Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1) in Into the Forest

Mar 27, 2021 Netanella rated it it was amazing

Shelves: indigenous, women-of-the-future, 2021-wbtm-mix-match-challenge, 2021-march-reading-challenges

I finished this book Tuesday but I haven't written my thoughts about it, because, well, my thoughts were pretty much blown away. I awoke early on Tuesday morning before I had to start class, specifically to finish the book, and thought, "holy fuck, that was awesome!" Even with a semi-cliffhanger ending, which I generally don't like.

I was hesitant to start this book at first. For one, the book was longer than I was typically willing to commit, and I was fearful that the worldbuilding would be de ...more

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Aug 17, 2020 Lois Young rated it it was amazing

Whoa. I did NOT expect this story to end the way it did, but I want to read Book 2 NOW!!!

Great characters, amazing world-building and excellent plot points. The magic and the sorcery balances this fantasy between fantasy and magic realism (I'll explain more in my review).

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 pr Whoa. I did NOT expect this story to end the way it did, but I want to read Book 2 NOW!!!

Great characters, amazing world-building and excellent plot points. The magic and the sorcery balances this fantasy between fantasy and magic realism (I'll explain more in my review).

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.

Go read this book!!!

For my complete review, go here: https://mistyaquavenatus.com/2020/09/... ...more

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Mar 19, 2022 Katy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Such a good premise and a promising story, just doesn't quite do it for me. ...more

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Apr 01, 2021 Julia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magical-realism, historical-fantasy, sf-f-challenge-2021, 2021-br-read-harder-challenge

Xiala is the captain of a ship that is tasked with getting Serapio to Tova by winter Solstice. It has been foretold that Serapio will overthrow the Sun Priests on Solstice who rule Tova. Naranpa is head of the oracle society of Sun Priests. Okoa is Shield to the Carrion Crow, another ruler of Tova. They all live in the Pre- Columbian Americas. And each of them does magic to a greater or lesser degree.

“Grandfather Crow said to First Woman, tell me your stories so that I might know who you are an ...more

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Apr 30, 2021 Chelsea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: black-authors, 2021-favs, lgbtqia, fantasy, black-sff, indigenous-authors, alternate-history

I feel like a just watched an expensive, high fantasy, Netflix or HBO production. Roanhorse's writing is cinematic and immersive. I love fantasy, but often shy away from traditional "High Fantasy", because White Dude Chosen Ones squabbling over politics and land in a pseudo-European setting bores me to tears. I'm pumped for authors like Jemisin, Chakraborty, and Roanhorse to give High Fantasy the kind of treatment it desires: world-building based off of cultures other than European, main charact I feel like a just watched an expensive, high fantasy, Netflix or HBO production. Roanhorse's writing is cinematic and immersive. I love fantasy, but often shy away from traditional "High Fantasy", because White Dude Chosen Ones squabbling over politics and land in a pseudo-European setting bores me to tears. I'm pumped for authors like Jemisin, Chakraborty, and Roanhorse to give High Fantasy the kind of treatment it desires: world-building based off of cultures other than European, main characters who aren't just straight, white boys and their straight, white love interests, and political and religious conflicts that are just as complex and diverse as real world ones.

This book is a joy to read, not because its particularly "joyful" (it's not Hopepunk, but it's not Grimdark either), but because it's an intriguing adventure, with POVs from characters on all different sides of the central conflict. There's no clear villain. There's no clear moral high ground. Yet that doesn't mean that Roanhorse resorts to the typical tactic of making everyone equally awful. Who needs likable characters, right? Umm, yeah this reader does... I want to cheer for someone and I love that Roanhorse makes me want to cheer for every POV character, even though their goals are often oppositional to each other and in some cases, they definitely want/need to murder each other.

The setting and scenery is great, mashing up all sorts of architecture, culture, and food from different pre-Colombian Native American societies to great effect. In less skilled hands, this could feel like too many dispirit elements coming together (pickle and peanut butter sandwich), a generic blend that doesn't let individual elements shine (Fruit smoothie), or an overload of elements that confuse and overwhelm (Cheesecake Factory menu). But instead its more like a charcuterie board, familiar and unfamiliar elements coming together (but also staying distinct) in a brand new and interesting way.

My only negative comments are:
1) it's a series ending on a HUGE cliffhanger (view spoiler) This is my own fault for not noticing before I started reading, but I avoid reading uncompleted or close-to-completion series, because I have a bad memory. And I'm impatient.
2) Sometimes the particulars of the writing are too cinematic. I don't have a good example, but I'll try to explain. Book writing and movie creating are similar but distinct story-telling mediums and it's best to play to the strengths of each medium. It felt as though Roanhorse uses certain movie story-telling tricks in her writing that aren't nearly as effective in novels (like the characters all walking away from a scene, but the camera stays and zooms in on single flower withering and you're like "Whoa foreshadowing!" It works in a movie, but feels contrived in a written story. Similar to how reading thoughts inside a character's head is the norm in many books, but voice-overs telling you a character's thoughts are a faux pas in movies.) Like I said, it's a minor quibble, but something I've noticed in both books of hers that I've read.

LQBTQIA+ contents: bi/pansexual women (POV characters); non-binary person using novel pronouns (Non-POV character) ...more

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