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norspider's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Black Sun has a deep, rich world that is explored more deeply in each chapter. The pre-Columbian inspiration for the setting is utilized expertly; each faction and sub-faction is given their due.
The pace, dialogue, and plot all kept me wanting to read.
I found myself cheering for each of our POV characters, which is very rare for me. I want Xiala to live rich and well. I want Naranpa to bring honor back to her station. I want Okoa to avenge his mother. And I want Serapio to fulfill his destiny.
There is wonderful LGBTQIA2S+ representation! Not caricatures or jokes, just people living in the world as part of the story. Beautifully done.
The only reason I didn't give Black Sun a full 5/5 is because none of its plots conclude; this is an incomplete book. But I knew this was the start of a series when I picked it up so I can (mostly)look beyond that. And Roanhorse has found a passionate new fan in me!
I can't wait to read book 2!
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Excrement
kirchnerkd's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Confinement, Racism, Suicide, Slavery, Child abuse, and Death of parent
ebp's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Murder, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: War
emzhay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Classism
Minor: War and Rape
mr_ryancowboy's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Classism, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, Classism, Death, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, Gore, Abandonment, and Alcohol
that_boi_eliza's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Suicide, Alcoholism, Blood, Violence, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Trafficking, Classism, Misogyny, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Ableism and Confinement
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug use, Murder, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Classism and Racism
Minor: Trafficking, Sexual content, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Slavery
tinysierra's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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.
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Addiction, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Confinement, Homophobia, Suicide, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Abandonment, Animal death, Vomit, and Sexual content
bookycnidaria's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Child abuse, Classism, Genocide, and Violence