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The Lesser Devil

The Lesser Devil
The Lesser Devil Original Cover
Cover art by Peter Ruocchio
First Released
April 14, 2020
Publisher
Highmatter Books
Cover Artist
Peter Ruocchio
Word Count
59,000
Series
Sun Eater, Book 1.1
Precedes
Howling Dark
The Lesser Devil
The Lesser Devil Original Cover
Cover art by Peter Ruocchio
First Released
April 14, 2020
Publisher
Highmatter Books
Cover Artist
Peter Ruocchio
Word Count
59,000
Series
Sun Eater, Book 1.1
Precedes
Howling Dark

For my brothers, Matthew and Andrew. I'll say it just this once: I love you both.

The Lesser Devil dedication

The Lesser Devil is the first novella in the Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. It tells the story of Crispin Marlowe and his first encounter with an ancient cult living in the mountains of Delos. A tale of legacy, leadership, and treachery, it was first published by Highmatter Books (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing) on April 14, 2020. The events of The Lesser Devil are preceded by Empire of Silence and followed by Howling Dark.

Full The Lesser Devil spoliers below, proceed with caution.

Synopsis

Can the youngest son of a noble house save his family from a plot generations in the making?

Crispin Marlowe grew up in his brother’s shadow, but Hadrian is gone, and his grandmother—the duchess of Delos—is dying.

Answering her summons, Crispin takes off on what should be a routine flight to the ducal palace from the castle at Devil’s Rest. But he is flying into a trap. There are whispers of treachery among the duchess’s many daughters, rumors of hidden knives in the planet’s court . . . if he can even make it there.

With no one coming to save him and only his sister, Sabine, and a few injured guardsmen to protect him, House Marlowe’s least famous son must make his heroic stand, and contend not only the foes arrayed against his house, but with the cultists who dwell in the mountains above his family’s ancestral home . . .

— Synopsis from Highmatter Books

Summary

For a chapter by chapter summary, see Chapter Summaries (The Lesser Devil).

Pending Summary Information

Broadly summarize the book here. It should be no more than a few paragraphs.

Publications

Print and Ebooks

Edition Cover Publisher Cover Artist Interior Artist Format Pages Dimensions (MM) ISBN-13 Publication Date Notes
US Edition The Lesser Devil Original Cover Highmatter Books (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing) Peter Ruocchio N/A Ebook 205 N/A B0852RDGDH (ASIN) April 14, 2020 Hardcover edition with reworked text and updated cover art in development, anticipated in AD 2026.
Trade Paperback 203 156 x 227 9798617354135 April 14, 2020
Anderida Books Special Edition The Lesser Devil Anderida Edition Planet 9 Press Kieran Yanner N/A Signed Hardcover 459 143 x 223 9781838406387 September 24, 2024 Contains the Short Stories from Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 1.

Second printing (not numbered/lettered) published as part of a three-volume collection along with Queen Amid Ashes and Other Stories and The Dregs of Empire and Other Stories. A limited number of slipcases were offered for the set.

Signed and Limited Edition; 500 Numbered / 52 Lettered. Lettered edition features textless cover art.
Signed Numbered Edition 459 143 x 223 9781838406301 September 21, 2021
Signed Lettered Edition 459 143 x 223 N/A September 21, 2021

Audiobooks

Publisher Narrator Runtime Format ISBN-13 Publication Date Notes
Recorded Books Samuel Roukin 5h 46m Unabridged 9781980083153 April 14, 2020
The Lesser Devil | Nov Belgaer - The Sun Eater Wiki