What do you think?
Rate this book
Brand of the Bloodheir #1
Brand of the Bloodheir
Loyalty has a price. Betrayal demands a reckoning.
Risens is the King’s Rightmaker, the silent justice of Halthome, whose word is law and whose blade ensures absolute obedience. Operating in a kingdom built on the raw power of Brands, Risens, despite his deadly skill, is an a Brandless assassin whose only loyalty is to the Crown.
His orders are None must survive.
A routine execution of a treacherous noble, Duke Karieas, goes horribly wrong when a singular act of mercy compromises his identity to the city guard. Now hunted by his former colleagues, Risens is forced to question his allegiance to a "false king.”
Drawn by an unseen force, Risens is pulled into the forbidden Raven’s Court, a place of forgotten power. There, he receives the first of the Forbidden Brands, granting him access to The Roost and its grueling trials.
To survive the conspiracies and assassins arrayed against him, Risens must master his power through "Struggle, pain, and adaptation.”
Stripped of allegiance and empowered by an ominous, commanding voice, Risens must navigate deadly political conspiracies and master his new destiny. The King wants him dead, but the Raven has other plans.
Don't miss the start of this action-packed Progression Fantasy series by Jaime Castle, bestselling author of Jeff the GM and Black Badge, together with CJ Aaron, bestselling author of Catalyst.
It's perfect for fans of Darkblade Assassin, UnderVerse, and The Grand Game!
Risens is the King’s Rightmaker, the silent justice of Halthome, whose word is law and whose blade ensures absolute obedience. Operating in a kingdom built on the raw power of Brands, Risens, despite his deadly skill, is an a Brandless assassin whose only loyalty is to the Crown.
His orders are None must survive.
A routine execution of a treacherous noble, Duke Karieas, goes horribly wrong when a singular act of mercy compromises his identity to the city guard. Now hunted by his former colleagues, Risens is forced to question his allegiance to a "false king.”
Drawn by an unseen force, Risens is pulled into the forbidden Raven’s Court, a place of forgotten power. There, he receives the first of the Forbidden Brands, granting him access to The Roost and its grueling trials.
To survive the conspiracies and assassins arrayed against him, Risens must master his power through "Struggle, pain, and adaptation.”
Stripped of allegiance and empowered by an ominous, commanding voice, Risens must navigate deadly political conspiracies and master his new destiny. The King wants him dead, but the Raven has other plans.
Don't miss the start of this action-packed Progression Fantasy series by Jaime Castle, bestselling author of Jeff the GM and Black Badge, together with CJ Aaron, bestselling author of Catalyst.
It's perfect for fans of Darkblade Assassin, UnderVerse, and The Grand Game!
- GenresFantasy
512 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2026
About the author
Jaime Castle
51 books208 followersJaime Castle hails from the great nation of Texas where he lives with his wife and two children and enjoys anything creative. A self-proclaimed comic book nerd and artist, he spends what little free time he can muster with his art tablet.
Jaime is a #1 Audible Bestseller, Audible Originals author (The Luna Missile Crisis) and co-created and co-authored The Buried Goddess Saga, which includes the IPPY award-winning Web of Eyes.
Fantasy:
The Buried Goddess Saga:
Web of Eyes
Winds of War
Will of Fire
Way of Gods
War of Men
Word of Truth
Dragonblood Assassin:
Black Talon
Red Claw
Silver Spines
Golden Flames (2023/2024)
RAPTORS:
Sidekick
Superteam
Scions
Baron Steele
HARRIER (Raptors)
Justice
The Trench
Invasion
The Black Badge:
Dead Acre
Cold as Hell
Vein Pursuits
Ace in the Hole (2024)
Jeff the Game Master:
Manufacturing Magic
Manipulating Magic
Mastering Magic
Science Fiction:
This Long Vigil
The Luna Missile Crisis
ROGUE STARS:
Purgatory (2024)
Divine Intervention (2024)
Reclamation (2024)
Find out more at www.jaimecastle.com
Jaime is a #1 Audible Bestseller, Audible Originals author (The Luna Missile Crisis) and co-created and co-authored The Buried Goddess Saga, which includes the IPPY award-winning Web of Eyes.
