Anyone else have an eventful November? It can’t have just been me. I’ll admit, I’m surprised I was still able to get through a full audiobook last month, given everything that was going on. I wasn’t as attentive with listening as I otherwise have been lately. Still, I was determined to get through the Sun Eater book five, Ashes of Man, and thankfully, Christopher Ruocchio’s work continued to impress, thus validating my efforts.
Let’s dive right in. Ashes of Man picks up pretty much right where Kingdoms of Death left off. After spending many years living in peace and mourning together on the calm world of Colchis, Hadrian Marlowe and Valka Onderra decide to finally re-enter the arena of humanity’s galactic war against the Cielcin, following the passing of Hadrian’s father figure, Gibson. There’s a bit of a grace period before the action starts, though, as Hadrian takes time to properly heal from his wounds. The couple must also weather a storm of inquisition from the Empire, who are interested in hearing everything Hadrian endured and learned while imprisoned by the xenobites.
During this time, Hadrian also deepens his relationship with Emperor William, as the two form a stronger bond of understanding and respect, given they both know what is truly at stake with the Quiet and the Watchers. Hadrian eventually manages to return to fighting shape and, at the request of the Emperor, forms a new company of soldiers to fight alongside him. As the Halfmortal finds himself yet again falling into similar trials at the behest of the empire, he and his allies must ultimately mount a rescue mission to save the Emperor amidst a Cielcin siege, the consequences of which will ripple throughout the rest of this harrowing saga.
Whereas Kingdoms of Death was all about breaking Hadrian down, Ashes of Man spends much of its time trying to build him back up. I say “trying” because, of course, once something is broken, it can never be fixed to perfection again, and this is abundantly true of Hadrian. He wears his scars poorly; he dreads being forced back into a conflict he sorely wishes to forget. Given everything he endured in the previous book, it’s easy to empathize with his reluctance, as he suffers from several PTSD episodes throughout the novel.
Thankfully, Valka is never so far away that she can’t help Hadrian pick up the pieces. God, I love these two as a couple. But then, Valka’s relationship with Hadrian is really only one small part of why she’s such an amazing character. In truth, she shines throughout Ashes of Man as a secondary protagonist. Hell, why do you think she’s on the cover of the book in the first place? Her character growth up to this point has been staggering—rivaling that of Hadrian—and it culminates in many powerful moments here. She claims a particularly cathartic victory over the Exalted Extrasolarian known as Urbaine, who nearly killed her in Demon in White by corrupting her with a tech virus.
Such victories are made all the more tragic, however, given how this story ends. It’s hard for me to discuss this bit without spoilers, so to put my thoughts in simplest terms, I have mixed feelings. While I do think the largely tragic ending is justified—especially given how things subsequently play out between Hadrian and the Emperor—there is a cheapness factor that I don’t think can be completely escaped. Still, it all makes for interesting drama and a mostly compelling ending, and it all allows for a seamless transition into the following book, so I won’t complain.
Speaking of the Emperor, though, man, what a great character he’s turned into. We learned much about him throughout the two previous books via Hadrian’s exposition, as he often reminded us of how William is a good man and a great emperor. To finally see all of this aggrandizing banter be put into practice, however, is immensely rewarding. Even amidst a deathly siege, the Emperor strives to save lives and protect the people of his empire. Show don’t tell, as we writers say, and Ruocchio nails this.
He also continues to nail his combat scenarios, which are all filled with palpable stakes and constant tension. The way the siege plays out in the latter half of the book is consistently gripping, with the humans playing a tight tactical game against the Cielcin. All the while, we’re still allowed detailed insights into Hadrian’s mind as he finds himself back in the throes of war. We’re also afforded many dynamic character interactions here, the most interesting of those being between Hadrian and Valka and between Hadrian and the Emperor. It’s a familiar pattern, really, as the first half of the story takes its time to build to all the excitement in the second half.
Although, for as much as that may appear to be a strength, it could also be viewed as a detriment. If I have any gripes with Ashes of Man, it’s that some of the present thematic and storytelling components feel a bit rehashed. I mean, how many times can Hadrian come back from a grueling situation, be tasked with doing the impossible again, and then be expected to do even more than that? It’s essentially been the same outline since Demon in White.
Although in fairness, that could also be the point, as I’ve always enjoyed how this series plays with the concepts of cages, chains, and repetitive cycles of violence. These are the sort of threads that have always bound Hadrian as an individual, and he just can’t seem to break free. And this is what makes him so enticing as a character; that will to be free and happy is an easy trait to latch onto as a reader/listener. This concept comes to a head in Ashes of Man, as Hadrian and Valka really examine what they want together. So, as repetitive as things like this may seem at times, it all does still serve the story quite well.
Ashes of Man is a shorter story, overall, compared the previous three titles, and I think it’s better for it. Everything comes together in a compact, well-paced plot driven by Ruocchio’s ever-intriguing politics and his exciting action sequences. That’s to say nothing of his continually impressive character work, with Hadrian, Valka, and the Emperor at the forefront of the pack.
In many ways, this feels like a proper beginning of the end for this series. So many of the ongoing elements are finally coming to a head, and even as we technically know how all of this is supposed to end—as it’s all been alluded to since book one—it’s still anyone’s guess how it’s all actually going to play out. I’ve already started making headway through book six, Disquiet Gods, and book seven is just around the corner in 2025 (or so I believe). Time to see if Ruocchio can cap this one off in style.