Book Review: Kingdoms of Death (The Sun Eater, #4) by Christopher Ruocchio
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Kingdoms of Death.
ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by Kieran Yanner
Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Sun Eater (Book #4 of 7)
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera, Science Fantasy
Word Count: 200,000 words
Pages: 544 pages (Hardcover edition)
Published: 8th March 2022 by DAW Books (US) & Head of Zeus (UK)
Ruocchio gets what I love to read in science fantasy. Every book in The Sun Eater series has become one of my favorite books of all time, and Kingdoms of Death is not an exception to this claim.
“Art, great art, serves as a reminder of invisible things and of their manifestation in things visible.”
Darkness
If you, like me, have an extraordinarily profound level of connection with Hadrian Marlowe and The Sun Eater series, the oppressive darkness in Kingdoms of Death will hurt you. You cannot avoid this. This is the painful and right direction for the series. This must be. Same with my experience of the previous three books, I didn’t know too much about Kingdoms of Death except that it is supposedly the darkest novel in the series. Other than that, I knew that Kingdoms of Death and the next book in the series, Ashes of Man, was supposed to be one massive 400,000 words long novel. But I, to this day, still don’t know where the Kingdoms of Death stands in the ranking of the fans of the series. I knew most fans of The Sun Eater chose Howling Dark or Demon in White as their number one or two favorite installments in the series. I rarely heard about Kingdoms of Death earning the top two spots. This is, frankly, understandable due to the incredible exposure to darkness and violent content. But for me, it is also shocking. Personally speaking, Kingdoms of Death is, at least, in the runner-up spot for the best installment in The Sun Eater series for me. I cannot believe my reading mood and luck to have picked such a powerfully unforgettable novel as the first book I started reading in 2024.
“The war had left its marks on each of us, as all Time’s servants must.”
In a faintly similar story structure to Demon in White, but rest assured Kingdoms of Death is a different kind of book, Kingdoms of Death begins with a battle against one of the vayadan. It did not take long after for Hadrian to receive his next deadly mission. To go to Padmurak, the Capital of the Lothrian Commonwealth. You see, there are two noticeable parts in Kingdoms of Death. One that takes place in Padmurak, and then everything after that. It is easy for the latter to overshadow the first half of Kingdoms of Death. I am trying to refrain from mentioning the names of the locations to avoid spoilers in this review, but the dread and chaos after Padmurak in Kingdoms of Death remains crystal clear in my mind as I compose these words. After I finished Kingdoms of Death, I had to take a break and recall that the Padmurak and Lothrian Commonwealth sections do transpire in Kingdoms of Death as well. And honestly, Ruocchio did a great job with the Padmurak section. The detailed totalitarianism culture of the Lothrian Commonwealth, especially the way the people of the Commonwealth speak, took me some time to get used to. But Ruocchio never fails at igniting the fear for the characters in me while Hadrian was there. It made me feel like things could go completely sideways for Hadrian and his friends at any moment. There’s no doubt the part after Padmurak is the best part of Kingdoms of Death for me. And yet, it should be recognized that without the groundwork established in Padmurak, the remaining grim brilliance of Kingdoms of Death will not triumph.
“A black book. The only book permitted in the Commonwealth. A fitting emblem that, a fitting contradiction. They were a people who called slavery freedom, a nation that called narrative truth, a culture that glorified its People by destroying the very concept of personhood. How could they be anything but a nation of book burners founded on a book?”
Kingdoms of Death is the smallest book in the series at 200,000 words long, but it would be a mistake to assume it is not packed with pivotal crossroads for the series. Some readers have asked me whether this book ended on a cliffhanger due to the division status of the book and its sequel. And the short answer to that question is no. The most recent example of another favorite series of mine impacted by the same cut is The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu. The Veiled Throne and Speaking Bones was supposed to be one 700,000-word novel, but it’s divided into two. It IS impossible to publish a 700,000 words long book in one volume. But in the case of The Dandelion Dynasty, the division caused The Veiled Throne to not have a concluding final chapter. The last chapter of The Veiled Throne felt like the end of a standard chapter rather than a conclusive ending. I am pleased to inform you that Kingdoms of Death does not have this issue. I took a peek at the first chapter of Ashes of Man. And yes, there’s no time jump; the story continued seamlessly. But the ending in Kingdoms of Death was fitting, touching, emotional, and surprisingly hopeful. Shocking. I know. But yeah, there is no cliffhanger here. And to reap the ending rewards of Kingdoms of Death and for it to aid your broken heart with relative catharsis, a path of thorns must first be walked.
“I had defied the Prince of Princes, and all would see the consequences of that defiance.”
Suffering. Misery. Grief. Pain. Darkness. Any one of these words could work to encapsulate Kingdoms of Death. The content justly lives up to its book title. Kingdoms of Death has one mission. To ingrain total pain and thoroughly destroy Hadrian. And mark my words… The narrative is dedicated and loyal to the mission. Unlike the previous three books, Kingdoms of Death is not a book where Hadrian gets to fight back and broaden his legendary feats and titles frequently. We, readers, have the details of knowing since the beginning of Empire of Silence that Hadrian Marlowe will survive this, but that might not be kindness, depending on your perspective. Hadrian has led a life filled with mythical accomplishments. I am not caught up with the series yet, but the events in the four books I have read in the series so far, especially Kingdoms of Death, have raised the question of whether dying would be a better solution for Hadrian’s ruthless journey. There’s just so much suffering. So much. But at the right passage and placement, it felt like Ruocchio predicted the readers would think about this notion at several scenes in Kingdoms of Death. When that line of thought crossed my mind, Hadrian answered me by showing his astounding resolve to live. And to say I was totally amazed by this is an understatement. I have read a LOT of SFF books, and it is still irregular to read a main character tortured as cruelly as Hadrian in Kingdoms of Death. It reminded me of Guts from Berserk by Kentaro Miura, and that is not a light claim. I am actually convinced Kingdoms of Death is partly inspired by Berserk. But I will compare Kingdoms of Death to Berserk again later. For now, if you are about to visit Kingdoms of Death for the first time, you better armor yourself and your heart. Approximately half of the book is devoted to the Cielcin’s mission to obliterate Hadrian and his companions: The Red Company.
“A man needs more. A man must have a people, must belong somewhere. To someone. A man must have a family, born, chosen, or made.”
Your level of connection with Hadrian and The Red Company will be crucial in deciding how much Kingdoms of Death will emotionally affect your experience. Here’s the thing… Hadrian, Valka, and the Red Company have faced a myriad of missions together; not short of bloodshed and sacrifice, they continuously carve their legends in the cosmic museum of the Sollan Empire. However, in Kingdoms of Death, they are about to confront their most challenging and dangerous conflicts with The Cielcin. As for me, I have become incredibly attached to Hadrian and his relationship with Valka and the Red Company in Demon in White. Do not get me wrong. They were already superb in Empire of Silence and Howling Dark. But the thematic narrative of camaraderie was the most evident in Demon in White, where they turned into something special. No human can go through what Hadrian and The Red Company encountered in Kingdoms of Death with their sanity and personality unchanged. Simple as that. As I said earlier, the Cielcin’s unbendable imperium given by Miudanar to vanish every trace of humanity is absolute.
“I had defied the Prince of Princes, and all would see the consequences of that defiance.”
