A Twist in the Rift

It always feels like there's an agenda to Jennifer Fallon's novels, neither social nor political, but one staking out a niche that fantasy authors have not explored. In the Tide Lords, it was writing immortals that are actually immortal: in Second Sons, which I'm planning to read soon, Fallon discusses writing an epic fantasy novel that doesn't have magic at all. In the Rift Runners trilogy, it's one where she asks what a portal fantasy set equally on Earth and a fantasy world would look like.

We have some contemporary examples, like The Magicians, although that one doesn't seem quite as balanced. Unlike The Magicians, this series is fun. The characters and plot lines are about as goofy and silly as you can imagine without reaching comic or urban fantasy territory. The book is straightforwardly and almost rudimentarily written, and it is full of Marvel-esque banter that's actually done quite well.

This book took me a long time to get through, because the premise and characters in the parallel worlds are complicated, and the sort of gestalt of the book doesn't really make itself clear until about 60% through. I took about a six-month break around that mark but was very much rewarded by the end.

This is by far Fallon's least popular series and I can see why. It's in a weird place between YA and adult where the premise of fantasy characters coming to our world and vice versa sort of makes it far too silly compared to most adult fiction. But it's not really YA, to be honest, mostly for thematic reasons. If you like Tide Lords, you'll probably like this, but be warned it's even more over the top. I'm looking forward to reading the next two soon.