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...

Thank you for giving me a chance to read this extended sampler! Great for fans of Neverknight, the premise is very dark so be warned before going in. Don't expect a fluffy fantasy book with vampires. I'm excited to read the final book because I know I'm gonna be mentally prepared for Kristoff to hurt his readers emotionally.

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.