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Christopher Ruocchio
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Christopher Ruocchio is an American author of science fiction and fantasy novels. He is best known for The Sun Eater series, the first of which earned him the 2019 Manly Wade Wellman Award. The second book in the series, Howling Dark, was nominated for a 2020 Dragon Award. He is a former assistant editor at Baen Books and has co-edited four genre anthologies.
Key Information
Biography
[edit]Christopher Ruocchio was born in North Carolina in the United States.[1] He is Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools until high school.[1] He attended North Carolina State University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in English rhetoric and minored in classics.[1][2] He has cited the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Gene Wolfe, Robert E. Howard, Frank Herbert, Dan Simmons, Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, H.P. Lovecraft, Lois McMaster Bujold, as well as the original Star Wars trilogy, as influences.[3] He became an assistant editor at Baen Books in 2015.[2][3] His first published work was "Not Made for Us", published in March 2018 in the Star Destroyers anthology he co-edited with Tony Daniel.[4]
His first novel, Empire of Silence, was published by DAW Books in July that same year.[5] Ruocchio won the 2019 Manly Wade Wellman Award for Empire. His second anthology, Space Pioneers (co-edited with Hank Davis), was released by Baen that year in November. It included one of his short stories, "The Parliament of Owls". The second book in his Sun Eater series, Howling Dark, was released in July 2019.[6] It was nominated for a 2020 Dragon Award for Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel.[7][8]
Ruocchio self-published a novella, The Lesser Devil, in his Sun Eater series in February 2020. The anthologies Overruled! and Cosmic Corsairs, both co-edited with Hank Davis, were released by Baen Books in 2020. The third book in the Sun Eater series, Demon in White, was released by DAW Books that same year.[9] A Thor story he authored appeared in Avengers #750 in November 2021.
In 2025, following the completion of the Sun Eater series, Ruocchio announced The Doomsong Saga, a Mediterranean-inspired fantasy epic set in a Bronze Age–influenced world. Its first installment, The Godstained House, is scheduled for release in 2027.[10]
He is married and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.[11]
Bibliography
[edit]Sun Eater
[edit]The series, a blend of space opera and epic fantasy, is set 20,000 years into our future.
- Empire of Silence (July 2018, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0-7564-1300-2)
- Howling Dark (July 2019, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0-7564-1303-3)
- Demon in White (July 2020, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0-7564-1306-4)
- Kingdoms of Death (March 2022, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0-7564-1309-5)
- Ashes of Man (December 2022, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0-7564-1660-7)
- Disquiet Gods (April 2024, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1982193324)
- Shadows Upon Time (November 2025, DAW Books, ISBN 978-0756420017)
Other works set in this universe:
- The Lesser Devil (#1.5, novella, February 2020, Ruocchio Ventures, ISBN 979-861735413-5)
- Queen amid Ashes (#2.5, novella, December 2021, Baen Books, in Sword & Planet, ISBN 978-1982125783)
- Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 1 (#2.6, short story collection, April 2021, Ruocchio Ventures, ASIN B092STL2NW)
- Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 (#3.5, short story collection, June 2022, Ruocchio Ventures, ASIN B09X3BJ2LP)
- Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 3 (#5.5, short story collection, September 2023, Ruocchio Ventures, ASIN B0CGVJS91D)
- The Dregs of Empire (#5.6, novel, November 2023, Ruocchio Ventures, ISBN 979-8871712597)
- Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 4 (#5.7, short story collection, July 2025, Ruocchio Ventures, ASIN B0F83V8TZY)
Short fiction in this universe
- "Not Made for Us" in Star Destroyers (March 2018)
- "The Parliament of Owls" in Space Pioneers (November 2018)
- "The Demons of Arae" in Parallel Worlds: The Heroes Within edited by L. J. Hachmeister and R.R. Virdi (October 2019, Source 7, ISBN 978-1-69839-186-1)
- "Kill the King" in The Dogs of God: Science Fiction According to Chris edited by Chris Kennedy (February 2020, Theogony Books, ISBN 978-1-950420-96-4)
- "Victim of Changes" in Overruled! (April 2020)
- "The Night Captain" in Cosmic Corsairs (August 2020)
- "Good Intentions" in Shapers of Worlds edited by Edward Willett (September 2020, Shadowpaw Press)
Adaman short stories
[edit]The Adaman short stories are inspired by Sword and Sorcery
- The Barrow King, published in Galaxy Science Fiction (August 2024)
- Shrine of the Lost Stars, available via Ruocchio's Patreon (September 2024)
- The Pilgrim Road, available via Ruocchio's Patreon (April 2025)
Other short fiction
[edit]- "The Two Worthies", a Thor story in Avengers #750 (November 2021, Marvel Comics, art by Steve McNiven)[12][13]
As editor
[edit]- Star Destroyers, co-edited with Tony Daniel (March 2018, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-4814-8309-4)
- Space Pioneers, co-edited with Hank Davis (November 2018, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-4814-8360-5)
- Overruled!, co-edited with Hank Davis (April 2020, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-982124-50-2)
