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hanz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I really liked this, but I felt that the ending was very rushed especially after the pace of the rest of the book. Still looking forward to reading the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Murder, and Violence
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to LibroFm for the ALC of this book.
This is a fantasy of absolutely epic proportions. I loved every single bit of it. Xiala is one of my new favorite characters of all time. I was immediately hooked on her storyline and character development.
I also loved Serapio and his story. There is so much going on there, and he is such an interesting character.
The plot of this book really took me by surprise. There was so much going on, from political rivalries, to religious sects, to sirens and villains and cults and everything, but it all flowed together really well.
Roanhorse's writing is delightful and accessible. I absolutely love how well she incorporates so much world-building in without making it feel like exposition drops or overly explanatory writing.
Honestly this book was incredible and I can't wait for the sequel.
This is a fantasy of absolutely epic proportions. I loved every single bit of it. Xiala is one of my new favorite characters of all time. I was immediately hooked on her storyline and character development.
I also loved Serapio and his story. There is so much going on there, and he is such an interesting character.
The plot of this book really took me by surprise. There was so much going on, from political rivalries, to religious sects, to sirens and villains and cults and everything, but it all flowed together really well.
Roanhorse's writing is delightful and accessible. I absolutely love how well she incorporates so much world-building in without making it feel like exposition drops or overly explanatory writing.
Honestly this book was incredible and I can't wait for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
podanotherjessi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Uhm, wow. That's it. That's the only thought in my head.
Okay, let's try to be a professional reviewer. Honestly, my only complaint for my personal taste is that the ending doesn't really resolve anything and leave open, in my opinion, far too much. This would be less of an issue if I could go straight onto the next book, obviously, but since I'll be waiting, it's more frustrating than enticing.
Beyond that, this is definitely dark, and that won't work for everyone. It never felt excessive or voyaristic; on the contrary, every harsh detail felt incredibly intentional. Even so, this means this won't be a book for everyone. Definitely look at the trigger warnings.
The characters in this were fantastic. I would die for Serapio in a heart beat, and the rest wouldn't take much more time to decide. They are complex and complicated and lovable yet hard to like. I was rooting for each of them to succeed all the while knowing it was impossible.
And... I think that's the most I can say about it coherently. This is a fantastic book, and I recommend it for anyone that can handle the darker parts.
Characters: 10
Plot: 10
Setting: 10
General appeal: 10
Writing style: 9
Originality: 10
Ending: 6
Okay, let's try to be a professional reviewer. Honestly, my only complaint for my personal taste is that the ending doesn't really resolve anything and leave open, in my opinion, far too much. This would be less of an issue if I could go straight onto the next book, obviously, but since I'll be waiting, it's more frustrating than enticing.
Beyond that, this is definitely dark, and that won't work for everyone. It never felt excessive or voyaristic; on the contrary, every harsh detail felt incredibly intentional. Even so, this means this won't be a book for everyone. Definitely look at the trigger warnings.
The characters in this were fantastic. I would die for Serapio in a heart beat, and the rest wouldn't take much more time to decide. They are complex and complicated and lovable yet hard to like. I was rooting for each of them to succeed all the while knowing it was impossible.
And... I think that's the most I can say about it coherently. This is a fantastic book, and I recommend it for anyone that can handle the darker parts.
Characters: 10
Plot: 10
Setting: 10
General appeal: 10
Writing style: 9
Originality: 10
Ending: 6
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence
benasbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
tawallah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Child abuse
Minor: Drug use and Suicide
ehmannky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I found the first half of the book to be kind of a slow start as all of the world building is put into place and you get acquainted to the many different point of view characters and their situations (this is not a criticism of either, it just takes time to do this), but once you hit that halfway mark it just zooms right along. I couldn't put it down. The political intrigue, the wild religious stuff and the cult magic, the wonderful relationship between Serapio and Xiala, and everything that Naranpa was up to was just so much fun to read. I feel like the tragedy of being the subject of prophecy and the person everyone puts their hopes on to save (or break) the world was just so up front and center, and I can't wait to read the next installment.
Among the many things that I appreciated about this book, beyond it just being a really good epic fantasy, is that the world is so effortlessly queer.
Among the many things that I appreciated about this book, beyond it just being a really good epic fantasy, is that the world is so effortlessly queer.
It was just as good the second time around! I still didn't care about the Okoa chapters that much, but overall this is such a good series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Death of parent, Blood, Child abuse, Genocide, Violence, Death, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Biphobia, Drug use, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Sexism, Animal death, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit
brianareads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Grief, Self harm, and Trafficking
blindforest's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
a breathtaking ride from start to finish. i love that the worldbuilding manages to balance between the usual epic fantasy fare and a looming sinister edge that makes the story doubly intriguing. most of the cast and povs introduced instantly have my attention and keeps me engaged until the last page. if there were any minor gripes, it would be that the ending lacked a bit of a punch to it; and naranpa, despite being one of the main characters, doesn’t have the same spark compared to the rest. i really hope she will get a bigger role in the next book, as she has potential to be interesting but was very much underutilized. but all in all, these flaws still didn’t take away my enjoyment at the very least, and now i guess i just have to settle in for the arduous wait for the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Drug use, Gore, and Physical abuse
mezzarella's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Black Sun separates itself from other novels in its genre through its bold reclassifying of what fantasy is supposed to look like. Instead of European castles or gritty cities, Roanhorse looks to pre-Columbian American cultures and civilizations for inspiration. From an outside perspective, each of the fantastical tribes are respectful of their source material and are portrayed with beauty, nuance, and depth.
