This was PHENOMENAL! I cannot wait for the rest of the book to come out. Jay Kristoff has always been an author who’s books take me a while to get into, but not this one. I’m so excited to see what happens and where the series go. The villains are so awful (in the best way) and honestly, everything feels pretty hopeless, so I have no idea where he’s going to take the series.

Waiting for the full book for feedback. Will edit once available. But the wait IS KILLING ME!! This new series by Jay Kristoff is going to make waves.!!

"A career defining moment for Kristoff. Prepare thyself for a mind-blowing masterpiece that makes you question...everything." J.M. Buckler award-winning author of the SEEKER OF TIME trilogy.

Review: This is a review for the ARC I received from the author.

YOU. ARE. NOT. READY. Hello, book hangover. I tried. I tried picking up another novel after finishing this mind-blowing escape, but nothing satiates my hunger. Ironic? Perhaps. I guess the joke’s on me. Thanks a lot, Mr. Kristoff. ;-) I refuse to explain the irony behind said statement because spoilers are NOT an option. One must explore this book without breadcrumbs. Trust me, Empire of the Vampire does not disappoint. Now, on to my review.

Words that accurately describe my experience while reading Empire of the Vampire: happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, disgust, and contempt. Author Kristoff’s stunning prose and captivating characters allow the reader to process the seven human emotions while immersed in a terrifying new world. Satanic villains lurk in the darkness, devoted followers fight the good fight, and morally grey characters question their faith and existence.

Our protagonist, though some may beg to differ, Gabriel De Leon, is unlike any character I’ve ever read. The silversaint’s internal battle pulled at my heartstrings while making me want to throw the book across the room. Once faithful and now faithless, De Leon’s spiritual journey was moving yet unnerving. Kristoff did a phenomenal job at diving into the mind of a man who longs for a tarnished badge of honor.

The secondary characters were unforgettable. Aaron, Dior, Chloe, Greyhand, the Beast of Vellene: the list goes on and on. Kristoff did not sideline these key players. They were integral pieces of De Leon’s journey, both internally and externally. I was so attached to Aaron and Dior that, at times, I literally had heart palpitations while reading.

Empire of the Vampire's pacing was utter perfection. I loved switching back and forth between before and present day. Each chapter left me on a subtle cliffhanger while the end of each book left me gasping. I couldn’t stop reading. I kept looking for excuses to crack open the book and fly threw another chapter.

Will this book piss off a few Christian readers? Absolutely. The Christian undertones are STRONG and blatantly obvious. But here’s the thing, Kristoff has never shied away from towing the line. He keeps that trend going in EoTV. If I had to take a guess, I would imagine De Leon’s spiritual dilemma is very near to Kristoff’s heart. That was a breadcrumb, folks.

Here’s the thing, every reader will have a different opinion, and that’s okay. It’s a fantasy novel. It’s not Kristoff’s job to explain each word or religious reference. I’m a Christian and I devoured this book whole. Regardless of one’s devotion, it’s normal for humans to question their faith. The raw and emotional account of this in EoTV hit every mark, creating an authentic reflection of the human struggle.

Should I discuss Kristoff’s prose? Yes, yes, I will. As a fellow writer, I’m constantly searching for books that will help elevate my craft. Empire of the Vampire is THAT book. I NEVER re-read books…ever…until now. EoTV was an educational experience. In my humble opinion, Kristoff’s prose is the gold standard in today’s literature. His words paint beautiful yet grotesque pictures simultaneously without adding unnecessary fluff to the narrative. His varying sentence structure is noteworthy. The smooth ebb and flow eliminates undesired lulls.

Honestly, I could gush all day about this masterpiece. Empire of the Vampire has moved into the top position of my 2021 reads, and I don’t see that number dropping soon. So, do yourself a favor and pre-order this book...NOW. This is Kristoff’s Oscar nomination, his career defining moment. You don’t want to miss out.

Triggers/Warnings: adult language, graphic content, graphic sexual content, violence, torture
Plot: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Escapism Factor: 5/5
Emotional Connection: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for sending a sampler my way in exchange for an honest review.

I really had no idea what to expect going into this since I had requested it awhile ago and forgot about it until it showed up in my email 2 days ago.

we follow our main character Gabriel De Leon the last silver saint as he is telling his life story to a vampire and from there you get glimpses into his life and the people he met along the that led him to this meeting.

as I was reading, I will admit I had very low expectations being that it took me a couple of tries to actually finish Nevernight but with EOTV, the characters really drew me in and especially Astrid who is my favorite and I need more of her. but also Gabriel as well. The world is super interesting too. I would go more in depth but those are spoilers! Granted I just read a 403 page sampler that could possibly change but since I have read a majority of the book. I really enjoyed what I read. can it be September 14th so I can read the last 336 pages?

I am both so incredibly thankful to have received this arc but also so bummed that I don’t have the full book. It was SO GOOD. Jay Kristoff does not shy away from the gloomy or dark side of things. And I cannot wait to purchase this book - because I will be buying it.

i wish i had a full version of this but i only have the 400 page sampler so i'm not going to give it a rating bc i could end up hating the rest of it lol who knows

this book has a v similar edgy aesthetic from nevernight and i am 10000% here for it

i really enjoy jay kristoff's ability to tell a story and here he's telling a story within a story and i absolutely fucking love it. the story has some jumps in time but i didn't find it confusing or jarring

i feel like this book just ticked so many things for me. even if they are kind of tropey and cliche, it's done in a way that doesn't bother me at all. i love the grumpy mentors, underdog come up, and morally grey characters.

i feel like gabriel had some really relateable and meaningful dialogue that just added so much depth to his character and i'm dying to know what happens to him and all the other characters

honestly i was expecting more bloodsmut lol but i guess that will have to wait until next month

The writing felt stilted and not anywhere near what I've expected of Jay Kristoff from other reads. Maybe he was trying too hard to make another vampire book in an already outdone world, but hats off for the attempt.

The book is good, the writing is excellent, but the book is dark, very dark. Not the book to read if you are depressed.

So first off, let me tell you how ecstatic I was to get my hands on this. Over the moon.
And now, I need to gather my thoughts.
This book.
THIS BOOK. I couldn’t put it down.
From the first page, I was hooked.
The characters, the world, the story all of it had me enthralled ;)
I’ve not read a lot of Mr Kristoffs work, so I went into this kind of blind. I knew it was about vampires and I preordered it.
But I was not prepared for the story that awaited me.

I won’t go into plot details or anything of the sort but the writing was superb, I haven’t sat and devoured a book like this in so long,
It was hilarious, terrifying and incredibly sad all at once. It reminded me a lot of the Witcher in some aspects. No female Silversaints, the fact that they were considered a necessary evil, and considered monsters by most, even themselves.

The mythology was amazing, leaving me wondering whah else the world had in store aside from the leeches our characters encounter.

And as for that world, in my opinion Kristoff created a beautifully dark world full of monsters, men and the few who tread the line in between. The loss of and the faithful who will fight as hard as they can just because they believe. Human emotions warring against creatures who don’t have any emotion left. Except hunger of course.

The Silversaints fight monsters to pay for the sin that is their birth. Using the abilities that had been bestowed upon them to stand between humanity and the darkness that was trying, and succeeding, to consume it.

It was perfectly gothic and bloody and just a ton of fun.
The characters were lovable, even Gabriel himself who was a a self proclaimed bastard. And I want to know more about them. I need to know. There is so much left unanswered. 😭 but P A T I E N C E.
Now that my rant is over, I will say that this is definitely a story that will stay with you for a while. I’ll be recommending this to literally everyone. In the meantime, I think I’ll go and give it another go. Also, a graphic novel of this would be so amazing. The artwork was incredible. Happy reading!

This is so good!!!!! I cant freaking wait to read the whole book.

Jay Kristoff is one of my favourites fantasy authors, I am completely obsessed with his book, and I knew that this book wasn’t going to be different. I am so so excited to read the whole story!!

“I was old enough to know; there’s a difference between those who swim with the flood and those who drown fighting it. And its name is Wisdom.“

This may be a sampler but geez this book is going to be epic.

