Howling Dark: The Sun Eater: Book Two

Like Empire of Silence, this is one thick ass book. A highly verbose book but well worth the read. Unlike Empire of Silence, this book is much better (I did like EoS). Lots more action, lots more of space opera politics, plots within plots, prophecies, etc. The last 200, or so pages are jammed packed with action and really brought the book alive. I saw LOTS of inspiration from Dune and Star Wars, almost too much on the nose. Did I mind that, a little if I’m honest - however it doesn’t reflect my review of the book. I understand stories can be retold in different ways with some same source materials. Like my review of EoS, I’ll need to take a break from such a dense book, however it’ll be shorter one than two months because I want to know what happens next.

This review was difficult to write! I had to take some time to piece my thoughts together after finishing Howling Dark, and honestly I'm still not sure if I've completely decided how I feel. Ultimately, I think determining the strength of a sequel can be answered by asking: "does this story deliver on the promises of the original?" And while there is much to like about Howling Dark (and some stuff to like, uh, less), I'm not convinced it does. I LOVED Empire of Silence. I adored the dazzling, far-flung future world it created, and all the carefully crafted empires and societies and cultures it introduced. The blend of military sci-fi and fantasy was fascinating, and the omniscient narrator teasing out how the story would conclude (while still maintaining a level of suspense) made it really unique. Hadrian was a bit of a bland main character, but certainly not objectionable, and anyway, there were dozens of colorful and intriguing side characters to balance him out. However, in many ways, Empire of Silence was a long (800 pages!) introduction to the Sun Eater saga, rather then a story in and of itself. It was in some ways, a long, glorified prologue. Which is not to say that things didn't happen! There was a lot going on in that book, but once I got to the end where Had and his friends went off to find Vorgossos I realized that the whole story had just been a lead-up to the beginning of a greater, grander story the author was going to tell. Which is 100% understandable in the first book of a series, especially one so tightly packed with world-building and political machinations. I was eager for the second book to take over and fully push us into the story of Hadrian Marlowe. And it...kind of does? In some ways? But when I finished Howling Dark I had this irritated moment of deja vu...because in many ways Howling Dark does the same thing Empire of Silence does. It ALSO feels like the beginning to a larger, grander story. And you can't really do that more then once! At almost 700 pages, Howling Dark didn't really have an excuse for being as empty on plot as it was. It was an engaging read for sure, and yes ~things happened~ but the plot can actually be boiled down to a sentence or two. Hadrian finds Vorgossos, and fails miserably at diplomacy (several times!). There's some interesting, if confusing, stuff going on with the Quiet, the Mericanii machines, this organism called the Deep, and the web of connections and unclear allegiances that link them all together. The stuff with the Quiet kind of exemplifies how I feel about Howling Dark as a whole: it's really interesting, but unnecessarily drawn out, and ends up feeling like a teaser for something more that'll happen...eventually. I get the sense that this author wants to make this series into a sprawling, long saga, but it ends up feeling like he's plugging filler in order to do so. I don't want to get too down on this book. It did have a lot going for it, Hadrian ends up sharpening into a more distinct, and memorable character - and you finally get the sense why he's reviled as a monster, since he does some genuinely monstrous things for believable reasons in this book. It's rare that authors push their characters into morally reprehensible territory (unless they're a cliched anti-hero or grimdark "protagonist" from the get-go), so it was refreshing to see Hadrian's "who you are in the dark" moments. He also doesn't shy away from making sure there are real and tangible consequences for Hadrian's actions, and isn't afraid to make Had lose or injure him (physically or emotionally). This helps keep the plot grounded (important, considering the fantasy element is becoming more showcased!), and makes any "happy" or bittersweet endings feel appropriately deserved. Valka becomes more likable in this book, although the cast of secondary characters don't have as much to do. The gladiators in particular get side-lined, and while they're in the book often, they rarely have much to do. Bassander Lin is terrific as a nuanced antagonistic presence for Hadrian, and he's probably the most well-developed side character in Howling Dark. The Exalted, Kharn Sagara, the Ceilcin, and the machine gods that lurk underground are also compelling, but Howling Dark is more interesting in introducing these characters then really digging too deeply into them (Kharn Sagara being the possible exception). Ultimately, Howling Dark was a perfectly enjoyable story, but left me feeling more disappointed then excited. I don't think it succeeded at delivering a satisfying follow-up to Empire of Silence - instead, it functioned more as another prelude to the larger story that's teased at. I'll keep reading this series, but I really hope the next story turns around and actually fulfills the promises of it's predecessors.

Below is my review of the first book in the series after I've read first 3 books, now 5. I love the Sun Eater, it's at least 3rd in my all time chart. Or second, depending how it ends. Writing this for the 3-book (Update: now 5) series as a whole - it is by far one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read, and I've been reading sf since I turned 10. Yes, it's Dune-ish (shields, Ai banned and technology controlled, sword-fight, what not). Yes, the Hadrian was stupid at 20. Yes, there is plenty of unbelievable in the book(s). But it is insanely good and for once there is no great hero that ends up on a honeymoon with his beloved. Or may be he did? That's the thing, Ruocchio doesn't spill the story for us, he creates a web and shows us where the fly hit a few times before it finally got stuck. And the prose... it's beautiful. The small and not so small references, the magnitude of the world-building, everything works well. I can only compare it to Dune and Red Rising in terms of character development, but where Paul never wanted it and Darrow simply had to burn it, Hadrian manages to stay perfectly egoistical even in his altruism, and there is plenty of it. So it is different and beg reading about it. P.S. calling it coming to age is as much of an insult as throwing the same about any one of these two other characters I mentioned. Go read the Hunger Games and their lot of -ish brownwater if you want that.

In his second book mister Ruocchio does not let us down. Masterfully using influences and references from other classic space sagas, Ruocchio builds a vast and diverse universe that feels real and alive. His protagonist, Hadrian, also shines without being overpower. In fact, on the very contrary, we met a young hadrian that now turned adult and he's a very interesting human being, with flaws and strenghts just like, well, a real person. All in all, that's what this book feels like: Awesome. Let's not forget that the presence of Highmatter swords in this bookgives it exactly the spice it needs.

good book

Pace really starts in the 2nd book in the series, loved it

Allez on démarre un bon bout de temps après les événements du premier tome et on va en prendre plein les mirettes à se demander ce que l'auteur nous réserve pour les tomes suivants. Le premier tome était vraiment bien, j'ai tant aimé que j'ai directement attaqué ce tome que j'ai tellement aimé que j'ai acheté tous les suivants. Est-ce que comme la légende le dit ce tome est meilleur que le précédent et moins bien que le suivant? Je ne peux attester que d'une chose, c'est mieux que le précédent. Et le tome 3 commence sur les chapeaux de roue. Alors nous retrouvons Hadrian et entre temps il a accompli des exploits et on en apprend un peu au fil de l'histoire. Son objectif: eh bien toujours retrouver les Cielcin, un peuple alien en guerre avec les humains. Et faire la paix avec eux mais ça ne va pas aller de soi. Déjà il faut les trouver et avec eux une sorte d'endroit pirate. De la même manière que dans le tome précédent, on a des petites lenteurs qui permettent de placer les personnages. On retrouve pas mal de nos personnages préférés du tome précédent comme Valka, Switch ou Pallino. On en découvre de nouveaux. A partir d'un certain point, l'action déborde de partout et c'est juste génial. De une, l'auteur intègre encore plus de références à l'antiquité et il s'y connaît vraiment beaucoup. De deux, la portée du monde créé augmente encore un peu. De trois, c'est juste très distrayant. On est dans un mélange de récit historique, de fantastique et de science fiction. C'est curieux mais j'adhère et j'adore. Une de mes meilleures lectures de 2023.

What can I say about this book, EASILY one of my top 5 reads ever. This book introduces you to some mind blowing challenges and changes that Hadrian faces. The "ah hah" moment for me was when I come to find out who is on the cover of the book. Super cool story and lots of Sci-fi goodies. Pacing was great for the book.