Is anyone ready for this?
Since this is a sampler, I don't feel as if it's fair to judge too much of this book. Yet, it is clear that Jay Kristoff is going to have another hit series. While you might be tired of vampires, Jay returns us to our beloved paranormal creatures in a bloody, sexy, epic story.
You want intense world building? Characters worth crying over? Some bloody smut?
Look no further.

I haven’t read any of Mr. Kristoff’s books even though he has been on my tbr for years! I’ve been seeing things about this book for months and instantly knew I needed to read it! I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Empire of the Vampire drew me in and had me hooked from start to finish! Everyone who loves vampires needs to get this book when it comes out because it is soooo good!! I will definitely be reading all of Mr. Kristoff’s previous books ASAP and his future books as well! Thank you so much St Martins Press!

*Thank you SO much to Jay Kristoff, MacMillan publishing and Netgalley for giving me this E-ARC sampler of "Empire of the Vampire " in exchange for an honest review *

I really loved Kristoff's Nevernight Chronicles so I was EXCITED AS HECK when he announced that he was writing a vampire book. From the sample, I could tell that Jay make Vampires dark and still keep his signature humor. I can't wait to read the full book.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this extended sampler in exchange for a honest review!

EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE is about Gabriel de Leon, the last Silversaint of his kind. He has been imprisoned by the monsters he's sworn to hunt down, for years, and is forced by one of them to tell his story: forbidden love, legendary battles, losing faith, and the friendships he gains along his journey to finish the war once and for all. But to finish and possibly help humanity he needs to find the one and only: the Holy Grail.

First off, I just want to say: Thank you again for allowing me to read ANY of this book. It's one of my most anticipated releases of this year and you should have seen my face when I saw I got the approval to read over 400 out of 750 pages of this chunky, gorgeous book.

That being said... if I'm not counting his collabs with Amie Kaufman (which I adore), I've only read Jay's LIFEL1K3 trilogy, with NEVERNIGHT still being on my TBR pile. When I heard he was putting out a vampire series I knew it'd be an instant-buy for me.

Vampires have been out of style for a while with only a few cropping here and there of good vampire books. I've been waiting for a new vampire book to honestly bring back vampires into the mix. I think EMPIRE could do just that. I liked the separation of "paleones" (half born vampire) and "coldones" (full vampire) and the differences they have but still keeping to some traditions of being a vampire. Jay does a good job incorporating old and new twists to the genre.

If you love THE NAME OF THE WIND mixed with INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, I know you're going to love this book!

The book is told in the POV of Gabriel telling his story to Jean François, a vampire holding him prisoner. Inbetween the story are illustrations by Monolime art and they are stunning both in color and black and white. Jean François has Gabriel start from the beginning when he was just growing up under an abusive household. Gabriel speaks about becoming a Silversaint and training to hunt down the vampires I'm the ongoing war.

I really liked the banter between Gabriel and Jean François. The writing was well done and lots of quips I wouldn't be surprised to see one day on merchandise.

I do have a tiny nitpick... there were many moments of slow pacing which dragged the story down quite a bit but understandably so as the book is 750 pages and is the start to a series. I'm unsure if it's a trilogy or longer but hopefully the pacing will be fixed after all the world building.

I am super excited to continue the story in September, I got it pre-ordered at Barnes and I am ready to finish this story!

PS... this is not a kid's book.

4.5 stars

I've seen so much positive hype around this book, so I was really excited to read this sampler, albeit a little concerned that it was going to be over hyped. But it was not. It was so good. The best way I could describe it is The Name of the Wind meets The Witcher but with vampires and a little bit of The Da Vinci Code. It's told across three separate time lines, the present where Gabriel De Leon is imprisoned and telling his life story to a vampire chronicler, the very beginning of his life accounting his vampire slaying training, and somewhere in the middle where he has a run in with the holy grail. The interweaving of these timelines makes for a really engaging story and there's a bunch of little clues of stuff that's gonna happen but you don't know when. Like any really good epic fantasy, the whole world feels really flushed out and I can't wait until the book comes out so I can read the rest of it. I have lots of questions and theories that I need answered.

”Hearts only bruise. They never break.”

Wow! I was not expecting that! I was not expecting to fall in love with all of these characters and their rough, raw, troublesome lives they all live. I was not expecting such in-depth world building that I just want more of!

This book is very long and goes to a lot of places. And by that I mean you learn a lot of information about a small handful of characters and their early lives. This story is quite literally being told like a story. I didn’t think I’d like this at first but the ole vampire grew on me. Their banter witty and fun in the midst of the story’s true heartache.

“God didn’t want me. And the devil was afraid to open the door.”

The sun is blotted out. The monsters that lurk in the dark are very hungry. Our main story teller is very good at pissing them off.

We know a smidge of what’s to come. We just don’t know all the dots yet and I can’t wait to put the other pieces all together in the following books. Break my heart, Mr. Kristoff!

I will 100% absolutely read anything Kristoff publishes without even second guessing. He is an auto buy author for me. I cannot wait to read the full length novel of this sampler; I'm already completely enthralled with this new world and these new characters. His world building and characters arcs are unlike any other I've read.

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!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have been wanting to sink my teeth into a really good vampire story for such a long time, and this FINALLY gave me that fix that I've been craving forever. This is dark, bloody and downright entertaining. I was filled with a constant sense of dread every time I turned a page for fear of what was going to happen next.

The characters are so likeable and life-like that I felt invested in their stories and their mission. I loved the way this story is told too, as our protagonist is recounting his adventures to a vampire who has him prisoner. I didn't expect the amount of emotion this book has and what it made me feel, and there were many moments where I physically reacted.

The story jumps back and forth and it's a format I ended up loving as we got to see glimpses into different characters and get more context behind something, and more. It really pays off as we head towards the end of the story. And let me tell you, I'm dying for the next book. This was just DRIPPING with plot and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next, but also not, because I just knew there would be more bloodshed or something.

There are a lot of exciting and memorable moments throughout this and the picture this painted in my head was gorgeously gothic and macabre - everything I wanted from this book going into it. Cannot wait for the final copy so I can see all of the illustrations, because the few that the ARC had were simply gorgeous.

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.