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The Vampire Gods #1
Deathless King
Long ago, the Lightbearers saved the Five Kingdoms from the undead, with a light - the Starstone Lamp - that was meant to shine forever, a beacon and barrier against the horrors of the night. But the Lamp has been broken, the Lighthouses that keep the undead at bay have all failed, and the Darkness has returned. New heroes must rise . . .
Conlan Greylock has tainted blood, and the edict is anyone infected with vampire blood must perish. Refusing to accept his fate, he places his soul in the hands of Rohina, with whom he shares a powerful supernatural bond. Rohina, and her genius son Timor, think they can save Conlan - and the rest of the world - from the vampire plague. But they're outlaws too, for creating the perfect golem, a man made of metal and stone who can think and feel . . . Together they must journey into the wilds, seeking the answers of riddles only they can unravel.
Mohan and his daughter Dariana have their own reasons to haunt the Mohan's beloved wife Shakti is lost among monsters, calling his name. While ambitious young sorceress Yarrow and her friend Emyl are on a quest of their to prevent a loved one from joining the undead.
Thrown together by fate, they must save their world from an enemy beyond the Vampire God, Varthak.
Conlan Greylock has tainted blood, and the edict is anyone infected with vampire blood must perish. Refusing to accept his fate, he places his soul in the hands of Rohina, with whom he shares a powerful supernatural bond. Rohina, and her genius son Timor, think they can save Conlan - and the rest of the world - from the vampire plague. But they're outlaws too, for creating the perfect golem, a man made of metal and stone who can think and feel . . . Together they must journey into the wilds, seeking the answers of riddles only they can unravel.
Mohan and his daughter Dariana have their own reasons to haunt the Mohan's beloved wife Shakti is lost among monsters, calling his name. While ambitious young sorceress Yarrow and her friend Emyl are on a quest of their to prevent a loved one from joining the undead.
Thrown together by fate, they must save their world from an enemy beyond the Vampire God, Varthak.
528 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When the Starstone fails, the powerful defensive light it has provided for centuries disappears, taking with it humanity’s only defence against vampires who are rising once again. In these dark times, an unlikely group of travellers are brought together, each driven by their own motivations and desires. Thrown together by chance and influenced by hidden forces, they must quickly learn to trust one another as they find themselves inexorably drawn towards the lair of an Undead enemy who refuses to die. Along the way secret histories are uncovered, old dangers emerge, and truths will out as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance…
With thanks to Bonnier Books UK for the ARC. I was instantly intrigued by the premise, it’s right up my street and it didn’t disappoint!
This book fits perfectly into the fantasy horror genre. These aren’t the hot vampires you find in some stories - they’re genuinely horrific!
The world-building is suitably complex without being overwhelming. It’s not necessarily the most unique or stand-out world, but there’s plenty of lore to make it fulfilling. Places, people and orders are all drip-fed throughout the story in manageable chunks, so it never feels like too much information at once.
The pace is on the slower side, but I was intrigued throughout and eager to see where the story was heading. There’s a twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming and it ties the various plot elements together nicely.
I’d love to see more character development for Conlan and Rohina in the next book. We don’t see lots of personal growth from them in book one. That said, they’re both already fairly mature and confident in who they are and what they want. One thing I really enjoyed was that many of the protagonists in this book are a little older!
Overall I really enjoyed it and thought it was a strong start to the series. It’s well set up for book two and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
With thanks to Bonnier Books UK for the ARC. I was instantly intrigued by the premise, it’s right up my street and it didn’t disappoint!
This book fits perfectly into the fantasy horror genre. These aren’t the hot vampires you find in some stories - they’re genuinely horrific!
The world-building is suitably complex without being overwhelming. It’s not necessarily the most unique or stand-out world, but there’s plenty of lore to make it fulfilling. Places, people and orders are all drip-fed throughout the story in manageable chunks, so it never feels like too much information at once.
The pace is on the slower side, but I was intrigued throughout and eager to see where the story was heading. There’s a twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming and it ties the various plot elements together nicely.
I’d love to see more character development for Conlan and Rohina in the next book. We don’t see lots of personal growth from them in book one. That said, they’re both already fairly mature and confident in who they are and what they want. One thing I really enjoyed was that many of the protagonists in this book are a little older!
Overall I really enjoyed it and thought it was a strong start to the series. It’s well set up for book two and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
July 21, 2026
I saw in other reviews this book compared to Jay Kristoffs vampire series, I think that does a disservice to those books but more importantly to this book, you can’t write a vampire book without having some similarities to previously published works, I really enjoyed this book, the characters were intriguing and the world building was excellent, don’t compare it to other books, just read and enjoy it
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Deathless King started off well. We're introduced to a lot of characters very quickly and the author attempts to immediately start building this large world and the different groups within it while also establishing the religious and magical systems. The characters are diverse with their own challenges and strengths. I wish they'd been developed more and that we got to *see* the impact of their experiences versus being told about it by the author. I'm not a fan of stories, especially fantasies, where there's more telling than showing. I want to read the about the character's emotional impact than be told they've been emotionally impacted if that makes sense. Scenes that were supposed to feel intense and emotional fell flat. Based on this alone, I definitely wouldn't compare this to any of Jay Kristoff's books, especially not the EOTV series. The only similarities is that both books contain vampires, but the similarities stop there. Actually, comparing this to other books does this book and those other books a disservice, because this book is uniquely its own.
Another issue for me was the writing style because the author, on numerous occasions, kept using modern day catcheisms and phrases while trying to apply a sort of medieval twist on the phrase. Every time this happened it completely took me out of the story, because it made the story feel disjointed.
