A Rush of Wings - Adrian Phoenix

Series: The Maker's Song, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
416 pages
Published: 2008

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fairly dark and different paranormal. I say different because there's so many typical vampire novels out there. In a way, A Rush of Wings is one as well, but it has twists and its characters, for a change, aren't the goody vamps changed by a mortal woman or either only good or bad. There's shades of grey in this book, and it'll make you question the meaning of justice, and how different people interpret what is right or wrong, just like it made Heather think.


Dante is a rock star and almost a god to his goth followers. He's also a vampire surrounded by supernaturals who he cares for and care for him. Leather and latex clad, multiple rings, typical goth make up, Cajun French speaking heartthrob. Dante is a conflicted character that takes a while to figure out. At first, he seems like a rebelling kid out to defy everyone and kissing everyone in sight. But then you see him struggling against himself and his pain and his memories and a lot of things start making sense. Who is Dante and what are the painful memories that keep rising within him.? This story connects a serial killer with Dante's past.


And enter lady love. Heather Wallace is a FBI agent chasing said serial killer who ends up being sucked into Dante's world while trying to find the connection between the killer and Dante, and protect him from all and sundry including an internal cover-up that could put him in danger. Heather doesn't have as many facets to her personality as the other characters in this book have. She's a competent FBI agent with her own nightmares and that's about it. The attraction between them isn't really explained very well, but then there's not much romance in this book, its Urban Fantasy more than Paranormal.


I loved the other characters in this book a lot. Lucien, the Fallen, who guards Dante and has his own secrets is one of the more interesting characters who will you reluctantly warm up to; or atleast understand. Then there's Von, and the other vampires who live with Dante. The serial killer and other villainy characters (there's quite a few, but at no point does it get confusing) are pretty villainy in their behaviour, and you'll enjoy them too. There's new concepts in this book i haven't read before - about angels and god and psycho killers.


This is my first Adrian Phoenix book, and i like her writing style. I hope its only this first book that suffers from mini-first book syndrome. I do love her Cajun French and lyrics thrown in. Give this book a chance. And give it time to suck you in as well. At the end, it might not be what you're used to reading, but you won't regret the time spent reading it. I'm off to read the next book, In the Blood