Ithia’s Dance

Introducing Book 1 of The Sun God’s Children

In the city-state or Morura, womenare little more than tools for men’s ambitions—but Mirriae upends the norms of her world when she accidentally awakens Ithia, the dead consort of a god, and unleashes the fury of a high priest who seeks to control the living by eating the souls of the dead.

Now the dead are begging Mirriae for deliverance. Trapped between a lustful priest, a scheming father, and an ambitious brother, she must navigate a realm where loyalty can be lethal and freedom comes at a staggering cost.

Held captive in her father’s Keep, she finds a path to power in the resilience and resourcefulness of the women around her, including the mother she has never known—but Mirriae will have to choose between love, loyalty, and a destiny she never wanted if she is to claim her autonomy and preserve her own soul.

Within the rich tapestry of a dark and brutal realm, King’s vivid characters remind us of the power of the oppressed to upend the world, one small decision at a time.
– Kathleen O’Neal Gear, author of The Ice Lion

Packed with intrigue, King’s Ithia’s Dance is a worthy addition to the pantheon of great fantasy work. I’m jealous of readers digging into it for the first time with fresh eyes.
-Robert P. Ottone, author of The Vile Thing We Created and the Bram Stoker Award-winning novels The Triangle and There’s Something Sinister in Centerfield

This book is a universal message about the power of revolution––not just revolution’s power, but in the quiet, enduring force of change built through patience and generations. King shows us that it is not a single, blazing and immediate moment of gratification; it is a thread woven through an infinite tapestry of time, each pattern carrying the lives and purpose of those who choose to act instead of hiding in complacency. In a world spinning with war and conflict, where authoritarian shadows close in and the systems we trusted prove fragile as paper, Ithia’s Dance reminds us: we still have a choice. Even when change feels distant or unseen, each of us carries the power to shape a larger story—one that builds a better world. This is a hands-down page-turner, brimming with a kaleidoscope of characters who feel as real and familiar as the people in our own lives—characters in whom we can all find a bit of ourselves—leaving only one question: When can I read the next volume?
-J.T. Blatty, author of Snapshots Sent Home: from Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine

In Ithia’s Dance, King writes a true heroine’s journey with allies, adversaries, trials, rituals and spells and reminds us about the power of choice. Ithia’s Dance is a mythic tale that resonates in our lives today. You won’t want to put it down.
-Maureen Murdock, author of The Heroine’s Journey

In a time and place where women have no agency over their own lives, Ithia’s Dance is the brilliantly told story of a young woman’s struggle to understand, grow into, and claim her unusual powers—no matter what the emotional cost. King’s fully developed characters surprise us again and again with unexpected decisions and actions. I couldn’t put the book down!
-Natalie Reid, author of The Spiritual Alchemist

I almost forgot to eat, sleep or drink while reading Ithia’s Dance. King has created a world as real and compelling as our own. Dark and passionate, beautifully researched and written, and breathtakingly full of dramatic action, this is a book you must read. I’m grateful that this is the first in a series, so I can continue to inhabit this world for years to come!
-Mimi Herman, author of The Kudzu Queen