Review: We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark
REVIEW: WE WHO WILL DIE
BOW BEFORE THE GOD OF RUIN
In We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark, Arvelle is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Thanks to the cruel vampire on her doorstep, she must choose between saving the life of her brother or risking her own life to try and win the gladiator-style arena trials she never planned to enter. All so she can kill the emperor and fulfill her forced magical blood vow with a vampire determined to get his way. Of course, she has no choice but to enter the trials and kill the emperor yet she knows, even as she does, she may not make it out alive—and neither may the two younger brothers she’s desperately trying to protect.
This story was such a rollercoaster read for me. Just when I thought I had figured it out, something else would pop up and make me realize there was far more to the story than I first thought. Twists and turns and secrets and betrayals, there was a lot going on in this book, and all of it made for such a fun, immersive read. Which doesn’t always happen to the degree that it happened with this story.
So, let’s dive in and talk about it, shall we?
MY THOUGHTS
We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark is a dark historical romantasy set during the ancient romance empire. But the difference between this book and a few others who play within the same time period is the addition of vampires, magic, some mystical creatures, and some vengeful Gods. It is what happens if you took The Hunger Games, The Vampire Diaries, Gladiator, and Gods of Myth and tossed them in a blender to create something epic, fun, and new.
If you read enough fantasy and watch enough television and movies, you’ll recognize several familiar elements in this story. But what you’ll find that is different is the characterization attached and the depth of the layering and worldbuilding. This story comes undone slowly, with each new layer exposing something new, and setting readers up for even deeper discovery in the future.
The twists and turns in this one make it difficult to see too far into the future because there are so many different paths the author could take. This in-depth layering made for a fun, engrossing read, and it allowed me, as a reader, to become invested in the story and what might happen between the different characters along the way.
The pain of loss never ends. It never gets better. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. The agony of “what if” eats at you, hour by hour, minute by minute, until you’d give almost anything for it to finally put you out of your misery. And then, just when you start to function again, it waits, silently, before slamming into you full force when you least expect it.
When the story begins, Arvelle is not only dealing with an unexpected threat to her and her family’s lives, but also the grief of losing her best friend during a trial where winning was supposed to earn them enough money to get out of the poverty-stricken Thorn. She won that trial, but she lost so much more because of it. And not just the life of her friend alongside the disappearance of someone she loved but also the prize money that a relative stole from her.
As Arvelle enters the gladiator-style trials, she quickly discovers that all is not as it seems and that betrayal runs deeper than she ever could have imagined. But then, so does her own betrayal and mess of secrets.
In a story where no one is who they seem and the stakes are literally life or death, even the strongest of lead characters must be careful. Arvelle has a lot to lose if her secrets are discovered, but she also has a lot to gain if she succeeds in her quest to kill the emperor. If only other people, with their own secret agendas, didn’t continue to get in her way.
“All this time I thought leaving you had smashed my heart into pieces, and I’d be picking shards from my chest until the day I died. But my heart wasn’t smashed. I left it with you, and you’ve held it hostage ever since.”
There is the hint of a love triangle in this story, though it is a bit unclear who we are supposed to be rooting for, T, the childhood friend, or Rorrik, the vampire with a reputation for cruelty and murderous urges. I can tell you this, though, my heart was stolen by the morally grey vampire who appears to have far more depth to him than any other character in the story outside of Arvelle. Rorrik, the “cruelest” son of the emperor, caught my attention immediately and though his choices left a lot to be desired in some places, he also appears to be even more of a secret agenda than Arvelle herself does. Think Damon Salvatore and you’re on the right track with this guy, but even that comes with a series of questions attached.
Is Rorrik a love interest? He appears like he could be, but there are only hints that he might in this book. The second book will likely tell us for sure, but in the meantime, I am rooting for him to get the girl. Or rather, the girl to get him. He’s just so interesting to me, and so much more vibrant that Tiernon, the other suitor in the story. I’m sure the contrasts between them have already been discussed by others who read this book, so I won’t go into those details here, but I will say they interest me. And the juxtaposition between them made this story all the more entertaining to me for it.
“Do you truly believe that people are just one thing? Entirely good or entirely evil? Is it really just that simple for you?”
Rorrik challenges Arvelle in a way that most other characters do not. He forces her to see the world in shades of gray instead of black and white, and that’s exactly what Arvelle needs to shake her up and make her realize that the way she’s been living thus far is not really living at all. That the person she’s been isn’t who she needs to be right now, in this moment, at this time, with these kinds of problems.
There is such an interesting dynamic with Rorrik. On one hand, he’s known to be cruel and vicious, but on the other, we can see glimpses of a different man beneath the exterior. One who isn’t who he appears to be and who is capable of far more than those around him believe.
He looks up at me, and I can’t deny the sight of him on his knees…
“Do you feel powerful in this moment, darling?”
I have no idea where the story will go in book two of Stark’s Empire of Blood series, but I do know that I’m excited to find out. I loved the characters, the writing style, the worldbuilding, and the storytelling, and I cannot wait to learn if some of my theories about Rorrik, Tiernon, and the others pan out. It’s such an interesting tale, and I absolutely love that it takes place in Ancient Rome with vampires, magic, and mystical creatures.
All in all, this story was a gem to read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially if it is in a genre that interests you. Or even if it isn’t, but if it isn’t, please be mindful of the content warnings and triggers on the author’s website before diving in to read this. Mental health is important and reading should be a pleasure not precursor for stress and upset. Stay safe, folks. Always.
If you’ve read this book, what are some of your theories on what is to come for them all? Drop a comment below to let me know or find me on social media and tag me for a discussion of the book.
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DETAILS AND INFORMATION
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We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark Series: Empire of Blood
Published by Avon Books on December 30, 2025
Genres: Dark Epic Fantasy, Romantasy, Vampire
Pages: 432
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Buy: Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads
Rating:
Series Rating:
Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.
Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.
She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.
With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.
To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…
THINGS YOU WILL FIND IN THIS BOOK:
- Slow burn romance
- Reimagined Roman Empire
- Vampires
- Vengeful gods
- magical creatures
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