The Empire of Gold, the final installment of the Daevabad Trilogy, by S.A. Chakraborty was one of my most highly anticipated releases of the year and my expectations, obviously, were sky high. Luckily for me, this nearly eight hundred page novel was absolutely perfect and lived up to all of my expectations. Honestly, the whole trilogy has been perfect. It's exactly the kind of historical fantasy that I love with lushly detailed world-building and characters that could walk right off of the page. And, yes, Dara is still my favorite of the main cast. This is easily one of the best books of 2020 and it's a brilliant series finale. I still can't believe that I was approved for this ARC, so thanks again to NetGalley for this opportunity. I can't wait to read whatever the author decides to write in the future and I can't wait to see the upcoming Netflix adaptation of this trilogy. It's going to be marvelous, I can see it now!

How do you even start a review for a book that has torn your heart out in all the best ways? Empire of Gold is the long-awaited end to The Daevabad Trilogy and it was one of my most anticipated books of the year. It's only natural that I both loved and dreaded reading it. Alas, all good things must come to an end. Or in this book's case, a fiery and dramatic conclusion worthy of the Banu Nahida herself.

The story picks up almost immediately where the previous story left off, Nahri and Ali have teamed up and are figuring out how to save their friends and family from the chaos that is wreaking havoc on Daevadbad. Their journey together is full of angst, denial, and ultimately understanding. Dara's journey is similar because he has many revelations of his own, but he has severely limited freedom to express his new beliefs which broke my heart. However, the development of each character is INCREDIBLE. Chakraborty excels at putting her characters in challenging situations that push them to change for the better. This is incredibly evident by the end of the story and it makes the final chapters powerful.

What makes this story such a strong conclusion is that everything comes full circle. The characters all get answers, the mythology of the world holds relevance to the story, all the creatures mentioned briefly in the previous books all play roles here. Empire of Gold truly is a spectacular showcase of Chakraborty's use of world-building. Creatures that only get brief scenes or mentions get entire chapters dedicated to rounding out motivations and lore. The Daevabad Trilogy is like a giant puzzle and the first two books are good about giving the reader a general idea of the picture, but Empire of Gold has all the detail pieces that pull the puzzle together.

Without going into spoiler territory, I'll say I was satisfied with the ending of this book. All the characters got exactly what their arcs were building towards and their endings were well deserved. This is rare for me to say because authors rarely handle endings the way I believe characters deserve. If you hold the Daevabad Trilogy just as near and dear to your heart as I do, I can confidently say you will enjoy the ending. That's not to say that sad things don't happen, there is a TON of angst and you might tear up at the end. However, Chakraborty does leave a few character paths open-ended which has me crossing my fingers for a new spin-off series.

Overall, this is perhaps one of the best concluding novels to a trilogy that I've ever read. The character development is immaculate and the world-building shines even brighter than usual. This is one ending to a series you won't want to miss.

I just finished this one and had to immediately jump into this mini review because I have SO MANY FEELINGS. Admittedly, I found the first chunk of the book a little bit hard to get back into unlike nearly all of book two. But things did move along and it didn't necessarily drag. There was some hinting to a ship that I wasn't sure I wanted to happen... but then the second half of the book came down like a storm and I feel like I'm still catching my breath!
It ended up quite the conclusion to the trouble brewing in Daevabad and I loved what she did with EVERYTHING in the end, even if I had earlier doubted. The last handful of chapters were just the perfect ending, a mixture of bittersweet, last minute revelations, hope and even an out loud laugh from myself. I only wish the romance had been a more integral part of the plot throughout these books, but what an amazing Arabian fantasy trilogy!

What can I possibly say? This series has everything and more. This conclusion did not disappoint! I recommend this series to everyone and it’s amazing to be able to recommend it as a whole. So many other series have at least 1 book I like less than others but not this one. This wrapped up Nahri’s story so nicely and broke my heart a little at the same time.

Cutesy tag lines for a review of The Empire of Gold, S. A. Chakraborty concluding novel for her DAEVABAD trilogy of humans, djinn, and water elementals really sort of write themselves: “Chakraborty strikes gold with the final novel in . . . “ “Chakraborty is on fire with her newest . . . “ “Come on djinn, the water’s fine . . . “ [sorry]. But this series doesn’t do “cute;” it’s multi-layered and, though not without humor, serious in tone and topic. So let’s just say the promise of its first two books, which garnered fours from me in prior reviews, is easily met here in the third, which brings an excellent trilogy to a highly satisfying if bittersweet close. Some inevitable spoilers for books one and two below.

