Crown of Starlight
1 primary work 2 total works planned
Book 1
Greek mythology plays out against the backdrop of a vibrant galactic empire in the first book of a steamy, snarky, queer duology, reimagining the myth of Ariadne and Dionysus as a space opera of cosmic proportions.
Raised amongst monsters, Ariadne Tholos, Crown Princess of the interstellar Cretan Empire, fears nothing more than becoming one herself. But, trapped within a labyrinth of imperial politics and denied all bodily autonomy by her father, King-Emperor Minos—and his totalitarian regime of militarized death cultists—she might not have another option. When the chance arises to take her fate into her own hands, Ariadne seizes it, only to find herself on the run—injured, alone, and in desperate need of a miracle.
Enter Dionysus—the exiled God of Wine, Madness, and General Revelry. He needs a Cretan royal to join his cult in order to end his banishment and return home to Olympus. Meeting Ariadne is the opportunity he’s been waiting for, but there’s just one problem: The Cretans are heretics, and she is no exception.
With a vengeful Minos closing in, Ariadne strikes a bargain. She’ll marry Dionysus and “join” his cult. In exchange, he’ll hide her away in the only corner of the galaxy beyond Minos’s reach: Olympus. But her new home comes with its own set of dangers, from the deadly politicking of the gods to Dionysus himself. His life of uninhibited debauchery calls to her darkest desires, making her question everything she knows about love, power, identity—and her own monstrous heart.
Raised amongst monsters, Ariadne Tholos, Crown Princess of the interstellar Cretan Empire, fears nothing more than becoming one herself. But, trapped within a labyrinth of imperial politics and denied all bodily autonomy by her father, King-Emperor Minos—and his totalitarian regime of militarized death cultists—she might not have another option. When the chance arises to take her fate into her own hands, Ariadne seizes it, only to find herself on the run—injured, alone, and in desperate need of a miracle.
Enter Dionysus—the exiled God of Wine, Madness, and General Revelry. He needs a Cretan royal to join his cult in order to end his banishment and return home to Olympus. Meeting Ariadne is the opportunity he’s been waiting for, but there’s just one problem: The Cretans are heretics, and she is no exception.
With a vengeful Minos closing in, Ariadne strikes a bargain. She’ll marry Dionysus and “join” his cult. In exchange, he’ll hide her away in the only corner of the galaxy beyond Minos’s reach: Olympus. But her new home comes with its own set of dangers, from the deadly politicking of the gods to Dionysus himself. His life of uninhibited debauchery calls to her darkest desires, making her question everything she knows about love, power, identity—and her own monstrous heart.