Reviews with content warning for Blood - Black Sun

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Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

198 reviews

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.

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bersblue's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

4.75

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devlev7's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense 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

4.5

This book was so much fun! It starts slow, and with a lot of characters to keep track of, but by the end it will have you on the edge of your seat. A wonderful example of diverse, creative fantasy, with excellent and unique world-building. This book will satisfy a fantasy lover who has been looking for a world of clan rivalry, mysterious powers, and bold flawed adventurers, not based on a Western/European history. The colors, the landscapes, the foods, the beasts, and the characters are so entertaining to imagine. The plot is dark and mysterious and interesting - it will keep you speculating as to what will
happen next, or who will betray whom. If you’ve read any of Roanhorse’s other series, The Sixth World, you’ll find Black Sun has similar complicated but endearing characters, thoughtful themes with references to indigenous history and folklore, and far more diversity than most fantasy, in terms of not only race/culture, but gender and sexuality, in a way that feels incorporated completely into the world and story without being forced. However, Black Sun takes these commonalities to a different, exciting place, by weaving not a post-apocalyptic world, but a wonderfully fantastical alternative imagination of a world outside our own. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

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nexusgoblin's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Roanhorse is fast becoming a favorite of mine. The world-building, lore, and political intrigue really set Black Sun apart from all other fantasy I have read and has me incredibly curious as to where the story is heading.

The audio version is excellent as well and has several narrators that all help bring the characters to life.

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whatiskatelynreading's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

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takarakei's review against another edition

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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

If you are looking for an immersive, epic, non-Eurocentric fantasy adventure with some romance, and with characters that you are rooting for then please read Black Sun! This is also a fantastic audiobook! I did a combo of listening while reading a physical copy. Full cast narration is well done.

A joy to read. I truly loved the world Rebecca Roanhorse has created. I think my favorite thing is that with the multiple POVs you are really getting attached to all these characters because they are complex and interesting, but they are (seemingly) on opposing sides so you're just wondering how it's going to play out. I love the inclusion of a character list, and maps! the only thing that would've pushed it over the top was a little glossary since this is a high fantasy (I found myself a bit confused mainly on the hierarchy of The Watchers and The Sky Made Clans).

As always check content warnings - there are some pretty dark things that happen, in particular with Serapio's backstory. The backdrop of the plot is political/religious tensions and power struggles.

This book also has fantastic LGBTQ+ and specifically nonbinary rep. There are unique non-gendered pronouns aside from she/her and he/him. Several of the characters are queer, and Xiala is definitely bi or pansexual.

It's definitely written as the first book in a series, so the ending is very unresolved, but in a way that you are just so excited to read the next books and find out what happens.

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