Black Sun was high fantasy perfection. I am a huge fan of epic novels that are written from multiple viewpoints, especially when characters are slowly coming together for a possible all out battle. It makes everything more tense, especially when all of the characters are equally morally grey and sympathetic in some way. Who do you really root for? It was hard to decide who should lose the battle, which clan was in the right, which person would be best installed to lead and make change. The book wove in and out of different settings, through different perspectives, allowing for information about the history of the world without it feeling like an info dump. The pace started off fast and then slowed, but not to a point of feeling stuck, to a point of feeling like every page had purpose and introspection in to what was coming. The novel often diverges from what you imagine will happen, but in the best ways possible. The twists and turns are ambitious and many scenes are moving and gut wrenching. My favourite of the four narratives involved Serapio's narration and Xiala's narration. These two characters are both outsiders, who are thrown together and forge a deep bond while travelling. They are both powerful in their own ways, mythical, beautiful, and tortured. They represent something outside of themselves, with no way of being free to be themselves. They are both viewed as villains, even if they do right or exist to avenge a wrong done to their people. Xiala, my new favourite Sea Captain, is Teek, a race of women who were born from the sea, with musical abilities to sing things into being (asking for calm seas, calming people around them, hurting others, killing). Serapio is something else entirely, his mother having performed a ritual in his youth to make him a vessel for the crow God, in hopes of avenging the Crow Clan. Xiala and Serapio's quiet nights together, on the open sea, show a longing for freedom, for togetherness, understanding and love. Their story is equal parts beautiful and tragic, and Xiala knows from the moment she meets Serapio that he is going to tear her heart apart. Serapio is honest to a fault, while Xiala uses humour to hide her hurt, her heart. I want so much more of Xiala's story, I want to know about her past, why she is on the run from her Teek heritage. I want a cover featuring this amazing Captain and her stunning eyes! Please, please, please! Naranpa's story was the most frustrating and enraging, but that is because her story was the one most about politics, the place of the poor, and being unable to break away from your history in order to forge a new and better future for everyone. She is working to change the priesthood for the better (she even means to heal the Crow Clan's anger), but her birth in the Maw (the place of poverty and crime) makes her an outsider to the other priests and Clans (even if she is the Sun Priest). At every turn you begin to wonder who is loyal to Naranpa and who is using her, or plotting her demise. She is in the middle of some kind of plot, but she is also smart, resourceful, and determined to make Tova better. I raged with her and wanted the destruction that was headed Tova's way, because she deserved better. Okoa is the most sturdy, stalwart, brave, smart, and skeptical of all the narrators. His voice is one of reason. He means to stop the Crow Clan's religious sect from acting irrationally. He disregards stories of myth and means to make his people's lives better by being diplomatic, by training them in elements of war (to protect themselves), by trusting in order. He was the character who had the least amount of time and I am hoping that changes in the next novel, as I think his character could really help the others to see sense. Okoa is a born leader, and he is also caring and understanding. While the others are working to fight those who would oppose them, to avenge, to survive, he is working to heal. Although, he is still of Crow Clan, and he still has trust issues and morally grey capabilities; but, he is the most honorable of the four. Honestly, this book was amazing, especially the audiobook. I love the use of the third gender, Xe/Xer, who are generally in the Order of Knives. Naranpa's former lover is the Priest of Knives and xe is questionable in xer movements. Is xe working with Naranpa or against Naranpa? Xiala is pansexual and there is a Trans woman, who uses neo pronouns, who trains Serapio. Inclusivity in this novel is excellent! I really enjoyed how this story focused on fantasy surrounding pre-Columbian Indigenous cultures. Also, love crows so much and am so glad they play a large role in this novel (especially love the giant crows that the Crow Clan ride). I highly, highly recommend this book, and cannot wait for book two in this epic fantasy series.
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