Showing posts with label empire of the vampire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label empire of the vampire. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Review: Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire #2) by Jay Kristoff


   

Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire #2) by Jay Kristoff
St. Martin's Press (US)/Harper Voyager (UK)
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Hardcover. 756 pages.

About Empire of the Damned:

"Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost.

After turning his back on his silversaint brothers once and for all, Gabriel and the Grail set out to learn the truth of how Daysdeath might finally be undone.

But the last silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by children of the Forever King, drawn into wars and webs centuries in the weaving, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the truth of the Grail revealed.

A truth that may be too awful for any to imagine."

Empire of the Damned does not let up on the drama or intensity that Empire of the Vampire began. The Holy Grail has been saved, but the quest to determine their role in the ending of Daysdeath is now even more fraught with enemies and unknown obstacles.

I’ll admit that I haven't been enjoying this series as much as the Nevernight trilogy, but it’s still an undeniably solid vampire fantasy series with robust world-building, complex and charismatic characters, an ever-twisting plot, and a narrative full of wit and surprises. Kristoff also never fails to create an atmosphere that is dripping with intrigue and always hinting at a constant sense of darkness and uncertainty as to what’s next.

I can’t give too much of a summary of what’s happening in this book as spoilers abound everywhere, so detail will be kept as vague as possible throughout this review. That being said, we pick up not too far from where we left off with Gabriel imprisoned in one narrative and trying to figure out their next step in another. Kristoff also includes an incredibly helpful recap of the first book at the beginning of the book, something that I have loved seeing more often in fantasy series lately.

One of the most notable aspects of this book so far has been its narrative structure, which feature Gabriel recounting his experiences up until the present to the vampire scribe XX. While I like how much this framing structure effectively allows readers to dive deep into Gabriel’s mind and motivations, it sometimes feels a bit cumbersome due to the fact that a majority of the book is told within quotations. I’m not sure what an alternative would be, as I’m not a fan of italics, either, but it just feels a bit odd at times. Fortunately, Kristoff’s writing makes it easy enough to forget all the quotations and instead become immersed in his compelling dialogue and eloquent narrative style.

Gabriel remains a captivating character who is somehow effortlessly charismatic and stays somewhere in the morally ambiguous realm of character. He is incredibly stubborn and also has steadfast loyalty to those he cares about-loyalty to a fault, I’d say. He’s one of those characters that, although may occasionally annoy you, is impossible not to root for.

Empire of the Damned does also open perspectives a bit with the addition of one different POV that really adds to the world in a much-needed way. I was really glad that Kristoff decided to add this additional perspective, as it really enriched the world while also allowing readers to continue to follow characters that were not within Gabriel’s perspective on the journey.

The pacing of Empire of the Damned is on the slower side, and it’s not that the pacing or plot ever fully stops moving forward, but rather that there just doesn’t always feel like a lot is happening on the page. There’s a lot of discussion that takes place and hinders some of the forward plot movement, which actually fits the overarching pacing of the story well. With the slower pacing, we are able to learn more about the intricate vampire hierarchies, evolving relationships between characters, and the detailed lore and history of the different clans. Everything works together to consistently add depth to the world Kristoff has created, which really helped me feel immersed in my reading experience. 

Overall, I’ve given Empire of the Damned 4.5 stars! This is a solid sequel that builds in great ways upon the first book while also continuing to build up and set the stage for the next book. There’s something for everyone in this book, and I think fans of vampires, atmospheric storytelling, and dramatic tales of power, loyalty, and betrayal will have a great time with it.


*I received a copy of Empire of the Damned in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org


Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Green Frog by Gina Chung, The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang, & Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.



Green Frog by Gina Chung
Publication: March 12th, 2024
Vintage
Paperback. 240 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A short story collection that explores Korean American womanhood, bodies, animals, and transformation as a means of survival.

Equal parts fantastical—a pair of talking dolls help twins escape a stifling home, a heart boils on the stove as part of an elaborate cure for melancholy, a fox demon contemplates avenging her sister's death—and true to life—a mother and daughter try to heal their rift when the daughter falls unexpectedly pregnant, a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death—the stories in this collection are hopeful and heartbreaking, full of danger and full of joy.

Chung is a master at capturing emotion, and her characters—human and otherwise—will claw their way into your heart and make themselves at home.
"

Another short story collection that sounds like it'll be weird and wonderful and I'm looking forward to  checking it out!



The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
Publication: March 26th, 2024 (US)
MIRA
Hardcover. 312 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”

In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor — but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.

In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.

And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.

Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.

As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.
"

I'm not typically a big romance fan, but I'm just so intrigued by the setup of this story that I'm really excited to see what it's all about, as it sounds really creative!



Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire #2) by Jay Kristoff
Publication: March 12th, 2024 
St. Martin's Press (US)/Harper Voyager (UK)
Hardcover. 736 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost. Drawn into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious vampire Liathe, Gabriel must now deliver the Grail to ancients of the Blood Esani, and learn the truth of how Daysdeath might be finally undone.

But the Last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by terrors of the Blood Voss, drawn into warfare between the Blood Dyvok and duskdancers of the frozen Highlands, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the Grail learn her truth.

And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.
"

I've actually already read an ARC of this back in December that the publisher so generously offered to me, but I still am looking forward to seeing the final product with all the illustrations and everything. This has been a pretty fun series so far, I'm curious to see where Kristoff will take the story.