Black Sun subverts the common trope in high fantasy literature of primarily setting the narrative on ancient European backdrops and Norse mythologies. In the series, Roanhorse bases the story on the civilizations that occupied the Pre-Columbian Americas introducing a more unique setting in the genre. As such, she borrows from indigenous cultures across the Americas with the inclusion of Native Americans for a more varied framework. The narrative entails the myths, forbidden magic, and celestial beliefs of the indigenous natives that fuel the conflict in the book.
The title references the climactic event known as the day of Convergence where all the celestial beings—sun, moon, and earth—align forming an eclipse shadow. This is part of the Mesoamerican religion that believed the sun is the highest deity in the interconnected structure of humanity, civilization, and the gods. The cycle of darkness and light symbolized life and death therefore the regeneration of the sun indicated a new age. The grudges within the clans ensue as the head of Watchers and the new manifestation of the Crow god lead their individual tribes. Serapio—the Crow god—has to take revenge on the Watchers for the injustices against his people, the Odohaa Crow, eons back.
A main feature in the novel is the gender fluidity and inclusivity that is prominent but not self-aware. The author intended to allow the queer characters to exist in a society that did not point out their ‘otherness’ akin to the pre-Columbian civilizations. The use of non-binary pronouns allows gender fluidity to be part of this world-building that embraces the pre-colonial concepts of such civilizations.
