Empire of the Vampire
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
'This book is bloody brilliant'
V.E. Schwab
‘A ripping read’
Joe Abercrombie
The SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestseller from the award-winning author of the Nevernight Chronicle
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.
Featuring the darkly beautiful illustrations of Bon Orthwick (@monolimeart)
Reviews
‘A gothic bloodbath that will leave any reader breathless. The story is a vast apocalyptic canvass, reminiscent of Justin Cronin’s THE PASSAGE or even Stephen King’s THE STAND, yet Kristoff’s work stands on its own ruthless merit as the opening gambit of a richer tale yet to unfold. I can’t wait to return again to this rich, lush, and bloody world. Until then, read this book now!’
— James Rollins, No.1 NEW YORK TIMES author of THE LAST ODYSSEY and THE STARLESS CROWN
‘A wonderfully crafted tale, the pieces as meticulously interlocked as fine woodwork. A chilling new take on vampire lore and those who must battle that darkness. EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE looks fearlessly at how ruthless Good must become when confronted with unrelenting Evil’
— Robin Hobb, SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author
'Brilliant and unputdownable, with tenderness and light bound into the bitter dark of a grim and fascinating world'
— Laini Taylor, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of STRANGE THE DREAMER
'This book is bloody brilliant'
— V.E Schwab, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE
Praise for The Nevernight Chronicle:
‘If you love Robin Hobb or George R.R. Martin, you will adore NEVERNIGHT’
— STARBURST
‘With a delicate balance of the ancient and the magical, this tense and brutal tale is unflinching, thrilling and satisfying’
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
‘Joins lyrical high fantasy, Pratchett-like humour and unflinching descriptions of violence . . . something special’
— SCIFI NOW
About the author
Jay Kristoff is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Lotus War, The Illuminae Files, and The Nevernight Chronicle. He is a winner of five Aurealis Awards, nominee for the David Gemmell Morningstar and Legend awards, named multiple times in the Kirkus and Amazon Best Teen Books lists and published in over thirty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are.
Jay is 6’7’’ and has approximately 11,935 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world's laziest Jack Russell.
He does not believe in happy endings.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A rancorous antihero narrates a chilling tale of revenge in this unfocused dark fantasy from Kristoff (Aurora Burning). Gabriel de León is the Last of the Silversaints, a devout brotherhood of half-vampires, half-humans who have sworn their lives to the Church in defense against the coldbloods, or full-blooded vampires, who have hunted their lands for decades. After the coldbloods arrest Gabriel for crimes against them, their ruler, the Undying Empress, sends her historian to chronicle his life before his execution. Gabriel offers an acrimonious recollection of how he earned his reputation as "the most fearsome swordsman who ever lived" and why he abandoned his faith to devote himself to killing the Forever King, the coldblood who set him on a monstrous path for vengeance. But despite his blackhearted hatred, there's one thing that gives Gabriel pause in his relentless quest for revenge—the crusade for the Holy Grail, which represents the last hope for men. Kristoff's multifaceted exploration of morality is enticing and complex, but the narrative misses the mark with unsteady pacing and a proliferation of melodrama. There's enough action and bloodshed here to please Kristoff's diehard fans, but the choppy storytelling make this one to skip for more casual readers.
Customer Reviews
Finally, proper vampires
This is actually the second time I’ve read this book. I’ve read it again in preparation for Empire of the Damn, and I’ve loved it as much as, if not more than, the first time around. Read this book if you like epic fantasy and vampires. Thank me later.
Excellent
I really can’t wait to read the next ones
A Story well told.
Fantastic. Totally engrossed with the characters and how the story is told. Extremely well written, i was encapsulated from the start. Cant wait for the next chapter.