Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This thread is open to discuss Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff.





Synopsis:

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost. Drawn into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious vampire Liathe, Gabriel must now deliver the Grail to ancients of the Blood Esani, and learn the truth of how Daysdeath might be finally undone.

But the Last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by terrors of the Blood Voss, drawn into warfare between the Blood Dyvok and duskdancers of the frozen Highlands, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the Grail learn her truth.

And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.

reserved

reserved

I'm in :-)

I'm ready to read..

Howdy! Will be re-reading the first one before starting on this, but not starting until the 15th. looking forward to them both!

Sammy wrote: "Howdy! Will be re-reading the first one before starting on this, but not starting until the 15th. looking forward to them both!"

I just re-read last month in preparation. A lot had actually stayed with me, must be a sign of good writing.

I wanted to wait for the start of the challenge. I still remember some, but it'll be interesting to see how much comes back as I read.

I'll dive straight into the second one, but miiight reread the last chapter or two of the first one to freshen up my memory a little, though I wouldn't be surprised if we're right back there again as soon as we read the first page of book #2.

I'm about 3 hours into the audio of book 2 and enjoying it so far!

I especially loved the exchange between Gabriel and Dior when Dior said she had no use for books!

You can... Light them on fire. Throw them at people. Light them on fire then throw them at people, particularly if those people are the sort of bucktooth shitwits who don't like books.

😂

You're already done with your re-read of book #1?! That was quick!

Haven't picked this up yet as I'm trying to finish up something else and then there's the BOM, so.. it'll be a bit but I'm sure I will enjoy it :-D

Sammy wrote: "You can... Light them on fire. Throw them at people. Light them on fire then throw them at people, particularly if those people are the sort of bucktooth shitwits who don't like books."

Hehehehe, this is awesome!

Eldarwen wrote: "You're already done with your re-read of book #1?! That was quick!

Haven't picked this up yet as I'm trying to finish up something else and then there's the BOM, so.. it'll be a bit but I'm sure I..."

I literally listened from 10 am until almost 10 pm yesterday without stopping (hubby and offspring working away for a couple of days! lol) to get through it 😆

I'm making good progress and would probably have been able to finish it today if my mum hadn't called and spent over an hour on the phone 😆

Menfolk have just arrived home, so probably won't get the last 3 hours done this evening.

Enjoying it though, maybe not quite as much as book one, but there's not much in it. One thing I'm not hugely impressed with is (view spoiler)[ The POV shift. I like Gabe, and I definitely prefer his POV (hide spoiler)]

And done!

Enjoyed this for the most part, and have a few thoughts and feelings about the final chapters.

Book 5:

(view spoiler)[ Ohhhh, we find out who Gabe's father is! But I feel cheated by the fact that we're not in his POV when we do. I would really have preferred that from his POV.

I tend to be a bit jaded about twists and reveals, because I find authors tend to be far too heavy handed in foreshadowing and I generally guess everything long before it happens. Having said that, I did not see Isla's betrayal coming! At all. Kudos to Kristoff for hoodwinking me there, lol. I'm interested to see if I'll be able to spot the signs on a re-read, so will make a note of that.
(hide spoiler)]

Book 6 - end

(view spoiler)[ Lachlan to the rescue! You know, I think that after Gabe and Baptiste, he is probably my favourite character!

I was really moved by the part where Gabe says (and I'm paraphrasing because I didn't write it down at the time and Amazon's look inside doesn't have the section available) that a parent's love for their child is the most powerful force in the universe. So very true! And I love how Dior has become a kind of surrogate daughter to Gabe. The protectiveness he shows towards her is proof that "family doesn't only mean blood".

I actually think there is an awful lot of "truth" in this book, when you look past the bloodsucking/smoking and other paranormal stuff. Real insight into people and their behaviours that makes sense. I've been reading too many book with stupid protagonists that do stuff normal people wouldn't because said protagonist is TSTL and it drives me nuts! (hide spoiler)]

I listened to the audio, and don't know what is/isn't included in the print version, but the audio had a "deleted scene" tagged onto the end, as well as an "interview" between Kristoff and actor Joseph Morgan, who played Klaus in The Vampire Diaries
I don't think I've ever come across a deleted scene at the end of a book before, and am not sure it added much for me. I kinda found it a bit odd having it tacked on like that. If you're going to include it anyway, why not add it where it's supposed to go?
I enjoyed the interview at the end though, quite amusing.