From the stunning cover art by Kieran Yanner depicted at the front of Kingdoms of Death, it should let you know already what the main focus of Kingdoms of Death will be: The Cielcin. Yes, the battle and conflict against the Cielcin has always been one of the strongest driving forces of the narrative in The Sun Eater series. But more than ever in the series, this is the book where we learn most about the Cielcin, their civilization, their mission, their faith, and their gods. The Cielcin, their hierarchy, The Quiet, Utannash, the Watcher, Eue, Dharan-tun, Syriani Dorayaica, and more. Since its first intimidating appearance and now Kingdoms of Death, Syriani, the Prince of Princes of the Cielcin, has become one of the most terrifying and intriguing villains I’ve read in science fiction. Its lethal vision and goal are starting to be realized. They want to shrink the horizon of hope in humanity to zero, and nothing can stop them from ascertaining that their malice deserves to exist in the universe. But are they evil according to them? Not really. Just like humanity, they, too, have their own culture, truth, and faith. Perhaps it is a cliché to say this, but at the end of the day, the path of peace between humans and the Cielcin is impossible simply because the root and nature of the two races are too different in every sense of the word. This is one of the reasons I am again impressed by Ruocchio’s writing and storytelling. Amidst all the bloodletting, mutilations, and bloodbath, Ruocchio indicated the possibility that in another world, another situation, another circumstance, or an alternate universe, as unlikely as these sounds, Hadrian and Syriani Dorayaica could be good rivals or even friends. Their intense interaction and dynamic, and the way they somehow understand each other, demonstrated that. But time flows only in one direction. Forward. And the fate of war between the two races is the one our Hadrian Marlowe must traverse.
“A man needs more. A man must have a people, must belong somewhere. To someone. A man must have a family, born, chosen, or made.”
If you haven’t read Kingdoms of Death yet, let me give you some advice to enhance your immersion. Do not start reading chapter 36 and beyond unless you have some time ready for reading. I made the terrible mistake, or good decision, of assuming I can safely read one or two chapters. Only to find myself absolutely compelled to read non-stop until 4 A.M due to reaching the late 30’s chapter: the climax sequence. Don’t worry. I will not tell you the actual number of the chapter. But if you have read this book, you know what I am talking about. The climax sequence in Kingdoms of Death is recorded in my list of the greatest, pulse-pounding, and bloody sequences of all time. The casualty is massive. The scarlet and obsidian scenery under the gaze of the giant skull of the Dreamer painted by Ruocchio was utterly vivid. I can visualize it in my mind as I speak these words. The extent of the destruction is incalculable, and I must admit, I did not expect the grim factor in Kingdoms of Death would crank up to this grade of insanity. And I am, believe it or not, thankful for it. From blood being churned, bone crunched, massive decimations, and electrifying aerial battles, the relentless wave of dread caused by the Cielcin was immensely palpable. It was definitely one of the most merciless, heart-wrenching, and brutal consecutive salvo of devastation. Trust me, as I plunged myself into the abyss of ruin, The Red Company Discord server was there to witness my live-text reactions. This sequence, or this book, made Dark Age by Pierce Brown seem tamer in comparison. And Dark Age was already one of the darkest books I have ever read. But it pales in the presence of the hideous moving dominion of Syriani Dorayaica. My heart raced to see whether the light of Hadrian Marlowe the Halfmortal could vanquish the tremendous darkness.
“There was no hero coming to save me, no good to prevail. But there was evil. There is always evil—and the Cielcin were a flood come to wash mankind away.”
Sooner or later, The Sun Eater will become more popular. With more readers jumping into The Sun Eater series, the overwhelming violence and vicious nature of the narrative in Kingdoms of Death will turn more controversial and questioned. Does the book warrant such a heavy exploration of torture and crimson carnage? That’s up to you to decide. There is no correct or wrong answer to this. Only subjective reading experience and preference. The way I see it, this is the author’s vision, and he put it on the page for readers (who are willing) to understand what he is trying to achieve in his storytelling. Remember, Hadrian Marlowe will annihilate the entire Cielcin race. We know this. In my opinion, we need astonishingly deep context and understanding as to why Hadrian decides to go down this hellish road for the premise to work and affect us. This is the purpose of his chronicle, after all. And based on how much I love Berserk by Kentaro Miura, not always, but sometimes we do need to be put through genuine sorrow and horror over the events that occurred through the details. Maybe it is an unpopular opinion. But The Eclipse in Berserk by Kentaro Miura, even decades after it was released, is still one of the most iconic and disturbing scenes to ever be put on a manga series. It is a controversial one, that’s for sure. Some readers think it’s unnecessary to go that hardcore. But whether you like it or not, because Miura is willing to put every deprivation that happened to Guts and the Band of the Hawks on the pages, it is one of the many reasons why Guts’s survival and willpower to live remains inspiring to readers around the world to this day.
