Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Fantasy

This is a follow-up to Empire of the Vampire, a vampire dark fantasy story that I really enjoyed. The Silversaint, Gabriel, continues to tell his story to the historian vampire, except in this book, we also have a new narrator, Gabe’s sister Celene. They both narrate the story to the historian about the events that preceded their arrest and what happened to the Grail.

In this sequel, many new, important characters affect the direction of the story. Like book one, this one, too, has excellent world-building and interesting characters with complex dynamics. The author ensured that the tale was filled with crucial events and action scenes.

For the most part, the journey is just as exciting and dark as it was in the first book, but I believe that I still prefer the first book to this one. It is possible that Celene's narration was not as entertaining as Gabe's. I am not trying to imply that hers was poor; however, I believe Gabe's had a more significant impact.

The relationship between the brother and sister, as well as their interaction with Dior, is, in my opinion, the biggest highlight of this installment. It would be an understatement to say that the ending is iconic. It satisfies, but at the same time, it makes you want to read book three as soon as possible.

Note: I received a sampler copy from NetGalley but ended up purchasing the book myself when it was released.

This was such a fun sampler and follow up to the first novel, I cannot wait to read the whole book. Definitely love books about vampires and this one doesn't disappoint.

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for an eARC for my honest review!

I really enjoyed starting this book with a recap of what happened in book 1, more authors should do this!!! It is so easy to forget what happened in the previous books in series!

I was very intrigued by the second POV and I think it threw some very good depth in there!

I really enjoyed this!!!

Note: Review was also posted to Amazon. Unable to link because it's pending approval.

I re-read Empire of the Vampire before diving in to this (most recent) installment. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time through. My original review of that book claims that it's Kristoff at his best, and I stand by that. It's a solid, heavy-hitting work of epic fantasy. The re-read took me longer than I expected, but SO MUCH happens, and it's a journey worth dedicating your time to.

When I started Empire of the Damned, I expected it to take me just as long as EotV. However, my journey through this book felt much shorter. I'm not sure if that's based on literal time spent reading, since I don't time myself when reading books, or if it's because of the content. There are lots of adventures in this book, but I still got to the end and felt like I (and the characters) really hadn't gotten anywhere.

EotD picks up where EotV left off. We follow Gabriel as he attempts to deliver the Grail to someone who will be able to help end daysdeath. Of course, this goes about as well as you'd expect. (There is another book in the trilogy, you know, so resolution can't come just yet.) Gabriel's thirst is getting worse, his religious trauma and resentment are just as present as they were in the first volume, and he's scared of losing yet another person who's important to him. Those internal struggles are, in my opinion, the best parts of this book (well, those and Gabe's banter with the Grail).

After so many of the vibrant characters from volume one were lost, I expected to be introduced to a new colorful cast. However, there are minimal new characters in this book, and they fell flat for me. I can't say much more without running the risk of spoilers, but I really wanted some new well-rounded characters and felt like I had to settle for a rather two-dimensional supporting cast this time around.

I'm still eagerly awaiting the trilogy's conclusion, because I am very invested in the outcome of this saga. I need to know what happens with the tension between Gabriel and his interviewer. I need to know what's up with the moth (moths?) fluttering around the captive's tower. I need to know what happens to the Grail.

I'd still recommend this book, though not as wholeheartedly as book one.

Note: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

What a great start to the 2nd book in this series. Sometimes 2nd books or continuations tend to drag and not get to the point but the author did an amazing job at keep you engaged in the world and the atmosphere. I was sad that I only received a sample but I can't wait to read the rest. Thank you netgalley for this arc!

I was given a sampler of Empire of the Damned from #Netgalley and, holy moley, Jay Kristoff has done it again!

This book picks up where the last one left off. Vampire Jean-Francois has been told that he must continue to get Gabriel's story. And so he sits down with Gabriel and the story picks up with Gabriel and Dior at San Michon after the attempted ritual to sacrifice Dior. They have now picked up Gabe sister to travel with them as well as they try to figure out where to go next.

I have gotten a full copy of the book now, and I can't wait to finish the book!

What an amazing follow-up to EoTV! Sometimes book 2 in a series tends to drag or fall short, but that is not the case with this epic continuation. Gabe & Dior’s relationship is expanded so so much here, as well as other relationships. This one delves deep into “found family” ties vs blood ties.

And, as expected, it’s brutal, bloody & heartbreaking, almost in equal measure.

Mr. Kristoff reigns supreme at savage bloodthirsty brilliance. I cannot wait for the next!

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc. My opinions are entirely my own.

The bloody, gritty narrarive continues in book 2 as Gabriel continues to dictate the next part of his story to Jean-Francois. Their interactions are intriguing and i'm interested to know more about him too. Adding a new POV also expands the story and adds a new element to how we understand it. Ready to be emotionally wrecked on this continuing adventure.

This is the book I've been waiting for. I was lucky enough to receive an eARC from NetGalley of "Empire of the Damned", the second book in the series by Jay Kristoff. I was unlucky enough that it only included the first 200 pages.

We kick of book 2 exactly where book 1 ended, Gabriel telling his story to the Historian, recalling his adventures with Dior Lechance, aka the Grail. After the slaughter at the Silversaint's abbey, and Gabriel's rescue by his sister Celene, the unlikely group have to make their way through vampire infested lands to gain the knowledge Dior needs to save the sun, and the world from evernight.

I like that Kristoff brings the action back immediately, there is no preamble, no pause in our story to reflect on something, or go backwards. The tension is also turned up higher, as now the stakes are getting so real. Even though we know Gabriel will make it through the events, we can't help but hold our breath at every fall, every battle, and every danger. Dior really shines in this one-- she has more time to be "The Grail", and she's starting to come to terms with what that actually means. Celene is as mysterious as ever-- and I hope we get more of her story, as I'm sure we will, because she is just a force of nature. My only criticism is the number of times that Kristoff writes "fuck my face"-- like I get it, it's edgy. Can't wait to read the rest, and hoping for a quick turnaround for book 3!

