#82 in Science fiction
Ashes of Man
- 721
- Pages
- about 13 h
- Reading time
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About the book
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 rumours... 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. 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. Praise for the Sun Eater series: 'Space opera fans will savor the rich details of Ruocchio's far-future debut, which sets the scene for a complicated series.... Readers who like a slow-building story with a strong character focus will find everything they're looking for in this series opener.' Publishers Weekly 'With the scope of Dune and a confessional, first-person voice that puts us into the mind of a possible madman, this is space opera at its most riveting and grandiose.' B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Review
Reading order · The Sun Eater
Full order & progress →- Empire of SilenceStart here
7.97.9 / 10 - Howling DarkHowling Dark–Not ranked yet
- Demon in WhiteDemon in White–Not ranked yet
- Kingdoms of DeathKingdoms of Death–Not ranked yet
- Ashes of ManThis book
8.38.3 / 10 - Disquiet GodsDisquiet Gods–Not ranked yet
- Shadows Upon Time
8.18.1 / 10
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.6 across 212 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 58% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Science fiction average of 7.8. That is how 8.3 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 8.6 | 212 | 100% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“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…”
“Solid 5-Stars for me! I've really been struggling with epic stories whether they were fantasy or science fiction. This has been going on for more than 6 months now. This read might have finally broken that slump for me. I was invested almost the entire…”
Frequently asked
How long is Ashes of Man?
It has 721 pages — longer than 93% of the ranked books in Science fiction.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Science fiction — with scores between 7.9 and 8.3, closest to this book.
