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tinysierra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
“Today he would become a god. His mother had told him so.” pg 1
An amazing epic fantasy with intriguing diverse characters. Wow. Also… mermaids! Giant crows!
There was a mix of character driven and plot driven moments. I felt like there was a lot of slow/medium paced moments where there was more focus on character development/interactions but it did pick up in some places with more plot related aspects. It kept my attention either way.
The timeline hopped around a bit, jumping back into the past and then forward into the present. Slowly putting the pieces together. The chapters had the date along with experts from in world media (like journal entries), which really added to my immersion.
I liked Xiala and Serapio’s chapters the most. It was nice to see the story through a blind characters perspective. I hope to see more about Xiala’s powers in the next book.
In this book, queer characters are accepted in some of the societies but not others. There are characters that use neopronouns (xe/xir)! Xiala mentions that she takes pleasure with “men, women, and other genders” which I assume means that she’s bi or pan.
The ending was fast and admittedly a little anticlimactic but I don’t find myself feeling disappointed. I’m curious about where the story is going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Colonisation, Death, Physical abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, War, Biphobia, Drug use, Confinement, Suicide, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Sexual content, Animal death, Vomit, and Infidelity
itisnatal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, and Drug use
bookycnidaria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.0
Note: My full review is here.
This was a really interesting read. If there's one thing I want to read more of, it's pre-Columbian fiction/nonfiction/fantasy/what have you, (1) because pre-Columbian cultures and histories are fascinating and (2) because I know very little about said cultures and histories and would like to learn more.
Black Sun is the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, an epic fantasy set in a world inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas. This is a world where music has power and mermaids are real, where giant crows are bred as warrior mounts and no one is disturbed by the idea of a third gender. They do have a lot of problems based on class and race, but, well, nobody's perfect. The story is narrated by turns by Xiala, a Teek ship captain who can manipulate the sea with her Song; Naranpa, the reigning Sun Priest, who bootstrapped her way to the top but now finds her life under constant threat; Serapio, a blind man burdened with glorious purpose; and Okoa, a crow-riding warrior from Serapio's mother's clan, who finds himself in the middle of a religious uprising despite his best attempts to avoid it. Along with the chaos of their everyday lives, they have to deal with the Convergence, an upcoming solar eclipse that will affect all of them in different ways.
One of the most wonderful things about this book is its sheer diversity. Though it takes place on one continent, there are several different ethnic groups, orientations, and identities, including a nonbinary gender called bayeki, which uses the pronouns xe/xir. This whole world was incredibly detailed, but the world-building never distracted from the story. Overall this was a really intriguing first installment, and I am now in wait mode for book two, particularly as Black Sun ended on a rather cruel cliffhanger. I am seriously considering reading it again. Now that we've been introduced to the characters and the world, I fully anticipate that books two and three will be even better than book one, and I can't wait to see what they have in store.
This was a really interesting read. If there's one thing I want to read more of, it's pre-Columbian fiction/nonfiction/fantasy/what have you, (1) because pre-Columbian cultures and histories are fascinating and (2) because I know very little about said cultures and histories and would like to learn more.
Black Sun is the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, an epic fantasy set in a world inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas. This is a world where music has power and mermaids are real, where giant crows are bred as warrior mounts and no one is disturbed by the idea of a third gender. They do have a lot of problems based on class and race, but, well, nobody's perfect. The story is narrated by turns by Xiala, a Teek ship captain who can manipulate the sea with her Song; Naranpa, the reigning Sun Priest, who bootstrapped her way to the top but now finds her life under constant threat; Serapio, a blind man burdened with glorious purpose; and Okoa, a crow-riding warrior from Serapio's mother's clan, who finds himself in the middle of a religious uprising despite his best attempts to avoid it. Along with the chaos of their everyday lives, they have to deal with the Convergence, an upcoming solar eclipse that will affect all of them in different ways.
One of the most wonderful things about this book is its sheer diversity. Though it takes place on one continent, there are several different ethnic groups, orientations, and identities, including a nonbinary gender called bayeki, which uses the pronouns xe/xir. This whole world was incredibly detailed, but the world-building never distracted from the story. Overall this was a really intriguing first installment, and I am now in wait mode for book two, particularly as Black Sun ended on a rather cruel cliffhanger. I am seriously considering reading it again. Now that we've been introduced to the characters and the world, I fully anticipate that books two and three will be even better than book one, and I can't wait to see what they have in store.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Child abuse, Classism, Genocide, and Violence
sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
This is one of the first books that I've read that had multiple points of view and I had to read this a little slower than I normally read books.
I want to like aspects of the blind representation but upon a closer look the blind main character kind of falls into the "magical disabled persons" trope and I don't like that very much.
I want to like aspects of the blind representation but upon a closer look the blind main character kind of falls into the "magical disabled persons" trope and I don't like that very much.
"Typically, the disabled characters are limited to four types: the “magical cripple,” the “evil cripple,” the “inspirational cripple” and the “redemptive cripple.” Magical cripples transcend the limitations of the human body and are almost divinelike. They make magical things happen for able-bodied characters."
- PBS.org
I really liked Xiala, I like how relatable Serapio was, the queerness, and the addition or introduction of a third gender.
This was a really good read and I can't wait to dig into the next book in the series.
I'm giving this 4.5 stars out of 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, Confinement, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Violence
nerdysread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
WoW. When I started this book I didn’t know I would love it so much. It’s slow paced but you still can’t put it down. The characters are great, the political intrigues too.
Maybe the romance could not have been there. But it’s not a big deal, it’s still good
Maybe the romance could not have been there. But it’s not a big deal, it’s still good
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Child abuse, Blood, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Suicide
Minor: Genocide and Grief
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was an absolutely fabulous fantasy story. I love the interwoven Native American elements as well - they add a level to the tale that makes it feel somehow more unique and more genuine. It’s gory and intense at times, but gripping. Can’t wait to read the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Violence, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, and Death
Author is Navajo, and all characters are coded-indigenous.gellyreads's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't bring myself to care very much about anything that was happening. Maybe it's the mood I'm in (and that I'm more of a mood reader than I thought), but I struggled with the point of views and tracking what all was happening. This book reminds me of the Dark Shade of Magic Series, which I also didn't really care for either, especially the Captain reminding me of the thief girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
ayvie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
This book can get incredibly dark. The book starts with a mother (CN: abuse) scarring and drugging her son, making him stare into an eclipse, and then sewing his eyes shut . All to make him the avatar of a god for revenge. There are other descriptions of abuse and violence throughout the book, but nothing felt gratuitous. It happened, it occurred, and then the story moved on, letting the characters deal with it and move on as well.
Black Sun is set in a world inspired by civilizations of Pre-Columbian Americas. The world is incredibly vivid and deeply fleshed out.
We spend time with three (primary) point-of-view characters, and one occasional POV character, and honestly I love them all. Even more on re-read. Xiala and Serapio remain my absolute favorites though.
It's becoming more common lately to casually include gender and sexually diverse characters in books - a fact of which I can only be thankful. Sometimes it's done well, and sometimes it feels forced. Here, it felt casual and beautifully comfortable.
Characters are just who they are. Nonbinary (Xe/xir and they) and third genders are casually mentioned, identified as, and accepted without issue. There’s a character who is reintroduced to another from his childhood and says “But now you are a woman,” without judgement, and when she replies “But I was always a woman,” it’s accepted as absolute truth – a real truth that has no alternative.
Black Sun is set in a world inspired by civilizations of Pre-Columbian Americas. The world is incredibly vivid and deeply fleshed out.
We spend time with three (primary) point-of-view characters, and one occasional POV character, and honestly I love them all. Even more on re-read. Xiala and Serapio remain my absolute favorites though.
It's becoming more common lately to casually include gender and sexually diverse characters in books - a fact of which I can only be thankful. Sometimes it's done well, and sometimes it feels forced. Here, it felt casual and beautifully comfortable.
Characters are just who they are. Nonbinary (Xe/xir and they) and third genders are casually mentioned, identified as, and accepted without issue. There’s a character who is reintroduced to another from his childhood and says “But now you are a woman,” without judgement, and when she replies “But I was always a woman,” it’s accepted as absolute truth – a real truth that has no alternative.
It’s incredibly refreshing to experience a story, a world, that is so accepting of these characters – whether they’re pansexual, genderless, gender-fluid, nonbinary, or anything else that a person can be. They – and we – exist in the world. Except in this world, they are accepted without injury to their souls, without questioning their truths, exactly as they are and always have been.
Also - the audio narration for this book is fantastic and I'd highly recommend it. I listened to this book while I did all my chores, worked, and took my showers because I couldn't stop listening.
Also - the audio narration for this book is fantastic and I'd highly recommend it. I listened to this book while I did all my chores, worked, and took my showers because I couldn't stop listening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Child abuse
nerodyne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
I genuinely adored this book. The world building was phenomenal and felt vibrant in a way that I've never read before. The way that each perspective change was balanced to never lose the tension that was being built up was masterful, I can't think of any other book that handles POV changes quite as well as this one does. Even the plot points that I don't particularly care for never weighed down the story or made my opinion of it lessen. It's a story that deals with themes that I already am fond of and I feel it handled them well and I can't wait to see how they're expanded on in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child abuse, Violence, and Murder
bersblue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Torture, and Violence