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Cover of Black Sun by Rebecca RoanhorseBlack Sun
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Black Sun

by Rebecca Roanhorse
2020 · 464 pages · Fiction
74.8Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

A god will return. Black Sun is an epic fantasy inspired by the civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas, following a priest, a ship's captain and a young man with a dark destiny as they converge on a holy city during a solar eclipse.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It's a fresh, original epic fantasy that doesn't look like any other.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, and it ends on a cliffhanger.

By the numbers

74.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Hugo Award finalist (2021)Nebula Award finalist (2020)

Reads as

Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2020sTop 25 · 555 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Black Sun worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It ranks #814 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Black Sun about?

A god will return. Black Sun is an epic fantasy inspired by the civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas, following a priest, a ship's captain and a young man with a dark destiny as they converge on a holy city during a solar eclipse.

How long does it take to read Black Sun?

About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Black Sun?

If you liked it, try The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin, The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang or The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.