Black Sun is one of those books that for some reason I don’t read because I know I will really like it. And then I finally read it and I’m mad at myself both for not reading it sooner and also for having read it at all because now I’ll never read it again for the first time. My brain is a weird place. I have an arc of Fevered Star, which has driven me to finally breaking the glass on Black Sun. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett. I highly recommend it.For some dumb reason, I assumed for longer than I am willing to admit that Xiala was a spaceship captain. I think it’s because of the book cover and also because I’ve been reading a lot of space books in the past couple of years. I thought Crow God was more metaphorical. Once I recalibrated, I settled into a very good listen.
Black Sun starts with a mother ritualistically mutilating her son so that he will become the vessel of a god. After that shock of a beginning, the story slows down and lets us get to know the players and the stage. You know as you get to know Serapio, Xiala, Naranpa, Iktan, and Okoa that they are moving towards something big. Events were set off long before any of the characters were born, and some of them are playing roles assigned to them, while others are caught in the current.
I keep trying to write smart things about this book, but I think the smartest thing I can say is that you should read Black Sun. If you like an immersive fantasy experience, listen to the audiobook.
CWs: generational grief, murder, suicide, homophobia, misogyny, child abuse, child sexual abuse