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Black Sun
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"Black Sun" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
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My very first impression when seeing the book title was to be reminded of the D&D world of "Dark Sun" where I had spent many many hours of my youth roleplaying. Seems like they don't really overlap in any way, but that's what the name reminded me of.I'm 15 chapters in and it's getting increasingly interesting, but I feel like I strongly prefer certain character POV's than others.
For anyone wanting to see the maps in the book (my library taped the dust jacket down over them), there are images (which you can click to embiggen) at the end of this article.The article itself talks about Roanhorse's inspirations and some about the civilization in the book. It was a preview article for the book, so depending how spoiler averse you are, you may just want to scroll right down to the maps.
https://www.tor.com/2020/07/20/take-a...
I'm well into the book, but I thought Roanhorse started out really, um, dramatically. As I read on, I appreciated the world-building and learning about the different communities of people.I agree with Christopher about the POVs.
how is this group read being run? I belong also to a history group, and they typically read chapters 1-x, and discuss, then the next week the next set of chapters, etc. is anyone leading the discussion?
Marc, if you check the thread called Everything you need to know, which is conveniently located on the group homepage, you'll find answers!
Meredith wrote: "For anyone wanting to see the maps in the book (my library taped the dust jacket down over them), there are images (which you can click to embiggen) at the end of this article.The article itself ..."
Thanks for this, very interesting!
I'm only about 5 chapters in, but I can already guess at what POVs the above commenters are referring to lol.The book seems a bit heavy handed with its foreshadowing. To the extent where with some stuff I'm not even sure it can be called foreshadowing any more.
I'm listening to the book and am finding it fascinating. Which is a good sign because fantasy is generally not my genre. It is a little difficult to keep the world building details and the various characters in perspective. I do have the e-book so I suspect I will be revisiting. The audiobook has a cast which is helpful in making distinctions between characters.
I'm a couple chapters in and have therefore seen a couple of the PoVs. The first chapter was dramatic, indeed. I hope we don't see a whole lot more like that as the story goes along, though. Chapter 2's character seems like they will be fun to follow along with. :)Style and presentation are simple, almost to a fault. I prefer my fantasy to be more elaborate than this, but simplicity also means it shouldn't take long to get into it. Contemporary slang like "not a fan" or "hated his guts" caused some dissonance.
I'm about a third in. I like the breadth of play with pronouns, but the storyline feels more Earth-bound than it (perhaps) should, for a book focused on explicit World Building.
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The book seems a bit heavy handed with its foreshadowing. To the extent where with som..."
I feel like it's a bit heavy handed with everything. I think that's why the writing feels YA to me even though it's also fairly dark. It's frustrating because I loved her story "Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience" and it didn't feel that way at all.
I am enjoying it more than Trail of Lightning though- the worldbuilding is very complex and is food for the imagination.
I liked this book overall but found myself annoyed by the POV jumps. Right when I’d start really getting into one perspective it would shift. Found myself skipping chapters to follow one then going back. I had preferred POVs as well.
I'm having the issue that I'm not sure there are any characters that I'm rooting for. Not sure that is a must for a great book, but for me it helps. Perhaps one of them will win me over, but for now I'm just a spectator watching a cast of characters in an unfolding story where I'm not sure if I want any of them to succeed in their goals.
Christopher wrote: "I'm having the issue that I'm not sure there are any characters that I'm rooting for."Same for me. Also, I feel that I don't know enough about the world, even though there is a lot of exposition. At least the action gets going in the second half.
Christopher, I'm on the same page with you, but yet not... :) I'd like to talk about the narrative mode but that is probably best left to the "finished" thread or to the VBC. :)
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Allison, Fairy Mod-mother
(last edited Oct 08, 2021 06:29PM)
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rated it 4 stars
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Here is a plug! October 17 at 10 AM EST which is 7 AM Pacific and 1500 in London and 1700 in Finland and 2300 in Tokyo we are discussing this book with our SFFBC friends on Zoom!
Cameras not necessary! Mics not necessary! We have chat capability, you can listen or talk or emote...whatever feels safe and interesting to you! While English is the main conversation language, not everyone who attends is a native English speaker, and all of us are happy to share together and welcome new folks in whatever capacity makes them feel included.
2300 in Tokyo. Night owls only! ;)
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I’m in the middle of the 4th chapter and enjoying it so far.
10 chapters in and loving the mystery around the characters and their pasts/present/potential futures. Definitely looking forward to that day of convergence for sure :)Loving the way the POV and time switches seem chaotic and unpredictable at this point too.
Munachiso wrote: "10 chapters in and loving the mystery around the characters and their pasts/present/potential futures. Definitely looking forward to that day of convergence for sure :)Loving the way the POV and ..."
Yes! I completely agree! I’m about to start chapter 8.
