Review: Vampire Empire

Vampire Empire Book One: The Greyfriarby Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith

This is the first book of a well-written trilogy, and we are looking at an “alternative” history, written in an epic/steampunk style. Basically, a plague of vampires have swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans killed outright, and millions more died from disease and famine due to what followed as vampire clans took over, bringing human technology to a virtual halt, leaving them in the steam and iron driven days, driving those who lived in England to reestablish their empire and societies amid the steamy, hot mosques of Alexandria, and other warm regions—where the vampires can't go.

I both liked and disliked this book. I liked the writing style, it was very well written. I liked the romance which was built up, and yet unrealized in this book, but gives promise to its building in the next two installments, no doubt.

We have the main characters, namely Princess Adele, who is not a dainty damsel and can fight along side the men, and manages to fight off many of the vampires in several action scenes. Then there is the Grayfriar who is thought of as a heroic vampire slayer. No one knows his real identity. And during this episode Adele crosses his path repeatedly. He saves her butt, a few times over.

Vampires in this book are looked upon by humans as “things”--not even considered creatures, but even they were not certain as to how they went about repopulating themselves. However, this sort of is reminiscent of how the Native Americans were thought of and treated in “the new world”. At least thinking of it in this way help me cope with their attitude, however I didn't like the vampires in this book. The only one with a shred of decency was Gareth. The vampires in this story are more or less throw backs to how vampires were treated as horrific creatures—evil to destroy—such as was the case in many older vampire novels where the vampire's basic desire was to hunt and attack humans and drink them until they were dry/dead. In this book the vampires pro-create themselves, like any other beast. An interesting twist. However, I was left wanting something more in them than the basic hunt/kill, I-want-to-rule-the-world egos.

Because the authors have re-written history, I will point out the year is 2020—in the future, and that in the year of 1870 vampires swept over the northern regions of the world, taking it over, and forcing the human population toward the equator regions, and keeping those they feed on impoverished, and more like cattle. These vampires are a separate class of beings who do not shun the sun, however can sort of float, and can't take warmer climates. That is why they now live in the northern regions.

I was aghast that the vampires did not have written language or that they felt it was beneath them to have one, and burned all but a few places which housed books, and destroyed most of the museums. They dress in rags taken from those they kill. I really had a hard time with how the vampires were more or less creatures who supposedly had human intelligence, but were so vain they didn't feel that they could enrich their lives by the written word. Plus would rather have constant wars, killing humans—who are nothing more than cattle to them. I really had trouble with this part. No economy—unless you count the humans—no written language, no religion, the social order may barely represent feudalism. Bartering was touched upon later on in the book where we see that Prince Gareth, the first son of the king of this tribe seems to be the maverick, dwelling on his own—in Scotland, away from London—and treats his humans with more decency—even when he feeds. I will say no more, as I don't want to give away the plot entirely.

Because of the fact that vampires had nearly devastated humans in a huge war in the 1800's, developing technologies by humans were atrophied. They managed air ships—which I'm guessing are like helium balloons that float. They are mainly living as though in the 1800's, basically, with coal for heat, and no other advancement possible because of the possibility of war with the vampires is always there. I sort of liked the inventions of “Fahrenheit” blades, in order to kill the vampires.

What I did like about it was the story itself of Princes Adele and The Grayfriar who come together to fight vampires--his pledge of keeping her safe, and we learn his real identity soon enough. Adele is abducted by the vampires under Prince Cesare's command. Cesare wishes to take over his aging father's realm, but his softer-hearted brother, Gareth, who dwells in Scotland, seems to have the upper hand in this and he takes Adele from his brother's clutches. These two prince vampires are as different as night and day, and we readers know by this time who he is—but keeps his true identity from Adele for at least half the book.

I liked the blossoming romance which buds between herself and the mysterious Grayfrirar.

I liked also that Adele had some unusual talents that even she is unaware of, although are not fully explained in this book, but some are introduced.

It has enough pulp action with a steampunk style, bringing in epic political themes of both sides who want to rule the world. It does set up for a heartbreaking romance, with enough sacrifice by the heroes which might appeal to readers who gobble this stuff up.

I don't believe I'll be reading the remaining two books of this epic. I'd have to put this on the next to last bookshelf.