The Dregs of Empire

The Sun Eater #5.5

by Christopher Ruocchio

RETURN TO THE WORLD OF THE SUN EATER IN THIS SPIN-OFF ADVENTURE SET AFTER THE EVENTS OF BOOK FIVE!For thousands of years, the icy planet of Belusha has served the galactic Sollan Empire as its most notorious prison planet. It is here the very worst men in the Empire are locked murderers, traitors, deserters—each condemned to toil on the oil rigs and scrapyards of the planet in bitter cold, preyed upon both by the men of the Martian Guard set to watch over them, and by the Outborn reavers whose fathers escaped the work camps to scratch a living from the icy wilderness. It is a hard world. A desperate world. And it is here that Lorian Aristedes finds alone; friendless; betrayed even by his own failing, mutant flesh. Is it here that Lorian Aristedes has been sentenced to work himself to death for the crime of abetting his master’s escape from Imperial justice. For any other man, it would be the end of his story…but for Lorian Aristedes—once the left hand of the Halfmortal, Hadrian Marlowe himself—it is only the beginning.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Space Opera, Fiction, Audiobook, Novella, Adult

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

About the author

Christopher Ruocchio is the author of The Sun Eater, a space opera fantasy series, as well as the Assistant Editor at Baen Books, where he has co-edited four anthologies. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he studied English Rhetoric and the Classics. Christopher has been writing since he was eight and sold his first novel, Empire of Silence, at twenty-two. To date, his books have been published in five languages.

Christopher lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Jenna. He may be found on both Facebook and Twitter with the handle ‘TheRuocchio.’

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

The Dregs of Empire is the finest companion novel in The Sun Eater series so far.

“I am not afraid to die… because I know this is not the end for us. We are all of us trapped in an endless cycle of life and death and rebirth. What matters is what we do within that cycle. Right understanding. Right thought . . . Right speech.”

Finally… Since I started Empire of Silence last September, I’ve finally read everything in The Sun Eater series now. Not only the main novels but also the collection of short stories and companion novellas/novels. Only the penultimate volume of the series, Disquiet Gods, remains. But before that, I can confidently vouch that The Dregs of Empire is my favorite companion novel in the series to date. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, because this companion novel is focused on Lorian Aristedes.

“Vima, the great sage, wrote that among the warriors of the uninitiated there could be found those capable of what their Nipponese brothers called the mushin no shin, the mind without mind. Though Hadrian knew but little of the Arthur-Buddha and less of the Eightfold Path and its knightly virtues, he was so near to revelation.”

I’ve made it clear many times by now. Lorian Aristedes has always been one of my favorite characters in The Sun Eater series since his first appearance in Demon in White. Next to Hadrian Marlowe, he IS my favorite character of the series. And to have an entire short novel dedicated to Lorian is a blessing for me. One vital thing to take note of before we proceed. Ruocchio has mentioned this at the beginning of the book, but if you haven’t read The Sun Eater series up to Ashes of Man, the fifth main novel in the series, I strongly recommend you to do that first before reading The Dregs of Empire. This book takes place after Ashes of Man, and too many events and emotional weight in it relied on the reader knowing the context and events that happened in the main books of The Sun Eater. I cannot imagine anyone enjoying the full potential of the narrative without reading the series up to Ashes of Man first.

“Man was half an animal, and in those men who indulged the beast too much, the animal was all that remained.”

But with these facts in mind, understand that I cannot talk about The Dregs of Empire with too many details for fear of accidentally giving spoilers. One of the most enjoyable aspects of reading this companion novel is to get a deeper introspective insight into Lorian’s mind and feelings. The entire story is told in third-person narration through the sole perspective of Lorian. And yes, we learn more about Lorian’s faith and philosophy. More importantly, Lorian's loyalty and friendship to Hadrian, and his feelings toward Valka and the Red Company are explored. Sometimes, the critical test of faith is when individuals are separated from one another. The Lord of the Rings displayed a magnificent example of this. And Lorian is truly put through brutal ordeals in The Dregs of Empire to have his faith and survival instincts examined.

“The unconscious mind noticed things that the conscious mind was blind to. The gurram, wrote Dinadan Vima, was to cultivate the whole- mind, the mind entire, and not to rely upon the monocular focus of the conscious mind—all of which was to say that Lorian Aristedes trusted his instincts, because he had learned that those instincts were often the insights of those deeper and more quick- witted mechanisms of his mind.”