The Empire of Gold picks up pretty much right after the events of The Kingdom of Copper and as with the other, follows three (after a brief prologue) points of view: Nahri, Ali, and Dara. Nahri and Ali have escaped the conquest of Daevabad and end up magically transported to her former home city Cairo, with Ali carrying Suleiman’s seal, though he is unable to access its power. In fact, there is no magic at all amongst any of the djinn. Only Dara —back in Daevabad where he serves Manizheh in her brutal pacification of the city — and beings like the ifrit, marid, peri, and others can wield magic now.

Nahri and Ali’s POVs follow them as they spend time in Cairo, with Narhi growing ever more comfortable in her familiar haunts. But eventually her sense of responsibility to Daevabad and its people forces her to agree with Ali that they have to do something to save the city from Manizheh, and so the two head for Ali’s homeland in search of support. On the way, an encounter with an ancient and powerful marid reveals a shocking and perhaps devastating secret about Ali, one which later causes them to find different paths back to Daevabad. Meanwhile, back in Daevabad, Dara is struggling, as always, with his conscience and the burden of his past, leaving it always unclear which way he’ll go.

Characterization has always been a strong point in the series and that continues here. What I particularly like is that Chakraborty doesn’t simply start off with sharp characterization but grows and deepens her characters so they don’t remain static throughout. She does this via a variety of methods: putting them in complex situations, throwing them together with different characters, or revealing unknown aspects of a character’s past. The characters are often forced to grow beyond themselves as they were, either by finding new sides of themselves or by building on already established character traits. Narhi is no longer simply the cynically clever con artist — she’s matured beyond that — but that element of her remains and comes into narrative play. Ali isn’t the same fundamentalist character from book one, though that aspect — and his shift away from it — drives various character and plot changes. Dara is the Scourge, but not only the Scourge. Though while Narhi and Ali both moves in somewhat linear fashion toward a different self, a future self, Dara more whipsaws back and forth between potential selves, between past and his possibility. And all of this blossoms wonderfully slowly as Chakraborty refuses to rush things but takes the necessary amount of time to build the characters up from who they were to who they become, alone and in relation to one another.

I also loved the characterization of the marid and peri, who aren’t simply given human traits — “they’re just like us but more powerful!” — but remain just outside our comprehension. They are strange, fantastical, as they should be.

Plot-wise, if and how Daevabad will be saved is compelling and suspenseful, but the best part is how Chakraborty continues to not offer easy solutions. Not easy in terms of logistics but in terms of morality and cost. This is not just war, but civil war. One fueled by classism and racism/bigotry, by centuries of hatred and death and slaughter. People are not going to listen to reason, they aren’t going to surrender to overwhelming odds, they’re not going to pay attention to collateral damage or to the existence of “innocents.” Restraint, in other words, is not on the menu. This is especially true of Dara, and it is his character I’d say where the heart of the story is invested in terms of the possibility of redemption, the responsibility of reparation. Others, though they perhaps don’t bear the same burden of a millennia-long past, also must find their way (or not) past desires for vengeance over past wrongs, must learn not to necessarily forgive or forget them but place them behind, put them in the past so they stop being obstacles toward gaining a future. Not an easy task, and not one everyone succeeds at (or even tries to achieve). It is a harsh world, one that forces harsh decisions and exacts some harsh consequences.

As has been the pattern in the prior novels, The Empire of Gold builds to an explosive climax in terms of action, and Chakraborty offers up some fantastic set scenes that I loved imagining on a purely visual level. If the closing few chapters are less action oriented, they’re no less compelling thanks to the character suspense and emotional focus.

The Empire of Gold brings to a close one of the stronger recent series of fantasy works, one that combines an compelling and exciting plot, in-depth characterization, detailed and relatively fresh world creation, and a willingness to place serious concerns (race, class, imperialism, form of governance) at the forefront. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing where Chakraborty takes us next now that we’ve left Daevabad behind.

I just want to thank Harpercollins and NetGalley for letting me read this book early. I loved this series so much and sad it has finally come to an end.

Empire of Gold picks up where kingdom of Copper ends. Nahri and Alizard are on the run with Suilimans seal and Manizheh has taken over daevabad which has fallen. Dara also is at Manizheh side while also realizing what a monster she has become. Will he stand by his Nahid no matter what or make a difference?

First I want to say how much I loved this series, this is a fantasy series so underrated and the world building and magic was so fun to read. Fast paced almost the whole time and I am sad it has come to an end.

This third installment was so good. It left so many doors open but in a good way. I am usually never satisfied with the end but I can honestly say I was satisfied. I cried and just loved how everything came together. I could not put this book down, I got attached to all the characters and loved everything that happened.

