Book: The Name of Vampire by Antony J. Stanton
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4.5/5
If you thought Blood of the Damned set a high bar for historical dark fantasy, The Name of Vampire takes everything that worked in book one and completely elevates the tension, emotional weight, and blood-curdling (ha) horror. Antony Stanton does a masterclass job of weaving real medieval history into supernatural lore. The setting feels deeply immersive, atmospheric, and grounded in reality, which only makes the creepy, unsettling moments hit twice as hard.
What truly elevates this installment, though, is the sheer amount of heart packed into such a dark story. There’s a found family element to the story, and the genuine bonds and relationships between the characters give the narrative so much soul, making it impossible not to get fully invested in their survival. Stanton wrote these bonds so beautifully that you feel connected to these friends. When the darker moments and casualties inevitably land, they are genuinely heartbreaking with real emotional weight.
The Name of Vampire strikes the perfect balance between quiet, eerie dread and pulse-pounding mystery. It’s dark, tense, and delivers a deeply satisfying finish to the first two books of this saga. If you love historically grounded dark fantasy with rich lore, chilling atmospheres, and characters you’ll inevitably become attached to, this is an absolute must-read.