Fantasy:
The Buried Goddess Saga:
Web of Eyes
Winds of War
Will of Fire
Way of Gods
War of Men
Word of Truth
Dragonblood Assassin:
Black Talon
Red Claw
Silver Spines
Golden Flames (2023/2024)
RAPTORS:
Sidekick
Superteam
Scions
Baron Steele
HARRIER (Raptors)
Justice
The Trench
Invasion
The Black Badge:
Dead Acre
Cold as Hell
Vein Pursuits
Ace in the Hole (2024)
Jeff the Game Master:
Manufacturing Magic
Manipulating Magic
Mastering Magic
Science Fiction:
This Long Vigil
The Luna Missile Crisis
ROGUE STARS:
Purgatory (2024)
Divine Intervention (2024)
Reclamation (2024)
Find out more at www.jaimecastle.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 24, 2026
Risen rising to new heights.
Risen the Kings right maker raised since birth to be jury, judge and executioner for the King’s commandments. Raised with the best education and training the Crown can buy. In a world where the common folk hold brands to grant them skills and magic beyond mortal ability Risens has none. This hasn't stopped him from trying however. Since childhood he has felt a calling to the Raven Shrine and even though it is quarantined & and outlawed in the kingdom he pleads to shrine like a man lost at sea pleads for water. Then on a fateful day his wish is granted but it comes with some unexpected feathers attached.
Not only does he unlock powers but he also unlocks clarity of mind and starts to question his existence and the false king he has pledged his life for. As Risens starts to gain power his life starts crumbling around him and the Raven God is worried Risens will not be ready when the time comes to fly the nest.
If you are looking for a story that has a unique system, interesting characters, beautiful imagery that immerses you in the world with top notch writing I beseech you to read Brand of the Bloodheir!
Risen the Kings right maker raised since birth to be jury, judge and executioner for the King’s commandments. Raised with the best education and training the Crown can buy. In a world where the common folk hold brands to grant them skills and magic beyond mortal ability Risens has none. This hasn't stopped him from trying however. Since childhood he has felt a calling to the Raven Shrine and even though it is quarantined & and outlawed in the kingdom he pleads to shrine like a man lost at sea pleads for water. Then on a fateful day his wish is granted but it comes with some unexpected feathers attached.
Not only does he unlock powers but he also unlocks clarity of mind and starts to question his existence and the false king he has pledged his life for. As Risens starts to gain power his life starts crumbling around him and the Raven God is worried Risens will not be ready when the time comes to fly the nest.
If you are looking for a story that has a unique system, interesting characters, beautiful imagery that immerses you in the world with top notch writing I beseech you to read Brand of the Bloodheir!
March 24, 2026
TL;DR Review:
Batman meets Moon Knight, but much grittier and darker. A loyal assassins learns truths that will make him question everything.
Full Review:
Get ready for a dark fantasy adventure!
Risens is the royal Rightmaker, the king’s personal assassin (one of many, but the highest-ranked) who goes around this dark, gritty fantasy kingdom making sure the king’s enemies get what’s coming to them. Though it’s clear from the jump that the king isn’t the nicest monarch, Risens (and, by extension, we) trust that his commands are at least doing what’s best for the kingdom.
But as the story goes on, we get to see that there are cracks in this particular kingdom’s foundation. Our perception of the king shifts—and as it does, Risens begins to question, “Are we serving the bad guy?” This was honestly one of my favorite parts of the story. Because it happens slowly, subtly, and though the signs could all be clearly seen from the beginning, it’s only as the tale wends on that we find ourselves confronted with the real evidence and forced to question the character’s morality.
All of this is brought about because Risens, who is unmarked in a world where everyone has at least one magical brand, finds himself suddenly bearing a symbol that doesn’t exist in any records. The mysterious brand leads him to a magical world that feels very much like a dark fantasy murder dungeon from anime series (like the one from Frieren or Made in Abyss). Except here, everything he faces is to test him and show him how to use his magical abilities.
And this is where the progression fantasy element shines through. We watch Risens gain skills and abilities one at a time, with the promise of so much more to be discovered through the rest of the series. Each new ability is put to the test, forcing him to fight harder and think cleverer with every new enemy he faces.
Make no mistake: the enemies get bigger, badder, and harder to kill. Risens is a capable fighter, but even he’ll be pushed to the limits when he goes up against foes trained specifically to take him down, or his own fellow assassins.
This is dark fantasy with a clear progression element, and it had me turning and burning page after page. It’s got a hint of Batman and Moon Knight about it, which I absolutely adored, but with the “royal assassin” flavor that made it grittier and more violent than the average anti-hero. I’m definitely sucked into the series and am excited to find out what comes next for Risens the Rightmaker.
Batman meets Moon Knight, but much grittier and darker. A loyal assassins learns truths that will make him question everything.
Full Review:
Get ready for a dark fantasy adventure!
Risens is the royal Rightmaker, the king’s personal assassin (one of many, but the highest-ranked) who goes around this dark, gritty fantasy kingdom making sure the king’s enemies get what’s coming to them. Though it’s clear from the jump that the king isn’t the nicest monarch, Risens (and, by extension, we) trust that his commands are at least doing what’s best for the kingdom.
But as the story goes on, we get to see that there are cracks in this particular kingdom’s foundation. Our perception of the king shifts—and as it does, Risens begins to question, “Are we serving the bad guy?” This was honestly one of my favorite parts of the story. Because it happens slowly, subtly, and though the signs could all be clearly seen from the beginning, it’s only as the tale wends on that we find ourselves confronted with the real evidence and forced to question the character’s morality.
All of this is brought about because Risens, who is unmarked in a world where everyone has at least one magical brand, finds himself suddenly bearing a symbol that doesn’t exist in any records. The mysterious brand leads him to a magical world that feels very much like a dark fantasy murder dungeon from anime series (like the one from Frieren or Made in Abyss). Except here, everything he faces is to test him and show him how to use his magical abilities.
And this is where the progression fantasy element shines through. We watch Risens gain skills and abilities one at a time, with the promise of so much more to be discovered through the rest of the series. Each new ability is put to the test, forcing him to fight harder and think cleverer with every new enemy he faces.
Make no mistake: the enemies get bigger, badder, and harder to kill. Risens is a capable fighter, but even he’ll be pushed to the limits when he goes up against foes trained specifically to take him down, or his own fellow assassins.
This is dark fantasy with a clear progression element, and it had me turning and burning page after page. It’s got a hint of Batman and Moon Knight about it, which I absolutely adored, but with the “royal assassin” flavor that made it grittier and more violent than the average anti-hero. I’m definitely sucked into the series and am excited to find out what comes next for Risens the Rightmaker.
March 25, 2026
Brand of the Bloodheir follows fairly standard tropes for a fantasy story. The MMC, Risens, is an underprivileged youth who was brought up as an assassin and has now achieved the honored status of Rightmaker, one of the king's primary tools for wetwork in the kingdom. The book jumps in on one of his missions, a mission where he starts to question the reasoning behind some of the king's missions to remove members of the nobility. He also stops by a forgotten religious sanctuary in the city to pay homage to a shrine in hopes of receiving a brand, the brands being a source of magical power. Through some hidden chosen status, he received a brand and the first of a new set of powers, and the rest of the story takes off from there.
This novel is truly a tale of two parts. The first opening section with the worldbuilding, the initial setup for the magic system, and the character introductions, is almost brutally drawn out and repetitive. It seemed like nearly every paragraph started off with this person has this brand, and it grants them this corresponding power, even if the paragraph was about the same person.
The progression of the power system worked well for the story, but also became very predictable. Receive skill "A", immediately followed by a story where skill "A" was needed. The writing style accomplishes what it needs to, and is done in nearly every story of this type, but coupled with the repetition of the world-building, it really gets dragged out and dulls the effect.
Then you get to Part 2 of the novel, and Jaime's (or maybe it was CJ's) skill at writing action sequences makes the slog through the first part worthwhile. The main character is sent on a mission, unsure of whom he can trust, already questioning the orders his king has given him, and blending his regular assassin skills with his newly acquired magical attributes. The second half turns what would have been a 3 or 4-star story into a 5-star can't-turn-the-pages-fast-enough epic, and provides massive build-up and excitement for the arrival of book 2.
