4.75 stars. I’m reserving a full five stars until I read the rest!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for this sampler!!!
The comparisons to Interview with a Vampire and The Name of the Wind are spot on, only Empire has a bit more snark. It isn’t quite as sarcastically sassy as Nevernight but it has its own specialness and I am loving it so far! I cannot wait to continue reading it!

Why did I think it was a good idea to read the sampler of Empire of the Vampire? I might have screamed a little when I saw it in my inbox (thank you St. Martin’s Press!), but I did have to debate with myself if I really wanted to read a sampler that 100% would end on a cliffhanger (it did) and then be forced to wait until September to finish. In the end, I couldn’t wait and I can tell you that after reading the sampler, my excitement for September hasn’t dimmed one bit (and I’m dying a little each day as I wait).

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff felt like a reverse Interview with the Vampire, fused with The Witcher and a touch of Dragon Age: Inquisition…all topped with a constant feeling of dread and a ludicrous amount of really creative F-bombs. The book is told through an interview done between a vampire and a captive Gabriel de León, the last living member of a holy vampire-hunting order. The interviewer is tasked with recording Gabriel’s life story and despite being a member of the unholy undead, has the patience of a saint when it comes to dealing with Gabriel’s frustrating narration style.

Throughout the book Gabriel switches between telling the story of his childhood and teen years, beginning from when the sun’s light was first dimmed in the sky and the vampires began to take over the earth, to jumping forward to his thirties where the vampires have essentially won. And he does all this while getting more and more inebriated. Unlike other books that jump between different times or POVs though, I did find that there were no parts I hated reading. While each jump was frustrating since it (of course) caused cliffhangers, both parts of Gabriel’s life were extremely interesting and kept my eyes glued to my e-reader.

I really don’t want to spoil anything (I’m so glad I went into this without much knowledge beyond the blurb), so I’ve decided to put quick point-form thoughts of how I felt while reading the sampler:

-The monsters are genuinely scary and it is SO refreshing. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty done with vampire books with vamps that are pretty 200-year-old high schoolers. While they are the predominant monsters (it is called Empire of the Vampire for a reason), there are other creatures that popped up in the sampler that I’m pretty sure Kristoff pulled from my deepest, darkest nightmares.

-Best. Weapons. Ever. Like seriously, there are so many awesome weapons with such amazing names! And this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually care that much about weapons.

-Every time something bad happened, all I could think was “it can’t possibly get worse, right?” before I remind myself that I only have the first 400 pages and that yes, it can get worse.

This is not a book for you if you want: sparkly vampires, cute romance, a knight-in-shining-armor MC, or just an overall sense of happiness. If you like gritty, dark, thickkkkk books that keep you constantly anxious for the lives of the characters you like though, do yourself a favour and pre-order this book. This book (so far) was amazing and I really feel like a kid counting down the days befor Christmas as I wait for my… eight copies to arrive next month.

Whaaat. I love Jay Kristoff’s ability to weave a story. His characterization and ability to weave darkness into a story is amazingly well done. Coldblood, I need the rest!

Thank you x a million to St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Publishing, and Mr. Kristoff for the chance to read this exclusive sampler before the book's release in September!

I just recently finished and HOLY SHIT. It was amazing! I love this world so much and feel, strangely (maybe not so strangely), very much at home with it and following along with Gabe's story. Jay's writing style effortlessly pulls you in and leaves you wanting more, more, more, so naturally, you can't put the book down. Did I also say, out loud, "holy shit" a few times while reading it? Yes. Yes, I did.

The tone is ominous and foreboding, and the anticipation of what's to come on every page, and at the end overall, leaves you perched precariously on the edge of your seat the whole time. But while your stomach may be in knots, you can't help but revel in the story unfolding before you, adore the characters as you meet them, flawed or not, and smile and snicker at that snark and wit which are still ever-present and perfect. But am I stressed? Definitely. And worried about so many characters? Even more so. And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now... (probably start it over tbh).

A taste of what the story is like so far (no, not blood... ha-ha… okay maybe a little): Vampires meets the White Walkers meets The DaVinci Code meets Annihilation (I know, did that just confuse you more? Good lol).

Only one more month to go! I can't wait to start the sampler over in the meantime.

Cue me getting to the end of this sampler and screaming "WHERE'S THE REST OF IT?!" because I had forgotten it was only a sampler. That's alright though because all this did was make me even more hyped for the full book to release next month. I've already preordered the Kindle version AND a physical copy to add to my shelves (though sadly I missed out on that absolutely beautiful Waterstones edition). I'll honestly probably start the book from the very beginning too when it comes out just to prolong my enjoyment.

I got this Sampler from NetGalley and I am loving it! I will definitely be finishing this book as soon as my preorder arrives! I hated that it was just a sampler (even though it's over 400 pages), I really want to finish reading it! The book has very interesting characters with a lot of depth that we've only begun scratching the surface of. So far there have been several unexpected twists, which I love. I feel like this is going to be another wild and unpredictable ride steered by Jay Kristoff. With him at the helm, I fear all we can do is to hold on for dear life, and I am sure we will all sweetly suffer for it.

I will update the review once I finish reading the rest.

Synopsis:`
This book is set in a world where the sun has been dimmed and the creatures that were cowed by sunlight now roam free and seek wage war against humanity. Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order could not stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains. In the book, Gabriel is imprisoned and forced to tell his life's story to Jean-François, one of the very creatures Gabe has devoted his life to destroying; from how he became a Silversaint, to how he came upon humanity's last hope: The Holy Grail.

As this is only the excerpt of the novel, I’ll hold off on a true review until I read the full version upon release, but I’m eagerly waiting for September 14th. In true Kristoff fashion, the world and the characters are unique and exquisite. His writing style is phenomenal, it’s easy to envision the scene in your head. It’s dark, gritty and a captivating tale that has lived up to my expectations (I’ve been waiting on this book since his announcement). I can’t wait to see what the finished product with the artwork looks- it’s like an adult fairytale book but with more gore. However, I understand that this book may not be for everyone and advise readers to look into its content, topic and trigger warnings before deciding if it’s the right pick for them.

Mr.Kristoff takes swears as compliments as he relishes in readers’ pain and anguish, so f- you Mr.Kristoff, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Holy WOW.

I went into this book blind and want you to have the same experience I did - so I will leave a spoiler free review.

Over all this was a 5/5 star read for me.

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
World Building: 5/5
Enjoyment: 100/5
Vibes: Dark, Gothic, Awesome

I've never read a book quite like this one - the closest thing I can compare to would be Interview with a Vampire but darker, more intense, and thought provoking. The writing is beautiful descriptive and while the pacing started off a tad slow for me, it quickly picked up and drew me in. I cannot get enough of this world or the characters.

It's clear that the author poured his heart and soul into this novel. The character development and the relationship between the characters is captivating.

Besides the Aurora Chronicles, this was my first Kristoff read but it most definitely will not be my last. I've already gone out and purchased more of his books, preordered EOTV, and hope you will do the same.

September can't come soon enough so I can finish this book. Looking forward to more from Kristoff.

I should have never asked for this. I need to Read the rest but i have to Wait. It is torture... Pure torture. It Will be a masterpiece.

Interesting concept. I enjoyed learning more about the characters and the world. I'm just not a big fan of the format of the book. It starts with the MC recounting his life story (how he got where he is). I'm (personally) not really into this type of storytelling since the stakes are lower when we know that the MC is "alright" at the end. I much prefer a more traditional format where we're following the characters experience things in real time.

So overall, interesting concept but poor (imo) execution. I'll probably pick up the full book though just in case it gets better!

Wow... How in the world does Jay Kristoff pull it off time and time again! This excerpt (which is crazy to call this an excerpt with that many pages) is a brilliant story already. He likes to rip out your heart and stomp on it a few times and than throw it back in there and hope for the best. I absolutely can not wait for the rest of this story!

The first few chapters of this book suck you right into a tale that feels like The Witcher, with the extra sass of Nevernight. The book begin with the last Silversaint, Gabriel de León imprisioned by Her Grace Margot Chastain, the Undying Empress of Wolves and Men. The Empress' historian, Marquis Jean-Francois has been sent to Gabriel's prison cell at the top of a tower in order to chronicle his life before his execution, (since he is the last of the Silversaint warriors). Gabriel begins his story from his childhood village when the sun first became veiled, describing his family and the events that lead him to join the holy brotherhood of the Silversaints. The beginning chapters I read were fantastic and set up a strong foundation of incredible lore and interesting characters. I CANNOT wait to get my hands on a finished printed copy in September.

First of all, I'm DYING with where this sampler ended. Just plain cruel LOL

I had such mixed emotions starting this; on one hand, the sampler would be good to determine if I want to purchase but on the other I knew the sampler would be killer and make me want more.

Results are this: I NEED THE BOOK PLEASE ST. MARTIN'S SEND ME AN ARC.

I can't wait until the release of this one. I have several copies already on preorder as well as a plan to use in my bookclub very soon after release.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's for allowing me to read the sampler.

I almost wished I hadn't received a Sample from NetGalley because I want to read the full thing SO BAD. Jay Kristofferson posted his own book preview on here that's better than mine could ever be, but this is rad! I'm happy to commit to how friggin long it is.

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read an exclusive sampler of this highly anticipated book! I expected the sampler to be maybe 300 pages or something so I was kind of shocked when I got it and it was 600 pages. The world-building in this book is very much fully-realized and the descriptions and very in-depth and thorough. If you aren't used to kind of writing, it can be a bit of a struggle at first but eventually you really get used to it and truly immerse yourself in the world of Empire of the Vampire. The illustrations are very dramatic and the characters are very rich and thoroughly explored.