5 stars

Absolutely fantastic read. Third book and the world building, character development, and story arc are everything I could have asked for. Put this on your TBR now!

This book not only met every expectation that I had, but it topped it. I read it almost two months ago and I"m *still* processing it, honestly. I'm so ready to see what Shannon does with her next books!!!

This was so hard!! I was not ready for it, but of course I do not regret it. It was amazing! If you are ready for an adventure then pack your bags and hang on because this trilogy is what you are looking for. Strong female lead standing up for what she believes is right. It is fantastic and certainly a series I will read over and over again. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

What a great finale to the series! I was immediately swept back into the world of the story, and I couldn't wait to find out how all the storylines were tied up. The pacing of the book was deliciously torturous - I admit to skipping ahead and reading the ending because the tension got so high at one point. The exposition for the character backstories was really satisfying. I would love to see more books written in this world. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. I've recommended this series to so many people, and I cannot wait for the Netflix series!

What a great finale to this trilogy. Both this book and the trilogy as a whole were so original. What I loved about this whole series was that, while there was plenty of action, I was drawn forward by wondering what these characters would do next. I don't think readers will be disappointed with where everyone ends up. This book is quite long, though I am sure that is only a plus for fans of the trilogy who don't want it to end. It didn't drag in any section, and it felt like every part was crucial to the plot--no filler. The one negative was that there was a lot of violence and death--that wouldn't usually bother me, but reading it right now (June 2020), I noticed it.

The Empire of Gold is the much anticipated finale of the Daevabad trilogy -- and it is worth the wait! Beautifully written and diligently researched, EoG is part adventure, part self-discovery, and of course, part magic. Chakraborty delights readers with her immersive world-building, authentic characters and cleverly written political intrigue. EoG will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you with a book hangover!

Nahri and Ali barely escaped Daevabad with their lives -- now returned to the city she's yearned for for years, Nahri must decide if her fate leads her to a human life in Cairo, or something more in Daevabad. Ali, too, struggles to reconcile his true self since his possession by the marid. Meanwhile, Banu Manizheh and Dara struggle to control the djinn of Daevabad -- and with each passing day Dara questions if he can outrun his past and if he will ever walk a path of peace. In order to remake Daevabad and restore magic to all djinn, Nahri, Ali and Dara must face their secrets and sacrifice that which they loved.

A long book, but well worth the journey. The last book in a trilogy, the chapters alternate viewpoint between three major characters, it wraps up the majority of the subplots quite well. Nicely complex story, with an abundance of chaos and conflict. The author did a great job of worldbuilding, based on middle-eastern mythologies (djinn, ifrit, etc.) There's also a great (minor) reveal in the last couple of chapters. This trilogy is set in the early 1800's, but I could see potential for the author to revisit this world, even in more modern times.

In the final installment of the Daevabad Trilogy, S. A. Chakraborty demonstrates her ability to tell a story from three different, rich perspectives. After Daevabad fell in the previous novel, Nahri and Ali find themselves in Cairo. Although Nahri is happy to return to Cairo and a world she once knew, her mind wanders to Daevabad and concerns about the fate of its people rise in her mind. Ali, too, worries about his remaining family. Meanwhile, Dara is serving Manizheh in Daevabad and quickly begins to wonder how much and how far he is willing to go in serving his beloved Banu Manizheh.

What I loved most about The Empire of Gold was how Chakraborty’s writing really brings this world to life. This is an aspect I have enjoyed in the previous two books, but this book brings about a new level of fantasy previously unseen in this trilogy. The rich perspectives of Ali, Nahri, and Dara help further immerse the reader in a magical world. I spent weeks with this book. However, it did not take me so long to read this book because I was bored or viewed it as a chore. Rather, I spent so long with this book simply because I savored every word and description. My only complaint about this novel is the pacing. I felt like a lot happening in the final 20% or so. It felt like there was an element of hurry up and get to the end.

Although I did see some issues with the pacing in the novel itself, I found myself thinking about Nahri, Ali, and Dara when I wasn’t able to read this book. I enjoyed this world and I can’t help but hope that Chakraborty may allow us to return to it in one day in a new series.

Ultimately, The Empire of Gold is the conclusion of a rich trilogy that incorporates mythology and fantasy to tell a masterful story.

I don't even know where to start this review if I'm being honest...there's so many things I want to talk about but can't for fear of spoiling this beautiful book. I guess I'll just start by saying that this book was amazing, wonderful, and an incredible conclusion to one of my favorite trilogies.