I am enthralled with this story and I have no idea what happens next. I have a month to wait but I don’t care. The world building, the characters, the story is going to be something AMAZING and I am here for it.

Give me more books like this please. 🖤🦇⚔️

Two things I can say about this book:
1)This is definitely not for children as Jay Kristoff mentioned on Goodreads review.
2)This is more than vampire story: it’s about losing your belief, your life purpose, your inner source of light, your compass!
So far I can honestly say this is the best thing the author wrote. And I want to read the rest of it ! The world building, the clear, dark, wild, haunted depictions, emotional depth of characters are magnificent!
Absolutely I want more!

I was up all night and my head feels like still swimming inside an aquarium but it’s totally worth the entire mental exhaustion!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this exclusive sampler in exchange my honest thoughts.

In true Kristoff fashion, this book is nitty gritty and everything you want and more. Thrown into a world where Coldbloods are in the process of dominating what’s left of humanity, an Order fights, and among the SilverSaints, the greatest of them all tells us his tale. Kristoff is able to drag you into this world, willingly devouring every last drop of his words as a moth to a flame, this novel will hold you captive and entranced by the horrors faced and make you wonder if that last glimpse of hope dangling in front of you on these pages will last, or if all is already lost.

Obviously based on a sampler but such an amazing start to Jay Kristoff's next series.

I love how it isn't just about vampires but the story of a man (half man half vampire) telling his life story.

It is very dark, gory and descriptive. I would think this goes without saying. But just Incase...

I am a deeply a religious person so this book is just not for me. I apologize I really enjoyed obsidian it was for this reason I requested it. Again I am sorry but I just can't read it. Thank you for approving me. I hope we can still can work together on a different author.

While waiting approval for the sampler, I was gifted a copy of the full book! So my review is based on the entire book!

Contrary to what you may think, given the title, this is not a story entirely about vampires.
ok, well, yes, it is a story with vampires. But, truly, this is a story of a man. A man so broken that he has lost faith in God, mankind, the world and himself. And I don't blame him. How can one carry faith, when the world takes so much? How can you not question, when the answers are so vague?

The structure, pacing, plot, world buiding, character development and tone are all on point. This book is long and to keep all these points on target is no small task. But it was accomplished and done very well. There were three timelines in this novel. Prepare to live inside the book for a bit.

I can spend all day taking about the themes and sub plots because this book is multi layered and deep. Soul searching deep that goes way beyond a fantasy world.

But as a fantasy story, it was highly entertaining with heart pounding and soul crushing scenes. If you have read Kristoffs other works, you will see that this is his greatest work and will be comforted by the familiar unique writing that he is known for. I've read nearly every book by Kristoff and he has a gift for crafting a sentence. Thought provoking in a way that allows you to search within oneself to see the things you don't want to see and sometimes the things you didn't know were there. He has also created some of my favorite characters with such complexity and grey morality that I feel as if they were actually alive and breathing.

"Aim your heart to the world", you are not ready 🖤
5/5 ⭐

Content warning
Violence (duh), adult language (it's Kristoff), gore (obviously), sexual content and graphic content.
Not for the eyes of children or young teens.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing an early copy

Intriguing premise. Excited for the full novel. I like this kind of writing where the protagonist is recounting their story to someone else.!

The intertwining of Past and Present, of three different timelines being told by one speaker without losing clarity is masterful in it's own right, but the gutwrenching emotional toil this book took on me is a clear indicator of Kristoff's ability to tell a story.

Many authors can write a book, but in my experience they are not all storytellers.

Empire of the Vampire is filled with compelling characters on all sides. Even Danton and Liathe command your attention the moment they burst into the page. Not to mention Astrid, Gabriel, Chloe, and the rest of the Grail fellowship.

This is a book for the faithful, for the skeptic, for those that have lost hope, and for those who have found something to believe in again.

This isn't a story about Heroes, but about doing what's right no matter your vendetta.

I read the physical galley of this but wanted to give a review of this sampler. This world and these characters are so raw, so realized... Kristoff has done it again with a world as dark as night and as terrifying as the soul of a vampire.