I was a little skeptical because it was vampires *eyeroll emoji* but I have to say this world that he's built is really sexy and dark in a wonderful way. Sex, violence, blood and vampires are all perfect fantasy elements to me I'm just disappointed that I got hooked and then couldn't read the ending.

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this massive sampler clocking in at 400 pages. I believe this sampler to be the first half of the final book, so it was enough for me to get the feel and the tone of the novel as a whole. I'm a huge fan of Jay Kristoff's so I went in expecting excellence, and.... I was not disappointed.
Imagine if Game Of Thrones had a baby with Interview with the Vampire and maybe you will have a quarter of what Empire With The Vampire is like.
It was pure gothic decadence thrown into a fantastical almost alternate history world where
vampires have ravaged humanity to almost nothing.
We follow Gabriel a halfblood vampire also known as a Silversaint ( fancy word for monster Slayer) as he recounts his journey for boyhood all the way to where he stands in his cell waiting his punishment for killing the Forever king AKA big baddie vampire. He tells his story with much sarcasm, banter and most of all hatred, to Jean francois, a purebred vampire who chronicles it on the request of his Empress. The tension between them is palpable. I enjoyed this book so much. Even if you are tired of Vampires, don't worry pick this one up. The blood sucking lore is fresh, brutal,
intriguing and exciting. Nothing like you have seen before. It's fantasy reinvented and I'm here for it. Jay outdid himself. I will be first in line to finish the rest of this novel, the first in a trilogy. Gabriel is now my spirit animal.

I devoured this book like a hungry vampire. Based on this first entry, this is going to be one amazing trilogy! Gabriel is fascinating and I can't wait for more of his story. No spoilers, but the one "character" I want more of is Ash!

Okay, I am internally (and possibly externally) screaming. This. Book. Is. LIFE. Or is it death? EITHER WAY! I can't even believe I am left WAITING for the rest of the book! WOWOWOW. I read this 400 page sampler in such a record time for myself, that I think I need to take a nap today to recover.

This book is so dark, so edgy, so lovely, and so terrifying. It has ALL the making of a Jay Kristoff novel. It is unique and filled with an abundance of ingenuity. With violence, sex, gore, prolific passages, I just could NOT put this down. I think this is his best book yet. The world is so well-established and so rich with danger and darkness, you'll never grow tired of what is on the next page.

I LOVED that the vampires were true to lore. They are mean, terrifying, villains that horror stories should be made of. They hold a sort of elegance and appeal, and are just as lovely as they are monstrous. The fight scenes were so detailed and just... masterful. Gabriel, ohhhhh Gabriel. I am smitten. His character is amazing. Being an ex-monster-slayer and sort of in a rut, comes out on top. His development is really amazing, from page 1 to page 400. I NEED THE NEXT 400 NOW!

One thing I absolutely LOVED about this was that, even though there is a lot going on, it's well versed and written. It flows nicely, and the format that it is written in is not terribly difficult to follow along. Also? This story is exactly that.... a story. It tells like one, feels like one as Gabriel gives his events of his life leading up to his current situation, and just about in chronological order. It tells the tale of losing belief in your self, losing purpose in your life, and finding who you are deep within. There are so many memorable moments that were exciting and meaningful. I am a sucker for gothic, macabre atmospheres and boy oh boy, did Jay Kristoff deliver.

This book is really going to deliver. Thank you SO MUCH to St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this sampler in exchange for my honest review!

I made it about 100 pages in before having to give up out of sheer frustration. The way the author writes is very wordy, and it feels like he throws words or phrases in, not for the sake of the story or the character, but because it sounds smart and uppity. The premise is interesting but the writing style makes it impossible to get into it.

"I'm saying we're people of passions," Gabriel replied. "For good or ill. To know ma famille, to know me, you must know that. Our hearts speak louder than our heads."

Out of the entirety of this book, this line right here describes Gabriel de Leon the best and it most certainly describes this story! Oh my goodness, gracious!

Empire of the Vampire is Interview with a Hitman, Van Helsing, and the crusades all mixed into one book.
"'War doesn't teach you to be a killer,' he told me once. 'It's just a key that opens our door. There's a beast in all men's blood, Gabriel. You can starve him. Cage him. Curse him. But in the end, you pay the beast his due, or he takes his due from you.'"

The world-building in the story was so well-done that even though I would never, EVER, want to live there, I wouldn't mind visiting. From the very beginning of the book, I was captivated by the imagery that Kristoff described. The detail and depth that he goes into with the One Faith, even with sneak peeks inside other people's faith in the story, was captivating.

And Gabriel.........let's just say I am both terrified and obsessed with him! If I could sit down with any person, real or fictional, he would probably be at the top of my list!

It pains me that not only do I still have to wait for the actual book to come out but I also have to wait for the NEXT FREAKING BOOK!!!!!!!!