In episode 257 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Christopher Ruoccio, author of the Sun Eater series. Christopher is an encyclopedia of science fiction, fantasy, and Roman Empire information. He is the man. A really thoughtful guy and a brilliant writer. Check out more from Christopher Ruocchio here: https://www.youtube.com/@SunEaterBooks Grab the books here to support my channel: Empire of Silence: https://amzn.to/3voU9gD Howling Dark: https://amzn.to/4ag4WbS Demon In White: https://amzn.to/4afYS38 Kingdoms of Death: https://amzn.to/4czy27L Ashes of Man: https://amzn.to/4afT1Lf Disquiet Gods: https://amzn.to/4cCqv83 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA/join →Sponsors/Discounts Check out https://murdycreative.co/PARKERNOTES and use promo code PARKERNOTES at check out for 10% off your entire order!! Grab a Field Notes notebook or memo book wallet like the one from the video from my affiliate link here to support my work and use promo code PARKERNOTES for 10% off your entire order: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/daily-carry-leather-notebook-cover?aff=44 Grab a Saddleback Leather medium Moleskine/Leuchtturm1917 cover from my affiliate link here to support my channel: https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-moleskine-cover-medium/?ktk=d0pac01BLWJmZWY1MmZiYTFi Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA/join Join the Facebook group, Parker's Pensées Penseurs, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/960471494536285/ If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspensees Sub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/ 0:00 - Why people love the Sun Eater books 6:13 - CS Lewis vs Tolkien on teaching through fiction 14:52 - The Golden Age vs the New Wave of Science Fiction 24:05 - Dune 41:00 - Are Superheroes Science Fiction? 45:18 - What is Science Fantasy, Space Opera, SF vs Sci-Fi 56:52 - Favorite SF stories 1:03:40 - is it okay to borrow from other stories? 1:12:47 - Scholiasts, Mentats, and Analytic Philosophy 1:20:54 - Roman Catholicism and the Chantry 1:35:34 - How to Write Science Fiction Novels