Staff Pick
Second books can be tricky: too often they're a bridge from book one to book three with no real standalone merit. I'm thrilled to say that this isn't the case with The Kingdom of Copper, which complicates the murky alliances from The City of Brass while building to an explosive conclusion. The Kingdom of Copper treats readers to the finery of Daeva high society and then hones in on what's rotten behind the facade; Nahri and Ali are forced to make some crushing choices as they struggle to right the wrongs of Daevabad. I have no idea how Chakraborty is going to top this, but I am very excited to find out. Recommended By Ashleigh B., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
S. A. Chakraborty continues the sweeping adventure begun in The City of Brass — "the best adult fantasy I've read since The Name of the Wind" (#1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir) — conjuring a world where djinn summon flames with the snap of a finger and waters run deep with old magic; where blood can be dangerous as any spell, and a clever con artist from Cairo will alter the fate of a kingdom.
Includes bonus material, including recipes, reading group discussions, and an excerpt from The Empire of Gold!
Nahri's life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad — and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.
Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she's been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family — and one misstep will doom her tribe..
Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid — the unpredictable water spirits — have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It's a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city's gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.
Review
"Chakraborty manages what many epic fantasy writers have never achieved: a world where everyone can see themselves not only mirrored, but powerful." New York Journal of Books
Review
"[The Kingdom of Copper] is epic fantasy that is shrunk to the perspective of the individual. If you're looking for a compelling, heart-rending drama that just happens to also be one of the most thought-provoking epic fantasies to come out in a long time, look no further." BookPage
Review
"With a richly immersive setting and featuring complex familial, religious, and racial ties and divides, Chakraborty's second book in the trilogy wraps readers in a lush and magical story that takes over all the senses." Library Journal (Starred Review)
Review
"No series since George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire has quite captured both palace intrigue and the way that tribal infighting and war hurt the vulnerable the most." Paste Magazine
About the Author
S. A. CHAKRABORTY is a speculative fiction writer from New York City. Her debut, The City of Brass, was the first book in the Daevabad trilogy. You can find her online at www.sachakraborty.com or on Twitter @SAChakrabooks.