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The Sun King's Dawn
Book One of an epic MM romantasy quartet set in the queer-normative fantasy realm of Ardenia, featuring an asexual king, the knight who loves him and the people they must protect.
Burdened with an inability to desire others, King Richard of Ardenia still finds peace in his unruly siblings, his loyal circle, and even in his young knight, Sir Kaelen, whose yearning stares he has spent years ignoring.
But when Richard rides to a borderland village to investigate eerie happenings, all peace shatters. The veil containing Gloamvarn, a neighbouring realm filled with fell beasts and unimaginable horrors, is cracking. Sooner or later, it will fall.
As Richard hunts for a way to safeguard his kingdom, Kaelen stays close, a constant, protective presence that stirs a strange tenderness Richard doesn’t dare name.
For the monsters have a new ruler. And the tyrant hungers not only for Ardenia.
But its king, too.
Burdened with an inability to desire others, King Richard of Ardenia still finds peace in his unruly siblings, his loyal circle, and even in his young knight, Sir Kaelen, whose yearning stares he has spent years ignoring.
But when Richard rides to a borderland village to investigate eerie happenings, all peace shatters. The veil containing Gloamvarn, a neighbouring realm filled with fell beasts and unimaginable horrors, is cracking. Sooner or later, it will fall.
As Richard hunts for a way to safeguard his kingdom, Kaelen stays close, a constant, protective presence that stirs a strange tenderness Richard doesn’t dare name.
For the monsters have a new ruler. And the tyrant hungers not only for Ardenia.
But its king, too.
408 pages, Hardcover
Published March 7, 2026
8 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Briar Niran
2 books15 followersBriar Niran writes fantasy romance featuring queerness, strong sibling bonds and friendship.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 13, 2026
‘The Sun King’s Dawn’ is so beautifully set up—and immediately dashed away my reservations of the series after having read Briar Niran’s prequel to this one.
Set in a realm slowly succumbing to "the Rot"—a magical plague infesting the realm--'The Sun King's Dawn' follows King Richard of Ardenia on a desperate journey through certain lands for answers. Accompanying him is a small contingent led by Kaelen, his former star-struck squire turned deputy captain of the guard. But answers aren't exactly forthcoming right now (apart from a clear antagonist who has already made his claim on Richard) as are the signs of when the realm's safeguards will completely fail.
In short, there's much more work Richard has to do in order to protect his kingdom, his people and his siblings.
It’s more of an adventure quest at this point in time though, and stays quite restrained on the romance. Richard is still unable to wrap his head around a knight who can’t seem to stop obsessing with him, more so because he’s convinced that his inability to feel any desire for men or women naturally eliminates him from being a candidate for marriage—ever. Still, there’s the slow burn that he can’t acknowledge, the slow questioning of what his body should or should not feel, and the small, unfamiliar pricks of feeling that Richard can’t seem to push away the more he is around Kaelen.
It’d be remiss if I didn’t mention asexuality at this point—the characteristic that seems to shape Richard—and the refreshing way it’s laid out so centrally in a fantasy romance. It’s not a stance that appears much in romance at all, seeing as how many of these narratives rely on sexual urges and baser instincts to forge relationships. But having Richard define himself by his lack of any desire as a deficiency, it’s unsurprising that he is challenged to recalibrate his personal notions of touch and want within this particular spectrum of sexuality—a process that I find incredibly compelling as hard as it is to read about at times.
Still, both Richard and Kaelen surprised me; Richard for his wits and ability to hold his own in battles and Kaelen for his courage to defy Richard when necessary. In fact, I just think they’d be so good together and can only hope for Kaelen’s endless patience (I wouldn't want to see the latter with anyone else in the meantime) while Richard learns to need him.
There’s so much I liked about this really solid start to the series: the strong sibling kinship, the bonds of close friends, the growing trust between King and Knight—more real than the version of Richard that Kaelen seems to idolise in his head and the growing sexual tension between them as well.
It’s enthrallingly well-written too: so deeply anchored in characterisation, yet already staked out with a broader story arc…all done with dramatic flair and action and that tad bit of horror.
It isn’t quite that ’The Sun King’s Dawn’ ends on a cliffhanger, but rather, closes in a way that leaves you wondering where the story is heading—and how long it will take to reach a satisfying resolution. But it’s a nitpick on my part, to be honest; the lack of guarantees at the moment for Richard/Kaelen leaves me too itchy for more.
