HOWLING DARK by Christopher Ruocchio - No Spoiler and Spoiler Review (The Sun Eater Book 2)
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
- HOWLING DARK by Christopher Ruocchio - No Spoiler Review (The Sun Eater Book 2)
#scifi #booktube #suneater
00:00 No Spoilers
08:41 Spoilers Beware
I am so happy to do my no spoiler and spoiler review of Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio! Christopher Ruocchio's Howling Dark is book 2 in The Sun Eater series which is a sci-fi story that chronicles The Sun Eater Hadrian Marlow who is both a hero, and a demon depending on who you ask.Howling Dark is a FANTASTIC follow up entry to a series and I have only heard the sequels in The Sun Eater get better as Christopher Ruocchio continues to take us on the journey. If you're looking for books like Dune I think this could also scratch that itch!
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/ thefantasynuttwork - Розваги
Howling Dark rules.
References in «Howling Dark» (2/3):
Hadrian’s possible ancestor Prince Faustinus: Christopher Marlowe wrote the play «Dr. Faustus», where the Devil (the Marlowe sigil) tempts Doctor Faust
Lady Harfleur: Harfleur is a city in Normandie, France, famous for it’s seige during the Hundred Years War by English King Henry V, which not only was the first English use of gunpowder artillery during a siege, but also became immortalized in Shakespeare’s play «Henry V» when the King rally his men with the line: «Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more»!
Domitia: Female variant of Domitian (Roman Emperor)
The Golem (Robot) Yume: Yume is Japanese for «Dream», and is the Japanese title of Akira Kurasawa’s movie «Dreams» (maybe also a reference to the story «Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep» by Philip K Dick, which was the basis for the movie «Blade Runner»)
Golem: Jewish Mythology, a clay men serving a Rabbi to protect the Ghetto
Historian Impatian: Of Latin «Impatiens» («Impatient») and also the name of the Impatiens flower, also known as «touch-me-not» in North America.
Playwright Bastien: Inspired by the Roman Comedy writer Terence?
Panormo: Panormo(s) is a village on Crete
Merenhor: Possible 8th Dynasty Pharaoh (only mentioned in one source)
Anunna: Also known as the Anunnaki, pantheon of Ancient Mestopamian Deities, often espoused by Pseudo-Archaeologists as proof of Ancient Astronauts/Ancient Aliens!
The Statue at Kharn Sagara’s Table: Jesus and Mother Mary!
«Sat gray-hair'd Saturn, quiet as a stone»: John Keats’ poem «Hyperion»
Dis: Dis Pater, another name of/conflation with Pluto, the Roman God of the Underworld
Kharn calling out Hadrian that in Dante’s «Inferno», the 9th circle is frozen!
Anaxander: Greek, «King/Ruler of men», Spartan King, Great-Great-Grandfather of the famous King Leonidas
Cyrus the Golden: Cyrus Gold, aka Salomon Grundy from DC!
The Pretender Boniface: Multiple saints and popes (interestingly also an antipope!), as well as a leader of the 4th Crusade
Sunless Sea, Gardens and Domes: Xanadu in the poem «Kubla Khan» by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Eternal Youth: Shangri-La in «Lost Horizon» by James Hilton
«Thatched Cottages at Cordeville»: Van Gogh painting!
Hadrian compare Naia to the brides of Dracula!
Holographic clothes: «Blade Runner 2049»
Consent Kharn!
Former Emperor Victor Sebastos: Latin «The Victorious» & «The Venerable»
Dual helix snake biting a man from a tree: Garden of Eden , St. Paul biten by a snake on Malta (first accused being a criminal by the locals, and then declared a god surviving it) and DNA
Twisted Horn: A Saxophone?
Kharn as «The King-in-Yellow»: Story by Robert Chambers, later part of the Lovecraftian Cthulhu Mythos as the Great Old One Hestur
«Sibylla ti theleis»: From the Epigraph of T.S. Elliot’s Poem «The Waste Land» (which has a loosely narrative deal with death and rejuvenation, faith and post-war depression, with multiple allusions and references to Ancient Literature, Religious Texts and Arthurian Myth), lifted from Petronius’ «Satyricon», being spoken to in Greek «Sibyl, what do you want?» (The Sibyl being a Roman Oracle, this one being specifically the Cumaean Sibyl who in «The Aeneid» had guided the Trojan Hero and Roman Ancestor Aeneas through Hades and who had been granted immortality (though without eternal youth) by the god Apollo), to which she replies «apothanein thelo»: «I want to die»
Sword of Mars: The legendary weapon of Attila the Hun, worshiped by the Huns (and given Ruocchio is a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, also likely a nod to his «John Carter of Mars»/«Barsoom» Novel «Swords of Mars»), here mixed with King Arthurs’s Sword in the Stone/Excalibur
Gibson: The Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi appearing to Luke Skywalker
Titania and Oberon: Queen and King of the Faerie in Shakespeare’s «A Midsummer Night’s Dream»
«London Bridge is Falling Down»!
Father Calvert: Possible reference to the English Calvert Noble Family with the title Lord Baltimore (of which the US State has it name from) or the Calvert Half-Brothers in Peter F. Hamilton’s «The Night’s Dawn» Trilogy
Child of Clay: In Jewish Mythology, Adam was made out of clay
«You are a lever pulled your genes. Nothing More.»: Genetic Determinism
«I think, therefore I am»: Descartes’ «Cogito, ergo sum», a Classic Quote/Principle of Continental Rationalist Philosophy and Western Philosophy in general, also quoted by AM, the villainous and sadistic AI/Sentient Master Computer from Harlan Ellison’s «I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream»
AI using Humans as bio-electricity: «The Matrix»
Brethren as a form of «Grey Goo»: Out of control self-replicating machines
«Bound by laws Isaac Asimov would have approved of»: Asimov’s three laws of Robotics (The First Law: A robot may not injure a human being (through action or inaction), The Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings (as long as it does not conflict with the first law) & The Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence (as long as it does not conflict with the first or second law)
A man «like Pallino» hanging from a Tree: In Norse Myth Odin gave one of his eyes and hanged from a Tree to gain Wisdom
Zeno: Ancient Greek Philosopher, founder of Stoicism
Hypatia: Female Neoplatonist Philosopher, often cited as a Martyr of Science and Feminisim
Lovelace: Ada Lovelace, daughter of the Poet Lord Byron, known for recognizing the potential beyond simple calculations of Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a proposed mechanical computer (also a character in William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s Steampunk/Alt. History Novel «The Difference Engine»)
Peterson: Jordan Peterson
The «Other Gibson»: William Gibson? («Neoromancer»)
The Deep: The Deep Ones from Lovecraft’s Chtulhu Mythos
I'll say it again. You're becoming the best Sci-fi/Fantasy book reviewer on booktube. 👏
Means a lot!
Vorgossos may literally be my favorite setting just like...in general
So atmospheric
I’m so glad you’re enjoying Sun Eater! There were a lot of great moments in Howling Dark but the Brethren and Halfmortal chapters blew me away. I love all 3 books but Demon White is my slight favourite. There are some great character moments and some really cool sci-fi concepts. Can’t wait to see your reactions!
I'm pumped to continue 😎
Life is good: Howling Dark
But it can be better: Demon in White.
Honestly Jimmy, you are in for a wild ride in Demon in White. It gets so weird and good. So much happens in DiW, so many reveals, some political maneuverings and the battles, good God do they get more visceral. I get shivers just thinking about some of the things that happen. And the prose is just sublime. Oh, I hope you read New Sun soon after this. You can tell how much Ruocchio loves Wolfe.
Ahhhh the hype is so real!!!
Finished Howling dark a few days ago and still think about the scene with Hadrian holding Nobuta, Tanarans words tothe prince and Hadrian making that decision and what unfolds, such great visualization from those pages written absolutely brilliantly. Top top book.
Howling Dark has to be the coolest title
And cover!
Here are all the references I caught in «Howling Dark» (1/3)
Vorgossos: Tartaros (the Abyss serving as prison for the Titans in Ancient Greek Myth), Tartessos (a «lost» Iron Age Civilization in South Western Spain, by some tied to the Myth of Atlantis, being beyond the «Pillars of Hercules»/The Gibraltar Strait), the Atlantic Sargasso Sea (famous for its seaweed) and the «Vorkosigan Saga» Sci-Fi Series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Admiral Marius Whent: House Whent of Harrenhal from George RR Martin’s «A Song of Ice & Fire», Catelyn Stark’s Mother was a Whent
The Planet of Pharos: The Lighthouse of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. One of the Seven Wonders of Antiquity.