- Cosmic Corsairs, co-edited with Hank Davis (August 2020, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-982124-78-6)
- Sword & Planet (December 2021, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-982125783)
- Time Troopers, co-edited with Hank Davis (April 2022, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-982126-03-2)
- Worlds Long Lost, co-edited with Sean CW Korsgaard (December 2022, Baen Books, ISBN 978-1-982192303)
Reception
[edit]Ruocchio's writing in his first novel, Empire of Silence, was described as "promising and ambitious", but with "occasionally heavy-handed detail" by Locus reviewer Carolyn Cushman.[5] Rob H. Bedford of SFFWorld described it as "remarkably page-turning", and Ruocchio's writing as "nuanced at times, magnetic to the reader's eyes", going on to state that "the narration felt earned and genuine".[14] Bedford compared the book to Frank Herbert's Dune, The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, stating that "[t]his just might be the most impressive SFF debut novel of 2018".[14] The novel garnered the 2019 Manly Wade Wellman Award for Ruocchio.[15][16]
Barnes & Noble included Howling Dark as one of their best science fiction and fantasy books for July 2019, describing it as "space opera at its most riveting and grandiose".[6] Publishers Weekly described Ruocchio's writing in Demon in White as having "seamless worldbuilding, thought-provoking science, and heart-pounding battles".[17] Stephen Hubbard of Book Reporter described the writing as "exquisite...epic-level storytelling" and "a powerful tour de force that stands head and shoulders above its two deftly crafted predecessors".[9] The reviewer also stated that "no one is delivering better science fiction than Christopher Ruocchio".[9]
Awards and honors
[edit]Ruocchio has been nominated for the following awards.
| Year | Organization | Award title, category | Work | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation | Manly Wade Wellman Award | Empire of Silence | Won | [15][16] |
| 2020 | Dragon Con | Dragon Award, Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel | Howling Dark | Nominated | [7][8] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Episode 29: Christopher Ruocchio". The Worldshapers Podcast. July 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ a b "About the author". Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b "Interview with Christopher Ruocchio". Civilian Reader. July 2, 2018. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ "Publication: Star Destroyers". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. March 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Cushman, Carolyn (December 11, 2018). "Carolyn Cushman Reviews Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine and Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio". Locus. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Somers, Jeff (July 1, 2019). "The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of July 2019". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b "2020 Dragon Award". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b "2020 Dragon Awards Winners". Locus. September 8, 2020. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ a b c Hubbard, Stephen (August 14, 2020). "Demon in White: The Sun Eater, Book Three". BookReporter. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ https://www.highmatterbooks.com/fantasy
- ^ "Christopher Ruocchio". Simon and Schuster. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Arrant, Chris (August 16, 2021). "Sun-Eater novelist Christopher Ruocchio signs Marvel deal for Thor". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ Dominguez, Noah (August 17, 2021). "Marvel Celebrates Avengers #750 With a Massive Anniversary Issue". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Bedford, Rob H. (July 10, 2018). "Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio (The Sun Eater #1)". SFFWorld. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b "Winner of the 2019 Manly Wade Wellman Award". North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation. July 15, 2019. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Glyer, Mike (July 15, 2019). "2019 Manly Wade Wellman Award". File 770. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ "Demon in White". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
External links
[edit]Christopher Ruocchio
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Education
Childhood and Upbringing
Christopher Ruocchio was born on March 29, 1993, in Raleigh, North Carolina.[12] Raised in a Roman Catholic household, he grew up in an environment that emphasized faith and moral inquiry, which later informed his philosophical and religious perspectives.[13] His family life in this devout setting encouraged intellectual curiosity and creative expression from an early age, fostering a foundation for his lifelong engagement with literature and ideas.[13] Ruocchio attended Catholic schools through high school, an experience that deeply shaped his worldview by integrating religious teachings with classical education.[13] This upbringing instilled a strong sense of tradition and ethics, influencing the thematic depth in his later works. At around age eight, he began writing, initially transcribing imaginative play sessions with friends into stories, sparked by his early immersion in science fiction and fantasy literature.[14] These formative readings, encountered during his childhood, ignited his passion for speculative genres and prompted him to envision himself as a storyteller.[15] The family home in Raleigh, North Carolina, served as the backdrop for these early pursuits, where Ruocchio developed his creative habits amid a supportive Catholic milieu. Following high school, he transitioned to formal education at North Carolina State University.[14]Academic Background
