I liked Empire of the Vampire when I first started it, but I liked it a hell of a lot more by the time I finished. It grew on me as I went, and the second half was where it really picked up. I enjoyed how it ended too, but that whole last half is what raised my opinion of the book.
Kristoff’s writing deserves a lot of the credit. JacTheSipper wrote about this in his Common Room review, and I agreed with him while I was still reading. He pointed out how Kristoff can make something horrific sound beautiful. That’s a strange combination, but it fits this book. There’s care in the descriptions even when the thing being described is something you’d want to stay far away from. The writing gives the horror an atmosphere that I really enjoyed.
The characters have some of that same appeal. Being interesting doesn’t necessarily make someone a good person, and this book gives you plenty of reasons to separate the two. The villains can be charismatic and compelling while still being cruel as hell. I like that. I don’t need a villain to turn out to be misunderstood to want to keep reading about them.
Gabriel sits at the center of it all, telling a story that moves between different points in his life. There’s a big difference between a young man trying to prove himself and the older, harsher man telling the tale. You’re seeing the person he was alongside the person he became. And being good at killing monsters doesn’t necessarily mean you’re easy to get along with.
The language took some getting used to. Kristoff has some pretty off-the-wall ways of saying things, and he doesn’t seem particularly concerned about whether anyone would prefer him to clean it up. As I got farther into the book, I got more used to it. It became part of the voice of the story.
The second half is what pushed this from a book I liked into one I liked a lot. The pace picked up, and my enjoyment of it kept growing. I liked the ending, but the book had already won me over more by then. That stronger second half made a big difference to how I felt about the whole thing.
Who I’d recommend it to
Readers who enjoy adult dark fantasy, horror, flawed characters, and villains who are interesting without becoming any less monstrous. Kristoff’s descriptive writing is a big part of the appeal, so that matters as much as the vampire hunting.
Caution
Keep a swear jar beside this one and you might fund your next book haul. Expect graphic violence, sexual content, and plenty of profanity. These vampires aren’t offering you a comfortable evening.
Discussion questions
Did Empire of the Vampire grow on you as you read, or did it grab you right away?
How did you feel about the story moving between different points in Gabriel’s life?
Did you enjoy the second half more than the first? What changed for you?
Keep the comments spoiler-free, or clearly mark spoilers before discussing specific outcomes.
— Cory Lane