The Space Destroyer «Balmung»: The name given to the Sword of Sigurd/Siegfried the Dragonslayer in the Medieval German Epic Poem «Die Nibelungenlied», «Gram(r)» in Norse Sagas and «Nothung» in Wagner’s «Der Ring des Nibelungen»/«Ring Cycle»
The Space Interceptor «Mistral»: Famous Wind in Southern France, giving name to several cars, aircraft and ships, including a class of French Amphibious Assault Ship/Helicopter Carriers
The Planet of Trieste: Italian City on the Adriatic Coast
Soisson: French City, Capital of the Post-Roman Kingdom of Soisson before conquered by the Franks
Prisca: Roman Empress, wife of Diocletian
Durand: Surname of Multiple French, British, American and Canadian Politicians, Scholars and Artists, as well as the Durand Line (the international recognized border between Afghanistan and Pakistan)
Corvo: Italian «Crow»
Shara: Mesopotamian God of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Irrigation & Divine Warrior, and a Nation in Robert Jordan’s «Wheel of Time» Fantasy Series
Eidhin: Aidhne, a Irish Petty Kingdom, in myth settled by the legendary Fir Bolg
Bordelon: Surname, including a French Utopian polygraph Playwright and Abbot, an American Korean War Flying Ace and an US Marine awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor during the Pacific Campaign
The Painted Man: Novel by Peter V. Brett (The Mule from Isaac Asmiov’s «Foundation»? The Finn from «Neuromancer»? The Joker?)
Andernach: German City along the Rhine River, founded by the Romans and site of the Archepiscopal Castle of the Archbishop/Electorate of Cologne during the Holy Roman Empire
Aptuca: Archaeological Site of an Roman City in Modern Day Tunisia, with a titular Catholic Bishopric from Antiquity to this very day
Ardistama: Ancient City in Cappadocia (Modern Day Turkey) inhabited by the Hittites, the Hellenistic Greeks, the Romans and the Byzantines
Athyras: Greek Colony in Ancient Thrace (today near the European side of Istanbul, Turkey), a titular Catholic and Orthodox Bishopric
Bannatia: One of the Settlements of the Pictish Tribe Vacomagi in Modern Day Scotland mentioned by the Geographer Ptolemy
Coritani: Britonic Celtic Tribe before the Roman Conquest, located in the Midlands, with Modern Day Leicester as their Capital
Epidamnos: Greek Colony in Illyrium (Modern Day Durres in Albania). Their governmental structure is mentioned in Aristotle’s «Politics» and their internal political strife between Oligarchs and Democrats served as an ignition for the Peloponnesian War, between Sparta and Athens and their respective allies. Later renamed Dyrrhachium by the Romans and was the site of a battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great
Gibeah: Several settlements in the Old Testament, including the first capital of a Unified Israel under King Saul
Kremnoi: Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast (Modern Day Taganrog, Russia, famous from many of the works by Anton Chekhov)
Lycia: Ancient Region of Anatolia in Modern Day Turkey
Milinda: Milinda Panha/Milindapanha, Ancient Indian Buddhist Text, written as a dialogue between the Buddhist Sage Nagasena and the Indo-Greek King Menander I Soter the Great of Bactria («Milinda» in Pali), who converted and became a great patron to Buddhism
Nessus: Centaur in Greek Mythology
Rostam: Persian/Iranian Mythical Hero, famous from the Persian Epic «Shahnameh»
Sarmatia: The Sarmatians, Iranian-languaged Nomadic Equestrian Confederation related to the Scythians on the Pontic Steppe, who fought the Romans numerous times, famous for their Armored Cataphract Cavalry which later served as Roman Foederati Soldiers
Senussa: Senussi, a Sufi Order and Clan in Libya, claimant Kings of Libya
Ubar: Mythical Kingdom in Southern Arabia («Atlantis of the Sands»), sometimes tied to «Iram/Irem of the Pillars» famous from «1001 Nights» and HP Lovecraft’s «Call of Cthulhu» & «The Nameless City»
Tyras: Archeological Site of an Ancient Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast, near Modern Day Odessa, Ukraine
Tanais: Archeological Site of an Ancient Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast, in the Don River Delta of Modern Day Russia.
