Absolutely epic and phenomenal. The writing is riveting and the world-building is incredibly fascinating. Every fan of epic fantasy would definitely enjoy this.

Rating: 4/5 Crow spies

Format: E-book/Audiobook. I’d like to thank Rebecca Roanhorse and Saga Press for a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review. I went back and forth with the audiobook and the narration was great.

To sum up:
In the city of Tova, tensions are rising between the ruling class and the other clans. A rare celestial event on the winter solstice is approaching that has the potential to bring about a climactic prophecy and a violent upheaval in their world. Our major characters are a prophesied Crow God named Serapio, Serapio’s captain, Xiala, a Teek sailor charged with getting him to Tova, and Nara, the reining Sun Priest struggling to keep control of her power. These characters go through many struggles as they draw nearer to each other, and the day of the winter solstice, and a world-changing reckoning, gets closer.

What I enjoyed:
This is a story with rich world-building and complex characters. It begins with one of the most shocking opening hooks in recent memory so I was immediately drawn in! The world is inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas, which is not one we see often in fantasy, which I loved. There are many types of people, all with rich cultures, prejudices, and beliefs and our characters must transverse this world to reach their goals. The characters are realistic, interesting, and vibrant. I particularly loved Xiala, a bisexual ship captain who is discriminated against by her crew because she is Teek, a race that has a special relationship with nature and water. Then to put a prophesied monk character in her midst (Serapio) and have them interact and try to learn about each other during their journey was really interesting and full of tension!

What was meh:
While the hook was fantastic, it took me a while to get through the next 30% of the book. I kept putting it down to read other things because the pace was slow, there were a lot of characters and plots introduced all couched in mystery and prophecy without much action. Once I got to around the halfway mark and realized most of Xiala and Serapio’s story would likely take place on the boat they were using to get to Tova, and I was able to settle in and enjoy their unfolding story. I had a hard time connecting with the other characters, unfortunately, and it took me longer than it should to realize how the various parts/POVs were connected. I think it is because I kept putting the book down and getting distracted which is in large part my own fault and no fault of the book. I just wasn’t in the mood to read an epic fantasy that takes concentration and focus haha But once I became invested in the characters I enjoyed the rest of the book quite a lot!

Overall, while the beginning of the book felt like three stars, I would rate the end quite a bit higher. This book has a fresh-feeling world, intriguing characters, fantastic diversity, and definitely made me curious to read the next installment! I really encourage readers to push through to the midpoint if they have similar issues with the beginning because I felt it really paid off!

I’d recommend to fans of The Game of Thrones! The Crow God and the concept of using crows to see made me think of Bran a lot, but Roanhorse actually explains more about Serapio’s powers which was awesome!

Black Sun was a wild ride that I really enjoyed. The setting was fun and unique and there were lots of twists and turns that really surprised me. I was excited to read a fantasy book that had a rich thought out backstory that didn't feel too tried. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Black Sun is one of my favorite fantasies of the year. I went in with zero expectations and left excited and surprised about the direction the story took.

It left me feeling that epic emptiness that sometimes comes from finishing a fantasy story. Shock that it is over, the long story feeling shorter than you wanted and with that distinct feeling that the story has only just begun.

Wow. Amazing! I knew I'd love this book and I indeed enjoyed every second of it. The. World building, the characters, and esp the plot was just so what I wanted and needed. Roanhorse did an amazing job with this book.

Again it is the plural POV that got to me. Ms Roanhorse smoothly manages to intertwine the first two, largely by carefully not alternating them, but letting the story push toward one voice or the other. I was very impressed with her skill. Then she introduced a third speaker that clanged like a dropped tin plate, unnecessary and graceless. Good story but I stopped reading.

I am in love with this story. Rebecca Roanhorse is a true master of the craft. There is nothing like a large epic fantasy that transports you to a new world.

The characters were well written and I loved the backstory on some of them. While you may not want to be in the situations they were put in, I would want to be their friends. Others, not so much.

The world itself was sprawling, with different customs and even creatures.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book!

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I did however listen to the published version of the audiobook instead.

The audio narration of this was wonderful! I give the 4 narrators 5 stars in bringing the 4 perspectives to life in this wild fantasy. I think in a book like this where there are so many characters and several perspectives in a book, having 4 distinct voices in your audiobook really helps the reader to distinguish which character you are listening. The story relies on being told from each perspective so I think it was really important to get to hear each voice and I thought each of the narrators did a great job with their parts of the story. I hope they are back for future installments!

This is a book for fantasy lovers. If you aren't into complex fantasy, skip this. This is also not for the faint of heart as there is quite a bit of violence both self inflicted and amongst the characters. There is a lot going on and a lot to keep track of in this book. There are several different mythologies and religious systems at play and they are fascinating. This is told from the perspective of 4 characters each with their own roles to play in the story. Instead of political unrest we have religious unrest as a a prophecy, solar eclipse, and winter solstice all intersect. The magic system in this is really interesting as it is based in the mythology and seems to be individual. Each of the players wants what is best for their people and struggles with doing the right thing given the situations they are put in. This has everything you could want from an epic fantasy, an uprising, cool magic, prophecies, betrayal, interesting characters, and more. Oh and did I mention some of the warriors can ride on giant crows?

I really loved the world building and the character development that took place here. Normally I don't like multi perspective books because it tends to take away from the characters, but because Xiala and Serapio spend their time together we get alot from the two of them. I feel like Okoa was the least developed but he also got the least page time. I feel like he will be a bigger player in the future as the series moves forward. We also get quite a bit from Narumpa and how her progression through the ranks of the priesthood have put her where she is today. We also get to see how her progressive views within her own religion may not exactly fit with her peers. All four of them are interconnected in and Roanhorse does such a great job interweaving the characters.

I will say I wasn't a fan of the open ending. It does set us up for there to be more in the series, but no one really enjoys a cliffhanger ending. Several of the plotlines are left up in the air and the reader is left with lots of questions. It only makes me want the next book more, but I do prefer my books to end with some sort of closure.

Black Sun is an incredibly captivating, fast-paced book! The countdown to the eclipse adds a sense of foreboding and drives the reader to keep turning the page. Worldbuilding is shown, not told, making this a perfect choice for fantasy fans who hate infodumping. The breakneck pace best complements Xiala and Serapio's action-heavy chapters; Naranpa's more political-focused chapters could have used a bit more time to truly let political and religious unrest simmer and stew.

3.5 stars rounded up. I listened to the audiobook of this story and while I did enjoy it, I had a hard time staying focused. It didn't hold my attention as well as I had hoped. After that amazing and shocking prologue, I really thought I was going to love this book. With this being the first in a series, there is a lot of world building and the author really does a great job with it. I had some trouble remembering who was who at first as it is told in three main storylines during slightly different times where they will all eventually come together on this "convergence day". Each character had their own backstory which was nice to read about, I just unfortunately didn't really connect with any of them. Though they were dealing with their own dangers, I never feared for them. I'd like to revisit this book and physically read it on my own next time.

Thank you Macmillian audio for my audio copy!

What I love most about Rebecca Roanhorse is how she is able to take a standard fantasy story structure, make it something wholly unique, and stay true classic fantasy elements that make the book fantasy. Beyond her earlier work, though, Roanhorse has crafted a far more complex plot and cast of characters here than even exists in her Sixth World Series, showing that as prolifically as she has been writing the past few years, her style and ability to manage complicated stories has grown and I love it.

This story takes us to Pre-Colonial Columbia, where Indigenous peoples still rule their land in accordance with with the stars and their own tribal politics. The opening scene sets the stage for the rest of the plot, while also being shockingly violent and tense and sad all at once. I was one hundred percent in from the first chapter. Roanhorse's characters are as inclusive and diverse as they are complex, each one bringing a unique voice to the novel.. Xiala and Serapio are especially unforgettable and I really cannot wait to see what happens next!

This is an excellent start to a new fantasy series. The pacing is great, the characters are well fleshed out with just enough mystery to keep you reading, and the mythology/folklore was so interesting. I found myself intrigued by everything that was going on and the fate of all of the characters.

I made a tactile error when I started reading Black Sun. For some reason, I thought this was a stand alone fantasy novel and not the start of a series (which it is). And now I am completely obsessed and have to wait for book two.

I love the rich, vibrancy of this world that Roanhorse has created, There is nuance and history. She has built a diverse cast of characters with different religions, different societal structures, different pronouns. It’s incredibly inclusive. The tension is built from the beginning as you follow four characters who are all zooming toward a collusion, but as the reader you have no idea where or when they will collide. I can’t wait for book two because - oomph - that ending.

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

Rebecca Roanhorse's 1st book in her Bewteen Eart and Sky Trilogy creates a fascinating world based on pre-Columbian myths and cultures. It starts with a bang and barely lets up from there. We meet a quartet of engaging, complex characters whose choices and the choices made for them will bring them into...conflict? Accord? Both? Danger for sure, and possibly the dawning of a new world.
This is not your parents' tired, old epic fantasy and I eagerly await the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The character development was subtle in a myriad of ways, and the plot moves along quickly enough to keep interest. I could have used a little more expansion around the ending of the book, but on the whole found the experience very enjoyable.

4.5 stars
this was an exquisite fantasy tale that had me invested from the start
I flew through it and could not physically put it down
I think I read it in two days and it was magnificent
great representation of pre-Colombian America and the easy existence of queer people
will be reading the sequel and checking out some of Roanhorse's other works.
I have never before seen representation for xe/xir pronouns
loved this book!!

The names of the characters and places felt unfamilar and took getting used to for me however, the world building I felt was fantastic. I found this story to be refreshing. It was a unique telling of two interesting characters at a hard head to head. It kept me glued to it and imagining each part of its story. What a heros journey he went on to become the crow god. Each character drew me in making me wish i had a physcial arc to take with me everywhere i went. Would love to have the second book as an arc. Action packed unique story that was so refreshing to come across.

An epic fantasy focused on adventure while all the characters are on paths that are meant to converge. My favorite characters to follow were Xiala and Serapio. Xiala is a captain of a ship carrying Serapio to his destiny. Also loved Narapa's story because she's the sun priest who is being betrayed by the people surrounding her. I will read the next book because there's a big event at the end that leaves the fate of the characters in flux. A must read if you like travel in your fantasy.

Black Sun is a dazzling fantasy — one that I'll hold as a new all-time favorite.

This was my first Rebecca Roanhorse book, and now I see why we consider her a cornerstone of SFF. From the dizzying first chapter, in which we witness the turning of a god, Roanhorse spells a world is tangible as our own — one which breathes and quivers with a fire of its own. We see everything clearly: a pre-Columbian-esque world, the land of Cusceola sprawling across a continent, rushing to meet a vast sea — a holy city nested in the clouds, Tova, shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Within, there is a culture of its own; ruled by priests, celestial intrigue, classism, clans, and cults. Black Sun doesn't just build a world. It shapes one, lovingly, and you can feel the history stretching across the book.

Out of this, we find our main characters: Serapio, first human, now god: an incarnation of the crow god. Xiala, a carefree Teek, a species that is part siren, part mermaid, part human — she is a pirate, a captain wild, unconfined, unhinged. And Naranpa, the Sun Priest, the very top of the hierarchy, a woman who just needs a hug. Throughout the book, we learn to love them all, for their pain, for their sorrows, for their hopes, their dreams, and their love.

Roanhorse writes with a lilting prose that sang to my heart. If you asked me what happened throughout the book, I couldn't tell you anything. At the same time, everything did. The stage was set, and slowly, the pieces came together, until the impact HIT. It's amazing.

A sweeping cast of characters makes up Rebecca Roanhorse’s BLACK SUN, the first in a planned fantasy trilogy that takes place in the pre-Colombian Americas.

The setting alone would be reason to pick this book up. I’m a sucker for speculative fiction that plays with removing the historical fact of colonization & plunder from a place, & Roanhorse’s world brims with a rich medley of thriving cultures. From coastal trading networks to inland cities, it’s a panorama for the senses: jade adornments & the sheen of gold, panther skin & vibrant quetzal feathers, the thirst-quenching fermentation of balché & the smell of corn cakes or fresh fish, depending on geographic locale.

But the real heart of the novel are its central protagonists: a sea captain whose song men fear; a sacrificial son made vessel for the gods; a Sun Priest who has risen above her station. They’re strangers to one another, but all linked by a celestial prophecy that unfolds non-linearly & held me rapt. Not to mention giant crows & winged serpents & religious sects & cultists...plus a passel of compelling secondary characters, including a Priest of Knives who I’m dying to know more about.

Fantasy may not be the first (or 3rd) genre I reach for, but this was like reading an engrossing legal thriller (only with more knives and magic), & it made for a lively book club discussion. Though I hate the long wait, I’ll be interested to see where Roanhorse goes with book 2–especially since this one ends on quite the cliffhanger.

BLACK SUN is a good reminder that indigenous literature isn’t something to be read as history or ethnography (like higher ed taught me), but a living, breathing, diverse body of works across all genres, which has to be sought out thanks to marginalization by a whitewashed publishing industry/culture.

Thanks to @sagasff @librofm & @simon.audio for the chance to review advance copies of this book! I ended up following better on the page, but the audiobook is narrated by a fantastic cast.