Scan barcode
A review by vengefuldime
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
3.0
I was told to expect a unique and refreshing epic fantasy, and I feel I got a pretty good version of that. The opening with Serapio and his mother was strong, immediately setting up his power and the conflict between the Carrion Crows and the Watchers. The points of view switch between Serapio, Xiala (a captain), Naranpa (the Sun Priest), and a bit from Okoa (a Crow Shield). While the characters could feel a little flat at times, the plots they are wrapped up are compelling enough to make it feel less important. I look forward to more interactions between the characters in the next book, as the real plot feels it is just beginning. The romance is rushed, but there really wasn’t very much time to give to it… not that that is a satisfying reason for me.
The world is very vibrant, with several major cities/civilizations shown. They tend to have a focus, such as spiritual, military, or commercial. There are often detailed mentions of what clothes and jewelry characters are wearing, and I liked hearing these smaller details, as well as the different kinds of buildings and the suggestions of unseen cities. I feel that there was too much going on in Tova in terms of the power structure, and I think that scaling down might have made the story feel more connected to its world. There’s not enough attention to go around, but I feel that so many of the people and groups in the background have more potential. I imagine there will be more expansion coming, but it still feels like part of a book here, and I wish I could feel more immersed.
Now that the inciting incident has happened, I would really like to see the next books. I feel that they can take the time to expand on what they couldn’t here, and connect the plots in a satisfying way.
The world is very vibrant, with several major cities/civilizations shown. They tend to have a focus, such as spiritual, military, or commercial. There are often detailed mentions of what clothes and jewelry characters are wearing, and I liked hearing these smaller details, as well as the different kinds of buildings and the suggestions of unseen cities. I feel that there was too much going on in Tova in terms of the power structure, and I think that scaling down might have made the story feel more connected to its world. There’s not enough attention to go around, but I feel that so many of the people and groups in the background have more potential. I imagine there will be more expansion coming, but it still feels like part of a book here, and I wish I could feel more immersed.
Now that the inciting incident has happened, I would really like to see the next books. I feel that they can take the time to expand on what they couldn’t here, and connect the plots in a satisfying way.