The Refugee Camp/City of Arslan: Persian, «Brave»/«Lion-Hunter»/«Gladiator»
The Downed Space Carrier «Murakami»: Japanese «Village Superior», the name of an ancient Clan and Fiefdom, as well as of an 10th Century Emperor during the Heian Period and the famous modern writer Haruki Murakami
Suren, the Destroyed Capital of Rostram: The Parthian Noble House of Suren, which including the General Surena who defeated and executed the Roman Statesman Crassus (once the richest man in Rome, who had defeated the Slave Rebellion led by Spartacus, and been part of the First Triumvirate together with Ceasar and Pompey the Great) at the Battle of Carrhae
Stygian Ropes: Stygia, «Evil Egyptian Wizard Land» in Conan the Cimmerian
Orestes: Son of King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra of the Iliad, whose murder of his Mother (for murdering his Father) and trial was the subject of multiple Ancient Greek Poems and Plays
Tristan: Arthurian Knight of the Round Table, famous for his tragic romance with the Princess Isolde
Ram: Rama, avatar of Vishnu and hero of the Indian Epic «Ramayana», Arthur C. Clarke’s «Rendezvous with Rama» and a character in the Sci Fi movie «Tron»
Idun: Norse Goddess, Guardian of the Apples of Eternal Youthfulness
Kingu & Marduk: Mesopotamian Gods
Panopticon: Prison design by the Utilitarian philosopher Jeremey Bentham, allowing one guard to watch over all prisoners at all times
Catwalk sword-fights and cut hands: Humming the Imperial Theme here!
March Station: «Ringworld» by Larry Niven and the «Halo» Video Games!
Lothrian Cyrillic! Name: The Ides of March?
Therevada bhikkhu: Buddhist munk (Theravada is the oldest and strictest interpretation of the main branches of Buddhism)
Holographic Geisha: «Blade Runner» and «Ghost in the Shell»!
The Raven Hrothgar: King Hrothgar of Denmark built Heorot Hall that is plagued by attacks by Grendel in «Beowulf», and the raven is a symbol of Odin in Norse Myth
Hellenic Pharaoh: The Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt, and Percey Shelley’s «Ozimandias»(Ozimandias is the Greek name of Ramses)
Ossulum Vaccine: «Osculum infame» «kiss of shame», alledged witch ritual involving the witch kissing the Devil’s…«end»…
The Spaceship «Enigma of the Hours»: «The Enigma of the Hour», Italian early 20th Century Painting by metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico
The Old Florentine & Lions, Leopards & Wolves: Dante, «The Divine Comedy»
Artifical Owl: «Blade Runner»
Nuncius: Latin «Messenger», «Sidereus Nuncius» («Starry/Sidereal Message/Messenger») was Galileo Galilei’s first treatise on his celestial observations using a telescope
Jayavarman: Multiple Khmer Kings, including Jayavarman VII, who converted to Buddhism and invested heavily in infrastructure and welfare for his people
The hightower: The Hightower(s) of Oldtown in «A Song of Ice & Fire»?
I don't think i should like bassander as much as i do. Easily my favorite character, even when i don't agree with what he is doing I respect the man so much. There's something about someone with that amount of conviction... also he's badass.
He is pretty capable
Just listening you gushing about this book makes me so happy. Ruocchio Is by now my favorite author EVER 🖤🖤
Glad to hear it!
This series keeps getting better and better 🙌🏻
That's so wild to me!
I just watched the non-spoiler section, and I am HYPPPPPPEEEDDDD! The way you put it about getting immersed in the book and turning off the inner critic is indeed the dream, and I can't wait to dive into this series to see if that can happen for me too
I hope it does my friend!
Love your book reviews, I'll be back for those spoiler sections thoughts!
Appreciate it!
You have me so hyped to read this series!
I hope you love it like I do!
Yesssss! I’m reading Demon In White next week. I was blown away by Howling Dark
I'm reading it early March, should be fun!
@@thefantasynuttwork Awesome! I cannot wait to hear your thoughts.
Hi 👋 great review of the book, I will definitely check it out the book! Happy reading 📖🦋🎥🎥
Thank you 😊
I have to say, the lines where he refers to the howling dark was the COOLEST shut
Yeah good name drop moment hahah
Good thing you’ve done a non-spoiler part of this book. It’s convinced me to start the series.
Yessss
oh dude, you just made my day!Chatting with Ruocchio, no sweeter news have I've heard.
I'm very excited!
@@thefantasynuttwork Jimmy, thank you so much. Seriously, your channel and efforts mean a lot. Hopefully one day I’ll shake your hand.
@@benjaminmolina3456 thanks dude!
Tried telling you my man - it’s another level up with Demon in White in my not so humble opinion.
I'm prepared to have my mind blown
I just started reading this a couple if days ago. On chapter 3. I'll come back and watch in like a week.
It'll be here!
I agree with you on the San Francisco part lol. I was like wut. im also in tech lol, but other than that loved the book.
Also im impressed how many details you remember after finishing the book haha.
I take so many notes for these type of videos haha
@@thefantasynuttwork that makes too much sense 😆
Grateful for the non-spoilers, will definitely pick this series up at some point and return for the spoilers.
Glad to hear it 😀
Can finally come back for the spoiler section. Dang this book was so good, it also might be my favorite sci-fi book of all time. Also I just realized through your realization that the Mericani (sp?) were likely Americans LOL. Can't wait for Demon in White.
You gotta let me know how you compare HD and DiW
Wow, that was a beautiful sentence. The end chapter.
And there's many more!
Just finished it.awesome.and i loved book one too!as a huge fan of Peter Hamilton,this fills the void i feel since finishing his last book😁
Oh nice!
I need to get into this series right NOW.
If you hate it you can blame me 😬
@The Fantasy Nuttwork Not gonna happen. Hahaha I love first-person narratives. I love far future space opera. It's going to be awesome. I can feel it in my bones.
This and Dreams of the Dying are my top 2 books so far this year. DiW is my next read though
I have that on the shelf!
Looks like Elric of Melniboné on the book cover art.
Oh it does doesn't it
@@thefantasynuttwork It does, for sure.
It took me until this book too to figure out what you'd concluded about he Americanii too. Such a great book!
I loved this!
It really blows me away that this series isn’t being shouted about from the tallest of mountains from every book community.
I'll do my best haha
@@thefantasynuttwork You did a great job. Please don’t ever stop talking about this series. It’s really amazing and so are you for your enthusiasm and spot on reactions.
@@onlinedayton9882 I appreciate it
Just finished reading the book i really enjoyed it definitely an improvement from empire of silence
I agree
👏👏👏👏 I listened until spoilers. I'm excited to try EoS later this year
I really hope you love it!
Halfway through this now….I keep having to stop myself because of the way he ends some passages…..just wow.
This is the first video I'm watching after having finished Howling Dark this afternoon... and I share your sentiments 💯!
**SPOILER comment**
Another thing that affected me, was the betrayal from Switch. Calling down Bassander Lin and the empire to Vogosos, in order to save himself. I really liked Switch and was sad to see the friendship ruined. Especially the last chapter where he approached Hadrian and tried to apologize (and not for the first time) and Hadrian wasn't having it. Ugh! It left me depressed, lol
But yea, incredible book and fantastic video! Thanks 😀
Switch pissed me off man 🤣
You touched on exactly what I don't like about these books. I really don't like Hadrian. By the 3rd book I think he has grown into the character that Ruocchio was trying to write and that's when it all clicks for me and why I think Demon in White is the best of the three.
Good to hear 👍
Funny part is Demon in White takes it even further. I didn't think its possible either. Get ready man. I'm hyped for Kingdoms of Death.
Let's go!!!
I pronounce it as die-mon. Daimon.
Was slightly disappointed with EOS in that it felt like a fantasy in the future. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but I was looking for straight sci-fi at the time. HD and DiW were WAY more sci-fi. Love how weird they got and how many nods to other sci-fi works there were (he even worked in “I hate sand” lol).
That's fair
Howling dark is the best book of all time.
Certainly a great one!
Put the series on the back-burner (for now) til I've finished Hyperion Cantos, Aspect-Emperor and Red Rising.
Nice
@@thefantasynuttwork I should be finished Aspect-Emperor and/or Hyperion Cantos by the end of the month. I'm so glad I've decided to stop doing TBRs and being able to binge.
Amazing that book 3 could be better but it is.
I'm honestly so hyped for DiW, and the fact I get to read four on release is going to be so awesome.
I just ordered books 2 and 3 on Amazon. Book 4 isn’t available yet. I couldn’t find book 1 in hardcover.
Nice! Book 4 is out March 22 I think
@@thefantasynuttwork and I just bought a new copy of book 1 in hardcover on EBay. It was expensive, but at least I found one. 😊👍🏻
This series was so good. I'll summarise it in 2 words- Khan Sagara
Legend
I don’t know how Sun Eater is not a top seller.
Me either
I feel like a pariah, this series does nothing for me. I went through the first 2 books on audiobook (maybe why I didn't like them) and found a majority of book 1 uninteresting (until we get to the alien site stuff) and book 2 I can't recall much of anything besides the mysterious ending. Decided to DNF the series but maybe when the TBR pile gets short I'll reread it.
Ahhh all good, hope the next reads are better for you man 🙏