In a similar fashion to every book in The Sun Eater, the setting of The Dregs of Empire takes place on a previously unventured planet in the main series so far, but it is one that has been mentioned several times in the main books. I think with the short length of the title, Ruocchio did a great job at exploring the prison planet as effectively as he could. If there's one downside to The Dregs of Empire, it would be the supporting characters. Except for one or two characters, I didn't find any of the supporting characters in The Dregs of Empire intriguing or compelling enough to earn my investment. Lorian is, obviously, the main highlight of this book.

“But the war he’d known, the clean, bright game of strategy— had only ever been this. This . . . desperate chaos. It was one thing to lay one’s careful plans, one thing to move pieces on a board. Quite another for the pieces themselves.”

I am still not sure how crucial reading The Dregs of Empire is for the main books in The Sun Eater. I will have to read Disquiet Gods, maybe even the final book in the series, before I can feel confident about my answer. Up until Ashes of Man, I don't think most of the collection of short stories or companion books are necessary to read to enjoy the main books. The Demons of Arae in Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 1 is beneficial, and Daughter of Swords in Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 3 is what I would deem as a must read before reading Disquiet Gods. However, knowing Ruocchio, reading the violent and evil ordeals Lorian goes through in The Dregs of Empire will most likely bestow more rewards on the reader's experience in the long run. At the end of the day, though. If you are a fan of Lorian Aristedes, I don't see any good reason why you would want to skip out on reading this. I had a wonderful time reading this, and I look forward to reading Disquiet Gods very soon.

“Dregs. So are we all, he thought, certain that here was the bottom of civilization, the absolute dregs of Empire, fit only to be washed away.”

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[Jonah Evarts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorian is such a well written character! This recontextualizes his relationship with Hadrian in a lot of ways while also giving him more depth.

This is a fantastic novella. I feel like I really went on a journey with Lorian through this story, and that he fundamentally changed because of his experiences. Overall, this is better than a lot of full length books I’ve read this year

[Gyan K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟 !
The Dregs of the Empire by Christopher Ruocchio is a dark tale set in the cold world of Belusha. Commander Lorian Aristedes, a well known character from the main books, is sent to Belusha for the crime of high treason-conspiring to kidnap and free the criminal Hadrian who was charged with regicide- if you have read Kingdoms of death. This place, Belusha, is a jail for the worst in the empire. The story was atmospheric and the cold seemed to bite as I read. The mood was thick with gloom and struggle, each page felt heavy. This book stood out from the other short tales in the series. It dug deep into Lorian’s mind and soul. The pace was swift, and the plot was strong. The cold, stark land added to the sense of loss and toil, and I was pulled into Lorian’s plight. The story didn’t shy away from the grim details. The stark, frozen setting amplified the sense of isolation and misery. It ties well with the main books and gave a fresh look at a key character from Hadrian’s crew.

[Benghis Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread update: my previous self was being way too critical -- but I can see how I might not've been in the exact right mood for this grim, grim tale. This time it hit at the right moment, and I think it's an absolute gem that's 5 stars for me now, so I'll say it's an average of 4.5 and boost my star rating, original experience be-damned.

I just read my original thoughts and disagree with literally every gripe I had. The plotting is tight and engaging, the grim mood a feature and not a bug, the internal critique of Hadrian absolutely organic and believable, and the action scenes...action is so far down the list of essential aspects of this book that I can't believe I nitpicked it. There's all sorts of tension here, and the little bits of action did their job for the story.

The Dregs of Empire is a superb addition to the Sun Eater canon, and a must for any big fan of the series. Ruocchio works his typical magic with bringing a crucial side character to more vivid life through a non-Hadrian POV story, and getting Lorian's thoughts here completely recontextualizes the character in interesting ways. Love the expansion in worldbuilding with the Cid-Arthurians, but more than anything this book just makes me fall in love with Lorian in the way of wanting to run through a brick wall for the little guy. He's a good egg.

Original Review:

This was a solid slim novel/long novella that got me back into the Sun Eater mood ahead of the new novel's release next month. I enjoyed inhabiting the POV of an important side character from the series, and that was where most of my engagement here stemmed from. His internal thoughts are quite different from Hadrian's, and spending time in his head brought the character to life in a new and meaningful way for me.