I binged the first two books in this trilogy at the beginning of 2019 and absolutely fell in love with the world and the characters. Then book 2 ended in a huge cliffhanger and I was dying to get this final book in my hands as soon as possible. The release got pushed back a bit but the time finally came when ARCs were released into the world. I was lucky enough to be granted a digital review copy and then I was ecstatic when I was able to secure a trade for a physical review copy on Twitter. The moment that the physical book landed on my doorstep I was rereading the trilogy in preparation for this finale.

I could not put this book down. I finished my reread of The Kingdom of Copper at about 1 AM one night and couldn't help myself from starting The Empire of Gold. I read about 50 pages and then the next day I read 700+ pages in one afternoon. I couldn't help myself. This book was addicting and vivid and fast-paced and everything amazing.

As it always is with this trilogy, my favorite part of this book was the characters. A good book can run on plot alone, but a great book has to have characters that readers can connect to. This trilogy has one of the best casts of characters I've ever read about. Each of the main characters has quite a distinct character voice that makes them unique from each other. Even the side characters who don't have POV chapters in this book are still well-rounded and developed. The characters don't all agree and they don't all get along and some of them are even trying to kill each other...but I love them all.

The character development in this book was just phenomenal. The journey that these characters go on throughout this trilogy really was quite wonderful to read about and it all came to a head in this finale. I've loved getting to follow Nahri's journey throughout this trilogy and she has really changed while still staying true to herself. She's one of my favorite book characters ever because of this. Ali has undergone so much in the years that this trilogy spans and still cares so much for other people despite all the bad stuff that has gone on. And, lastly, Dara has been fighting an internal moral debate for years now that have led to quite the personal struggle in this book.

The plot itself was addicting to read. The stakes have been rising since book one and, after the insane cliffhanger at the end of book two, this book just picks up and runs with it immediately. We alternate POVs between Dara, who's in Daevabad with Manizeh trying to rebuild the city, and Ali and Nahri, who both have individual POVs but are traveling together after getting transported to Cairo. It seemed to me like Dara's chapters were more bleak and showed the struggles of the situation whereas Ali and Nahri, at least in the beginning, were a lot lighter to read. I liked the contrast and feel like this book was a lot stronger because of the balance between difficult scenes and light-hearted moments.

There were definitely a lot of moments where I was holding my breath because of what was occurring on page. The action in this story was plentiful but when there weren't high-action scenes there was still tension that reminded me of the stakes. Between the characters, tension, and Shannon's writing, I couldn't put this book down.

One of the main things that I love about this trilogy is how vivid the world and magic system is. There were times when I read this where I felt breathless at the descriptions and magic. I even would reread entire pages just to go back and visualize the setting again. I never felt overwhelmed with setting details, though, and I think that Shannon has always been great at striking the balance between enough vivid details and too much information.

The last thing that I've always raved about when it comes to this trilogy is the politics and moral/ethical debates. One thing I've found with these books is that there's usually no easy or simple way out of situations that are presented. This means that even the best case scenario can lead to a lot of death, destruction, or loss of power/money/etc. It's quite fascinating reading about how the characters come to the decisions they do because there's really no easy way out. Not to mention, I like the fact that nothing is black-and-white in this trilogy because that's not realistic in the real world. People make bad decisions, don't think things through, etc and that's shown in this trilogy. I just...I could write an entire review based around just this aspect of the trilogy but, for time's sake, I'll move on.

Overall I just loved this installment and this trilogy. I am sad to see it come to an end and I definitely cried while reading this book but I am very satisfied with how Shannon wrapped everything up. This trilogy is so magical and addicting that I can't help but sing praises as often as I can. I can't wait for it to come out at the end of June so that (1) I can collect all the beautiful finished editions and (2) so that I can rave about it with other readers.

This trilogy will always have a spot on my favorites shelf.

Thank you to #NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC of #theempireofgold.

Wow. Just wow.

It took over 1200 pages just to get to this book. I found the first book of the series (City of Brass) painfully slow to begin and I almost didn't bother. I am so glad I stuck with it so it could bring me to this book. Empire of Gold is another paper weight at close to 800 pages but it doesn't feel like it AT ALL. I stayed up overnight to read this and if I didn't have to go to work the next day, I likely would've finished it in one sitting.

This book gave me all the feelings.

The author has a unique style that sets her apart from most of the derivative fantasy being published these days. The scope of the narrative is epic and thankfully the author doesn't drown us in 100's of supporting characters. The three main characters remain the focus at all points and the character evolution is natural and realistic. That's not to say the supporting character aren't fascinating, but we don't have to follow them on unnecessary tangents that detract from the main story line.

