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The Sun Eater
Queen Amid Ashes and Other Stories
Second collection of stories set in Christopher Ruocchio's epic Sci-fi/Fantasy Sun Eater universe. Limited to 500 deluxe numbered editions and 52 lettered editions.
8 more shorter tales from the Sun Eater universe.
Contains:
- Queen Amid Ashes
- The Dragonslayers
- Fire in the Sky
- Kill the King
- Knowledge
- Good Intentions
- The Four Devils
- House Marlowe of Delos: A Brief History
8 more shorter tales from the Sun Eater universe.
Contains:
- Queen Amid Ashes
- The Dragonslayers
- Fire in the Sky
- Kill the King
- Knowledge
- Good Intentions
- The Four Devils
- House Marlowe of Delos: A Brief History
- GenresScience Fiction
344 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2022
5 people are currently reading
890 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Ruocchio
50 books4,862 followersChristopher 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.’
Christopher lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Jenna. He may be found on both Facebook and Twitter with the handle ‘TheRuocchio.’
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 12, 2023
So. I just did all of Tales 2 in one day. Somehow.
I don't know if it's just the refreshment that I had coming back to Tales 2 after finishing The Lesser Devil last month, and this being SO MUCH CLEANER to proof than TLD&OS was*...but Tales 2 is a lot better than I remembered. I like it a lot better for sure. QAA is also really good, but still one of my least favorite releases of the universe, which is my personal hot take compared to a lot of people adoring the hell out of it.
Either way.
I have individual reviews of both of these, though my rating for Tales Vol. 2 might need updating...hell all of the previous review need updating. But hey, the collection is pretty great. You like Sun Eater? Read it. Excited for TLD, QAA, Tales 1, AND Tales 2, to all have updated with new art and updated text next year.
*For reference, my notes for Ruocchio for TLD&OS is like...300+ edits, where QAA&OS (AND the House Marlowe essay to boot) had less than 150, with probably 50 of those just being for Alistair Marlowe's name having updated spelling (Aleister).
So yeah. That was fun.
I don't know if it's just the refreshment that I had coming back to Tales 2 after finishing The Lesser Devil last month, and this being SO MUCH CLEANER to proof than TLD&OS was*...but Tales 2 is a lot better than I remembered. I like it a lot better for sure. QAA is also really good, but still one of my least favorite releases of the universe, which is my personal hot take compared to a lot of people adoring the hell out of it.
Either way.
I have individual reviews of both of these, though my rating for Tales Vol. 2 might need updating...hell all of the previous review need updating. But hey, the collection is pretty great. You like Sun Eater? Read it. Excited for TLD, QAA, Tales 1, AND Tales 2, to all have updated with new art and updated text next year.
*For reference, my notes for Ruocchio for TLD&OS is like...300+ edits, where QAA&OS (AND the House Marlowe essay to boot) had less than 150, with probably 50 of those just being for Alistair Marlowe's name having updated spelling (Aleister).
So yeah. That was fun.
October 30, 2025
3.5/5 stars
More so a rating for the short stories as I'd already read QAA. Knowledge, Good Intentions, and The Four Devils were quite good, the others were okay, but not of the same caliber.
More so a rating for the short stories as I'd already read QAA. Knowledge, Good Intentions, and The Four Devils were quite good, the others were okay, but not of the same caliber.
November 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
April 29, 2024
Overall, I did not enjoy this collection of stories as much as The Lesser Devil and Other Stories but it was still pretty good, especially Queen Amid Ashes.
****Spoilers Ahead****
Queen Amid Ashes: 5 stars. I believe this one takes place after Howling Dark and before Demon in White. This tells the story of the Battle of Thagura. Hadrian and Co are sent to Thagura after reports of the Cielcin sacking the planet. Hadrian finds the Baroness Gadar hiding with few of her people in a bunker. It eventually becomes clear that the Baroness had bombed her own people as a "defense" against the Cielcin.
The Dragonslayers: 4 stars. Quentin Sharp is tasked with rescuing the 14-year-old Countess Irina Volsenna from yet another planet that has been taken by the Cielcin. The story starts after they have located Irina. Nobody responds to their flare so they head out across hostile territory to get to a better position. Some tense action scenes involving the Cielcin, including a hybrid.
Fire in the Sky: 3 stars. A short, 12-page story about a girl named Iana and her brother Van whose city has been taken by, you guessed it, the Cielcin. Iana and Van get separated. Iana gets captured and then saved just as she is being loaded on to the Cielcin craft.
