Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this sampler of Empire of the Vampire in exchange for an honest review!

I'll be honest, here. While I love the premise and I'm all for dark fantasy and Jay's writing, I found this one to actually be rather disappointing. It's written in the same vein as Name of the Wind. He's telling his story, jumping back between the past and the present, but the transitions were so choppy for me, and I honestly hated that he literally writes the entire sections of the flash back in quotes. I dunno, he couldh ave broken it up or something, but the quotes were so very distracting while reading.

I also found the story a bit...bland? It's like it was trying to be Nevernight in dark vampire form with a male MC. But the humor wasn't there, and the character felt like a weaker version of Mia.

I am highly disappointed. I was really anticipating this one.

I received this sampler from NetGalley for free to read and review. This is my honest review.

I loved this take on a vampire novel, mixed with lore of a Holy Grail. It’s different than all the other vampire and vampire hunter novels I’ve read.

From a vampire historian, to a tattooed vampire hunter covered in silver, to the ragtag team hunting the Grail, I loved all of it. Gabriel De Leon will forever be my silversaint. He was such a good character and I loved his attitude and snarkiness. I was gripped to the pages and I can’t wait for the rest!

Okay, I need the rest of this book IMMEDIATELY. This was dark, gritty, wonderful, and essential Jay Kristoff. I'm so excited vampires are coming back and this reminded me of Interview with a Vampire but.... about 100 times darker. I'm in love and can't wait for the rest of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the exclusive sample!

**This was given by request via NetGalley**

From the moment I heard about this book, I remember thinking, "Oh thank God. Finally someone is going to bring vampires back," and I knew that Jay wasn't going to write the simple vampires. He was going to write dark and gritty, something sharp and painful and raw and real.. and I was not let down. I knew this book was right for him. Holy hell.

Now i'm going to update this by saying I didn't read the whole book because the version that was given out by NetGalley was a 400 page "teaser" version. I just don't happen to see that version online here. Maybe I missed it, I don't know and honestly, at this point, I don't think I could even care if this ruins my stats for the year. I just need to get this out and say that Kristoff did it again. He hooked me harder and faster than even Nevernight did. He has this superb way of writing and plotting, and developing characters, that makes me question my ability to write. His characters are full of depth and emotion and life (even the undead ones). This book is no different.

However, I definitely feel like I was just edged really hardcore because there's 300+ pages that I didn't get the chance to read but keep an eye on this space. I'll update it once my preordered copy comes in!

I received my very first Advanced Reading Copy of this book from the publisher, and the fact that it is from an author who I very much admire – I was awestruck. I was not expecting to be one of the lucky ones to read a brand new book of Jay Kristoff’s this early on. But, I will not speculate on that.

First impression: I thought I was over vampires, I was very wrong indeed. This is a new Adult Fantasy novel by Kristoff, so for starters this is not a book for the young ones. These are not your Edward Cullen vampires or even your Damon Salvatores. They do not sparkle and they are not devilishly handsome and there are no love triangles.

Instead, this is a book with extensive world building which I am absolutely here for it. And true to his writing style, Kristoff is notorious for telling his stories through creative outlets. The ARC I received included black and white illustrations which were very dramatic and jaw-droppingly amazing – the artist deserves soo much credit because the artwork did the novel justice.

I don’t like people ruining books for me, so I will not bombard you with any spoilers for even I don’t even know how exactly Kristoff will end this – but if you enjoy a slight “coming of age” tales, mystical journeys to learn about yourself, vampires and let’s say vampire-hunters, this is for you. If you like mysterious and forbidden libraries, an anti-hero, and detailed fight scenes – then you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did.

Jay Kristoff literally said, ha! Edward Cullen, Damon Salvatore, Klaus Michaelson – child’s play. I’ll one up you with Empire of the Vampire. So, ladies and gents get your thumbs ready to hit that Pre-order button and your credit cards at the ready for this new series by Jay Kristoff. It’s going to be real crowd pleaser!

"And in the sight of God and his Seven Martyrs, I do here vow; Let the dark know my name and despair. So long as it burns, I am the flame. So long as it bleeds, I am the blade. So long as it sins, I am the saint. And I am silver."

Holy Redeemer. This was the NetGalley sampler that I read, so it's only the first half of the book and all that needs to be said is READ THIS BOOK!!! This vampire saga is a journey full of faith, despair, honor and heartache.

The world of Elidaen has been brought to it's knees by the daysdeath, a world altering event that reduced the amount of sunlight the world receives. Crops fail, trees die and the once reclusive vampires are now able to walk the world unimpeded during the day. Humanity is at the brink of extinction, and it's only hope is Gabriel De Leon, the last Silversaint.

