Empire of Silence

By: Christopher Ruocchio

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 25 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hadrian Marlowe, privileged first son of a Duke, was destined for greatness, and he has become a legend. The Sun-Slayer. The Breaker of Sieges. The Crusher of Civilisations. His is a story which defined the course of worlds.

This novel is not that story - not the only laid out in the history books, charting the 300 years of his life. Rather this is Hadrian's story, told in his own worlds. Of being passed over by his father for rule in favour of his younger brother and sent to a military academy against his wishes. Of being kidnapped in transit to that planet and sold into slavery on a planet at the edge of our war against the Cielcen...and of how he used their eventual attack to claw his way back into the dangers and opportunities of politics.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2018 Christopher Ruocchio (P)2018 Orion Publishing Group

Damn good fantasy sci-fi

Listened to this based on the recommendation of another listener who described it as ‘Name of the Wind’ in space - immediately sold on that! (Interestingly also how Orion publishing describe it whilst still managing to claim that it is totally original? Nice one!)

The initial set up of the story is perhaps too comparable for my liking. I freaking adored ‘Name of the Wind’ and there are some similarities that are slightly too close to the bone - if it wasn’t set in space it would basically be the same opening to the story (expect Marlow is chronicling himself) but as the book progresses and the characters develop, the story blossoms into something truly special.

Most impressive is the seemingly effortless blend of sci fi and fantasy elements and neither feels forced upon the other, fusing noble houses, knights, scholars and sword play with a wide array of completely believable alien races and planets - all beautiful written and, most importantly, granted the space to breath allowing the reader to form the image of them in their own mind. (Too often the author drastically over describes everything and it’s suffocating - the Space Knight series, comparable in its SciFan blend, is a particularly bad culprit!)

John Lee is fantastic.

Breath of fresh air.

Always a bit if risk buying an audiobook from a new writer, but after listening to the book, you would never know.

Great story line, characters are well developed and I was impressed with the depth of feeling I had while listening. looking forward to the next book.