The first two books in Rebecca Roanhorse’s Between Earth and Sky series, Black Sun and Fevered Star, are two of my favorite books of the last five years. I’ve proselytized these books so many times, and now, at last, I can tell people the end is worth it. Mirrored Heavens is a tense read. There were many points where I had to put my tablet down and pace in circles because otherwise I would scream just to relieve the pressure. This is exactly the kind of book you want to do a live react to because So. Much. Happens!
The Treaty Cities of the Meridian are getting ready to go to war with Tova. Serapio, Carrion King, the Crow God Reborn, is working to defend his city, and to quell the clan matrons whose power over the city has been upended. The Cuecolan lords, Balam and Tuun, seek to build empires. Naranpa, once the Sun Priest, and Xiala are each shoring up their own powers to thwart the Cuecolans’ dreams of empire. The gods are at work in their own ways.
Between Earth and Sky is high fantasy for grownups. There are gods, kings, magic, and journeys. There is a war between good and evil, but the good is at best morally grey. In the high fantasy books I read growing up, Serapio, disfigured and blinded and dedicated as a tool of vengeance, would have been the monster that the poor innocent farm boy had to defeat to save the light and win the princess. Serapio is both the powerful being created to destroy the Sun God and it’s minions, and the innocent farm boy raised to do a job, unconcerned for the political maneuverings of the outside world.
I will note that the violence in the book can be hard to read while also reading and seeing images from the current violence happening in our own world. Empires are bad. Dreams of empire are evil dreams. Every person has inherent worth and deserved better than to be used as a means to an end.
I read this to fullfill the The Diverse Baseline Challenge March Prompt B: a book by an indigenous author.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Saga Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.