I really wanted to like this book more than I did. There were so many interesting things about it - I thought the concept was interesting, and cultures, the characters, everything. This is also the first time I've read a novel that normalized transgender and non-binary characters, which I really appreciated (we need to see more of that). But I just had a hard time really connecting with any of the characters, though I did find them interesting. I also had a hard time really getting involved in the conflict of the novel because there was no clear good guy/bad guy. The entire novel felt like rising action, and then it stopped right at the climax. No conclusion, no falling action.

I will definitely still be reading the next one, as I'm really interested to find out what happens next - I have a suspicion the next book should be much better.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review and I also received the audiobook from the Libro FM ALC program. Thank you Netgalley, Libro FM and the publisher for my gifted copy. I really enjoyed this book. I tend to enjoy the books that have pirates and are set on the sea. It seems like a good start to a new series and I can't wait to read the rest.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Rebecca Roanhorse begins a new epic fantasy series with Black Sun. The series is inspired in part by the mythology, lore, and legends of the pre-Columbian Americas. Riddled with prophecy, betrayal, magic, and politics, Black Sun sets the stage for much more.

This is the first of Roanhorse's works I have read, though I have many others waiting on my to-read list. I am fond of mythology in all of its forms and am so very excited for the representation for indigenous stories and peoples that this story brings. There is also representation for nonbinary people(xe/xir pronoun usage) and for other LGBTQ identities as well.

I found Roanhorse's writing to be very accessible and enjoyable. I did however, think this book suffered from typical book-one-of-high/epic-fantasy-series troubles. There was a lot of information. Even without the info-dump, it was a lot. Which is fine and necessary, but does require attention. The start was also slow, likely to allow all that information to be conveyed.

The standout characters for me were absolutely Serapio, Iktan, and Okoa with Xiala as an honorable mention. I am definitely invested in their stories and look forward to their progression in the rest of the series.

I did ultimately enjoy this book, and think that I will enjoy future books much more now that the world has been established. I look forward to more from Roanhorse and am even more motivated to go through her backlist.

Black Sun primarily follows three characters, two of whom are traveling together. Serapio is a young blind man with scars like crow wings across his shoulders, an affinity for crows, and an ominous destiny which he must soon fulfill in the holy city of Tova. Xiala is a brash, desperate captain with mysteriously magical powers of song, for which she is feared and hated. It is her job to get Serapio to Tova before the winter solstice, a perilous journey at that time of year along the route she must take. Meanwhile, in Tova, the young Sun Priest Naranpa struggles to maintain her position of authority over a priesthood that views her as an illegitimate leader because of her humble birth, even as Naranpa tries to implement reforms that will maintain peace in Tova and strengthen the priesthood of Watchers' position in a society that has some good reasons to distrust them.

If you like epic fantasy but are tired of the same old European-inspired world building, this is the series for you. I feel like Roanhorse could teach a master class on effective world building, because this book does so much to present a lush, lived-in world full of complicated politics, brewing religious conflict, and spectacular sights, all inspired by cultures that may be unfamiliar to a lot of readers, but without ever letting the story get bogged down in the details.

I loved the characters, too, each of whom has a satisfying arc of character development over the course of the story. Roanhorse does an excellent job balancing epic powers and destinies with very human anxieties and insecurities. The result is a set of protagonists who are both larger than life and intimately human.

Speaking of characters, there's plenty of queer rep here. Xiala seems to be bisexual or pansexual, and there are side characters who are trans, including nonbinary ones.

Fair warning, though, this novel does explore some very dark themes that might not be for everyone. To offer some prominent examples, the first chapter opens with Serapio as a 12-year-old boy undergoing a severe ritual scarification process as his mother carves a crow design into his back and then blinds him in the same ritual that is designed to imbue him with the powers of a god. When we're introduced to Xiala, we learn that she's missing part of a finger because a treasure seeker got her drunk and cut off that body part to be used as a good-luck charm, because superstition has it that the bones of the Teek people are good luck. Later, we learn about a side character who was sold into prostitution when he was a child. If you're concerned about content, I recommend you check my content warning and content warnings in other reviews first. Personally, I think that if you're ok after getting through the first chapter, then you'll probably be ok with the rest of the book, though of course a lot of that depends on what you specifically might find triggering.

This is one of my favorite books of the year. It's refreshingly original, tightly plotted, and brilliantly imagined. I do advise potential readers to pay attention to the content warnings because this book can be graphic in the violence it portrays, but I also thought that it handled that violence thoughtfully and used it in very specific plot-relevant ways, rather than violence for the sake of violence. I loved this book, and can't wait for book 2. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a bold new fantasy unlike any you've read before.

4ish stars.

A fascinating subject, much different from the author's debut series. Her writing ability seems to have improved, which is not to say that her previous work was weak, but her voice and maturity as an author has bloomed. While her previous series had a distinctly YA feel, this skews adult which is a welcome change.

I read Roanhorse's urban fantasy series and enjoyed that one so was looking forward to this one. I was not disappointed, this is very impressive epic fantasy series. It had everything I could ask for in a fantasy book.

Interesting setting and world building. Check. Bonus points for incorporating elements of Central American culture. This was done really well and absolutely added to the atmosphere of the book.

Engaging and unique characters. Check. I loved Xiala and Serapio. Their stories were my favorite. I liked Naranpa, but her story was not quite as engaging and Okoa was good but did not have as much time in the books as the others.

Excellent pacing and an exciting plot. Check. This was one of those books where I just wanted to read over more chapter and then one more after that. I stayed up far too late finishing it.

Overall, an impressive start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next book. Everyone who enjoys a good epic fantasy should read this but you should especially check it out if you want something with a unique culture and setting from other fantasy books.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book.

This is a really great start to a new fantasy series. Roanhorse manages to create 4 compelling POVs in what is a relatively short amount of time (I'm used to reading a lot of fantasy books that are 600+ pages, but I think she really works with this lower page count and delivers). The worldbuilding in here was descriptive without being too tedious and visually Roanhorse is an expert at crafting setting. I'm attached to these characters and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go - and I also like how they're all generally morally grey (one especially)... I can't tell who exactly is a villain.

I have a few criticisms particularly pertaining to the explanations on the history of the political tensions in this world. While this is book 1 in a series, I think there were some key details about the Night of Knives (?) and what happened with it that could have been delved into more. The last 10% of the book we lead up to the whole book, and it happens quite quickly. In some ways, I wish this was drawn out more to match the levels of anticipation leading up to this final event.

Despite these minor issues though, I really liked this. The pacing was consistent and I never got bored by what was going on. Each chapter offered something new and interesting to the story. The world is lush. It has political intrigue (I LOVE). I mean, what more could I want? This book is like the perfect baby of the themes of NK Jemisin's Dreamblood Duology matched with the lush writing of SA Chakraborty's City of Brass, but Roanhorse definetly puts her own spin on a lot of fantasy elements and tropes.

Get your hands on a copy around release because you WILL want to read this!

I went into this book with high expectations and was not disappointed, Black Sun is an impressive start to a new fantasy series, The world that Rebecca Roanhorse has created is complex and complicated without being confusing. The world building done in so skillful a way that it draws the reader in even though you aren’t yet familiar with the setting or characters. I sometimes find stories with a lot of points of view (this book has 4) easily confusing but I was able to keep pace with the story even with a dual timeline. The characters are a diverse and captivating bunch that I enjoyed immensely. Although, I will admit I found Naranpa’s chapters the least interesting. I found her naïveté to be annoying and at points bordering on stupidity. My heart ached for Serapio because of the things he was being subjected to and the tasks that was thrusted upon his shoulders. I just wanted someone to hold him and I was so happy when him and Xiala started to bond. This book was truly a fascinating ride and the ending left me completely wanting more. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an epic tale, spanning continents and three totally different cultures as they weave together and clash. I will say that Serapio and Xiala stole the show (indeed, our forth narrator Okoa doesn't even come into play until after the halfway point, and even then only for a few snatches - though with that ending, I think we'll see a lot more of him). But what really makes Serapio and Xiala's story special is how they coexist in complete understanding, even as their cultures are so alien to each other.

Naranpa was a bit childish - particularly since she's the oldest (I think?) of our four narrators (Okoa could be older, but I don't think so) and has the most responsibility, theoretically. I'm hoping she gets more depth in future books in the series.

I loved the casual queerness and the treatment of gender - even just a quick line about a third gender that one culture is barbaric for not acknowledging was just so on point. I also love how each character's culture and upbringing deeply influenced how they behaved and how others see them.

I do hope for a bit more about the magic in future books. Because I don't think we totally understood it here. Xiala's made sense enough (at least as far as the song goes, but not the whole thing about bones), as did Serapio's, but the giant Sky Clan beasts, as well as Zataya's earth/blood magic.

Rounded up to 4.5 stars.

This book hit all the right spots for a good fantasy read. I loved the various elements of world building that were involved in the story, and the way it incorporated an entirely new and fascinating setting. The story takes place in a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican inspired world, and I was ALL ABOUT IT! There’s a society involved matriarchal clans, a third gender accepted in society, celestial prophecies and worship, and magic. I’ve never read a book where a character (more than one, in fact) with a prominent role is referred to as xe/xir.

In addition to all these, the characters are all so intriguing. There are multiple characters who each have their own agenda, and I wanted each of them to succeed, even when it would interfere with the plans of the others. It was difficult to dislike any of the main characters, especially since they’re so well-rounded and the backstory is provided for most of them. The chapters are generally told in order, with the date provided in terms of time to the solstice, although there are flashbacks involved. These are also clearly noted.

My complaints were minimal. There was one chapter that was told out of order, which confused me, because not only did I not know what was happening, I didn’t really know the characters in it. It definitely threw me for a loop, especially later on when I actually understood what was really going on. The ending left me with more questions than answers, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I felt like the loose ends weren’t wrapped up enough. I want more!

The story is a great one, and I loved the concept and the plot twists, which were unpredictable and always kept me guessing. I will be (impatiently) waiting for the next book to come out, because this is definitely a series to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free arc.

Holy hells was this book amazing. I haven’t gotten into a book since September 8th when I finished one. Black Sun was so easy to pick up and near impossible to put down. I don’t even think I made it halfway through before I started looking for a special copy to buy—there’s a link to signed books with goodies on the authors website. If it wasn’t obvious, I loved it.! The ending came too fast, and I was left wanting more. Now I’m going to be dying waiting for a sequel. I cannot wait for my copy to come.! I can’t believe I almost missed this book entirely. The cover is gorgeous, and I kept seeing it on here. I figured it wouldn’t hurt trying to get approved. I’m so glad I did. 5 stars.

LOVED this book. Roanhorse builds a rich story-world that feels old and lived-in, based on Pre-Columbian cultures but decidedly fantastical. The four main characters -- Naranpa, Xiala, Serapio, and Oaka -- each have an important part to play and feel like real, distinct personalities trying to navigate the complex web of plot that none of them yet fully understand.

The majority of the book takes place in the weeks leading up to a solar eclipse marked by an important religious event. There's a growing sense of dread at what might happen to the fractious priesthood, of which Naranpa is a chief member, and the ruling families (Oaka's mother, head of the Crow clan, has been killed), when Serapio, with his strange powers, arrives in the holy city -- having been brought across the stormy seas by the sailor Xiala, who is ignorant of the others' doings but has powers and secrets of her own. It's all put together masterfully; I am super impressed with Roanhorse's writing.

I'm at pains to say anything critical, really. I guess the only issues I had were that Xiala felt a little too much like a character trope at times, especially towards the beginning. If a drunken, bisexual, female sailor can be said to be a trope, that is. It may have just felt like that to me because I read too much in specific genres. And secondly, that I initially disliked the romantic element I espied in the Xiala/Serapio relationship. I thought it was something being shoehorned in, but their dynamic ultimately turned out to be a lot more complicated and interesting. I also wish that Oaka's POV had been introduced a touch earlier, as he had much less POV time than the other three.

There are a number of mysteries remaining to be puzzled through in the next installment, but not in a way that made the ending of Black Sun feel like a frustrating cliffhanger. I feel satistfied -- but am also eager for Book 2.

Xiala is a Teek, considered strange and dangerous by others for her ability to use her Song to calm the sea. But this very same ability makes her an excellent ship captain. When she’s hired to take a strange blind man to the holy city of Tova, she accepts, eager for the reward. But she never expected who she was ferrying across the sea.

Serapio was blinded and scarred by his mother as a child. Told by her that he has a great destiny, that he’s meant to become a god, he’s always followed the path set out for him. Now, he just has to get to the city of Tova, and once there, he can accomplish the prophecy and become whom he was meant to be.

Naranpa was chosen to be Sun Priestess despite where she came from. Now that she’s in power, though, she knows the role has changed to mostly symbolic. She’s determined to bring back strength to her role, and to connect with the people. But all around her, the other priests are planning something. What are they planning, and how will it affect Naranpa?

I got an advanced reading copy of Black Sun in exchange for an honest review.

Black Sun is a fantasy novel by Rebecca Roanhorse. It’s a novel based on pre-Columbian America, and when I say America, I don’t just mean the United States. While reading this book, I found mentions to traditional drinks from Yucatán, and other things that made me think of Mexico. (Also, in case anyone is curious, I think it’s important to mention that America is technically the name of a continent, and North America consists of more than just Canada and the United States.) And, in Roanhorse’s capable hands, this world comes to life.

The most outstanding feature of Black Sun is the worldbuilding that Roanhorse used in these pages. Reading this book, I got to know so many facts and details about this world. I learned about its great cities, its peoples, its cultures and religions. I learned about the food and drinks, the plant life, the rivers and geography, the sea and its seasons. Having all these details brought this world to life, to the point where I could imagine myself on the ship, or walking through the city streets, or even climbing the walls of the Maw. The history, its politics, everything came together, and the characters themselves were shaped by the world they were living in.

We have three main characters in this book: Xiala, Serapio, and Naranpa. It’s these three characters who share a large quantity of the chapters in the book, and they each have very different goals in mind. Xiala wants a boat and crew, and enough money to live off of comfortably. Serapio wants to achieve his destiny. Naranpa wants to bring religion back into people’s lives, and then she wants to keep her seat of power. Naranpa’s story especially seems disconnected from the other two, but I found her POV to be essential in understanding the world, and mainly what Xiala and Serapio were traveling toward. Her own experience was interesting enough, but it was in how it set up the arrival of the other two characters that it performed a vital role.

As for Xiala and Serapio, their stories become much more interwoven than you’d expect, and I enjoyed reading about their interactions, even as they were working through other difficult circumstances. But their growing relationship was a big part of the book.

In fact, I’d say that Black Sun, besides doing a great job of building a world, mostly does a lot work to develop the characters who inhabit it. In fact, character- and world-development might be the two main attributes of this book, rather than plot. Readers who tend to like a fast-paced plot with lots of action might become a bit frustrated with Black Sun, but as I tend to be more of a fan of character, this entire book felt very suited to me! And while the plot may seem to slow occasionally, that doesn’t mean that the characters don’t experience a lot. There’s still pressure on them to achieve their goals, they’re still in danger for a great part of the book, and there’s still the tension of a conflicting society on their shoulders.

Black Sun was an excellent book. I am amazed at what Roanhorse managed to create, and especially impressed at the world. This might be the first fantasy novel I’ve ever read based on pre-Columbian America, and I love that she did her research and used these cultures to create a world that felt magical and compelling and real. Black Sun is an amazing fantasy read, and I’m glad to say that there will be more! Not sure how many more books, but the stories of these characters do not end in Black Sun, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel.

Black Sun will be released on October 13. You can pre-order your copy from Gallery / Saga Press here.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I only read Rebecca Roanhorse’s Star Wars book prior to this, but Black Sun intrigued me due to an incredibly compelling premise, and some pretty stellar early reviews, including one from a friend. And I have to say, I am pretty much blown away into incoherence by this book.

The world building is perhaps the primary draw: a world inspired by the pre-colonization Americas and other indigenous cultures?! Yes, please! While not a direct one-for-one translation of a specific culture into fantasy form, there’s a lot of elements from various cultures there forming a new one seamlessly, meaning it (along with some of the other diverse fantasy offerings in recent years) will stand out from the crowd of European-medieval fantasies that still remain popular.

And the cast is also wonderfully colorful and largely queer, including a bi woman in a het relationship, and a non-binary character. But the entire cast is wonderful, feeling incredibly layered beyond the stereotypes society reduced them to, and I have a particular soft spot for the blind, scarred Serapio, and appreciate the extensive research done into conveying him compassionately in particular.

This book was a page-turner, one I finished all too quickly and am now desperate for the sequel. If you’re looking for a different, more diverse take on fantasy, I think you’ll love this book.

When winter solstice and a rare solar eclipse coincide, a tale of destiny, prophecy, and magic unfurls. A traveler with the power to sooth waters with song travels the seas to deliver a seemingly harmless passenger to a distant land inspired by pre-Columbian America, but his arrival means the world will never be the same.

I fully recognize that this kind of epic fantasy isn't usually my thing, and it was at times a little hard for me to get into. BUT I truly enjoyed the ride. Objectively, it's fantastic storytelling, character building, and use of mythology. There's so much going on here and I can see that the trilogy is going to get even better as it goes on, but it didn't feel too expository. I'm fascinated by the world Roanhorse built and I can't wait to see more of it in the next book.

This fantasy novel is incredibly different from any others that I have read previously. It is inspired by the Pre-Columbian Americas and the mythology and magic in this book are much different than traditional high fantasy in the market today. The history to the narrative is that there used to be four clans who each honored a separate god, which were the Carrion Crow, the Water Strider, the Golden Eagle, and the Winged Serpent. However, many moons ago, the clans were united by the Priesthood. The Priesthood overtime has evolved into something sinister.

It has three main characters:
- Xiala, a Teek and Ship Captain who can sing songs to calm ocean waters
- Serapio, a mysterious, blind young man who has devoted his life to the Crow God
- Naranpa, a sun priest who questions the Priesthood's methods

Xiala and Serapio are on a ship traveling to Tova to celebrate the winter solstice, which is the city Naranpa resides and she herself is preparing for the celebration. The winter solstice is occurring during a solar eclipse this year .

Each of the characters are well developed. They each have their own agendas and motives, so it is hard to tell if they are all good guys. The book is told with some chapters occurring years in the past so you learn the background of the characters and see who they are and how they came to be, which then will switch to the present time, with a countdown to the day of the solstice. You know things are going to go down on the solstice, and it builds excellent anticipation up to the day.

I recommend to basically all lovers of high fantasy, but especially to any readers who wish to read a high fantasy of a different flavor.

Black Sun is the first in this new series by Rebecca Roanhorse.

Black Sun story surrounds 4 characters different points of view. The author create a world that some readers will fall in love with and find the magical side of the story while others will be lost in the author creative world and use of language.

The author leaves readers with a cliffhanger that will keep readers excited for the next in the series or passing by. This is one of the those you will love or dislike the book. There is no inbetween.

The author has a ability to create a world with her use of english language painting a picture that readers will feeling they are in the middle of the world seeing life though the eyes of those they are reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Rebecca Roanhorse Black Sun

In the holy city of Tova, priests of the many gods gather to greet the oncoming winter solstice which converges with a rare solar eclipse, a dark omen that foretells the unbalancing of the world. As the holy orders prepare for this strange event, traditionalists collide with more progressive members of the priesthood– with deadly consequences. Meanwhile, across the sea, Xiala, a disgraced Teek captain with strange gifts over the sea and men’s minds, embarks on a journey across storm-tossed waters to deliver a single passenger to Tova on the day of the convergence. But while her employer assures her that the young blind man is an innocent, Xiala knows that even innocent-seeming men can harbor secret dangers, and the ones everyone says are harmless could be the greatest villains of all.

“When she had first turned to face Serapio, she would have sworn a great black bird hovered above him, its head blocking the moon and its wings flaring out as wide as the ship behind it. It had chilled her to the bone, sent a primal fear screaming through her brain that had made her forget to call her Song. If that bird had wanted to reach down and rip her limb from limb with its massive black beak, she would have stood there with her mouth hanging open and let it.”

For all the richness Meso-American cultures have to offer, they are rarely shown in popular culture. We occasionally hear about Montezuma, jaguar warriors, or the legends of Incan gold, but the vast and complex cultures are otherwise overlooked by most. In her new trilogy, Between Earth and Sky, veteran SFF author Rebecca Roanhorse draws upon the legends and cultures of the Aztecs and others. The opening installment, Black Sun, mostly delivers on its promise of prophecy and political intrigue.

The bulk of the story is devoted to world-building and character development. We slowly learn about blind Serapio, his education, and why his is going to Tova, just as we slowly learn about Xiala, her Teek heritage, and way of life. These characters are fascinating, and while Serapio’s story is often told in disruptive flashbacks, it’s a cohesive enough tale that it doesn’t get in the way of the story.

Less fascinating is Naranpa’s tale. As the Sun Priest, she holds much of the power in Tova, and yet she is naive when it comes to the sects she is meant to rule over. She lets herself be goaded into saying and doing ill-advised things, and when her plans go awry– as they often do– she can’t think quickly enough on her feet to wrest control of the situation away from her enemies. She almost invariably lets events wash over her, reacting after the fact when it’s too late, leaving the reader to wonder how she ended up in power in the first place. And while it’s easy to say, ‘Naranpa is human, and so she has flaws and makes mistakes’, reading about a political leader who is surprised by politics at every turn makes for frustrating reading.

Where the story shines is when it returns to Serapio and Xiala, the most engaging characters in the whole book. Their lives and backgrounds are strange and their morality is gray at best, but this makes them all the more fascinating. They are not normal humans, and their outsider status makes them sympathetic, even when they are contemplating doing frightening things. Xiala’s devil-may-care attitude and loose morals make her fun to be with, and Serapio’s youthful certainty and belief in the rightness of his cause actually make him endearing. He knows what he is walking into and he knows what it will cost him. But he is prepared to do it anyway.

For all its world-building and character work, however, the majority of Black Sun‘s story is spent on those two elements, with only a little room left for plot, unless one counts the political plotting Naranpa attempts to engage in. Like a storm at sea, Black Sun builds slowly, its story rising and rising across its 464 pages until it finally bursts into action– but only at the very end, leaving its main characters in precarious positions and coming to no conclusions.

Black Sun is not a self-contained story, and it leaves many questions unanswered (hopefully to be addressed in the next two volumes). But if one is looking for a rich new fantasy set in a world that’s not yet another half-baked clone of medieval England, Black Sun is a solid opening to what promises to be dark and compelling trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for providing me with a free eBook in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion.

Available October 6, 2020


Black Sun is an absorbing new novel set in a magical world inspired by ancient civilizations. Told from multiple points of view, we are thrown into the world of a future god, a ship's captain, and a man intent on seeing their paths cross.
Ever since his birth, Serapio was raised to believe he would one day ascend to become a god. Enduring painful rituals and life of intense training, Serapio begins the next phase of his journey with the help of the strong and fierce Xiala, a Teek sailing captain. Using her unique gifts, she is tasked with providing him safe passage to Tova, a Holy City, in time for the winter solstice. Along the way, we learn of the complex societies that make up a beautiful and richly developed world.
Roanhorse has created an incredible world for her characters. The descriptions of the Sky Made clans and the Sun Priest and their religions was beautiful. The attention to detail on the expansive world filled with incredible cities, diverse people with extraordinary gifts, and the ability to live in harmony with the animals that were closest to their clans. Full of political intrigue, spectacular world building and complex characters, Black Sun sets a new standard for fantasy.

This book is amazing! Absolutely amazing. It's the start of a new series so it ends a pretty hefty cliff hanger but it's worth it. Roanhorse's writing is so detailed and rich that you can picture every home built into the cliffs, the ship on the sea, and the crowded city streets. The beginning of this story is really rough but it shapes so much of Serapio's character and explains the deeply held beliefs of his mother. The weaving together of this complex society with their different clans and beliefs was masterful. I was just as invested in learning more about the clans and their beliefs as I was about the political machinations going on behind the scenes. Xiala was an equally intriguing character. Her people, the Teek, have a beautiful story of their creation that I can't wait to hear more about in future books. Xiala has a special ability that allows her to guide the ship safely and swiftly across the sea that causes her crews to be both highly suspicious and in awe of her. Both Serapio and Xiala are outsiders-she has been banished from her homeland and he has lived his whole life with little interaction from others outside of his tutors. Both are feared for their differences and ostracized for it. Another interesting and important character is Okoa, the son of a high ranking clan matron. Choosing to live his life at the military training school instead of fulfilling more political duties puts him at odds with his family and when his mother dies, the guilt is nearly overwhelming.
The politics that weave these three characters together are intense. Strict protocols that guide religious officials combined with the impending winter solstice create for a tense and urgent atmosphere. There are some great discussions about the different social classes and what is and isn't allowed within them. The darker side of the priesthood comes to light through discussions of poverty, the denial of education, and how placing people in debt creates a cycle that will always leave people in forced subjugation and vulnerability.
This book is a lot. There is a ton of action, lots of characters, and a whole world to learn and I loved every single page. There were even a few parts that I knew what way over my heard and I didn't care because I was so invested in keeping my favorite characters alive. It's an incredible ride from start to finish and I can't wait to read more books set in this glorious world.
Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Rebecca Roanhorse is an amazing writer and Black Sun is her best book yet, which is really saying something! I started reading with every intent of pausing after the first few chapters, but ended up devouring the whole thing and then texting everyone I know to tell them that Black Sun is a book they must read asap. Compelling and thought-provoking, Black Sun is an absolute must read.