Kill the King: 3.5 stars. On a planet in a galaxy that the Empire can no longer maintain control, Calen Harendotes has set himself up as a quasi-king. He is a cruel and callous man. The Empire decides to send an assassin after him. Syme is that assassin. After some various twists and turns, Syme is eventually outwitted by Calen and is sent back to the Empire to deliver a message. Well, part of him is sent back.
Knowledge: 2 stars. A very short glimpse into some of Hadrian's inner contemplations on knowledge and good and evil as he waits to meet Jinan. Not much here at only 4 pages long.
Good Intentions: 4 stars. I quite enjoyed this short story involving Valka. Here, she is on another of her journeys to study the Quiet. I think this is pre-Hadrian Valka as well. On this planet, humans have colonized and the indigenous species have basically been turned into slaves. The indigenes are 30-foot tall giants that appear to have a lot in common with fungus. During her caravan to the ruins, Valka sets free one of these slaves. The giant goes on a rampage and is eventually killed. However, it is said that the giants can grow back from even a few cells given time. Valka is able to hide a small piece of the giant and drop it. Maybe the giant will live again.
The Four Devils: 5 stars. This was another great story about when Hadrian's family learns that he is still alive after he disappeared and was subsequently declared outcaste by his father. Told from Crispin's POV, we see how Lord Alistair, Crispin, and Selene learn about Hadrian being alive and weigh the implications. Crispin and Selene decide that their mother ought to be told and so Crispin flies down to visit her. These final scenes between Crispin and his mother are quite good.
House Marlowe of Delos: A Brief History: No rating. A brief, yet comprehensive overview of House Marlowe from its inception until Hadrian's time. Recounts the ebbs and flows of their influence, power, and finances.
****Spoilers Ahead****
Queen Amid Ashes: 5 stars. I believe this one takes place after Howling Dark and before Demon in White. This tells the story of the Battle of Thagura. Hadrian and Co are sent to Thagura after reports of the Cielcin sacking the planet. Hadrian finds the Baroness Gadar hiding with few of her people in a bunker. It eventually becomes clear that the Baroness had bombed her own people as a "defense" against the Cielcin.
The Dragonslayers: 4 stars. Quentin Sharp is tasked with rescuing the 14-year-old Countess Irina Volsenna from yet another planet that has been taken by the Cielcin. The story starts after they have located Irina. Nobody responds to their flare so they head out across hostile territory to get to a better position. Some tense action scenes involving the Cielcin, including a hybrid.
Fire in the Sky: 3 stars. A short, 12-page story about a girl named Iana and her brother Van whose city has been taken by, you guessed it, the Cielcin. Iana and Van get separated. Iana gets captured and then saved just as she is being loaded on to the Cielcin craft.
Kill the King: 3.5 stars. On a planet in a galaxy that the Empire can no longer maintain control, Calen Harendotes has set himself up as a quasi-king. He is a cruel and callous man. The Empire decides to send an assassin after him. Syme is that assassin. After some various twists and turns, Syme is eventually outwitted by Calen and is sent back to the Empire to deliver a message. Well, part of him is sent back.
Knowledge: 2 stars. A very short glimpse into some of Hadrian's inner contemplations on knowledge and good and evil as he waits to meet Jinan. Not much here at only 4 pages long.
Good Intentions: 4 stars. I quite enjoyed this short story involving Valka. Here, she is on another of her journeys to study the Quiet. I think this is pre-Hadrian Valka as well. On this planet, humans have colonized and the indigenous species have basically been turned into slaves. The indigenes are 30-foot tall giants that appear to have a lot in common with fungus. During her caravan to the ruins, Valka sets free one of these slaves. The giant goes on a rampage and is eventually killed. However, it is said that the giants can grow back from even a few cells given time. Valka is able to hide a small piece of the giant and drop it. Maybe the giant will live again.
The Four Devils: 5 stars. This was another great story about when Hadrian's family learns that he is still alive after he disappeared and was subsequently declared outcaste by his father. Told from Crispin's POV, we see how Lord Alistair, Crispin, and Selene learn about Hadrian being alive and weigh the implications. Crispin and Selene decide that their mother ought to be told and so Crispin flies down to visit her. These final scenes between Crispin and his mother are quite good.
House Marlowe of Delos: A Brief History: No rating. A brief, yet comprehensive overview of House Marlowe from its inception until Hadrian's time. Recounts the ebbs and flows of their influence, power, and finances.
July 3, 2024
5/10
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews