Demon in White

Ruocchio’s dense, exciting third Sun Eater space opera (after Howling Dark) packs a powerful punch as the war between humanity and an alien enemy continues. Hadrian Marlowe once dreamed of becoming a scholiast, living his life in the Imperial Great Library. Instead, he grew up to become a celebrated Royal Knight Victorian fighting on behalf of the human Empire against the Cielcin aliens. As he and his friends in the Red Company travel the Universe engaging in epic, highly detailed battles, Hadrian discovers clues that an entity known as the Quiet is pulling the strings of his life, leading him on a specific path for an unknown purpose, even saving him from death. The Imperial Library is the one place that might hold answers about what the Quiet is and what it wants with Hadrian, but only the Emperor himself can get Hadrian inside. And when Hadrian finds the answers he’s been looking for, he’s confronted with his most difficult choice yet. Ruocchio impresses with seamless worldbuilding, thought-provoking science, and heart-pounding battles. Readers will relish this. Agent: Shawna McCarthy; the McCarthy Agency (Aug.)