16 blockbuster September science fiction and fantasy releases to kick off Fall
By Lacy Baugher
September 2021 release: Empire of the Vampire – Jay Kristoff
New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff is bringing vampire fiction back in a big way with his new dark fantasy, Empire of the Vampire. (Let’s put it this way, if the last vampire book you read was Twilight or True Blood, buckle up.)
The Nevernight author is set to make vampires scary again with this creepy tale of a kingdom where humanity has spent three decades fighting the undead in near-darkness, as “daysdeath” has blocked out the sun enough to let them roam the earth during the day.
The story follows Gabriel de Leon, the last Silversaint, a member of a brotherhood of near-mystical fighters who have dedicated their lives to slaying vampires and other dark creatures, but who must live with a deadly secret of their own. Imprisoned by one of the monsters he’s tried his best to destroy, Gabriel must tell his own story at last: How his legend was formed and lost on the greatest quest he ever faced: The search for the Holy Grail.
The official synopsis offers more details about the story.
"It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness. Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order couldn’t stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains. Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope: The Holy Grail."
Empire of the Vampire is available on September 7.