Title of the book:  Empire of the Vampire

Author: Jay Kristoff

Publisher: Voyager GB

Publication Date: 7th of September 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural

Why I picked up this book:

Let’s be honest – there are only so many times you can use the line “life has been hectic”, or some variation thereupon before it becomes boring. SO I won’t say that this time. Nor will I give you an elaborate reason as to why I picked up this particular book. It’s plain and simple:

1. I received this book as part of a book crate I subscribe to.

2. I immediately liked the look of the cover.

3. I hadn’t read a fantasy book in a fair while.

4. It has over 700 pages and I am a sucker for a juicy, thicc book.

That’s all.

About the author:
Jay Kristoff is a #1 international, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction. He is the winner of eight Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, has over two million books in print, and is published in over thirty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is 6’7 and has approximately 12,000 days to live.

He does not believe in happy endings.

Synopsis:

It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise.

Ever since, vampires have waged war against humanity building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Gabriel de León, half man, half monster, and last remaining silversaint – a sworn brother of the holy Silver Order dedicated to defending the realm from the creatures of the night – is all that stands between the world and its end.

Imprisoned by the very monsters he has vowed to destroy Gabriel is forced to tell his story – a story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the War of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope:
The Holy Grail.

Review of the book:

This book – THIS BOOK. I have a lot to say about this book. Some of it good, some of it bad and some of it, well let’s just get to it.

First of all, I am not a novice when it comes to Jay Kristoff books. I have read one or two in the past and truth be told I was never all that impressed. So perhaps I should have known better going in. I most definitely should have known that if there is one thing…one thing, that Kristoff likes, it is writing trilogies. So how I managed to convince myself that this book was a stand-alone fantasy is a mystery. I guess that’s on me though! A lot of this is on me.

Now, this might lead you to believe that I don’t like this book. Which isn’t completely true. I tore through the Empire of the Vampire in 3 days flat. The pacing is incredible, some of the characters are wildly interesting, the story is well-designed and the lore has a depth to it that feels real and grounded. There are so many things to like about this book, so tell me – please tell me – why I’ve been left with such a foul taste in my mouth!

Perhaps it was down to the use of cliché though Jay Kristoff certainly had me fooled here for a second. He even drew attention to the fact that all too often our protagonist, who comes from humble unassuming stock, picks up a sword, and suddenly he is the greatest swordsman that ever lived. Or who starts to learn the bounds of his previously undiscovered magic abilities and is suddenly able to outsmart the most wizened wizards. He called it out – HARD. So tell me why, not 5 chapters later his protagonist, his Gabriel, who up until then has been working himself to the bone, turns out to be from some mystical all-powerful bloodline that was previously thought to be extinct.  It is doing the Exact. Same. Thing. He just threw shade at.

Perhaps it was the not-so-subtle borrowing from other stories. Don’t get me wrong if there is one thing that I struggle with when I am writing, it’s coming up with clever plot twists. That doesn’t mean though that you can effectively rip off what the Davinci Code by Dan Brown, and no doubt countless of other books, have done before you. Almost beat for beat. I am sorry it is cheap and it is lazy.

Perhaps it was the unbelievable character development? Like the fact that we spend hundreds of pages, listening to Gabe explain why he will never touch a drop of drink. His childhood, the traumatic experiences he suffered as a result of alcohol, and much more. Only for him to turn around at dinner and effectively go: “oh well a little never hurt anyone’. WHAT?

Perhaps it was the fact that some of the female characters were thrown away like dirt? Take Azzie, an incredibly smart, beautiful, and gifted woman. Who literally comes from royal stock and is banished to the confines of a convent. Who rebels against the church but stays for the love of her life. Only for her to be killed off, effectively off the screen, to further the story of Gabe?

Perhaps it was the fact that we started at the end. Gabriel is locked in a tower at the mercy of his captors. Ensuring us that no matter what happened as the Chevalier recounted his story, his mishaps, and successes we knew he never was in true danger. Because if he had died, how would he have been able to recount the tale?

It is probably a combination of all of the above and more. The annoying thing is – Empire of the Vampire is still living rent-free in my head and I cannot wait until the dang sequel is released!

I have a feeling I am not entirely alone in how I feel about this book. Though I doubt that Jay Kristoff and his million copies sold will truly care at the end of the day what I have to say about it. I am curious about your thoughts though! Let me know in the comment section below and, until then - just one more page!

This review is also posted to Goodreads and Amazon.