Reviews

Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio

odaskjorestad's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

amiewg's review against another edition

5.0

Hadrian pushed and pulled me in all directions. ALL DIRECTIONS! I have 59 highlights on Kindle. Half of them are lectures to Hadrian. I had to listen and read at the same time to hear his thoughts and annotate them. The gasps I have gasped and the screams I have screamed! So you know that means I had the best time reading this.

The philosophies explored in Howling Dark!!! I had to do shadow work after every sitting. My thoughts on humanity, AI, time, the future, grief, my limits, and spirituality were confronted in depth. I love sci-fi books that challenge me to evolve. This is one of them for sure. Thoughts like:

The idea that pain is evil is the basis of all morality.

Or

We believe our fear is destroyed by new bravery. It is not. Fear is never destroyed. It is only made smaller by the courage we find after. It is always there.

will defff Gibson me in the future.

I especially love this book bc Hadrian is a psychologist's field day. Can we talk about how he's an immature narcissist?? Because bestie had multiple tantrums

Spoiler

when Jinan did not agree with him. I had to go off on him when Jinan agreed with Bassandar and Hadrian starts with how she's sided with him and how that's such a huge betrayal. Then goes into how this is such a huge rejection bc he needs her support. He does this with everyone whose goal/opinion/objective doesn't align with his.

Hadrian takes disagreement as rejection and then latches onto someone smarter than him to do the emotional work. What is also crazy is how he doesn't expect his betrayal to others to have the same impact as theirs to him. He thinks he's carrying out orders for the Empire, but anyone who also gets orders that count his wants his personal downfall.

Or we can talk about how he feels like he has to go through suffering to pay for his name and Palentine heritage. Or and this is my fave, how bestie still needs validation from his father and Crispin and looks for it in women instead.

Spoiler

How many women has he fallen in love with and we're just on book 2?

Like babe...!!! And all this is done self-awarely.

In my notes, after a lecture to Hadrian, I wrote: "Your daddy issues are showing sweetie. Seek therapy." I mean it.

I can talk about this book for ages. It is deep. The length is deliberate and necessary bc you need to linger while reading this. A big reason why this was a hit for me was bc Christopher allowed me to linger.

All this is to say that Mr. Ruocchio is a genius character developer and writer in general. All his characters are alive and real to me. The worldbuilding does not lack anything. All the concepts that became discussion points were real thoughts and analyses I faced with Hadrian. The plot twists! The amount of 'crying', 'screaming', and 'omfg' comments on my Kindle!

This is what I call a delivery!

zulroman's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

This was somehow better than book 1. 

I struggled a little bit in the beginning but that quickly changed. Once this book took off there was not stopping it. 

The plot, the world-building and character work are truly amazing and a form of art. There were plot twists that I was shocked and didn’t see coming whatsoever. 

Hadrian, I just adore him. He’s really had some rough decisions to make and is possibly always in the worst position ever. 


Cannot wait to start book 3!

caitann's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

5.0

COMING FOR YOU BOOK THREE EEEEEEEEE

ryanrask's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

shrp91's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

djharrin's review

The story just kept on jumping around to different story arcs and it was difficult to keep up. Plenty of good character development but felt like, “what’s the point here.” 

These books are less of a story with a cohesive plot and focus more on the world itself 

nina_bloodsworn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow I have no words really. 
Christopher Ruocchio managed to blow me away with the second book in the Sun Eater series. 
Tense but amazing atmosphere. World-building first class but what i really loved were the characters. Even though it is told by one person and we see everything through his eyes, the book still conveys other characters perfectly. 
While reading, you get the feeling you read an historical fiction novel which "happened" in the future. Mind-blowing and the prose is A-mazing. 
Cannot wait to dig into Demon in White. 
Think Suneater Series is looking to be one of my fav sci-fi series of all time. 

lanlan's review

adventurous challenging emotional tense 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

4.0

sageca's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5