Black Sun

Book 1 of the Between Earth and Sky trilogy

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Excellent! This epic is set in a world that takes cues from various native cultures, including South American, Polynesian and Native American.

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It was clever of the author to create entirely different cultural mores for the cities in the four directions. She also created a society that comprises four major clans ruled by a priest class that has four classifications of priesthoods. The native influence is everywhere and provides a grounded richness to the story.

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Concerned, Serapio pulled a small skin bag from around his neck and opened it. He licked the pad of his index finger and dipped it inside. Star pollen clung like shattered light to his wet skin in a fine sheen of silver dust. He pressed his finger against his tongue and sucked it clean. It had a slightly bitter taste, sharp and acrid. The effect of the drug was almost immediate. Dark light infused his body, rushing through his bloodstream and opening his mind like a night-blooming flower opening to the moon. He threw his mind out and found a willing host. The crow launched from the tree, climbing skyward, until Serapio could see everything as if from above.

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Initially, when I opened the book, saw the map, and flipped through the first pages that define each character - what clan, position, order of priesthood they belong to, city they live in, etc. - I felt I'd made a mistake buying this. But I was so wrong.

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With the first sentence I was hooked. By the end of the first chapter I was breathless. The writing is immediate and taut. There’s never a dull moment. I read this book in less than a week because the ideas and situations are interesting and the writing is fantastic.

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“Her death says otherwise. She was the human sacrifice, after all. The last link in the spell. Although…” Powageh’s voice was thoughtful. “Perhaps it was her love for you that made her sorcery so effective in the end, Odo Sedoh.”

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“Odo Sedoh.” He repeated the unfamiliar words. The wind caught them, tossed them through the branches of the trees, the crows cried out, seeming to speak the words back to him, and his whole body burst wide open.

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Beyond the political machinations, a rags-to-riches backstory, and a love connection between a magical being and a god, a major theme is the people’s right to believe in their ancient gods. Or should they simply receive what the priesthood offers? The other major theme is vengeance. Is vengeance the same thing as justice?

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With magic, powerful female characters, giant animals, eclipses, a solidly believable world, and a quickly moving plot, this is an excellent read. I look forward to rest of the series.