The end is nigh.It has been nearly two hundred years since Hadrian Marlowe assaulted the person of the Emperor and walked away from war. From his Empire. His duty. From the will and service of the eldritch being known only as the Quiet. The galaxy lies in the grip of a terrible plague, and worse, the Cielcin have overrun the realms of men.A messenger has come to Jadd, bearing a summons from the Sollan Emperor for the one-time hero. A summons, a pardon, and a plea.

HAPSIS, the Emperor's secret first-contact intelligence organization, has located one of the dreadful Watchers, the immense, powerful beings worshipped by the Pale Cielcin.Called out of retirement and exile, the old hero--accompanied by his daughter, Cassandra--must race across the galaxy and against time to accomplish one last, impossible task:To kill a god. Praise for the Sun Eater series: 'Space opera fans will savor the rich details of Ruocchio's far-future debut, which sets the scene for a complicated series. Readers who like a slow-building story with a strong character focus will find everything they're looking for in this series opener.' Publishers Weekly 'With the scope of Dune and a confessional, first-person voice that puts us into the mind of a possible madman, this is space opera at its most riveting and grandiose.' B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Review.