I need the rest of this book like I need air to breathe. I preordered a physical copy immediately because it was able to keep me hooked and I absolutely need to know how it ends (I see what you did there marketing with the sample haha and it worked on me)! This series is the first that I've read of Jay Kristoff and honestly I love how the story progresses, I enjoy how it is written, and aside from a couple small things I was able to stay immersed in the story instead of being taken out of it. I feel like it was fairly balanced between all the different plot points and development. Automatic star for picking up where the first one left off because I HATE timeline jumps between books. I also like that we got to see character development with Gabe as well! If you enjoyed the first one I definitely think you'll enjoy this book because based on the sampler, this book did not suffer from "second book syndrome" which is a breath of fresh air when it comes to series. Also, multiple POV! We aren't strictly limited to just Gabe in this book and I LOVED seeing other people's thoughts and perceptions. As of right now this is a 4 star read for me and I am eager to see if it jumps back up to a 5 star when I finish it when I have my hands on my physical copy!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this sampler in exchange for an honest review!

The preview was awesome! I just got my full copy today. Can't wait to get to the whole story. Kristoff is making vampires scary again and i'm here for it. This series has had major Anne Rice vibes throughout and engaging tale with well I won't call them loveable but definitely intriguing characters.

Empire of the Damned is a great sequel, that will leave you desperate for the next book. If you loved Empire of a Vampire, I think that you will like this one just as much, if not more than the last one. I’m happy the say that as one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, it lived up to the hype in my head.

The story follows what happened to the Holy Grail is being told to a vampire Historian. I really enjoy this style of narration because it allows for jumping into different time lines. Plus, it is a fun way to include world building, when the Historian asks the storyteller to elaborate on something.

The story has lots of blood, gore, action, and a sprinkling of smut. That with the magic, vampires, and vampire hunters it is definitely worth the read. If that doesn’t convince you, there is also found family, witty banter, and a cast of well developed characters.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC of Empire of the Damned.

Empire of the Damned, by Jay Kristoff is the second novel in the Empire of the Vampire series.

I have always loved vampire novels, ever since reading Interview with the Vampire. Empire has all the qualities that I loved from that series: a tortured main character with a sordid past, interesting other characters, epic world-building, lore, magic, and history.

Since this is the second in the series, I won't say too much about the plot. Like the first in the series, it's a pretty lengthy book at 709 pages. If you don't mind epic tales, love vampires, and a good story, I highly recommend this, but you'll need to start with the first book. You can find what I wrote about the first book in a mini review in this post -> http://cometgrrl.com/2022/06/2022-mini-reviews-part-1/.

This is a long one that kept losing me. I tried to love it, but I couldn't care about any of the characters; I'm not crazy about the plot, but the world building is fantastic.
Throughout the book, every time I would pick it up to read, I would fall asleep after a few pages, which means it took me forever to finish.

I wanted to love this because it was such a highly anticipated sequel, but this one wasn't for me.

I can see where readers of the genre will love it, and many fans of Kristoff will absolutely love this one.


Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

I was soo happy to be back in this world again. I really love Gabriel and Dior, and all of the religious iconography dripping from this book. I cannot wait to get my hands around the throat of the rest of this novel!

**Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the e-copy of the sampler!**

The first thing that stood out to me was that there was a recap included at the beginning which was super helpful! I've never seen this in a book and it's something I wish authors did more in their series.

The writing was good but a little dense at parts which made it hard for me to follow and really get into this book fully. I’m not sure this series is my cup of tea, but I think those who are into dark fantasy would enjoy it!

My thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for giving me a digital sample for review.

I loved this so much! I can't wait to read the rest of it, and if it's anything like the sample, it is going to be well worth the wait. It continues right where the first one left off and we get to return to these beloved characters who are trying to survive in a brutal world that just wants to kill them. I love the journey they are going on, loved the writing and the atmosphere. I felt transported while reading this, which is sometimes a rare phenomena anymore. Again, loved this so much!

Sorry I’m a little late I needed to sit on it a little bit like I did with book 1. I highly enjoyed this one just like I did with Empire of The Vampire. As always my love for anything vampire has done it again. I highly enjoyed Empire of The Damned so much. I highly recommend it to everyone. I will be doing a reread of both books during spooky season for anyone who wants to join me I am BookLovingNerd_87 on instagram. Just message me if you want to join me in my reread during spooky season.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC.

Ready for round two with Gabriel de León? I thought I was, but this book far exceeded my expectations

I loved Empire of the Vampire, and I actually enjoyed this more. There was a lot of action right from the beginning, which set the tone for the rest of the book. Gabe was wittier than he was in the first book, leading the reader on this journey he finds himself a part of again. I

If you liked the first one, you'll like the first one. What a great read.

If you loved EOTV then you're most likely going to love EOTD. EOTV was my favorite book in '21 and I believe this will be my favorite in '24. Gabe is still held captive and is again acting as the narrator for book 2, so you're going to be giving the story in the same delivery and format as book 1. I did like how there was very little recap at the beginning of the book. I personally don't like to wade through an hour or so of recap, I want to simply get back into the story, and book 2 does this. We spend more time with Gabe's sister Celene, we get to see more growth in Dior, as well as Gabe. You're going to get a ton of those great one liners and dark whit like the first book gave us. There's tons of great action filled fight scenes that everyone loved from book 1. There are hooks after hooks, because this is one huge long book, Jay has got to keep you reading. You're going to get a big delivery towards the end at maybe a hour to a hour and a half left. Overall, lots to love about book 2.