Transcript:
G’day Epics, I’m back and its time to go through the second quarter of Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff. We pick up from page 161 onwards. Welcome back to the depravity fun wheel.
The terrors are terrifying, these kids, as hard stone on the inside and out. The terrors were asking both Gabs and Celene if they would just give Dior up they would leave them alone and be on their way. In an attempt to make the problem go away easily. I guess they didn’t know how much these two care about the grail, for their own reaasons. The old trick of the undead in full force here as well, send the ragged coldbloods and thrall swords to wear down Gabs and Celene. This will allow the two terrors to strike when they’re tired and hurt. Its interesting the terrors don’t straight up try and attack them themselves, it would save them the fodder. I guess they’re respectful and scared of the what he Gabs and Celene can do. Kiara outsmarted the Terrors by drinking from that interesting golden vial and smashing the stone bridge to pieces beneath their feet. You may not be able to hit the terrors, but you sure can remove what they’re standing on. The drop wouldn’t of hurt them but it was a long climb up, which gave her time. This left Celene holding onto Gabs, who was holding onto Dior; both of them were dangling off the what was left of the bridge. Dior scrambled up but ol Gabs was dropped to his doom on purpose by Celene. What a stupid decision. Celene then had to give up Dior to Kiara and blood Dyvok to survive. What a total chump. Celene you god dam idiot.
This is around where we discover Celene is also in captivity by the Chastains. She is brought in to fill in the gaps of Gabs story, you could say to play devil’s advocate. This is when I started to notice a change in pace from Empire of the Vampire. So this is really interesting. It’s like going from spewing chaotic energy from a chimney which is Gabs to a cold needle of pure hate and rage from Celene. This makes me think that Jay is a great writer. He is able to go between two characters and make you feel how they would act in real life. This is great character development, plus you transition between the characters nicely.
Aaron De Coste has been put through the wringer. He was turned into a vampire, trapped in a coffin on the way to Dun Maergann, with his silver skin burning him constantly. Forced to feed on his own people. The torture of Aaron through the book was actually fairly hard to read. I wasn’t able to keep reading and have it bounce off me, it seemed to get into me a bit and made me squirm while reading it, I guess it only makes me human. I know it all kind fits into the theme of book, so I’ve signed up to it, but it still didn’t sit nicely with me. phfffftttt, heavy.
Having the feeding farms being described in detail helped me understand the scope of the systematic horrors of this world. Its shocking and kinda breath taking at the same time. Also, Kiara trying to justify all of what vampires do by saying humans hunted them down and killed them all and now they’re the apex predator, now its time for payback and some. So there’s little love for humans and you can tell. They’re used like cattle in all regards.
As they pulled into the castle, Dun Maergann, having the 2 people in the cages literally thrown the horde of the Coldblood to thrash and consume, was horrifying to read through the nonchalance of it all. This introduces again the systematic way humans are cattle.
I had an inkling that Dior’s blood would make the people not thralls again. Interesting that she heals the people who have been thralled. Also, the story of Nikita’s dad feeding the lamb that Nikita took care to Nikita and then beat the piss out of him was a brutal tale, which helps describe why they’re are the way they are. The thralling of Aaron was tragic, thralling Bapsite and then forcing Aaron to submit by saying he will kill his lover is so messed up and tragic.
The golden vial is an interesting one; I’m thinking that it may be blood from the old Esana in the Dun Maergann; they’ve somehow converted the blood to be useful to them.
In closing, the utter blood bath of the Dyvok, the killing rooms, the scene where the old lady is thrown out to the undead vampires. The bargains with the Terros and then the Dyvok realising they will need more humans for food otherwise they’re going to go hungry soon. Meaning there is a lot of planning that goes into taking an area, there has to be enough food for the next push. the Dyvok have bitten off more than they can gulp. The relationship building with Phoebe and Gabs and the betrayal Gabs old wife felt. Also, ol Gabs got desperate and almost shagged the thrall, Meline, poor bastard. The relationship between Lilliath and Nikita is interesting. Lillith is the secret power, Nikita the head and the power of the clan.. Im interested in the fact that Diors blood may have healed the thralls of their worship. There is something there that I can’t quite see, its interesting. Its all totally brutal!