“Almost I could imagine we might have been friends. In another life, in a world where perhaps our kinds could reconcile to one another. What tales we might have told, what things learned of one another had we spent our passage in talk and not in torment.”
Kingdoms of Death employed a similar technique. Just being told The Cielcin are evil is not sufficient to make us readers fear them. Hadrian wanted to understand the Cielcin in Empire of Silence. Since Howling Dark, we know the path of peace is unlikely to happen. But after the travesty in Kingdoms of Death? It has been ensured the path of peace between humanity and the Cielcin is fully impossible now. And my hatred toward the Cielcin is now stronger than ever. We know Hadrian will survive through his severe ordeals, but how? Journey before destination. How can Hadrian and his companions rekindle the spark of hope after this extreme torment, cosmic injustice, and war with evil? I strongly believe the preparation for the grand retribution has been set, and if it’s done right in Ashes of Man or beyond, Hadrian Marlowe and The Sun Eater series is about to become even more iconic and legendary than it already is. It is easy to compare every traumatic event to The Red Wedding in A Song of Ice and Fire. I have been guilty of this, too, and I will most likely repeat it again, depending on the circumstances. But after the readers in The Sun Eater fanbase expands, people will start treating The Black Feast to be, at least, on the same level. Heck… in my opinion, it was more insane. And I look forward to that monumental day.
“Vast though the resources of our Empire were and great our armies, I could not help but feel they were overmatched by the totalizing purity of the Cielcin effort. Everything on Dharan-Tun, everything, was bent to but one terrible purpose. To the war. To the annihilation of man. What could we men do in the face of such resolve? Such caiharu? Such faith?”
Light
Kingdoms of Death will most likely be remembered for its darkness and savagery, and it is not a mistake for that to happen, but light… I believe Kingdoms of Death should also be remembered for one of the main lessons it taught: do not give up searching for the light of hope. Kingdoms of Death is not a book of joy. It is a book of pain. It is harrowing. It might not make you happy. It will hurt. It will make you uncomfortable. It will break your heart. As it intended and should be. But remember, the deeper the darkness, the brighter the light and beauty of the world shine. And I truly appreciate this. Too many authors state they’re willing to put their characters through suffering, but more often than not, the results are tamer than expected. Or there is always a limitation to them. Books that emotionally scarred me are the best kind of books and storytelling. It means I care. Make me care. Hurt them. Make them suffer. Break my heart. Display to me the depth of their fatal trials and tribulations. Make sure I’m emotionally damaged from reading them. And then, makes me look forward to seeing the moments the characters detonate their burst of determination and spirit in the face of absolute depravity. And in these, Kingdoms of Death has marvelously succeeded. The last 5-star rating I gave to a book was for Demon in White, which I consider a masterpiece in science fiction, at the end of November 2023. And by going from impeccable strength to strength, Kingdoms of Death earned another 5 out of 5 stars rating from me. My heart was shattered and stomped. Repeatedly. And when you are reading Kingdoms of Death for the first time, find the fragments of our hearts. Join us. Find us.
“Now hear this. The old words seemed to drift back to me on the wind, carried by the ocean airs from world to world. Here’s a lesson no tor or primate of the college will ever teach you, if it even can be taught. The world’s soft the way the ocean is. Ask any sailor what I mean. But even when it is at its most violent, Hadrian . . . focus on the beauty of it.”
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