Books featured in this episode
Transcript
J. G. Gates:
Hello and welcome to Authors Review Books, your show where, as the name implies, your favorite authors share the books they love. I am bestselling author J. G. Gates, author of over a dozen novels, and most recently, you might have heard of Dragons and Aces. It’s an enemy-celebrity story about a badass dragon rider and a dashing biplane pilot from enemy nations. It has banter, it has spice, and if you loved Fourth Wing, then it might just be your next favorite dragon read. So, check it out.
Our featured new release today is Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff, which is book three of the Empire of the Vampire series. Gabriel de Leon has lost his family, his faith, and his last hope of ending the endless night—the Holy Grail, Dior.
With no desire left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of the Augustan Empire to claim the life of the Forever King. Unbeknownst to the last Silver Saint, the Grail still lives, speeding toward Augustan’s besieged capital in the frail hopes of ending day’s death forever. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into the final battle that will shape the very fate of the empire. But as the sun sets for what may be the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.
J. G. Gates:
And that is a book that just came out, and it’s actually a perfect transition because the book I’m reviewing today is book two of that series, which is Empire of the Damned, book two of Empire of the Vampire, again by Jay Kristoff. So, what is this book about? Can I summarize it without giving any spoilers? Well, again, it’s book two of the series, so I don’t want to give too much away.
Gabriel de Leon is a Silver Saint, part of an almost monastic order that battles vampires. He is known throughout the world and the kingdom as somebody who’s a very famous hero. He’s won tons of battles, but he has been cast out by the Silver Saints. He had a family. His family was murdered—hopefully I’m not giving away too much—but his family was killed by the Forever King, who is a vampire, and he is out for blood and vengeance. But he is a very dark and disillusioned hero.
As a hero, sort of alone and bent on revenge, he really reminds me of one of my favorite characters, Roland from The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. He is that kind of an archetype—just this lone, dark hero. But he actually has a really acerbic, sharp sense of humor and stuff.
He has found Dior, who is a young street urchin who’s grown into a late teenage young woman, and it turns out that she is the scion, descendant of the Redeemer—which is like a Christ figure in this world—and her blood has the power to kill vampires. According to legend and prophecy, her blood has the power to end day’s death, which is the name for the fact that in this world, it’s just darkness. There’s never really any daytime—it’s always dim. And there’s all kinds of cool world-building elements to go with that, like fungus everywhere because there’s no daylight.
It’s really cool and inventive, and there’s a lot going on—many characters come through. There’s also Laith, a very powerful vampire who can morph blood—she can make a sword out of blood, a spear out of blood, even form completely into blood and float around. It sounds wild, but it’s actually pretty grounded in the context of the story. She’s from an order called the Asani. She’s a very morally gray character. Pretty much everyone in this story is morally gray—there’s nobody with “noble knight” vibes.
Laith is super powerful. She drinks the blood of other vampires and gains their power. She wears a mask all the time, which gives her very anime vibes—super powerful, masked, mysterious. You learn later how she’s connected to Gabriel and his past. The world-building is fantastic—it’s dense, but essentially it’s a linear story following Gabriel and Dior’s journey, told in the form of an interview.
You skip back and forth between when Gabriel is being interviewed—after the adventure has concluded—and when he’s reflecting on what has happened. While being interviewed, he’s in a dungeon, captured by vampires, in danger as he tells his story. It’s complex but a really fun read.
Some of the tropes you can expect: revenge, a morally gray male main character, and the “touch her and die” vibe. Honestly, Gabriel feels that way about everybody he likes—he’s that kind of character who, if you mess with his friends, he’ll kill you and not feel bad. There’s also a talking sword—which I guess is a trope. The sword is sentient; Gabriel can hear it speaking. It’s broken and a little crazy—when it talks, it’s disjointed—but he has a kind of loving relationship with it.
There’s a grumpy/sunshine dynamic as well. Gabriel is definitely the grumpiest of all characters, so whoever he’s paired with is the sunshine by comparison. It’s a fun dynamic.
As for romance and spice—this is not a romance book. There’s a romantic subplot that comes into play more in book two, not really in book one. There’s a “longing backstory romance” like in The Crow—those idyllic flashbacks ripped away, fueling revenge. There’s also some “vampire orgy” spice—it fits the world, though not necessarily a romantic plot. But if you like spice, you’ll like it.
The standout characters: Gabriel de Leon, obviously. He’s dark, morally gray, a lone warrior archetype like Roland Deschain, but funny, witty, sarcastic—he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. He has gallows humor, shaped by war and loss. He’s been through the worst, but beneath it all, he has a heart of gold. The hill he’ll die on is his friends. No matter how ruthless or sarcastic he gets, you know he’d lay down his life for his friends.
The other standout is Dior. As the descendant of the Redeemer, she didn’t grow up sanctified but as a street urchin, hustling and fighting to survive. She’s kind, brave, and clever, willing to risk herself to help others. Her blood heals wounds. She irritates Gabriel because she won’t stop helping people, but she also gives as good as she gets when he gives her crap. Their dynamic is sharp, funny, and heartfelt.
Other cool elements: a lion shifter character, the Silver Saints with glowing silver tattoos that react to faith and blind vampires in battle. They’re both allies and sometimes obstacles for Gabriel.
Books to compare: The Dark Tower by Stephen King, George R. R. Martin’s grimdark works, or Castlevania. The vibe is very Castlevania—vampires, gothic atmosphere, revenge—exactly the kind of story I always wanted when I was younger. Also Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynn—grimdark, revenge arcs, badass characters.
I’d give books one and two five stars. I haven’t read book three yet, but Jay Kristoff’s writing is phenomenal. His prose, character building, and world-building are all top-tier. As an author myself—with 13 books out—I don’t often feel awed by others’ writing, but Kristoff deserves it.
And when I actually continue reading in a series, that says a lot. My time is limited—three kids, a day job, my own books to write—so if I’m reading book two, it means I love it. Hats off to Jay Kristoff. Book three just came out, so it’s a great time to jump in. Five-star series.
Now, let’s transition to the second part of the show where I talk about writing process. Hopefully, this is interesting for readers and useful for other writers.
So, what is my writing process like? It’s evolved. My first book was traditionally published in 2011 or 2012. I’ve become more of a plotter over time. I come up with an idea, then write a robust outline—a sentence or two per chapter. My books have around 50 chapters, so about 100 sentences outlining the plot. It helps prevent writer’s block.
My life is busy—I don’t get to spend all day daydreaming about stories—so I need that outline ready when I sit down to write. That way I always know what comes next.
Another question I get: where does my inspiration come from? It’s different every time. Sometimes it’s combining two ideas. For example, Dragons and Aces combines a dragon rider fantasy with WWI-era aviation. One side uses magic, the other uses technology, and they’re at war. I love classic tropes—enemies to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine—but with a twist that makes it unique. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
Everyone has ideas, but the idea is the easy part. The hard part is writing it. People often tell me, “I have a great idea for a book.” And I say, “That’s awesome—you should write it!”
As for connecting with readers, TikTok has been amazing. I’ve built a community there, made friends with other authors and readers. Instagram has also been great lately. I encourage people to join my email list—it’s the best way to stay in touch without algorithms getting in the way.
For marketing, I use Facebook ads, Amazon ads, and daily social media posts. I actually enjoy making TikTok and Instagram reels—it’s fun, like creating a tiny story that draws people in. I have a background in acting and TV commercials, so being on camera is natural for me.
As for publishing advice, the worst I ever got was that traditional publishing is the only legitimate way to be published. I used to believe that. My first five books were traditionally published—it was validating and a great experience—but I stayed in that mindset too long. After leaving that publisher and parting with an agent, I eventually started my own publishing company.
Now I have full control—formatting, covers, marketing, Kickstarters, everything. I love not relying on others or begging for validation. Readers give me all the validation I need. Traditional publishing isn’t wrong, but it’s not the only way. The best advice I’ve received was to take control of my career.
The tools for indie authors today are incredible compared to ten years ago—direct-to-reader platforms, marketing tools, print services—everything we need.
Finally, advice for writers: write every day, or as close to it as you can. It’s not that you’re not a writer if you don’t, but it helps keep you in the story. When you stop for weeks, it’s harder to come back—you lose the thread, doubt creeps in. When you’re writing daily, you stay in the flow, in that joy of creation.
Also, don’t beat yourself up if you’re not “writing to market.” My Luck Gods series, a YA urban fantasy about demigods in Detroit, is something I’m proud of—but Dragons and Aces did far better commercially. Not because one is “better,” but because of market timing. If your series isn’t exploding in sales, don’t lose faith. You can either stay the course and build gradually or pivot to a genre that’s hotter.
Trust the process. Keep writing books you love. Connect with readers. Growth takes time, but it comes.
That’s the wisdom I have for today. If you want to learn more about me, you can find me and my books at jggates.com. I’m on all the social media platforms—please follow this podcast or YouTube channel if you’re watching there.
I really appreciate you joining and listening, and I hope to catch you on the next episode. Until then, farewell.