2 To Ramble Sun Eater Series Review (ft. Jed Herne, Jared Henderson, Talking Story) | 2 To Ramble #294
Dec 26, 2025
Join Jared Henderson, a philosophy-minded BookTube creator, and Jed Herne, an insightful author-interviewer, along with John from Talking Story, as they dive deep into the Sun Eater series. The trio explores the emotionally impactful deaths, big narrative moments that hook readers, and the series' unique chiastic structure. They debate Hadrian's moral complexity, identity questions, and how personal memories ground the epic tale. Their passionate discussions highlight the craftsmanship that makes this series a noteworthy addition to science fiction.
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Episode notes
Scale Serves Character First
- The Sun Eater series ties intimate personal arcs to cosmic-scale stakes, making massive events feel emotionally grounded.
- Hadrian's isolation and duty recur as the series' core, turning mythic moments into personal tragedies.
Editor-Inserted Scene Hooked A Reader
- Richard describes the editor-forced scene of Cat's death as the moment that kept him reading past a weak first book.
- That small scene reframed Hadrian's responsibility and revealed deeper moral stakes for him.
Strategic Withholding Enlarges World
- Reveals like Earth's continued existence and hidden Chantry layers expand the world without forcing direct visitation.
- Leaving some locales unseen invites reader imagination and preserves scale.