Empire of the Vampire
Score Modern
What it's about
It has been twenty-seven years since the last sunrise, and vampires have waged war on humanity ever since, building an eternal empire. Gabriel de León, half man, half monster and the last of the Silversaints, a holy order sworn to defend the realm, is imprisoned by the creatures he swore to destroy and forced to tell his story: of legendary battles, forbidden love, lost faith and the search for the Holy Grail.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the most popular dark fantasy novels of recent years, and its sequel was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's brutal, epic and gorgeously told.
You'll love it if you liked
The Way of Kings, Interview with the Vampire or The Name of the Wind
Good to know
It's long, violent and full of swearing, with illustrations in many editions. It's the first book of a trilogy.
Quick answers
Is Empire of the Vampire worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the most popular dark fantasy novels of recent years, and its sequel was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #597 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Empire of the Vampire about?
It has been twenty-seven years since the last sunrise, and vampires have waged war on humanity ever since, building an eternal empire. Gabriel de León, half man, half monster and the last of the Silversaints, a holy order sworn to defend the realm, is imprisoned by the creatures he swore to destroy and forced to tell his story: of legendary battles, forbidden love, lost faith and the search for the Holy Grail.
How long does it take to read Empire of the Vampire?
About 18 hours (725 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Empire of the Vampire?
If you liked it, try The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice or The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.
By the numbers
- Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Goodreads Choice (fantasy) finalist (2024, for Empire of the Damned).
Where it ranks
- #10 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #76 of the 461 fantasy books we rank
- #300 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #597 of the 2,819 books we rank
Shortlisted
- Goodreads Choice (fantasy) finalist (2024, for Empire of the Damned)
Reads as
Dark, Epic, Thought-provoking
