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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
aardwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Hits you right in the first book of a trilogy, managing full story arcs for the many viewpoint characters while setting up a longer tale to come. The worldbuilding (definitely the strength of the book) makes the universe feel lived in even as it oozes epic fantasy tropes of noble houses and magic animal allies and such. The prose is evocative and lush and the pacing is excellent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
bodiesinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Slavery and Cursing
enriquesjem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, Violence, Suicide, and Slavery
troisha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Vomit, and Suicide
hanarama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The Good:
- The plot gradually picks up the pace towards the end, building tension.
- Great LGBT rep, including wlw and nonbinary identities.
- The writing is very melodic.
The Bad:
- Cliffhanger at the end can make the story feel unsatisfying. (A second book is slated, so if you hate cliffhangers, maybe wait for that to come out).
- Little character development through most of the book.
You'll like this book if:
- Bi Pirates
- Pre-Colombian settings
- Multiple, opposing POVs
I read this for a buddy read and went into this book with very little idea of what I was going to get. What I got was a journey through a richly developed world in a Pre-Colombian fantasy setting.
Serapio is a mysterious blind man with a purpose designed to bring about a reckoning. Xiala is a pirate captain with a strong affinity for the sea. Naranpa is the Sun Priest, the first not to come from the Sky Made clans, and a polarizing progressive. Okoa is the son of the Carrion Crow Matron, and the rider of a giant crow. As the solar eclipse and the winter solstice approach, their stories rapidly come together and their opposing needs collide.
Roanhorse has a very smooth writing style that allowed me to breeze through the book quickly. Though the multiple POVs made it at times hard to develop strong connections to the characters, there were some standouts. Xiala, the pirate captain is immensely enjoyable and out of all the characters feels the closest to an audience surrogate.
Additionally, Roanhorse provides a lot of lgbt+ representation, allowing it to exist casually in her setting. There are multiple characters that use xe/xir pronouns, which I found really cool to see.
The world feels really rich, with a lot more open for exploration. Throughout the majority of this book the characters are being driven by the forces put in place long ago, so it feels like a convergence of forces, but because the story is so plot-driven, there's little room for the characters to stretch their legs. I hope that with the sequel the cast will get more character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Religious bigotry