Daybreak

Immortals Descending #3

by Iris Foxglove

Cillian Aislinn is elated when he receives an invitation to dance for a renowned patron of the arts, Lady Thora, in a beautiful lakeside manor in the hills of Kallistos. But all is not as it seems at Cladach Manor. By the time Cillian discovers the horrifying truth hiding behind a glamor of luxury, it will be too late; Cillian makes an enemy of Lady Thora. Cursed to suffer an immortal existence where even the comfort of sleep is taken from him, Cillian becomes the leader of a nomadic troupe of dancers, seeking what joy he can in the art that he once loved. Following a series of prophetic dreams, Cillian is desperate to find something that will banish his curse for good. What he finds is Astra, the god of dreams, who reveals who Lady Thora really is…the corrupted former goddess of art, now a spirit of decay whose influence is beginning to spread into Astra’s realm.

Astra was a child when he was summoned to the Dreamer’s Throne, and has chosen to spend more and more time asleep, weaving dreams in the dark. But when Pallas’ ire threatens his dreamers, Astra follows her influence to Cillian, a cursed mortal who may be the key to defeating her. In exchange for the restful sleep he’s been denied for so long, Cillian agrees to be Astra’s guide. Together, they might find a way to defeat Pallas before her influence smothers all inspiration and art from the world.

As they travel across Iperios, they also must navigate the growing attraction between them. Astra is a god who lived mostly in the realm of dreams, and Cillian’s curse has kept him in a state of numb exhaustion for centuries. As they awaken to their mutual desire, the truth of who Cillian is and why Pallas is so determined to destroy him becomes clear…and so is what is at stake if they fail.

Featuring a very tired immortal without a natural alignment, a brat of a dominant dream god who has forgotten how to be human, an evil spirit with a grudge and a wild dash across Iperios to restore the balance between art, inspiration, and dreams.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Magic, Gods, High Fantasy

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Iris Foxglove is the shared pen name of Avon Gale (she/her) and Fae Loxley (he/him). Avon and Fae met in fandom in 2019, and began writing fanfiction together in 2020 during lockdown. They eventually decided to collaborate on original fantasy fiction, and haven't looked back since.

They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.

You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z

Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove

Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:

Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv

Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn

Reviews

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I cannot tell you just how much I love this fantasy world. It's rich and layered and beautiful and flawed and I honestly cannot get enough of it. 

Daybreak sees our young Dream Lord, Astra, on a mission to save his forest from the corrupt former god of Art and a dancer long ago cursed by her whom the forest called to help. I loved that Cillian's last name means 'dream' and I loved his compassion and his crankiness.

I also loved how Astra and Cillian's relationship unfolded. Reluctant companions to lovers to much more. A god learning how to human - and is pretty awful at it for a while - and an artist just trying to hang on to his own humanity out to kind of save the world and falling in love along the way.
 
Daybreak was perfectly imperfect and I loved every moment. I'm looking forward to Levi's story.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I am very much enjoying this series. This book, about a man who was cursed by a corrupted God to live without sleep, and the God of Dreams who honestly sounded incredibly sexy, was a much more humorous entry to the series and I really loved it.

We got to see Cillian sleep again and develop a personality, and we got to see Astra learn how to be “‘mortal” while falling in love at the same time. They unite under the goal of taking down Pallas, a corrupted God of Art who has turned into decay, and almost every scene fighting her through dreams was absolutely delightful.

The final battle scene and the sex scenes were both very meh, and the epilogue was disappointing which made me knock off half a star, but overall this was a delightful book that made it difficult for me to put down.

[Merrikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything this author duo writes, but look -- this series is the best one, hands down. Storm Front made me cry, Shadowfall was :fans self: hot, and this one made me laugh out loud more than once. It's a delicious romance with a ton of fun banter, a great secondary cast of characters, cameos from characters that aren't obnoxious and some darker edges and gothic dream imagery that shines. But seriously, there are some hilarious parts in this book and I really loved the banter between Cillian and Astra so much. KNIFE SHARKS! Seeing Cillian awake to his full potential in more ways than one was just a delight, and Astra's godliness combined with his awe/horror at humanity, from hot peppers to fire ants, was wonderful.

I continue to praise this author duo from the rooftops. If you like fantasy, queer rep, great pacing, wonderful worldbuilding and awesome writing, this is the series for you! I can't wait for Levi's story, and Ares after that. Honestly, Ares is the god I'm most excited to read about and the little glimpses of them in this book were so tantalizing.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this title, and am an unabashed fangirl, but this one was a hit :)

[Iris Foxglove]

Dance troupe master Cillian drags Astra -- God of Sleep and Dreams and the youngest of our immortal clan -- on a mission to help him fight a curse orchestrated by a former corrupted god.

[gimmethosebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhhhhhh I love this series so much

[Lydia Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another charming romance from Iris Foxglove that once again takes a nuanced look at what it could be like to be an immortal being. My favorite part was the tiny touch of monster with the horns ;)

Astra is the god of dreams, who was elevated to his position as a small child and has spent hundreds of years wandering through dreamscapes and sleeping on his forest throne. He is an interesting dichotomy of very old and completely inexperienced, as when he steps into the mortal world he is surprised by everything from the fact that you have to chew food to changes in temperature and weather that you can't just wish away. It is easy to forget he is extremely powerful until the moment comes when he has to stand up for what he thinks is right. He is truly a good character, but he's also an unrepentant brat in a very amusing way. His personality is very well balanced to include many contradictions without seeming disjointed.

Cillian is an amazing dancer who can inspire anyone who watches his performance. He was cursed to an immortal life of insomnia by a corrupted god whose pursuit of perfection in art drove her to ruin. He has spent hundreds of years leading his dance troupe in a drugged and/0r sleepless haze, having no chance to really love or experience life, so he is pretty much Astra's opposite. He knows loss and suffering in a way that is pretty unimaginable to Astra, but he also has a true desire to be good and protect those in his care. As the story progresses Astra's assistance in getting decent sleep leads to his true personality shining and revealing his life's purpose.

There are both fun new side characters with interesting backstories, our cast of favorite gods and their companions, and other main characters from the greater Foxglove back catalog including some hints as to the next stories. You don't need to know anything about the returning characters to enjoy this book, but if you're a dedicated reader they will be a nice treat.

The plot itself starts off with a bang where Cillian gets cursed and then gets kind of low stakes for a while where our heroes conquer their trials with very little strife. I would have said it drags a bit, but during this time they also realize that sleeping together in the non-biblical sense is probably going to lead to more, and there is an interesting interplay between Cillian's lack of natural kink alignment and Astra's dreamlike ability to be whatever he wants to be. It's kind of cute that Astra is both a virgin and not and leads to some funny scenes. Anyway, the plot picks up in the final trials, and they have to face some pretty terrifying scenarios, and high stakes, and use their wits and skills to end a reign of terror. Of course, there is a happy ending, and it was really sweet that these characters all got what they deserved.

I might be a bit biased because I love this author, but this was a strong entry into their catalog with nice treats for dedicated readers.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Daybreak is the third book in Iris Foxgloves’ Immortals Descending series, and the action is set after the events in books 1 (Storm Front) and 2 (Shadowfall). While I think this story could stand on its own, I think readers will enjoy the references to and cameos by Death and Arwyn if you read the first two books first. I would also encourage fans to search Cillian’s name in Storm Front (I think the best time to do that search would be after Chapter 1).

For me, I really enjoyed how open to interpretation some story elements are. Why Cillian as a mortal is of such interest to Pallas was a big question, specifically why she has no qualms about killing others, but refuses to kill Cillian. This got answered quite tidily later.

Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stayed up and finished this so I'm feeling like Cillian. Great book. Loved the banter between Cillian and Astra, and really liked the folk festivals/folk art aspect of this book.

[Ave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daybreak was an absolute delight to read for so many reasons. We were introduced to Cillian in The Last Flight of Marcus Chastain, and Pallas's transition from Art to Decay first appeared in Storm Front. This was a great conclusion to the storyline of the God of Art, and I adored seeing Cillian and Astra on page together as they go on a journey across the lands, using art and dreams to defeat a goddess.

Cillian and Astra have an awesome relationship together from the start when Cillian goes to Astra's forest and is very unimpressed with the bratty god of dreams. Cillian has lived for hundreds of years under a curse and is a grumpy chronic insomniac. Astra has been living his life through dreams while never leaving his forest, and it is an absolute delight to watch him experience human life for the first time as he learns about grass, food, sex, and "waste excretion."

Highly recommend to fans of fantasy, adventure, and BDSM. Also, the horn-kink is real and I am here for it. Please, Cillian, touch Astra's horns more.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest book in this fantastic series gives off some pretty distinct horror vibes at the start, but only to evoke the proper mood for what haunts Cillian throughout the rest of the book. He is an unwitting victim in the drama between the gods that circles back to a thread in book 1 I was already invested in. This adventure is more than a follow-up, however, as Cillian eventually encounters Astra, the god of dreams, so that together they might save the world from nightmares.

Not those nightmares – Astra is firmly in control of his realm, thank you. He’s a delight, actually, and I adore him as both a character in his own right, learning how to human (shoes! hair! spicy food!), and as a foil and romantic interest to Cillian. In this world where power exchange is biologically determined, I enjoyed how the authors once again upended their own rules by creating a character without a natural alignment. This makes his dynamic with Astra both unexpected and exciting, though I already knew I’d enjoy their connection just from the entertaining interplay between them from the first time they meet.

Combat between gods could easily devolve into all-out war, but with the god of war still indisposed, our heroes once again find unique ways to fight their battles. The initial horror elements of this story transition to a sort of dreamlike dark fantasy, featuring stylized combat methods that are perfectly in line with Astra and Cillian’s individual and combined strengths. And though this book made me shed fewer tears than I’m used to with this series, that certainly doesn’t mean the dark moments weren’t as intense and exciting as in previous installments.

Even better, Astra and Cillian are never necessarily on their own for any of it. Not only do we get exciting cameos from heroes in previous series set in this world, but these main characters are also surrounded by a dynamic cast of the secondary characters who make up Cillian’s performance troupe. There are quite a few of them, but each is so distinct that it never gets overwhelming, along with never devolving into stereotype. Found family has long been a theme in this world, but here it’s brought to the forefront in a way that fits the storyline without overshadowing it.

Overall, I love that this world never gets stagnant. This author team adds unexpected layers with each new book, and the love and investment they have for their creation shows with each word. Since I follow them on social media, I have a few ideas of what’s coming up, and I’m more than ready for it.

Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the authors.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that started bloody creepy. Cillian was thrilled to dance for Lady Thora. Staying at her manor he fast discovers something dark is going on. There’s no escape to become some kind of immortal with insomnia.

Astra’s head is full of dreams and magical stories. One day he meets the god of dreams who hands everything over to Astra, with the warning to avoid Pallas the former god of art.
The forest and his world of dreams is Astra’s safe space, for hundreds of years.
When Pallas threatens the dreams, Astra has to leave his forest, enter the waking world and bring Pallas to Death.

After hundreds of years, Cillian still suffers from insomnia, he only sleeps on whiskey or herbs. Lately, he dreams of a forest and someone sleeping on a throne. The guy summoned him to hurry and come.

Astra’s guide in the waking world is Cillian, he’s the leader of a troupe of dancers. Cillian has bad experiences with gods, so this one he doesn’t trust either, and he’s quite a brat too.
Astra is mesmerized by the waking world, the sun, the flowers, the bees, and the food, shame Cillian is such a grumpy person.

“Being human is tiresome,”

“It’s not my fault your human brain isn’t as clever as my godly one,”

Astra isn’t good at being a human in the waking world, everything is new, all those tantalizing feelings, it’s funny AF.
First Cillian and Astra irritated the other terribly. But watch them on their journey. Without spoiling, I can tell there are events on their path, full of intense excitement. A lot of characters pass by, there’s no time to dream away, or you’ll miss something.
They go from arguing, to friendship, to more, much more. Even their lovemaking was dreamlike.

Lord Sleepyhead and Lord Dancy-Shoes, a perfect combination!

It’s a slow burn, with a wonderful buildup. The events are incredibly exciting and captivating, it’s such a great story.
The world of dreams is amazing, how these authors created these realms was really extraordinary.
This story is rich with all kinds of amazing magic, the whole story is absolutely stunningly written.

Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews

[Scatteredashes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Astra may be my favorite god so far (though I am much looking forward to Levi and Ares' stories) as he was so imaginative, bratty, and naive. Watching him experience much of life with Cillian's troupe was a whole lot of fun! This whole story is something to be experienced and I loved how creative all the dream sequences are. Cillian is a tad grumpy in the beginning but really who wouldn't be running on such little sleep. I loved how he took Astra in stride and these two are very very fun together. Astra's backstory is on the sadder side and I think my favorite scene is in d'Hiver when Astra is spinning a few stories based on himself and Cillian first gets a glimpse of what Astra's mortal life may have been like. It may seem like a weird scene to be a favorite since it's kind of depressing but it's full of emotion and I think it may also be a turning point in the way Cillina may view not only Astra but what it's like for a mortal to turn immortal. Astra's story did make me cry and I am always a fan of stories that truly get me choked up.

Iris Foxglove are incredibly talented and if you haven't read anything by them, then what are you waiting for. You could start here, but I think at a minimum you should start at the beginning of the series to understand the immortal siblings dynamic a bit more. Better yet, start with the Starian Cycle because there are quite a few crossover cameos between that and the Seasons of Lukos. (Always a good time when Aleks shows up!) As always, this is a beautiful story with wonderful characters. This time they're on a journey to save humanity's creative expression and ability to find beauty in the mundane.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daybreak is the third book in the Immortals Descending series by Iris Foxglove, and I was eager for this one after enjoying the prior two books. While each story can be read as a standalone, it certainly hits harder if you are following the series – it allows you to fall for each of the characters in turn, to see how things develop for them, and ensures you’re eager to see their story come together.

I was extra excited for Daybreak as I was super curious about both characters after seeing – and loving – them in the prior books. I had high hopes for their stories and was so glad with the way things came together. I will be completely honest and say that I worked out where things were heading with ease, which ruined some of the surprise of the reveals, yet this was not enough to take away my enjoyment of the story. I was hooked on the characters and fell deeper for their relationship as it developed. As with the prior books in the series, I was wholly invested throughout and could not put it down. Plus, as a fan of the world, I adored getting to see more of it – not to mention the visits with the characters from the prior books and the nods toward what will come in the future books.

Without a doubt, this was another wonderful addition to the series. I will be brutally honest and say this was not my favourite, but that does not change the fact that it is still a fabulous read. If you have enjoyed the series thus far, you’re sure to be hooked on this. I’m now desperate for the next book in the series – I have very high hopes of what is to come.

[Teeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this because of how mysterious Cillian was in previous books and how playful and exuberant Astra was.

And their banter was incredible indeed, with chemistry and sparks flying whenever the exchanged words. But their sexy times??? Those were bland and I skimmed them like woaaah!

Loved the scenes of how they fought Pallas in dreams, loved how and why Cillian was to be the next Art, but also it took a lot of time for things to start and from fight to fight with nothing happening in between , which slowed things down so much, it felt hard at times to keep reading without skimming.

Anyways... I can't wait for Tempest. From what he have seen how Leviathan is from Shadowfall, I can't wait to see how he'll handle a disaster of a human.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talented Cillian Aislinn is delighted to have an opportunity to dance for Lady Thora, a patron of the arts. His chance turns into a nightmare when Lady Thora is revealed to be the corrupted god of arts. Leaving Cillian with a curse, he has spent years and years traveling as a dancer. He knows the decay is always near and now that decay is reaching into the realm of dreams. Astra, the god of dreams since a young child, must awaken and fight the decay with the Cillian as his guide.

There is so much going on. Astra can truly be a brat while Cillian has no patience due to geting very little sleep from the curse. The two though must fight their growing attraction as well as Pallas, the corrupt god to restore a balance. Their journey takes them so many places and you cannot help once again falling in love with the two main characters – Astra and Cillian. Immortals Descending is turning into an incredible series. They are fun to read with cameos and references to the gods and their partners form the first two books.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything I’ve read by these authors, so my hopes and expectations were high for this book– and it lived up to every single one. There’s just so much to like about this story. We can start with the premise, which involves secrets, dreams, gods, immortals, and an adventure in which the stakes, on pretty much every level, couldn’t be higher– how can you not be pulled into that? Also, the world building. Let’s talk world building. Beautifully scaffolded, incredibly interesting, a great backdrop for the characters to move through. And the characters: Cillian and Astra each have their baggage and their imperfections, and it makes them, separately and together, just *work* on a level that’s hard to explain but enjoyable to experience. The trajectory of their relationship showcases who they are as well as how they fit together, and it’s hard to ask for more than that. All in all, a highly recommended read.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one started off as a wonderful gothic that reminded me of all those I enjoyed in the 70s and then took a turn into an amazing story of thwarted, vengeful gods seeking to destroy the arts they once loved, a cursed dancer (man can you feel Cillian's exhaustion in this story) and a god who works with Cillian to break the curse and set the world to rights. There are surprise reveals of who certain characters really are, there are clever uses of names and a very real sense of the suthor's conviction of the importance of the arts to make a world livable. Loving this series and anxious to see more books in it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third book in the Immortals Descending series was my favorite so far! I loved the storyline and the guys were absolutely perfect for each other. This storyline does tie into the previous two books so it’s best to read in order to really understand what’s happening. We get to see a lot of the previous two couples in this as well as learning more about the other brothers. There’s a lot of familiar faces and places. This is my first series by this author and I’m not a huge fan of the dominant/submissive parts of the world but it’s not a dealbreaker for me.

[Hani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the tale! It was particularly wonderful to embrace how life-saving (or threatening) artistic pursuits can be. I also really enjoyed that this tale went through multiple locations to battle Unluck.

But I really wanted more from the ending.

Declan had no cameo in this book. I wanted them to keep touring!!! Settling at the manor for 500 years was boring. Brocest kink. Don't just hint at that!!!! Deep dive. I mean what's roleplay brocest kink against monster kink? Don't just hint at it.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. Wonderful story, but probably not my favorite in the series! As always, I love the connections to the other books and characters. But this installment also had a host of new and interesting characters that I hope we get to see more of in the future! At this point, I do wish the authors could add some sort of glossary to the books so I can refresh myself on some of the characters and countries. But honestly, it just makes me want to reread all the books, so I might just do that lol

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He loves to dance and he is invited to dance for her but it will become a curse. He cannot even rest and will live forever. He wants to find a cure but he may find it in the last place he expected. He will meet them and it seems they may help him break the curse. What will happen for them both? Can the curse be lifted? Will he find love? See how it will all go for him

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very good and whimsical. I really do enjoy the world building here.

It was good seeing other characters from previous books in this series and a little digging into the other series this author has I see that some of the people I met in this book have their own books. Whew bug run on sentences there.

Onward to more books in this world. I’m hooked.

[Callie Kajj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brats on top. My second fave character in this series 1st. Arwyn 2 being astra.

L this series

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Eleftheria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this series brings familiar characters and lore together, I squealed when Adrien showed up! Best fantasy MM writer pair out there I say.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Daybreak is my favorite of this series so far. With the found family and Astra being such a brat, it was fun to read, even if it was dark around the edges (but aren’t all Iris Foxglove books).

[Kori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book!

I hope this author duo never stops writing together, because these books are everything I've ever wanted. Awesome characters, worldbuilding, and story. I loved both MCs and adored the cameos of characters from previous books/series. And I loved how much of a brat the one MC was. It was just the right amount to not be obnoxious. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

[Rinnie Lazarowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iris Foxglove has done it again. I’ve finished another book and gone, “okay that one is my favorite.”

This one is just as beautiful as those before it, I laughed, my heart ached, and I fell in love with a very very bratty god more than I already was!

Their beautiful world building now expanding to the dream world in this wonderful and dark adventure.