Kingdoms of Death

Sun Eater, Book 4

By: Christopher Ruocchio

Narrated by: Samuel Roukin

Length: 22 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

The fourth 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.

Hadrian Marlowe is trapped.

For nearly a century, he has been a guest of the Emperor, forced into the role of advisor, a prisoner of his own legend. But the war is changing. Mankind is losing.

The Cielcin are spilling into human space from the fringes, picking their targets with cunning precision. The Great Prince Syriani Dorayaica is uniting their clans, forging them into an army and threat the likes of which mankind has never seen.

And the Empire stands alone.

Now the Emperor has no choice but to give Hadrian Marlowe—once his favorite knight—one more impossible task: Journey across the galaxy to the Lothrian Commonwealth and convince them to join the war. But not all is as it seems, and Hadrian's journey will take him far beyond the Empire, beyond the Commonwealth, impossibly deep behind enemy lines.

©2022 Christopher Ruocchio (P)2022 Recorded Books

WOW

This story. This story is one of the best and greatest, emotionally scarring yet beautiful stories I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. It evoked such emotional highs and lows, the sheer span of time it traversed... I dont kbow. I suck at describing things in general, but suffice to say this story moved me. Truly and irrevocably moved me. I sweated, cried, rejoiced, and laughed almost in equal measures. i felt anger, and pain, bliss and happiness, the characters, the scenery, the worlds, the endless dark of deep space. Im not blowing smoke, this story is EPIC and glorious, and Im willing to physically fight anyone who disputes this fact haha

Horrific but excellent

The story is so compelling and deeply tragic, but somehow not grimdark. Each of the books in this series are profound in some way, whether it's the intricate worldbuilding or the dramatic characterization. This one really hit me in the feels.

Kingdoms of Death Review

With each of the previous three Sun Eater books being better than the last expectations were high for this fourth book. Upon finishing it I can say Demon and White is still comfortable the best one, followed by Howling Dark, Kingdoms of Death and Empire of Silence

This is a difficult book in a lot of ways. Hadrian spends most of the book experiencing and witnessing horrific things. In the hands of a lesser writer I would complain about bloat and the need of a editor, but I love the prose, world building, and the characters so much I’m going to be more forgiving than usual.

On the plus side the reader gets a lot of good information about the Cielsen society and their origins.

Definitely looking forward to the next book!

Amazing narrator!

A little ponderous but interesting nonetheless. I love the performance! Looking forward to more. Read it - you won’t regret it

Hard read but worth it.

One of my favorite series has many entries filled with brutality and depressing darkness. Needing to take a break from Malazan and I came across the Suneater. More specifically this book.

This was a difficult journey to traverse. Darkness and agony permeating throughout its pages. One of which I will probably never revisit upon a reread. Was it necessary? Worth it? I believe so. I’m ready to move forward to the next.

Powerful

Occasionally there are books that once read fix themselves firmly within the very soul of the reader. This is one such book. Read it and relish the prose, the narrative, the structure, and the pacing. The wisdom within the story is timeless and something to cherish. The story is powerful and painful. But perhaps it’s that very pain which provides the story with such power. To my mind, it is masterwork within the genera.

Interlude

So far, the weakest issue in the series. However it's forgivable because of how necessary the events were in this one for the coming climax moving forward.

This book is not only a low point for Hadrian.

Roucchio's pros and details are still there, and that's what I love about his books. But, this is a book about suffering and pain. As Dan Simmons wrote "Pain is an interesting and off-putting thing. Few if any things in life concentrate our attention so completely and terribly, and few things are more boring to listen to or read about."

Incredible series.

The Sun Eater has become my favorite series, and you’d do much worse getting into something else. That being said, this entry is still very very good, but not my favorite. Just due to the nature of this particular story, it’s more necessary and heart wrenching. Anyway, give Christopher your money, he is a prodigy. He’s that good. What he’s doing here is incredible… on to Ashes of Man!

Another great book in the series!

This one had darker tones and a much more depressing story but it was still amazing and worked very well.