Empire of the Dawn Review: Not Perfect, But Still Epic

Four stars for the book, five stars for the journey.

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and the last hope of ending the endless night—his surrogate daughter, Dior. With no thought left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of Elidaen to claim the life of the Forever King.


Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards the besieged capital of Augustin in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath. 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 a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.

Review

4 stars… but 5 stars for the series as a whole.

This review will stay intentionally vague because Empire of the Dawn is the final chapter of a series I’ll be recommending for the rest of my life.
Empire of the Vampire was a “six mother**cking badass stars” read for me.
Empire of the Damned? “Six stars or all the stars.”
So why did this one land at 4?

Let’s start with what didn’t fully work for me.

The beginning felt… off. I struggled to find my footing, and it didn’t help that Jay went for a trope I personally dislike: splitting the main characters for a large chunk of the story. I had the same frustration with DEVIAT3. It’s not a flaw so much as a personal pet peeve — I just hate the feeling of circling the same emotional ground.

The banter and the humor were quieter this time. I still got flashes of that sharp Kristoff bite, but nowhere near the level of Empire of the Damned, which remains unmatched for me. Celene’s badassery also didn’t blaze as brightly, and I missed that.

Plot holes or… not? Given how the ending plays out (no spoilers!), I’m not sure we can even call them plot holes — but there are definitely unanswered questions, and I closed the book wanting more clarity.

The ending itself will absolutely divide readers. Some will adore it, others will rage. I’m firmly on the “I loved it” side, even if I wish it had been more drawn out, more hard-won. And maybe I’m a precog, but I’m convinced threads of that ending were already woven into earlier books.

Now… what did I love?

The writing. EPIC in every sense of the word. Jay’s prose is cinematic, brutal, poetic, and alive — he outdid himself again.

The characters. Dior’s growth? Incredible. Celene’s backstory? I devoured it. Gabriel? Still my favorite cocky, foul-mouthed, soft-hearted disaster man. They’re flawed, fierce, unforgettable.

The worldbuilding. This universe is bleak, bloody, and stunningly crafted. The legends, the monsters, the lore — everything is painted in such detail that it feels like reading inside a stained-glass cathedral lit by fire.

So yes, I had my gripes with this final installment…
But this trilogy remains my favorite Jay Kristoff work to date, and it’s a must-read for anyone who loves truly epic fantasy.

Bring on the next trilogy — I’m already impatient.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie