While it may appear Black Sun Rising is a typical good vs evil quest tale, that would be an incorrect assumption. First, Friedman crafts her world in meticulous detail with an incredible amount of rich history and magical depth, expertly making the futuristic world of Erna feel ancient. Secondly, her characters are incredibly complex and paired together in unexpected ways. Friedman also delivers unforeseeable twists and moments of shock that set it apart from any other book of its kind.
The story takes place on Erna, a second home to humanity but not a hospitable one. Suffused with a natural and mystical force called the Fae, this energy source can alter reality based on the thoughts and emotions of humans who aren’t native to its lands. Providing both a backdrop and driving energy, this Fae can be used by Sorcerers, those who learn through study, or Adepts, those with an innate ability, to heal, kill, or irreparably alter the characters and their lives.
The main protagonist, Damien Vryce is a priest of the One God determined in his mission to protect humanity from the sinister influences of the Fae and uphold the teachings of his faith. The leaders of the Church of the One God believe that Damien’s strong convictions and dedication will suit him well in the fight against the dangers of Erna’s pervading energy.
Throughout Damien’s quest to conquer the Fae, he meets other fascinating characters like Ciani, a scholar and Adept. After an attack that robs her of her memories and Fae manipulating abilities, she sets off with Vryce to reclaim what she has lost. Soon Damien meets his ally and antithesis, Gerald Tarrant, a charismatic and cunning man transformed by a dark and heinous act into a vampire-like figure. This act granted him immense power but at a grave cost. Tarrant is challenging and secretive and though morally ambiguous, he is an essential and reluctant ally to Damien and his group. His drive for self-preservation, even at the expense of humanity, often has Damien grappling with his necessary alliance with such a corrupted being.
Exploring themes of faith, morality, and the corruption of power, this story is packed with many life-threatening encounters that test Damien’s convictions and fortitude, Tarrant’s impressive powers, and Ciani’s strength and resiliency. Friedman excels in her execution of unexpected plot twists. All of humanity that resides on Erna’s lands is at stake and is in the hands of a determined priest and a reluctant vampire. Who survives the constant danger of the inhospitable Erna? Seriously, give it a read and find out for yourself.
The first book in the Coldfire Trilogy blends science fiction and fantasy, depicting a dark struggle against the fae on the perilous world of Erna.
Over a millennium ago, Erna, a seismically active yet beautiful world was settled by colonists from far-distant Earth. But the seemingly habitable planet was fraught with perils no one could have foretold. The colonists found themselves caught in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a terrifying natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, drawing forth a person’s worst nightmare images or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life.
Twelve centuries after fate first stranded the colonists on Erna, mankind has achieved an uneasy stalemate, and human sorcerers manipulate the fae for their own profit, little realizing that demonic forces which feed upon such efforts are rapidly gaining in strength.
