"O lucky, lucky readers. Catherine Asaro adds another glittering gem to her Skolian collection with Ascendant Sun, the continuing adventures of Kelric, the Last Hawk, after his return from the isolated planet of Coba. Skolia, however, is very different after the Radiance conflict, and the rest of his family is either dead or imprisoned. In fact, it really isn't safe to admit his true identity, so to earn money to repair his medical modifications he takes a job with a space merchant trying to make a deal with the equally disarrayed Trader empire. />

"But when the worst happens, he finds a golden opportunity to change the course of the future--if only he can survive long enough.

"Ms. Asaro continues to grow in both depth and complexity, seamlessly integrating characterization, plot, and scientific conjecture into elegantly developed concepts that both challenge the mind and please the heart. Another knockout display of superlative storytelling!

"Thank you so much for such a glorious read."--Romantic Times

Ascendant Sun is the direct sequel to The Last Hawk, in which Kelric, heir to the Skolian Empire, crash-landed his fighter on the Restricted planet of Coba. He was imprisoned by the powerful mistresses of the great estates--women who, over time, fell in love with him. After 18 years of living in their gilded cage, Kelric finally made his escape.

In Ascendant Sun, Kelric returns to Skolian space, only to find the Empire in control of the Allied forces of Earth. With little more than the clothes on his back, Kelric is forced to take work on a merchant vessel. But when that vessel enters Euban space, Kelric finds his worst nightmare realized: he becomes a slave to the cruel Aristos--humans who use torture and sex as the ultimate aphrodesiac.