In the book 'Black Sun', readers are immersed in a fantasy world inspired by pre-Columbian American cultures, following the intertwining lives of characters like Serapio, a young man destined to become a god; Xiala, a Teek sailor with unique powers; and Narapa, a Sun Priest determined to elevate his priesthood's standing. The narrative is a mix of magic, political intrigues, and everyday life set against a dark and violent backdrop. The story unfolds with a blend of diverse characters, rich world-building, and a cliffhanger ending, promising an epic fantasy tale with unique cultural influences.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include violence, themes of abuse, and intense emotional trauma, particularly around generational trauma and revenge.
Has Romance?
There are romantic elements in the story, including the developing relationship between main characters, though it is not the central focus.
From The Publisher:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn comes the "engrossing and vibrant" (Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Riot Baby) 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 even 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 in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created a "brilliant world that shows the full panoply of human grace and depravity" (Ken Liu, award-winning author of The Grace of Kings). This epic adventure explores the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in this "absolutely tremendous" (S.A. Chakraborty, nationally bestselling author of The City of Brass) and most original series debut of the decade.
Ratings (27)
Incredible (2) | |
Loved It (13) | |
Liked It (6) | |
It Was OK (3) | |
Did Not Like (2) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (78):
Read It (26) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (42) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (7) |
1 comment(s)
I am impressed with the characters and world building of this book. Many aspects were grounded in the reality of pre-Columbian American societies which was rather unique. For one, the main currency is cacao beans in on region, but there are also currency systems. Xiala's description of ocean navigation rooted in Polynesian traditions was also particularly wonderful.
The first chapter of the story was an incredible hook into the world. Serapio's perspective was the best by far. I understand that the other perspectives were used to counter balance Serapio's but sometimes I would read his chapter and feel the urge to skip through the other chapters to get back to his story. Nara's sun priest perspectives are important since it makes it clear why people would want to destroy it, while Okoa's perspective as a non affiliated Sky Made clan member offers a more neutral stance on the battle.
I look forward to reading more about this universe!
What can you read after
Black Sun?
About the Author:
Rebecca Roanhorse is the New York Times bestselling author of Trail of Lightning, Storm of Locusts, Black Sun, and Star Wars: Resistance Reborn. She has won the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards for her fiction, and was the recipient of the 2018 Astounding (formerly Campbell) Award for Best New Writer. The next book in her Between Earth and Sky series, Fevered Star, is out in March 2022. She lives in New Mexico with her family.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
