The following version of this novel was used in the creation of this study guide. Roanhorse, Rebecca. Black Sun. Saga Press. 2020. First Saga Press. Paperback edition.

The novel begins as 12-year-old Serapio endures a ritual at the hands of his mother, Saaya. She tells him he will one day return to Tova and become the incarnation of the crow god. After making him stare at the solar eclipse, she sews his eyes shut and leaves him to jump to her death.

Ten years later and 20 days before the Convergence, a Teek captain named Xiala wakes up in jail after a night of drinking. A nobleman named Balam frees her by bribing the jailer but asks her to take a special passenger to Tova within 20 days. While he offers her extraordinary wealth if she succeeds, Xiala must sail across the perilous Crescent Sea. Eventually, Xiala agrees and sets off with a crew that seemed to loathe her Teek ancestry and the magic of her Song.

The story shifts to Naranpa on the day of the Convergence lying on a riverbank as the witch, Zataya, tries to revive her. Conscious, Naranpa feels that the faith she gave to the city will not save her now.

The narrative then returns to Naranpa 20 days earlier as she leads the priesthood through the city of Tova. Since the priesthood will be locking themselves in the celestial tower until the winter solstice, Naranpa hopes to extend their influence. However, she is attacked by a servant bearing the marks of one of the Sky Made clans, Carrion Crow. However, Naranpa is not convinced that they are responsible and hopes to avoid another massacre like the Night of Knives that occurred before she joined the celestial tower.

Occasionally, the novel returns to the Obregi Mountains at various points in Serapio’s life after the ritual. Here, it is revealed that he was tutored by three of his mother’s confidants. Despite the cruel methods of the first two and his father’s neglect, Serapio grows stronger and commits to his fate. The third tutor, Powageh, reveals that Sarapio is meant to sacrifice himself to summon the crow god.

Back in Tova 19 days before the Convergence, the Carrion Crow matron Yatliza dies. Naranpa organizes a funeral, unaware that the matron had actually been murdered. There, she greets Yatliza’s son, Okoa, surprising him by her kindness. However, when he is knocked into her and attacked by her protector, Iktan, a riot breaks out. While Naranpa swears it was an accident, she is removed from her position and forced to flee to her old home in the Coyote’s Maw. She receives information from her brother and a talisman from the witch, Zataya, meant to save her life, and returns to the celestial tower. There, one of the other priests, Abah, attempts to have her assassinated, but Naranpa leaves from the bridge to save herself and lands in the river for Zataya to find.

Meanwhile, Xiala befriends Serapio during their journey, using her Song to keep the boat at a good pace. However, the ship is struck by a terrible storm and a few of the men are thrown off. Xiala tries to save them, but finds one has been killed when the other sailor panicked. However, she inadvertently reveals Teek scales and gills, unaware that she would transform. This causes the crew to mutiny, but Serapio uses his crows to kill them in order to save her. The two decide to continue to Tova on their own and arrive a few days later. However, Serapio reveals to her that he will die calling on the crow god, devastating Xiala. He leaves for Sun Rock on the night of Convergence and calls the crow god's name: Odo Sedoh. The god takes over Serapio’s body and massacres the priesthood on Sun Rock, only to discover that the Sun Priest who usurped naranpa does not contain the essence of the sun god he was meant to devour.

In the end, Okoa finds an unconscious Serapio surrounded by the bodies of the priesthood. His companion, a crow named Benudah, flies them toward the secret rookery as the novel ends.