*ARC by the author via Netgalley
Set in a realm slowly succumbing to "the Rot"—a magical plague infesting the realm--'The Sun King's Dawn' follows King Richard of Ardenia on a desperate journey through certain lands for answers. Accompanying him is a small contingent led by Kaelen, his former star-struck squire turned deputy captain of the guard. But answers aren't exactly forthcoming right now (apart from a clear antagonist who has already made his claim on Richard) as are the signs of when the realm's safeguards will completely fail.
In short, there's much more work Richard has to do in order to protect his kingdom, his people and his siblings.
It’s more of an adventure quest at this point in time though, and stays quite restrained on the romance. Richard is still unable to wrap his head around a knight who can’t seem to stop obsessing with him, more so because he’s convinced that his inability to feel any desire for men or women naturally eliminates him from being a candidate for marriage—ever. Still, there’s the slow burn that he can’t acknowledge, the slow questioning of what his body should or should not feel, and the small, unfamiliar pricks of feeling that Richard can’t seem to push away the more he is around Kaelen.
It’d be remiss if I didn’t mention asexuality at this point—the characteristic that seems to shape Richard—and the refreshing way it’s laid out so centrally in a fantasy romance. It’s not a stance that appears much in romance at all, seeing as how many of these narratives rely on sexual urges and baser instincts to forge relationships. But having Richard define himself by his lack of any desire as a deficiency, it’s unsurprising that he is challenged to recalibrate his personal notions of touch and want within this particular spectrum of sexuality—a process that I find incredibly compelling as hard as it is to read about at times.
Still, both Richard and Kaelen surprised me; Richard for his wits and ability to hold his own in battles and Kaelen for his courage to defy Richard when necessary. In fact, I just think they’d be so good together and can only hope for Kaelen’s endless patience (I wouldn't want to see the latter with anyone else in the meantime) while Richard learns to need him.
There’s so much I liked about this really solid start to the series: the strong sibling kinship, the bonds of close friends, the growing trust between King and Knight—more real than the version of Richard that Kaelen seems to idolise in his head and the growing sexual tension between them as well.
It’s enthrallingly well-written too: so deeply anchored in characterisation, yet already staked out with a broader story arc…all done with dramatic flair and action and that tad bit of horror.
It isn’t quite that ’The Sun King’s Dawn’ ends on a cliffhanger, but rather, closes in a way that leaves you wondering where the story is heading—and how long it will take to reach a satisfying resolution. But it’s a nitpick on my part, to be honest; the lack of guarantees at the moment for Richard/Kaelen leaves me too itchy for more.
*ARC by the author via Netgalley
March 13, 2026
Actual rating: 4.75/5
Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This was one of those arcs I kept refreshing my email to see if I got.
Let me start by saying this: if you think that just because the MC is asexual this book will be zero spice, you are wrong. Also, this is, in my opinion, some of the BEST ace rep I have ever read. As someone who falls on the ace spectrum, I LOVED this representation.
THE GOOD
- The characters! I love them. I have loved them since I read the prequel. Richard my poor baby (he is much older than me. Still my baby) deserves a BREAK. Poor guy was stressing the entire book. Also, the sibling dynamics! I am the eldest of six with five younger siblings whom I would burn the world to protect. (I think the age gap between the oldest and youngest in this book is bigger than the age gap between me and my youngest sibling, but I still understand it). More books with HEALTHY sibling relationships PUH-LEASE.
- The setting. While we don’t really expand too deep into the worldbuilding, you definitely feel the fantastical elements at play, more so than with the prequel. There is a magic system and the rules are clear and defined. There are magical creatures (I have so many theories about the dwarves. So. Many.) too. And yeah, this is the first book. I am glad we didn’t get bombarded with infodumped lore.
- The dynamics. Not just the siblings, but the way Richard interacts with…everyone. It’s so refreshing to see a kingly character who isn’t an uptight asshole who hates everyone and is feared by all. He’s a good ruler. He’s a good brother. He’s a good man. Also, he’s witty and clever and hot, sooooooo. I love a good slow burn romance, too, and this one is sloooooooooooooooow. A snail could move faster than this slow burn, and I love it.
THE MEH (no bad!)
- The ending. There wasn’t a cliffhanger, which (as I’ve said: reading masochist) isn’t a bad thing; I just like to suffer. It did set up for the next book which I am foaming at the mouth for.
- The fact that 90% of this book was spent traveling. Not a bad thing, just…I dunno. Not bad. I just almost wish we saw more regional cultures and whatnot.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for the next one.
Also, I don’t know how to explain it, but this book has the same sort of vibes as BBC’s Merlin. If you enjoyed that show, you will probably enjoy this series (and vice versa).
Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This was one of those arcs I kept refreshing my email to see if I got.
Let me start by saying this: if you think that just because the MC is asexual this book will be zero spice, you are wrong. Also, this is, in my opinion, some of the BEST ace rep I have ever read. As someone who falls on the ace spectrum, I LOVED this representation.
THE GOOD
- The characters! I love them. I have loved them since I read the prequel. Richard my poor baby (he is much older than me. Still my baby) deserves a BREAK. Poor guy was stressing the entire book. Also, the sibling dynamics! I am the eldest of six with five younger siblings whom I would burn the world to protect. (I think the age gap between the oldest and youngest in this book is bigger than the age gap between me and my youngest sibling, but I still understand it). More books with HEALTHY sibling relationships PUH-LEASE.
- The setting. While we don’t really expand too deep into the worldbuilding, you definitely feel the fantastical elements at play, more so than with the prequel. There is a magic system and the rules are clear and defined. There are magical creatures (I have so many theories about the dwarves. So. Many.) too. And yeah, this is the first book. I am glad we didn’t get bombarded with infodumped lore.
- The dynamics. Not just the siblings, but the way Richard interacts with…everyone. It’s so refreshing to see a kingly character who isn’t an uptight asshole who hates everyone and is feared by all. He’s a good ruler. He’s a good brother. He’s a good man. Also, he’s witty and clever and hot, sooooooo. I love a good slow burn romance, too, and this one is sloooooooooooooooow. A snail could move faster than this slow burn, and I love it.
THE MEH (no bad!)
- The ending. There wasn’t a cliffhanger, which (as I’ve said: reading masochist) isn’t a bad thing; I just like to suffer. It did set up for the next book which I am foaming at the mouth for.
- The fact that 90% of this book was spent traveling. Not a bad thing, just…I dunno. Not bad. I just almost wish we saw more regional cultures and whatnot.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for the next one.
Also, I don’t know how to explain it, but this book has the same sort of vibes as BBC’s Merlin. If you enjoyed that show, you will probably enjoy this series (and vice versa).
March 15, 2026
I got an ARC for an honest review from the author.
I loved the prequel novella so I was really excited to read this. I wasn't expecting to be in Richard's POV for the whole time after getting to know Kaelen's, so it was a minute to adjust to it, but after that I was happy to see how different dynamics they have in his mind.
I don't think I ever read a book where the main character is asexual. I loved how it was done. Lust is the main drive force whats starts and define a relationship in a lot of romances so it was great to see it develop differently. I liked to see his thoughts and (mostly unconscious) feeling about Khaleen. They have so much trust between them I'm looking forward to see how their relationship will develop.
There were a lot of travelling in the plot, we got to know different countries with different creatures and magic. It was quite fast paced, but I would ha like to spend more time in one place and really get to know the people. Richard and Kaelen for a big part of the book were on the road, so it was a tiny bit repetitive.
We also got to know the enemy who seems very powerful, so Im to see more of him.
I probably liked the prequel better, but it was still a nice reading experience!
Looking forward to see more of Kaelen and Richard journey.
Some quotes I liked:
‚‚More loyal to each other than to reason, most days."
,,Why? Richard squinted. What was the matter? Briony had liked the trinket, so he had simply given it to her. Kaelen, at least, looked amused. “Fortunately, I have another gift.” He turned to the satchel again and drew out a scroll. “For you, my prince.” Richard took the offered scroll, untied the string and smoothed it open. His breath hitched.“
,,Kaelen’s face softened into a mix of relief, gratitude and joy all at once. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he beamed, and Richard found that— He’d never seen any man more beautiful, either.“
,,For a long moment, Richard stared. He could not understand why, for he had met more handsome men and alluring women, and even those who straddled both genders, or neither. He had danced with dukes who dripped grace and wit, and he’d been pursued by the fairest of the land. But somehow, this rugged knight with drool glistening down his chin seemed to shine brighter than any of them."
I loved the prequel novella so I was really excited to read this. I wasn't expecting to be in Richard's POV for the whole time after getting to know Kaelen's, so it was a minute to adjust to it, but after that I was happy to see how different dynamics they have in his mind.
I don't think I ever read a book where the main character is asexual. I loved how it was done. Lust is the main drive force whats starts and define a relationship in a lot of romances so it was great to see it develop differently. I liked to see his thoughts and (mostly unconscious) feeling about Khaleen. They have so much trust between them I'm looking forward to see how their relationship will develop.
There were a lot of travelling in the plot, we got to know different countries with different creatures and magic. It was quite fast paced, but I would ha like to spend more time in one place and really get to know the people. Richard and Kaelen for a big part of the book were on the road, so it was a tiny bit repetitive.
We also got to know the enemy who seems very powerful, so Im to see more of him.
I probably liked the prequel better, but it was still a nice reading experience!
Looking forward to see more of Kaelen and Richard journey.
Some quotes I liked:
‚‚More loyal to each other than to reason, most days."
,,Why? Richard squinted. What was the matter? Briony had liked the trinket, so he had simply given it to her. Kaelen, at least, looked amused. “Fortunately, I have another gift.” He turned to the satchel again and drew out a scroll. “For you, my prince.” Richard took the offered scroll, untied the string and smoothed it open. His breath hitched.“
,,Kaelen’s face softened into a mix of relief, gratitude and joy all at once. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he beamed, and Richard found that— He’d never seen any man more beautiful, either.“
,,For a long moment, Richard stared. He could not understand why, for he had met more handsome men and alluring women, and even those who straddled both genders, or neither. He had danced with dukes who dripped grace and wit, and he’d been pursued by the fairest of the land. But somehow, this rugged knight with drool glistening down his chin seemed to shine brighter than any of them."
March 13, 2026
Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Sun King's Dawn is a gorgeous achillean romantasy with the slowest of burns, first volume of a quartet, featuring an asexual king and his loyal knight. Told exclusively from the point of view of the king, the novel is a deft exploration of sex-repulsed asexuality and of how alienating it feels to live in a world where everyone expresses their love through carnality. At the same time, it's a novel about finding out one's own way to express love.
King Richard is a beautiful protagonist, complex in his grief and in his belief to be defective. He fiercely loves his siblings, and puts their well-being over his own more than a few times. His loyal knight shines bright with fealty and honor and with the kind of all-encompassing love that the bards sing about, but to the king it's anathema, and source of endless embarrassment and disgust, despite holding deep affection and trust for the knight. This creates a very interesting dynamic that promises to become much more intricate as the series goes on, without the need to somehow "fix" the King.
The worldbuilding and writing might be deemed simple, but they hold up very well, creating the perfect backdrop for the story. This is a secondary world with many creatures from our legends and a basic magical system, but the way it all blends is quite nicely done; the kingdom of the vampire-like creatures especially comes to mind, and there's some really horrifying moments linked to the overall threat of the book, a coming corruption of the flesh. In that regard, threat of sexual violence is also present, but handled expertly in a sensitive manner.
The main villain is perfectly villainous and quite disgusting in his pursuit, while his motivations may at first feel at least partly justified. We feel Richard's despair and horror as the book goes on and the villain's leery overtures become more and more explicit and terrifying. The rest of the cast holds up very well; Richard's three siblings are all well developed, and especially his kid sister is a delight.
The Sun King's Dawn is a perfect first installment.
The Sun King's Dawn is a gorgeous achillean romantasy with the slowest of burns, first volume of a quartet, featuring an asexual king and his loyal knight. Told exclusively from the point of view of the king, the novel is a deft exploration of sex-repulsed asexuality and of how alienating it feels to live in a world where everyone expresses their love through carnality. At the same time, it's a novel about finding out one's own way to express love.
King Richard is a beautiful protagonist, complex in his grief and in his belief to be defective. He fiercely loves his siblings, and puts their well-being over his own more than a few times. His loyal knight shines bright with fealty and honor and with the kind of all-encompassing love that the bards sing about, but to the king it's anathema, and source of endless embarrassment and disgust, despite holding deep affection and trust for the knight. This creates a very interesting dynamic that promises to become much more intricate as the series goes on, without the need to somehow "fix" the King.
The worldbuilding and writing might be deemed simple, but they hold up very well, creating the perfect backdrop for the story. This is a secondary world with many creatures from our legends and a basic magical system, but the way it all blends is quite nicely done; the kingdom of the vampire-like creatures especially comes to mind, and there's some really horrifying moments linked to the overall threat of the book, a coming corruption of the flesh. In that regard, threat of sexual violence is also present, but handled expertly in a sensitive manner.
The main villain is perfectly villainous and quite disgusting in his pursuit, while his motivations may at first feel at least partly justified. We feel Richard's despair and horror as the book goes on and the villain's leery overtures become more and more explicit and terrifying. The rest of the cast holds up very well; Richard's three siblings are all well developed, and especially his kid sister is a delight.
The Sun King's Dawn is a perfect first installment.
March 13, 2026
This book was just so perfect, I'm in absolute love.
The writing? 10/10.
I knew it would be good, since I read the prequel recently and enjoyed the writing a lot, but this was another level.
It was amazingly immersive and I couldn't get enough of it.
The plot? Fantastic.
Once I started reading it I couldn't be stopped, I just devoured it, eager to learn what will happen next.
Bonus points: it had no unnecessary scenes, each one felt impactful for the story and for the characters.
And the characters. Oh the characters.
Every single character had their own voice, they each felt like their own person.
(I especially enjoyed that within the royal family. It was so fun to read their interactions!)
All characters that we meet have depth. Some were lovable, some were the worst beings ever, but all felt very human, in a sense that their complicated natures were written masterfully. For example: Did I want to punch some sense into Richard through most of the book? Of course. Did I also want to put a protective blanket over him, his family and all the people he holds dear and kiss them on their little foreheads? Also yes.
Summarizing, I loved every part of this book, will make it my personality for the foreseeable future and can't wait for another one to come out.
Thanks to the author for providing the ARC
The writing? 10/10.
I knew it would be good, since I read the prequel recently and enjoyed the writing a lot, but this was another level.
It was amazingly immersive and I couldn't get enough of it.
The plot? Fantastic.
Once I started reading it I couldn't be stopped, I just devoured it, eager to learn what will happen next.
Bonus points: it had no unnecessary scenes, each one felt impactful for the story and for the characters.
And the characters. Oh the characters.
Every single character had their own voice, they each felt like their own person.
(I especially enjoyed that within the royal family. It was so fun to read their interactions!)
All characters that we meet have depth. Some were lovable, some were the worst beings ever, but all felt very human, in a sense that their complicated natures were written masterfully. For example: Did I want to punch some sense into Richard through most of the book? Of course. Did I also want to put a protective blanket over him, his family and all the people he holds dear and kiss them on their little foreheads? Also yes.
Summarizing, I loved every part of this book, will make it my personality for the foreseeable future and can't wait for another one to come out.
Thanks to the author for providing the ARC
March 11, 2026
Richard and Kaelen, my LOVES.
This book has been so hotly anticipated for me. I have been waiting to see this in my inbox and EEK it was just such a fantastic surprise. Much like the first novella, I finished this in one sitting as stayed up way too late.
The world building really continued here and grew, as did the deeper dynamics into Richard’s relationship with his siblings (Corwin my beloved) and his duty as king. He throws himself in the line of fire way too much and stresses the HECK out of Kaelen.
« You love with your whole heart, and none of your flesh »
OH. 🥺
The creature, the kingdoms and their dwellings are all so unique, and equally with their bad intentions it seems. Galdran, count your days and stay away from my king!!! Well, Kaelen’s king. Is it even miscommunication if it happens in nightmares? Yes, absolutely.
I enjoyed this clarification of Richard’s asexuality and the ease to which Kaelen pledged himself and did not diminish him (which is what Richard thought would happen).
I won’t spoil the rest of it, as the final moments and encounter with that evil elf Galdran truly got my stomach twisted.
Eagerly awaiting Book Two! Thank you for the ARC!
This book has been so hotly anticipated for me. I have been waiting to see this in my inbox and EEK it was just such a fantastic surprise. Much like the first novella, I finished this in one sitting as stayed up way too late.
The world building really continued here and grew, as did the deeper dynamics into Richard’s relationship with his siblings (Corwin my beloved) and his duty as king. He throws himself in the line of fire way too much and stresses the HECK out of Kaelen.
« You love with your whole heart, and none of your flesh »
OH. 🥺
The creature, the kingdoms and their dwellings are all so unique, and equally with their bad intentions it seems. Galdran, count your days and stay away from my king!!! Well, Kaelen’s king. Is it even miscommunication if it happens in nightmares? Yes, absolutely.
I enjoyed this clarification of Richard’s asexuality and the ease to which Kaelen pledged himself and did not diminish him (which is what Richard thought would happen).
I won’t spoil the rest of it, as the final moments and encounter with that evil elf Galdran truly got my stomach twisted.
Eagerly awaiting Book Two! Thank you for the ARC!
March 13, 2026
OH MY GODDDDDD — I love them, your honor.
Also Briony is the BRIGHTEST LITTLE STAR EVER
I love the writing of this series, and I cannot wait for ghe next installment!
Also Briony is the BRIGHTEST LITTLE STAR EVER
I love the writing of this series, and I cannot wait for ghe next installment!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews