Empire of Silence

Interesting debut from Ruocchio will both ups and downs. First act was painfully slow, but does start to pick up after the first couple hundred pages. Ruocchio has a tendency to dwell on a thought, usually through the main character's internal dialogue which can bog the pacing down. Brevity in most cases would be preferred, but he does by the end of the novel seem to figure it out. World building is very good, borderline great, though I have a feeling most of it will not factor into future novels. There is a decent amount of tension throughout, though most of the pay-offs feel a tad underwhelming. Character development is a mixed bag and is mainly due to the first person narrative structure. Overall the plot is solid, particularly the final third. Definitely interested in continuing this series, however I cannot broadly recommend. Interestingly I have it on good authority that subsequent books are much improved and the series as a whole is excellent.