Empire of Silence (Sun Eater)

Tak! reviewed Empire of Silence (Sun Eater) by Christopher Ruocchio

Empire of Silence

3 stars

This is a book that isn't ashamed to show its influences - Interstellar space empire where magic shield belt technology has obsoleted guns in favor of knives and swords - "Highmatter swords" whose blades cut effortlessly through anything except each other, and whose blades can be summoned and dismissed from the hilt - Interstellar space empire that has regressed to feudalism, with the state religion taking a dominant role

There's some interesting stuff here, but there are also a lot of tired tropes. Every woman's appearance is described exhaustively. Every woman is either a love interest or an unfeminine drudge. The hereditary ruler scorns his intelligent, educated, hardworking son in favor of his other son who's a loutish brute.

It also has start-of-a-series syndrome - there's a lot of exposition and things started up, but hardly anything is concluded or resolved.

I don't know, I'm reading the next one, but

The Bard in Green reviewed Empire of Silence (Sun Eater) by Christopher Ruocchio

Like a band riffing on all the songs you love, and doing it well.

5 stars

The Suneater books by Christopher Roucchio are probably the series I most look forward to new releases of. It’s a little bit thematically similar to Red Rising (but not as YA) in the sense that both series are

1) Narrated in the first person by a Great Man (in the Theory of History) sense who is really just a confused and wounded boy swept up in the tide of history.

2) Both feature space empires openly inspired by Imperial Rome.

3) Both of said space empires are ruled by a genetically modified ruling caste.

4) Graphic violence and cheapness of human life are central themes.

5) Both authors are prone to poetic prose and waxing philosophically about the human condition.

All that is to say, if you liked one you’ll probably like the other, but something else to keep in mind about Suneater is that the whole series is a …

The Suneater books by Christopher Roucchio are probably the series I most look forward to new releases of. It’s a little bit thematically similar to Red Rising (but not as YA) in the sense that both series are

1) Narrated in the first person by a Great Man (in the Theory of History) sense who is really just a confused and wounded boy swept up in the tide of history.

2) Both feature space empires openly inspired by Imperial Rome.

3) Both of said space empires are ruled by a genetically modified ruling caste.

4) Graphic violence and cheapness of human life are central themes.

5) Both authors are prone to poetic prose and waxing philosophically about the human condition.

All that is to say, if you liked one you’ll probably like the other, but something else to keep in mind about Suneater is that the whole series is a homage to Science Fiction and a bunch of other stuff. No, really, one of coolest parts of the first book is inspired by an obscure J Pop song by Maya Sakamoto and makes reference to the lyrics throughout in various different ways. Roucchio even admits as much. Everything is inspired by something, to the point that at the very beginning it feels obnoxiously derivative of Dune and Star Wars (push through this, it’s common for people to get frustrated in the first couple chapters of the first book). It’s not a rip off if you manage to make it a tribute and I feel like Roucchio ultimately succeeds at this.

Jan B reviewed Empire of Silence (Sun Eater) by Christopher Ruocchio

Spoiled brats unspoiled, a true story

4 stars

A solid "I grew up at my father's estate surrounded by tutors and yet, chose to ditch the privilege and mingle with commoners in pursuit of galactic scale something while being a good person" kind of book.

Ithildin reviewed Empire of Silence (Sun Eater) by Christopher Ruocchio

Review of 'Empire of Silence (Sun Eater)' on 'Storygraph'

No rating

Way too many descriptive blocks that don’t drive the story or characters. Also, seemed extremely derivative of Dune.

Eoghain

rated it

Nov. 21, 2022

brzy

rated it

Sept. 30, 2022