Without warning, the book will jump to months or years prior, causing chapters to seem disjointed, and forcing the reader to mentally piece together the narrative. The author also frequently travels between multiple events in time to build upon Serapio’s backstory, and this is shown by counting down the number of days left until the convergence. Their conflicts, while entertaining, seemed trivial compared to the world-ending issues faced by Xiala and Serapio, and I felt at times that the plot was only interested in the pair as well, since the political drama of Naranpa is difficult to follow and monotonous. This story idea of showing perspectives from different places and backgrounds as the world around them collapses seems like a brilliant idea, but I found myself struggling to get through the chapters following Naranpa and Okoa. While they fulfil the prophecy, Naranpa, a high priest of the sun god, faces corruption and deception from within her court and attempts to form an alliance with Okoa, a high prince of the mighty crow clan. They are both seen as “monsters” by others around them and are both magical in some sense.

As an outcasted captain of the seas, Xiala has an entertaining dynamic with Serapio. The man meets the mysterious, swashbuckling Xiala, one of the Teek women from legend capable of persuading others with her song, and the pair journey across the seas surrounding the Meridian, the main continent that the story explores.

The society around him begins to crumble as a prophesied mythical event, known as “The Convergence,” approaches. The book follows the journey of Serapio, the avatar of the crow god, as he fulfils his destiny. From the beginning, the author plunges the reader straight into the lore and overall atmosphere of the world, using perspectives from four different characters to weave together a tale. Content warning: Intense graphic violence, and some sexual scenes.īlack Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse is similar to many other fantasy novels in the young adult genre, but the engaging characters and unique setting create an unforgettable novel.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse