A MASTERFULLY Flawed Protagonist! 😈 ( Howling Dark Review )
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- čas přidán 13. 12. 2023
- My review of #Suneater's Howling Dark!
Check out the books here:
Empire of Silence (Book One):
bookshop.org/a/89948/97807564...
Howling Dark (Book Two):
bookshop.org/a/89948/97807564...
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merch: www.danielbgreene.com
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Hey Daniel,
So glad you dug Howling Dark--it's still my favorite child (excepting my actual child) in a lot of ways. I don't know if word has gotten to you, but between you and Petrik, you've gone and cleaned DAW out of Empire of Silence and Howling Dark already. They've had to go and reprint them both!
This is great. I am so glad for you. I have watched you talking with various book-tubers over the years but only a couple of days ago I started the Sun Eater series. Hadrian is just leaving off-world for the first time (I am around 1/5 of EoS). I am enjoying it.
@@tasosalexiadis7748 I'm so glad you're liking it! Thanks for reading!
@@SunEaterBooks Just keep writing, don’t pull a Martin on us :)
@@tasosalexiadis7748 I literally sent the final proofs for book 6 to the publisher an hour ago. Book 6 is done.
@@tasosalexiadis7748Roucchio is only like 30. And he has said that the ending of the series was where the story started. He has been building toward a very specific end that all of this is just the set up for.
"It could completely crash and burn in book 3." Well... book 3 is the best book in the series so far, so you don't have to worry about that happening. Honestly it get so good, you get to see so much, the universe is deepened, the strangeness turned up, and I cannot wait for you to get to it. Thank you for bringing more people to this gem of a series.
On Book 3 now and can confirm - it is even better. Will Books 4 and 5 drop off in quality (a la ASOIAF)? Quite possibly. But for now, MAH GOD IS THIS SERIES AMAZING.
@@tkinsey3 Books 4 and 5 on their own are not as good but that's only because Ruocchio's publisher had him split the original book 4.
IMO the story from 4-5 in one novel? Best in the series for sure. There's so much good shit happening.
@@regulah2125 So exactly like ASOIAF :P. Feast of Crows and Dance with Dragons were also written as one book.
@@tasosalexiadis7748 the split affects the books, but the pacing is not NEARLY as affected as in the last two ASOIAF books.
Book four though…
Hurts in the best way
HALFMORTAL HALFMORTAL HALFMORTAL
I love when Hadrian says that people says he's melodramatic. Bit of an understatement.
Switch's main problem was that he decided to do it on his own, instead of brainstorming with the crew,
they might've agreed with him and then it wouldn't have been so easy for Hadrian to just ostricize Switch, also the story gives the impression as if all the other crew members were 100% with Hadrian's opinion about how bad it was to call for the Empire, which is practically impossible in real life,
they just didn't know that communication was possible.
Finished up Howling Dark over the weekend and already just under halfway through Demon in White and man couldn’t agree more this series has jumped to potentially my personal all time favorite
GOD it feels good seeing big channels finally recognizing this masterpiece of a series.
Seeing how much Daniel loves the series so far and considering that the series gets better and better with each book just makes me so happy and excited to see his thoughts on the rest of the series.
Starting this sun eater series. Daniels excitement for this series is infectious!!
Glad you loved it, but I never doubted you would. I recommend reading at least Demons of Arae from Tales of the Sun Eater Vol. 1 and Queen Amid Ashes before you continue. After that, buckle up, because like I told Petrik, Demon in White is like 5 of the best books you've ever read in a single book.
I'm so thrilled you're enjoying this series!!! Book 3 is my absolute favorite, and I can't wait to hear what you think of it! Once you get caught up I hope you can have Christopher on for a nice long discussion 🙂
Thank you for getting me into this series :)
I'm so happy to see all these book reviews again. It's my favorite content from your channel.
I love the format of these reviews. I never would have put Suneater on my tbr without the nuanced perspective you're providing.
You've sold me instantly, going to go purchase the ebook when Im ready to read it.
Glad you're onto the Suneater series. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book and the February for the series reread leading up to it. Your video makes me want to start the reread now.
I flipping love this channel. The amount of amazing stuff I’ve read because of Daniel. Feels good to support all these amazing authors and their hard work too.
I love seeing how excited you are about this series so far. Sun Eater is one of my favorite sci fi series and it's a blast seeing you discover how amazing this series is.
Yay!!!! I've been waiting for this. That last scene with Switch absolutely replays in my heart omg. I'm on book 5 and it's still one of the most impactful moment. It was written so well
You're beginning to believe... Daniel, so excited to see how floored you'll become with the rest of the series. You're not prepared, but read you must.
Would love to see you and Christopher chatting in a video some time!
I love your reviews so much! The passion you have when you talk about a book you love always makes me want to go and pick them up. I’ve been introduced to so much different books that I would never have even looked at before. This is what BookTube is meant to be ❤
I’m here for this. I’m on book 3 now since the first review dropped.
The beginning of this review could be straight out of a Dan Carlin podcast, and I love it!
Great review and thoughts! The stuff with Switch is incredible. I just recently reread the book and it's so masterfully done. What is going to happen is all there on the page with Switch's reactions to things Hadrian does before it comes to a head. Man you're going to love Demon In White
Dude I'm loving the exposure this series is getting. I feel like a proud uncle for some reason lol
I am literally obsessed literally obsessed
Dude. I am halfway through book 3 and started after your video. I keep thinking, “how the hell is this one this much better”. God these are addictive. How can anyone think they are slow? I also wish they were longer.
The more I hear Dan talk about this, the more convinced I am that he would LOVE Worm, and so would other fans of this series
Absolutely loved this book, it had some of my favorite moments in sci-fi I have ever read. Glad you are enjoying it so far. Demon in White is at the same level or even more.
Welcome to The Red Company!
Daniel coming from such a different place than me reviewing these book is so interesting I cant wait to see his take on the common wealth
This is a great series so excited youve started it
Oh man what an awesome review! Totally agree on Ruocchio’s incredible command of the first person POV. I was right with you on hating Hadrian’s treatment of Switch, what an a-hole move.
I also didn’t love the first Act of this one and the handling of the time jump, but Kharn Segara was just absurdly compelling. I then really enjoyed Hadrian and Valka’s imprisonment, and the stuff at the end reached mind blowing territory.
Enjoy the next part of the journey!!
The second book is not only my favorite book in the series but also generally a favorite book of all time. I just loved that labyrinth so much and Hadrian's character development.
I can't wait to see your reviews for the rest of the books bc you talk so passionately about them and it makes me wanna re-read the series.
This books absolutely slaps, A+, 10/10 🔥 loved it!
This could end up being my favourite series, easily! Thanks for shining a light on it!
I cannot wait for your review of Demon in White and Kingdoms of Death. Those 2 are tied for my favourite book in the series. Absolutely incredible
I am 20% into Howling Dark so I'll come back to this video, but maaaaaan do I love it so far. Thanks for the recommendation, it's been a while since I've felt so many feekings about a book series
Daniel's description of Hadrien reminds me of Jorg Ancrath from Mark Lawrence's books, and it honestly just makes me want to read Sun Eater.
Beware, they are addictive. If I haven’t been at work or asleep this month, all I have done is read Sun Eater. The first book is good, but the second and third novel are just stupid good. I wanted to call in sick to work just to read book 3.
@katieamarsh Well dang, I guess that settles it. Going on my TBR.
Im so happy you are on the Suneater train. Its to bad you missed the Kickstarter.
From my read, I think some of the chemistry from Valka's side is that Hadrian's interested in and apparently connected to The Quiet, as that's really her beginning and continuing drive to stay with Hadrian romantically or not. She's very intellectually interested in The Quiet and I think she sees Hadrian as the power and drive to get her questions answered.
Agreed. I think she loves his curiosity and that he is so interested in her passion project. I think we all get a special bond when we meet people with our niche interests.
I am glad that you have returned to book reviews since you said you would a couple of videos ago.
This emanates a more genuine you
I had unsubscribed from you when your content switched to just feeding the masses.
Now that you are back, i have subscribed again
First off dude I’m so glad that you’re doing reviews again and that you’re enjoying Sun Eater! This is my fav book in the series for sure and honestly you don’t have to worry about them crashing cause they stay consistently great in my opinion. I can’t wait to hear your opinions going forward! I love hearing your ideas of what’s coming next
I am on page 1054 and I keep circling around a detail that is very important at this point in the story, but I don't know how to handle it.
SPOILER WARNINGS AHEAD:
Namely, it's about the slave girl made a qiati, a being without utility. Their hands (and feet) mutilated so they are completely dependent on their owners.
I read about something like this before, and I remember this specific detail vividly because it was so horrific of a thing to have done to a sentient being that it was seared into my brain. Specifically, in the book The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. From the wiki: "Eventually found by Supaari, Sandoz's hands are disfigured and rendered useless in a Jana'ata practice meant to convey the honor and privilege of being dependent on another, a mutilation analogous to the practice of foot binding."
From the actual book (trigger warning for horrible medical procedure and mutilation):
[...}"That was when he took you to see the ivy, the sta’aka?" John asked.
"Yes." For once, he did not have to explain. Sitting impassively, his mind drifted as John Candotti told the others about the hasta’akala. About the way the hands were made to look like the trailing branches of ivy, which grows on stronger plants, to symbolize and enforce dependence.
[...}HE REALIZED LATER that he’d gone into clinical shock about halfway through the destruction of his left hand. Over the next few days, he would come to himself at intervals, damp and cold and suffering from a thirst unlike anything he’d experienced previously.
[...]For a time, the heavy immobility of bloodlessness kept him from looking at what had been done. His hands felt clubbed, swollen and throbbing, but he could not lift his head to see them. Periodically, someone would come and exercise his fingers, stretching them flat. He had no idea why this was done. He knew only that the stretching was agony and, sobbing, begged for it to stop. His pleas were in Spanish and therefore unintelligible, but it wouldn’t have mattered if he had spoken a pure and perfect High K’San. They believed it was necessary to prevent contractures from spoiling the line of his fingers’ fall from the wrist. So they let him scream.
[...]When next he woke, his head was clear, and he was alone, unbound, in a sunlit room. With great effort, he got himself to a sitting position and looked at his hands for the first time. He had nothing left to react with, too weak even to wonder why it had been done.
[...]He walked to his place at the table and sat down, shaking with anger. When he spoke again, his voice was very soft, but he was obviously fighting rage, braced hands rigid in his lap, eyes on the table. "My position in the household of Supaari VaGayjur was that of a crippled dependent."
@DanielGreeneReviews I honestly don't know what to think of that. I know that it is difficult to be original telling anything, really. But the hands... specifically the hands are so similar, that it kinda feels lifted from Russell's book? And she published hers in 1996. It might just be an obscure sci-fi trope, I wasn't aware of prior, and maybe I just didn't read enough sci-fi to know about it... it just bothers me a bit, because The Sparrow along with the Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons is one of those books that stuck with me ever since I read them because of some of the vivid details in them and how both authors described the human condition. How both authors made me FEEL about humanity at large. And maybe Ruocchio did mention that he took inspiration from Russell and my bad if he did... but yeah, just wanted to point that out.
I spent more time looking into this, and I personally think that someone with Daniel’s level of following has a moral obligation to at least briefly note not just the “similarities” and “paying homage” to other books and authors but literal parts that have been lifted from other books that came before. It’s nice that the book resonates with so many people, but those people might want to know that some of the parts that resonate with them are actually somebody else’s original idea.
Reading other people posting comparisons of Sun Eater side by side other author’s works started to feel like the hbomberguy’s recent video essay on Somerton…
Look, I have only watched a single second but the moment I saw the thumbnail, having heard you talk about books for years and compared your thoughts and tastes to mine... lemme get my wallet out I need this book
Ruocchio's work is incredible! I'm currently reading Howling Dark and almost finished. What a ride.
Fantastic review Daniel. Sun Eater rules! Hope you can get Ruocchio on the channel around the time book 6 comes out.
Can’t wait to start this series after all the praises I’ve heard for it.
Okay, aight, your sheer enthusiasm got me, Danny boy. I left a like but ima opt out of the vid early and go listen to these books then come back see ya on the flip side
Sabia que tu ia gostar dessa saga. Uns meses atrás eu tinha te recomendado empire of silence em uma live tua. Vou pro segundo livro agora. Feliz por vc ta gostando, isso me motiva a continuar.
Such an amazing book. This was where it truly started to buffle me how huge both the world and the series are. Just the beginning - even if it is a similar formular to book 1, the Painted Man alone is such a cool character of whom I wanted to see much more.
And book 3 is even better. It's unreal to what places and events this series takes you.
Saving this. I'm 60% through book 2. I am really enjoying it so far. Such a good series
Damn that thumbnail got me. Still reading the first book.
Oh baby. It only gets better 😁😁
If anyone is into audiobooks, this series has one of the best vocal performances of any I’ve ever read. Please give it a go, book 1,1.5, and 2, are on the plus catalogue on audible so no need to use a credit
You and Petrik have me so hyped for this series. I think its Hilarious Murphy doubts her interest in this series. I can't wait to see her reaction to book 1.
This series is worth owning/reading for the incredible covers ALONE. The fact that the books are also amazing is just a bonus. Haha.
I'm so happy that you're enjoying Sun Eater, and I hope it's inspired some other readers to try the series out. It's some of the best scifi out there, if not the best.
I’m halfway through demon in white and I love it so much THANKS TO YOU
I too, just finished Howling Dark and promptly started Queen Amid Ashes. I agree with almost everything you said about Hadrian. However, one thing struck me as I read. Hadrian is basically a teenager amongst adults here. And like a teenager, he presumes to understand things he genuinely has no context for.
Like teenagers everywhere, his world is black and white with no room for nuance. He believes that he can end a war that has gone on for centuries without any regard for how or why it began or for what each side needs to end it. The war should end because he knows it's wrong and if he finds the right words each side will see it too. I commend Hadrian's idealism but I love Ruocchio for creating a world so vividly realistic that war could never end so easily.
Hi! I found your channel a few months ago, and I am really happy I did. I have read some of the books because of your suggestions and I really enjoyed them! Thank you!
Me about to put Sun Eater to the top of my tbr simply because of an impassioned recommendation from Daniel B Greene
Book 3 is by far my favorite in the series, it doesnt even come close to a crash a burn. This series is truly phenomenal. Glad youre loving it! Was a little sad you didnt mention much about a certain new character or that creature we meet (trying not to spoil lol).
Great video Daniel! I love how Ruocchio has managed to turn so many things that normally frustrate me in many not-so-well written books, and make them essential to the characters in these books. For example, I often hate when people make stupid decisions in books, not because of the stupid decision, but they very often don't seem to fit with the character that makes said decision. This has not been the case with Sun Eater for me. The bad decisions here feel very human, and it's refreshing to get to see reflection (although often also flawed, in a human way).
Maybe a bit spoilery:
Hadrians plot armor is also very central, and in upcoming books, you get to see that armor can come at a cost. Suffice to say, the ending paragraph, and especially the two ending sentences of each book changes meaning and tone throughout the series, even though the actual text remains the same.
