This book is a compelling, detailed, vivid read. I was drawn in by the expertly crafted characters, mythology, and worldbuilding. Every single character left me wanting to read more. I especially loved Xiala.

The story rewarded attention to detail, and made me eager for the next installment. The book is epic in scope, and deserves to capture many readers.

Ok, so this review is suuuuuuuper delayed. I actually got approved for a wish for it, which I was super excited about because of how much I’ve loved Roanhorse’s Sixth World series and how awesome the premise of this was. But then I didn’t read it. And then it was released, and the signed hardcover I’d preordered (which was super delayed) finally showed up. And I still didn’t read it. I think I just haven’t been in the mood for fantasy lately, so it took me way longer to pick up than it should have. But it was there when I was finally ready for it, and I’m happy to report that it was an excellent read!

Roanhorse is such a phenomenal writer. I don’t know how she does it, but I could tell while I was reading this book that it was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it, and I’m dying to know what happens in the next book! Beyond that, though, I’m kind of stumped about what else to say about this book? It was never slow, but it did take me a while to get invested in to the point where I couldn’t put it down. And it’s definitely a brutal book, though it never felt like the violence was gratuitous or too much. Idk. It was just really refreshing reading a fantasy for the first time in so long, especially one that isn’t centered on medieval Europe, and I loved seeing how all of these moving parts that have been in the works for decades finally came together, and how the two main plotlines interacted and built towards each other and the conclusion of the story. There’s been a lot of hype around this book, and I definitely think Black Sun lived up to it. Hopefully the wait for book two isn’t too long! Though if Roanhorse took a break to work on another Sixth World book, I wouldn’t complain!

Black Sun was my first Rebecca Roanhorse novel, and it certainly won’t be my last. In a market full of copycat, Eurocentric fantasy stories, this one was a breath of fresh air, and I loved immersing myself in this intricate universe.

Against the backdrop of a world inspired by Pre-Columbian indigenous civilizations in the Americas, a prophecy begins to unfold as the winter solstice and a solar eclipse approach. Xiala is released from prison by an influential lord and given a job—to transport a strange cargo to the holy city of Tova before the solstice. The cargo is none other than Serapio, a blind and scarred man with a mysterious past who has known his destiny since childhood, and must live it out no matter what happens. Their voyage across the sea is rife with chaos and unrest. Elsewhere, we follow Naranpa, a sun priest grappling to keep her power, and Okoa, an accused murderer.

I first want to point out that the worldbuilding is some of the most unique and intriguing I’ve read about in the recent past. There seems to be a misconception that indigenous societies before colonization were not advanced, and Roanhorse effectively tells you to shut the hell up with that offensive perception by presenting the culturally rich and elaborate cities that populate this novel. There’s also a lot of compelling mythology here surrounding prophecy, gods, and sea creatures.

Everything is described in glorious detail—to the point where you feel as if you’re seeing the colors and feeling the textures of this world, as if the sea spray is hitting you in the face and you’re witnessing the red sky before a storm with your own eyes—without the writing ever weighing the story down. Roanhorse’s prose and the cleverly concealed mysteries of the plot kept me turning the pages and devouring everything. For me, this story broke out of the box of what I believed epic fantasy could be, and that’s why I encourage everyone to read it.

The characters are truly what carry the story and got me invested in it, especially Xiala and Serapio. As they are torn between duty, obligation, desire, and one another, they bring heart to the novel. Xiala was a particular standout for me, as I haven’t stopped thinking about her chaotic bisexual Sinbad/siren vibes since finishing the book. She’s incredibly funny, sarcastic, and immediately likable, but she’s also dealing with her demons and her self-destructive tendencies. She’s commanding, takes no shit, and makes an unforgettable impression. Serapio is also a compelling character; he reaches into the gray areas between good and evil as the secrets surrounding him are slowly revealed. The chemistry between these two is also electric, and I can’t wait to see more from them in future installments.

I generally wasn’t as interested in Naranpa and Okoa’s chapters as I was in Xiala and Serapio’s, but I’m looking forward to seeing how their stories continues to develop. They both have tons of potential to contribute to the future narrative!

The final quarter of this book drove me out of my mind, and the ending left me shocked, with several more questions than answers. I’m waiting eagerly for the next installment, and I can tell the story will be elevated to even higher stakes. This is a world I want to escape into, again and again, and I will also be seeking out some more of this author’s remarkably creative works.

I enjoyed every moment of this richly detailed fantasy, from the characters to the worldbuilding to the epic sweep and slow, relentless rising tension. I wish the ending stood alone more than it does (it reads more like the end of a chapter halfway through the story than the end of a novel), but that's about my only complaint and I'm definitely looking forward to other novels in this world.

I have written and re-written this review countless times since I finished Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. I think it is because that you loved is sometimes a lot harder than reviewing one with a number of faults. I keep wanting to get the review perfect, to convince potential readers to pick this up. Because I did love this SO MUCH for so many reasons.

Before I get into specifics, let me just say this was incredibly well-written. The world-building is rich and I would actually love a Silmarillion type lore building book that goes deep into the religions and gods and forming of these cultural and political divisions. We can feel the history behind the various divisions and prejudices. The writing itself flows and is balanced between information and action without being dense.

The plot is SO intriguing and the shifting narratives and timelines work well to keep tension and interest while also providing context clues. The ending did feel a bit rushed, which says a lot considering the novel is over 450 pages. Considering there looks to be a sequel, I really, REALLY wish this one had taken it’s time to reach the end OR had ended a bit earlier so we could have time to delve into the resolution.

Now, with that out of the way, what truly meant a lot to me was the aspect of representation. Latine (yes, I will use the gender neutral Latine. No, I will not get into a discussion about this) names and vibes are strongly present. From the gods and religion, to the climate, to city names and customs. It felt so good to read names and words I could natively pronounce and even repeat to my grandmother (if she were still alive). Then, there was the nonbinary character which almost made me cry the first time I saw xir pronouns. I don’t remember ever seeing myself represented in a fantasy book that didn’t make my identity as the main point/objective/etc. It was great seeing a new world with a pre-columbian base and a nonbinary system that treated both as normal and matter of fact so that it remained a fantasy novel.

Would I recommend Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse? Absolutely! For folks that love fantasy and want something refreshing. For folks that are latine. For folks that are nonbinary. It is just so great.

3.5 rounded up. This is probably a book best read in print, not audio, because of the huge cast of characters, flashbacks, and first-in-a-series world building. The writing was good and the mythology/magic was really interesting and woven throughout without massive info-dumps. Unfortunately, I just didn’t care enough about most of the characters to need to continue the series, but that is absolutely just me, not the book, so YMMV.

From the best seller & award winning author Rebecca Roanhorse comes a new fantasy trilogy based on the mythology of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Black Sun is a beautifully woven story. I can wait to read more.

Set in the Meridian is the city of Tova where priests are preparing for the solstice. As they do, a Teek captain transports a blind man to the proceedings. Trials and plots ensue as this world starts to crumble.

This was an absolutely brilliant read. Set in a world of magic and a multitude of religious/political viewpoints, readers follow a few characters before their stories converge. This world is so unique that readers feel instantly transported to it as they read.

Each character has a distinct personality as we read each of their stories. Xiala is a Teek- women with Songs that helps them sail. She is tasked with bringing a blind Obregi man to Tova. Xiala is a mild drunkard that just wants to sail. Serapio, our blind man, has been tasked since childhood to avenge his clan. He is resigned to complete his purpose, but meeting Xiala changes his outlook. Not to mention the priests we meet. Iktan, the quiet Knife that protects the Sun Priest, as well as Naranpa, our Sun Priest trying to rise above the preconceived notions others have about her past.

It is also commendable that Rebecca included representation for many non-represented people. We briefly meet a transgender person, along with pretty major nonbinary characters. I thought that their inclusion was thoughtful and helped the world be more believable.

Overall this story will fill your heart and rip it to pieces while keeping you on the edge of your seat. I cannot wait for the next novel!

I didn't finish it but I must review it. I was told it is an LGTBQ+ book and I don't read things subject matter.

This was entirely too phenomenal. This is going to do so much good. I’m finding it hard to write the words that I want to say, but read this book!

I had the opportunity to listen to Rebecca Roanhorse speak about her book prior to publishing. I was enthralled from the beginning. This is one of my top 2020 books and still need to read something better to beat it. It is truly just amazing.

I'm not sure there are enough wonderful things to say about this good. Once I was into it, I was INTO IT and there was no getting out. I gobbled the whole thing up in about a day. The world-building is incredible, the characters are all compelling, and there is a perfect amount of gore and sinisterness sprinkled with a little bit of humor, The world Roanhorse has created in this book just blows my mind, and my only complaint is that we have NO DATE for Book 2!

I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I was fascinated by the description. And I ended up foregoing every responsibility to finish the book once I started it. It grabbed my interest and just...never let go. The characters felt virtually complete, which can be unusual in a first book to a series, and they felt *human* - not all good, and not all bad.
The story itself was incredible, and the remaining books will be "insta-buy" status for me. In a time many really don't think about, the details and life Roanhorse brought to life truly gave me the desire to learn more about it. I realize this is fantasy, but the mark of a great author, for me, is one that can make me CRAVE to learn more about the time/setting they are writing about. Overall, a FABULOUS book, and one that I fully and wholeheartedly recommend.

I had a lot of hopes for this novel. I absolutely love the premise, and it started out really strong. But I felt like it lacked in worldbuilding and the ending was too abrupt. Will still be reading the sequel though.

Video review: https://youtu.be/-tl_ny5MKqw

Rebecca Roanhorse does it again. This is a brilliant story that grabs you right from the beginning with the mother and son scene. Wow. It is an epic fantasy story and is engaging throughout. The start of a series from this brilliant writer. I am looking forward to more!
#BlackSun #Netgalley #GalleryBooks #GallerySaga

What an interesting fantasy book. I was immediately taken in by the richness of this world, the mythology, the cultures, and the characters that had a role to play. It was grand, it was epic, it was incredible.

This book has been a long time coming. I added it to my tbr when I first heard of it, was very excited when I got the arc and also got the audiobook immediately upon release. But I never did get to reading it because my head was a mess last year, and I completely avoided reading all books which I had high expectations for. But I finally braved it this month, at a time when I am again in a bad reading slump, but this had me completely in its grips from the first word and wouldn’t let me go till I was done.

What a refreshing world the author managed to create here. While creating European inspired worlds is pretty common in the fantasy genre, I have tried to diversify my reading in the past year or two to try and pick books where the worlds are created by authors with Asian or African heritage, taking inspiration from their own cultures and mythologies. However, I never even gave a thought that a world could be based on pre-Columbian indigenous American cultures, and I was completely in awe as I discovered with epic wide world created by the author. We have cities and towns and tribes, each with its own set of cultures and belief systems, bound by a treaty to ensure peace in the world, and watched over by a priesthood who believe themselves capable of reading the stars and predicting the future. I am obviously ignorant about the history and couldn’t discern which aspect of the world building was inspired by which culture, but nevertheless the author managed to create something which felt real and lived in, and very much a part of the daily lives of its people. The various magic systems are also lightly described and I was amazed by the scenes where it came into play, but I also have a feeling that this aspect will be more prominent in the next book. And also except for some personal prejudices/superstitions, this is also a very queernormative world, with all forms of genders and sexualities just accepted as part of the normal and where this aspect of a character doesn’t drive the plot.

The writing is really engaging and mesmerizing from the get go. All the descriptions were quite vivid and I could feel the cold, the pain, and the fear that the characters were experiencing; as well as the feeling of being on the sea in the middle of a ship killing story, the air hitting your face when on the back of a giant corvid, and the dread of being on the edge of a cliff just before falling down. The pacing is also just right, never slacking off even for a bit, making me excited to keep turning the page without ever putting the book down. I was frankly quite surprised by the use of neopronouns, because I have personally never encountered them before, but they felt very organic to the world that the author created. All the POVs are woven seamlessly through the story, and I was so glad that I loved everyone equally and was looking forward to read about each of their adventures. Listening to the first half of the book on audio also helped because the full cast of narrators are brilliant, and I loved getting to know how to pronounce the words correctly.

The way the collective history and the trauma of the people is told through this story felt very raw and painful. Each of the clans or tribes has suffered in the past and while there maybe peace currently, the hurts nor the pain have been forgotten, and every generation inherits this trauma, alongwith a deep seated need for vengeance (or justice) for their peoples. Add to this a dose of religious fanaticism and belief in vengeful prophecies, and it makes for a powder keg of a world which is always on the verge of the next riot, or maybe even outright war. I thought the author’s handling of the topic of generational trauma and the cycle of revenge was very realistic and hit me quite hard.

And it was this writing that made me very empathetic towards most of the characters, despite whatever action they were keen on taking. Serapio’s life has been traumatic since his birth, first with his mother treating him like a vessel to fulfill her goals, and his father ignoring him either out of fear or disgust. He has been told and trained and prepared to fulfill his destiny, but I couldn’t help but feel bad that he never got much of a choice. It was hard to see him determined to achieve his goal as vengeance for a people whom he didn’t even know, but at the same time I also wanted him to succeed.

Xiala on the other hand was a delight. Belonging to a people who are feared because of their abilities, she has to navigate a lot of misogyny, prejudice and fear to be able to work as the captain of a ship. She is also open with her affections, just wanting to have a good time with some drink and a chat with the people around her. But it’s not always easy to find that camaraderie that she so desires, and that’s why I really loved her developing relationship with Serapio.

And the last one is the sun priest, Narampa. She is admirable for having risen up to her position despite being from a humble background, and believing so thoroughly in the responsibility of her role and the priesthood as a whole. But she is also naive enough to think only her beliefs are right, as well as that she alone can reform an age old status quo. I honestly wasn’t surprised to see her encounter many obstacles, and despite her sometimes questionable decisions, I did want her to be safe.

There are also a good number of side characters as well as creatures who make this a very memorable read, and though most of them had very less page time, I can assure you that they leave an indelible mark and it hurts when something bad happens to them.

In conclusion, this is what epic fantasy feels like. A vast world with scope for being more expansive, characters who are not always likable but still very much will find a place in your heart, a fast paced plot with multiple threads that all converge with an impending sense of doom, and an unexpected ending where you are left wondering if any of your favorites made it. I’m extremely happy that I seem to be having great luck with fantasies these days and I can only hope it continues. And now I’m eagerly waiting for the sequel news, which the author promised would be coming soon.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by Rebecca Roanhorse. I had heard of her book Trial of Lightning, but I haven’t read it yet. I was super excited to receive this book from Netgalley, as I had heard a ton of good things about it from people who had also received ARCs.

Black Sun is a very interesting book. It starts off a little slow, but it definitely picks up in the second half. It took me a lot longer to read the first half than the second half. A friend of mine who had already read it encouraged me to continue on, and I am glad he did. The first half was a little on the confusing side for me, because of all of the characters, their factions, etc. However, I did get it eventually and it was fine.

I found myself rooting for all of the main and side characters, which is problematic since they are/will be against each other. I am very interested to know what will happen with them in the second book. I really liked Xiala, one of the side characters. She felt very real to me, even though she is a Teek, which is a race with special abilities. Her thoughts and desires were tangible, and I liked that.

There is LGBTQIA+ representation in this book, as Xiala is either bisexual or pansexual (it is never stated which), there is a transgender character (not a main or side character, just someone one of the side characters meets), and two characters that seem to be non-binary (they use the pronouns xe, xir). There is total acceptance of all of these characters.

The imagery in this book is very vivid, and the characters are brought to life with the author’s words. Ms. Roanhorse is a talented author, and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I give this book 3.75/5 stars.

I couldn’t have predicted a thing about this book. Going in to this, I knew it would be a shocking fantasy with Indigenous elements and a unique plot, but as soon as I hit play I knew I was in for a wild ride. It was utterly compelling and had me enraptured the entire time. The plot and world building was definitely the driving force for my entertainment.

Out of the characters, Serapio was the only one I really had a connection with. That hindered my enjoyment of the novel just a bit, but overall I’m really surprised by how this story played out and I’m excited for the next book in the series.