Fantastic.

This series moves from the utterly terrifying into the heart-rending.

With a slower pace than the last book, we see Hadrien trapped with Alexander himself. It in part reads like a locked-room book what with, well, them being trapped in a bunker.

Fans of the series will once again love this book.

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Ashes of Man

ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

“Ashes lay in drifts about the ruined splendor of the sanctum, mounded against the altar and about the feet of my divine ancestor, triumphant beneath the oculus far above. I wore no helmet then, and heard with my naked ears the roar of engines approaching. I felt the dead wind in my hair, and smelled the foul burning of the ashes of man.”


I am caught up with the main books in the series now, and with the completion of Ashes of Man, I am increasingly confident in crowning The Sun Eater as the best sci-fi series I’ve ever read.

“The ugliness of the world does not fade, nor are fear and grief made less by time, nor is any suffering forgotten. We are only made stronger by its blows.”


Past.
The past is written; simple words with terrifying effects. And our lives are filled with so many beginnings and so many endings. As you hear me speak these words, they are already part of your past. They are all irreversible, just like all the good and bad things in our past. Hadrian understands this truth through the cruelest roads in Kingdoms of Death, and you would be mistaken if you think he will get a rest in Ashes of Man, the fifth novel in The Sun Eater series. Ashes of Man is also the second half of Kingdoms of Death, originally intended to be one book long, but now it is the fourth book in the series. Obviously, I don’t have the power of the Quiet, and I wouldn’t know how that one big book without the division would turn out. But as it stands, I am actually glad Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man are two separate books. Even though the stories between the two books seamlessly continue from one to another without huge time jumps like usual, Kingdoms of Death ends in a fitting and satisfying place. Ashes of Man begins with the exploration of the various effects the cataclysmic events in Kingdoms of Death have caused to Hadrian and the Sollan Empire. And if there is one thing we can be 100% sure about our lives, the stream of time leaves no one unscarred.

“Time does not turn back, and not even the gods of night our pale enemy worshiped could grant my dearest wish.”


Do understand that my review for Ashes of Man will be shorter than my usual Sun Eater reviews to avoid spoilers. This is the fifth book of the series now. I have mentioned the greatness of Ruocchio’s storytelling and writing in my previous reviews, and even though I know I will submit to repeat my praise, I would like to focus this spoiler-free review on the highlights of the novel and the three key characters in it that made Ashes of Man receive another incredibly positive rating from me. Other than Hadrian and the characters that appeared in the cover art of The Sun Eater post Ashes of Man, this means that other than Hadrian Marlowe, Valka Onderra, Lorian Aristedes, and a few new characters’ names like Sir Hector Silva and Prince Kaim, to avoid spoilers, the other character names will barely be mentioned in this review. I will begin with Hadrian Marlowe... The Sun Eater himself.

“We have need of heroes, however broken, however terrible, however insufficient they may be. And we have need of more than one hero, for heroes do break, you know.”


Hadrian is old. He is 384 years old now in Ashes of Man, and thanks to him being a palatine and the constant usage of fugue, it has been almost a thousand years since he was born. And he is no longer as strong as he was in Howling Dark and Demon in White. The overwhelming events in Kingdoms of Death have changed and weakened him. I might have mentioned this before, but Hadrian Marlowe is one of my favorite characters in speculative fiction. If not before, then it is now. His passion, fear, rage, and grief felt so palpable to me. As I said before, I do not always agree with Hadrian’s actions. But through contexts, background, and well-written motivations, I understood his actions. His oath and responsibilities hung like a circle of chains around his neck on his journey. He cannot escape it, no matter how hard he tries. And the tragedy inflicted by the ugliness of the world never ceases to stop for him. One of the things I appreciate most, even if it resulted in a slower and more contemplative pacing, about Ashes of Man is how the sense of guilt, sorrow, and regret over the harrowing years in Kingdoms of Death is reflected over and over again. The memories are permanently stamped in Hadrian. This is super important to me. Something as traumatic as the ones in Kingdoms of Death should never be easily forgotten by the character. It would not feel realistic. The horrors of the Cielcin were too insane to dismiss. I loved reading about Hadrian’s character development and attempt to recover himself physically and mentally. He would have failed at abating his sadness without the love and loyalty of his remaining friends and Valka Onderra, one of the central figures in The Sun Eater series.

