The Sun King

The Sun King by Gaston Derreaux sweeps listeners into a mythic prehistory where gods are forgotten, temples of skulls rise, and a single birth will unsettle an empire. This haunting collection of short stories blends historical fiction and literature to recreate a vividly imagined ancient world—Par’si’ya and the city of Oas—set at the crossroads of Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin’ya before the flood. Derreaux sketches kings and harems, martial conquest and religious decay, and the fragile figures—like the virginal Too che—who stand against a culture of violence and idolatry. Evocative and often brutal, the narratives probe themes of power, faith, prophecy and human sacrifice while evoking the textures of antiquity: skull-built Golgothas, empty temples to Mazda and Ihua’Mazda, and sprawling courts built on conquest. The prose feels both legendary and historically resonant, merging dark myth with incisive social commentary. Ideal for listeners who crave literary historical fiction, mythic short stories, or richly atmospheric retellings of ancient civilizations, The Sun King is perfect for readers drawn to epic moods, morally complex worlds, and stories that linger long after the final line.