqueur drifted from it.
“I promise you there is no point in attempting to lure Jahn,” Hann’yu commented from across the table. He cupped a mead glass gently between his tanned hands but drank little from it. “Nothing tempts him.”
“I’m sure something does.” Ravishan’s speculative stare was only interrupted by the arrival of a plump young woman with thick black bands tattooed around her tanned fingers. She placed another steaming pot of daru’sira down on the table in front of John. He thanked her and she smiled in a long-suffering manner. Her livelihood was not made by plying men with inexpensive daru’sira. However, her expression lit up as she noted the nearly empty pitcher of flower liqueur in front of Ravishan. But Hann’yu caught her attention and requested a plate of cutlets before she could offer Ravishan a second round of the liqueur.
I wish it wasn’t so impossible to find the release dates for future installments.
Hi, installments of The Rifter are being released on the second Tuesday of each month. The dates have all been added here.