“I had loved Colchis when first I came to it, and loved parts of it still. But one cannot step into the same river twice, nor onto the same world. All things are always in motion. That is why it is the highest good and cause of civilization to preserve—to conserve—what is good. It is for that reason we plant new seeds, that if we might not preserve the trees, we might preserve the forest. If Earth is truly lost—as I believe—and not returning, then it is good that we plant her children across the stars.”


Every cover art in The Sun Eater series (on top of being some of the best cover art in the science fiction genre) consistently has a reason why the chosen character earns the spotlight in the cover art. There are many good and valid reasons why Valka Onderra is the character on the front cover of Ashes of Man. The relationship and journey between Hadrian Marlowe and Valka have always been evident in each book in The Sun Eater series, and it is even more so in Ashes of Man. And it is hard not to like Valka. Centuries of adventures and companionship through thick and thin have passed since their encounter in Empire of Silence. Even though the story is dramatically narrated from the sole perspective of Hadrian, Valka is essentially the second main character of The Sun Eater. And with that in mind, it’s not only Hadrian who has gone through substantial character development but Valka as well. She still retains her personality, but she, too, has learned a lot about the world, the Sollan Empire, the Anaryoch, and Cielcin. In return, she, too, has developed into a better person. Without giving any spoilers, I highly enjoyed reading her story and the relationship between her and Hadrian. Ashes of Man is, in a way, her book.

“The centuries, it seemed, had worn her down at last, and at the last she had found in the bottom of her soul a wish and want she’d never known was there.”


Of course, as I said, Valka is not the only one responsible for keeping Hadrian sane. In his journey, Hadrian has earned the loyalty of his band The Red Company, and in Ashes of Man, Lorian Aristedes exhibited a powerful unwavering display of loyalty to him. Lorian the Misborn. Lorian the good commander. Lorian has always been one of my favorite characters in The Sun Eater since his first appearance in Demon in White. And Ashes of Man has practically turned him into my second favorite character in the series, just slightly below Hadrian Marlowe. Who knows? This ranking could change after I read The Dregs of Empire soon. Hadrian will have a tough competition as the champion of my heart in the series. Not only against Lorian but other characters, too. This is an intricate galaxy-spanning space opera series. We have ventured into multiple planets with their own distinct culture and settings, and it is not a surprise this magnificent and ambitious series is filled with many memorable characters. The crew of the Red Company, Bassander Lin, Olorin Milta, the Emperor, even the newly introduced Sir Hector Silva, who reminded Hadrian and me of young Hadrian himself, and more. The list goes on. But Lorian Aristedes is definitely in the runner-up spot for now. I love reading characters like him. He is a character reminiscent of Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire and Sand dan Glokta from The First Law series. And as Lorian laid his emotions bare to Hadrian here and vice versa, I can’t even begin to explain how much I grew to care about him. If you have read this book, when Lorian said, “My lord, I never left it,” it was an emotional damage to me, in a good way. I am not only excited to read Disquiet Gods, the sixth book in the series, but also The Dregs of Empire, a companion novel that will focus on Lorian Aristedes.

“But could I fault him in his thinking? Had I not thought much the same of myself, a hundred hundred times? Do we not all think this way sometimes—whatever our condition—and in a sense is it not true? Evil occurs because we are insufficient to challenge it. Too weak to stop it at the gates, too blind to see it bubbling within. Were we all angels in our virtue and heroes in our capacity, we might hold all chaos at bay, might stop even the unkindling of the stars. Yet we are but men. Even me.”


It goes without saying there are other characters that became a positive factor in this review, such as Prince Kaim, but this is a spoiler-free review. I want readers who stumbled upon this review to be able to experience Ashes of Man to the fullest without me giving up key events. I can, however, say that in Ashes of Man, we finally learn more about the Jaddians. I don’t know about you, but since Olorin Milta’s display of prowess and skill as a Maeskolos in Empire of Silence, I have always been eager to learn more about the Jaddians. I finally got what I wanted here. Maybe more in the next book. The Jaddians are now involved in Hadrian’s story. There’s no book in The Sun Eater series that felt wasted. Readers are supplied with something new that increases our immersion in the world or universe that Ruocchio crafted. I won’t trace back the details of what we have reaped from all the books in the series, but if in Kingdoms of Death we learned the most about the Cielcin, we get to read more about the Sollan Empire, Jaddians, Mericanii, Monumentals, Watchers, the Firstborn, and Vaiartu in Ashes of Man. Chapter 17, in particular, was a chapter of heavy lore that I must visit again someday. Ruocchio made sure everything matters in this battle of darkness and light. And every step, every decision, and every action led Hadrian to the life-changing Battle of Perfugium.

“My dead outnumbered my living—as becomes true for each of us in time. The dead become ever closer companions as we grow old ourselves and nearer eternity. And afterlife or no, they live on in us. Perhaps that is why it seems we have ghosts. Because we carry them in ourselves.”


As repetitive as this sounds, Ruocchio’s prose continues to impress me. Hadrian’s narration is simply one of the most distinct and compelling storytelling I’ve read in speculative fiction. There were some subtle insertions of Hadrian’s current thoughts and feelings in the present time frame—the one who wrote the tale of Hadrian in the chronicle we are reading—toward his own past; it was utterly brilliant and poignant. It is true Ashes of Man is not a novel as relentlessly grim and devastating as Kingdoms of Death, but if you approached Ashes of Man thinking it won’t leave you emotionally scarred, you would be making a mistake.

“AMONG THE EXTRASOLARIANS, THEY say, there are men who take memories, who siphon them away in crystal phials and stopper them like djinni. But I could not seek their services, not and remain myself. I said once that a man is the sum of memories, and it is so. Thus, to discard those memories—however terrible—is to discard a part of ourselves.”


The narrative in Ashes of Man takes time to build toward the climactic concluding sequence. There was a short chapter in the book titled The Call; this is the calm before the storm moment. The calmness before Perfugium. The tranquility before the chaos seeds of foreshadowing planted in Howling Dark bloomed into fruition. The peace before I read a violent chapter I haven’t ever witnessed in any other storytelling medium. And yet, that chapter somehow managed to deliver one of the most beautiful moments in the series in harmony. It’s impeccable. Darkness and light. Despair and hope. Hatred and love. Cielcin and humanity. They constantly vie for dominance in the narrative of Ashes of Man. This is why it is so challenging to encapsulate everything that occurred in a single book of The Sun Eater series into one review. We need a term for Ruocchio’s final chapters or sequence. If Sanderson has Sanderlance and John Gwynne has Gwynnado (I name this myself), maybe we should apply “volcano” to Ruocchio: The Ruocchano. Expect heart-hammering and satisfying final chapters in each installment, and you will get it. Ruocchio has constructed them with finesse.
“Silent was my fury. A silence beyond words. Nothing endures, nor lasts forever. Not stone, not empires, not life itself. Even the stars will one day burn down—as I have seen and know perhaps better than any other man. Even the darkness that comes after all will one day pass away to new light. This record, too, and this warm scribe—my hand—perhaps, will fade. The stones here on Colchis shall fall into the sea, and the sea dissolve to foam. The stars shall burn the worlds to ash, and cool themselves to cinders. All things fade. Fall. Shatter. I raised a bleeding hand.”


Future.
Despite the carving of oppressive darkness into the skin and bone of Hadrian’s past, the potential of greater light in the future is still colossal. If Empire of Silence up to Demon in White is to illustrate the rise and glories of Hadrian Marlowe and the Red Company, Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man exists to show the blackest days and grievous chapters of Hadrian’s life. The parchments of The Sun Eater are marked with melancholic and ashes of man. And similar to Hadrian, sometimes the worst wounds we suffered left no visible scar. There’s so much darkness to defeat. But I believe the bright light we cannot see remains to be grasped. Ashes of Man is another excellent novel in The Sun Eater series. As an installment, I did not love this as much as the previous books. But it is still an amazing 4.5 out of 5 stars novel. The series overall so far is just staggeringly tremendous. If you’re reading this review right now, I will assume you have heard me praise the available five books in the series so far in lengthy consideration. However, my praises won’t capture the full grandeur of the series. You have to read and experience reading them yourself. For me, right now, we know where Hadrian’s story ends. There are still details of his chronicle to consume. I am saddened to have caught up with the published books in the main series, but I am also brimming with delight at the thought of reading Disquiet Gods. Before that, The Dregs of Empire awaits me. I shall go on to Disquiet Gods after I read The Dregs of Empire, and this time, I will not be alone. But together with my fellow Red Company readers.

