The Ashes of Worlds (Saga of Seven Suns) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: colonization initiative, faeros incarnate, verdani battleships, Chairman Wenceslas, Solar Navy, King Peter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The culminating volume in Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns weaves together the myriad storylines into a spectacular grand finale.


Galactic empires clash, elemental beings devastate whole planetary systems, and the factions of humanity are pitted against each other. Heroes rise and enemies make their last stands in the climax of an epic tale seven years in the making. The Saga of Seven Suns is one of the most colorful and spectacular science fiction epics of the last decade.

About the Author

Kevin J. Anderson has written 41 national bestsellers and has over 20 million books in print worldwide in thirty languages. He has been nominated for the Nebula Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the SFX Readers' Choice Award. Find out more about Kevin Anderson at www.wordfire.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316007579
• ISBN-13: 978-0316007573
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #317,481 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent End to an Excellent Science Fiction Series, June 22, 2008

By	Avid Reader (Willow Springs, MO United States) - See all my reviews

I am a softy for grand space opera. Of course, I'll read most forms of science fiction but I love the kind of science fictions that spans galaxies and feature strange alien races and grand space battles. Kevin J. Anderson's seven-book epic, science fiction series, The Saga of the Seven Suns, fits all those criteria. I have been enthralled by this series since the first book, Hidden Empire, was published in 2002. I have to give credit to Anderson for creating an interesting universe with intriguing concepts and mostly original alien races. No, the series wasn't always perfect, but it's fun and exciting, and best of all they are the kind of books you can't put down until you've read the last word.

The book arrived on my doorstep Friday and I finished it by Saturday night. I have to give Anderson credit for creating one hell of a good story in Ashes. Of course, like any good final volume, Anderson ties up all the loose ends, but he puts our heroes through a lot along the way, but in the end we get the satisfaction we've been waiting for throughout seven books. If you're not reading The Saga of the Seven Suns you're missing one hell of a great science fiction series and one hell of a rollicking good time.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Final Chapter, October 3, 2008

By	Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Ashes of Worlds (2008) is the seventh SF novel in the Saga of Seven Suns series, following Metal Swarm. In the previous novel, the hydrogues were defeated in a great battle in the Sol System and then bottled up in their gas giant planets. The EDF and Idiran navies were greatly depleted in the final battle.

King Peter and Queen Estarra escaped from Earth during the battle and fled to Theroc. There they declared a new unified government for humanity: the Confederation. With the Therons, the Roamer clans and orphaned Hansa colonies joining the Confederation, the Terran Hanseatic League became even more isolated.

Rusa'h -- the Faeros Incarnate -- attacked certain green priests through their telink/thism pathways and converted them to carriers of the faeros. The flaming green priest set the world forests on fire. Soon, the verdani treeships were under attack.

Chairman Basil Wenceslas had Admiral Deinte intercept Mage-Imperator Jora'h in midspace and escort his ships to Luna. Jora'h and his retinue were placed in suites within the moonbase. Basil visited Jora'h on the moon and declared him to be a "guest" of the Hansa.

In this novel, Admiral Sheila Willis takes her ships to Theroc to turn them over to the Confederation. Approaching the planet, she notices pandemonium among the ships in orbit. Apparently the planet is under attack, but by whom?

Admiral Willis soon sets up relays of her smaller ships to dump water on the flames. The faeros fight back and the water dumps are performed from higher attitudes. The treeships pull up the fully engulfed trees and dump them into a black hole. Finally, the fires die out, but large expanses of land have been reduced to ashes.

General Laymon raids the Roamer skymines at Golgen. They are totally unprepared and the EDF captures enough ekti to keep their ships operating for months. They also plant pingers on the escaping cargo escorts.

Chairman Wenceslas has been withdrawing within himself, blaming other people for his troubles. If they would only do exactly what he tells them to do, everything would be just fine. When they fail him, Basil arranges various degrees of punishment.

The Mage-Imperator is growing more desperate as the faeros kill his people. He tries talking to the Hansa Chairman, but Basil has some conditions. Jora'h must repudiate King Peter and the Confederacy or the EDF will not allow him to return to Ildira.

In this story, Chairman Wenceslas is approached by Sirix's compies offering to trade repaired EDF ships for newly constructed Klikiss robots. Basil makes a deal with Sirix, but asks for certain other repairs. Naturally, both parties expect to betray the other.

The Chairman is having problems with the Archfather of Unison. The supreme pontiff of the Hansa state religion has been growing more reluctant to give speeches approving of the Klikiss robots. When he complains to the Chairman, Basil allows him to prepare a speech of his own devising. Then the Archfather is blown apart by a bolt of energy out of the sky in full view of the video audience.

General Laymon is also having problems. When he raids the Osquivel shipyards, the Roamer ships give his ships a warm reception. Then Admiral Willis brings her ships out against his and Laymon flees back to Earth.

The Klikiss are swarming and warring against each other. They are also retaking their former planets and killing off many human colonists. The swarm on Llaro, however, is infused with the personality of Devlan, who tries to protect the humans.

The Roamers are changing their strategy toward the Hansa. They are beginning to develop warships of their own and using them against EDF raiders. They are also developing weapons to use against the faeros and the Klikiss.

This tale is the final volume in the series. It is just as crowded with characters, places and events as the previous six books. Even more characters are terminated in this novel. The conclusion is rather pat, but fits into the ambiance of this series.

Recommended for Anderson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of epic space opera, alien societies, and human folly.

-Arthur W. Jordin

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding finish to the Saga, July 4, 2008

By	Coldeagle (San Diego) - See all my reviews

I've been a fan of KJA since the 90's, and despite cursing his name for a couple of weeks after each installment of the Saga (I really hate cliff hangers!) I was enormously pleased with the way that this book turned out. It ties up almost every loose end (I found one, but it was minor). If you've been a fan of the Saga, then you'll defiantly love this final installment.

You will also be glad to hear that KJA is considering doing further writing in this universe at a later time too.