The Definitive Sun Eater Series Ranking & Reading Order Guide
This ranking was based on the overall emotional impact and enjoyment of each book. This is my ranking of the books, and hopefully the explanations for each help you understand why I have them ranked in this order. Regardless of where they fall on the list, this series has joined the ranks of genre-defining space opera like Foundation and Hyperion, blending philosophical depth with jaw-dropping action in a way that makes it a must-read for anyone who loves deep character work, expansive world-building, and a story that is both epic and intimate.
Looking for individual book reviews and series overview? Check out our complete Sun Eater series page.
BroMantasy's Ranking of the Sun Eater Series
In this ranking, we will touch on exactly what we liked—or didn't—about each book and why it's ranked where it is.
Empire of Silence
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
The one that started it all, don't let its position fool you, Empire of Silence is a fantastic introduction to the Sun Eater series. It's the book that really sets the stage for the series, and it's an early look at how Christopher Ruocchio's writing style and storytelling abilities will be showcased in the rest of the series. It's very much a setup book for the remainder of the series, but it also has a lot of amazing moments, and a complete arc that doesn't make you feel like it was just written to set the stage. Having read the main series in it's entirety, I can say that this book is still last for me, but I can't wait to do a re-read of it because of the amount of foreshadowing and easter eggs that are hidden in the book.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Kingdoms of Death
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
This might be the most polarizing book in the Sun Eater series when it comes to the fan base, and I can understand why. It's the darkest book in the series, and it's the book that really starts to explore the themes of morality, ethics, and the choices that we make in our lives. It also has some of the most gruesome and brutal scenes in the series, and was a stellar display of how to add gravity to a scene so that it has a lasting impact on the reader. For me personally, as much as I enjoyed it, it did feel a bit dragged out in the middle, and as I said about Ashes of Man, I think combined this may have been one of my favorite in the series.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Ashes of Man
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
Ashes of Man was probably the most emotionally charged book up to this point in the series. It was also the book that cemented William as one of the best side characters ever written for me. This was full of action, tense moments, and some of the best character work in the Sun Eater series. It also introduces in grand fashion the major threat of the cielcin in stunningly epic fashion. It's a shame that this was split from Kingdoms of Death because together they would have been incredible.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Howling Dark
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
This was my first 5 star review for the Sun Eater series, and it's the book that lead me to understand why people love to hype this series up. Howling Dark is a perfect example of how to use a framing narrative to your advantage, and it's the real introduction to how the series blends horror, space opera, political intrigue, fantasy and complicated character development into a truly epic story. This book also had a ton of foreshadowing for the series as a whole, especially for some of the deep thematic elements that get explored throught the rest of the series.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Demon in White
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
Demon in White flat out made me a die hard Sun Eater fan, this is the one that I will always say changed how I viewed Christopher Ruocchio's writing style and storytelling abilities. This book is a master class in pacing, world building, character development, and plot. It introduces one of the series most interesting side characters who absolutley steals the show in every scene they are on the page, and arguably one of the best antagonists in the series. This is the book that took a good series that I was interested in continuing to a series that I couldn't stop thinking about.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Disquiet Gods
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
This was the penultimate book in the series, and it did a perfect job of leading up to the conclusion of the Sun Eater series. It introduces new characters, worlds, and plot lines while bringing back some of the most beloved characters from the series. It also explores the Quiet and the Watchers in a way that is both terrifying and fascinating, and uses the thematic elements in such a clever way that it feels like a natural progression of the story. Finally giving answers to some of the questions that have been left hanging for years, while also setting the stage for the final book in the series.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Shadows Upon Time
by Christopher Ruocchio
Description:
Christopher Ruocchio's magnum opus, this was the defining moment on whether this series would become a staple of the genre or if it would be just another series with a great premise and a lot of potential but no follow through. This book delivered in a spectacular fashion, weaving together all the threads of the series into a cohesive whole, and delivering a truly epic conclusion to the series. A perfect blend of completed arcs and plot lines, while leaving enough room for you to not only think about what could have been, but also that there is a possibility for more Sun Eater in the future. It wrapped up things in ways that I may not have expected, but in a way that made perfect sense for the story and Hadrian's journey. It's the book that has solidified the series as an instant recommendation for anyone who loves sci-fi, fantasy, space opera, or incredibly intricate and deep character development.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Reading Order: Emotional Impact or Linear Progression?
Christopher Ruocchio has provided an official reading order that includes all novellas and short stories. Since I haven’t read those yet, I’m also including the publication order and a community-suggested reading order based on emotional impact. The community-suggested reading order is based on the consensus of emotional impact, while the official reading order is a more linear path through the series. Choose the path that fits your reading style.
1. Christopher Ruocchio's Official Reading Order (Complete)
This is the official reading order from Christopher Ruocchio, and it's the one that he recommends if you want to read all releases and not just the main series.
The Lesser Devil
Queen Amid Ashes
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 1
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 2
The Dregs of Empire
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 3
2. The Publication Order
This is the publication order of the books, and it's the one that you should read if you want to read the books in the order that they were released.
The Lesser Devil
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 1
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 2
Queen Amid Ashes
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 3
The Dregs of Empire
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 4
3. The Community Sourced Reading Order
This is the reading order that the community has suggested based on the emotional impact of the order.
The Lesser Devil
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 1
Queen Amid Ashes
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 2
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 3
The Dregs of Empire
Tales of the Sun Eater
Vol. 4
Empire of Silence Character Guide
Some of the most influential characters from book one, to help you wrap your head around things as you start the series.
Hadrian Marlowe
Key Traits
Bio:
Our morally complex narrator whose journey from noble heir to galactic legend forms the spine of the series. Hadrian is torn between his father's ambitions for him and his own dreams of becoming a scholiast. He's a man caught between duty and desire, nobility and compassion.
Crispin Marlowe
Key Traits
Bio:
Hadrian's younger brother who embodies everything their father wants in an heir. Where Hadrian is contemplative and bookish, Crispin is aggressive and martial. He represents the path Hadrian is expected to follow but desperately wants to avoid.
Valka Onderra
Key Traits
Bio:
A Tavrosi scientist studying alien ruins on Emesh when she crosses paths with Hadrian. Valka is fiercely intelligent with a razor wit and no patience for imperial prejudice. Her outsider perspective challenges Hadrian's worldview throughout the series.
Tor Gibson
Key Traits
Bio:
The scholiast assigned to House Marlowe who becomes the father figure Hadrian desperately needs. Gibson nurtures Hadrian's intellectual curiosity and love of learning, providing wisdom and encouragement in a cold aristocratic household. His influence shapes Hadrian's entire worldview.
Liliana Kephalos-Marlowe
Key Traits
Bio:
Hadrian's mother and a daughter of the powerful House Kephalos. Liliana is the epitome of imperial nobility—reserved, proper, and emotionally removed. She represents the cold aristocratic world that values duty and bloodlines over individual dreams.
Cat
Key Traits
Bio:
A young woman Hadrian meets during his desperate years on Emesh. Cat's street-smart survival instincts and fierce loyalty become a lifeline for Hadrian in his darkest moments, reminding him of his humanity when he has nothing else.
Anaïs Mataro
Key Traits
Bio:
The sophisticated daughter of House Mataro who wields political power with grace and precision. Anaïs is intelligent and perceptive, seeing through Hadrian's deceptions while playing her own careful games in the dangerous political landscape of Emesh.
Lord Balian Mataro
Key Traits
Bio:
The aging lord who rules Emesh from the edge of civilized space. Balian must balance the demands of the Empire, the threat of Cielcin raids, and the politics of his own house. His decisions shape the opportunities and dangers Hadrian faces on Emesh.