Silver Under Nightfall

Written by Rin Chupeco

Narrated by Matthew Spencer

Full of court intrigue, queer romance, and terrifying monsters—this “deliciously fun” (Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches) epic fantasy appeals to fans of Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree and the adult animated series Castlevania.

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781797149868

Rin Chupeco

Rin Chupeco has written obscure manuals for complicated computer programs, talked people out of their money at event shows, and done many other terrible things. They now write about ghosts and fantastic worlds but are still sometimes mistaken for a revenant. They are the author of The Girl from the Well, its sequel, The Suffering, and the Bone Witch trilogy. Find them at www.rinchupeco.com.

Reviews for Silver Under Nightfall

[Christian Hood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Delivered on pretty much all its promised vibes! Sexy, full of vampire politics, action, & banter

[Bianca Moore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a series opener! I went in with no expectations but am now invested in how the rest of the plot will unfold. Though Remy is stubborn, it was quite the ride to witness as he let his walls down and accept hard truths that he had never even considered. This was well-written and though there was one twist that was unsurprising, I think that people who aren't familiar with the patterns of such a mystery would be shocked. The romance was delightful. The other characters were easy to root for--or to hate. The setup for a second book was perfect and promised even greater trouble for both Remy and the reader.

[Rachel Jones · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The narrator did a great job; the pacing felt right and he conveyed emotion well. I really enjoyed the plot, a good mix of action, romance, and procedural investigation. The author's descriptions make it easy to picture the combat, even with our protagonist's unique weapon. The horror and grotesque nature of the infected vampires came across really well, too. I think the mystery surrounding the Rot and the related investigations were my favorite part overall. On top of all that, the progression of the relationship(s) between our main trio felt natural and believable, and it was a joy to watch them figure things out. I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next!

[Thea Karan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ultimately the characters and world-building felt a little hollow, the humor didn't always land, and the romance was very much "because the plot says so" rather than any actual qualities the characters possessed. also i was disappointed by the retrograde gender roles written by a queer author in a polyamorous romance. the plot also got a little convoluted and the book didn't need to be 500+ pages.

That said, it was occasionally charming and i appreciated bringing queerness to vampires.

[Delia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I expected something different. It was too much chained to tropes and stereotypes for my liking. I would have wished for way more character development and emotional depth:

Eventhough the maincharacter is able in combat he felt like a damsel in distress that needs saving because of his massive lack of selfworth. In that regard he reminded me of Bella from twilight and not in a good way.

The two vampires embody every gender stereotype of their respective gender: the nurturing kind emotionally open (sometimes childlike) female and the dark brooding rational emotionally distant male.

While that is for me a good starting point for characters I would have wished for some change during the book, some growth and emotional understanding deriving from their relationships to each other.
That’s why in the end the whole love story and in that regard also the rest of the story feels hollow to me.

I liked the general idea, the premise and the world building.

All in all it was entertaining enough but I probably won‘t read the sequel.

[Selena Wallace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great read! I went into it completely blind and was happily surprised at what i had gotten myself into. i really enjoyed the characters and their dynamics with one another. Remi is already said to be stubborn, a bit dull, and not the most social able but i wasn’t frustrated with this at all! in fact it was mostly endearing, though there were times where I was face palming and yelling at my phone, because he was being stubborn. Xiaodan, god, i think im in love with her too. She is such a beautifully elegant character with a fire as bright as the sun ;) inside her. I love that she is the brawn and Malekh, her amazing, witty, and sexy betrothed is the brain and how well they work with one another. The banter oh my GOD the banter between all three of them is unmatched, and if you think their interactions separately are dripping with chemistry just you wait until they’re all together. They’re all so into one another and it’s really fun to read.
Excellent if you’re looking for a political fantasy involving gorgeous vampires, so much sexual tension, social situations that are scarier than battle, and a truly beautiful love story.