Ruocchio attended Catholic schools through much of his youth, including an extension into high school, where the curriculum emphasized humanities and bridged his early childhood reading habits—shaped by his Catholic upbringing—with more formal academic pursuits.[13] He continued his education at North Carolina State University, graduating in 2015 with bachelor's degrees in English rhetoric and classics.[16] His studies focused on the art of persuasive communication, exploring how language constructs arguments and narratives.[16] This interdisciplinary training provided a deep foundation in historical and philosophical texts, enriching his understanding of human experience across cultures and eras.[14] The rhetoric curriculum proved particularly influential on his development as a writer, highlighting the mechanics of storytelling and argumentation that underpin effective prose. Ruocchio has noted that these principles enhanced his creative writing, particularly in crafting compelling character voices and plot structures.[13]Professional Career
Editorial Roles
Christopher Ruocchio began his editorial career at Baen Books in 2015 as a junior editor, where he was responsible for reviewing manuscripts and contributing to the acquisition process for new titles.[17] In this role, he evaluated submissions in science fiction and fantasy, helping to shape the publisher's catalog by identifying promising works that aligned with Baen's editorial vision.[14] Ruocchio played a key part in curating and editing multiple anthologies, overseeing the solicitation and selection of short fiction submissions in these genres. His efforts focused on assembling cohesive collections that highlighted innovative storytelling, often drawing from a pool of submissions to ensure thematic consistency and quality. Through this work, he collaborated closely with established authors, facilitating contributions that enriched Baen's publications and broadened the scope of anthology projects.[14][18] His editorial contributions had a notable impact on Baen Books' output in space opera and military science fiction, genres central to the publisher's identity, by championing stories that emphasized grand-scale conflicts, technological innovation, and heroic narratives.[19] Ruocchio advanced to handling more substantive editorial duties during his tenure, which lasted until mid-2021 when he transitioned to full-time writing, though he continued to edit anthologies for Baen on a project basis until 2022, including his final one, Worlds Long Lost (2022).[20][21] Ruocchio has noted that his editorial experience informed his own writing process, providing insights into narrative structure and market demands.[14]Writing Beginnings
Christopher Ruocchio's entry into professional writing began with his first published short story, "Not Made for Us," which appeared in March 2018 in the anthology Star Destroyers, co-edited by Ruocchio and Tony Daniel for Baen Books.[22] This tale, set in the universe of his later Sun Eater series, marked his debut as a fiction author and showcased his early ability to craft action-driven narratives within a expansive sci-fi framework.[23] His experience as an assistant editor at Baen Books, where he interned starting in 2015, provided valuable insights into the publishing process that facilitated his submissions.[24] Ruocchio's breakthrough came with the sale of his debut novel, Empire of Silence, to DAW Books at the age of 22, following earlier drafts composed during his time at North Carolina State University.[1] The novel, published in July 2018 as the opening installment of the Sun Eater series, established his voice through a blend of grand space opera traditions—drawing from influences like Frank Herbert's Dune and Lois McMaster Bujold's works—with philosophical depth inspired by classical literature such as Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare, as well as historical empires from Rome to Byzantium.[14] This fusion created a narrative style that emphasized introspective character arcs amid interstellar conflict, setting Ruocchio apart in the genre.[14] Upon release, Empire of Silence received strong initial acclaim for its ambitious scope and literary ambition, often praised as a "space opera epic fantasy" that evoked comparisons to Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun while innovating on familiar tropes.[25] The positive response, including endorsements from genre figures and solid sales, prompted DAW Books to expand the initial deal into a multi-book contract for the Sun Eater series, securing Ruocchio's position as a rising voice in science fiction.Bibliography
Sun Eater Series
