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azrah786's review against another edition
4.5
**I was gifted a copy by Rebellion Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
CW: blood, violence, physical abuse, self harm, body mutilation, torture, murder, suicide
I originally listened to the audiobook of this which was absolutely FANTASTIC!!
Black Sun centres on the Day of Convergence, when the Winter Solstice is coinciding with a Solar Eclipse – an event seen as a bad omen.
We follow 4 perspectives through which Roanhorse has woven a tale full of adventure and magic – a blind man whose destiny lies in reaching the city of Tova on the solstice; a Teek sea captain who has the power to calm the waters with her song hired to take him there; the newly appointed Sun Priest of Tova who is trying to hold on to her power in a society prejudiced against her; and the son of the matron of Tova’s Carrion Crow clan.
The world building, inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas is rich with culture and history that immerses you right into this incredible story. It has both beautifully complex and diverse characters that will embed themselves in your heart and an intricate plot full of prophecies, twists and political machinations, all ingeniously coming together. Roanhorse’s writing masterfully creates this tense atmosphere as the story spirals towards the main event and the pacing and intrigue will keep you hooked.
This is an epic fantasy tale that you do not want to miss out on!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
CW: blood, violence, physical abuse, self harm, body mutilation, torture, murder, suicide
I originally listened to the audiobook of this which was absolutely FANTASTIC!!
Black Sun centres on the Day of Convergence, when the Winter Solstice is coinciding with a Solar Eclipse – an event seen as a bad omen.
We follow 4 perspectives through which Roanhorse has woven a tale full of adventure and magic – a blind man whose destiny lies in reaching the city of Tova on the solstice; a Teek sea captain who has the power to calm the waters with her song hired to take him there; the newly appointed Sun Priest of Tova who is trying to hold on to her power in a society prejudiced against her; and the son of the matron of Tova’s Carrion Crow clan.
The world building, inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas is rich with culture and history that immerses you right into this incredible story. It has both beautifully complex and diverse characters that will embed themselves in your heart and an intricate plot full of prophecies, twists and political machinations, all ingeniously coming together. Roanhorse’s writing masterfully creates this tense atmosphere as the story spirals towards the main event and the pacing and intrigue will keep you hooked.
This is an epic fantasy tale that you do not want to miss out on!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
astropova's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
okays1331's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am so upset that I didn't realize this was the first in a series until I was halfway through. And the second book doesn't even have so much as a release date yet! I devoured it finishing it in two days only by necessity of sleep. I was 90% done with the book at 1 AM.
Dark and beautiful and complicated. Each character is compelling and haunting. Through the perspective shifts you can see the steady marching towards the day of reckoning. It is not until that point that all of the stories converge. The author shows you how to love each of them and want them to succeed, but it is obvious from the beginning that they are all on different sides of the conflict. There is no way the culmination can go well for all of them. And I did not know who I was rooting for or what would be "right".
Serapio's story has impaled my heart with a hundred crow feathers. His innocence of life and intense trauma, his discovery of the every day along side his wisdom of the ancient. The singularity of purpose he has cuts through the political intrigue and backstabbing and plans of humans blazing an inevitable trail to the climax of the book. You see him coming like the great storm he is far off in the distance but there is nothing to be done to halt it or even get out of the way. At the same time, he is tasting fish for the first time and learning about the stars and making his first friend.
While we wait on the next book, I need someone to make gorgeous fan art of these characters, so I can obsess over how beautiful this world is.
Dark and beautiful and complicated. Each character is compelling and haunting. Through the perspective shifts you can see the steady marching towards the day of reckoning. It is not until that point that all of the stories converge. The author shows you how to love each of them and want them to succeed, but it is obvious from the beginning that they are all on different sides of the conflict. There is no way the culmination can go well for all of them. And I did not know who I was rooting for or what would be "right".
Serapio's story has impaled my heart with a hundred crow feathers. His innocence of life and intense trauma, his discovery of the every day along side his wisdom of the ancient. The singularity of purpose he has cuts through the political intrigue and backstabbing and plans of humans blazing an inevitable trail to the climax of the book. You see him coming like the great storm he is far off in the distance but there is nothing to be done to halt it or even get out of the way. At the same time, he is tasting fish for the first time and learning about the stars and making his first friend.
While we wait on the next book, I need someone to make gorgeous fan art of these characters, so I can obsess over how beautiful this world is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
leannj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
me reading this right after reading these violent delights right after reading the burning god: ...this will be fine. (Reader, it was not fine. I totally played myself.)
I need the sequel yesterday.
I need the sequel yesterday.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Torture
emptykingdom's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Black Sun is an epic fantasy adventure unlike anything I've ever read. This pre-Columbian inspired fantasy will take you on a high stakes ride with bisexual mermaids, crow gods, sun priest, sailors on a voyage, forbidden magic, political intrigue, and a celestial prophecy with our four diverse cast of main characters on a mystical quest.
Reasons to add to your TBR:
☀ It's a high stakes political intrigue and rivalries
☀ The worldbuilding, inspired by various Indigenous cultural influences, is excellent, sharp, innovative and expansive. And the prose is absolutely vivid and vibrant which really brings this fantasy to life. Rebecca Roanhorse proves she has the range.
☀ Complex and fully developed (morally grey) characters
☀ The rep. One of the MCs is nonbinary whom prefers neo-pronouns (xe/xir) to which the characters respect. Another MC is bisexual. The casual queerness is commonplace in their non-cis/heteronormative society and it's very much appreciated. There's nuanced disability rep as well which was also handled with care (i.e. the author hired sensitivity readers).
☀ The story revolves around the winter solstice, a time for celebration and renewal, however this one will coincide with a solar eclipse which is a rare celestial event that tips the balance of their world.
Find out more about why Black Sun is one of the best books I've read this year, or of all time:
Find out more about why Black Sun is one of the best books I've read this year, or of all time:
https://www.emptyxkingdom.com/2020/10/story-diary-black-sun-by-rebecca-roanhorse.html
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Homophobia and Slavery