The action is non-stop, unpredictable chaos. Reading as much as I do, it's pretty easy to figure out the ending of any given book. Not this time. I can't summarize without major spoilers but the author did a stellar job of tying up all the story lines in satisfying way. (Although I feel like there's wiggle room for Dara, Nahri and Ali to each have to have his/her own follow up series. Hint hint)

Empire of Gold will be definitely be added to my faves. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

I always hold my breath (metaphorically) when I start reading the last book in a series that I’ve enjoyed. I get a little nervous because I want a volume that not only ties up all the loose ends, but also ties those ends up in a way that honors what’s come before. I want an ending that satisfies and knocks my bookish socks off. I held my breath when I started to read The Empire of Gold, by S.A. Chakraborty. I’ve loved the way that Chakraborty reimagined the mythology of the Middle East in a story of politics, love, and rebellion. There’s a lot riding on this last book in the Daevabad trilogy.

The Empire of Gold is not for readers new to the series. There is so much plot in the first two books, The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper, that I was a little lost at the beginning of this final entry. It took me a few chapters to remember what was going on. The book opens immediately after the end of The Kingdom of Copper. Nahri and Ali have been sent halfway around the world after a magical mishap. Meanwhile, Dara is trapped in Daevabad with the increasingly murderous Manizheh, who took over the city at the end of the previous novel. Nahri, Ali, and Dara take turns narrating the story. While Nahri and Ali try to a) figure out a way to get back to Daevabad and b) figure out how to retake the city, Dara struggles with his ancient promise to serve with his growing realization that Manizheh is not worthy of his service.

I was a little worried in the initial third of The Empire of Gold. The ending of The Kingdom of Copper was so explosive that it seemed like The Empire of Gold was a little wobbly on its legs—especially in the chapters narrated by Dara. Dara’s psychological struggles are painful to watch. He believes, at least at first, that the situation in Daevabad under Manizheh can be salvaged, that she can be made to listen to reason and learn to be a benevolent ruler. It takes a painful number of chapters for Dara to realize—too late—that she is more invested in revenge than anything else. Nahri and Ali’s chapters were kind of a relief from the emotional heaviness of Dara’s chapters. Even though the pair are in a dangerous and seemingly impossible situation, I had a fun time reading about their growing love for each other.

The second third of The Empire of Gold erased all of my worries that this book wouldn’t live up to the promise of the first two books in the series. By the time I got to the final third, all hints of worry were gone. The last third of the novel was so gripping that I couldn’t put it down. I missed a phone call from my sister because I was so in the book that I didn’t even hear it ring. I don’t want to give anything away about the end of the book; I know so many fans of the series won’t want it to be ruined. I’ll only say that there were twists and turns and magical creatures and feats of sorcery that took my breath away in a completely different way.

I know that this review is full of mixed metaphors and is light on plot details. I’ve always had a hard time writing reviews about books that I had so much fun reading. I end up gushing instead of analyzing. The Empire of Gold deserves a better review than I’m able to write, even after 24 hours after I finished it. All I can say is, if you love original, imaginative fantasy novels, you should pick up this series immediately.

At first I was nervous to discover the physical version of this is well over 700 pages but then I just couldn't put this book down! It is such a satisfying end to the Daevabad trilogy and it wraps up all the big questions and plotlines while still providing intensely cool magical worldbuilding and excellent action sequences. The characters are as complex and interesting as ever, though I do think Dara's narrative voice is the weakest of the three in this book. Some of the pacing issues I had with the first two books were much improved here (surprising, given the length) and I am very pleased with how the story wrapped up. So nice in these post-Game of Thrones season eight days to have a series end well, isn't it?

It took me a while to finish with everything going on but the story comes together and ties off well in the end. Revelations, secrets, reunions...emotions are everywhere in this final book and in the end, some character's paths have been chosen while others remain open-ended.

Somehow it’s harder to write a review for a book that ends a series than it is for a series starter. I presume if you’re reading a review for the last book of a trilogy you’ve read the series. If you haven’t and are the sort of reader that waits for a series to be wrapped up then by all means you have my recommendation that you start reading immediately! 🙂 It’s a satisfying read.
I think the author’s strongest two points are her world building and her strong characterizations. The real world parts of her story feel like 18th century Egypt and the magical world parts do feel pulled out of a fairy tale from long ago. Her characters are full fleshed out and interesting to follow.
All in all one of the better fantasy series I’ve read in the last ten years or so. I don’t know if I’d call it the best but it’s easily in the top ten and I wouldn’t argue with someone that wanted to call it the best.