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Book: Silver Under Nightfall
Author: Rin Chupeco
Pages: 512
Source: Owned
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+
Publication Date: September 13, 2022
Summary:
Remy Pendergast is many things: the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne (though his father might wish otherwise), an elite bounty hunter of rogue vampires, and an outcast among his fellow Reapers. His mother was the subject of gossip even before she eloped with a vampire, giving rise to the rumors that Remy is half-vampire himself. Though the kingdom of Aluria barely tolerates him, Remy’s father has been shaping him into a weapon to fight for the kingdom at any cost.
When a terrifying new breed of vampire is sighted outside of the city, Remy prepares to investigate alone. But then he encounters the shockingly warmhearted vampire heiress Xiaodan Song and her infuriatingly arrogant fiancé, vampire lord Zidan Malekh, who may hold the key to defeating the creatures—though he knows associating with them won’t do his reputation any favors. When he’s offered a spot alongside them to find the truth about the mutating virus Rot that’s plaguing the kingdom, Remy faces a choice.
It’s one he’s certain he’ll regret.
But as the three face dangerous hardships during their journey, Remy develops fond and complicated feelings for the couple. He begins to question what he holds true about vampires, as well as the story behind his own family legacy. As the Rot continues to spread across the kingdom, Remy must decide where his loyalties lie: with his father and the kingdom he’s been trained all his life to defend or the vampires who might just be the death of him.
My Review:
Silver Under Nightfall is the first book in the Reapers duology by Rin Chupeco. It primarily takes place in the fictional country of Aluria in a setting reminiscent of the 19th century Europe with Asian influences. Unlike the real Europe of that era, though, the humans of Aluria and the surrounding countries live in constant fear and vigilance. You see, in this world, vampires are not only very real, they are organized and powerful. The climate of Aluria, with its perpetually overcast state, creates the perfect place for vampires to thrive, but humans have their own ways of fighting back.
One of those ways is through the Reapers, hunters and killers of vampires specifically trained to be lethal to the undead. Remington Prendergast is not only one of the best Reapers in Aluria; he is also the son of one of the best Reapers in Aluria’s history. Unfortunately, his father and his family have fallen into disgrace due to Remy’s mother leaving his father for one of the very creatures he hunted for years. It doesn’t help Remy’s case that he was born just after his mother was killed by said vampires. Thus, while Remy is an excellent Reaper, he is rejected my most of his fellows and society in general.
His mother’s death also gives Remy a purpose, though. Through his father, Remy knows his mother was mixed up with the First Court vampires, and the emergence of the Night Empress has Remy chasing any lead he can to discover what really happened with his mother. Remy’s father uses this need to force Remy to secure information from other members of society. The choice of method is what I had an issue with, and it’s what made me absolutely loathe Remy’s father. Needless to say, Remy comes from a troubled family life that leaves him emotionally stunted, traumatized, and with an intense distrust bordering on hatred of all vampires.
So, when Remy first meets Xiadon Song, daughter of the Third Court’s leader, and Zidan Malekh, leader of the Fourth Court and Xiadon’s fiance, he is understandably less than trustful of them and their motives. He simply doesn’t believe they are really trying to forge a truce and peace between vampires and humans. Unfortunately, when a new nasty emerges that poses a threat to vampires and humans alike, Remy is grudgingly forced to work with Xiadon and Zidan to discover the source of these new mutations, known as the Rot, and for a way to stop them.
This forced proximity is what brings about one of my favorite parts of this story, the polyamorous romance. In my opinion, Silver Under Nightfall gets romance in a fantasy setting right. The story itself is the focus – the hunt for the Night Empress, Remy’s search for answers regarding his mother, and most of all, the search for a way to stop The Rot. Meanwhile, the romance is secondary, but it’s woven into the story in a believable and natural way. Plus, the emphasis on consent didn’t hurt at all, especially considering the ways in which Remy had been used in the past. It also served as a source of characterization in the story, which is another thing I enjoyed.
This book also had a unique take on vampires that I haven’t seen in other vampire books (and boy have I read a lot of vampire books). The vampires are organized into courts. Each court has a leader, and they each have their own characteristics. Just as the Third and Fourth Courts wish to have peace and coexist with humans, other courts such as the First Court and Second Court wanted only to subjugate and rule them. I enjoyed the demonstration that most vampires used to be human, and just like humans, they are all different and can’t be pigeon-holed into stereotypes so easily.
Finally, I loved how Silver Under Nightfall addressed and acknowledged trauma. Remy has had an extremely difficult upbringing, and he’s mostly shunned by society for the circumstances surrounding his birth. This is completely unfair because it’s not like Remy could control when and how he was born. Also, Remy’s own father forces him to sleep with women of powerful men in the hopes of gaining intelligence he is no longer privy to. Remy has so much trauma that his trauma has trauma, but the relationship he forges between two other characters couldn’t be more different. They constantly make sure he is alright and verbally consents to everything. It goes a long way in helping Remy with his trust issues and other hang-ups.
Obviously, I really enjoyed this book. It admittedly had a slower start, but once the momentum got going I had a hard time putting it down! The world is so unique, and the characters are so relatable. I truly cared about what happened to Remy, Xiodan, and Zidan. I felt like everything that happened in the story mattered. I also really enjoyed that everything that happened either served to move the plot forward and to build a character’s personality. The lack of that and info-dumping are the main reason I haven’t gotten into “romantasy” in general, but I don’t feel like this book fits that category anyway. I definitely see myself revisiting this book in the future.
My Rating:
I gave Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco five out of five stars. This was an action-filled romp through a beautifully crafted world filled with fleshed-out characters. Oh, and it also had vampires. The romance worked with the plot instead of overtaking it, and the story is filled with twists and turns that had me gasping. If you’re on the lookout for a new vampire book, then definitely read this book!
Have you read anything by Rin Chupeco before? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
Tea Rex Reads 
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