Black Sun

hardcover, 464 pages

Published Oct. 13, 2020 by Gallery / Saga Press.

ISBN:
978-1-5344-3767-8
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4 stars (3 reviews)

The first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

A god will return When the earth and sky converge Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked …

5 editions

reviewed Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (Between Earth and Sky, #1)

remarkably well-executed

4 stars

I haven't read enough fantasy since I started reading again to say much that can't be disentangled from my reading experience. I will say: I found the characters interesting, their dynamics more so, and the backdrop of the meso-american inspired fantasy captivating. It was so compelling I finished in one sitting. As soon as the book club for this one wraps, I'm starting the sequel.

reviewed Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (Between Earth and Sky, #1)

First in a trilogy

4 stars

Excellent worldbuilding, likeable characters - it actually pulls off the thing I've seen a few times where characters on opposing sides are all presented as likeable. Often, I end up not caring about any of them; here, I find myself wanting things to go well for all of them.

Selling points: South/meso-American-inspired setting; bi rep; nonbinary rep. (Also blind rep but I'm not sure I can recommend it on that basis - Rebecca Roanhorse obviously made an effort with the disability rep here, but he's also a reincarnated god, and as someone who's not blind on that level myself I don't think I can fairly judge whether or not she hit the balance well.)

Warnings: violence; child abuse; child neglect; ritual injury of a child by a parent; a sex scene, tasteful but fairly explicit; end on quite a sequel-hungry note.

Warnings:

-

4 stars

Listened to this over a weekend where I REALLY needed to escape, it was fun and engaging and I definitely got really wrapped up in the world. I didn't know very much going into it but I'd read another short story by this author that I really liked and I saw it recommend a bunch / nominated for hugo, etc. I thought the setting was extremely sick and want to learn more about how the author built the world. Lots of fantasy elements which is unfortunately not totally my jam, but I enjoyed it a lot nonetheless.