Empire of Silence. L'Impero del Silenzio by Christopher Ruocchio

3.97 AVERAGE

skinny_pipo's profile picture

skinny_pipo's review against another edition

3.5
adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

antari's review against another edition

4.0
mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
shona_reads_in_devon's profile picture

shona_reads_in_devon's review against another edition

4.5
adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
π‘¨π’•π’“π’π’„π’Šπ’•π’š π’Šπ’” π’˜π’“π’Šπ’• π’ƒπ’š π’’π’–π’Šπ’†π’• π’Žπ’†π’ π’Šπ’ π’„π’π’–π’π’„π’Šπ’ π’„π’‰π’‚π’Žπ’ƒπ’†π’“π’” 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 π’„π’“π’šπ’”π’•π’‚π’ π’ˆπ’π’‚π’”π’”π’†π’” 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍 π’˜π’‚π’•π’†π’“. π‘Ίπ’•π’“π’‚π’π’ˆπ’† π’π’Šπ’•π’•π’π’† π’Žπ’†π’ π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 π’Šπ’ π’•π’‰π’†π’Šπ’“ 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔. 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒔 π’‘π’‚π’”π’”π’Šπ’π’, 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆… 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒔 π’†π’—π’†π’“π’šπ’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ. π‘¬π’—π’†π’“π’šπ’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓.

π‘¨π’–π’ˆπ’–π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’† 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 π’”π’‚π’Šπ’… 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’Šπ’‡ 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆, π’•π’‰π’†π’š 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’†π’™π’Šπ’”π’• 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’π’π’π’š 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 π’Šπ’ π’•π’‰π’†π’Šπ’“ π’π’˜π’ π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’†π’”. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒉𝒆 π’”π’‚π’šπ’”, π’†π’™π’Šπ’”π’•π’” π’π’π’π’š π’Šπ’ π’Žπ’†π’Žπ’π’“π’š 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 π’π’π’π’š π’Šπ’ π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’„π’•π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’. π‘΅π’†π’Šπ’•π’‰π’†π’“ π’Šπ’” 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍.


I've seen multiple criticisms of this book, saying it's a rip off of Name of the Wind or Dune. I can see the parallels with Name of the Wind for sure. But one big difference - I couldn't *stand* Kvothe and I love Hadrian. I really didn't like Name of the Wind and I adored this book. So I don't know what that says.

Empire of Silence is pure melodrama - something that usually turns me right off. But Hadrian is so utterly endearing to me. I was worried that the framing device used here, the chronicle kind of set-up, would lose tension and suspense but it's cleverly crafted in throughout anyway with allusions to future events and future dramas.

The prose tips just the right balance for me in terms of frilliness. It's philosophical, it's dramatic and poetic. It draws on historical influence. Hadrian isn't smug (like I found Kvothe) in tone, he's reflective.

The pace is slow. There's no denying it, and this usually grates. Maybe coming off the back of Farseer, I'm getting into my groove with slower books of late. But it's still steady. A lot goes on, and we're laying the groundwork in relationships, in world building, in history and lore.

The subjects - genocide, war, colonialism, eugenics, time, language and the nature of humanity among others, all ring my bell and have me excited.

If this is the weaker of this series, then I'm about to have a really good time.
fembulo's profile picture

fembulo's review against another edition

2.0
adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
It took me so much effort to be able to finish this one. The main character is so unlikable I think this shall be the last book for me in this series.
bluebirdsongs's profile picture

bluebirdsongs's review against another edition

4.5
adventurous slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

flatly2499's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 13%
Felt like just another coming-of-age male fantasy with a main character who has to go through his Sad Boy Phase before having his wildest dreams come
true, but not interesting or well-written enough to be worth continuing
kbrown's profile picture

kbrown's review against another edition

4.75
adventurous dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

saxmfone1's review against another edition

4.0
adventurous mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

gingerninja65's review against another edition

4.0
A wonderful start to a highly recommended series. It was a bit slow to get into, but that's epic media for you. I do love the trope of re-telling your own story and the narrators adds are such fun Easter eggs to collect for future knowledge. 

Not absolutely blown away, but very solidly enjoying. The ending felt a touch forced, but didn't take me out of story. Very excited for what the rest of this story shall bring.

ndondo's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 80%
Such an unlikeable main character.