The book ends abruptly, leaving most characters' next actions up in the air, but it should create a great opening for the next in the series, scheduled for release on June 23, 2026.
This novel is truly a tale of two parts. The first opening section with the worldbuilding, the initial setup for the magic system, and the character introductions, is almost brutally drawn out and repetitive. It seemed like nearly every paragraph started off with this person has this brand, and it grants them this corresponding power, even if the paragraph was about the same person.
The progression of the power system worked well for the story, but also became very predictable. Receive skill "A", immediately followed by a story where skill "A" was needed. The writing style accomplishes what it needs to, and is done in nearly every story of this type, but coupled with the repetition of the world-building, it really gets dragged out and dulls the effect.
Then you get to Part 2 of the novel, and Jaime's (or maybe it was CJ's) skill at writing action sequences makes the slog through the first part worthwhile. The main character is sent on a mission, unsure of whom he can trust, already questioning the orders his king has given him, and blending his regular assassin skills with his newly acquired magical attributes. The second half turns what would have been a 3 or 4-star story into a 5-star can't-turn-the-pages-fast-enough epic, and provides massive build-up and excitement for the arrival of book 2.
The book ends abruptly, leaving most characters' next actions up in the air, but it should create a great opening for the next in the series, scheduled for release on June 23, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such an interesting first book of a new series. Risens is the king's Rightmaker, he is the assassin that does the king's bidding and takes out those against the kingdom. But the secret that this man has always had is his want of a brand, a desire to be claimed by something, and he thought it would never happen as a fatherless orphan. Until one night coming back from a job he stops once again at the statue of the Raven and is granted the searing heat of a brand. But the brand comes with a voice that commands he will have to move against the 'false king'. The brand also comes with a mask that feels at home on his face and trials that could bring new abilities. However, the act of touching the Raven alone was treason, now Risens must navigate the castle and the mask.
There was some excellent meat in this story and I loved the concept of an assassin being claimed by another brand and all the turmoil that came with that. These are both new to me authors, so I am unsure if they normally write so superfluously, but the story definitely bogged down at parts on the details of the areas. Those details may become important in future books, but in this book I had a bit of a struggle staying in the story in some parts. I am certainly glad I did as the second half of the book really picked up and had me pushing late to read thru chapters. Risens and his 'guide' had the best interactions and I loved many additional elements added in the Roost. Definitely will be reading book 2 to see what our assassin does with the new information he has.
"There was the age-old proverb: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break."
There was some excellent meat in this story and I loved the concept of an assassin being claimed by another brand and all the turmoil that came with that. These are both new to me authors, so I am unsure if they normally write so superfluously, but the story definitely bogged down at parts on the details of the areas. Those details may become important in future books, but in this book I had a bit of a struggle staying in the story in some parts. I am certainly glad I did as the second half of the book really picked up and had me pushing late to read thru chapters. Risens and his 'guide' had the best interactions and I loved many additional elements added in the Roost. Definitely will be reading book 2 to see what our assassin does with the new information he has.
"There was the age-old proverb: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break."
April 5, 2026
A solid 4.75 rounded up
I’ve been following this story on Royal Road and when Book One finally dropped, I wanted to be able to read it in one go without having to wait for daily chapters to drop.
For those who argued the the beginning was a bit weighed down…well, they are not totally wrong. But I knew what was coming so focused on refreshing my memory until Risens found his way to Raven’s Court and the Roost. THAT is where the story really picks up. The prose can be a bit “purple”, but hopefully the authors can dial it back a bit when editing Book Two.
Risens is not a perfect MC. He can be a bit blind in his allegiance to the King, but I promise you that by the end of book one, those blinders are off. I assign this defect to the very harsh upbringing he went through as a child to turn him into an assassin, and then the King’s Rightmaker. Blind allegiance was literally beaten into him.
I am excited for Book Two because there will be significant changes and opportunities for him to continue to grow. It wouldn’t be too big of a spoiler by saying he finds himself a place to call his own. I found it exciting.
I highly recommend this book.
I’ve been following this story on Royal Road and when Book One finally dropped, I wanted to be able to read it in one go without having to wait for daily chapters to drop.
For those who argued the the beginning was a bit weighed down…well, they are not totally wrong. But I knew what was coming so focused on refreshing my memory until Risens found his way to Raven’s Court and the Roost. THAT is where the story really picks up. The prose can be a bit “purple”, but hopefully the authors can dial it back a bit when editing Book Two.
Risens is not a perfect MC. He can be a bit blind in his allegiance to the King, but I promise you that by the end of book one, those blinders are off. I assign this defect to the very harsh upbringing he went through as a child to turn him into an assassin, and then the King’s Rightmaker. Blind allegiance was literally beaten into him.
I am excited for Book Two because there will be significant changes and opportunities for him to continue to grow. It wouldn’t be too big of a spoiler by saying he finds himself a place to call his own. I found it exciting.
I highly recommend this book.
March 25, 2026
Brand of the BloodHeir is a new book by writer Jaime Castle. This sets up a new world for him to play in.
In a world where almost everyone has some sort of mark has some sort of mark or brand to help them, Risens has none. As the assassin for the king, this is a detriment. Until he gets one…
The world this story takes place in is very real. It feels lived in. You can almost smell the city from some of the descriptions. I love that in books.
Risens is an interesting character who drew you into the story. I could definitely read more of his adventures.
If there was any downside to the book, it was the info dumps. It’s not that they weren’t necessary or important, they just pulled me out of the story and it took me a bit to get back into it afterwards.
In all, strong start to a new series.
In a world where almost everyone has some sort of mark has some sort of mark or brand to help them, Risens has none. As the assassin for the king, this is a detriment. Until he gets one…
The world this story takes place in is very real. It feels lived in. You can almost smell the city from some of the descriptions. I love that in books.
Risens is an interesting character who drew you into the story. I could definitely read more of his adventures.
If there was any downside to the book, it was the info dumps. It’s not that they weren’t necessary or important, they just pulled me out of the story and it took me a bit to get back into it afterwards.
In all, strong start to a new series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This one started off a bit slow, mostly because I felt like there were just so many details about everything, but once it really got started, it pulled me right in! I don't read a lot of dark fantasy, but I have really enjoyed the other stuff written by Jaime Castle, so I gave this one a try. I'm so glad I did! This was such a unique and intriguing story! There are elements of LitRPG with the mask and all, but this one is more of a progression fantasy (both of which I enjoy). A few times at the beginning, I was frustrated at the main character's actions, but he really grew throughout the story, both as a person and as a fighter. I can't wait to read the next book once it's out! I need so many answers!
Did Not Finish
April 9, 2026I tried to read this book. I won it in a giveaway, and I had hopes for it. I like rogues and magic and ravens, but I just couldn't get into this one.
First off, I didn't like the writing style. It was a bit embellished in an annoying way (to me), so that put me off initially. But I kept reading thinking the content could overcome it. It didn't. I didn't like the main character. He wasn't likeable, or a fun villain, just kind of an empty slate. The world building had promise, but the king was so obviously a bad guy, it seemed impossible that the MC would think he was OK.
Anyway, it just felt like a struggle to keep going, so I didn't
First off, I didn't like the writing style. It was a bit embellished in an annoying way (to me), so that put me off initially. But I kept reading thinking the content could overcome it. It didn't. I didn't like the main character. He wasn't likeable, or a fun villain, just kind of an empty slate. The world building had promise, but the king was so obviously a bad guy, it seemed impossible that the MC would think he was OK.
Anyway, it just felt like a struggle to keep going, so I didn't
March 30, 2026
defiantly skip
Just finished the book and will say that it isn’t worth the read.
The main character is just not Interesting and kinda an arsehole. The plot is both generic and tepid and the supporting characters might as well be one line descriptions.
This book wasn’t written poorly it just wasn’t written to entice and explore anything new.
Just finished the book and will say that it isn’t worth the read.
The main character is just not Interesting and kinda an arsehole. The plot is both generic and tepid and the supporting characters might as well be one line descriptions.
This book wasn’t written poorly it just wasn’t written to entice and explore anything new.
March 31, 2026
Cool fantasy novel. The brand concept is cool as a magic system. Gotta love an assassin as the MC. Things start with an intense scene and things don’t let up until the book is over.
May 8, 2026
Loved it
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews