Dawn of Fate and Fire

Sun of Blood and Ruin #2

by Mariely Lares

The stunning conclusion to the duology that began with the internationally bestselling Sun of Blood and Ruin, this Zorro reimagining weaves Mesoamerican mythology and sixteenth-century Mexican history into a swashbuckling historical fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance.

They call her many things. Witch, Nagual Warrior, lady, Pantera. And after defeating the Obsidian Butterfly, Leonora carries a new Godslayer.

Peace in Mexico City is fragile. Rebellion brews in the North, and when the people’s safety is at risk, Pantera must once again become the demure viceregent Leonora to stop a war before it begins. But her friends are scattered, Tezca is gone, and one wrong move could seal her fate. Caution is her ally, for the real Prince of Asturias—her former betrothed—has arrived at court, reigniting Leonora and Pantera are one.

A greater threat looms in the mountains, where a false king seeks to summon the god of night using a weapon of untold power. It’s up to the Godslayer to confront this enemy. . . and the one growing within her. Only by embracing her divine origins can Leonora triumph over the forces of darkness—and maybe even spark a revolution that could change Mexico’s fate forever. But in doing so, she risks losing herself forever… 

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Audiobook, Historical, Fiction

480 pages, Hardcover

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fear this is more like a 1.5⭐ for me and I hate to say that but this didn't build on the 1st one in a way that worked for me.

I think the way book 1 ended would've been a great standalone. All this one did was add more lore, more names, and more conflict none of which were resolved in a satisfactory way.

I struggled with following along with the names in the same way I did in book 1, and this one added even more names and titles for people. It was overwhelming. A lot of the people didn't serve a solid purpose toward the plot so you're left with names and names and no way to sensibly string them together to make sense. Some of the names ALSO confused the characters too like, we can't all be confused. The evil god being called Tezcalipoca yet NO ONE concludes that TEZCA is related to him??? How does that work? They literally have the same name!

The pacing was also chaotic in this one. I can understand that they were still trying be free of the Spaniards, but a lot of Spanish characters are involved in this story and they're not bad guys? First confusing thing. Second confusing thing is adding on the plot of the gods ending the world (I think??). I feel like the beginning of the story focused on the Spanish then it abruptly solely focused on this fantasy plot and it felt half baked. The magic is still poorly explained. Everyone suddenly being a god by the end? Why not!

The whole Panthera thing? Got even more confusing? Leonara spends most of the book talking about how she can't control her tonalli and how it's lost but she still transforms? Also everyone knows her "secret identity" and it's still a point of contention which is crazy because I thought we addressed that in book 1.

The romance? Sure I guess.

I just think a lot of this could've been cleaned up to be more clear and it sucks because I think the foundational ideas of this are good but the execution was bad in book 1 and worse in this book. I know someone out there will love this, but I tried my best.

I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Dawn of Fate and Fire is the sequel to Sun of Blood and Ruin, and continues the story of Leonora after the events of the first book.

“The land endures. The people endure.”

Beware of spoilers for the previous book!
Sun of Blood and Ruin Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve absolutely loved the first book in the series and was excited to dive into this sequel! While I didn’t love it as much, it was still a great book.

I absolutely loved the dive into the history, folklore and magic and its by far the highlight of this duology. The worldbuilding is lush, mesmerizing and paired with the topics of colonialism, racism and politics.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story at the start. This was mostly due to it having been almost 2 years since I’ve read the first book and a lot about what happened faded for me, so I would’ve liked a tiny recap of what happened woven into the story. This was also because we get thrown into the thick of it from the start. I’d recommend reading this shortly after reading the first book to properly understand it.

The book has a big emphasis on the history and politics, which can make it a heavy and a slower read. Still, enough action was mixed into the story, making it engaging once I really got into the story and was hooked.

Leonora is fierce and battling two sides of herself, the Pantera and Leonora, which was really interesting to see on page. The characters all went through a lot and I really liked the character growth of all of them.

Leonora has a complex relationship with Tezca and I really liked how that was woven into the book this time. I also adored her relationship with Martin, which was a highlight at times.

The ending felt a bit rushed for me. I really liked how the book was set up and led to that ending, but then the ending itself felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. While I didn’t really mind it in the end, I did want a bit more. like the final battle not being shown on page is fine, but I wanted more of the aftermath and not two pages and that was it.

Overall, Dawn of Fate and Fire was a great conclusion to a great duology that explores some heavy themes throughout.

[Ember · Rating 5 out of 5]

INFINITE STARS⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️🌟✨💫⭐️ 
The sequel was even better than the first book - I finished it a couple months ago, and feel like i’m still processing, but Lares only deepened and expanded on the themes I adored so much in Sun of Blood And Ruin.  
This book hit hard, and it was so so damn emotional - the themes of colonization, decoloniality, and living in Nepantla were beautifully expanded upon in this book.  Sometimes in ways that made me bawl my eyes out…
like when Leonora (I never know if I should call her that, Pantera, or Tecuani in reviews) found the strength to save herself when Tezca couldn’t come save her without losing himself to the Dark Mirror.😭😭😭  The whole time reading that part I was thinking WHERE THE FUCK IS TEZCA?!  And then the reveal had me all torn up for both of them🥺 

Also like Leonora losing Jerónimo - jfc that one hurt.  I kind of thought he may not make it through this book but I cried so much for Leonora when he sacrificed himself to save her💔  Also while on the topic of heart-wrenching, horrible things that happened - the brutal slaughter of the Chaneques and Eréndira’s people was absolutely devastating 😩😫 My heart just shattered for Eréndira, Amalia, Zyana, and all of their people. It was so devastating seeing Sueño blaming herself - she is one of my favorite characters, always there for Leonora with wisdom and guidance. Seeing Martín the elder take his rightful place was also emotional - I just want to give that man a huge hug.

Tezca finding out the truth of his lineage and remembering his past lives somewhat was pretty rough, I cried a few times for all the lives he couldn’t do anything about anymore. The way he threw that off and still came into his own with Leonora to save the day was *chef’s kiss*. Not just beautifully but beautifully written and handled. And the friend Leonora makes in the castle, Tomás, I loved him so much - he won my heart🥹

Lares presented a masterpiece in this book - the first few chapters I had to kind of get my footing as to where all the characters were after book 1. But once I oriented myself I laughed, I cried, I raged, and I cheered with these complex, gorgeous characters whom I love so dearly.
But this really solidified my love of this duology. I will buy literally anything Mariely Lares writes next!! This is easily one of my top 3 books of the year - these books hold a very special place in my heart and on my shelf. 🥹💚 READ THESE BOOKS!🤗 Vive la México!✊🏽🇲🇽

[Emily Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Mariely Lares, Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Dawn of Fate and Fire in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book. I truly sobbed at the 75% mark and don't think I stopped until the very last chapter. This book was beautifully done. I enjoyed learning more about the culture and history of this time period. While the book was primarily focused on the overarching conflict happening, history and culture were beautifully woven in to a point where you did not always realize you were reading a historical fantasy book. The character development in this book was also outstanding. All the characters went through A LOT in this book. I appreciated seeing them grow while also staying true to who they were at the core. As readers, you get to see Leonora and all the characters try to make sense between their beliefs and their connections to others. This book has a lot of powerful themes that hit home on an important conversation regarding having firm beliefs and the conflict that happens when beliefs are forced upon others. Throughout the book, Leonora had to come to terms with what she believed in comparison to others, and form an identity that was truly Lenora, and not someone torn between two different worlds and cultures. It should be noted that while their overarching plot of this book centers around political conflict, there are many different subplots and story lines. There were a few points in the book where it felt like the story was at its end, just to realize that the end was nowhere in sight. If you are a plot-driven reader, this might be more of a struggle for you because the overarching conflict is not always the center of the plot; rather, the plot focuses on fixing one problem, which leads to fallout, which leads to a new problem. If you like experiencing the character development that comes from a plot structure like this one (as I do), this will be the book for you. I am not saying that plot-focused readers will not enjoy this book, but they should be aware that it is not one big plot, but rather mini plots that tie together into one big plot.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second book of this duology picks up where we left off. Leonora is struggling with her secret identity as Pantera as we retune to Mexico City. She has a her new god killer blade and the task to help strengthen the uneasy peace that is barely holding on between Christians and Pagans. While Leonora struggles with her identity, she also must confront her growing relationship with the false king’s son, who she finds herself falling in love with. All while the false king attempts to summon a new god.

Much like the first book, I love the characters and the story… but there is just too much going on. There isn’t a moment to process all of the complexities and it left me feeling a little confused at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

[Evita · Rating 2 out of 5]

“That’s the thing about reputation. It speaks for you. It travels. It goes places. I do not carry it; it carries me.”

I loved Sun of Blood and Ruin so I was super excited for this sequel. Sadly, it didn’t live up to my hopes at all.

I think what ultimately didn’t work for me with this one was that it just had too much going on. There is a lot of action and battles and politicking with lots of different people. And then people who are enemies in one part of the book can suddenly be allies or people they’re sitting down to dinner with in the next part? It got me confused.

Leonora was also a bit different in this book and I didn’t enjoy her character as much as I did in the first book. Martín was my favourite character. It was nice to have someone who brought a bit of levity to the story when all the other characters are super serious all the time.

Also, you know the book missed when the author’s note at the end felt more engaging than the actual story. It’s a really interesting moment in Mexican history that these books are inspired by and I’d love to learn more about that.

[Weronika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I still liked the characters and really loved the setting, historical inspiration and rich cultural folklore.

[Daria (AnxiKitKatReads)]

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

This is the conclusion to the duology that began with Sun of Blood and Ruin. After defeating the Obsidian Butterfly, our main character Leonora AKA Pantera, has been living life away from reality and believes Mexico City is at peace. That peace is fragile, there is a rebellion growing in the North, and again, her people need her help. Pantera returns to her post as Viceregent Leonora to ask her brother for aid, but he asks her to help him instead. Upon returning, she discovers a war is secretly brewing and she must find a way to stop it.

Unfortunately, I made the decision to dnf this book at the 45% mark. I’m almost halfway through this book, and I’m feeling bored and disappointed. It feels like there’s both too much going on and nothing at all, simultaneously. The plot seemed to be a little all over the place at times. There’s so much that was left hanging from the first book, then we jump into this one and it leaves you wondering where this is heading. There were times where I felt as if the story was dragging and oddly enough, rushed during a certain conflict. This is my opinion.

I’m gonna start by saying the “woe is me” pity party that Pantera was throwing in the beginning was annoying smh. She was this great figure in the first book ready to kick ass and fight for her people, but now she’s refusing to even act human and face her own issues? Leonora really shows how naive she is in this book, but has the audacity to think she was any better than the other cowards around her. At some point, the old Pantera ego makes an appearance out of nowhere and she starts lecturing people as if she knows better than anyone else. It was weird and we are just supposed to forget she never wanted to come back and help anyone.

Pantera’s relationship with Tezca is annoying and I hated the clear miscommunication trope going on between them. It was just a bunch of assumptions being thrown around with no one clarifying anything. Very complicated (and forced), but I genuinely felt nothing towards it.

There was a great deal of time spent dealing with the Spanish and the Church. I felt like a lot of preaching was being thrown in my face every time Leonora got near her brother. Definitely heavier on the historical fiction than the fantasy in this one. After the introduction to some of the Gods in the last book, I was waiting for them to make an appearance rather than just be mentioned a few times. There was so much being set up with some of the reveals towards the end of the first book, that I found myself disappointed with this one.

Again, this is my opinion. Thank you.

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Dawn of Fate and Fire by Mariely Lares is the historical fantasy sequel to Sun of Blood and Ruin. After her battle in the last book, Leonora is back in the courts of Mexico City with her younger brother, the new viceroy, Jerónimo. She continues to try to move pieces to help the indigenous people of her homeland, but her brother is getting deeper and deeper into Spanish politics and is not on her side. To make matters worse, Tezca has disappeared and tensions are rising in Mexico.

Like the previous book, Leonora’s relationship with Tezca is more of a D-plot that is there for a bit of flavor and romance but there are so many other things going on and other dynamics Leonora has to navigate that it doesn’t often take center-stage. Between the last book and this book, Leonora and Tezca have had some disagreements and are struggling to come back together as Leonora is on Tezca’s side, but since she’s in the courts next to Jerónimo and being pursued by Prince Felipe, there are things she is missing that put a strain on their relationship.

The complex relationship between Indigenous people and Christianity, specifically Catholicism, is explored further in this book. There is a desire to remove all Christians from the continent and send them back to Spain, but an Indigenous woman brings up the reality that she and some other non-Spaniards are also Christian. Some mestiza are also Christian. This helps highlight that it’s never as easy as saying ‘get X group out’ because there will always be people who are supposed to be protected that will also fall into that group that others want to remove.

The relationship that gets the most attention is the one between Leonora and Jerónimo. Jerónimo is committed to the colonization efforts in terms of conversion to Christianity and he doesn’t put much stock into the wants and needs of the local peoples. He also puts aside what Leonora wants and convinces her to seduce Felipe despite her initial protests. Leonora is the older sister, but she knows that her gender puts her at a disadvantage as does the suspicions that she is Pantera, creating tension between the two siblings despite their continued insistence that they do care for each other.

I would recommend this to fans of historical fantasy and readers of fantasy who like more grounded magic systems

[FantasyBookNerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mariely Lares returns to 16th Century Mexico in this conclusion to the duology begun in Sun of Blood and Ruin.
Mixing historical fantasy and Mesoamerican Mythology with the swashbuckling action of Zorro, Mariely Lares takes a speculative look on what might have been in the history of Mexico.

Continuing on from the last book, Dawn of Fate and Fire reintroduces the reader to the characters from the first book.

After the battle with the supernatural forces of The Obsidian Butterfly, Leonora, otherwise known as the titular hero of the people Pantera is in hiding in the forest safely ensconced in her panther form. However, this is having an effect on her and is draining away her magical powers (known as Tonalli). In addition to this, voices from the past are drawing her back to her former life as regent Viceroy of the Spanish colony of Mexico in order to save the people that she is sworn to protect.

Unbeknownst to Leonora, other forces are at work and the usurper of Snake Mountain has set in motion a plan to bring the Gods back into the world in all their ferocity.
Heavily weaving mythology, fantasy and various aspects of Mexican history, Lares deftly tells a story of high adventure, political intrigue and terrible deities.

Some readers will find the episodic structure of the book difficult to contend with as the rhythm of the story shifts tonally throughout as each section of the book deals with a singular problem and crescendoing to a conclusion on a number of times. However, the overarching plot of Mexico’s independence from Spain is the main driving force behind the book and eventually leads the book to a satisfying conclusion.

As this mixes historical aspects into the story, the book can sometimes feel a little messy as many characters are introduced into the book with little impact on the story overall. However, set this aside and the core story is quite enjoyable and interesting (Yes! I did find myself searching out various aspects of the history and mythologies surrounding the story in order to gain a deeper understanding of the story). And let’s be honest here, history is a little messy.

Dawn of Fate and Fire brings the story begun in Sun of Blood and Ruin to an enjoyable conclusion.

[Peter Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Mariely Lares "Sun of Blood and Ruin" the first part of this Mexican historical fantasy, which audaciously genderswopped Zorro, sent her back to be a Mestizo-Spanish freedom fighter against her own brother, who could also turn into a Panther and might be the human aspect of an Aztec God. Whilst it would be a stretch to suggest it started grounded, it certainly got wilder as it continued, eventually the stakes of humanity dangled in the balance by the end of it. Whilst it didn't have a definitive conclusion, it certainly didn't call out for a sequel, not least as it folds itself into Mexican history, it had to hide the larger deeds lest it being accused of changing things too much.

Dawn Of Fate And Fire makes a bolder claim and leans toward creating an alternative history where these mythical characters, and their even more powerful weapons, do decide the future of a more egalitarian Mexico. And the lead character, Leonora, aka Pantera, wouldn't have it any other way. As a duology, this wraps up her tale, though oddly, it feels like three novellas in one, with three separate but connected adventures that make up the whole. This hints to the debt to serial fiction this has, by this point, Leonora's Zorroesque persona Pantera, is well known, and some even know she can turn into a creature. This is used to blackmail her, to make her the enforcer of her brother's laws, and eventually a fight to defend the soul of the very nation. But to do that, the soul of the nation needs to be worth saving. Lares pulls out the real characters from history she is adapting here, often anachronistically, but there is a lot of heart in what she is doing here, as well as the pure thrill power of mystical and godlike powers fighting against the Catholic church and an already embedded colonial nation. It is a little more bitty than Sun Of Blood And Ruin, but the overall culmination of Leonora's adventures lead to a very satisfactory conclusion, and a more utopian vision of Mexico. Great fun.

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored how much deeper and more layered this sequel felt compared to the first book. Where Sun of Blood and Ruin laid the foundation, Dawn of Fate and Fire really blossoms into its full complexity, pulling together threads of history, unique magic, folklore, and rebellion from colonialism in ways that made me stop and think even as I tore through the action and intrigue. At times, it did veer a little too far into dense; the sheer number of moving parts and philosophical undertones made it feel heavier than the first installment, but the ambition paid off.

The characters remain the heart of it all, though. Leonora continues to straddle two identities in ways that are both painful and empowering, and the expanded supporting cast adds quite a bit to every political and personal clash. The Mexican politics, mythology, and real figures are integral to the story. It’s a world that feels alive and thoroughly researched (even though we don't know much about some of them), and that makes the story land harder.

I tandem read physical and audio, and I have to shout out the audiobook narrator: phenomenal. If you’re an audio reader, I can’t recommend it enough.

All in all, this duology is one of the most unique things I’ve read in a while. It’s complex, surprising, and thought-provoking, but it’s also fun. The pacing between the two books felt a little uneven. Book two carries much more weight, but together, they make a truly memorable saga. And best of all, it’s complete, so you can binge the whole thing without waiting.

Thank you to Harper Voyager, Storygram Tours, and the author for the complimentary copies of this duology. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Chris Zappola · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Contains spoilers)

I gave Dawn of Fate and Fire four stars and overall really enjoyed returning to Leonora’s story after Sun of Blood and Ruin. It was great to see the continuation of her journey and how the consequences of the first book continued to shape the world and the characters.

One thing I noticed right away was that this book started a bit slower than the first one. Going in, I was almost expecting to be thrown straight into action again like the opening of the previous story. While it took a little longer to build momentum, once the story found its rhythm I was completely pulled back into the world.

As with the first book, one of my favorite aspects was diving deeper into the Aztec mythology woven throughout the story. I especially enjoyed seeing Tezca’s transformation into a god and the way that change challenged both him and Leonora. Watching their relationship and their individual struggles evolve added a powerful emotional layer to the story.

I also continued to appreciate the clever reimagining of the historical conflict between the Chichimecas and the Spanish. The final battle in particular felt incredibly cinematic. I could easily imagine that last scene playing out on a movie screen—the imagery and scale of it felt epic and inspiring.

Jeronimo, however, was probably the character that frustrated me the most in this book. His actions and the selfishness that grew out of his quest made him difficult for me to like at times. That said, his arc still carried emotional weight, and by the end I genuinely felt sad for Leonora and the loss she experienced. A part of me was grieving alongside her in that moment.

Overall, this was a strong continuation of the series with deeper mythology, emotional stakes, and an epic conclusion. I’m very glad I continued Leonora’s journey and look forward to seeing where the story might go from he

[Tee Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adored book one of this series so I hoped I would love this just as much but I sadly didn’t. The story was well written with an amazing plot but just fell a tiny bit flat for me and didn’t capture my attention as much as book one did. I do believe personally that book one could have ended as just a standalone if the plot was more focused on rather the warring between personal beliefs and everything that happened conflict wise.

The world building with continued politics and history was interesting and Leonara’s character growth was one of my favourite parts as I felt a lot happened with every character I could barely keep up.

3.5 stars!

Thank you so much NetGalley for my ARC copy.

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mariely Lares’ storytelling is top tier👏 The roller coaster of emotions I have experienced in this book alone, let alone the first book too? I feel like I’ve lived countless lives with these two books even though this all takes place with a year and some change😭 This duology is so rich in depth both emotion and plot wise that I was mourning and fighting back tears throughout this entire book🥲 I can’t wait to see what else this author comes out with bc she is an auto buy author for me now👏🙂‍↕️ I NEED more historical fantasies like this!!!

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn of Fate and Fire is the concluding volume of Mariely Lares's duology that began with Sun of Blood and Ruin, published by HarperCollins in 2025. Lares — a Mexican-American author who grew up straddling the border between Southern California and Mexico — has built a historical fantasy set in an alternate sixteenth-century colonial Mexico, one in which the gods of the Mesoamerican tradition are not merely mythological background but active, world-shaping presences.

The series is widely described as a gender-flipped reimagining of Zorro, and while that comparison usefully captures the swashbuckling energy and the masked-hero-versus-colonial-power dynamic, it risks underselling what the books are actually attempting: a serious, immersive engagement with the violence, complexity, and competing loyalties of the Spanish conquest, filtered through the mythology and spiritual cosmology of the peoples whose world was being destroyed.

Dawn of Fate and Fire picks up where the first book left off, with Leonora — also known as Pantera, the shapeshifting Nagual warrior who defeated the Obsidian Butterfly and earned the title Godslayer — now in hiding in her panther form, her tonalli, the vital force underpinning her shapeshifting powers, severely depleted. Duty pulls her back to Mexico City, back into the political labyrinth of the colonial court, and toward a confrontation with a false king seeking to summon the god of night using a weapon of catastrophic power. The book is at once a political thriller, a mythological epic, a coming-of-age story, and a meditation on identity, self-determination, and what it costs to carry the weight of a people's liberation.

The Doubled Self: Leonora and Pantera

The central formal conceit of the duology — that its protagonist must move between two identities, the demure Spanish viceregent Leonora and the fierce indigenous warrior Pantera — is not merely a plot device. It is the book's most resonant structural metaphor, and Dawn of Fate and Fire deepens it considerably from the first volume. Where Leonora performs the role colonialism has assigned her — aristocratic, contained, feminine in the approved Spanish fashion — Pantera embodies the counter-tradition: indigenous, shapeshifting, divinely connected, uncontrollable. The tension between these two modes of being is not resolved by choosing one over the other. Lares is too intelligent a writer for that. The book insists that both are real, that Leonora cannot simply discard her Spanish heritage any more than she can deny her Mesoamerican divine origins, and that the work of the novel is to find a self capacious enough to hold both without being destroyed by the contradiction.

This doubled identity is also, clearly, a reflection of Lares's own biographical positioning as a Mexican-American writer, the daughter of immigrants who grew up crossing the border daily, inhabiting two worlds that do not always acknowledge each other. The colonial Mexico of the novel is a world that demands this splitting — that requires indigenous people to perform one identity for the Spanish court while carrying another in secret, at enormous personal cost. Dawn of Fate and Fire does not sentimentalise this position. The cost of living across the divide, of keeping secrets, of being something that no established category quite names, is rendered with real psychological weight.

The Question of Power and Its Depletion

One of the book's cleverest moves is to have Leonora begin the novel with her powers dramatically weakened. Having lived too long in her panther form, her tonalli — the spiritual vital force that animates her shapeshifting — is dangerously depleted. She must return to human society not from strength but from exhaustion, which puts her immediately at a disadvantage in every arena she enters. This is not simply a narrative mechanism to create stakes; it resonates thematically with what the book is exploring about the position of indigenous peoples under colonialism. The systems of Spanish power — legal, ecclesiastical, military — are designed precisely to drain the vitality of those they govern, to render them compliant by keeping them depleted. Leonora's tonalli is a literalisation of what colonialism does to the self at every level: it exhausts the spiritual force that makes autonomous life possible.

Her recovery of that force — which the book frames not as a linear return to a prior state but as a transformation into something new — becomes the novel's interior arc. The question of how to replenish what colonialism takes is one that the book refuses to answer easily. It cannot simply be reclaimed by returning to the past; the past, however beautiful and however sacred, has been damaged. What Leonora must find is a way to carry her divine origins into a world that has changed irreversibly, and to act within that world without losing what made her herself.

Mesoamerican Mythology as Living System

Lares's use of Mesoamerican mythology — Aztec cosmology, the nagual tradition, the pantheon of gods who operate behind and through the events of the plot — is one of the most distinctive features of the duology, and it is handled with serious care. The gods in this world are not decorative; they have intentions, they intervene, they have histories and grievances and relationships with mortals that stretch across time. Tezcatlipoca, the god of night and discord whose summoning the false king seeks, is not a cartoonish villain but an ancient force with his own logic, connected to Tezca, the character whose absence haunts much of the novel's emotional landscape.

This mythology is treated not as exotic backdrop but as a genuine alternative epistemology — a way of understanding reality, power, and the human place in the cosmos that is as coherent and as demanding as the Catholic theology the Spanish colonisers impose. In fact, the confrontation between these two cosmologies is one of the book's most politically charged elements. The Spanish colonial project was not only military and economic; it was also a war against the Mesoamerican spiritual worldview, an attempt to replace one account of reality with another. Dawn of Fate and Fire places its protagonist at the centre of that conflict, and asks what it means to resist not just political domination but the erasure of an entire way of knowing.

The Church, the Court, and the Machinery of Colonialism

The novel's historical texture is rich and unsparing. Lares does not soften the Spanish colonial system into a backdrop of generic villainy. The ecclesiastical pressure on indigenous and mestizo populations, the complicity of converted Christians in the colonial project, the way Leonora's own brother Jerónimo embodies a genuine investment in the conversion mission even as he loves his sister — all of this is rendered with enough complexity to resist simple moral sorting. Jerónimo is not a villain but a collaborator, a distinction the novel draws carefully. He believes in what he is doing, which makes him more troubling, not less.

The arrival of the real Prince of Asturias — Leonora's former betrothed — reignites the threat of her dual identity being exposed and adds a layer of political intrigue that the novel handles with considerable dexterity. The court scenes carry genuine danger, not only physical but social: a wrong word, a misread glance, the wrong rumour given oxygen could unravel everything Leonora has built. Lares is good at making the reader feel the constrictive pressure of a world where a woman's survival depends on her ability to perform a self she is not, and where the performance must be flawless.

Revolution and Its Price

The broader political ambition of the book — that Leonora might not only survive but spark a revolution that changes Mexico's fate — is handled with admirable sobriety. Lares does not offer a fantasy of triumphant liberation unmoored from historical reality. The reader knows, as Lares clearly knows, what actually happened to Mexico: that the Spanish conquest was not reversed, that the indigenous populations suffered catastrophically, that centuries of colonial and postcolonial violence followed. The alternate history the novel constructs is a mode of imagining what might have been, but it is weighted by awareness of what was. The revolution Leonora might spark is presented as possible but costly — and the phrase that the book returns to, that in embracing her divine origins she risks losing herself forever, suggests that liberation on this scale demands a form of self-sacrifice that complicates any triumphalism.

Strengths and Considerations

The book is ambitious in scope and generally delivers on that ambition. The world-building is immersive, the mythology is handled with genuine knowledge and respect, and Leonora is a protagonist of real complexity — fierce without being invincible, committed without being certain, shaped by contradictions she cannot fully resolve. Some readers have found the large cast of supporting characters and the density of historical and political threads difficult to track, and it is true that the novel rewards attentive reading more than passive entertainment. The balance between the historical fiction and the fantasy elements shifts slightly toward the former in this concluding volume, which may disappoint readers who came primarily for the mythological spectacle of the first book, but which gives the conclusion a weight appropriate to the subject matter.

Final Thoughts

Dawn of Fate and Fire is a serious, generously conceived conclusion to a duology that deserves a wider readership than the genre fantasy audience it was primarily marketed to. Lares is doing something genuinely unusual: writing popular fiction that takes Mesoamerican culture and cosmology on their own terms, that confronts the violence and the losses of the Spanish conquest without aestheticising them, and that places a mestiza protagonist at the centre of a story about self-determination that refuses the comfort of easy resolution. It is a book that respects its readers enough to leave some of its hardest questions open, and that trusts the complexity of the world it has built to carry the weight of the story it needs to tell.Sonnet 4.6Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Pl

[Gwen Shetlar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in this book is not very good. There are a lot of sentences that don’t flow well or have questionable grammar. Many of the descriptions in this book weren’t unique and some were even a bit clique. When Leonora starts having trouble battling evil impulses, these desires are portrayed as voices whispering in her head saying things like “Embrace the fury,” or “Make them feel what you felt,” or “He’s chosen the darkness over you.” These voices seemed cheesy to me.


There was a lot of potential for complexity in this book because there are conflicts of Pagans vs Christians and indigenous people vs Spaniards. I liked how it wasn’t always the Christian Spaniards who were bad while Pagan indigenous people were always good. The inclusion of Christian/Spaniard allies and Pagan/indigenous enemies added nuance that made the story more worth reading. The narrative also addresses the question of “What is the right thing to do when the conquerors have been here so long that they’ve created new generations in stolen land?” It’s a hard question to answer because the new generation didn’t have a direct hand in the conquering, and this new land is all they’ve known, so is it as simple as saying you have to kick them all out? Mostly I think the poor writing in Dawn of Fate and Fire kept the book from adding anything insightful to this question, but at least it tried. The conclusion seems to be that if everyone works together, they can make a new, good nation together. I thought this was an oversimplification. The ideas that “if we work together we can do anything” and “light will win over darkness” are two main themes in this book which sometimes take steps towards being more complex, but mostly stay pretty simple.

I liked that Dawn of Fate and Fire is centered around Mexican history and mythology because I haven’t seen much of that in the fantasy genre.

[Martha K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn of Fate and Fire is the second part of the duology Sun of Blood and Ruin. This book picks up one year after the ending of book one. The author did a good job in wrapping everything up that was brought up in book one, so we had answers for everything. I truly enjoyed reading the book; however, I feel like had this been broken down to three books or even more it would have allowed us more time to really connect to all the characters mentioned. You must pay close attention to be able to keep up with all the new characters being introduced. It was not difficult, but I would have enjoyed reading this series significantly more had the story been spaced out in more than two books.
 
I started this book eager to learn the fate of Leonora and Tezca as the romance was heavily teased in book one and we didn’t get much. I loved their ending even though their start was rough. I could have gone without the miscommunication and “others”; however, it does bring focus to how young Leonora really is despite everything she has gone thought. In the end my favorite relationship was that between Leonora and her brother Jeronimo. They were so different and at odds so many times but in the end, we learn how much they truly loved each other. There were many great side characters and Leonora was lucky to have so many loyal friends. Oh, and she was one kick ass Godslayer.
 
Several times while reading this I kept thinking that this duology would be an amazing series, there are so many characters, a lot of action, many different settings and it’s such an important time in the history of Mexico. Can you imagine the sets and costumes?
 
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend to fellow Fantasy readers especially those of Mexican heritage.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Tales Untangled · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Hispanic Fantasy, Latin Literature, MesoAmerican Books
Spice Level: Spicy scenes, not overly detailed
Representation: Gay relationships
Readability: You will need to read these in order for context

DAWN OF FATE AND FIRE, the exciting conclusion to Sun of Blood & Ruin, twists through battles and heartache.

Knowing the history of what happens to Mexico in real life hung over me reading this duology. The historical characters are on the page combined with the fantastical creatures and magic wielders. This made it a heavy read for me.

Leonora is fierce in defending the people she loves. Troubles come at her from unexpected quarters, and she keeps going. One of the things I love about her is her grit. This novel further explores her complicated relationships with Tezca and Martin. One of my favorite characters is Martin because he's more grounded and acts as a touchstone for me.

This duology is sweeping! It covers swaths of problems and territory to make it grand. The ending in both books give enough closure for a satisfied reader.

If you read the first, you're not going to want to miss this one.

Happy reading!

[Annette Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn of Fate and Fire brings the Sun of Blood and Ruin duology from Mariely Lares to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
This is a complex fantasy that weaves together history and mythology in a fascinating way and relies on the reader paying attention and keeping up. There is a glossary and character list in the back of the book, which does help but I do think it might have proved more useful if it were at the beginning instead as many of the characters have several names/ identities. Leonora or Pantera as she is also known is the embodiment of a strong female character stepping up to take charge of her destiny despite great personal cost, and seeing that character growth and development over the course of the book was one of my favourite things about it. I did struggle with staying focussed in the middle of the book and found myself having to go back and reread some chapters again, as I found that I got mired in historical details, however I did like the setting and that the author found a way to bring Mesoamerican mythology to the modern reader.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Sara Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conflict finds Leonora, despite her triumph over the Obsidian Butterfly, as she faces enemies from
Spain and Snake Mountain alike. Now she must outwit the real Prince Felipe, save her allies and get revenge for Neza’a death at the hands of his treacherous brother, and defeat Tezca’s father before he can destroy the world—but in doing so she finds she faces a greater cost than ever before.

The mood in this sequel is somber, to be sure. It is full of loss and doubt and anger and betrayal. In fact, the cycle of emotions Leonora faces (and the cycle of the historical events) are so repetitive as to make the plot lull and drag on. I understand that this duology was based on actual historical events, but I was hoping for a little bit more fantasy. The constant conflict and loss outweighed the little bit of romance and friendship that kept me going (I considered DNF-ing halfway through but stuck it out). I did want to see if she would be able to save Tezca or not.

Overall I think this duology would be better suited for someone who enjoys the more historical fiction over fantasy.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This is the second book in a series. What I liked about this book is it did feel like a satisfying conclusion to the various storylines. Both books did actually do this well, with providing a strong wrap up to the events they were exploring. I would definitely recommend reading these in order. You need the context of the first book to properly understand the second.

This book evokes sense of place extremely well. It’s so heavily influenced by the culture, location and historical period it’s exploring and it brings this to life for the reader. This book couldn’t have been set anywhere else and I really liked that. It felt like the author was really trying to provide a feeling of the time and place and I thought this was done really well.

With both books I did feel like there was so much going on it was hard to keep track of. Characters have multiple names and identities and this can be a bit confusing with keeping track of who knows who they are and who doesn’t.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book set within South American mythology. This book continues the story and has a lot to be admired for. But to me seems so much more time mired in politics with the Spanish, and with conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, rather than the fantasy side. Leonora does show us her Pantera side, fighting to defeat a summoned God.
I think what I’m saying is that this book will suit more history grounded fantasy readers rather than those, like myself more fictional fantasy biased ones.
So three stars based on my overall enjoyment. But 5 stars to the skill of the author in writing about and promoting this books setting of South America countries and history. I’m sure other readers will thoroughly enjoy the book, so give it a go and make up your own mind. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Liz Fully Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this conclusion of the Sun of Blood and Ruin duology. This historical fantasy steeped in Mexican folklore was highly entertaining and I actually enjoyed it more than I did Sun of Blood and Ruin, which I also enjoyed reading.

Filled with magic, action, political machinations, love, family, folklore and history, I found this book to be captivating. Lares’ writing is lush and her world building descriptive. I found myself warming up to Leonora in this book much more than I did in book one, and was really pushing for her and Tezca to overcome their situation and end up together. Whether they do or not, you’ll have to find out.

All in all, this Mexican folklore inspired fantasy was a great sequel to the first book. If you’re on the fence about reading it, I say do it. I liked it much more than book one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy of this book.

[Noxwitchbooklife · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in this duology. It's a historical fiction based on Southern American history and mythology.

I didn't really know much about South American history and mythology before I started reading this duology and there is ALOT of characters, gods, myths and legends mentioned in these that it's been really hard to keep in my head whilst I've been reading this.

This book was easier to follow along with the story as there was less world-building put into it thanks to a lot being in the first book Sun of Blood and Ruin and I'd managed to recall the main characters stories even though it's been a while since I read the book one.

I really liked the character building in this story as there was more about the characters in this book and the family and romantic relationships were done really well.

I am mostly a fantasy reader than a historical fiction reader but I did still enjoy this.

I was gifted a copy of the ebook from the publisher via Netgalley.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

3.25

I was pleasantly surprised by the first book in this series, so I went into the sequel optimistically, but unfortunately this one fell a bit flat for me.

I liked where this book went conceptually, but I think the execution was a miss. The pacing was all over the place. There were several moments while reading that I kept expecting to be at the end but then I’d look and there was so much left to go. And there were so many plot threads that just never fully came together for me. It felt like the series was intended to be a trilogy but instead of cutting some of the side plot to make it a duology, Lares tried to push two books into one.

While this book did leave me a bit disappointed, I still think this is a duology worth reading. I love the history and folklore elements and I really liked Leonora as a character. I look forward to seeing what Lares writes next!

[Toni R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the follow up to Sun of Blood and Ruin that picks up pretty much where the first one leaves off.

Leonora is a fierce FMC and this book really focuses on her coming of age/settling into her identity as Pantera and her magical abilities (although not without a struggle!). To advance the plot forward there’s quite a number of battles and skirmishes- which felt tedious at times. However, the final one was definitely a high point in the book. Her complicated relationship with Tezca and her relationship with Martin were also high points. The side characters really brought some lightness to a lot of Leonora’s struggles through the book. I also really enjoyed the historical faction and Mesoamerican mythology aspects.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this book. This review was left voluntarily. I rounded up my review from 3.25 to 4 stars.

[Jurga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is in exchange of advance readers copy supplied by Netgalley.

This the second book in duology and I can confirm that I was quite excited to lay my eyes on it. Author is doing a fabulous job weaving me so American mythology, bits of history into full of action, quick paced novel. Seamless continuation of the first book, with brief reminder what has happened before. There's a healthy amount of romance but I love how other things a prioritised and/or uqualed to the benefit of the story. A historical fiction sometimes attempts to interpret lives of people that are no longer with us... Sometimes, attempts slightly different route - a "what if" one. It is exactly the case with this book with and interesting spin on the history.
If you have read the first book and enjoyed, I'm sure you'll enjoy the second one as well!

[Jackie Paiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Voyager via Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

When I saw that the Godslayer Duology was filled with Mesoamerican mythology and sixteenth-century Mexican history I was so excited for the read. I think this duology lives up to the hype— I was invested in many of the story lines. There were many new characters introduced and others more fully explored in this sequel. While this added more rich context, the pacing at times did feel a little confusing and places where I wanted to spend more time felt sped through and others felt like they dragged on. Overall though I did truly enjoy this read and look forward to reading more from the author!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Galina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me longer to finish this book than I wanted but that's more on life and not the book itself. It's not often that the second book of a debut is just as good as the first but Mariely accomplished that with her duology conclusion. The world she built was still as rich and exciting as in the first book. One complaint of mine still stands that Leonora is too self defeating but it works. There's love, there's loss, there's heartbreak, and the very real distinction between conquerors and the conquered. Highly enjoyable and had a satisfying ending.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!