No spoilers here so all I will say is the characters, the violence, the world building, the twists, it's all brought together beautifully by Jay's writing. With our protagonist Gabriel, you can feel the ache, weariness, hope, resignation, need and want all wrapped up together marvelously. I am counting the days till my copy arrives and I can find out what in the heck happens next!!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC sampler of this book! Usually the samplers I see are only a few chapters, but this sampler is sixteen chapters! It's a very generous sampler that gives you a good indication of whether you'll want to continue reading the book when it releases (I will be).

It's sort of hard to write a review when you don't have the whole book to read, but based on what I read so far, I'm giving it a 4 star.

This book feels like a mix of some of my favorite vampire novels, and that's what helped hook me. The base of the story sounds like Interview with A Vampire (Anne Rice), but reversed with the vampire being the one to interview a vampire hunter. The vampire hunter aspect feels like a mix of Blade (Marvel character and movies) with a dash of The Witcher (Andrejz Sapkowski). There's also tiny a little bit of True Blood (HBO/Charlaine Harris). So if you like vampires from the media mentioned, I'd give it a read!

The one downside is there were a few lines that I found ridiculously funny, and I don't think they were supposed to be. One line in particular made me laugh so hard I had to put the book down and walk away.

I will update my review and rating after the book releases!

This is the first book I've read by Jay Kristoff. It was breathtaking. It was hilarious. The illustrations were beautiful. It was only the sampler, though it was nearly half the book, I've already pre-ordered the hardback I loved it so much.
Gabriel is telling his story to a vampire that holds him captive and requires his story for his mistress. He is the last of the silversaints, a brotherhood of men who serve God by slaying vampires that have taken over the lands. The sun no longer shines due to a "curse" which shadows the land. This allows the vampires to expand their empire since they no longer have to hide from the sun.
Seriously, if you love a good vampire tale, this one is epic. It's very dark and definitely not for children. Though I have not read the Witcher series, I've seen the show and this book has a very heavy Witcher vibe to it. I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy! Characters were developed and definitely a grimdark vibe ....main character is not the nicest of people, but he has redeeming qualities. World building was good, but I have questions about things in the world and how they would work or be created, but that is just me nitpicking. Looking forward to more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this exclusive sampler in exchange for my honest review.

Empire of the Vampire is an action packed fantasy read filled with vampires, quests, untold stories, religion, and various dark elements. I do highly suggest checking the trigger warnings before reading as it does have a lot of gore and violence.

So far I have loved the gothic vibes and all the inspiration the author took from Interview With The Vampire. The world building is well written and filled with a lot of details and descriptions. So it is very easy to follow and understand.

The storyline is very interesting as it goes back and forth through a nonlinear narrative. It is told as a narration of the main characters life story and I was definitely intrigued the whole time. The writing is absolutely captivating and while the story is well written unfortunately, it was a bit slow paced in certain parts.

The main character, Gabriel de León is such a complex and interesting character. His story is still much of a mystery but from what he has said it’s been filled with heartbreak, loss, temptation, anger, and survival. I’m curious to learn how he ends up where he currently is. .

This exclusive sample left off an a very intriguing plot twist, that I did not see coming. Overall, just an entertaining read so far with a captivating character and storyline that I’m excited to finish once it fully releases.

DNF @ 68%
I really wanted to give this book a fair chance. I thought that the characters were well written and the plot of the story was interesting. What made me DNF was my own mindset while reading this book. The dark atmosphere just wasn't the right thing for me at the moment, and could feel myself falling into reading slump. So I decided that it would be best for me to stop reading for the moment.
I really liked the way that the world was being developed. It was enthralling and captivating to read about. I thought the author did a fantastic job of making it feel like you were experiencing the world along with our characters.
The timeline of the story jumps around slightly which always takes a bit for me to get used to but I think it overall added to the story.
I loved the way that the vampires are portrayed in this book. I love reading the way that authors take a well known monster and put their own spin on it.
Overall I think this book is worth picking up if you love vampires, gothic stories, and epic fantasy. I will definitely be trying to pick this one up again in the future when I am in a better headspace reading wise.

Thank you thank you thank you for this!!! I bought the book through one of the special book boxes and I can't wait to feel the magic between my fingertips as I read it again. This is purely magical. I am aware that the author has some controversy, but I don't believe in letting that take away the magic from a well told story. Very similar to Pat Rothfuss which made me fall in love straight away as I adore stories within stories.
The characters are beautiful, sexy, flawed, and just as much of a vampire as you could want (without the sparkling thank goodness). I'd give into these vampires in a heart beat. Where's my pipe with powered blood now?

”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.


This review is for the sampler only. First impression? If Game Of Thrones and Interview With A Vampire had an unholy child…EOTV would be it.

I’ve only read the first 400 pages…BUT (insert colorful expletives here)…I’m completely yours, Jay Kristoff! Wretched and devoted for all eternity!
Actually…no, if Jay was standing in front of me now I don’t know if I’d bite him or offer the man my blood! Gah! How could he tease me with such dark, gritty gut-wrenching prose and then deny me the rest of the book?

*le sigh* Guess I'll have to wait till Sept 14th like the rest of the wretched plebs out there.

Glad I already preordered my EOTV because I’ve already got a major book hangover and I haven’t even finish the damn thing!

I’ll just be here waiting…plucking out my eyelashes one by one until EOTV arrives on my doorstep. No biggie.

very interesting sneak peak- i'm curious to read the full thing. at times, a little pretentious (similar to john green, maybe), but overall a very entertaining read so far.

I loved every second of this book! It was only the sampler but it was over 400 pages, and I cannot wait until the book comes out to finish! I have always been a Jay Kristoff, and Empire of the Vampire might be my new favorite! I love Gabriel’s character and how he becomes a completely different person from the first timeline to the second. He goes from this naïve, God worshiping, family loving boy..to a badass, complex, foul mouthed man! I also highly enjoy the banter between Gabriel and Jean-François while he is telling his life story. The rest of the characters in this book are very interesting and complex too. I will definitely be Finishing this book the day comes out! Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this sampler of this

With a gush of Anne Rice, a splatter of GRR Martin, a drop of Stephen King, a drip of Rothfuss and a slash of TWD, Kristoff builds a fantasy world of vampire rulers, silversaint warriors, struggles with faith, blood, gore, touching moments and smart-assed cracks. No fair, SMP. No fair. But your ploy worked. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the remainder of the book.

Note: I read a 400 page exclusive sampler and not the entire book.

Oh, this is just mortifying. I'm super embarrassed now. I was so excited to get approved for an arc of EOTV. I did a really weird dance; there may have been some arm flapping, funky chicken style.......? I'm not sure now, it all feels like a haze. Because you see, I didn't get approved for an arc of EOTV. I got approved for the "Sampler" instead. So at around 400 pages, I got a message saying "thank you for reading our sampler". The end of the book is missing. I don't know what happens! OMFG, what happens?! I guess I will be waiting with angrily bated breath, just like the rest of you, for 9/14/21.

The world building is insane. It's so painstakingly rendered and with an incredible attention to detail, as are all of Jay Kristoff's books. The verbiage and weird kinda Old English language is jarring at first, but you get used to it fast and hardly notice because, um. Vampires. Sexy soldier who hunts vampires. Have you seen the fan art?? I'm just going to be over here fanning myself, thinking about ol' Gabe, and waiting impatiently to finish the story! Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the chance to review this advance copy.

I first want to note that the formatting on the sampler was some of the worst ebook formatting I've experienced. It was truly a nightmare to read.

This book follows Gabriel, a crusader like knight destined to kill vampires. In this world something has caused the sun to go permanently dark and vampires basically have free reign.

This isn't the worst thing I've ever read, it just really isn't for me. The writing is pretentious and takes itself far too seriously. I'm not a big fan of religion and this isn't even thinly veiled Catholicism. There is a lot of unnecessary pedophilia that makes the book uncomfortable to read at times. Characters could easily be aged up or down to make relationships less creepy. Also, its not necessary for all vampires to be sexually obsessed with children. Jay Kristoff also lifts plot lines directly from other vampire movies or books. The Blade movies, the Bible, and Salems Lot are two examples of stories where exact things shown in this book have already been done. He didn't even really try to change things up. This also doesn't have a linear timeline, which is a story telling device I personally dislike although this one isn't horribly done.

This book isn't all bad, there were things I did like. This is a story within a story, very similar to how The Name of the Wind is told (he really is stealing things from other books). The artwork in here is amazingly beautiful. There are some extremely funny one liners.

Most people seemed to like this book from the other ARC reviews I'm seeing so if it sounds good to you and nothing I dislike about the book puts you off then I think you should give this a shot.

I'm going to mark it as a DNF at the end of the sampler because I don't have a desire to purchase the book in order to finish it.

Jay Kristoff has done an incredible job with creating this amazing world. I loved getting to know about Gabriel de Leon and how he got where he was. I loved the characters and relationships throughout and loved travelling the incredible world. I really enjoyed his take on vampires and can definitely see the Vampire Dairies inspiration throughout with not only the vampires but the personalities of some of the characters. I look forward to not only finishing the book but also the other books to come.

Just when you think NeverNight is the cheekiest, sarcastic and vulgar book you can consume, Jay strikes again. This book takes you on a ride from start to finish. The style this is written is unique just like all Jay’s books and I could not get enough. I sailed through the second half, packed with action and physically unable to be put down. This is exactly the follow up to NeverNight that we all needed. And the illustrations are legitimately to die for. 10/10 and 5 stars.