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A review by mary_soon_lee
Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
3.0
First published in 1991, this chunky volume is the opening book in the Coldfire Trilogy. It largely reads like fantasy, complete with sorcerors and demons, but has some science-fiction trappings. In the years that it waited neglected on my shelves, I read the prologue a couple of times and set it aside without being hoooked. This time, knowing that people I respect had loved the book, I persisted.
Spoilers ahead.
In this case, I didn't initially like the characters. All told, there are approximately a dozen point-of-view characters, but one of them, Damien, receives considerably the largest page count. And I didn't find Damien an immersive, fully convincing character. He is a man of a faith, a priest whose religion guides his life, yet that aspect of his character didn't communicate itself at all well to me. [The "to me" is important -- every reader comes to a book with a different background and so reacts differently.] Likewise, fairly early in the story, Damien falls in love, but this, too, didn't feel convincing to me. And the book lacked touches that would have made me warm to him quickly: acts of kindness, moments of diffidence, certain types of humor and fallibility. I only gradually and incompletely came to sympathize with him.
Another of the major characters has aspects that incline me to sympathize with him: his isolation, his commitment, his rather snarky attitude, yet I found it difficult-to-impossible to get past certain extravagantly repellent acts of his.
Overall, I enjoyed this moderately rather than extravagantly, and am in no immediate hurry to progress to book two. Three out of five middling stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Spoilers ahead.
Spoiler
I can see why they enjoyed "Black Sun Rising." The worldbuilding is improbable if viewed as science fiction, but allows for a detailed and unusual mix of an alien planet and sorcerous powers. The plot is dramatic and energetic, the main characters frequently in a crisis. The use of magical healing means that they can sustain what would otherwise be lethal injuries yet continue their adventures the next day. This last point is one I usually consider a weakness rather than a strength, but can make for a page-turner provided I like the characters.In this case, I didn't initially like the characters. All told, there are approximately a dozen point-of-view characters, but one of them, Damien, receives considerably the largest page count. And I didn't find Damien an immersive, fully convincing character. He is a man of a faith, a priest whose religion guides his life, yet that aspect of his character didn't communicate itself at all well to me. [The "to me" is important -- every reader comes to a book with a different background and so reacts differently.] Likewise, fairly early in the story, Damien falls in love, but this, too, didn't feel convincing to me. And the book lacked touches that would have made me warm to him quickly: acts of kindness, moments of diffidence, certain types of humor and fallibility. I only gradually and incompletely came to sympathize with him.
Another of the major characters has aspects that incline me to sympathize with him: his isolation, his commitment, his rather snarky attitude, yet I found it difficult-to-impossible to get past certain extravagantly repellent acts of his.
Overall, I enjoyed this moderately rather than extravagantly, and am in no immediate hurry to progress to book two. Three out of five middling stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).