I have a rule for books: I can tell how good it is based on how long it takes the author to say the word “fuck.” And I knew I was in for a good ride when, six words into chapter one of “The Sunbearer Trials,” there was my favorite curse word. I was no stranger to Aiden Thomas when I first cracked the book open, having thoroughly enjoyed his previous novel “The Cemetery Boys,” but even from the first few words of “The Sunbearer Trials” I knew this book would be incredible. As the first book in the duology, “The Sunbearer Trials” perfectly captures your attention into the beautiful world Thomas has created and leaves you wanting for more.
The book falls somewhere between “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” and “The Hunger Games,” following 17-year-old Teo as he battles nine other teenagers for the privilege of being that decade’s Sunbearer. The title comes with the responsibility of keeping the Sun Stones lit to keep the Obsidian gods locked away and protect the fictional nation of Reino del Sol. But Teo doesn’t need to win—he just needs to not lose. While the winner of the trials gets the immense honor of being Reino del Sol’s hero, the loser is sacrificed, and their life essence is used to power the Sun Stones.
The story is fast-paced and action-packed, yet tender in all the right places. Teo, as the lead character, gives the audience a witty and charming recount of what is honestly a gruesome event. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of these 10 teenagers until something horrible happens, and it all comes crashing down around them. Much like “Cemetery Boys,” Thomas has an incredible talent for making readers care about his characters. Even the antagonists have their chance to shine and give you a reason to root for them.
Another thing Thomas does exceptionally well is world-building. Reino del Sol is an original creation for “The Sunbearer Trial,” although the environment is heavily inspired by Mexican culture. The entire magic system is reminiscent of “Percy Jackson,” but it still feels fresh and exciting. Growing up, I was a big fan of Rick Riordan’s Greek Mythology-based series. There was a time I worried I would get confused by the magic system of these books. But Thomas walks the reader through each potentially confusing magic problem in a way that makes it easy for the reader to understand what is going on.
Another element I need to praise about Thomas as a writer is his inclusion of LGBTQ+ voices in “The Sunbearer Trials,” as it was something that Thomas included in his previous novel “Cemetery Boys.” While “Cemetery Boys” was based on the real world, where homophobia and transphobia exist, Reino del Sol and the universe of “The Sunbearer Trials” don’t have those elements. Characters simply are queer and transgender with no pushback from the larger society. Teo and one of his friends, Xio, are both transgender men. Some of the deities are non-binary and use them/they pronouns. There’s even some blooming romance between Teo and one of the other male competitors. While “Cemetery Boys” did a phenomenal job of depicting a grounded but overall positive LGBTQ+ experience, “The Sunbearer Trials” delivers nothing short of LGBTQ+ joy. There’s a need for books like “Cemetery Boys” to give us those grounded experiences to better understand experiences that aren’t our own. But there’s also a need for books like “The Sunbearer Trials” to give LGBTQ+ people a chance of escapism. The fact that Thomas can deliver both of those books at the same level of quality is something I highly commend.
Despite the overwhelmingly positive experience with the book, there were underused elements of the story. One such element is Teo’s ability to communicate with birds, a trait that very few characters are aware of in the book. Although Teo does eventually use this skill to solve one of the five trials in the story, it is not explored to its fullest potential.
Additionally, there was a plotline that was dropped early on only to be shoehorned back in at a later time. This was in relation to Teo’s suspicion that something about that year’s trials was rigged. It was brought up one time when Teo’s resident babysitter/guardian, Huemac, sneaks into Teo’s room after he’s been chosen for the trials to slip him insider information to help Teo succeed in the trials (an action that had just been established was considered cheating.) Then, we hear nothing more of this for several chapters. No other characters are suspicious that something is wrong, and no other conflicts arise because of this seemingly important plot development. Until the very last moment, before the last trial is set to start, Teo all of the sudden begins to suspect something is wrong. When confronting the other deities, it’s confirmed that they also feel something is wrong. Yet the author does nothing with this vague implication of danger. There’s not a lot of build-up, and it doesn’t really resolve until the last few pages of the book as Thomas drops us on a cliffhanger to prepare for the second book in the duology.
Both of these issues exist because they are the first part of a two-book story. Thankfully, Thomas released the sequel “Celestial Monsters” on Sept. 3, so I have my fingers crossed that both of these issues can be explored further in what I hope to be a thrilling sequel.
Despite these two issues, “The Sunbearer Trials,” is a delight. Without exaggeration, I couldn’t put the book down, even though it was 4 a.m., and my back was hurting from the weird position I was sitting in. If you are looking for a book to pick up as we enter another fall season, I could not recommend this book enough.
10/10. Can’t wait to read it again.
