The Dark Lord Awakens

Dark Service #1

by Zara Lee

My parents said I could be anything, so I became the Dark King. Now taking applications for minions, lovers, and a good therapist.
They say getting hit by a truck is the gateway to another world? They're not wrong. One minute I'm saving a kid from becoming roadkill, the next I'm waking up as the gorgeous, and apparently homicidal demon king. Talk about a career change!

I'm Lucien Noir, your friendly neighborhood dark lord. Armed with powerful magic and a hot-as-hell butler named Azrael, I'm inheriting a kingdom in crisis. Between terrified citizens, crumbling infrastructure, and refugees fleeing from a shadow monster in the forest, I've got my hands full trying to modernize this medieval realm.

And Azrael? He's the perfect butler—elegant, efficient, and absolutely devoted. He's also a sadistic demon who gets way too excited about torturing anyone who looks at me wrong. His idea of "serving his master" gets more intense by the day, and that possessive gleam in his eyes when he watches me? Let's just say maintaining professional boundaries is becoming... complicated.

Who knew my business degree would come in handy for rebuilding a dark kingdom? Though I'm pretty sure "How to Handle Your Increasingly Unhinged Butler's Sexual Tension" wasn't covered in any of my classes.

Dark The Dark Lord Awakens is Book 1 in a spicy MM reverse harem fantasy romance series snarky protagonist dark lordLight kingdom building with a modern twistMaster/servant power dynamicsSize difference that'll make you weak in the kneesA butler who's both perfectly proper and deliciously unhinged (yandere levels of devotion!)Slow-burn tension that promises to explodeFirst of many gorgeous men to fall for our dark lord
Contains elements of fantasy romance, kingdom building, and a butler who takes "serving his master" to new levels of intensity.

451 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2025

Reviews

[Celia Liver · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so good.

The chemistry between Lucien and his butler was off the charts, though I’m a little disappointed we haven’t actually seen it play out yet. I also wonder how this will work as a harem story, given the butler’s extreme possessiveness (though I have a hunch after that ending).

I really loved the plot, rebuilding the Lord’s empire. Of course, there are still a few things that could be improved in my opinion, like the sheer number of characters and their overly long descriptions, or the tendency to list every little detail. But I appreciated how some events actually happened quickly and decisively, instead of being dragged out with endless talk.

Now I’m curious about where the story will go: will it remain centered only on the Dark Lord’s empire, or expand to the rest of the game world ? And how will the Dark Lord balance being both an adorable, brilliant nerd and a total badass ?
I can’t wait to see that. I just hope the romance continues to progress alongside everything else.

[Readbookswithcats · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dark Lord Awakens is a Low angst, high tension, slow burn with a cliffhanger.
Beau is hit by a truck and wakes to a world he created online, as the main character, the Dark Lord Lucien. He is greeted by his most devout butler, Azreal, and a crumbling land. His character has apparently been asleep for 300 years and things have gotten out of hand. He navigates his new role, body, servants, ruling and trying to restructure the land.

This was a funny, interesting read! I loved the concept of him being a character in his own game. Hilarious, as all the people and areas he named in the middle of the night on energy drinks are still there. Absolutely adore Azrael who is OBSESSED with his Lord and will disembowel anyone who looks at him wrong. The tension is high! I will say, no spice, other than some self spice at the end. It seems to be leading to more between him and his butler in the next book, and potentially two others that are introduced at the end of the book! Excited to read more!! Very entertaining!

[Collyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved it this. It was a so good. It felt like Familie adams world. Because it was dark and weird, and there where so many random and weird monster. I like how he was so confused in the beginning, and trying to be a "dark lord" and the butler. He was the best. The best yandere i have read in long time. He was just so crazy i couldn't stop laughing throuhg it all. He did the most wildest stuff, and at the same time, you expected exactly that, the obsession, the yearning, the commitment, the loyality, i felt for him, how could you not? The world in this was so interesting, i want to know more, i want to see more of the goblins, how the country is rebuild, i want to see the city. And the "system" who had "no personality", but who was so express and funny. I love it. I love the dragon, but i did wish we got to see some of the other animal he kept, it was like they got a introduction and then was left on read for the rest of the book, you never heard of them again or saw them.

[Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book for the premise and the characters but I found it in desperate need of editing. I encountered many repetitive and/or contradictory statements which brought me out of the story each time. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to rate it 5 stars for that reason. That being said, I would still recommend this book. It's an entertaining read and I'm excited to see where the series goes!

[Vonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved It!!!!

I can’t wait for the second book. The support character names were hilarious. When is the second books coming out?