The vampires were interesting, including the vampire king. I wanted to know more about their world and experiences. I am glad that we got some insight into some characters who had been recently changed.
Overall, this was an okay story with an interesting plot. I think fantasy lovers who enjoy vampires will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK | Zaffe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Another issue for me was the writing style because the author, on numerous occasions, kept using modern day catcheisms and phrases while trying to apply a sort of medieval twist on the phrase. Every time this happened it completely took me out of the story, because it made the story feel disjointed.
The vampires were interesting, including the vampire king. I wanted to know more about their world and experiences. I am glad that we got some insight into some characters who had been recently changed.
Overall, this was an okay story with an interesting plot. I think fantasy lovers who enjoy vampires will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK | Zaffe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
September 21, 2026I got this book as an e-arc from Netgalley as it was a suspected book subscription box pick.
I did not finish this book and stopped at 45%. I'm honestly really upset this happened as I wanted to love the book so much.
But there were so many issues with this. The writing and story itself was good, it may be a little cliche but that's not a big deal. The pacing was a little slow, but again, I understand its the first in a series and there needs to be worldbuilding.
The issue I couldnt get past, which ultimately lead to me DNFing was the author's way of writing women. It wasn't that they were weak or useless characters. They had personality and entertained me...but their sexualisation as well (as other female characters) was something I couldn't look past.
It started in chapter 3 where a major character is either having wet dreams or is being raped by her "lover who becomes a demon...that rips her insides with his barbed phallus". A teenage girl is "sticking her chest out" to a man older than her and there are multiple references to her breasts...and other breasts throughout the book where its unnecessary to the story in every way whatsoever. Almost 50% of the way in, women are being described as wearing "a chain mail skirt and metal breastplate and little else".
Overall, the CONSTANT references to a woman's chest and oversexualisation put me off the book and I could read no further.
I did not finish this book and stopped at 45%. I'm honestly really upset this happened as I wanted to love the book so much.
But there were so many issues with this. The writing and story itself was good, it may be a little cliche but that's not a big deal. The pacing was a little slow, but again, I understand its the first in a series and there needs to be worldbuilding.
The issue I couldnt get past, which ultimately lead to me DNFing was the author's way of writing women. It wasn't that they were weak or useless characters. They had personality and entertained me...but their sexualisation as well (as other female characters) was something I couldn't look past.
It started in chapter 3 where a major character is either having wet dreams or is being raped by her "lover who becomes a demon...that rips her insides with his barbed phallus". A teenage girl is "sticking her chest out" to a man older than her and there are multiple references to her breasts...and other breasts throughout the book where its unnecessary to the story in every way whatsoever. Almost 50% of the way in, women are being described as wearing "a chain mail skirt and metal breastplate and little else".
Overall, the CONSTANT references to a woman's chest and oversexualisation put me off the book and I could read no further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2026
I wish I could be cryogenically frozen and only woken up when book two releases. 5 big fat juicy stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Deathless King wasn't on my radar at all. In fact, when it first appeared as a potential book in one of my subscription boxes, I actually rejected it because there was literally no information available about it. I had no idea what to expect, and it simply didn't give me enough reason to take the chance.
Then an opportunity came up to read an eARC, and I decided to give it a try. And somehow, this book managed to do exactly what its own vampires do: it completely crashed through my defence line.
It wasn't a perfect read, but it turned out to be a much stronger and more enjoyable book than I expected. Once I got into it, I found myself increasingly curious about the world, the characters and where the story was heading.
The vampires are one of the biggest strengths for me. These aren't the glamorous, romantic versions we often see. They are violent, unsettling and genuinely frightening, which gives the story a much darker atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed getting glimpses into the vampires' world and learning more about those who had recently been changed. I would happily have taken even more of this.
The world-building worked well too. There is a lot of history, lore, religion and politics here, but most of it is introduced gradually rather than through huge information dumps. The world feels lived-in and has enough complexity to keep things interesting without becoming overwhelming. I especially liked the combination of legends, religious beliefs and political tensions.
The characters took a little longer to win me over. There are quite a few introduced early on, and the story has a lot to establish alongside them. I also felt that some of their emotional development was explained rather than shown, which made it harder to connect with them at first. However, once I became more familiar with the group, I found myself much more invested in their individual stories and motivations.
Deathless King started off well for me. It has a bit of a slow-burn feel, but it still managed to hook me and make me curious about where the story was heading. Unfortunately, around the middle, the pacing slowed down considerably and the story started to drag. There were a few sections that, in my opinion, weren't really necessary and felt more like they were stretching the story rather than adding anything meaningful to it. Thankfully, things picked up again towards the end, and the final part felt much stronger. By then, I was fully invested again and eager to see how everything would come together.
That curiosity paid off towards the end. The twist wasn't exactly unexpected, but I liked the way it brought several of the different plot threads together and helped move the story towards its conclusion. By the final pages, I had plenty of questions and, more importantly, I wanted answers. That's always a good sign for the first book in a series.
I also appreciated that many of the protagonists are a little older and already have a strong sense of who they are. It was refreshing to have a cast that isn't made up entirely of young characters discovering themselves for the first time.
Overall, Deathless King surprised me. I went from dismissing it without really knowing anything about it to finishing the book genuinely invested in what comes next. It has its flaws, particularly when it comes to pacing and character development, but there is a lot here that worked for me.
Verdict: Not a perfect read, but a strong and atmospheric fantasy horror that completely caught me off guard. The terrifying vampires, rich lore and increasingly compelling characters won me over, and despite the slow middle, I'm definitely interested in seeing where this series goes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Then an opportunity came up to read an eARC, and I decided to give it a try. And somehow, this book managed to do exactly what its own vampires do: it completely crashed through my defence line.
It wasn't a perfect read, but it turned out to be a much stronger and more enjoyable book than I expected. Once I got into it, I found myself increasingly curious about the world, the characters and where the story was heading.
The vampires are one of the biggest strengths for me. These aren't the glamorous, romantic versions we often see. They are violent, unsettling and genuinely frightening, which gives the story a much darker atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed getting glimpses into the vampires' world and learning more about those who had recently been changed. I would happily have taken even more of this.
The world-building worked well too. There is a lot of history, lore, religion and politics here, but most of it is introduced gradually rather than through huge information dumps. The world feels lived-in and has enough complexity to keep things interesting without becoming overwhelming. I especially liked the combination of legends, religious beliefs and political tensions.
The characters took a little longer to win me over. There are quite a few introduced early on, and the story has a lot to establish alongside them. I also felt that some of their emotional development was explained rather than shown, which made it harder to connect with them at first. However, once I became more familiar with the group, I found myself much more invested in their individual stories and motivations.
Deathless King started off well for me. It has a bit of a slow-burn feel, but it still managed to hook me and make me curious about where the story was heading. Unfortunately, around the middle, the pacing slowed down considerably and the story started to drag. There were a few sections that, in my opinion, weren't really necessary and felt more like they were stretching the story rather than adding anything meaningful to it. Thankfully, things picked up again towards the end, and the final part felt much stronger. By then, I was fully invested again and eager to see how everything would come together.
That curiosity paid off towards the end. The twist wasn't exactly unexpected, but I liked the way it brought several of the different plot threads together and helped move the story towards its conclusion. By the final pages, I had plenty of questions and, more importantly, I wanted answers. That's always a good sign for the first book in a series.
I also appreciated that many of the protagonists are a little older and already have a strong sense of who they are. It was refreshing to have a cast that isn't made up entirely of young characters discovering themselves for the first time.
Overall, Deathless King surprised me. I went from dismissing it without really knowing anything about it to finishing the book genuinely invested in what comes next. It has its flaws, particularly when it comes to pacing and character development, but there is a lot here that worked for me.
Verdict: Not a perfect read, but a strong and atmospheric fantasy horror that completely caught me off guard. The terrifying vampires, rich lore and increasingly compelling characters won me over, and despite the slow middle, I'm definitely interested in seeing where this series goes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2026
I struggled at the beginning of this one as I found it very info dumpy. I had to reread parts to get my head around not only character names but also their roles in society because it was all given so quickly, and no name was easy to remember. It felt like it was a bunch of lore thrown at me and I’ve always hated this technique to setting the scene. I like my world building gradual and more immersive, giving the reader more time to spend and develop with the characters especially. The approach to world building in this story meant that I struggled to develop a connection to the characters, which for me is a big part of reading fantasy.
The concept for this story was great but I don’t feel the execution was there. The dialogue kept dropping in modern inflections that went against the setting and took me out of the story, stopping me being fully immersed each time.
I did enjoy the approach to vampires, who are every bit as vicious as I could have hoped, and there is some great action sequences but I struggled with the overall writing style and pacing.
Thankyou to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the eARC
The concept for this story was great but I don’t feel the execution was there. The dialogue kept dropping in modern inflections that went against the setting and took me out of the story, stopping me being fully immersed each time.
I did enjoy the approach to vampires, who are every bit as vicious as I could have hoped, and there is some great action sequences but I struggled with the overall writing style and pacing.
Thankyou to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the eARC
October 1, 2026
This looked intriguing to me. As a fan of Jay Kristoff, fantasy vampires are great fun to explore.
Unfortunately I just could not get on with the writing. The start of the book is basically an info-dump of history and geography, with so many names, titles and places that it was impossible to grasp. Also the oddly contemporary (London?) accent implied in this medieval fantasy setting was rather jarring.
A regretful DNF.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book but the above opinions are entirely my own.
Unfortunately I just could not get on with the writing. The start of the book is basically an info-dump of history and geography, with so many names, titles and places that it was impossible to grasp. Also the oddly contemporary (London?) accent implied in this medieval fantasy setting was rather jarring.
A regretful DNF.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book but the above opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I saw vampires and was automatically intrigued! These are very different to the more romanticised vampires I normally read about though, these are real, scary and extremely violent and I enjoyed that! Sometimes you just need some pure fantasy!
When the humans defense against the vampires fails all hell breaks loose as they begin to rise up once again!
This book for me started off slow, with all fantasy books there is always heavier world building in the beginning and this one felt like it was throwing a lot of information at you in one go so much so that I did find myself having to reread parts for it to sink in.
Once it began to pick up though, I found myself pulled into the story! The world building became less condensed and more woven throughout. I had a rocky start with my feelings on some of the characters though but they too grew on me and I kept reading to see how things would work out for them as they try to work together.
This is definitely one of those books that comes into it's own as the story progresses and it sets up nicely for the next book!
Thank you to Zaffre/ Bonnier books for the review copy for my honest review 🫶🏻
When the humans defense against the vampires fails all hell breaks loose as they begin to rise up once again!
This book for me started off slow, with all fantasy books there is always heavier world building in the beginning and this one felt like it was throwing a lot of information at you in one go so much so that I did find myself having to reread parts for it to sink in.
Once it began to pick up though, I found myself pulled into the story! The world building became less condensed and more woven throughout. I had a rocky start with my feelings on some of the characters though but they too grew on me and I kept reading to see how things would work out for them as they try to work together.
