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Lorelei's Reviews > Empire of the Damned
Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire, #2)
by
by
This is really a review of both Empire of the Vampire, and the sequel, Empire of the Damned. Because the moment I finished the first, I had to immediately pick up and begin the second.
These books are chunky bois, and it’s a good thing too, because SO MUCH HAPPENS. And Kristoff tells it all without ever feeling monotonous, slow, or tedious. I honestly don’t even know where to begin to try and summarize it, because this world is too enormous and deep, too many distinct and unique characters, too much heartache and struggle. Where would I even start?
The first book introduces us with a fun narrative conceit, where our main character Gabriel is recounting the tale of all that has happened before. I love this style! Gabe hops around the story a bit, but never in a way that makes you lose track. And you’re aching to see how we got to the present day, because Gabe’s current situation isn’t ideal. He’s a Silversaint, dedicated to the eradication of vampires, and he’s telling a story about faith. About gaining it and losing it and finding it again. It’s a dark story, sexy, at times brutal, and impossible to put down.
The sequel keeps that momentum going and even ramps up the action. More worldbuilding, more great characters, more sexytimes, more family revelations and drama. Everything builds up until you hit the climax in the last part of the book and holy shit, it pays off. That last chapter is something that I think you see coming, and yet you still scream in delight when you get there.
Now, Kristoff has a very distinct writing style here. It’s a bit showy, lyrical and flowery. Why use one word when you can use ten? Sometimes that works, and sometimes it grates. In this case and in this story, I think it fits the narrative style perfectly, but YMMV. If that’s something that bothers you, keep that in mind when you pick this up.
Oh yeah, and the artwork. THE ARTWORK. To die for. So beautiful.
If you like grimdark and gritty vampire fantasy, this is something that should definitely be on your radar.
These books are chunky bois, and it’s a good thing too, because SO MUCH HAPPENS. And Kristoff tells it all without ever feeling monotonous, slow, or tedious. I honestly don’t even know where to begin to try and summarize it, because this world is too enormous and deep, too many distinct and unique characters, too much heartache and struggle. Where would I even start?
The first book introduces us with a fun narrative conceit, where our main character Gabriel is recounting the tale of all that has happened before. I love this style! Gabe hops around the story a bit, but never in a way that makes you lose track. And you’re aching to see how we got to the present day, because Gabe’s current situation isn’t ideal. He’s a Silversaint, dedicated to the eradication of vampires, and he’s telling a story about faith. About gaining it and losing it and finding it again. It’s a dark story, sexy, at times brutal, and impossible to put down.
The sequel keeps that momentum going and even ramps up the action. More worldbuilding, more great characters, more sexytimes, more family revelations and drama. Everything builds up until you hit the climax in the last part of the book and holy shit, it pays off. That last chapter is something that I think you see coming, and yet you still scream in delight when you get there.
Now, Kristoff has a very distinct writing style here. It’s a bit showy, lyrical and flowery. Why use one word when you can use ten? Sometimes that works, and sometimes it grates. In this case and in this story, I think it fits the narrative style perfectly, but YMMV. If that’s something that bothers you, keep that in mind when you pick this up.
Oh yeah, and the artwork. THE ARTWORK. To die for. So beautiful.
If you like grimdark and gritty vampire fantasy, this is something that should definitely be on your radar.
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