Review: Kingdoms of Death (The Sun Eater #4)

 

Kingdoms of Death (The Sun Eater #4)

Publication Date: March 22, 2022

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hadrian Marlowe goes through some shit in KINGDOMS OF DEATH, a book that is . . . very aptly named. (My own title for this probably would've been something along the lines of THIS BOOK IS DESPAIR MADE FLESH, AQUIRE FLUFFY KITTEN AND HOLD ON TIGHT BEFORE READING, but I fully acknowledge that something like that would be difficult to print on a book spine.)

We open, once again, with a time jump, skipping over a twelve-year Chantry trial and a visit to Valka's homeland, along with Hadrian's seventy years' pseudo-imprisonment as an advisor to one of the Empire's three Magnarchs, a position between the Viceroys and the Emperor himself. Said Emperor has decided to go on an intergalactic tour, and shows up in person with a mission for his most dangerous servant: secure the aid of the Lothrian Commonwealth--the second-largest human civilization, and something of an Orwellian nightmare--against the Cielcin. What happens next is . . . well. That would be telling. All I'll say is this: you will learn more about the Cielcin and their dark gods. You will get to know Syriani Dorayaica. And you will truly begin to understand how the heroic Hadrian eventually becomes the Sun Eater.

This was difficult to read, and now I find it difficult to review. I debated giving this only four stars, not because it's poorly written--it's not--but simply because . . . in previous books, suffering has been leavened by triumphs. But this book is just one knockout punch after the other, an endless sea of 'oh god why's', and though there is a (very) brief spot of joy at the very end, I found that to be somewhat contrived. (And even it kind of ended badly.) Apparently there was originally a lot more to this book, and we're getting the second half in December. Judging books that have been split in two is always a chancy prospect, and I'll be curious to look back at KINGDOMS OF DEATH after reading Book 5. This didn't feel incomplete per se, just . . . it is an emotionally draining experience, and I wonder if it might have been less of one had it not been broken into two novels. (I might be wrong! Book 5 might be even more of a train of despair. But I feel compelled to point this out.) 

If you've read the previous three books, you'll read this book. But I have to say: if you've been feeling at all depressed, you might want to hold off until that dark cloud's passed, cause this book is, again, DESPAIR MADE FLESH. But if you're feeling up to it, then absolutely pick this one up--along with the closest fluffy kitten or adorable little puppy, which YOU WILL NEED--and steel yourself.

Cause this one's a *ride*, folks.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.