As I only received a sampler, I find it difficult to give this higher than a 4 stars. I did enjoy this snippet, however! The writing style continues to be evocative. Gabe continues to be one of my favourite fictional characters. The same sense of impending doom and overarching sense of grief is weaved throughout the story, and I truly can't wait to see what the rest of the book has in store!

Couldn’t wait for the sequel vampire ridden novel and I’m not disappointed at all!!

Great world building, bloody action and betrayal. I’m here for you it!!

I absolutely loved the first book and was beyond desperate to continue the story! Even though this was only a small portion of the second book it had me hooked instantly. I didn't realize how quickly I was burning through it until was on the last page of the sneak peak. I it could've been the entire book because now March can't come soon enough! I'll always recommend Jay Kristoff he's quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.
To be really straightforward, this installment of the series was pretty boring ("sucked," one could say). The first book had the same goofy, overwrought, banter-y writing style which for that book was quite fun, but it's now gotten very old. Kristoff knows how to use flowery language, but here it was too much. I hardly finished this story. And I really firmly believe now that Kristoff also cannot write a solid female character. Dior reads like "one of the boys" who is (barely) treated like an equal because she's the savior of the world and can punch and stab stuff. The dialogue between her and Gabriel was, again, incredibly boring. Having women characters who are not victims, tropey "badasses," or tropey sex objects is maybe something to consider at this point.

As for the plot, could take it or leave it. The flashbacks narrated by Gabriel worked well in the first book, but did not translate well into this one. Why continue in that style rather than changing the point of view to first-person present tense or something similar? Kind of a minor quirk for me in the grand scheme of things, considering the story did not progress very far. Maybe I will pick it up and finish in the future, but for now I need a more engaging read than this.

This sequel to Empire of the Vampire picks up right where the last book left off with the last Silversaint captured by vampires. He recounts his rise to infamy all the way to his final adventure to end the endless night that had plagued his home for decades.

The narrative style in which this story is told certainly takes some getting used to, but I appreciate its unique perspective and the hilarious interjections to the story. Other readers might find this jarring, but I appreciate this multi-dimensional aspect. The timeline in this book is more linear than the last, which is something I appreciate.

The world-building in these books are so incredibly immersive and vast. I love the wide range of characters that we meet and the amount of care and detail that goes into creating this absolute beast of a series. I’ve described to people that it’s a fantasy adventure that’s almost like D&D with a post-apocalyptic setting and some incredible vampire villains. It is such a fast-paced thrill ride that will delight readers that appreciate more blood-thirsty enemies and the highest of stakes

Now I only got the sampler, so I only got a taste of this awesome book, but if you love evil vampire villains, a jaded and hilarious anti-hero, and an incredibly detailed post-apocalyptic fantasy world, then Empire of the Damned comes out on March 12, 2024!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read this AMAZING title in exchange for an honest review.

OMG I'm going to try not to fangirl too hard in this review (and inevitably fail), but this was knock-your-socks-off FANTASTIC and I could not put it down. I feel so privileged to have gotten an ARC! Wow, wow, WOW! Stop what you're doing and go read this book!

Thank you, Jay Kristoff, for writing such an immersive and gorgeous story!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC sample in exchange for an honest review.

From the first page, this sequel to Empire of the Vampire had me hooked. It immediately picks up where the first book ended and jumps right back into action. So far, this book is just as intense, mysterious, and addictive as the first. The sample ended on such a cliffhanger… I will be counting the minutes until March 12

A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff. This was yet another win for Kristoff and his character “the Lion.” In both Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, I was completely transported to this fantastical dystopian of predator and prey, courage and sacrifice. I don’t know how he manages to do it, but Kristoff creates imagery that is so vivid and conflicting emotions of both despair and hope. I cannot wait to continue this saga,

Amazing. There is no end to the absolute excitement I had in being able to read this book. I love Jay's writing and his characters are absolutely fantastic. This is a very long winding road of a story--it is not a short read and it's building more in this second book to give us a well rounded story in the next book. He did not disappoint --I feel this book was a steady fire that will grow into something bigger and louder in book 3.

My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6168446770" >5 of 5 stars

I received a digital ARC from the publisher. This is my honest review.

I have loved just about everything Jay Kristoff has written, and Empire of the Damned is no exception. This book was a masterpiece of fantasy and without a doubt one of the best books I have read. As the second book in Jay Kristoff's dark and enthralling take on vampires, Empire of the Damned did not disappoint. Kristoff's writing never fails to impress with complex characters, unique voice, and intricate plots- Empire of the Damned shows Kristoff's growth as a writer and exemplifies his imaginative skills.

