What a fantastic sampler!!! Once I got to the end of that, I realized how long of a wait I still have to dive back in and finish this bad boy. I swear this is going to be the most perfect series starring vampires anyone could write up. I forget how long the book as because each page just engulfs you into itself and it's easy to forget there is life outside it. Can't wait to get ahold of the rest of this!

Thank you to the Publisher and the NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!!! I really do enjoy the prisoner being forced to give their story to the captor. Especially when it breaks for small measures for some back and forth between the pair. I also enjoy a darker fantasy with the probability of no happy ever after. That the 'heroes' will lose.

Well holy redeemer. I just finished the sampler up to page 215 and what a ride. There is a fantastic recap at the beginning summarizing who is who and what is what. Much needed and thank you. Book two starts right where one left off and we jump in and out of our narrated story. Gabe is still Gabe and all that he is. Swearing, epic quotes of knowledge and tattoo worthy lines. There are epic battles and fights. Strategy and tricks and I'm only half way. As with all of kristoffs works don't trust anything he says and guard your heart. But what is utterly amazing and spectacular is the art throughout the book telling its own story. I cannot wait to have color copies of these images.
Please let me read the other half.... This is well on its way to stealing Nevernight out of the top spot in my favorites list.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost. Drawn into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious vampire Liathe, Gabriel must now deliver the Grail to ancients of the Blood Esani, and learn the truth of how Daysdeath might be finally undone.

But the Last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by terrors of the Blood Voss, drawn into warfare between the Blood Dyvok and duskdancers of the frozen Highlands, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the Grail learn her truth.

And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.


This second book better be good for the rest of the story. Just like this sample...
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin Press for this sampler in exchange for an honest review.

Empire of the Damned Sampler continues telling Gabriel's story from Empire of the Vampire.


I would give "Empire of the Damned Sampler" by Jay Kristoff a 5 star review because, this is a long anticipated continuance for me this continues to be soo good, I loved the writing, the storyline was great, Gabriel continues to be my favorite character but now I have to wait to continue this.

My only complaint is that it’s not the full ARC! I love where this picks up, and it’s made me even more excited for the release. I’ll be doing a reread of the first book before this one comes out. Jay Kristoff knows how to write vampires!

5 plus plus
Very happy to be able to read this sampler. The book has a great start continuing the story. I love that we go back to the queen and J.F. I appreciate the character summary at the start. It's perfect. More fantasy authors should do this. So well done that one can pick up this novel without reading the first and would not be confused.
I'm very excited to read the full version. This is an auto-buy author for me. This sampler shows the illustrations and, like the writing, they continue to be spectacular. There are still many aspects of the story that this book can answer from the previous volume. I love that the author is consistent and although we already know so much from the previous volume we still keep turning the pages for more.
I love grumpy, fearless nothing-to-lose-main characters.
Thank you netgalley and publisher for this sampler.

After just finishing the sampler from NetGalley, I am assured that I will love this novel just as much as I loved the first one. I just read Empire of the Vampire for the second time last month and it has only made me even more excited for this novels release.

When I got the email that I was approved for the netgalley sampler - I put everything else on hold to read this. I simply cannot wait for the release of Empire of the Damned. And I will make sure to update as soon as I read the full length novel.

This one is my most anticipated book of 2024, and I can already tell it is likely to be shelved under "favorites". ❤

Tremendous Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a bit, early!

So bummed this was just a sampler but stoked for the book! I will update once I have read the full book.

This made me so excited for Empire of the Damned!! I didn't realize this was just a sampler so I devoured it far too quickly and it definitely was a tease. But ahhh. I'm so ready!

Thank you for the opportunity to read a sample of this.

I have been waiting for the next installment of this series and was really excited to jump back in! I'm really happy that the book picks up right where the first left off. I'm still intrigued by this world and the character's motives. The artwork is also stunning and it helps bring the imagery in my mind to life. The writing is easy to read and found myself flying through the pages. I can not wait to get my hands on the physical copy.

I need the rest. Biblically. Jay, you have out done yourself again. So far 10/10 and my thirst for this tale cannot be stated! March can’t come fast enough

Empire of The Damned, the second installment in Jay Kristoff's grimdark vampire saga, retains the enjoyable elements of the first book while introducing a new perspective. While Gabriel's narrative continues, his long-lost sister Celene, revealed as an Esani Vampire with unique abilities, offers an omnipresent view, unraveling stories of characters like Dior. This additional point of view not only delves into Celene's character but also puts Dior in the spotlight, shedding light on her adventures and struggles through the impartial lens of Gabe's sister. This perspective also unveils more about the vampire hierarchy, portraying their characters more vividly while reaffirming their less-than-admirable nature.

Hard to give a full review when I only get the sampler, sigh.

I only received an arc of the first couple hundred pages but it was just as amazing as the first book and I am upset that I have to wait a couple months for the rest of the book.

Holy crap, that was so good.

I could not believe I got approved for this arc, even if it is just a sampler and now I want to know who to sell my soul to for the full arc.

I have been anticipating this book since I finished EoTV and this did not disappoint! We are thrown right back into the story and I could not read this fast enough. I love how Jay Kristoff has written this world and the vampires. It’s everything I could want in a vampire series. The Voss vampires stay terrifying and it feels like somehow the stakes are even higher in this book. I was gasping in shock, sadness and excitement while reading & I am so excited to read the rest of the book.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the arc sampler!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this sampler. The sampler included Book I and Book II, and it is 215 pages long.

EoTD picks up right where EoTV left of. However, it feels darker and more foreboding. I can't wait for March!!

This is my most anticipated read of 2024 and this teaser was NOT enough! I am so excited to immerse myself back into this fantastic world Mr Kristoff has made. Gabriel and his tale is so enjoyable and I cannot stop reading. Jay Kristoff has created a literary master piece

Sampler thoughts -
First thoughts on reading the cast of characters from the first book and on - I'm thrilled to be reading more of this story that as I may have written in my review of the first title, this is the series I didn't know I needed and now I just want more (and if writing that didn’t just put one of the more overdramatic Sisters of Mercy videos into my head).

In a word, epic. So far it's perfect.

****
I'm also completely furious with myself. I was offered a full book from the publisher and I guess it had been long enough since the first book that I forgot just how much this made me 😍

******
next day
Wow, St. Martin’s Press is forever in my heart - I contacted them and they’re still sending me out a physical copy of this ❤️❤️❤️❤️


Full review to come (and I can’t wait to hold this in my hands and read it all!!!)



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review. Amazing!! I need more but I am so excited for what's to come. Everything feels so familiar when you read and get to plunge back into this dark, marvelous world. Give me the whole book.

This sampler was amazing! I cannot wait to get the whole thing because I am so ready to dive back into this world and fall in love with Hay's writing, storytelling and characters.

Loved this so much!