Me personally, I don't think the relationship with Valka & Hadrian is rushed at all. Thinking on it, they have been on this mission together for what, 12-15 awake years? Much of that he was with Jinan I think, but his relationship with Valka was built over more than a decade of constantly working towards a mission together. Although we as a reader don't see that over time directly, I do think overall the relationship makes sense.
Like ur review videos!! 🎉
Ah the berserk callout, you're totally ready for the rest of the series
How I loved the hostage standoff scene and the absolute fuckery how that escalated and erased every progress that was made before.
I'm 35% in and this book is fantastic!! If I finish by the end of the month I think it will crack my Top 10. Great review Sir.
Love this series! Reading kingdoms of death right now 🤓
I like to think you read my comment in the past about your watch game and are just flexing now 🔥
Last year, i read 104 scifi books, and sun Eater is king of the lot. So happy You’ve found it, and share the joy of reading it with people. You convinced me to give the jade saga a chance with one of your videoes, and I really hope people get to read sun Eater because of these book reviews. Thank you man!
Could you give me a quick peek at the upper echelon, loving Sun Eater and a recent convert to SciFi
wow, isn't that like a book every 3 and a half days?
@@msid7748 something like that. I work as an animator, and draw alot, and i listen to autobooks while working, so thats how i got it done haha
@@bobfunkmeiser9506 depends on what you enjoy man. Loads of great books. Gene Wolfe inspired C.R, so if you enjoy the sun eater books then anything by gene wolfe should be a good read for you. A bit strange, but really well done. Other Easy recommendations are «the expance» «red rising» «hyperion» «jade saga» hmm Yeah start with any and or all of those
That wheel of time book looks good 1:17 btw im from the video where she made that 😉
Currently reading this!
Yo Greeny!! Great video boss! As a fellow fantasy fancier........I hope this isnt too sci-fi heavy!!!!
About halfway done with howling dark and it’s soo so good
Good thing i got into my 'Great Conquerors' books phase right now😂
Gotta add this one to Dune, Alexander, and Qin Shi Huang
I liked the ending. And the beginning. Vorgossos and Kaan Segara didn't quite live up to the hype for me but a solid book and I'm ready for #3
I started this because of your very enthusiastic recommendation and I didn't like the first book as much as you did but I liked it enough and trust you enough to continue
Now I just finished Howling Dark and wow, I'm all in, thank you for introducing me to this series
Great Review Daniel, Sun Eater is my favourite sci-fi series of all time. I compare the beginning of the Sun Eater books to a james bond film, always at the beginning James Bond is wrapping up his last mission and going onto the next. I like it but I can see why it bothers some people. Glad you picked up the series, looking forward to your future reviews of the series.
Happy to know you enjoyed the book tremendously. On a side note, i feel like Valka is attracted to Hadrian since Empire of Silence, given that both spents a lot of time together discussing things and Valka doesn't hang out with anyone. She's a proud person, so it may takes a while for her to comes to term with her feelings towards Hadrian
The halfmortal season reminds me of when Rand in WoT declared openly himself as the dragon, I think at the end of book 3?
i was waiting for this one. Glad the goblin delivered haha
I think when valka and hadrian were trapped in The cell in voregosos there was supposed to be a moment where she fell for him but I don't think the execution wasnt great. So I agree it was a little bit harder for me to understand why after all these years she's letting him out of the friend zone lol
I'm reading book one right now simply because of this channel. I wanted to try something new and this sounded really good. It is very DUNE inspired so far, I'm only a little ways into the book (Slow reader) but I have to say, even so, I really enjoy how he writes. And I love the size of the chapters. I'm interested, I want to know what happens to this character, the whole idea of starting off with this hook that he is the Sun Eater and destroys a star is just,... I WANT TO KNOW.
Anyway looking forward to being able to finish videos like this but I'm gonna stop here and hopefully read through this book and the next one, and the next one in some kind of timely fashion. Cheers man.
It just gets better and better
Hey Daniel! Would love vor you to check out "Elric of Melniboné". It's a Classic imo. Especially for Dark Fantasy.
What movie was that clip from? That was hilarious. Great review. I bought the audiobook and starting book 1 today.
It’s interesting for me to see the contrast of opinions when it comes to switch. Myself personally, and I do realize that this isn’t a good personality trait, felt almost no remorse or empathy for switch. Maybe it’s the environment I grew up in or some other aspect of my childhood trauma but I cannot and will not abide betrayal from a close friend, especially one of that magnitude. That being said, I can see and do concede that the cruelty with which Hardian handled the conflict was not the actions of a “good person”. At any rate, I find our disheveled goblins view on the matter to be interesting and completely valid.
Can anyone create a wiki/fandom about this? We’re not all Tor Gibson or have the sight of Jari.
It’s being worked on.
@@lukei4655 good. I can’t wait to read a whole article on Brethren.
I love this series so much
Damn it! Now I have bought these books while I'm still reading 3 other....
Always interesting to see how someone pronounces "Ceilcin"
Oh no.. I started watching these Suneater reviews casually with no intention of reading them (at least not soon, my tbr is just way too long and SFF is not my main genre), but uhm.. I might need to shift around my tbr a little... or a lot. Great review, thanks!
*I am being influenced to start this series*
Mary Sue at this point just means "character I don't like", and imo carries this threat of "and if you like them you're wrong and you suck". It's bargain bin "criticism". The one thing I'd add to your take is that these "Mary Sue traits" people complain about are just hero traits-Hadrian IS the hero, with all the good and the bad that comes with that, and Ruocchio writes it so well.
Excited for you to read Demon in White! I think it'll make it even more clear what the story is and what Ruocchio is doing with the ideas and themes.
Ah, remember the days when terms like Mary Sue actually meant something? Good times.
I stopped at the end of the spoiler-free section because this review definitely made me want to pick it up when I would have normally passed this by and I want to be spoiler-free for it now! I couldn't help but think about Kate Elliott's Sun Chronicles (2 books out of a trilogy, and book 3 is still being written) especially because you just happened to talk about Alexander the Great as that series is meant to be an Alexander retelling (in spaaaace) and it's fascinating how the authors seem to me to have taken a completely *different* approach to what they want to explore characterization-wise but end up with probably equally detailed and nuanced work. Elliott said in some of her interviews before that she wanted to explore Alexander as this... incredibly charismatic figure. Like, not in a "what kind of strengths and flaws does this person need to have to be this way" angle but "how was it that this person enticed all who met him, what kind of a presence was he" angle. I wouldn't say Sun is written as super-flawed _or_ flawless. Elliott's strength has always been worldbuilding and characterization for me, and Sun feels just as complete a character as the rest of the cast. She just happens to be the magnetic centre with that Alexander charisma. I hope people give this series a try because genuinely I went from a pretty diehard fantasy fan who rarely read science fiction to someone who may still read more fantasy than SF but definitely has this series all the way as my favourite series of all time. (Which is wild because it's not even finished but at this point, I don't think I would even knock it down from its pedestal in my head if Book 3 disappointed me.)
Also, I should add that Sun being gender-bent in the books was an extra treat since Elliott also thought it would be fun to write a magnetically beloved charisma-leaden character who just happens to be a woman (sex, gender, and sexual politics are all different in the setting, it's not the factor it is in ours). As a reader who actually just happens to read mostly female-led books, the way she tackled Sun really does feel different to read and it's a blast. To entangle why would be like a small essay though and this comment is long enough.
Okay, okay... I'll read it
I don't like Red Rising, King Killer, and thought Dune was boring and I looooooove Sun Eater.🎉🎉🎉
Been trying to listen to this series on Audible. The whole missing chunks of narrative are a complete mind fudge though...
Ugh! You're making me want to reread this series again lol