King of the Dark: A dark MM high fantasy (Prince's Assassin Book 1)

I had a hankering for gay hanky-panky in a fantasy setting, so when I happened upon this series by Ariana Nash, I decided to give it a try. I've never read much in the romance genre, so the start was an adjustment, mostly because of my snotty intellect. But once I got over myself and got into the story - and it wastes no time, as the book is very character-driven - I found myself devouring the chapters, desperate to know what happens next. I realized that many of my prejudices about this genre are unjustified; I truly loved being immersed in a fantasy story that features unabashedly gay men who have NFSW sex, yet also delivers a compelling story and satisfying world-building, though I did want to know more about the elves and the war, as well as the land itself - a good sign that the author caught my attention. Nash doesn't fill in much back-history on her world, at least not in this first installment, and I'm eager to learn about it. Her protagonist, Niko is a traumatized war veteran returned from a long-standing struggle against an elven invasion (evil elves are so cool, and Nash's are truly demonic) whose loose cannon of a mouth gets him into serious trouble when he's abducted into servitude by Prince Vasili of Caville, the cunningly cruel heir to an extremely dysfunctional dynasty plagued by an ages-old curse. Vasili humiliates Niko publicly while secretly using him to infiltrate the palace and uncover who's plotting to assassinate the prince; the surfeit of candidates…

Nash does not disappoint with her latest book, the first in a new trilogy. Like the Silk & Steel trilogy, and Primal Sin (waiting on the sequel), King of the Dark is not a fluffy romance. It is full of angst and betrayal at every turn. In some ways, it reminded me of CS Pacat’s Captive Prince tilogy. I enjoy characters who have hide behind a stoic mask, but deep down, you (the reader) know they probably could use a hug. This book is dark and disturbing, but oh so good. As an elf lover, I’m not used to the elves being the bad guys (well, the humans may perceive them as bad guys, but typically, you find out that this isn’t the case). But in King of the Dark, they seem to truly be the villains here (well, other than the villains who are closer to home), and, from what we have seen of them so far, are demonic. This took a bit of an adjustment for me, as I naturally tend to root for elves, but I don’t think that is going to be the case here. I finished this book in less than a day. Nash has a way of keeping you on your seat, wanting to know what happens next. I have also come to expect a cliffhanger from her, and this book was no exception. It’s a quick read, but if you’re looking for butterflies and light-heartedness, this book isn’t for you. If, however, you want angst, betrayal, magic, and enemies-to-lovers (though they aren’t there yet), then pick up King of the Dark!