The Lesser Devil

De: Christopher Ruocchio

Narrado por: Samuel Roukin

Can the youngest son of a noble house save his family from a plot generations in the making?

Crispin Marlowe grew up in his brother’s shadow, but Hadrian is gone, and his grandmother - the Duchess of Delos - is dying.

Answering her summons, Crispin takes off on what should be a routine flight to the ducal palace from the castle at Devil’s Rest. But he is flying into a trap. There are whispers of treachery among the duchess’s many daughters, rumors of hidden knives in the planet’s court...if he can even make it there.

With no one coming to save him and only his sister, Sabine, and a few injured guardsmen to protect him, House Marlowe’s least famous son must make his heroic stand, and contend not only the foes arrayed against his house, but with the cultists who dwell in the mountains above his family’s ancestral home....

©2020 Christopher Ruocchio (P)2020 Recorded Books

Story was weak for the series

I wanted more of this universe and more of the characters while I wait for book three of the main sun eater to come out. It was disappointing. The performance was first rate, as is par for this narrator. I just felt like the author confused Crispin and Hadrian and there wasn't much of a reason for it other than at one brief point, he ruminates that "he must have remembered more than he thought," of what his tutor, Gibson, had taught him. Meh.

3.5 stars

Short story and some what interesting. I like the characters but this installment was a little “meh” for me. However I will continue in the series.

Awesome - Wish This Were In Book 1!

I really enjoyed this much more than book 1. I wish it were integrated into book one somehow. Crispin is more endearing than Hadrian, and everything about this story was compelling. The setting was beautiful, and there's a freakin lightsaber. Common!

Better than book 1

I recently read Empire of Silence and thought it was good. I didn’t get the hype that everyone was raving about. But then I read this novella, and I understand now. This was so good. I loved Crispin, I like Sabine, and I think I like Crispin better than Hadrian! I’m excited to get into the next one Howling Dark. This is going to be an amazing series.

I needed this addition

I’m so glad we got this view of Crispin. I had wondered throughout the first book what had happened to him. This was a great look into his life.