Now the hardest part is going to be not going around saying "Fuck my face" all the time. It's kinda catchy, lol.

I'll get back to you with comments in 2-3 weeks :-p

I've started.. wish I would have known the author would have included a handy recap at the beginning..

I'll be reading in parts and reading quicker books inbetween.

Just an observation.. hate to be a downer but who thinks.. (view spoiler)[ that Gabriel will die in the end, being the hero and re-uniting him with his beloved family! (hide spoiler)]

I peeked under the spoiler and... I wouldn't be surprised, to be honest. I would hate it but...

Finished Part 1.

It's fun to be back with Gabe and crew again (not so fun for them I guess) and yes, the F**k my face is really catchy.. but I think you have to have Gabe's charm to get away with it. (Can't imagine me using it, (out loud anyway) I think the grand children would have a heart attack!

So.. (view spoiler)[ Are Aaron and Baptiste really dead... Are we going to see a showdown with Lachlan down the track.. Dior and Phoebe a couple? I guess Gabe thinks of her as a daughter and so far she's gay, and he's a one man woman, so that rules out any hanky panky there.. On to book 2.. (hide spoiler)]

Sammy wrote: "I'm making good progress and would probably have been able to finish it today if my mum hadn't called and spent over an hour on the phone 😆

Menfolk have just arrived home, so probably won't get th..."

End of Book 3 - (view spoiler)[ I really liked the POV shift.. I love Gabe.. 😍 but not a big fan of all the battle stuff so the POV shift and location was refreshing. (hide spoiler)]

Ah see, I like a good battle 😆

Finished Book 4 -

(view spoiler)[ Gabriel and Phoebe.. didn't see that coming.. But glad they have a bit of happiness before the big ending. I still think Gabriel will cash in his chips by the end of the series. I'm going to need a big hankie.. I'm quite partial to sweet Gabe, LOL. (hide spoiler)]

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Finished Book 4 -

[spoilers removed]"

you and me both!

Gah, now I'm very curious to know what is underneath that spoiler! >.>

This weekend!!

All part of our plan to get you reading the book 😆

Bahaha, as if I need an incentive to do so ;-)

It's just.. the BOMs got in the way and time ran away from me with those.

I'll swap you. we keep ending up with BOMs I've already read this year, so couldn't read if I wanted to! lol.

No, thanks! It would mean I'd already be done with this and I'm looking too much forward to reading it ;-))

lol, I guess there's that 😁

I'm loving it.. I'm reading in sections because I don't want it to finish. It's epic. And here's another spoiler for you E that's not really a spoiler.. (view spoiler)[ And Gabriel being one of the hottest book heroes I've read in a long time increases the enjoyment, LOL. (hide spoiler)]

I bought the audiobook. I have yet to start. Looking forward to it. Loved the 1st book

Namita wrote: "I bought the audiobook. I have yet to start. Looking forward to it. Loved the 1st book"

Oh yay, come back when you're reading and tell us your thoughts. If you loved book 1 there's plenty more to love in book 2, promise.

Definitely!

I sense a book three buddy read in our future, lol.

Sammy wrote: "Definitely!

I sense a book three buddy read in our future, lol."

oh and I hope Jay Kristoff is writing his ar** off! It will probably be a year or 2 till we find out what happens!

I'm guessing so...

An excuse to re-read 1 & 2 again beforehand! 😉

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "I'm loving it.. I'm reading in sections because I don't want it to finish. It's epic. And here's another spoiler for you E that's not really a spoiler.. [spoilers removed]"

I absolutely relate to that spoiler!!

As some of Jay's readers call him: Gabe, the Babe ;-)


(Which also always reminds me of a scene in the film "A Lot Like Love" hehe.)

Sammy wrote: "Definitely!

I sense a book three buddy read in our future, lol."

Absolutely!! :-D

Whoah .. Book 4, Chapter 14 -

(view spoiler)[ I think I need a big drink of water after this one.. it's 🔥. (hide spoiler)]

Finished!! Definitely a five star read for me. And now the wait begins for book 3.. sigh!

Last part spoilers.. (view spoiler)[ Oh my poor Gabe.. it's an epic story and world building but my romance reader heart just broke when Phoebe's husband turned up.. then died. Now I'm wondering whether that's it for Gabe and Phoebe or they'll find their way back to each other by the end. I'm hoping.. the latter. ( That's if Gabe doesn't get himself killed by being the hero and saving the day.. nooooo. )

I really loved the explanation of how vampires came to be.. the dreaded curse. But one thing I'm a bit confused about.. this happened generations ago, it didn't cause Daysdeath? That's a separate thing of unknown origin (at the moment) but somehow the Grail will end it?? Does that mean the end for the Vampires as well? And if so, why would Celene and her cult be trying to find the Grail? Is it a religious thing, they want to undo the curse so they are 'saved' by the Redeemer again?

And that brings me to the passage about the futility of religion. That was pretty hard core, I'm wondering if that's the author's personal opinion peaking through?

So that leaves us with..

1. Gabriel broken and separated from his group.
2. Dior dead/not dead
3. Aaron and Baptiste together but having to get over all the stuff that has happened.
4. And we don't know how Celine and Gabriel became captured by the Chastains.

Bring on Book 3 (hide spoiler)]

Oh and a big shout out for those illustrations. What an added bonus.

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Oh and a big shout out for those illustrations. What an added bonus."

That's the annoying thing about audio. No illustrations!

Kerby's illustrations are absolutely fab! They were great for the first book but I think he's outdone himself for the second book!

I'm almost done with the BOM, so tomorrow will be Empire reading day!! :-D

Picking this up again is like putting on comfortable slippers. It's just good :-)

When reading Lisa's spoiler for Part 1:

(view spoiler)[Eww!! Hanky panky between Gabe and Dior?! No, no no no. That's just. No.

I do wonder the same though about Aaron and Baptiste. I somehow can't quite believe that they're dead, but at the same time, Kristoff is not one to pull punches. And bloody hell did that scene kick me in the face. So many feels when Gabriel was looking for any sign of them and found the sword... (hide spoiler)]


In more general terms on Part 1:
(view spoiler)[Celene is rather more bitchy than I would have thought. It's easy to blame the brother for what happened to her. I guess in part that isn't entirely wrong, but way to throw around the guilt!

Omg, Phoebe is back?! I remember that bloodyleftover pulp of a mountain lion. Would not have thought that was possible!

I am very intrigued however about the Esani/Esana. I really finally want to know more details! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, yeah... I realise I was way off base with that one. Fatherly feelings all the way.

Finished part 2.

(view spoiler)[Celene is even more a hellion than Gabe could have ever expected. She's turned into a proper bitch. Letting her own brother drop... Wonder what happened to the Terrors though. They must have been pissed haha. (hide spoiler)]

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Yeah, yeah... I realise I was way off base with that one. Fatherly feelings all the way."

Hehe... I had to bite my tongue hard 😆

Finished Book 3.

I agree with Lisa that (view spoiler)[the change in location and non-battle was pretty refreshing. I was not expecting the change in point of view but that was quite nice as well. My heart is bleeding though for all these new thralls... and I keep hoping that something can be done. Well, Lilidh, I'm sure, will meet a timely death soon enough because Dior's story isn't over yet and if she stays there, she'll spend her days attending and bedding the Contessa. But... where is Gabe??? Did he find Ashdrinker again? I hope so, Ash is pretty cool, if not entirely there. And then there is Phoebe still. Since it wasn't silver that mangled her, she'll just need to heal and will be right as rain again, or something of the sort. (hide spoiler)]

Hmm... can't wait to continue! :-)

Also, I'm wondering what happened (view spoiler)[between Fabién and Nikita back in the day (hide spoiler)].

Oh, and one more thing!

Why the (view spoiler)[fuck did Lachlan abandon the children to their own fate?? I suppose to go on the hunt for Gabriel since some other Silversaints came along and probably told him of the bloodbath at San Michon. (hide spoiler)]

Keep reading. It's pretty cool, isn't it. 😍