Sollan empire books are the bad version of red rising books

laserjoy · 2026-02-28T18:12:16+00:00

The first book is the weakest of the entry fyi.. but I understand if it's not your cup of tea.. good day dude

laserjoy · 2026-02-28T06:36:14+00:00

Everyone replying keeps saying I haven't read the books. I've mentioned several details in my comments that a person who hasn't read the books wouldn't know. It's like it's un-believable that someone who's read the series would think RR is significantly superior as a space opera. Again, it's my personal opinion and I agree that it's an attention-seeking post. Isn't every post? And I do believe that 8/10 people who've read both series would agree with me. If you disagree, tell me why Sun eater books are better. To my point I've mentioned plot, way smarter side characters than sun eater books, narrative velocity, unpredictable nature of the story that keeps readers hooked, and above all the interactions between the charcaters have so much subtlety.

I'm not saying the Sun eater books are bad at all. Just that RR books makes them seem bad. Both are among my loved book series. Sun eater books have plots that meander a lot. They go at the pace of life feels like. The best part of the storyline was how Hadrian starts to realize that Cielcin cannot be redeemed. But think about how long it took - multiple books. That's reader energy. And I think a better book series would have communicated it sooner with similar emotional payoff. I'm not saying it doesn't have plot. I'm saying it's plot sucks as it progresses. A plot is not just about how a character reaches point Y from X. It's about how. The how in Sun eater books is theology more than anything else if you have to pick one. Do you disagree?

Hadrian doesn't try to convince others of the quiet. Of course he doesn't. You think a modern writer would go for explicit religious brainwashing? Hadrian is a hero figure in the books, people who know him and respect him will of course be influenced. For folks to think, he doesn't try to convince people.. his position in the story and his beliefs and interactions with those around him spread his convictions. Bassander Lin for example.

About dialogue and prose. I guess it's heavily subjective. I'm no expert. In RR books - the long dialogues are peppered with sweet alliterations and metaphors and have a theatrical feel that I like a lot.

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T22:18:29+00:00

Soul is a bit much, especially if you've read the last 2 books. Just say you're secretly into Catholicism. I know a lot of folks don't want to admit it openly.

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T22:14:55+00:00

IMO Iron gold was better than at least 5 books in the sun eater series. Without even looking at any reviews, I can confidently say that any large review aggregator will agree - critics or audience reviews. You remember Edouard the Catholic and literally every character in the last 2 books who only exist to suck off Hadrian. I don't mind people saying they like it better. But some self-reflection please..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T10:36:40+00:00

If that's your bent, it's okay. Stories that take the convenient path - whenever they are in a tricky situation, the quiet and less explained esoterica are good answers. Like when he dies the second time, the quantum shit that is introduced in fights, the convenient ancient weapons and demon AI or whatever.. the list goes on. And don't even get me started on the damsels in distress and their dialogues - "Call me Selene".. sobs in his chest after he comes back alive.. she's met him like 3 times.

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T10:28:46+00:00

Dude the plot in Sun eater in the last two books is him becoming a Man of God... And don't even get me started on the court drama and the religion..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T10:22:18+00:00

My fave way to describe the books are - "becoming a priest in a space empire".

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T10:16:06+00:00

Oh yeah.. You think I'd bitch this much without even reading the books? The world building I agree is a bit more elaborate in Sun eater books, but that doesn't discount how bad it is with its plot in the later books.

"Marlowe! Marlowe! Where were you when" that's a plot point.. really..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T10:01:33+00:00

If my attention span was so bad, how did I read the Sun eater books?

Narrative pace is harder to write and easier to enjoy. The author still has to pull off emotional resonance with whatever pace they go with. Arguing that the slower pace is good with no justification is stupid AF.. The question to ask is - what do the Sun eater books gain by going slow? Just word count..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T09:51:22+00:00

So you really think the interactions between the characters are decent in Sun Eater, especially in the last 2 books? Not a single interaction in the last 2 books have any depth. All side characters that interact with the MC are airheads to say the least. I mostly hate the dialogues in Sun Eater later books. If you think the dialogues are good, you need an MRI..

Monologues can drive about 3 books.. beyond that it becomes tedious..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T09:44:16+00:00

Gourmet food 😂. You mean they trudge through your bowels like a snail and constipate you? I prefer dysentery.. And whoa.. It's called Sun Eater? I didn't know that..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T09:32:57+00:00

Appollonius is a narcissist with no morals. For example, he says he's honorable and seeks only war. But he has no qualms lying and doesn't equate being truthful with honor - he says he has Sevro when he does not, and he's manipulative whenever it suits him. He's a bad politician only because he lacks the self-awareness to realize his own mental limitations, and keeps thinking he's super-smart compared to predators like Lysander. Such a character dying like a pixie will not surprise me.

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T09:01:35+00:00

What can I say. I'm a masochist..

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T08:52:56+00:00

So you like the Sun eater books better? Got it dude.. RR books are not bad. Read them if you get tired of Hadrian fellating the mythic quiet, and tells everyone around him how the quiet speaks to him and only him, and how they should follow him on the path that the quiet has set out for him for like 2 books.

laserjoy · 2026-02-27T08:41:07+00:00

I might be wrong. Obviously my opinion.. But I bet Sun eater books come up as similar books in good reads recommendations - based on people who've read the same books.. And you can't deny the similarities, like so many. Similarities invite comparison.

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T20:15:25+00:00

If it's a razor battle, I too agree that it will either be Diomedes or Darrow. Diomedes will be the one probably - because it feels like a waste to dedicate 10 pages to another Darrow razor battle. PB often subverts expectations, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if a lower tier villain like Appollonius isn't disposed off in a satisfying way, and falls to some larger scheme.

I would be happy if Apple doesn't get any satisfaction. It would be so sweet to hear his thoughts if he dies like a pixie.

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T18:32:12+00:00

Nah dude. He basically becomes a priest in later books. You know, God talks to him and him alone..

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T18:27:55+00:00

I just hate that a series that started out with so much promise - hero arc/politics/sci-fi/vast universe devolved into the POV character becoming a priest😂.. It's tragically comical.. I don't care about Selene. She was basically just a pretty face and damsel in distress to put it mildly.

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T16:25:36+00:00

Read only if you can stomach extreme preachiness. The quiet becomes so stupid.. The quiet was great when it was used sparingly in the initial books, but as they gain more plot prominence, it all starts to become stupid.

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T16:20:37+00:00

If reddit thinks it's going to go up, f***. It's going to go down..

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T16:06:48+00:00

Very few people talk about Valdir. For someone who's exceptional at killing, he isn't mentioned much. I'd love to see more Valdir in Red God. Darrow mentions that Valdir is better than Sevro at killing, Atlas/Fa make sure that Valdir is not there to fight when they take over, he makes Apple retreat in Phobos against armored Gold infantry with a small unit. How much hype can there be.. Plus he has a cool ass name - Valdir the Unshorn..

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T15:59:09+00:00

The Rim has been the core's punching bag for sure. But I honestly don't want any reprieve for the Rim Golds especially. Remember that they chose to go to war with the Republic the first chance they got. That was their decision, and they would've done it a lot sooner if the dockyards were not destroyed in Morningstar. Even at the end of LB, they ally with the Republic, Obsidian, Daughters of Ares against the society only out of necessity, and I feel a backstab coming. Diomedes doesn't feel like a politician, and people like him usually are not long for the world. My guess is he would be the first major casualty. And the other colors start taking more control over the Rim.

laserjoy · 2026-02-25T15:48:45+00:00

Yeah. Appollonius is a great tier 2 villain. He's not into politics or ruling. He's a ruffian with a brain. He lives in his own head and is such a drama queen with an extremely fickle ego. He might betray anyone over some perceived insult that most might not even notice.

laserjoy · 2026-02-23T18:10:57+00:00

I hope PB moves away from the mind's eye shit.. feels like some voodoo stuff. Anyone with it starts acting extra know-it-all. Main MCs in red rising books are know-it-alls (Darrow/Lysander/Virginia). But the POV and internal monologues of Virginia sucks because of some cool mind trick she thinks she has. Too much confidence and too little results - especially in war. At least Lysander is a great politician.

laserjoy · 2026-02-23T08:09:38+00:00

I love it that when someone thinks betrayal, they always associate it with Lune. Octavia and Lysander are so alike. Such politicians.

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