I was drawn to a reimaging of what fantasy could be, and was rejuvenated by concepts which were foreign to me. I was a visitor in Roanhorse's world, and it was easy to be sucked in within it. Multiple main characters and a shifting perspective between the past and present provided a deep understanding of the world and what was occurring from many different perspectives. While action is not as frequent as other examples of the genre, it makes up for it in deep characterization and complex relationships which grow naturally throughout the story. The prose is beautiful. The story, although predictable, was enjoyable and engaging.
Roanhorse is Native American and an "Own Voices" author, but it is important to consider she there are tribes which she is not related to by blood represented in the novel. Additionally, her reviews have been mixed in indigenous circles, including reviews for Black Sun and earlier work highlighting Navajo cultures. It is important to mention that while Roanhorse is Native American by blood, she is not a citizen of the nationally recognized tribe she belongs to. Additionally, she has appropriated and represented herself as an Own Voices author for Navajo nations in novels such as The Trail of Lightning and Race to the Sun. To date, she still has not written a book about her own people or culture (Ohkay Owingeh of New Mexico). In addition to the already present controversies, Black Sun is rich with outsiders, rather than loved participants of the culture they reside in. This may also add to the tension between this particular "Own Voices" author and "Own Voices" reviewers.
Due to the mixed reviews of authentic representation written by Roanhorse's work, it feels odd to call Black Sun an Own Voices narrative. And although the book is thrilling and beautiful, the controversy mars this inclusive story with a problem which has long been ingrained in fantasy: cultural appropriation. Readers specifically looking for an authentic Own Voices fantasy may want to look through the TBR list a little more before choosing this one to read and learn from.
I was drawn to a reimaging of what fantasy could be, and was rejuvenated by concepts which were foreign to me. I was a visitor in Roanhorse's world, and it was easy to be sucked in within it. Multiple main characters and a shifting perspective between the past and present provided a deep understanding of the world and what was occurring from many different perspectives. While action is not as frequent as other examples of the genre, it makes up for it in deep characterization and complex relationships which grow naturally throughout the story. The prose is beautiful. The story, although predictable, was enjoyable and engaging.
Roanhorse is Native American and an "Own Voices" author, but it is important to consider she there are tribes which she is not related to by blood represented in the novel. Additionally, her reviews have been mixed in indigenous circles, including reviews for Black Sun and earlier work highlighting Navajo cultures. It is important to mention that while Roanhorse is Native American by blood, she is not a citizen of the nationally recognized tribe she belongs to. Additionally, she has appropriated and represented herself as an Own Voices author for Navajo nations in novels such as The Trail of Lightning and Race to the Sun. To date, she still has not written a book about her own people or culture (Ohkay Owingeh of New Mexico). In addition to the already present controversies, Black Sun is rich with outsiders, rather than loved participants of the culture they reside in. This may also add to the tension between this particular "Own Voices" author and "Own Voices" reviewers.
Due to the mixed reviews of authentic representation written by Roanhorse's work, it feels odd to call Black Sun an Own Voices narrative. And although the book is thrilling and beautiful, the controversy mars this inclusive story with a problem which has long been ingrained in fantasy: cultural appropriation. Readers specifically looking for an authentic Own Voices fantasy may want to look through the TBR list a little more before choosing this one to read and learn from.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Genocide, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, and Self harm
This story's most central main character is a man who as a boy was created and trained to be a holy figure for his nation. Child abuse: His motherbatesbarb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will start by warning folks that this book ends on the cliffhangeriest cliffhanger ever to hang off a cliff. So, if that's something that's going to drive you nuts, maybe wait until the next book comes out.
That said, this is an absolutely amazing epic fantasy novel of political intrigue, religious conflict, and personal adventures. There are some definite trigger warnings for war, violence, and body horror. I knew very little going into it, other than I've loved basically everything that Roanhorse has ever written. My understanding is that the world is loosely based on the religious traditions of a lot of Mesoamerican and southwest north American indigenous nations. Some of the social structures took a little bit of time for me to get used to, but none of it was confusing enough to get in the way of the story. The world felt both new and completely lived in. The worldbuilding is also radically inclusive. There are characters with a ton of different body types and shapes, there are queer and non-binary characters. For the most part, those differences are treated as incidental to the plot and conflict, even when they are integral to the characters themselves.
I'm not sure I can describe the plot much without spoiling the heck out of it, so I'm not going to try. If you liked NK Jemisin's 5th Season books, or if you liked Game of Thrones, but wish it contained about 99% less sexual violence, and maybe had some non-villain brown people, this would be a good book to pick up.
That said, this is an absolutely amazing epic fantasy novel of political intrigue, religious conflict, and personal adventures. There are some definite trigger warnings for war, violence, and body horror. I knew very little going into it, other than I've loved basically everything that Roanhorse has ever written. My understanding is that the world is loosely based on the religious traditions of a lot of Mesoamerican and southwest north American indigenous nations. Some of the social structures took a little bit of time for me to get used to, but none of it was confusing enough to get in the way of the story. The world felt both new and completely lived in. The worldbuilding is also radically inclusive. There are characters with a ton of different body types and shapes, there are queer and non-binary characters. For the most part, those differences are treated as incidental to the plot and conflict, even when they are integral to the characters themselves.
I'm not sure I can describe the plot much without spoiling the heck out of it, so I'm not going to try. If you liked NK Jemisin's 5th Season books, or if you liked Game of Thrones, but wish it contained about 99% less sexual violence, and maybe had some non-villain brown people, this would be a good book to pick up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Drug use and Homophobia
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