Thanks to Saga Press for granting my wish for an arc of this book!

Prior to finishing this, I could already tell it would be in my roster of books I won't shut up about. Roanhorse created such a dynamic story following three different POVs. There is such an interesting mix of components.

You've got:
• Prophecies
• Political Intrigue
• Sirens
• Giant Crows and Water beetles
• Underground cultists

I also just loved how she made you feel so strongly for all the characters that regardless of who was the 'hero' or who was the 'villain' you understood their motivations and possibly questionable choices.

Preorder this book. Request your library get a copy of this book. It's that great.

This book is absolutely phenomenal!!! I can't sing enough praise for this book. I never read anything from this author before and I feel like I've been missing out now that I have. I don't want to give the plot away, so you going to need to purchase this book in order to experience the awesomeness. I voluntarily read this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rebecca Roanhorse has once again used her skills in writing to craft a world of beauty and wonder that she then explores with interesting characters and ideas. Black Sun was a great first book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.

Thank you to Saga SFF publishing for hosting the giveaway where I won this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Surprisingly queer, and fantastic! This was absolutely phenomenal. I binged 85% of this book in one day because I was obsessed.

Black Sun features an epic fantasy world based on the Ancient societies/mythologies of the Americas. Roanhorse writes a bit about this in her author note, and I was so impressed with the intent and care she took to craft this world.

In the Holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time of renewal and celebration, but this year the day will be marred by a solar eclipse (a black sun). As Naranpa, the newest sun priest, must fight prejudice and mutiny from inside the Priesthood she loves so much, a ship carrying a mysterious passenger sets sail for Tova, set to arrive on the day of the eclipse. The captain, Xiala, is a Teek who's song can calm waters and convince those who hear it to be influenced to her desires. Serapio is the ships passenger and though he is described as harmless, Xiala knows that's not all there is to him. An air of destiny cloaks Serapio, and even though he is blind and scarred, he is also dangerous.

These three main characters are set on a bloody convergence path and not all of them may come out alive. I freaking loved this book so much. Between the characters and the world building, I was blown away. Xiala is also implied pansexual and I was dyingggggg. I love her so much. We do learn a bit about her Teek background, but I want to know more. Her swagger and nonchalance to being thrown in jail or underestimated was my favorite part. Even when the odds are stacked against her, Xiala is ready to come out swinging.

Tova used to be ruled by several clans: Carrion Crow, Water Strider, Golden Eagle and Winged Serpent. But centuries ago they were united by the Priesthood. However, the imperialism of the Sun priests is losing traction and has morphed into something more sinister. Naranpa, the newest sun priest who rose through the ranks from the slums called the Maw, believes wholeheartedly in the Priesthood. What she doesn't always believe in is their methods. The Priesthood has not always been kind to the clans, specifically Carrion Crow and Naranpa wants to find a way to mend the relationship. There are others in the Priesthood who do not feel the same. Naranpa is lucky enough to have a friend in the Priest of Knives, Iktan, as xe is a fierce protector. But will xe be enough? I loved Naranpa's open mindedness to the issues that plagued the Priesthood. I think she would've made some amazing changes had she gotten the chance. I am very curious to see how the end events will come to play as consequences in the second book.

Serapio is blind, but he is never reduced to his disability. We see a lot of flashbacks of Serapio's life as a small child. He was not born blind, but his vision was sacrificed in a ritual his mother performed in an attempt to bring back the Crow God. For a while, Serapio is mainly neglected and forgotten by his father. Then a series of tutors arrive to teach him various skills. Serapio wasn't my favorite, but I loved his quiet strength. He was much more likely to sit and listen than impulsively act. He is also physically strong, but I loved that he relied more on thinking and listening than brute force. Also, he's just so soft and I want to protect him from the harsh destiny that was chosen for him. Cue crying.

I read a physical arc of this so the only thing that would make it better is if the finished copy has a map. Like seriously, that's my only complaint. I loved this book so much and I think I learned a lot about how societies work based on power structures. Also it was super fun!!

