sibley's Reviews (260)

What. A. Sequel!!
Book one was already great, but this follow-up blew it out of the water! Our favorite melodramatic collar-popper is back, a bit older and more mature, but still thoughtful and brimming with brash charisma. Compared to the long prologue that was Empire of Silence, Howling Dark is the action-packed, emotionally complex, and often terrifying origin story of the legendary figure known as Hadrian Halfmortal. The plot kicks off with a bang and drags you across the universe without giving you a moment to buckle your seatbelt. Not to mention all of the moral conundrums and philosophical ponderings you’ll find along the way. This is truly a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and your mind echoing the beautiful prose for months to come.

Read it! I’ll be moving on to book 3 immediately.

Reactions:

- I think the first chapter gave me whiplash. Ngl, I had to make sure I was actually reading book 2.
- JINAN?? Um ok then, I guess she and Hadrain are cute together.... Did Hadrian just give up on Valka? XD There's definitely some (jealousy?) tension between Jinan and Valka though.
- Forget Valka and Jinan. Hadrian x swanky high collar trench coat is the best ship.
- Hadrian's got JOKES now?! This man literally just went "That guy's so fat he has his own gravity." I adore him omg.
- The Painted Man is my sleep paralysis demon.
- Hadrian vs. The Painted Man was so unnecessarily epic. XD "Yes, I am dramatic!" *proceeds to drop big box on Painted Man's head*.
- Bassander isn't wrong, but I still don't like him.
- Hadrian x Jinan was kinda growing on me, but not anymore. The way she refused to support him.... Did Jinan even know Hadrian at all?? Obviously the mission is the most important thing in his life and he's a total wildcard. Of course he'd ditch them to continue on. Hadrian may have pulled the trigger on their relationship, but Jinan loaded the gun.
- (Is it Hadrian x Valka time now?)
- "Your past is broken." PLEASE EXPLAIN.
- Kharn Sagara... is creepy.
- Brethren: HADRIAN YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE.
- Brethren shows Hadrian a vision of him in fugue aboard the Eurynasir? A green flash and everyone disappeared??? Is that why his past is broken? Did the Quiet interfere already?
- EEEEE Hadrian and Valka forced bonding in prison!!! 
- I hate Bassander Lin. Also OUCH that Jinan reunion hurt.
- SWITCH NO. DId NOT see that coming. 0.0 Breaks my heart, but 
- The Cielcin are horrifying and negotiations are falling apart. I've got a bad feeling about this....
- I hate Bassander Lin (x2).
- RIP Smythe, you were awesome.
- HADRIAN IS DEAD?!?! Oh no, he's fine... somehow. My brain hurts.
- Hadrian needs to stop losing his sword... he's giving me anxiety here. And Valka has asked him "Are you okay?" like ten times in this book istg. XD
- Another surprisingly happy ending? (Other than that excruciating goodbye to Switch) I love how Hadrian's main thought after hearing he's being knighted is "Suck it, Dad!"

Empire of Silence took me two weeks to read, but despite that length of time and the slower pace of the plot, I was never exactly bored at any point - which really surprised me. The beautiful writing and unpredictability of Hadrian’s misadventures kept me moving steadily on. And now, after letting this book sit in my memory for a couple weeks (and completing the sequel Howling Dark), I find myself thinking back to this one more and more fondly. The world and characters truly take on a life of their own, and every choice they make has consequences that ripple waves far into the future. Hadrian’s overarching struggle to simultaneously embrace, overcome, and push away the fact of his noble birth is absolutely fascinating to me, and sets the stage for an intriguingly complex main character. This book was fantastic and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is into epic fantasy/science fiction.

Reactions:

- The Marlowe family dynamic is so frustratingly sad! But makes a lot of sense. Hadrian says he never sees Delos or his mother again (sob), but maybe we'll see his father and Crispin again?? I've got my fingers crossed.
- RIP Gibson, you were the man. (But maybe Hadrian will see him again? One can hope.)
- What happened to Demetri and the Eurynasir?? I NEED ANSWERS
- RIP Cat. I didn't really feel anything for the character at the time, but WOW Hadrian mentions her so much after the fact that now I care. XD
- The story really picked up once Hadrian went to the Colosso. Every scene there with the myrmidon crew was fantastic.
- Valka is so cool, oh my lord. Her and Hadrian have such an adorable friendship, and older Hadrian seems to hint that romance lies in their future? Hadrian has a bit of growing up to do first, though. He's kinda just a lovesick puppy following her around, while she sees him as a younger colleague (and a brat lmao). Can Hadrian get out of the friendzone?? We shall see. XD 
- That vision in Calagah tho. 0.0
- Definitely seeing the Anakin Skywalker parallels in Hadrian. His moments of weakness when he copies his father's cruel voice and makes the wrong choice are SO fascinating. I love a character who makes bad choices.
- A surprisingly happy ending to this first book! And a beautiful wrap-up as well.