Black Sun is a multi-PoV fantasy adventure with a great, diverse cast of characters and compelling storytelling. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for adult epic fantasy with great queer representation and plenty of diversity.

We begin the book in Serapio’s PoV. At the time, he’s a young boy in the hands of a mother he trusts. Then, she blinds him before jumping to her death, a sacrifice to make her son a vessel for the crow god and its vengeance. What follows is a book that reads almost like a Greek tragedy, with all the irony and a sense of foreboding looming in the background and a hero that might be part villain.

I enjoyed each perspective. I never skipped or skimmed pages in order to get through tiresome or annoying characters. Even when the book introduced another PoV (Okoa) rather late in the game, I think about halfway through, I found myself falling in love with his gentle yet firm sense of duty. I honestly can’t say I have a favorite PoV in this book, which is super odd for me.

The queer rep in this book really stood out to me. There’s great rep in the main cast of characters—bisexual Xiala and nonbinary Iktan, for example—but queer characters who don’t further the plot also just EXIST in the world. Serapio has a tutor who identifies as a third gender, a trans woman saves Okoa, etc. I loved this so much! Too often, readers ask that queer characters “serve a purpose” in the plot, but this book doesn’t fall into that trope. Its queer characters have nothing to hide or prove.

In many ways, Black Sun is a collection of epic fantasy’s favorite tropes: characters with destinies greater than themselves, a prophecy, and entangling plot lines that finally converge in the end. Though the narrative has a familiar ring, it dialed my number. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Rebecca Roanhorse began her writing career only a couple years ago, but with this ambitious work of high fantasy, she has earned her place as one of the finest writers in the genre. Fueling the storyline with mythological elements from ancient indigenous American cultures, Roanhorse delivers a fast-paced adventure tale of political intrigue with strong female protagonists and rich cultures. She writes with a mastery that already seems fully developed, and I look forward to spending more time in her worlds--starting with the next two volumes of this planned trilogy.

This was a very unique book with a very interesting and unique setting. Central America pre-Columbia. Hasn't really been done before, not as far as I know at least.

I really liked Xiala and Serapio as characters. I enjoyed reading their chapters much more than Naranpa's. I don't know if she was meant to be unlikeable, but I didn't like her. She's the leader of a religious faction and isn't that religious, just kind of power-hungry.

The political intrigue wasn't as engaging for me as everything that was happening on the ship. It might be that the character I didn't like was more connected to the politics than the crew on the ship. The prophecy aspect was really interesting and I would have liked there to be a little more focus or mention of that earlier in the book. Most of the time was spent on the less interesting, to me, religious politics.

There was one aspect of this book that took me out of the fantasy setting, I don't know if it will bother anyone else. But for me, it took me out a little and made it difficult to stay as invested in the story at times. I don't really feel like mentioning it though, so I'm just going to leave it at that.

I really enjoyed the writing though, I'd like to look into reading Roanhorse's Urban Fantasy books. I think they were already on my TBR. I also wish this book had the maps, so I could flip back and forth when things happened.

Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Another situation where I wish I could give decimal points in my reviews, because this is actually like a 4.5 for me. Either way, this book slaps so hard. If you want something that’s like Steel Crow Saga (with all the representation included) but doesn’t have a problematic author? This is the book for you. The characters are phenomenal, and their stories are so fascinating all the way through. I love me a good “cast of characters are entirely separate from each other but are destined to become entwined on their journeys towards their goals” type of story, and this delivered PERFECTLY. The writing was gorgeous and the pacing and plot were genius. My only complaint would be that in some of Naranpa’s sections at the VERY beginning it seemed like it was dragging a little bit, but it quickly picked up and eventually I was just as captivated with her as everyone else. I’m extremely hyped to see where this story goes next and I absolutely will be recommending it to my friends.

Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun is an epic, EPIC fantasy inspired by pre-Columbian cultures. It imagines the world described in Charles C. Mann’s, 1491: New revelations of the Americas before Columbus, which revealed the story of the vast and sophisticated societies of the indigenous people of the Americas that was mostly buried by historians.