"Black Sun" is the first volume of gigantic epic fantasy that is broad in its scope and encompassing in its breadth. Set in a unique fantasy world loosely-inspired by Mayan tradition and in a world we just barely begin to know in this volume, it is filled with sun-priests, warring clans, sailors, drunken captains, sea creatures, river barge pulling monsters, and a young child purposefully blinded by his mother.

Roanhorse brilliantly builds her story from outcast beginnings to an epic battle among the gods and priests for control of the world. Our story starts with a drunken woman sea captain waking up in jail and only barely holding off execution by the intervention of a guardian angel who might just hold the fate of the universe in his hands. Xiala is one of the greatest and most complex characters in literature, bawdy, feisty, a true pirate captain if you ever saw one. But, then again, you will eventually learn that she is from a land where the women swim with the dolphins and sing to the ocean, their mother. She is a power to be reckoned with even if she is tasked with an impossible mission whose true purpose is only hinted at.

As strange and unlikely as Xiala is, Serapio is a few steps stranger, blinded by his mother, all but abandoned by his father, separated from ordinary men and women by a vast gulf. He is surrounded by crows who follow him like the pied piper. And, he is headed on a mission to the sun-priests in Tovah to change the course of history. Trained from a young age, he is beyond fascinating, beyond complex, and set apart from the human race.

Others too are complex characters including Naranpa and the sun-priests and their political intrigue. It has been hundreds of years since the clans battled, but the truce is uneasy and may quickly fade.

One of the great things that Roanhorse does with this epic is set it on a pace to a imposing climax where a total eclipse of the sun sets the stage.

This book was downloaded to prepare for a podcast interview with Rebecca Roanhorse. Since the interview will not be happening, I will be purchasing the book at release instead. Thank you.

When I was selected to read an advance copy of Black Sun, I was very excited. I'd read a few reviews and it looked like something I'd like (fantasy in a pre-Columbian meso-American style, with plenty of magic and secrets), and I was not disappointed!

The worldbuilding is wonderful, drawing the reader in, even if you don't have a lot of familiarity with meso-American cultures. The basic plot revolves around four point of view characters: a young man (Serapio) who has been shaped to become the prophesied second-coming of a god, the ship captain (Xiala) who travels with him but has inherited power of her own, the Sun Priest (Naranpa) who is discovering a web of betrayal, and the son of a clan matron (Okoa) who unwittingly gets drawn into a major societal shift.

Each character is very distinct and important to the plot. My favorite two POV characters were Serapio and Xiala, who start off the book with the first two chapters. We get a lot of Serapio's backstory, as the narrative jumps back and forth between the present timeline and Serapio's past. I want to know a lot more about Xiala's backstory, since we only get a few glimpses.

There isn't much romance in the plot of the first book, but there are various past and developing relationships (het and LGBT) throughout that I'm looking forward to seeing where they go in the future.

And the ending really left me wanting more - and wanting to know where each character will go next!

20 out of 5 stars? 15? 10? Whatever the maximum is and past it.

Black Sun leapt off the pages, and captured my attention from the very first line, holding it for a dizzying 2 hour 5 minute devouring. Though the bulk of the book is split between three different points of view, each character has their own distinct voice, making it easy to know whose head you're presently living in. Each character has their own goals, their own aims, ambitions. . .and yes, their own secrets, of course.

Black Sun is also wonderfully queer, with normalized third genders and pronouns. Badass sea captains, prophecies, religious leaders, shields, people just. . .living? Amazingly. Dramatically. Spectacularly. This book draws from pre-Columbian myths, which is so enormously refreshing, and written so spectacular.

The only thing I regret about reading this is that there is not yet a sequel date announced, and it's not today. I'll have to settle for finishing my pre-order for this book! thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting my wish!

I received an ARC Kindle edition of this book from NetGalley.

If you are not familiar with neopronouns (gender neutral pronouns), this book uses them constantly. Specifically xe and xir. This is the first book I have ever read that uses them, so I found it confusing at first. Once I got beyond that, the book was actually very good.

The book is told through multiple points of view and is a fast read. The acknowledgments have a list of books that inspired the author for this. I am definitely going to check them out to see what she pulled from each culture as this book was based on pre-Columbian cultures.

I cannot wait for the next book.

Yassss! I absolutely adored this original high fantasy novel. Fabulous characters and world and it was the perfect kick-off to the series — a complete story with a satisfying ending that still left me wanting more of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I very recently read some of Rebecca Roanhorse's other books, Trail of Lightning and Storm of Locusts, and enjoyed them greatly. However, I was desperate to get my hands on Black Sun before I read Roanhorse's other works. How could I not be desperate for this book, "inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic?" Everything about this screams at me, "READ ME!" It was everything I could have hoped for. We follow three main character's points of view and later on in the story a fourth joins them and I suspect he'll have a much larger role in the sequel.

First, the driving force of the book, Serapio. The boy who would become a vessel for a god. The book alternates Serapio's POV with his past and present. I really enjoyed seeing his journey and he was by far the most interesting character to me. The path to godhood is not an easy one and Serapio's trials and instructors were difficult, to say the least. Xiala, the second POV character, and my second favorite (though she's so close to Serapio it should really be called a tie) was honestly a delight. We meet her hungover, waking up in a jail cell, with a hazy memory of what transpired the night before. Sprung from jail by a wealthy benefactor she's given a ship to Captain with the promise to deliver Serapio to the city of Tova in twenty days. Normally an impossible task, but not for Xiala who is Teek which makes her something like a Siren but her song holds some command over the sea as well as men. I'm deeply interested in Xiala's backstory and we only got a small taste of it and Teek in this book. I can't wait to see what secrets unfold from her story. The third POV character is Naranpa, who I admit did not initially hold my attention. Her first few chapters were not nearly as interesting to me as Serapio and Xiala's. She is an extraordinary character in her own right though. Once a poor beggar child in Tova she rose up to a servant of the priesthood and then into their highest position of Sun Priest. Still new in her position as Sun Priest she wishes to reassert the power of the Priesthood over the Sky Made clans and correct the mistakes of her predecessors. The final POV character is Okoa, the only son of the ruler of the Carrion Crow Clan. As the clans are matriarchal he has spent his life training to become his sisters Shield for when she ascends to the position of Matron. Okoa didn't have as many chapters as the others but I'm so excited for his story to really unfold. Several characters are trying to influence him in a certain direction and he resists but at the very end of the book has to make a choice.

This is already so long so I'll gush about the world for just a few quick sentences. Most of the action is in Tova a river city ruled by a Priesthood and four matriarchal clans. The Priesthood itself is made up of four devotional paths, Healers, Historians, Knives, and Oracles. The four clans are Carrion Crow, Golden Eagle, Winged Serpent, and Water Strider. The focus was really on the Carrion Crow clan but I loved that each clan has huge ridable versions of their sigil. I know a giant Water Strider would freak me out (Xiala seeing one was literally me) but the idea of it is so cool! It was also nice to see so many women in charge. I'm so tired of boring European fantasy's with male heirs causing a mess of the world. I do hope we get to see a lot more of the world in future books. The glimpse of Cuecola and it's merchant lords was very intriguing. Xiala's home, Teek, is the most interesting though if we don't get there in a future book I may cry. I loved this book to pieces, the world and the characters kept me hooked and constantly turning the pages to see what would happen next. I can't wait to read the next book!

Rebecca Roanhorse has written something that transcends magical. I've never read anything like this. Black Sun has an epic storyline with some of the most memorable characters ever written.
I love the LGBTQIA inclusion. It's written in a way that's sincere, purposeful, and organic.
If this is the start of a trilogy, I can't wait to see what is coming next.

I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Roanhorse earned a lot of acclaim for her Sixth World duology, which drew heavily on Navajo/Diné culture and folklore. With her new novel, Black Sun, she turns to indigenous Mesoamerican cultures for her inspiration. Naranpa has been trying to revitalize the office of the Sun Priest, but she faces resistance from her city’s powerful clans. Serapio has been trained since childhood to overthrow the Sun Priest and win justice—or vengeance—for his clan, Carrion Crow. Xiala is charged by a wealthy lord with bringing Serapio safely to the holy city of Tova, but both the vagaries of the weather and her crew’s prejudices are against her.

Roanhorse has crafted a setting with a rich history and multiple factions. The complex world is a good foundation for the themes of the story. The responsibilities of leadership, dealing with historical injustices, and economic divisions are story elements that could come off as either one-dimensional and oversimplified or heavy-handed and preachy in the hands of a less-skilled author. Roanhorse does justice to these themes, and a big part of that is the nuance with which she depicts the world and characters. Characters may find themselves on opposite sides with everyone genuinely believing they’re in the right, or they may grudgingly work together even though they don’t really like each other.

She also does a great job of presenting small details that make her world feel like a living, breathing culture. Food, games, and clothing may not be as impressive as cities carved into cliffsides or warriors who ride giant crows, but they go a long way toward creating something that feels like a real civilization.

I did have one issue with the book—beware major spoilers. I understand that this is the first book in a series, so not everything is going to be tied up with a bow at the end. But Yatliza’s death and the implication that it may have been a murder didn’t seem to go anywhere. Similarly, we never found out who was behind the attempts on Naranpa’s life. I don’t see any way for the events of the climax to not change her situation so radically that the answer to that question is likely to be irrelevant.

With that one caveat, this was an excellent book. I’m definitely motivated to read the sequel.

This was great. It takes a few chapters to warm up and introduce all of the characters, and then it is off to an epic, adventure-filled story that I could NOT put down.
As I neared the end of the book I had the awful realization that getting early access to this book means I will have to wait a really long time to read the second book in the series!
In the acknowledgments the author talks about how there is this expectation for epic fantasy to be set in "fake England" and how she wanted to write one set in the Americas.
I even told my partner as I was reading it that it was "kind of like Game of Thrones but way better". I don't want to center GOT in this review though. Black Sun is full of intrigue, drama, myth & legend, and so vibrant. Female characters aren't raped (thank you!), and nonbinary characters are not tokenized. One of the most powerful characters in the whole book is blind.

I've read her Sixth World books and loved them so I was really happy to be granted this eARC as a wish on Netgalley. Thank you Saga Press!

WOW!!!!

This book just became my favorite book of the year, hands down. I hardly even know where to begin with this beautiful, brutal, magical, celestial, pre-Columbian inspired, fantastical saga.

First, the imagery. Stunning, vivid colors - the golden shine of the Sun Priest's mask and the deep gold of their robes; the inky black of the Carrion Crow's feathered collars; the dusty brown of the Dry Earthers dwellings; the rich brown of the cacao shells that act as currency and the spicy rich drink their beans are made into; the jaguar skin robes worn by elite Carrion Crow clan members; the blood red of the rare macaw feathers worn during ceremony over black crow feathers to indicate an honored place in the clan. The whole of Tova, the sacred sky city, was an early American indigineous celebration - from the rope bridges deftly hung between craggy rocks; whole cities and homes carved deep and mazed into cliff faces, climbing through holes, down ladders to go further still into the dark resin-lamp glow of these insular dwellings. The ship Xiala captains is described as a canoe, masterfully cutting through open waters, rowed by teams of men, and certainly inspired by early Polynesians, as were the Teek people, who were masters at seafaring. And clear the power of the celestial bodies and the reading of the stars, which was so integral to early native cultures and often they were absolutely expert at charting direction, times of the year, solar eclipses, and so on. The whole book essentially revolves around the power of the solar eclipse, called the Convergence because it is occurring on the Solstice, making it even more sacred. The author includes additional information about her research and inspirations for the world in her acknowledgements.

Second, the characters ... so fantastic! Xiala is a female ship captain, swaggering, enjoys a good drink, and enjoys the company of men and women. She is Teek and has powers not unlike the fabled Sirens, but moreso. Serapio is a Carrion Crow prophecy, with skills honed to a knife point. He is also blind but sees more than most. He also carries powers of connection to crows. The author also mentions in her acknowledgements that she worked closely with disability consultants to avoid pitfalls and tropes that authors fall into when writing about those differently abled. Nara is the honored Sun Priest living in the Sky Tower with the gift and responsibility of reading the stars for guidance and leadership. There is also a rat somewhere among her fellow Sky Priests. Okoa is a member of the Carrion Crow clan, trained at the Hokaia war college. He has raised a giant crow, Benundah, and other Sky Born clans have giant magical beasts who honor them with allegiance.

Apart from including indigenous characters and a powerful and able-bodied blind character, Roanhorse also includes several non-binary characters and makes efficient use of gender-neutral pronouns (xe/xir/xeir). This is so important and just so clearly easy to include in fiction. I loved this.

The whole plot was well-paced, intriguing, and so so full without being overblown and frenetic. Though chapters rotate through 3-4 character perspectives, it never feels too much or like the stories are so divergent that it becomes difficult to stay engaged and see their connections. This book was such a masterful start to the "Between Earth and Sky" trilogy and I truly cannot WAIT to keep reading.

I liked it, but my opinion changed several times throughout, and the ending was a bit frustrating. I have no way of knowing where she'll take the story next, but I really wanted more information on all the rival factions now.

Journey to a fantastical pre-Columbian America where magic, religion, and giant corvids exist. Where prophecy, political maneuvering, assassins, and a solar eclipse converge for the rebirth of an old god. This is an immersive story which drew me into a different world.
#edelweiss #netgalley #BlackSun

I really enjoyed BLACK SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse. This was my first book of hers and I will gladly go back and look for her other works. I thought the world building was exquisite - I loved reading about a world that was fantasy not based on England or Europe, and the descriptions made it easy for me to understand the unfamiliar words and picture it completely. I also loved that there were so many diverse characters without being it a big deal (use of he/him, she/her, xe/xir pronouns). Where I struggled was the different points of view switching...I know this is normal for adult fantasy (I read mostly YA or middle grade), but I really struggle with keeping track of the story that way. However each character was distinct enough that I could read their 'voice' even though this was written in third person. Despite these issues I had a lot of fun reading BLACK SUN and look forward to the next installment

ARC provided by the publisher—Saga Press—in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

Fascinating world-building and riveting narrative. Black Sun was my first venture in Rebecca Roanhorse’s works, and it certainly won’t be the last.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about The Sixth World, an ongoing urban fantasy series by Roanhorse, but I haven’t managed to get to them yet. When I saw this book being offered to review by Saga Press, I took a look at the cover, the blurb, and after hearing that this is a high fantasy, I immediately jumped at the chance to read and review it early. In other words, I knew absolutely nothing about the content of this book. And wow, I couldn’t be more pleasantly surprised. Black Sun was incredible, and if this is Roanhorse’s first foray into high fantasy, consider me a reader who’s willing to follow her career.

“The costliest mistake one can make is to underestemite one’s opponent through low expectations.”


Black Sun is the first book in Between Earth and Sky trilogy, and it is a high fantasy inspired by the civilizations Pre-Columbian Americas (how cool is this!?) The winter solstice in the holy city of Tova usually means a time for celebration and renewal. But there’s an exception this time. This year’s winter solstice Converged with the solar eclipse, and this is a rare Celestial event that dictates an unbalancing of the world. Xiala, a disgraced Teek—someone who has the power to calm waters through their Songs—receives a task to deliver a supposedly harmless passenger named Serapio by the time of the Convergence. This is a tale of destiny, celestial prophecies, sacrifice, and dark magic, and it’s one filled with individuals struggling to do their best to fulfill the role they’re given.

“Life is a series of false hopes. We all have misplaced hopes until we learn better. I did.”


Roanhorse has done an incredible job of crafting her characters here. Although there were four main POV characters to follow, Xiala and Serapio were unquestionably my favorites in the book. The majority of their POV chapters took place on the sea, and if you knew my reading taste, you would know that I tend to not like reading a fantasy book that takes place mostly on a boat/sea. I think of seafaring to be one of the most uninspiring settings in fantasy, and if possible, I prefer it to be done in shorter longevity. But this is one of many reasons why I think Roanhorse is a great author. She was able to keep me thoroughly immersed despite the seafaring setting that I usually disliked by creating well-realized characters with broken past and spectacular developments. I loved reading the gradual progression of Xiala’s and Serapio’s relationship, and Serapio’s flashback chapters were put to good effect; they enhanced his characterizations and motivations further. Also, Serapio is a blinded and scarred character; in the acknowledgment, Roanhorse mentioned the extensive research she did to make sure a character with blindness is represented rightfully. Whether she succeeds or not, it’s up to each reader to decide, but I personally found it’s praiseworthy that she’s willing to go that far.

“A man with a destiny is a man who fears nothing.”


This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy reading the other two main characters, Naranpa’s journey and the difficulty she faced in maintaining her role as the Sun Priest in Tova was intriguing. I also loved reading Okoa’s POV, and seeing how these four characters fate intertwined with each other was darkly delightful. Roanhorse has an accessible writing style that flows nicely, and the great dualities in the scenes that occurred in the setting of land and water exhibited through the four characters wonderfully tightened the pacing of the narrative; suffice to say that I was never bored throughout this book.

“Many of you, including my own Knife, object to this appointment, but you must trust that in my old age, perhaps I read a future in the heavens that you cannot. You may think her a puzzling choice, and you would be right. But often greatness comes from unexpected places.”


There’s no long action scenes, but every moment of them was greatly done. Roanhorse’s prose was very easily visualized in my mind; the scenes that depict the whirlwind of slaughter and the leaking of blood from the eyes were so vivid in my mind. Seriously, the environment and the terrifying change in weather and atmosphere were also palpable. The dimming of the sun, the screaming of the wind, and the arrival of the obsidian sky when the avatar of the Carrion God’s shadow magic was executed felt insanely real. In addition to this, I also enjoyed reading about the world-building; it’s quite different from the books I usually read, and I appreciate how every epigraph that starts each chapter deepened the world-building of this series.

“Violence should only be used in defense, and even then, it corrupts. If you must kill your enemy, do it quickly and be done. To linger only invites humiliation of both the victim and the self, and there is no honor there.”


So yeah, I loved Black Sun. It was a short and compelling read, I finished it within two days, and I think this is one book that every fantasy readers—young or adult—would highly enjoy. I can’t believe that I picked up Black Sun randomly, and it ended up being one my favorite reads of the year. I’m looking forward to the next book already, and I will definitely check out The Sixth World series one day.

“If your stories are of the glory of war, then I will know you value power. If your stories are of kinship, then I know you value relationship. If your stories are of many children, I know you value legacy. But if your stories are of adaptation and survival, of long memory and revenge, then I will know you are a Crow like me.”


Official release date: 13th October 2020

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

All 4 protagonists are complex people who find themselves being responsible for a group of people, and their choices affect those around them and everything they care about. As 'The Day of Convergence' approaches, each of the protagonists develop into the individuals their roles demand of them to the point where not even the secondary characters can divert them from their path. Without getting into too many spoilers, two of the protagonists were predestined to be part of 'The Day of Convergence,' but an argument can be made that they could have chosen to resist that fate at any given time before that day. In fact, the choices of the other two protagonists should be noted as well because they all have no choice but to live with the decisions they make leading up to the winter solstice. History and folklore aside, the use of foreshadowing and of characterization enhances the story to the point where readers known what is going to happen and why, and that there was no way to prevent the events from happening. By the time everything is revealed, the protagonists have made their decisions, and what is going to happen, happens. This leaves the reader(s) stunned, yet anticipating what will happen next during the aftermath of those events. It’s a shocking and an impressive move by the author.

"Black Sun" is proof that Rebecca Roanhorse can weave her talent and her heritage into powerful stories over and over again. If you need a reason to read one of her books, or if you want to read a fantasy series that will take your expectations to another level, then you really should read this book. It has everything from magic and prophecies to political power struggle based on a moment in human history, in which it all could have happened, but its setting is a fantasy world.