Ashes of Man
Ratings42
Average rating4.5
The fifth novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path that can only end in fire. The galaxy is burning. With the Cielcin united under one banner, the Sollan Empire stands alone after the betrayal of the Commonwealth. The Prophet-King of the Cielcin has sent its armies to burn the worlds of men, and worse, there are rumors...whispers that Hadrian Marlowe is dead, killed in the fighting. But it is not so. Hadrian survived with the help of the witch, Valka, and together they escaped the net of the enemy having learned a terrible truth: the gods that the Cielcin worship are real and will not rest until the universe is dark and cold. What is more, the Emperor himself is in danger. The Prophet-King has learned to track his movements as he travels along the borders of Imperial space. Now the Cielcin legions are closing in, their swords poised to strike off the head of all mankind.
Series
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6 primary books14 released booksThe Sun Eater
The Sun Eater is a 14-book series with 6 primary works first released in 1950 with contributions by Christopher Ruocchio, L.J. Hachmeister, and R.R. Virdi.
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Ashes of Man takes some time to build and the pacing felt a little bit strange at some points, but I was invested (as always) from page 1. Ruocchio's writing impresses me again and again and draws me completely into the story.
The emotional impact of the last 150 pages was amazing and made me hold my breath at different moments.
A masterpiece yet again!
This book was a much more enjoyable read than [b:Kingdoms of Death 57443696 Kingdoms of Death (Sun Eater, #4) Christopher Ruocchio https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616007067l/57443696.SY75.jpg 89939526], and I think does a much better job of delving into the personal turmoil of the main character, as well as relating that inner turmoil to the larger story. I did have to listen to Ruocchio's synopses of the previous books on Youtube to remind me of some of the crucial events, but that was no big deal. This is a great series and I can't imagine giving gup on it. The fun part is we already know how it's going to end, but we don't exactly know how it's going to end. This book just adds to Hadrian's motivation, adding a little piece of the puzzle, as to how Hadrian will be the hero/villain he's set himself up to be. Exciting and a fun read, with Ruocchio's trademark prose, this was a four-star book for me up until the very end, with an ending that I really wasn't expecting.
Ashes of Man was one of my most anticipated books this year. So when I revived an ARC from Netgalley, I was so happy. And it did not disappoint.
Everything I love about Sun Eater is in this book. Quiet retrospective character moments, excellent prose, fantastic world-building, and explosive action.
I will definitely do a reared on audio when it comes out because I miss Roukin's voice.
9/10
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