Between Earth and Sky is a fantasy novel series by American writer Rebecca Roanhorse.
[2] Three hundred years prior to the main story, the War of the Spear began after a spearwoman of Hokaia became the first dreamwalker.
At the conclusion of the war, the Treaty of Hokaia established the Watchers, a quasi-religious institution in the city of Tova.
Decades before the story, the Watchers massacred many members of the Carrion Crow clan in an event that became known as the Night of Knives.
Years later, Captain Xiala is hired to transport him to the city of Tova by a man named Balam.
The citizens consist of four clans: Carrion Crow, Golden Eagle, Winged Serpent and Water Strider ('the Sky Made') as well as clanless people ('the dry earth').
Her son Okoa returns home to Tova from the 'war school' in Hokaia and attempts to prevent conflict with the Watchers.
At Yatliza's funeral, a riot breaks out, and Okoa is falsely accused of an attempted assassination on Naranpa.
Naranpa is ousted from her position as Sun Priest; her bodyguard and former lover Iktan[a] supports this ouster.
Xiala learns that Iktan orchestrated Yatliza's death and that the Golden Eagle clan was behind the assassination attempt on Naranpa.
Serapio forms his own army from the Odohaa cult, builds a magical palace, and declares his intent to rule over the entire city rather than just the Carrion Crow clan.
As revenge for the attack on the war college, Iktan stabs Balam and kills the Golden Eagle matron.
Meanwhile, in Tova, Zataya gives Serapio a prophecy from the Coyote god which includes three tasks: “turn rotten fruit to flower”, “slay the god-bride still unloved”, and “press the son to fell the sire”.
Okoa delays a pursuer while Xiala escapes back to Tova, bringing news of Balam’s nearby army.
In the enemy camp, Okoa is stabbed to death by a Carrion Crow soldier as punishment for his betrayal of the matrons.
A half-mad Balam opens a small shadow gate and enters Tova proper, hoping to find information in the Watchers’ Tower.
[3] Though the trilogy features many non-heterosexual and non-cisgender characters and has been praised for its inclusivity, a reviewer for SyFy pointed out that "queerness" is a product of white supremacy and colonization.
[4] In December 2021, it was reported that AMC Studios will be adapting Black Sun into a television series with Roanhorse and Angela Kang as executive producers.
[7] The book was praised for its characterization and action sequences,[2] as well as its positive and nuanced portrayal of queer characters.
[4] A reviewer for Locus praised her "awareness and respect" when writing fictionalized versions of Indigenous cultures.
[1] Black Sun and Roanhorse's other books have received mixed reviews from Native American commentators.
[10] It received a starred review from Library Journal, which called the novel "amazingly complex".
[11] Writing for Tor.com, Angela Maria Spring gave the second book a moderately positive review.