This is definitely one of those books that comes into it's own as the story progresses and it sets up nicely for the next book!
Thank you to Zaffre/ Bonnier books for the review copy for my honest review 🫶🏻
October 26, 2026
I have such mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand, I enjoyed the characters and the overall take on vampirism. On the other hand, it was a weird mix of... everything, all at once. A lot happened in 500 pages, and while I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing their struggles, I felt like I was missing the point. There was a goal, but it felt quite disjointed. I often found myself slightly confused about what was happening, and there were moments when things made little to no sense.
Some characters were also not well developed, or at least not developed enough for my liking. And the villain, when you finally reach the final conflict, was not what I expected. The reveal felt flat and slightly anticlimactic.
That said, I'm curious enough to pick up the next volume, just to see where the story goes from here.
On one hand, I enjoyed the characters and the overall take on vampirism. On the other hand, it was a weird mix of... everything, all at once. A lot happened in 500 pages, and while I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing their struggles, I felt like I was missing the point. There was a goal, but it felt quite disjointed. I often found myself slightly confused about what was happening, and there were moments when things made little to no sense.
Some characters were also not well developed, or at least not developed enough for my liking. And the villain, when you finally reach the final conflict, was not what I expected. The reveal felt flat and slightly anticlimactic.
That said, I'm curious enough to pick up the next volume, just to see where the story goes from here.
October 15, 2026
When I was reading over half of this book I really though this would be a five star book for me. I loved the characters, the worldbuilding, the fastpaced action, de backstory,.. Well, everything. I just loved it! And then it took a turn somewhere and it took me a while to understand why I wasn't as eager as earlier in the book to pick it up. I think the author should have shaved off a hundred pages or something of the book and shouldn't have added some parts/ storylines to the story. Too much was happening and some things just took away from the bigger story in my opinion. And the bigger story was awesome!
And I did love the revelations at the end!
And I did love the revelations at the end!
October 30, 2026
Like The Mummy meets Empire of the Vampire, with good premise and some good action scenes, but the rest of it was a bit flat for me - suffered from introducing too many characters all at once, giving you the chance to connect with only a few. I also didn’t really enjoy the rapid switching of viewpoints within chapters, although I suspect it was done to inject a sense of pace into the fight sequences.
October 13, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to relax into it, the descriptions of the places,people,names and tribes at the beginning was a little heavy however once the story started to take off I enjoyed the journey. I enjoyed the characters and history building and am looking forward to the next book!
October 29, 2026
This was just so much fun to read! I liked that the plot focused on the dynamics between the characters within the broader landscape of the vampire war. I wasn’t bored for one minute!
September 7, 2026
Special thanks to Netgalley and Zaffre for the advanced eArc of this title.
Opinions, as always, are exclusively my own.
This book was not one that was on my radar, but it popped up as a potential book for the The Broken Binding Sci-fi/Fantasy subscription, which ships a book blind every month. When I noticed it was available for review, I jumped at the chance for a preview.
I love a good vampire story..but it has to be done right. Vampire stories needs to be horrific, violent, terrifying... with a foreboding undertone and just a hint of eroticism to put the story on edge. The art of a good vampire story seems to be lost lately, with Jay Kristoff's recent trilogy being a notable exception, and I am happy to say that if you like vampire stories in that vein, you are gonna like this.
A unique world that feel familiar and lived in, an unique original religious and political makeup, a mix of found family, legends, and a rich history told without info dumps, The Deathless King is a thrill ride from beginning to end.
I thought this was a new author, but the afterword indicates that R.A. Castellan is a pen name (for whom it does not say), and that this is the first book under that name, but the author has other books. Hopefully the author's true name becomes public knowledge, because I would love to read their other works.
Very good world building, good prose, a set of characters that bond with you, a couple of familiar but well executed tropes (found family being the main one), along with excellent pacing lead to a story that entertains from beginning to end.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
4.25 STARS
Opinions, as always, are exclusively my own.
This book was not one that was on my radar, but it popped up as a potential book for the The Broken Binding Sci-fi/Fantasy subscription, which ships a book blind every month. When I noticed it was available for review, I jumped at the chance for a preview.
I love a good vampire story..but it has to be done right. Vampire stories needs to be horrific, violent, terrifying... with a foreboding undertone and just a hint of eroticism to put the story on edge. The art of a good vampire story seems to be lost lately, with Jay Kristoff's recent trilogy being a notable exception, and I am happy to say that if you like vampire stories in that vein, you are gonna like this.
A unique world that feel familiar and lived in, an unique original religious and political makeup, a mix of found family, legends, and a rich history told without info dumps, The Deathless King is a thrill ride from beginning to end.
I thought this was a new author, but the afterword indicates that R.A. Castellan is a pen name (for whom it does not say), and that this is the first book under that name, but the author has other books. Hopefully the author's true name becomes public knowledge, because I would love to read their other works.
Very good world building, good prose, a set of characters that bond with you, a couple of familiar but well executed tropes (found family being the main one), along with excellent pacing lead to a story that entertains from beginning to end.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
4.25 STARS
November 6, 2026
3.5/5 stars
Deathless King is the first book in the dark fantasy series The Vampire Gods. The light that has held back the vampires from the Five Kingdoms for centuries has been broken, and the undead are rising once again. An infected monk who has yet to succumb, a mother and her brilliant child who has built an illegal golem, a father and daughter mourning the loss of a wife and mother, and a sorceress and swordsman trying to prevent a loved one from joining the undead will all be brought together by chance or fate. For some may be ancient souls reborn from the time of the first vampire, and only together can they save the world from the return of the Vampire King.