The first chapter is the most jarring I’ve ever read and the story really never lets up. If you've read any of Roanhorse's other novels you know she doesn't pull and punches, and wow, it is a gut punch. There are several moments in the novel that are...chilling. There’s also magic, political intrigue, rogues, and fantastic creatures. Told from the point of view of four diverse and inclusive characters, loving rendered, and developed. The world building is top notch. The ending a fantastic cliffhanger, or is it? I reread the first three chapters as soon as I finished and kicked myself. Brilliant. One of the best fantasy novels I’ve read this year.

The human avatar of the crow god is on his way to Tova to fulfil the prophecy of the Carrion Crow. But, with only twenty days to a rare triple convergence, the characters in Black Sun must face killers storms, political betrayals, and their own biases and blindspots. With this novel, Rebecca Roanhorse has created a well-realized fantasy world peopled with characters that both grow on you and surprise you. My one criticism of the novel is how very unfinished the story feels. This probably isn’t fair as the book is presumably the first book in a series, and I’ll be waiting eagerly for book two. However, the book may have been stronger with some significant resolution of its own—as of now, a full review will have to wait for book two.

This kicks off with a mother stitching her son’s eyes shut and throwing herself out the window, and it doesn’t really let up from there, even if things seem to be calmer. We have three people that we follow here, and one somewhat tangentially, though he comes more into the forefront of the narrative towards the end of the book, as everyone converges. The tension keeps building and feels like it skids a bit at the end with how sudden the ending is, but leaves a hell of a sequel hook. This is very Aztec based fantasy but is enough of Roanhorse’s own building that while you might know some of the turns if you know the general mythos, but not all of them. There small tangential things I like - casual mentions of trans characters and xir/xey pronouns, the climatic love making not being penetrative and incredibly tender, “may you fall in love with a man” being a casual curse of one of the matriarchal cultures, same sex attraction being treated as normal and not scandalous. I’m incredibly interested to see where this goes, and hope we don’t have to wait too long for the sequel. (Thanks to Saga and Net Galley for the ARC.)

Giant crows, shadow magic, political intrigue, bisexual mermaids and MURDER. Sign me the eff up. Roanhorse delivers an absolutely stunning first book in what I hope will be a long epic fantasy in a rich, complex world. BLACK SUN brings us into a world already chock full of history, deep clan grudges, and characters with deliciously messy pasts and idealistic goals. It's a testament to the execution that I finished this book still not quite sure who the villains versus heroes are. Complex, layered, but never veering too far into grimdark.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for letting me read and review this unique and intriguing story. This is a bit different than most sci-fi and fantasy books that I've read and it makes it all that much more interesting to read a bit of a different story, which it says is inspired by the Pre-Columbian Americas. I always enjoy finding and broadening my horizons with cultures and myths woven into stories from more different parts of the world and not just the more common ones.
This story took me a little bit, but once it got going and things started coming together more, it was harder to stop reading it. It's about Serapio, who you learn his history with his mother and things right at the beginning and then it jumps to the present time where he's on a ship to go to the city of Tova. At Tova, there's going to be a big event happening, a solar eclipse during the winter solstice, which is a rare thing. The Sun Priest of Tova says this event will cause and bring about an unbalancing of the world and Serapio's destiny is tied to it.
On the ship that is taking Serapio to the city of Tova, the Captain is a Teek that's been disgraced and she is a siren, whose song can be used for good or bad purposes. Xiala, the Teek Captain, has one passenger on her ship that she has to get to the city of Tova by the solstice and she's told that he is a harmless person so she knows that means he's probably not harmless at all. The two of them get to know each other on the voyage and they end up becoming close.
Matriarchal societies are warring with one another in the city of Tova and so there's some political intrigue with that and also differences in cultures, ways of life, and people getting to know one another and their different ways of life.
In way of content warnings/possible triggers, there is some romance, with a little bit too much of a steamy scene for me toward the end of the book, also some violence, but nothing too graphic from what I recall and a bit more profanity than I usually like mostly referring to the F word. There are also a few cultural things with rituals and such that can be a bit disturbing in the tribes.
If you're a Rebecca Roanhorse fan, or looking for new, original, and unique stories to read then make sure to add this one to your list to read it when it comes out.

This was a very enjoyable read with plenty of backstabbing, subterfuge, religious/political power struggles, clan versus clan, a love story, and at the center a prophecy. I know this kind of sounds like a novel with a ton of elements that are being juggled up in the air, but it works. I've only read two other Roanhorse novels before which were mostly okay. I think she grew with this work though because it was more engaging and didn't lag so much as the other books did for me. The chapters switch between about four different character POV's that take place over a 20 day period of time and because of this the linear plot line is easy enough to follow, there are only a couple of moments where the book goes back in time to develop the characters. I will say I wasn't paying attention to how much book was left at the end and the story totally and completely stopped. So if you don't like a cliff hanger you might wait for book two. Either way I think the author will find good success with readers.

I REALLY loved this book. There were a couple formatting and grammar things that I'm sure are gonna be sorted out in the final copy. But aside from those this was absolutely wonderful.
1) great representation and inclusion
2) amazing characters (I'm not a character driven reader and I absolutely loved all these characters and all their relationships and ties to others. I really really felt for them)
3) intriguing plot
4) magnificent world (I wish there was more worldbuilding, some stuff could be fleshed out and explained more. But I'm not mad about it and assume it'll be laid out more as the trilogy progresses)

An all around wonderful time. I highly recommend everyone check this one out when it's released!!!

This was a dnf for me. I struggled to engage with the world and characters, and the dark apocalyptic tone was a challenge for me with all that’s going on in the real world. I read 25% before giving up. Definitely has good writing and creative world building, but was not for me.

4.5* Black Sun is a richly worded treat of a book. Rebecca Roanhorse has a unique voice that takes you on a journey that's as fun and interesting as the climax of the story. Black Sun has multiple POVs, which I normally dislike. That being said, Roanhorse does it right. Even though I had favorite POVs in the beginning, I liked them all by the end and that NEVER happens to me. There is a lot of LGBTQ representation. Each character is trying to figure out their path in life and I love how there isn't really a villain. There are just people hating other people based on differing beliefs. I wish there was more to the ending of Black Sun. Too much was handed off to the next book. I deducted half a star because I don't see myself rushing back to read it again, but I enjoyed my time in this resplendent world and I look forward to the sequel.

Roanhorse consistently delights me with her fresh takes in the fantasy genre. This book will appeal to readers of mythic and epic fantasy, and I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.

One of my favorite reads of this year. While this was my first Roanhorse book, it certainly won't be my last.
This was beautiful. It has everything-humor, heartache, action (lots), and a little romance.
The representation in this book was done fantastically.
The story is set in pre-Columbian Americans-and such a breath of fresh air from the more common settings we see in Fantasy. Mystical creatures and gods are just a few POVs that we follow throughout this story, and each one is very well crafted.
I loved Serapio's character. I was intrigued with him the most and felt for him the whole time.
I know I just read and ARC-but like, can I please have the second book now-that ending was intense!?

Many thanks to NetGalley, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Gallery/ Saga Press for providing this amazing ARC which was at my wish list in exchange my honest opinions.

The first novel of Nebula Award-Winning Rebecca Roanhorse's Between Earth and Sky series paints indigenous North and Central America lore in a new and glorious light.

A colorful, vividly imagined world, Black Sun explores the power of politics and religion. Through Sun Priest Naranpa, the vision for more approachable religious authority creates tension and discord in fellow priests' ranks. Serapio, born in a distant landlocked city, is trained through sacrifice and pain to become the vessel of the god, Grandfather Crow. Sea captain Xiala carries the powerful magic of her kind, the Teek, that would have men willing to kill for her eyes to wear them like jewels.

Xiala and Serapio will become companions, maybe even friends, on a long voyage that will take him to Tova, where he will seek revenge for the Night of Knives and become the god he is destined to be. All three characters drive the story forward without abandon, and all three are on a collision course set by the countdown to a winter solstice marked by an eclipse.

Immaculate world-building is woven expertly with the themes Roanhorse skillfully explores. Black Sun is both immersive and haunting. There is something ethereal about the story, almost reverent. Serapio's introduction is eerie and magnificent, a poetic exploration of a mother's determination to make her son a god. The devotion explored in the moments of poisoning her son, of making him watch the sun until he goes blind, is both terrifying and beautiful.

Chapters are marked by location and time until the Convergence and excerpts from essays or books from the world Roanhorse has created. The shifting timeline, from ten years before the Convergence, to 20 days before, creates building tension as the countdown winds to a close.

There is much still to come from the Rebecca Roanhorse and the Earth and Sky series. Fantasy fans will feast on this first installment, Black Sun, and eagerly await what will follow.

This was a great novel that gives a glimpse into the fabric of the ancient peoples of the Americas, long before Europeans came on the scene. Weaving fact and fantasy in a wonderful tapestry. Highly recommend and purchasing for library.

This epic fantasy rekindled my love for the fantasy genre. It's refreshing to read an epic fantasy story based in a world that's not Euro-centric. All of the characters were compelling and their stories were woven together so satisfyingly. I'll read all the books in this series, but in the meantime I might as well go back and read Roanhorse's backlist.

Since late March, I’ve been in a reading slump. I barely read more than one novel these last few months. But when I was offered the chance to read Rebecca Roanhorse’s upcoming novel (first of a new trilogy) Black Sun, I decided to jump right into it. Roanhorse’s past works, including Trail of Lightning and her award-winning short story Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience, never failed to impress me. I expected something just as amazing when starting Black Sun, but Roanhorse’s storytelling this time shattered beyond my expectations. Black Sun is an example of superb world building and a compelling cast and plot.


To say that Roanhorse’s world building is a breath of fresh air is an understatement. Right from the first page, I’m already invested in the setting and characters. The attention to detail, from the architectural delights down to the smell of someone’s clothes, makes me, a reader, feel like I’m part of this world. Roanhorse takes inspiration from pre-Columbian mesoamerican civilizations, but unlike most of her previous work, she has ultimately created a unique and fascinating world. While the Sun Priests could reference the Incan civilization, for instance, Roanhorse introduces giant crows and water striders, adding original elements to her world’s lore and history. Even after reading for the first time, the world remains in my mind.


The novel alternates between the four main characters. For some writers, having multiple perspectives/point of views can make or break a story. The plot beats and shifting POVs need to connect and lead to the climax and ending. Fortunately, Roanhorse does that. Some of the alternating chapters take place in the past, but they contribute to the plot in the present moment effectively instead of disorienting the reader.


The characters aren’t merely memorable. They are complex and complicated with their own strengths and shortcomings. Different relationships are developed, whether familial, platonic or romantic. Black Sun introduces themes of traditional values vs. reformation, choice vs. destiny, and being othered by your people. Some readers say that rich world building matters in SFF, and that is true, but in Black Sun’s case, it’s the relationships and complexities of the characters. Along with suspense to hook the reader in, Roanhorse provides a treasure’s worth of a story.


Black Sun offers immersive world building and memorable characters, but the book also has LGBTQ+ representation. People of varied genders and sexual orientations are mentioned and introduced, showing a queer normative world. SFF (as with all media) still has a long way to go with representing marginalized identities, so it is heartening to see it seamlessly woven into the novel.


Highly recommended.


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Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review the e-ARC of this title.


At the request of the publisher, direct quotes from the book are prohibited.

This book was absolutely incredible. I was completely immersed in Black Sun from the moment I started reading, and now that I finished it I don’t know what to do while I wait for the sequel.
Black Sun is beautifully written, with complex characters that aren’t all good or all bad. The mythology and history of the world is incredibly intricate and is woven throughout the story perfectly.
I love this book so much.