“I told you once that the universe has no center, and thus every point is its center, and it is so. If I have strained you, reader, by my repeated insistence that every action matters, that every moment of every life is the moment, the axis about which all things turn, understand that I say these things because they are true. Every step, every turn, every refusal to step. Everything matters. The cosmos is not cold or indifferent because we are not indifferent, and we are a part of that cosmos, of that grand order which has dropped from the hand of He who created it. Every decision creates its ripples, every moment burns its mark on time, every action leads us ever nearer to that last day, that final last battle and the answer to that last question: Darkness? Or light?”


You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

I really liked the slower parts of this book and there were moments which I consider some of my favorites in the series, but the more action packed stuff sometimes didn't hit as hard as I wanted.

Ruocchio is a sought-after author since many fantasy YouTubers reviewed and recommended his series!

Ashes of Man is another great sequel and addition to the series! Looking forward to the fantastic sequel!

With Ashes of Man, Ruocchio continues to build an already expansive universe and dig deeper into the soul of Hadrian Marlowe as he grapples with the mistakes and friends lost on his journey. With the book being split from its original vision I was worried there would be some fluffy parts in it and the beginning is glacially slow, but as usual with the Sun Eater saga, Christopher will take you on a wild ride through the stars and will leave emotional scars on you during the trip. Can't wait to see how this series concludes.

A great sequel to a wonderfully imaginative series. Can't wait for the next book.
The main conflict in the whole series was masterfully continued in this book. I love the fact that the main character doesn't want to be that. In some ways it reminded me of Graham Greene's protagonists. I also loved the insight we get into his state of mind with the different writing styles.
Not sure if this one is my favourite, I still loved it, a lot. CR is awesome

This fifth installment of Sun Eater is everything you could want after Kingdoms of Death. It's probably the two books I feel benefit the most from being split (that I've read). Ashes of Man was able to deliver breathing space and emotional beats and a bit more of a ramp up to the next thing after all the crazy events of Kingdoms of Death.

I think I liked the climax of Kingdoms of Death more, but the falling action in this book is some of the stuff I've liked the most in the entire series. This book is harrowing and emotional, but still has epic space battles and pew-pews and laser swords. The characters in this series continue to grow and interest me in new ways, and Hadrian is so old now and been through so much that he feels like a new character from where we started, but in a believable, earned way. I also think this book has Ruocchio's best prose to date; it is extremely well written.

9/10

Ashes of Man is the fifth installment in the Sun Eater series and, once again, Ruocchio has completely knocked it out of the park. Compared to the previous novels in the series, this is much slower paced and thoughtful, but still never drags or feels slow.

Ruocchio continues to bring stellar character development and wonderful prose to the table. I do believe this to be one of the weaker books in the series as it seems to be setting up events for the final novel and didn't progress the overarching plot. Even the weakest book in this series is an incredible book though, Chris is an incredible author.

Overall, incredibly solid book and looking forward to the last book. I will be recommending this to my students interested in science fiction as an example of stellar plotting and writing.

No me cabe duda de que la saga de The Sun Eater de Christopher Ruocchio es una de las mejores spaces operas del siglo, pero por la razón que sea está pasando bastante desapercibida en España. Con Ashes of Man todavía no llega a su final, con un protagonista ya mayor que sigue sirviendo a su emperador pero que ya no cuenta ni con la fuerza y el entusiasmo de la juventud ni con el apoyo de sus compañeros que han ido cayendo por el camino. El enemigo sigue insaciable en su proyecto de acabar con la Humanidad, de devorarla, aunque eso ni siquiera es lo más terrible que desean hacer.


Hablar de la quinta entrega de una saga sin entrar en el cenagoso terreno del destripe es una misión muy complicada, así que me temo que mi reseña sobre Ashes of Man estará más orientada a mis sensaciones durante la lectura que al análisis de la propia obra. Nos encontramos ante una novela profundamente pesimista, con un protagonista destrozado por las pérdidas y el dolor acumulado a través de décadas y décadas de deambular por el espacio. Ruocchio sigue utilizando su conocimiento de la cultura clásica para apuntillar muchas de las reflexiones que trufan el libro, lo que nos hace pensar que la historia siempre está condenada a repetirse y que los Imperios acaban cayendo, ya sea a manos de los bárbaros venidos del norte o de los codiciosos alienígenas que nos consideran alimento.

¿Quedan cosas sin explicar? Sí, pero por esa misma razón tiene mucho mérito el colofón que nos ofrece el autor, centrado más en las reflexiones de un héroe destrozado, en increíble contraste con el joven inocente que conocimos en la primera entrega, al que las mareas del tiempo han ido agostando, que nos transmite su herencia aún a sabiendas de la inutilidad del gesto. Un joven que aún recuerda las lecciones de Gibson, el tutor que guio sus pasos desde el comienzo cual Aristóteles con Alejandro Magno, pero que se ve aún más marcado por su relación con Valka, su verdadero amor.

Es cierto que originalmente Ashes of Man y la entrega anterior, Kingdoms of Death, se iban a publicar como un solo volumen pero hubo que partirlos por su tamaño, como las últimas entregas de la saga de Ken Liu. Lo cierto es que no he notado problemas con el ritmo y el autor se ha cuidado de dar relevancia a los personajes secundarios para que no nos cansemos de una historia que podía estar centrada única y exclusivamente en Hadrian Marlowe. La presentación de un nuevo personaje nos da una idea de hacia dónde pueden ir encaminados los tiros en las siguientes entregas, pero la imaginación desbordante de Ruocchio hace que ni siquiera me atreva a intuir qué es lo que puede pasar a continuación.

Ojalá algún día podamos disfrutar de la saga en español.

4.0 Stars. This entry in the Sun Eater series wasn't my favorite for a few reasons. It starts off strong and in a perfect way given the events that transpired in Kingdom of Death. We meet some really interesting characters, most who don't appear again, and we get into some shadow games while Hadrian deals with the politics surrounding his return. But once they set off in that first mission after Hadrian had the meeting with The Emperor and Nicepherous it just lost me? I get like Sharp was trying to be a stand in for Palino. The warning signs that Valka may die were too blatant? And the action lacked it's dynamic and emotional drive and felt very flat to me like small encounters in a video game between levels. The death of a major character too felt too foreshadowed and also extremely underwhelming if that character is truly gone. Sun Eater seems to be suffering from a little diminishing returns and I hope that Ruocchio can bring things back and away from feeling like ASOIAF with book 6. I did love two key scenes at the very end that were epic, but they were nearly undermined by these major detractors for me.

I enjoyed Ashes of Man about as much as its predecessor, which is to say, a lot. Everything Ruocchio is great at — the elegant prose, the vast and fascinating worldbuilding, and the multi-faceted characterization, continues to shine. I don’t have much else to say that I haven’t said about previous books.

While Kingdoms of Death was a dark tale culminating in a bloodbath, Ashes of Man is a slower story of recovery and consequence, focusing on the effects it has had on Hadrian as a character. He is an older man who has been through much, and it shows in his careful ponderings and self-recrimination. There are chapters dedicated to showing his fragile mental state and it is obvious, both from how he behaves in the story and from his retrospective musings, that this is a very different Hadrian compared to the naive, optimistic person in Empire of Silence. This transition has not for a single instant felt forced or rushed, it is a natural progression as he is shaped by his unique experiences and the weight of knowledge and guilt.