Meredith wrote: "For anyone wanting to see the maps in the book (my library taped the dust jacket down over them), there are images (which you can click to embiggen) at the end of this article.The article itself talks about Roanhorse's inspirations and some about the civilization in the book. It was a preview article for the book, so depending how spoiler averse you are, you may just want to scroll right down to the maps."
Was that an eclipse or some magical something-or-other? Is this Earth? Like Earth in current time if Western Europeans had never come, or more fantastical than that? How much fantasy stuff is there? @Oleksandr said it is Incan culture; another person said Mayan
Should I be looking for Peruvian, Chilean, or Mexican restaurant this week??
SO MANY QUESTIONS
MY EYES
{ goes off to read the article^}
As I’m sure you read in the article, Bonnie, the answer to your question, “which civilization are we talking about here?” Is All of the Above. I’m on chapter 4 or 5 of the audiobook (hence my vagueness) and enjoying it more than I thought I would. Dunno where my negative additive came from, but until it was chosen as our discussion book for VBC, I had no desire to read it. That said, I’m quite pleasantly surprised.
I quite like the pirate woman as a character.
I wasn't excited to read it because I hated the cover (shallow, but true!). So I'm glad that this is the selection because I'm quite enjoying it and I doubt I'd have read it without that incentive. Nice brisk reading. :)
I'm now 11 chapters in, and enjoying it enough to continue, but am finding the POV switches a bit annoying. I think it interferes with the pacing for me. I think so far I'm with Rachel on this one!I can clearly see why some characters have people more invested than others. We'll see how it pans out in the end.
POV switches sometimes work well and sometimes they don't. No doubt once I've finished - perhaps even in time for VBC - I shall know for certain.
Article about and interview with Rebecca RoanhorseThe Sci-Fi Author Reimagining Native History
As Rebecca Roanhorse’s work has been praised in the literary world, it’s drawn criticism in some circles.
https://www.vulture.com/article/rebec...
Thanks for the article link, Bonnie. Not a simple topic. I do have a gripe about one of the lines in the article, which is not intended to dismiss the rest of it."Her manuscript went out into the world just as the conversation about race in fantasy had reached a turning point."
Racefail '09 happened in... well, y'all can figure it out... and I guarantee that that was not the first time the conversation "reached a turning point," either.
speaking as a native american, let me first state: I speak only as myself, I do NOT represent 'all' native americans! I don't even represent anyone other than myself! with that said, I did read both her book and the article Bonnie supplied.
I will first say, great book! I was going to read it along with 'the deep' by Nick Cutter, but... Black Sun just grabbed me and I had to read it to the end.
Now, the article. If you read it, you will see Rebecca kinda dancing, but she wasn't the only one. Debbie Reese also danced, all trying to deal with using tribal cultures as inspirations for stories/books.
While some had pointed out she wasn't raised native, I don't think that matters. It would be like if I (a non-Dine-aka Navajo) tribal member (yeah I am enrolled too) wrote a popular story/book using Dine' stories. I'd probably still be torn apart by some (stick to your tribe!). Fortunately for everyone, I am a not a writer, I already know that's a skill I lack, coupled with no burning ambition to become one (I dream I could, but I also dream of being a guitar god, and that's equally likely to happen (aka NOT!)).
IMHO (and it is truly just my opinion), I, well, I haven't read her first book, so I'm not gonna wade into that quagmire. If someone asks 'what if she wrote stories that 'borrow' from my tribal culture, well, that's a good question. I don't know the answer. I guess I'd have to read that and see what she got wrong, while all the while knowing, she is writing fiction.
Going back to this book, I did truly enjoy her universe, it is a fictional universe, and I am looking forward to reading book 2!
I don't belong to any particular group, but I'm always glad when diverse groups are represented in fiction, regardless of the author's identity, so long as the portrayal is well-researched and respectful. Without popular authors like Roanhorse (and Okorafor, another that comes to mind), fewer people would be aware of the cultures of these groups, or even that they exist.
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Beth wrote: "Racefail '09 happened in... well, y'all can figure it out... and I guarantee that that was not the first time the conversation "reached a turning point," either."I did not know there was a specific name for this. I was vaguely aware of it at the time, like the Puppy Scandal. Its own name!
Fanlore: RaceFail '09
https://fanlore.org/wiki/RaceFail_%2709
N.K. Jemesin: Why I Think RaceFail Was The Bestest Thing Evar for SFF
https://nkjemisin.com/2010/01/why-i-t...
This book says, AKA "The Great Cultural Appropriation Debate of Doom" > -
Race and Popular Fantasy Literature: Habits of Whiteness
https://books.google.de/books?id=FvlW...
Please go see the full discussion thread for spoilers!
Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ body horror, including harm to eyes, suicide, parental neglect, child abuse, misogyny, queer antagonism, rape/forced prostitution, plague, bugs (hide spoiler)]