The Sun Eater series is an epic space opera chronicling the life of Hadrian Marlowe, a noble-born protagonist who rises from a life of privilege to become a pivotal figure in humanity's interstellar conflicts, presented through a memoir-style narrative framed as his reflections from exile.[26] Blending science fiction with fantasy elements, the story unfolds in a far-future galaxy where the vast Sollan Empire wages a millennia-long war against the alien Cielcin, incorporating advanced technology, philosophical inquiries, and mythic undertones.[27] The series began publication with Empire of Silence in 2018, followed by Howling Dark in 2019, Demon in White in 2020, Kingdoms of Death in 2022, Ashes of Man in 2023, Disquiet Gods in 2024, and concluding with the final volume, Shadows Upon Time, scheduled for November 2025.[28][29] Published primarily by DAW Books in the United States, the novels form a continuous arc tracing Hadrian's transformation from reluctant heir to legendary antihero, marked by personal betrayals, gladiatorial trials, and galaxy-altering decisions.[26] Central to the series are themes of imperial decay, the ethics of artificial intelligence, and profound encounters with alien cultures, all woven into Hadrian's introspective recounting that questions the nature of heroism and monstrosity.[27] The narrative's unique memoir frame allows for nonlinear revelations and a sense of historical weight, drawing readers into a universe where human expansion collides with existential threats from both extraterrestrial foes and internal machinations.[26] The Sun Eater universe extends beyond the main novels through related works, including the novella The Lesser Devil (2020), which explores side characters during the Empire's political upheavals, and the short story collections comprising Tales of the Sun Eater (volumes published 2021–2023), featuring vignettes from various eras and perspectives within the saga.[30] The series has achieved international success, translated into five languages and distributed globally.[31]Short Fiction
Christopher Ruocchio has published several standalone short stories and the beginnings of the Adaman series, distinct from his Sun Eater universe, exploring fantasy, horror, and military science fiction in concise narratives. These works often feature lone protagonists navigating perilous worlds, blending sword-and-sorcery tropes with philosophical undertones.[32] The Adaman series, set in the grim world of Rök—a land of sorcery, warring kingdoms, and fading gods—follows Adaman, a solitary warrior, hunter, and exile driven by a personal vendetta. The inaugural story, "The Barrow King," depicts Adaman confronting ancient barrow-wights and moral dilemmas in a tale of vengeance and the supernatural, published in Galaxy Science Fiction in August 2024. This was followed by "Shrine of the Lost Stars" in September 2024, available exclusively through Ruocchio's Patreon, where Adaman delves into a haunted shrine amid themes of loss and forbidden knowledge, later reprinted in the anthology Swords & Larceny (Baen Books, September 2025).[33] The third installment, "The Pilgrim Road," released via Patreon in April 2025, portrays Adaman as a caravan guard facing bandits and eldritch threats on a treacherous journey, emphasizing isolation and survival in a decaying realm. The fourth story, "The Wages of Sin," was released via Patreon in August 2025. Ruocchio has indicated plans for additional Adaman stories, potentially expanding into a novel.[32][34] Beyond the Adaman series, Ruocchio's short fiction includes contributions to various anthologies and magazines, showcasing his versatility across genres. In Tomorrow's Troopers (Baen Books, 2024), his story "The Demons of Arae" examines powered armor in a military science fiction context, focusing on tactical horror during interstellar conflict. Earlier, "The Royal Game" appeared in Grimdark Magazine Issue #34 (April 2023), a dark science fiction piece involving intrigue, immortality experiments, and ethical quandaries in a dystopian regime.[35] These stories, often published in professional markets, underscore Ruocchio's ability to weave expansive world-building into brief narratives, drawing on his editorial experience for publication opportunities.[36]Edited Anthologies
Christopher Ruocchio served as an assistant editor at Baen Books from 2015 to mid-2021, during which he co-edited eight themed anthologies focused primarily on military science fiction, space opera, and speculative adventures, blending contributions from established authors like David Weber and Larry Correia with emerging talents such as Patrick Lundrigan and Alex Shvartsman.[37][38] These collections emphasized grand-scale narratives, technological speculation, and heroic exploits in interstellar settings, continuing Baen's tradition of accessible, action-oriented short fiction.[20] The anthologies Ruocchio edited include:- Star Destroyers (2018, co-edited with Tony Daniel), featuring stories of massive warships and their crews in epic space battles, including works by David Drake and Kacey Ezell.[22]
- Space Pioneers (2018, co-edited with Hank Davis), exploring humanity's expansion into the stars with tales of exploration and settlement by authors like Poul Anderson and Sarah A. Hoyt.[39]
- Overruled! (2020, co-edited with Hank Davis), delving into legal and judicial dilemmas in futuristic societies, with contributions from Robert Heinlein and Mercedes Lackey.[40]
- Cosmic Corsairs (2020, co-edited with Hank Davis), centered on space piracy and rogue adventurers, including stories by Larry Niven and Jody Lynn Nye.[41]
- World Breakers (2021, co-edited with Tony Daniel), inspired by Keith Laumer's Bolos series, showcasing gigantic war machines and their pilots in planetary conflicts by authors like Wen Spencer and Christopher Ruocchio.[42]
- Sword & Planet (2021), a solo-edited volume merging sword-and-sorcery tropes with planetary romance, featuring tales of knights and aliens by Tim Akers and Susan R. Matthews.[43]
- Time Troopers (2022, co-edited with Hank Davis), examining military operations across time and timelines, with classic reprints from Robert Silverberg alongside new stories by modern writers.[44]
- Worlds Long Lost (2022, co-edited with Sean C.W. Korsgaard), focusing on ancient alien artifacts and lost civilizations, including pieces by Orson Scott Card and Joelle Presby.[45]