I wanted to love this book, but it turned out to be an alright, passable read. There was nothing particularly bad about it, and nothing really bothered or bored me, but I simply wanted and expected more. While the vibes are entirely different, the closest comparison I can make is Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire, with its rich worldbuilding and complex internal structure, but without the interview framing device or nonlinear storytelling. Despite its wide cast of characters and multiple perspectives, the story is actually quite straightforward, following just two main narrative threads.
The book starts with way too many details and named characters, making it difficult to follow at times. It also introduces several things in the first few chapters that I expected to be revisited later but ultimately weren’t. The dialogue can be pretty clunky, often serving as a vehicle for exposition, and this continues throughout the book. Ultimately, I don’t think the story does enough to build tension or atmosphere. It’s certainly dark, but I never quite felt the oppressive atmosphere I expected, nor did the narrative have much momentum to drive it forward. Things just happen, and we follow along as the characters stumble from one situation to another without a clear, unifying goal. There are some exciting set pieces, but they never quite reach the heights I was hoping for.
I also struggled to connect with the characters emotionally, even though I was rooting for them. I liked pretty much all of them and appreciated the variety and diversity of perspectives, but the story never gives us enough time to get to know any of them deeply enough to form a stronger attachment. Still, the book made me curious enough about these characters and their journeys that I’d definitely read a sequel. This book and its ending felt more like the opening salvo of what could become an epic story, and I’m interested to see where it goes from here.
Deathless King is a decent enough start to a potentially epic series, even if I wanted considerably more from it.
Deathless King is the first book in the dark fantasy series The Vampire Gods. The light that has held back the vampires from the Five Kingdoms for centuries has been broken, and the undead are rising once again. An infected monk who has yet to succumb, a mother and her brilliant child who has built an illegal golem, a father and daughter mourning the loss of a wife and mother, and a sorceress and swordsman trying to prevent a loved one from joining the undead will all be brought together by chance or fate. For some may be ancient souls reborn from the time of the first vampire, and only together can they save the world from the return of the Vampire King.
I wanted to love this book, but it turned out to be an alright, passable read. There was nothing particularly bad about it, and nothing really bothered or bored me, but I simply wanted and expected more. While the vibes are entirely different, the closest comparison I can make is Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire, with its rich worldbuilding and complex internal structure, but without the interview framing device or nonlinear storytelling. Despite its wide cast of characters and multiple perspectives, the story is actually quite straightforward, following just two main narrative threads.
The book starts with way too many details and named characters, making it difficult to follow at times. It also introduces several things in the first few chapters that I expected to be revisited later but ultimately weren’t. The dialogue can be pretty clunky, often serving as a vehicle for exposition, and this continues throughout the book. Ultimately, I don’t think the story does enough to build tension or atmosphere. It’s certainly dark, but I never quite felt the oppressive atmosphere I expected, nor did the narrative have much momentum to drive it forward. Things just happen, and we follow along as the characters stumble from one situation to another without a clear, unifying goal. There are some exciting set pieces, but they never quite reach the heights I was hoping for.
I also struggled to connect with the characters emotionally, even though I was rooting for them. I liked pretty much all of them and appreciated the variety and diversity of perspectives, but the story never gives us enough time to get to know any of them deeply enough to form a stronger attachment. Still, the book made me curious enough about these characters and their journeys that I’d definitely read a sequel. This book and its ending felt more like the opening salvo of what could become an epic story, and I’m interested to see where it goes from here.
Deathless King is a decent enough start to a potentially epic series, even if I wanted considerably more from it.
September 13, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Thank you to Zaffre Books & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m going to be honest… This book took its sweet time winning me over.
This was one of those books where I kept telling myself, “just keep going, it’ll get there.” And for me, it really did take a while. The pacing is very slow, & I struggled to properly settle into the story at first. I wasn’t immediately hooked, & there were moments where I found myself wondering when that feeling of being completely absorbed was going to arrive.
But somewhere along the way, without me really noticing it happening, the characters started getting under my skin.
Once I became more familiar with them, I found myself far more invested in their stories. I wanted to understand their motivations, their choices &, most importantly, where they were all going to end up. The book gradually changed from something I was simply reading into something I was actually curious about.
And that curiosity is what saved this one for me.
By the time I reached the end, I was surprised by how much I wanted answers. I had questions. I wanted to know more about the characters, the world & what comes next. After spending so much of the book feeling like I was waiting for the story to find its rhythm, finishing it & immediately thinking “but I need to know what happens now” was probably the biggest compliment I could give it.
I think this is a book that will divide readers depending on how much patience they have for a slow burn. If you’re looking for something that grabs you from the first chapter & keeps you racing through the pages, this probably won’t be that book. But if you’re willing to be patient & let the story unfold, there is something here that eventually starts to pull you in.
For me, it wasn’t an instant love. It was more of a slow growing attachment…the kind where you don’t realise how invested you’ve become until you reach the final pages & suddenly realise you have far more questions than you started with.
And honestly, that’s where I’m leaving this book: intrigued.
It took me a long time to get here, but by the end I was no longer wondering when the story would grab me I was wondering what happens next.
Would I continue the story? Absolutely. I need to know where these characters go from here.
3.5 ⭐️ - slow to start, slow to unfold, but ultimately intriguing enough to leave me wanting more.
Thank you to Zaffre Books & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m going to be honest… This book took its sweet time winning me over.
This was one of those books where I kept telling myself, “just keep going, it’ll get there.” And for me, it really did take a while. The pacing is very slow, & I struggled to properly settle into the story at first. I wasn’t immediately hooked, & there were moments where I found myself wondering when that feeling of being completely absorbed was going to arrive.
But somewhere along the way, without me really noticing it happening, the characters started getting under my skin.
Once I became more familiar with them, I found myself far more invested in their stories. I wanted to understand their motivations, their choices &, most importantly, where they were all going to end up. The book gradually changed from something I was simply reading into something I was actually curious about.
And that curiosity is what saved this one for me.
By the time I reached the end, I was surprised by how much I wanted answers. I had questions. I wanted to know more about the characters, the world & what comes next. After spending so much of the book feeling like I was waiting for the story to find its rhythm, finishing it & immediately thinking “but I need to know what happens now” was probably the biggest compliment I could give it.
I think this is a book that will divide readers depending on how much patience they have for a slow burn. If you’re looking for something that grabs you from the first chapter & keeps you racing through the pages, this probably won’t be that book. But if you’re willing to be patient & let the story unfold, there is something here that eventually starts to pull you in.
For me, it wasn’t an instant love. It was more of a slow growing attachment…the kind where you don’t realise how invested you’ve become until you reach the final pages & suddenly realise you have far more questions than you started with.
And honestly, that’s where I’m leaving this book: intrigued.
It took me a long time to get here, but by the end I was no longer wondering when the story would grab me I was wondering what happens next.
Would I continue the story? Absolutely. I need to know where these characters go from here.
3.5 ⭐️ - slow to start, slow to unfold, but ultimately intriguing enough to leave me wanting more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an ARC for Deathless King by R.A. Castellan. It is book one in his Vampire Gods series. I would like to thank Zaffre Publishing, an imprint of Bonnier Books, for providing me with this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Being an epic fantasy book about vampires I was a bit skeptical of how the amalgamation of a monster trope would work with this genre. My skepticism was completely unfounded! I absolutely ate this story up!
Time in this story is different from our own, so I will just say that events take place centuries after the Blood Wars. It is told from multiple points of view of our MMC, a warrior monk named Conlan Greylock, and his companions. These heroes all have different reasons for beginning their quest but chance brings them together in the hopes of saving civilization from a vampire threat and a second Blood War.
I love the different factions in this world such as the Arcanum, Sohei, Magistrate and Sacristy. Some of the members of these groups are able to use magic against vampires, and their mindless minions, while others use weapons enchanted by another faction. While there is rivalry between the factions they do come together hoping to eradicate the threat of the evil vampires. Many of these factions are also trained warriors or martial artists.
My final takeaway is that this is a very well written, engaging, fast-paced book. The character development is great, and the relationships between our main characters kept me engaged. I was never confused while reading this, but I did have some trouble remembering intricacies such as the different positions and roles members had in certain factions. This is expected in an epic fantasy novel. I am not sure if an appendix will be included in the ultimate copies, but I feel one would be a huge help. It does have a map, something we all love!
I recommend this to anyone who loves epic fantasy, fast-paced adventure stories, or anyone who likes vampire books. I will be reading book two in this series, Bloodless Queen!
Being an epic fantasy book about vampires I was a bit skeptical of how the amalgamation of a monster trope would work with this genre. My skepticism was completely unfounded! I absolutely ate this story up!
Time in this story is different from our own, so I will just say that events take place centuries after the Blood Wars. It is told from multiple points of view of our MMC, a warrior monk named Conlan Greylock, and his companions. These heroes all have different reasons for beginning their quest but chance brings them together in the hopes of saving civilization from a vampire threat and a second Blood War.
I love the different factions in this world such as the Arcanum, Sohei, Magistrate and Sacristy. Some of the members of these groups are able to use magic against vampires, and their mindless minions, while others use weapons enchanted by another faction. While there is rivalry between the factions they do come together hoping to eradicate the threat of the evil vampires. Many of these factions are also trained warriors or martial artists.
My final takeaway is that this is a very well written, engaging, fast-paced book. The character development is great, and the relationships between our main characters kept me engaged. I was never confused while reading this, but I did have some trouble remembering intricacies such as the different positions and roles members had in certain factions. This is expected in an epic fantasy novel. I am not sure if an appendix will be included in the ultimate copies, but I feel one would be a huge help. It does have a map, something we all love!
I recommend this to anyone who loves epic fantasy, fast-paced adventure stories, or anyone who likes vampire books. I will be reading book two in this series, Bloodless Queen!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to Zaffre Books for giving me an early look at this. I'm a big fantasy fan, and just from the cover alone I was interested!
This is a slow burn, immersive read with an ensemble cast of characters that keep you switched on so you don't forget who's who! The world building is solid, nothing in particular that sets it apart from others, but the author paints a strong enough brush over the Five Kingdoms to give the reader a grounding of where they are.
I found the opening third a little clunky. There is a lot of information thrown at the reader in a short space of time, as well the huge cast of characters, with different POV's leading you through different chapters in quick succession. It pays off though, especially when you reach the latter third of the book where the author throws a brilliant plot twist in that really brings the characters and story all together.
The crux of the story is the human defence against the different vampire clans falling, and therefore the world is brought into chaos. The vampires are not remotely relatable, there is no inner conflict and for a while I wondered if that was a missed opportunity. By the end I quite liked that they are nothing but straight up monsters.
All in all a solid start to what I think will be an engrossing series. One all fans of grimdark fantsay will devour.
This is a slow burn, immersive read with an ensemble cast of characters that keep you switched on so you don't forget who's who! The world building is solid, nothing in particular that sets it apart from others, but the author paints a strong enough brush over the Five Kingdoms to give the reader a grounding of where they are.
I found the opening third a little clunky. There is a lot of information thrown at the reader in a short space of time, as well the huge cast of characters, with different POV's leading you through different chapters in quick succession. It pays off though, especially when you reach the latter third of the book where the author throws a brilliant plot twist in that really brings the characters and story all together.
The crux of the story is the human defence against the different vampire clans falling, and therefore the world is brought into chaos. The vampires are not remotely relatable, there is no inner conflict and for a while I wondered if that was a missed opportunity. By the end I quite liked that they are nothing but straight up monsters.
All in all a solid start to what I think will be an engrossing series. One all fans of grimdark fantsay will devour.
October 7, 2026
An ambitious, epic fantasy story, with horror and romance elements. We follow a large group of (mostly) misfits, as they travel south for their own reasons but all get entangled in the newly started second blood war between the humans and vampires.
The world building is well done and I especially liked all the hints of the history from the first war that were sprinkled out throughout the story. I wanted to learn more about the different factions on the human side (the church, the monks, the magistry and others!) and the political aspect of the story was very intriguing.
Now on the negative side, I felt the cast of characters was too large to get to know each of them well and truly connect with. A few felt very one note (the righteous one, the angry teen, the mom etc). I would have preferred if we had less POVs. Also the romance elements (which are only explored a little) didn’t work for me, a bit rushed. Lastly the “twist” at the end, felt telegraphed from the middle of the book.
All in all, I enjoyed the read, but it followed some POVs and plot elements I wasn’t very invested in and not the ones I really enjoyed (the politicking). The ending of the story did leave me wanting for more though, so I’ll be picking up the second book of the series once it’s published. 3.5 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, for the digital ARC.
The world building is well done and I especially liked all the hints of the history from the first war that were sprinkled out throughout the story. I wanted to learn more about the different factions on the human side (the church, the monks, the magistry and others!) and the political aspect of the story was very intriguing.
Now on the negative side, I felt the cast of characters was too large to get to know each of them well and truly connect with. A few felt very one note (the righteous one, the angry teen, the mom etc). I would have preferred if we had less POVs. Also the romance elements (which are only explored a little) didn’t work for me, a bit rushed. Lastly the “twist” at the end, felt telegraphed from the middle of the book.
All in all, I enjoyed the read, but it followed some POVs and plot elements I wasn’t very invested in and not the ones I really enjoyed (the politicking). The ending of the story did leave me wanting for more though, so I’ll be picking up the second book of the series once it’s published. 3.5 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, for the digital ARC.
November 12, 2026
3/5 ⭐️
I struggled to get into this book at first because the opening felt overloaded with exposition. There was so much information presented so quickly that I often had to reread sections just to keep track of the characters and their places within the world. The names weren't particularly memorable, and it felt as though large chunks of lore were being thrown at the reader all at once. I've never been a fan of that style of world-building. I much prefer fantasy worlds that unfold gradually, allowing readers to become immersed naturally while building connections with the characters. Because of this approach, I found it difficult to become emotionally invested in the cast, which is an important aspect of fantasy reading for me.
The premise itself was incredibly promising, but unfortunately, I don't think the execution fully lived up to its potential. The dialogue frequently incorporated modern expressions that felt out of place within the setting, repeatedly breaking my immersion and pulling me out of the story.
That said, I did appreciate the portrayal of the vampires. They were every bit as ruthless and dangerous as I hoped they would be, and the action scenes were consistently engaging. However, I never quite connected with the writing style, and the pacing often felt uneven, which prevented me from fully enjoying the novel.
I struggled to get into this book at first because the opening felt overloaded with exposition. There was so much information presented so quickly that I often had to reread sections just to keep track of the characters and their places within the world. The names weren't particularly memorable, and it felt as though large chunks of lore were being thrown at the reader all at once. I've never been a fan of that style of world-building. I much prefer fantasy worlds that unfold gradually, allowing readers to become immersed naturally while building connections with the characters. Because of this approach, I found it difficult to become emotionally invested in the cast, which is an important aspect of fantasy reading for me.
The premise itself was incredibly promising, but unfortunately, I don't think the execution fully lived up to its potential. The dialogue frequently incorporated modern expressions that felt out of place within the setting, repeatedly breaking my immersion and pulling me out of the story.
That said, I did appreciate the portrayal of the vampires. They were every bit as ruthless and dangerous as I hoped they would be, and the action scenes were consistently engaging. However, I never quite connected with the writing style, and the pacing often felt uneven, which prevented me from fully enjoying the novel.
October 2, 2026
The Deathless King by R.A. Castellan is the kind of book that makes you want to keep reading just to see what fresh horror is waiting around the corner. It is dark, bloody, and unapologetically brutal, with spectacular worldbuilding that completely pulled me into the story.
The plot twists genuinely caught me off guard, which is always a huge win for me. There were so many moments where I wanted to know what was going to happen next that, if I could have read this in one sitting, I absolutely would have.
The one thing that occasionally pulled me out of the story was the dialogue. Some characters spoke in very modern language while others used language that felt almost medieval. The contrast was noticeable enough that it sometimes broke the immersion for me.
Overall, The Deathless King was a highly entertaining read. If you enjoy dark fantasy with horror elements, intense action, and unexpected twists, this is definitely one to check out. I absolutely cannot wait to continue with the series and see where Castellan takes the story next!
Thank you Netgalley and Zaffre for the eArc to read for my honest review.
The plot twists genuinely caught me off guard, which is always a huge win for me. There were so many moments where I wanted to know what was going to happen next that, if I could have read this in one sitting, I absolutely would have.
The one thing that occasionally pulled me out of the story was the dialogue. Some characters spoke in very modern language while others used language that felt almost medieval. The contrast was noticeable enough that it sometimes broke the immersion for me.
Overall, The Deathless King was a highly entertaining read. If you enjoy dark fantasy with horror elements, intense action, and unexpected twists, this is definitely one to check out. I absolutely cannot wait to continue with the series and see where Castellan takes the story next!
Thank you Netgalley and Zaffre for the eArc to read for my honest review.
September 25, 2026
This book had such an interesting concept and it didn’t disappoint!
These vampires are the stuff of legend, and horror. Whilst I love a hot vampire, it was refreshing to read about some truly horror based vampires.
I really enjoyed the pacing in this book, the author gave the characters time to breathe. It also allowed for complex world building, which I found rich and interesting. Plenty of politics, lore and history to keep me wanting more.
There is a large cast of characters which took me a second to remember who was who, but once I got into it I loved them all. I found they were well fleshed out, each with their own motives, back stories and drive.
One of the things I loved the most was that the characters were slightly older than our standard 17 year olds, which means they had a strong sense of who they were already. I enjoyed a maturer cast, especially for this darker vampire book.
I’m excited to see what happens in book 2!
These vampires are the stuff of legend, and horror. Whilst I love a hot vampire, it was refreshing to read about some truly horror based vampires.
I really enjoyed the pacing in this book, the author gave the characters time to breathe. It also allowed for complex world building, which I found rich and interesting. Plenty of politics, lore and history to keep me wanting more.
There is a large cast of characters which took me a second to remember who was who, but once I got into it I loved them all. I found they were well fleshed out, each with their own motives, back stories and drive.
One of the things I loved the most was that the characters were slightly older than our standard 17 year olds, which means they had a strong sense of who they were already. I enjoyed a maturer cast, especially for this darker vampire book.
I’m excited to see what happens in book 2!
October 25, 2026
I received this book in my Broken Binding subscription, and I just had to give it a try. I admit the premise did not interest me, and although I did end up DNF'ing the book at Chapter 15 out of 25, I must give a lot of credit to the author for keeping me invested in the story until then. The world building and history felt fully realized and immersive. The writing is confident. The story isn't only centered on fights with vampires (which would have felt monotonous to me), and the characters are joined through diverse storylines. Ultimately I would recommend this if the synopsis sounds appealing to you, it just wasn't my genre of book (this coming from someone who also DNF'd everyone's darling Empire of the Vampire). On a minor note, there were a few typos peppered throughout.
November 5, 2026
After receiving an SE of this book in a sub box and seeing the amazing artwork, I knew I had to read it.
While not incredibly fast-paced, this book was definitely an intriguing journey. I enjoyed this being a vampire book where they weren't some charismatic, infatuation vampires, but rather dark, bloodthirsty beings. I loved the addition of golems and dhampirs.
The characters were all quite interesting, each had their own journeys and pasts, all of which led them to finding each other and travelling together.
I loved the lore, the revelations around certain characters and how the ending left me wanting to continue onto book 2 when it comes out. Overall an enjoyable read.
While not incredibly fast-paced, this book was definitely an intriguing journey. I enjoyed this being a vampire book where they weren't some charismatic, infatuation vampires, but rather dark, bloodthirsty beings. I loved the addition of golems and dhampirs.
The characters were all quite interesting, each had their own journeys and pasts, all of which led them to finding each other and travelling together.
I loved the lore, the revelations around certain characters and how the ending left me wanting to continue onto book 2 when it comes out. Overall an enjoyable read.
October 1, 2026
I hate to say this but I couldn’t finish the book. I love the setting and the premise but the frequent name-dropping keeps pulling me out of the story. I understand the names matter, but I think the story would be much easier to follow if the references were woven into the narration itself rather than introduced in chunks. It may also be the case of the right book, the wrong time. I’ll give it another try when I’m in the right mood, but for now, sadly it’s a DNF.
Big thanks to Zaffre/Bonnier Books for the chance to read it early.
Big thanks to Zaffre/Bonnier Books for the chance to read it early.
October 19, 2026
A clever and interesting fantasy story with vampires, adventure and ancient lands. I found the story itself really interesting, especially the dreams between three of the characters and how they linked together, as well as how the infections tied in with the vampires. I also really enjoyed Argus the golem, and found the premise of golems and their sacred city very unique and intriguing. My biggest struggle with the book was rhat despite the variety family, friendship and even lovers, I struggled to find myself able to connect to any of the characters or to be invested in their futures.
October 26, 2026
I was genuinely needing a book where the vampires are vicious and not romanticised. This book was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As with all first books in a series it was heavy on worldbuilding and lore. But it has set us up for what I feel is going to be an amazing series.
Without spoilers - I didn't see certain things coming and I am so excited for the next instalment whenever we are blessed.
As with all first books in a series it was heavy on worldbuilding and lore. But it has set us up for what I feel is going to be an amazing series.
Without spoilers - I didn't see certain things coming and I am so excited for the next instalment whenever we are blessed.
October 28, 2026
this book started out a little slow, although i didnt mind the world building is very needed. its intense even in the slow start. the charectors are finding there way even though i found there wasnt a whole lot oc charecter development straight away. for the first book in what i believe will be an epic series, it has set the stage perfetly for what comes next and im so excited. the vampires feel brutal again and completly terrifying and i loved every moment of that!
November 5, 2026
I loved reading this book. I was so excited to read about the rabbit and kumara stew, a not so subtle nod from the Kiwi author. Kumara reference aside the book is fantastic.
So many layers of settings, characters development etc. Can't wait for the release of the next in the series.
So many layers of settings, characters development etc. Can't wait for the release of the next in the series.
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