Consequently, the pacing is more relaxed at first. There are some fantastic conversations between Hadrian and the Emperor, as we learn more about the latter’s character and his impressions of the Half-Mortal. More is revealed about the grand schemes and hidden figures underpinning this war between the Sollan Empire and the Cielcin coalition, one of the most fascinating aspects of this series’ worldbuilding. The final chapters are a fantastic sequence of action and emotion, with Ruocchio managing to make every battle scene in this series unique, especially with how its setting affects how everything plays out. The claustrophobic effect of fighting demonic creatures in dark, winding tunnels was conveyed excellently, although I thought the action scenes themselves ran on for a tad too long.

I had no other complaints: I still think Demon in White is the best book, but Ashes of Man is yet another fantastic entry in one of my favourite science fiction series. This book’s tone was quite different, and I enjoyed the deeper look into Hadrian’s psyche and his relationship with Valka while expanding on the Emperor’s character as well as setting the stage for what will happen next. I eagerly await the final and concluding volume.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series and I will continue to love it! Even though this is book 5 in a series, it feels new and the story keeps progressing without feeling like it is dragging on!

Thanks Astra /DAW books and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another masterpiece delivered by Mr. Ruocchio. Like the previous ones, this book had everything I was expecting from it and more. Outstanding action sequences, disturbingly horror scenes that could put many books of the genre to shame, emotional and shocking moments that made me teary-eyed and amazing side characters, each written masterfully. It's impressive thinking that this book and Kingdoms of Death were supposed to be one, what a ride that would've been, but I'm glad that we ended up with two amazing and unique books.

This is already easily one of my favorites series ever and can't wait for what Ruocchio might bring on the final book.

First of all, thank you to DAW Books, NetGalley, and Christopher Ruocchio for the ARC and for giving me the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review. Six months ago I included this book as part of a video of my most anticipated releases of the back half of 2022 and at that point in time, I hadn’t read any books in the series. However, I had a gut feeling I would end up enjoying Sun Eater just based on what others around me have said they enjoyed about it. Unsurprisingly, once I read Empire of Silence I was hooked and with each new installment since, this series has quickly risen to being one of my favorite series of all time. Because of that, Ashes of Man became my most anticipated release of the year and I was so thrilled when I received a copy of this book because after finishing Kingdoms of Death I did not want to wait any longer.

Ashes of Man did not disappoint.

This is another incredible installment of the Sun Eater series. One of my favorite parts about this series is how individual and unique each book feels compared to the others. Whether it be Empire of Silence, Howling Dark, Demon in White, or even Kingdoms of Death, each book feels so different from any of the others in the series, but is also so instrumental in the overarching narrative being told and fits effortlessly into it. Ashes of Man is no exception here. This book starts off vastly different to any of the previous books. It’s a much quieter entrance to what’s going on as Hadrian deals with the aftermath of all that happened in Kingdoms of Death. We spend a significant amount of time with Hadrian and a few other characters (who I won’t name just to be cautious of spoilers) and it really feels like this is a moment of the story where we get some breathing room. As a result, I would go out on a limb and say Ashes of Man has some of the best and most important character work we’ve seen so far in the story. While Hadrian absolutely is the main focus of this, I think the side characters surrounding him really benefit from this quiet breather we get at the start of the book, which allows events that occur later to hit that much harder. Because as it does in every Sun Eater story to date, things get crazy.

The second half of Ashes of Man is epic. It has some of my favorite action sequences I’ve read in the series so far and we are introduced to a few new characters who I am fascinated by and hope to see again in the final book. Ashes of Man pulls on every possible emotion you may have: frustration, happiness, hope, loss, heartbreak, fear, anger, etc. It’s all here in spades and the big moments of this book are stunning, gut-wrenching, and profound.

One of the biggest strengths Ruocchio has as a writer, in my opinion, is his ability to build and plan a story. From the beginning, to the end, to all of the shocking ups and downs between the two, every single thing in this series matters. Every action, every thought, every interaction, every relationship, every betrayal, and every loss matters and feels absolutely essential to the progression of the story. While I love massive books, I do believe that the splitting of the original Kingdoms of Death into what is now Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man benefits every aspect of the story. What may feel like filler in other series doesn’t here and the way it all comes together at the end of this book left me in awe.

Now, Ashes of Man is not my favorite in the series as that goes to the incredible Demon in White, which is simply put one of the best books I have ever read, and it’s not even my second favorite, which is Howling Dark, but it’s an essential ark of the story that again exemplifies why this series stands apart from so many other stories I have read over the last few years: it has everything. If you have enjoyed the Sun Eater series up to this point, you will love this book. If you love all of the big epic space battles we have seen in the previous installments, you will love this book. If you love the quiet moments Hadrian gets to himself and with other characters around him, you will love this book. And if you love Valka…I promise you, you will love this book.

I cannot begin to express how excited I am for Book 6 to release. While I am definitely sad that the end is near, the journey has been unforgettable, and I am certain this will remain an all-time favorite series for me for a long, long time.

Ashes of Man is the latest in the saga chronicling the life of Hadrian Marlowe, Knight of the Solarian Empire, fast talker and swift actor, the man who wanted to speak to an alien race, and then discovered they were full of monsters, the man who found and fought some of the ancient horrors of Earth's future-past, general, sage, and quite possibly unable to die. Marlowe contains multitudes. The story is written in his voice, giving us his viewpoint and his version of events, and Marlowe is determined that he's not a hero. How he gets from where he is at the start of Ashes of Man to his nebulous, book-writing fate, is rather more unclear. But the clash between who he thinks he is, and the way the galaxy sees him is an interesting one. At the same time, we know that he has a future, at least - and by the same token, we know this is a march toward tragedy and joy in, possibly, equal measure.
Narratively, this is beautifully crafted. Hadrian is back, rebuilding his life after a term as a POW in the hands of an enemy that is monstrous almost to a fault, creatures who regard humanity as a food source, and are prepared to have a discussion on politics ans the ethics of slavery before hanging you up by your thumbs and devouring your mates. He's not broken, Hadrian, but he's not the same either, someone coming back to terms with himself and with society. He's somewhat untethered, no longer as certain either of his own guiding lights, or of his own self-understanding. It's an interesting look for a man who has led armies, and has now stepped out of the shaodw of death and into a world that seems almost to have forgotten him while he's been away. It's a story that reaches toward reawakening, rediscovery, and change. Not all of that change is good, of course. But if The Howling Darkwas a treatise in part on the fall of man and self actualisation, this is about the rise of that man from his knees, and his determination to be better, and to fight.

Notably, this feels like a much different book to the one before it, as a more mature Hadrian, scarred in both physical and metaphorical senses by his treatment as a prisoner, resurfaces into the world. There's high politics at play, with factions of the Empire of Man playing off one another and circling for advantage. The Cielcin are still out there too, ravaging worlds and devouring or enslaving the populous. And the Extras, those of humanity who have changed themselves boudy and soul, they're hanging on as well, always looking for means to serve their own inscrutable but typically unpleasant goals. If you're here for politics, good news! And if you're here for thoughts on what makes people who they are, or for examinations of the relationships that keep us grounded, the friendships and loves and sorrows that make us who we are, well, there's a lot of that here too. But this is also a book which packs in a heck of a lot of adrenaline, with the kind of action that can make your heart pound - from orbital bombardment and the graceful quiet dance of death among the stars, to the messy, bloody melee that happens down below, there's something for everyone.

And that's what this is, really, a top-notch science fiction adventure story. It's smart, it's occasionally surprisingly funny. It's heartfelt and emotional and genuine. It's bloody and deadly and unafraid. It has action, adventure and really wild things, and it has quiet human moments that remind you who you are and what you have and what you've lost. It also has swords and sorcery and techno-magery and politics and chaos, all in one wonderfully blended package.

This is, in sum, another winner from Ruocchio; go pick it up.

Wow, what a book. This series is right up there with my favorites. Not as dark as the previous one, but don’t expect an uplifting story here. The galaxy-spanning war has finally reached the elite of the Empire and Hadrian is called to help once again. I’ll say this, Ruocchio certainly knows how to write a sad ending, because the last 2 books have really been gut punches. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

I was given an advanced copy from NetGalley for a honest review!!!

I give this 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Hadrian Marlowe is expelled beyond recognition.

This book has to deal with the aftermath of Kingdoms of Death.
Hadrian support cast shines in this book!

Syriani Dorayaica the Cielcin's Leader has a toy to play with, and torture and captivity is what Hadrian got by leader’s men.👍

The Cielcin's are a race of insects for lack of a better , they remind me of the Borg in tenacity, and ready demolish what’s in front of them.⬆️

Hadrian does not resemble his former self, broken in bones and skin and his inner mind, and indecisive ! And he wants to serve the empire of the Solan Empire. He is the equivalent future , the only hope humanity has and is feared as someone additional who may not be adequate to be killed.

We do know how the story ends!
what the author is trying to accomplish through pain and agony, tormented flesh bone ripping saga, only adds determination!

Let me start off by saying that The Sun Eater us currently my favorite science fiction series of all time and book 3, Demon In White, is my favorite science fiction book of all time. That is to say even though my love for these books is baked in there is still a lot for subsequent volumes to live up to in terms of quality. Does Ashes of Man live up to that? 1000 percent yes!

I didn't really know what to expect from this book after the experience of Kingdoms of Death. While it's an fantastic 5 star read it is both very hard on its protagonist and hard on the reader emotionally. With a title like "Ashes of Man" I was honestly expecting more of the same. And while the emotional damage is still very much a part of this book I think it is also safe to say there is some catharis as well. I think a lot of that comes at the start of the book and the brilliant way Ruocchio decided to structure these due to the split of books 4 and 5. The opening chapters are the breath we needed after the intensity of Kingdoms of Death and serves as a small soft reset before things ramp up again.

And when things do ramp up it is best to hold on because the book simply does not stop from there until the conclusion. I said earlier that my favorite book in the series is Demon In White because I feel like that book has some of everything I love in this series. The reason Ashes of Man is a close second is because I got a lot of those same vibes from it. Emotional heart wrenching moments? Yes. Court politics with maybe the best written monarch character in sci fi or fantasy? Yes. Space battles and adventure? Yes. Amazing lore and worldbuilding? Yes. Terrifying aliens? Yes. And of course beautiful prose that made me want to wear out the highlight feature on my Kindle? Earth and Emperor yes! In fact it felt like Ruocchio's writing and prose may be at its highest level here which is a bold statement.

With this book coming out in just a couple of weeks it is time for anyone who reads fantasy and sci fi to stop sleeping on this series and read it now! Even if you haven't started book 1 trust me and go ahead and buy Ashes of Man on release. It's an absolute lock that you will want to read all of the books, and get those gorgeous hardcovers with that amazing art while you can. Join us in the Sollan Empire and read the best sci fi series going today.

Thank you to @dawbooks and @netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Overall, this was an enjoyable addition to the series. I think it struggled with pacing throughout most of the first big chunk of the book. But the ending was wild, as always, and I cried for the first time reading this series. Very excited for this to hit shelves so we can get the 6th book!"

I'm much obliged to DAW Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of Ashes of Man.
***
In the weeks since I finished Ashes of Man, I've struggled to put my finger on the precise emotion I've been wracked with, and I believe that now I have an answer.
It's grief. I'm grieving.
Ashes of Man is a juggernaut of an installation in an already powerful series. You would have never guessed that it was originally the second half of its earlier counterpart, Kingdoms of Death, and that it would have the power to butcher you just as quickly and mercilessly as its predecessor, no pun intended.
The Sun Eater series shares shelf space with well-known megalithic titles but holds its own in splendid fashion. Christopher Ruocchio blends science, religion, and philosophy into the narrative effortlessly. Blistering action scenes have you cheering out loud, and these are balanced perfectly with quiet moments of soft reflection. As the series progresses, we suffer alongside our doomed narrator Hadrian, who is a good man, but not a perfect one.
After finishing Ashes of Man, I've realized that I don’t grieve for myself. I grieve for Hadrian. I grieve for all he's lost, and all he will continue to lose, as the series reaches its fast-approaching conclusion.
In short: Bravo, Mr. Ruocchio. Bravo.