A review by wardenred
The Last of the Dark Lords by K.L. Larsen

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

You wish me to bind myself to the Dark Lord. To take vows I never planned to take with anyone, and then break them.

For such a short novel, there’s a stunning amount of fascinating worldbuilding here. So many details that kept me engrossed throughout: magical artifacts, the gods’ involvement, nature turning against people, the politics, the backstory behind it all. Every aspect of this world is super intriguing even in itself, and together they form a whole that’s just chef’s kiss. I’d absolutely love to read more stories set in this world. I’d love to play in a TTRPG campaign set there. I just want more of it!

The story itself, however, felt a bit rushed, or rather, just oddly paced. The beginning unfolded slowly, at least in terms of the book’s overall length, and then things started moving faster and faster, especially where the romance was concerned. There were multiple instances when it felt like the characters jumped to conclusions instead of actually thinking, or their feelings changed in the blink of an eye without much build-up. As a result, it was difficult for me to connect with their budding relationship, even though this blend of enemies to lovers and arranged marriage is a mixture after my own heart. 

I really liked Skye, the protagonist, and the ethical dilemmas he was facing throughout the story. At the beginning, he is presented as a genuinely good man asked to do a bad thing for good reasons, but those reasons get more and more muddled as he leaves his home and learns more about the world around him. It was so interesting to follow him being affected by all the secrets, lies, and half-truths coming to life, although there were points where I wished some of these things were inspected deeper—there were parts that definitely felt rushed. Perhaps the story needed a bit more room to breathe so that the gorgeous worldbuilding and the plot could be better balanced. Overall, though, it was really enjoyable—and did I mention I want more from this setting? Because I so do.