Despite being the middle book in a trilogy, this book did not suffer the usual "second book syndrome." Empire of the Damned stands on its own by pushing character growth, moving the plot forward, and building intrigue. In this book we really see each character develop as we learn more about their backstories and motivations. The world of EoTV gains more color as the reader is exposed to more characters and history. Plot points from EoTV are well-carried throughout EoTD in a manner that allows us to grow more connected with the characters while still leaving questions about what may come next.

Kristoff's unique style makes it easy to engage with deep world building and lore without the reader feeling overwhelmed or bored. New information folds easily into the story and allows the reader to fully immerse themselves without a second thought. Though this is a chunky book, like EoTV, the length is not an obstacle as a reader because of the story's structure and Kristoff's excellent pacing.

Much like Kristoff's other works, smut and gore are certainly present in this book. However, it always clearly serves some purpose in the story- whether it is to explain the world, develop characters, build the reader's emotions, or to move the plot forward. These scenes are strategically placed and make perfect sense in the story. Smut and gore can be hard to write for some authors, but Kristoff does it masterfully; no awkward word choices, no cringe, and the reader isn't left wondering "was that really necessary?"

This book had every marking of an amazing fantasy story and takes a new approach to vampires, religion, and war. Absolutely fantastic story that should be at the top of any fantasy reader's TBR.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/174167404-chloe">View all my reviews</a>

Let me preface this review by saying that it covers only the approx. 200 page amuse-bouche that I received and I will update with a review of the entire book sometime shortly after publication. For fans of Empire of the Vampire, prepare for another sunset sitting with Gabriel as he continues his dark, enthralling tale. And for anyone who enjoys a dark, severe narrative and has yet to read the first book of this series, there it a tome to whet your appetite. If the sampler is any indication, then this book does not suffer from any sophomore slump, in fact it is even more engaging; and to my delight, the illustrations continue as well. And almost as brutal as the story itself is the cliff at which the sample left me, for this was just a taste and now I crave the main course even more...
I received advanced digital access to this sample thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
(4* out of 5 upped to 4.5 for the awesome illustrations even included in a sample)

After waiting what felt like ages for news of Empire of the Vampire's follow-up, I couldn't be more thrilled to have received this sampler of Book #2. In Empire of the Damned, we pick up where we left off, returning to old characters and meeting new ones. Kristoff's signature wit and banter are on full display, and I couldn't be more excited to find out where the story goes from here. I'm curious to unravel more information about the plotline and the trustworthiness of these characters.

I'm kicking myself for starting this as early as I did because now I'll be glaring at my calendar for the next several weeks, wondering why it's not yet March 12th. The sampler itself is an easy five stars and I can only imagine what brutality and action lies ahead.

Jay Kristoff, I owe you a drink for writing the best book I’ve ever read. And you owe me ten drinks for the emotional damage it gave me.

I’m going to go sit in silence for a few days to process everything Gabriel and Dior went through. The depth, character development, the illustrations, and world building was absolutely phenomenal in the second book of this series. We meet some old characters and some new characters as the story progresses. My heart is torn as to who to trust and who to believe.

I cannot stress enough how badly I need a colored illustration version of this book.

Thank you for the opportunity of an eARC, and I am leaving this review willingly.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book as an ARC (advanced reader copy).

Empire of the Damned, by Jay Kristoff, continues the story of Gabriel de Leon, the Silversaint, still held captive by Jean Claude, Voss historian. Receiving his fill of wine and bloodhymn, the last Silversaint picks up his recounted journey where he left off with Dior and his quest to deliver the Holy Grail to the Blood Esani in order to end Daysdeath and restore the sun.

Written in true Jay Kristoff fashion, Empire of the Damned is full of banter and wit - "where truth is the sharpest knife" and female characters are renowned and quest for blood as much as any warrior, even though they continue to understand that "there are always f***s to give for fashion".

The end of Empire has the reader anticipating the third and final installment with a cliffhanger that will leave your jaw dropping. Even the last Silversaint was caught by surprise with the news Jean Claude revealed.

First of all, I must say THANK YOU to Netgalley for this arc copy in exchange for an honest review. You guys are awesome! And when I say I may have already bought three editions of Empire of the Damned, I totally did!!!

In this sequel to Empire of the Vampire, we pick up where we left off in Gabriel’s story about the quest of the Holy Grail. He has saved the Grail and must decide what to do next with it, when he makes an unlikely alliance in a foe. Where will this story take its turn, and what happens to our heroes in the battle for the end of daysdeath?

Since this is second book of a series, I won’t go into many spoilers of the book itself. Here are some of my thoughts and feelings I had about Empire of the Damned while I was reading it:
-I love this man Gabe
-this is soooooo good
-oh how I’ve missed Gabriel de Leon
-woweeeee
-OOF
-I’m ready to be destroyed
-holy crap!!!!!
-there’s no way this can only be THREE BOOKS.
-I need more of this story AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

This was my most anticipated read of 2024, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ my only qualm with this book was that it was not long enough (not really a qualm but a compliment, in its own way), I need more of this story and my man Gabe. I’m excited to see where Jay Kristoff takes this story next. Thanks again to Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC! I devoured the first book, Empire of the Vampire, near the end of last year and it’s now one of my favorite books! I squealed so loud when I saw I was approved for this advanced reader copy 😅🤫😂
.
The Witcher meets Interview with the Vampire in this gothic dystopia where the sun never shines. We follow Gabriel De León, a Silversaint, whose mission is to kill creatures of the dark including vampires and more with his fellow Silversaint tbrethren. Gabriel recounts his life story in the first book and continues his story of adventure and death in Empire of the Damned.
.
Gabriel is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. He is no nonsense with a HILARIOUS sense of humor. I was laughing all the time at his snarky replies 😂 I gave Empire of the Vampire 5 ⭐️ and Empire of the Damned 4.5 ⭐️. I loved being able to come back to the world with a cast of lovable (and hateable) characters! I won’t say too much more as I went into this series pretty blind and it was worth it! Definitely something for fans of gothic fantasy and vampires (cuz who doesn’t love vampires?)!
.
Another one of my favorite things about this series are the illustrations! The art style is on point and just give such an amazing visual when reading along!! 🤩
.
Getting to read this early honestly made my January! Now just to count down the days until the 3rd book comes out and I cannot wait!! Don’t forget to read the first book and pick up Empire of the Damned on March 12, 2024! Trust me, you WONT want to miss it 🖤🧛🏻‍♂️🦇🩸

Okay, I've had the moment I needed to process.

"This world won't give you what you want just because you asked nicely, girl. Not respect. Not love. Not peace. You get what you earn. You eat what you kill."

Thank you, Jay Kristoff, St. Martin's Press, and Net Galley for the ARC.

If you've been here a while, you may have seen my rating of this series' first installment, Empire of the Vampire (also five stars). IF NOT, feel free to go there first.

Well fuck me, Jay Kristoff has done it again.

In this book, we are obviously falling into the story even further and JK does a sick job resetting the stage. With that said, you can reread book one to prep or dive in because we get a sweet dramatis personae. Google the term.

Seriously, I'm stunned once again. I believe this is in the 700-page range, and I had to FORCE myself not to read it over two days. We jump back in where we left off - Gabriel still captive within the Chastain keep, telling his story to Jean-Francois over wine.

I won't recap EOTV, but from here the story encounters several new angles, including but not limited to - who Dior and Gabe can trust, their traveling companions, what it actually means that Dior is the grail (although this remains a developing plot point), and of course.. new and more powerful coldbloods they must face while (as Gabe would put it), Angel Fortuna keeps turning her back on them.

Catastrophe after catastrophe beats down on our group of unlikely companions from almost the moment they set back out to end the Endless Night. Without giving too much away, there's death and destruction, heart-wrenching moments both sweet and devastating, internal struggles... all delivered with the same sharpness from the first book. I said it before and I'll say it again, Gabriel de Leon, Black Lion, is my favorite character of all time.

JK keeps his vampire lore on its previous path, giving us vicious and confusing enemies. I am almost sad I read this so early. Book three is going to be a ringer. 🧛‍♂️

"To open a book is to open a door - to another place, another time, another mind."

Jay starts this story right where the first left off. This story is brutal, compelling, and jam packed with action. I can't wait to read the rest of the book!

This juicy little tidbit was somehow too much and not enough all at the same time, and has me so freaking pumped for the rest of Empire of the Damned!!!

I reached out to NetGalley and found out this is a partial copy of the book. There was no indication in the file itself nor on the request. That said, my review is based on the part of the book I did read...

I love that this book picks up right after EotV. We are right back with Gabe and Jean-François. We don't feel like we miss anything between books.

I am disappointed we did not get much from Baptiste and Aaron (but I have a feeling more is coming). We also did not get more insite about Astrid (yet).

We did get to see more about how challenging it is to raise a teenage girl. Gabriel's struggle with Dior is definitely coming to light.

The POV switch was really great. I am excited to see where that goes.

I cannot wait to read the rest of the book.