Empire of Silence

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What to expect

EMPIRE OF SILENCE is a totally original SF read, perhaps most easily described as an SFnal Name of the Wind in concept. 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.

Focused on a single character, this is accessible low-SFnal adventure where the emphasis is on character motivation, relationships and politics - whether those characters are aristocrats, slaves or aliens - placing it in the tradition of Dune or even Star Wars and giving us a wider potential market than we might usually have for an SF novel (absolutely no science being involved).

Read by John Lee
(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018

Critics Review

  • Empire of Silence is epic science fiction at it’s most genuinely epic. Ruocchio has made something fascinating here, and I can’t wat to see what he does next

    James S.A. Corey, New York Times-bestselling author of The Expanse novels

  • Space opera fans will savor the rich details of Ruocchio’s far-future debut.

    PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

  • An intricate and well-thought-out plot, a propulsive narrative, and a smooth-as-silk prose… an excellent SF story and a book to look out for.

    BOOKNEST

  • Christopher Ruocchio’s Empire of Silence is epic-scale space opera in the tradition of Iain M. Banks and Frank Herbert’s Dune, without being a clone of either of them. His is a welcome new voice in science fiction

    Eric Flint, author of the bestselling 1632 series

  • One of the most enjoyable SF debuts I’ve read in a long while. Think Dune mixed with Gene Wolfe’s Shadow of the Torturer series, but for a contemporary readership… celebrates all of the joy and the sheer enthusiasm of old-fashioned Space Opera.

    SFF WORLD

  • Empire of Silence has the sweep and political intensity of Dune (though no sandworms). It builds to a blazing climax, followed by a satisfying conclusion. I recommend the book

    David Drake, bestselling author of the RCN series

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