Empire of the Damned

There is no doubt that EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED, Jay Kristoff's sequel to EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE, was my number one most-anticipated novel for 2024. Now that I’ve finished it in its entirety, I know without a doubt that it will be the best novel for the entire year. It surpasses the first book with the torture Mr. Kristoff puts his characters through and with the emotional torment he forces his readers to experience. It is a reading experience unlike anything I have ever had, and I will not stop gushing about this book for years to come.

EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED has everything we loved about the first book - action, adventure, deathly situations, snark, anger, mistrust, revenge. Yet, this time around, we see a softer side of Gabe. This time show more around, the killer interacts with children, and every time is as heart-wrenching as the first, knowing what he lost.

For someone who has never had children, Mr. Kristoff captures the immense love, fear, and frustrations that mean being a parent, and he imbues Gabe with all of it. The scenes where Gabe is doing his best by Dior are bittersweet and yet so touching. He has the best of intentions, no matter how gruff he is. In fact, his harshest moments come from a place of love and fear. He might profess to be anything but a hero, but his interactions with Dior prove that there lies a hero's heart underneath that bitter exterior.

Because we now know that no one is safe, Mr. Kristoff uses this knowledge to make the battle scenes petrifying. It seems like every battle is just a little more dangerous, and Gabe and his band need to defy ever-increasing odds. Even though we know he survives - because he is still telling his story to his captors - it doesn't stop those scenes from being gut-clenching in intensity.

EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED isn't more of the same either. Sure, Gabe is still a captive of the Chastain kith. Yes, he is telling the story of the Grail. Yet, we are so much more in the know now, and that sense that Gabe is biding his time (Patience) is even greater.

Plus, Mr. Kristoff shows us a different side of Jean-François. Not only do we get to see how he whiles away his time, we also get a glimpse into his mind. Through him, we see his Mistress and learn some of his motivations. This added insight also changes the dynamics of the story. For the first time, we get to see things from the enemy's perspective, and that knowledge makes them just a little more sympathetic.

To call EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED a masterpiece is underselling it. I have never had such violent emotional reactions to a novel as I did while reading it. At several points in the story, I had to stop reading for a day or two because the situation was so bleak. The ending alone had me screaming, crying, yelling, and cursing. With EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED, Mr. Kristoff has given his readers a novel for all time, and I both love and hate him for what he put me through. show less

This sequel captivates with its deep dive into Gabriel de León's tumultuous journey. Tasked with an almost impossible mission, Gabriel's alliances and inner battles paint a rich tapestry of conflict and intrigue. Introducing multiple perspectives breathes life into the story, offering a panoramic view of the dark world Kristoff has masterfully created. Dior's character growth is particularly striking, adding a layer of resilience and depth to the ensemble. This sequel skillfully dodges the second-book slump, weaving action, emotion, and character development into a compelling plot that leaves readers yearning for more. The added illustrations only amplify the immersive experience, making every page a journey. Kristoff's storytelling show more prowess shines brightly, setting an anticipatory stage for the series finale. show less

Wow. This is probably the best fantasy series I've read this decade. Reading like a mix of Brian Lumley (for awesome villainy and bone-chilling monstrosity), R. Scott Bakker (for darkness, world-building, and a touch of philosophical thought), and Stephen King for readability and characterization, this was a tour de force for fans of fantasy and horror. For the right audience, I could not recommend this highly enough. An easy 5-star rating.

Une nouvelle fois, Jay Kristoff nous embarque dans un récit sanglant.

Son talent de conteur n'est plus à démontrer et on continue les aventures de Gabriel avec délice. J'ai été surprise cette fois-ci de trouver une alternance de points de vue qui permet de mieux mettre en perspective certains personnages, de les cerner et de connaître plus en profondeur leurs motivations. J'espère que l'on aura droit dans le tome suivant à un panorama plus vampirique pour connaître la soif qui anime ces créatures de la nuit et leur course effrénée vers la fin de toute humanité.

La nouvelle galerie de personnages permet d'étoffer encore un peu plus son univers tout comme le bestiaire qui gagne en profondeur et en noirceur. Tout est show more parfaitement amené et à point nommé pour ne pas noyer le lecteur dans un surplus d'information qui rendrait le tout indigeste.

Mon petit bémol qui fait frôler le coup de coeur réside dans le rythme du récit. Avec quasiment 1000 pages, on sent qu'on étire un peu en longueur l'action ou les dialogues ce qui alourdit à quelques moments la lecture. J'ai étonnement préféré un point de vue sur lequel je n'aurais pas forcément parié au premier abord.

J'ai maintenant hâte de savoir comment tout cela va se conclure ! show less

The last 20% or so had me in a chokehold, honestly. I liked that we got Celene’s POV as well, and I think the ending was well executed. I think the book was paced pretty well. I was never waiitng for something to happen. However, it did feel repetitive in places. There’s only so much gratuitous violence and “they fought off an army of thirty billion vampires by themselves” i can take. But the development of Dior, Celene, Gabriel, Jean-Francois made it all worth it. This book does a very good job of creating the tiniest bit of hope in a hopeless atmosphere, and then dashing it to bits. I also liked that we got to see more in the “present moment” like what happens when Gabriel isn’t relating his story. Now waiting for book show more 3. I do wish that the dramatis personae was a little more “complete.” I had trouble keeping track of Nikita/Lilidh’s cabal. show less

A fun middle book with some class A trolling by Jar Kristoff when he realizes that he might over done certain story lines.
The story moves on in a pleasant pace without a lot unnecessary filling as it is often the case for middle books of trilogies.

Other than that, the most refreshing part was the sibling rivalry, which Mr Kristoff has down to a T (which at least in my case, let me heavily suspect the ending, because that would be something my brother and I would have come up ourself).

Only annoying thing now is that it will take again a while until the last books comes out. ;-)

I had forgotten almost all of the story of the first book in the series.

Why? Because it was "just" retold and thus sometimes slow to develop. As is the case in this one.

But? You get reminded of the important parts in a short who's-who at the start and in the first chapters.

And then we're off... a world without days, ruled by vampires. Fights, infights, action, drama, drama, drama.