The particular plot of the book never really hooked me in though, and being stuck on a grim arctic prison world with endless bullies and little good ever happening made for a downer of a read (quite intentionally so). Something also didn't sit quite right about how Ruocchio had the character believe a bit of gossip from a known enemy, which then caused some internal conflict that felt forced. The few action scenes were also slightly lackluster and a tad hard to visualize and follow and not up to the standard of the ones in the novels.

While those gripes might have knocked it down from Ruocchio's usual 5-stars, it was still gripping and full of extremely impactful moments. Sun Eater always hits hard, and I couldn't be more psyched to continue the tale with some more short stories and then Disquiet Gods soon, one of the most highly anticipated reads of my entire life.

[King Crusoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Huge thanks to Anderida Books for allowing me the opportunity to Proofread for their upcoming collection of this story and Tales v3*


So. This might just be the darkest Sun Eater story, barring only Kingdoms of Death.

Also, don’t read this until after Ashes of Man.

Fantastic setting, tangible character arc for Lorian as the POV character, and a story that warrants it’s word count despite being the longest side-story to date, The Dregs of Empire feels like the most “vital” of these novellas (or any of the side stories generally), tho I can’t really say why, both for spoilery reasons and because it’s genuinely hard to explain a gut feeling.

Sun Eater fans, don’t skip this.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Addition to The Sun Eater Cannon

This is a novel that us a pov story from one of my favorite characters in the Sun Eater universe so I was very excited to read it and it definitely delivered. Lorian is a character that is much different than a typical protagonist in a story like this. Instead of being physically imposing and deadly as a combatant, he is frail and physically weak. I think it is a testament to Christopher Ruocchio's ability as an author that even with those limitations he makes Lorian's use of strategy, wit, cunning, and fortitude every bit as compelling as a protagonist who slays enemies by the dozens.

I think the setting of this novel is probably the most unusual setting for a Sun Eater book yet. It's a prison planet that is basically a giant ice ball that is barely fit for any human life. As far as a prison setting goes it's great because escape seems an impossibility. The downside, if there is one, is that the setting felt a bit static at times as I waited for further plot developments. That might be more of a me thing though as I usually am not a huge fan of prison settings for that reason. The plot does keep moving though and the pace is quite steady from the halfway point onward. One thing that caught me off guard that shouldn't have is the tone here. This book is quite bleak. This is not a Sun Eater version of Cool Hand Luke. Things on Belusha are bad and worse than I expected and the story pulls 0 punches in that regard. That theme is maintained right to the very end. I quite enjoyed it.

And of course the writing is as good as ever. I think it takes on a different tone since we aren't in Hadrian's head so you don't get the melodramatic asides or the language and manner if speaking that Hadrian uses to tell his story. Lorian has his own distinct voice and worldview (an interesting addition I must say) that makes it feel unique but with the prose of the author still shining through.

Bottom line is you should definitely read this after Ashes of Man. Don't sleep on Sun Eater and if you're already on board don't sleep on the novellas and short stories.

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how the best of Ruocchio's short fiction in this world enriches the overall Sun Eater series. And this one is the best I've read. While technically a novella, albeit a long one, this felt like a full novel in the story that it presented, following one of the side characters, Lorian from the main series. Seeing Ruocchio write in this world in a non-first person narrative is a great change of pace while also refreshing to get out of Hadrian's melodramatic head for awhile. A fantastic novella from beginning to end, and honestly is stronger than a couple of the main novels.

[Wick Welker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Sun Eater novellas I've read this is the best. I've read The Other Devil and Queen of Ashes. They are both decent and you could definitely skip Queen of Ashes. You're not going to want to skip Dregs. It is a subplot solidly placed after Ashes of Men about Lorian, the small and loyal man to Hadrian. This is his story after taking the heat for how he helped Hadrian in the prior book and his terrible time on a prison planet. It's surprisingly long, well written and clearly contributes to the story as a whole.

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, The Dregs of Empire is basically if you took Tyrion Lannister, put in him Prison Break, and then set it in space... and I was SO here for it.

Okay I'll admit, while those comparisons do give off the right vibe, my terrible descriptions absolutely does not do this brilliant (novel-length) novella justice. This is a very bleak but impactful story of an outcast among outcasts trying to find reasons to resist and fight on, even though all hope seems to be lost on the brutal prison planet of Belusha.

Now, Lorian has always been one of my favourite characters in the series, so I really appreciated getting to dive into his mind in The Dregs of Empire. Even though we don't get the close first person perspective that we do with Hadrian in the main series, I was still left astounded by the level of emotional depth that we got to explore in this 'little' story.

Getting a better understanding of how his harrowing life experiences as an intus have affected him mentally and emotionally honestly tugged on my heartstrings, and I really think it showcased how blinded Hadrian was to Lorian's (and probably most everyone else's) challenges in the main series. Also, I really appreciated that we got to see so much more of Lorian's Arthur-Buddha faith, which really helped enrich the cultural world building of the larger series even more.

While the intimate start was stronger for me than the hectic, action-packed second half, I did really like how things wrapped up in such an ironically perfect way as Lorian's 'flaws' and 'weaknesses' ultimately prove to be his blessing in disguise by the end. This only further established Lorian as one of the best characters in the series for me, and I am keeping all my toes and fingers crossed that we get to see more of him in the last two books.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

I love Lorian. So happy he has his own novella.

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.33 ***

A story spanning the time our favorite small tactician spends on a prison planet... This series keeps on giving! 👍

[Liam J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - this solidifies Lorian as my favorite side character in this series. I almost wish we’d had some of these insights about him in previous stories.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
This is a nice appetizer for the next book in the series. Lorian is awesome and I feel like he really became his own person in this book.

[Andrew Rockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars—-

Lorian is my second favorite character in the series besides Valka, it was awesome to follow him for 300+ pages. It was fun to see his resilience in this story as he navigates a frigid prison planet where he’s at the bottom of the food chain and trying to survive. I think Ruocchio did a great job writing from the perspective of Lorian who is an “intus”, as he sees things differently from Hadrian and also differs in how he approaches obstacles. While the writing isn’t as philosophical from Lorian’s PoV, it still has plenty of scenes that pack a punch. This is one of the darker stories in the universe, with rape and slavery being prevalent among the prisoners.
Lorian’s character arc is even more satisfying after reading this story and it adds great backstory from Belusha while showing the darker sides of the Sollan Empire.
Dregs of Empire is a powerful addition to my favorite series. Fangs of Oannos next, then Disquiet Gods.

[Nicholas Kotar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable side story featuring the inimitable Lorian Aristides. I never expected I would enjoy being inside his head so much, but he's a really fascinating character. And this book is a great take on the sci fi prison planet subgenre that doesn't really bring anything spectacularly new into it, but it doesn't need to. It has a simple job: to explain how Lorian gets off Belusha. And it does that in a very enjoyable way.

[L'encre de la magie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,75 ⭐
Certainement le meilleur spin off de toute la série Sun Eater (Le Dévoreur de Soleil). Ce court roman se lit après le tome 5 et l'on va suivre notre cher Lorian, personnage que j'aime ÉNORMÉMENT, et vivre à ses côtés, les conséquences de certains événements clôturant Ashes of Man (le tome 5)

Avis plus complet à venir, mais quel bonheur de lire Ruocchio. 💗

[James Morpurgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sun Eater is my favourite ongoing series and it won't be long before it becomes a strong contender for my favourite completed series. Christopher Ruocchio has now written six massively epic novels, three novellas and multiple short stories in this series, all of which in less than half the time that fans have been waiting on Rothfuss or Martin to give us just one more book. It is likely that distrust of such long series may have contributed to readers being hesitant to take on Sun Eater in the early days. Thankfully this talented author is finally gathering some momentum in terms of popularity as reviewers have realised that Ruocchio is providing Rothfuss or Hobb quality prose at a trustworthy Sanderson output rate - and the final book is currently being written right now.

But anyway, on to Dregs which is the third Novella (although surely a full novel at over 300 pages long), taking place immediately after book 5, Ashes of Man. Most of the Sun Eater side stories can be read independently but it is crucial that this is read after book 5 to avoid spoilers and in many ways feels essential reading prior to book 6, Disquiet Gods. This is the first time that we have the POV from Lorian Aristedes and for me this was a welcome addition which enhanced my opinion of an already beloved character.
As this is a prison story, readers will not be surprised to witness some suffering and hardship for poor Lorian but there is a good character arc and it is always refreshing to see a new POV outside of the main protagonist in a long series told in first person. Ruocchio clearly had immense fun writing this character and found that the word count far exceeded the original brief for the novella.

The Dregs of Empire was well paced and highly engaging throughout, I got through this in two sittings. As with the rest of Sun Eater, the world building was fantastic and this story fleshes out the universe even more. Additionally, Dregs acts as a fantastic starter to the upcoming main course which is Disquiet Gods - I am going to download the eARC for that
immediately after this review!

Always forward, always down, and never left or right.

[Senne ┃ Bridge Burner Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again a great addition to the Sun Eater saga! This shouldn't be considered as a short story or novella, because it really is just a full blown novel.

I think this is a must read, since it adds so much more to Lorian's character. Ruocchio also proves that he can write just as great from a total different pov.
There is also another great addition to the worldbuilding with the ice planet Belusha.

[Damon R. Caraway · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lorian Aristedes is as close to Hadrian Marlowe, his mentor, as anyone could be… if not in spite of his imperfections then very much so… because of them.

The prison planet, Belusha, is likely worse than what you can imagine, but go a head and try.

Ruocchio is flexing his writing abilities with a less than Marlovian character and still, stilllll… creates such a powerful character in Lorian Aristedes. I, like many I’m sure, wish I could capture the heart of a story as well as This author does, over and over again.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this a lot. Great side story that had really good pacing. Somehow Ruocchio's writing gets better every book and he was already one of the best, this one was really balanced with great prose, impactful character moments, and the plot is also very clear and focused.

Lorian is such a great character and getting to know him well in this book should payoff in future books as well as enhance re-reads tremendously. I'll be unclear how essential this book will be until I read Disquiet Gods but it's definitely worth anyone's time who has read through Ashes of Man.

[Kimbot the Destroyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is fun to see the Suneater universe from different points of view, and I appreciate the expansion of minor characters. This novella felt important to the overall series, unlike the other shorts.

[Zach Reads Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little spin-off with a fan favorite side character taking the lead role. Lorian is a wonderful POV, although very different from what we’re used to with Hadrian. While this relatively short entry in the series has a cool new setting on the icy prison planet Belusha, and Ruocchio once again demonstrates he’s got the chops to mix up his narrative style and continue developing intriguing characters, the plot and ending feels a little predictable and it lacks some of the special sauce that makes the main novels so amazing. Sadly, Ruocchio also makes some questionable decisions that rub me the wrong way, such as Lorian, who is a genius, believing hearsay from a traitorous villain. That doesn’t make much sense… Setting aside that and a few other minor things, The Dregs of Empire is a fun, fast read and, considering its ending, feels like it may be required reading heading into Disquiet Gods. Highly recommended for Sun Eater fans continuing their journey after Ashes of Man.

Sun Eater
Book 1: Empire of Silence 5/5
Novella: The Lesser Devil 4.5/5
Book 2: Howling Dark 5/5
Novella: Queen Amid Ashes 4.5/5
Short Story Collection: Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 1 3/5
Book 3: Demon in White 5/5
Short Story Collection: Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 4/5
Book 4: Kingdoms of Death 5/5
Book 5: Ashes of Man 5/5
Novella: The Dregs of Empire: A Tale of the Sun Eater 4/5

[Dr Sayuti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best side project from Sun Eater that I've read so far.

Lorian's psychology may be the most interesting one I've been able to take a peep into in Sun eater.

From his faith: Arthur-Buddha, his morality: a better anti hero in the thought process behind the actions than Hadrian has managed to convince me he himself his, to the way he views others:

His thoughts about Hadrian particularly about Had abandoning the war, and Valka: His feelings for her. I did not expect that at all and this only serves to highlight how tunnel visioned Hadrian can be about what he sees. Truly an idealist to the core who idealises a lot of people Valka most of all and lorian not least of all. I appreciate this approach of Ruocchio in making him an unreliable narrator. First in the lesser devil and now with Dregs of the empire. This is much more compelling and nuanced than if he straight up intentionally omitted or invented stuff.

