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literarypenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
Black Sun is less of a novel and more like a reading experience. When you open to the first page and close to the last you are taken on a journey of epicness and excitement. This exceeds all expectations and is excellent in terms of a debut novel. This book was such a pleasure to read and will stick in my mind for years to come.
The world building. What can I say about the world building? It was beautiful and breathtaking! Every single location in the book was described perfectly and they all felt like real places in the world. Each place felt different and none of them felt duplicated or the same. Roanhorse has a great eye for detail and made each place it's own, she gave them character and attention. The places felt like they were characters as well as the characters themselves. I loved reading a new chapter and being introduced to a new place. You also learned about the types of people that lived in these places and what went on there. There were port towns that made their income on fishing, slum towns for the poor and low class and the more well developed places for the high class society. The diversity of locations was the best I have ever seen.
One of my favorite things in this book was the presentation of different cultures and people presented in this book. It was done beautifully and respectfully without losing your attention. It was amazing to read about Central American culture and how some of those beliefs were incorporated into the story. Roanhorse took inspiration from not just Central American culture but Indigenous Americans as well. It was very refreshing to see Indigenous culture be in the spotlight and to be a part of the story. The culture didnt take over the story, it became a part of the story and was done very well.
The characters were easily one of my favorite things about this book. I loved all of the characters and no character was the same, everyone was different. They all had their faults and weaknesses and no one was totally good or bad. They were all in a gray area just like all humans are. Just like humans, racism and discrimination was present in this book and was done in a respectful and well thought out way. I could believe these characters were actual people, I loved them.
The LGBTQ representation was off the charts lovely. There were bisexual, trans and non binary characters throughout this book. It was done in such a great way that the representation did not take over. The representation was there but it didnt drown out the story. I really appreciated that and felt like the author really did her research and cared enough about it the community to write them respectfully.
I do not want to write anymore because I dont want any spoilers but do give this book a go you will not regret it at all. If you want a new fantasy favorite then pick up Black Sun. You will love it from the first page to the last and make you wanting more after it is done.
The world building. What can I say about the world building? It was beautiful and breathtaking! Every single location in the book was described perfectly and they all felt like real places in the world. Each place felt different and none of them felt duplicated or the same. Roanhorse has a great eye for detail and made each place it's own, she gave them character and attention. The places felt like they were characters as well as the characters themselves. I loved reading a new chapter and being introduced to a new place. You also learned about the types of people that lived in these places and what went on there. There were port towns that made their income on fishing, slum towns for the poor and low class and the more well developed places for the high class society. The diversity of locations was the best I have ever seen.
One of my favorite things in this book was the presentation of different cultures and people presented in this book. It was done beautifully and respectfully without losing your attention. It was amazing to read about Central American culture and how some of those beliefs were incorporated into the story. Roanhorse took inspiration from not just Central American culture but Indigenous Americans as well. It was very refreshing to see Indigenous culture be in the spotlight and to be a part of the story. The culture didnt take over the story, it became a part of the story and was done very well.
The characters were easily one of my favorite things about this book. I loved all of the characters and no character was the same, everyone was different. They all had their faults and weaknesses and no one was totally good or bad. They were all in a gray area just like all humans are. Just like humans, racism and discrimination was present in this book and was done in a respectful and well thought out way. I could believe these characters were actual people, I loved them.
The LGBTQ representation was off the charts lovely. There were bisexual, trans and non binary characters throughout this book. It was done in such a great way that the representation did not take over. The representation was there but it didnt drown out the story. I really appreciated that and felt like the author really did her research and cared enough about it the community to write them respectfully.
I do not want to write anymore because I dont want any spoilers but do give this book a go you will not regret it at all. If you want a new fantasy favorite then pick up Black Sun. You will love it from the first page to the last and make you wanting more after it is done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Suicide
bugthebard's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death and Sexual content
alouette's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
god. this book made me emotional for sure, but not in all positive ways. some character decisions, especially near the end, just made me angry and felt like a regression. however! i can respect that the author sucked me so far in with their world-building and character's connections that me feeling so intensely about this was a product of fantastic writing. the imagery used to describe this colombian-inspired world was stunning, the magic and history of the world was fascinating, and the questions of morals were thought-provoking. i'm quite excited to see where the story goes from here!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Cursing, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide, War, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Homophobia
oceanw1'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? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Body horror, and Alcohol
breadwitchery's review against another edition
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Violence, Suicide, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Confinement, and Body horror
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, War, Cursing, and Pregnancy
eininthebird's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicide, Sexism, Self harm, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Child abuse
rubybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I actually pre-ordered this before the paperback came out, but it's been on my shelf since then. I decided to finally pick it up during Pride Month because I'd heard that there are queer characters as well as a character who uses neo-pronouns (there are actually multiple side characters who use them) and I definitely need to read more books with that representation. If you're looking for adult fantasy to read featuring characters of different races, sexualities and genders, you should definitely try this book!
Black Sun is the first book in a new adult fantasy series, and I believe it's inspired by the Americas before colonisation. The magic system is also intertwined with religion, and there are multiple faiths followed in the book. Xiala is the Teek captain of a ship carrying precious cargo: an apparently "harmless" blind man who is destined to be in the city of Tova. Both Xiala and Serapio are not exactly human - Xiala is Teek, which means she can calm the sea with her Song, and Serapio's fate is intwined with the Crow god. Meanwhile, in Tova, Sun Priest Naranpa struggles with keeping order in the city. Black Sun is written in third person with chapters following the different characters and all of their stories come together at the end in time for Convergence, a solar eclipse that is coinciding with the winter solstice.
As I said before, I got sucked into the plot straight away. I also think that this would be a great book to read if you're trying to get into adult fantasy because the writing was really accessible and I found the world-building pretty easy to understand, even though it definitely had complexities. World-building is usually my favourite part of fantasy books, and this world is so interesting! I was especially interested in the history of Tova and how politics and religion plays into that. I want to learn more about the Teek in the future too! Black Sun follows characters from a lot of different places, and I loved this because it meant we got to see loads of different settings which in turn helps us learn about the characters.
The characters were all so different and compelling. Xiala is bisexual, and I absolutely loved her attitude from the moment she was introduced. I loved learning about all the characters, but she definitely captivated me the most. Serapio is incredibly complicated, and I appreciated seeing his development from child to adult as this heavily impacted his personality. It took me a bit longer to get used to Naranpa, but by the end I was completely invested in her story and what was going to happen to her. Her situation and role as Sun Priest is incredibly complex, and by the end of the book you can see how much development she went through in becoming less naive and more able to stand up for herself.
This is an incredibly unique adult fantasy and I fell into it so easily - I really can't wait to see where the series goes and I'm so excited for book two. I was a bit intimidated before I started because adult fantasy can be slow to get into and I've been in a reading mood where I want fast-paced books, but I was actually really surprised because I fell into the story really easily and read it so quickly. Black Sun contains content including murder, abuse, suicide, and mutilation/scarring as part of a religious ritual. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.
Black Sun is the first book in a new adult fantasy series, and I believe it's inspired by the Americas before colonisation. The magic system is also intertwined with religion, and there are multiple faiths followed in the book. Xiala is the Teek captain of a ship carrying precious cargo: an apparently "harmless" blind man who is destined to be in the city of Tova. Both Xiala and Serapio are not exactly human - Xiala is Teek, which means she can calm the sea with her Song, and Serapio's fate is intwined with the Crow god. Meanwhile, in Tova, Sun Priest Naranpa struggles with keeping order in the city. Black Sun is written in third person with chapters following the different characters and all of their stories come together at the end in time for Convergence, a solar eclipse that is coinciding with the winter solstice.
As I said before, I got sucked into the plot straight away. I also think that this would be a great book to read if you're trying to get into adult fantasy because the writing was really accessible and I found the world-building pretty easy to understand, even though it definitely had complexities. World-building is usually my favourite part of fantasy books, and this world is so interesting! I was especially interested in the history of Tova and how politics and religion plays into that. I want to learn more about the Teek in the future too! Black Sun follows characters from a lot of different places, and I loved this because it meant we got to see loads of different settings which in turn helps us learn about the characters.
The characters were all so different and compelling. Xiala is bisexual, and I absolutely loved her attitude from the moment she was introduced. I loved learning about all the characters, but she definitely captivated me the most. Serapio is incredibly complicated, and I appreciated seeing his development from child to adult as this heavily impacted his personality. It took me a bit longer to get used to Naranpa, but by the end I was completely invested in her story and what was going to happen to her. Her situation and role as Sun Priest is incredibly complex, and by the end of the book you can see how much development she went through in becoming less naive and more able to stand up for herself.
This is an incredibly unique adult fantasy and I fell into it so easily - I really can't wait to see where the series goes and I'm so excited for book two. I was a bit intimidated before I started because adult fantasy can be slow to get into and I've been in a reading mood where I want fast-paced books, but I was actually really surprised because I fell into the story really easily and read it so quickly. Black Sun contains content including murder, abuse, suicide, and mutilation/scarring as part of a religious ritual. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide
sj_54's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
**Content warning for chapter 1 - body modification - it REALLY took me by surprise and nearly put me off the book but I'm glad I stayed**
I love a well-built fantasy world (& a gorgeous map!).
The lore and myths intertwined into the story really helped elucidate the motivations of the characters, and build the world. And the characters themselves were incredibly believable and distinctive. It's been a long time since I've loved a character as much as Xiala - strong, stubborn, and wonderfully flawed.
The story itself was refreshingly creative. Though attempts to overthrow the controlling power abound in fantasy, the incorporation of myth, belief, and a unique kind of magic made it brand-new.
Personally I felt that the foreshadowing that Naranpa wouldn't be on the Sun Rock and so Serapio wouldn't fulfill his destiny was a bit TOO heavy-handed too early before the climax, but maybe that's just me!
As always, my only complaint is that I now have to wait for a sequel!
I love a well-built fantasy world (& a gorgeous map!).
The lore and myths intertwined into the story really helped elucidate the motivations of the characters, and build the world. And the characters themselves were incredibly believable and distinctive. It's been a long time since I've loved a character as much as Xiala - strong, stubborn, and wonderfully flawed.
The story itself was refreshingly creative. Though attempts to overthrow the controlling power abound in fantasy, the incorporation of myth, belief, and a unique kind of magic made it brand-new.
As always, my only complaint is that I now have to wait for a sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Murder
Moderate: Suicide and Physical abuse
Minor: Lesbophobia and Confinement
urs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Racism
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Sexism, Confinement, and Homophobia
moonspire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Minor: Suicide