“Today he would become a god. His mother had told him so.” – a beginning and end, wrapped up in two simple sentences that open Black Sun on a celestial void, suspenseful and captivating, as we meet Serapio, a twelve-year-old boy with a destiny borne of darkness and dreams. Expertly weaving suspense and tension into the very fabric of Serapio’s being, Rebecca Roanhorse excels, inviting the reader on a journey of self-discovery and wonder, building upon the mythos of the Pre-Columbian Americas to create something vibrant, compelling, and free, artfully weaving the story of a god in the making, a mysterious sea whisperer, and a tortured celestial priest that culminates on the day of Convergence, when earth meets sky, sun devours stars.
Gripping from the very first page, Roanhorse solidifies her skill in the sheer genius of the opening chapter, a prelude of sorts set ten years before the Convergence that will seal Serapio’s fate. Tinged with darkness, Black Sun opens on a chilling note as Saaya feeds her son a numbing tonic, soothes him with tales of her ancestors, and carves his flesh with the mark of the Carrion Crow, her voice a whisper in the solitude of a house facing the Obregi mountains as she prepares him for eternal darkness: eyes sewn shut against the pounding backdrop of incessant knocking and a frantic father’s pleading.
Tinged with darkness and ancient magic, Black Sun becomes a balm, Serapio a willing participant in the shadowed ritual. Thanks to Saaya’s careful preparations, Serapio will no doubt become a god, buoyed by the crows even as the brightness of the world fades in an eclipse marking the start of his journey to Tova. Wrought with an eerie beauty that is at turns deadly and inviting, Roanhorse kicks off a stunning epic weaving the lives of four unsuspecting characters when the narrative jumps forward nine years, eleven months in the days leading up to Serapio’s destiny.
With twenty days to go until celestial alignment, Tova is alight with activity, the ancient city’s four celestial priests preparing for a rare occurrence: an eclipse on winter solstice, where we meet Naranpa, the newly appointed Sun Priest. A child intent on becoming a scholar and studying the stars, Naranpa faces bias in the Celestial Tower. Originally sent to Tova to work as a servant to the scholars, Nara quickly proved herself capable, climbing the ranks with wrought determination to right the wrongs of her fellow Watchers. While her goal is peace between the four clans (Carrion Crow, Golden Eagle, Water-Strider and Winged Serpent) the priesthood balks at her intention, openly ridiculing her poor upbringing and open-mind. Nara is focused on equality after the Night of Knives, a massacre long before her time that wiped out many of the Carrion Crow, resulting in years of pent-up vengeance in the form of the Odohaa, a cult that believes in the return of the Odo Sedoh, a god that will bring glory by destroying the institution, headed by the Sun Priest.
As Naranpa takes part in preparing the city for the Convergence, intent on restoring honor to the institution of the Watchers, Serapio begins his ascension to godhood under the careful guidance of Xiala, a fierce, adventure-driven sea captain with a mysterious power. As an outcasted member of the Teek, a sea-faring clan of women, Xiala’s heritage is a thing of mysticism that sparks prejudice and superstition, her Song a thing of awe and fear that gives her power over the men in her employ and the sea, a calling of emotion akin to magic. After a drunken affair with a woman, Xiala is employed by a mysterious Lord Balam. Her cargo? A blind religious zealot that must be transported from Cuecola across the Crescent Sea to Tova during the winter season, a near-impossible trip over open water with a twenty-day deadline. And so begins a race against time, three distinct threads unraveling, spooling across past and present to form unexpected connections in a tight ball of destiny, each piece of the puzzle clicking into place as the Convergence nears, Serapio drawn toward Tova as rough storms, flocks of crows, and testy, superstitious sailors bring darkness upon the small cargo ship.
The first in a series, Black Sun ramps up quickly with lush world-building in the exchange of cacao, the drafting of star charts and invisible star-flecked maps, lessons from spear maidens despite resounding peace, and a traditional pilgrimage across Tova’s four clans just before the Shuttering. All the while, shadows seep into the fabric of the Sky Made city, assassins intent on dethroning the priesthood banding with unsuspecting manipulators in the Tower while whispered rumors of the vengeance of Carrion Crow run rampant across the footpaths and sky bridges.
From deadly Ship Killers to flocks of crows, Roanhorse pens a fascinating fantasy, deftly weaving a history that centers around Tova in Serapio, a man that has not seen the light of day in ten years. Training sessions, stories, and secrets fall into step alongside disastrous current events in a tale of political intrigue that pits Xiala and Serapio against the world. Though it all, magic is nothing but a myth – a feat of strength and superstition that makes Roanhorse stand out as a master craftsman.
Black Sun is a thing of nightmares that challenges notions of magic, creating a system of power that feels natural despite its unordinary circumstance by transforming ritual and belief into something magical. There is nothing inherently fantastical about magic, and Roanhorse would argue that it does not exist at all: “Magic is a foolish man’s crutch. It’s nothing but sleight of hand and superstition.” Instead, she builds a brilliant world off of the notion of power, the force of the shadows and sea waves, of blood right and knowledge.
He felt vast energy moving, being redirected. But it was different from what he did when he called shadow. Then he dropped barriers, submitted himself to the shadow inside him, letting some of it emerge.
Xiala’s Song was an invitation. An invitation extended to an external power to join with her.
– excerpt from Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun
Complex and richly imagined, Black Sun is a force to be reckoned with, a suspenseful thriller that pushes the boundaries of mythology, spinning tales of sea monsters and gods, that builds upon a devastating landscape wrought with bias, oppression and superstition. Though it all, an unforgettable thread of hope binds the series’ main characters, culminating in an explosive cliff-hanger ending. Distinct, otherworldly and romantic, Black Sun is a must-read fantasy, a roller coaster of emotion from start to finish that builds in intensity with each passing chapter.
Such a great recap refresher to read before starting the sequel!