Everything I mentioned really re-contextualises a lot of his dynamic with Hadrian that I'm willing to admit out-loud now even I needed to suspend my disbelief a bit about why he had so much faith in him. It all makes sense now after finding out he views him as the Khandasattva: The enlightened based on his Arthur-buddha fate

Suddenly all his curiosity about Hadrian in demon in white makes double the sense. I've observed Hadrian's crew has a lot of religious people in it with diverse faiths ranging from the chantry, Arthur Buddha or even his worship. Interesting stuff that his soulmate is the most Godless of them tho.

It also re-contextualises his reaction to meeting up with Hadrian once more in disquiet Gods.He truly felt betrayed that Khandasattva he gave up his life for abandoned his role to both the universe and the red company (Avenge us) and instead was languishing on Jadd living the luxurious life equivalent of a Saudi prince in Sun Eater

Lorian is the most interesting character in Sun Eater to me after this book (clear recency bias on my part now that I'm coming back to it month later cuz this still remains Kharn Sagara and Hadrian). His outlook on both his self as an Intus and his outlook on the outer world and outlook on the concept of life itself are very interesting. Such an intelligent and eccentric character who is now my outright second favorite Sun Eater character usurping Kharn Sagara's position(another recency bias ranking as Sagara has once again reestablished himself as second).

Lastly, the worldbuilding of the Belusha planet was excellent as is always with Ruocchio. Something even further enhanced by his prose. How I have missed it. It's easy to forget how excellent it is while binge reading the main books months ago but being away from it for months now only served to increase its value. The Belsuha planet is truly harsh, a world onto itself. I'll like to revisit it some other time so hopefully maybe one of the short stories from The Tales Of The Sun Eater can do that.

There's a lot of things I didn't mention but I think I've said enough. This was at the level of some of the best Sun Eater books, it's one novel I'll ponder on days or maybe even weeks later. For now I'll be moving on to reading The Tales Of the Sun Eater starting with Volume 1 of course.

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher Ruocchio is just way too good at this.

The Dregs of Empire is a very important side story that takes place immediately after Ashes of Man (Book 5), and follows one of the most popular characters in the series - former Commander Lorian Aristedes.

He has been banished to the icy prison planet, Belusha, and this novel chronicles his time there.

Ruocchio fleshes out Lorian's motivations and background beautifully, creates an amazing new setting in Belusha, and more than that - he just writes a compulsively readable tale.

I never wanted this to end!

Sun Eater is, in my humble opinion, one of the best (if not THE best) fiction series being written at the moment. Read it!

[Jack Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Good time, but not as polished or amazing as the main series.

[Ty MaC · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

This story follows Lorian and it is just Amazing. I would say that this is a must read between ashes of man and disquiet gods. This is called a short story but to be real it is closer to sun eater book 5.5.

[Catie Imbery · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just didn’t hit for me for some reason

[Olha Horniak]

Я обожнюю Лоріана, після Хадріана це мій улюблений персонаж цієї серії. Не скажу що ця новелла шикарна, але задля ПОВ Лоріана воно того варте. Всі інші персонажі - прохідні, нажаль.
Доречі, сама дурацька обкладинка серед усіх в циклі, сподіваюсь в інших виданнях це пофіксять.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books directly follows events after Ashes of Man, 5th book in the Sun Eater series. In form of a short novel, featuring well-known character, we are introduced to life on a prison planet, Belusha.

It is a bleak and grim world and tone matches it. It's not a fun adventure to follow, no hero's journey, but the story is great nonetheless.

Starts slow and at times is repetitive, but ending is worth it, once the action starts it's captivating.

I have read all the novellas and short stories from the universe and they enriched my experience reading main series so I would recommend doing the same.

[Xyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent sojourn into prison, as you'd expect of Christopher Ruocchio.

The Dregs of Empire is the best Sun Eater novella yet. Written from the perspective of Lorian Aristedes, this book goes a long way toward showing exactly how versatile an author Christopher Ruocchio is, as Lorian's voice is very different from Hadrian's.

Tonally, this is perhaps the closest to Kingdoms of Death since Kingdoms of Death, so buckle up.

Lorian is a fascinating and beloved character, and being inside his own head only makes him more so. I didn't care for one aspect thereof, but the book is fabulous as one would expect of one of the most talented authors working today.

The world building in particular is incredible here, with so many great ideas and so many new things to explore.

An absolute must read.