“We are but fevered stars… Here a little while, bright with promise, before we burn away.”
I preordered Rebecca Roanhorse’s Fevered Star (SAGA PRESS 2022) after reading Black Sun. Much like the first of the series, Fevered Star, the second in the Between Earth and Sky series,is full of strong female characters, magic, politics, and prophecies. I adored Black Sun, and while Fevered Star is an acceptable follow-up, it fell just a bit short; it seemed like a series of rushed steppingstones to get to a third installment. That said, it was still fantastic.
The novel opens just after the events of Black Sun. It still follows Serapio, who has become a god. He has been taken in by the Carrion Crow following the events that should have destroyed him. There is a wound in his side that will not heal, but his magic and strength grow.
Naranpa, the dethroned Sun Priestess, also managed to survive. She has been “god touched” and her powers are unexpected and fierce. She is becoming a god.
The other clans are rallying – seeking an overthrow and complete control. They’re trying to figure out how to yield Serapio and Naranpa, once her powers are revealed, as weapons of war . This struggle sits just beneath the struggle between shadow (Serapio) and light (Naranpa) – a war of the gods that would drown out the cries of the people.
Xiala the Teek and Iktan the former Knife are a surprising pair. In Black Sun, Xiala journeyed over water with Serapio and developed a strong bond with him. In Fevered Star, she journeys over land with Iktan and equally develops a bond with xir. Through their friendship, we learn more about Teeks, including their weaknesses and their Song.
Based on the ending of Fevered Star, I anticipate the third novel to focus primarily on Xiala and the Teeks, Spearmaidens, and the Sorcerers as secrets are revealed and war continues to brew.
Roanhorse’s writing is sharp, and the rich and layered world she’s built is distinctly unique. I’m in this one for the long haul. Read this
A Girl Named Tommi 