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A review by whatsheread
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There is no doubt that EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED, Jay Kristoff's sequel to EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE, is my number one most-anticipated novel for 2024. After having read the first four hundred pages of it, there is good reason for me to feel this way. If those first few hundred pages are anything to go by, EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED is going to be even better than the first book.
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 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.
Plus, the sneak preview of EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED ends with one hell of a surprise - one that has the potential to be a game changer. It was a frustrating place to end the preview, but it's brilliant too. While our wait is less than it was a year ago, there are still too many weeks left before EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED's publication date!
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 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.
Plus, the sneak preview of EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED ends with one hell of a surprise - one that has the potential to be a game changer. It was a frustrating place to end the preview, but it's brilliant too. While our wait is less than it was a year ago, there are still too many weeks left before EMPIRE OF THE DAMNED's publication date!