The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

Welcome to The Empire of Gold Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on June 19th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each week we will be reading by chapters. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 6/19
June 19: Prologue - Chapter 9
June 20: Chapter 10-Chapter 19

Week 6/21
June 21: Chapter 20-Chapter 29
June 22: Chapter 30-Chapter 39
June 23: Chapter 40- Epilogue

PARTICIPANTS
~ Laura ☾
~ Mina

Up to Chapter 10 - will catch up for today’s chapters later this evening

So far I’m enjoying being back in this world! And intrigued to see where things will go

Manizeh is such a bitch!

I read up to chapter 15 for now and I, hopefully, will be able to finish today's chapters because tomorrow I don't know if I'm going to have time to read at all.

I'm liking being back in the world too, also I'm liking that some of the story is taking place in Cairo because that's where the whole story started and it's nice to go full circle. But I'm also happy and intrigued to see the second part of Ali's heritage

Manizeh... yeah I second that

I’m up to Chapter 20 now

I feel like every time one question is answered it raises five more! But I kind of like the intrigue

The politics and the history are so developed - the world-building really is brilliant!

I couldn't read all of today's chapters, I read chapter 15 and 16.

Somethings I wanted to comment but at the time we didn't have a thread.

*I like Ali's and Nahri's friendship or whatever it is... but I don't know how I would feel about them ending up together.. although after the chapter where she told him he's well formed 😂 I don't mind it, I would maybe prefer for her to be without a guy because every time the girl ends up with someone...but I guess I wouldn't mind it. I just loved that scene and I appreciate that we have scenes like that, oh and the Ali is an expect sailor 😂 I don't remember was this humor present in te previous books or not.. but I like it.

*Dara meeting Razu and the other free peope (with so many names for creatures/people I have no idea what's what and that's probably bad since this is the last book) was such a nice (?) part, he deserves to have someone like him... I kinda hope he'll turn against Manizah and join Razu and her team.

*Eeem, what. I'm so confused by Nahri's family. I was 100% she's Manizah's and Kaveh's daughter... but after Sobek telling something about her human family... I don't know, but I'm intrigued

This book is actually huge!

Yes! Nahri and Ali's friendship or whatever is cool - although I definitely wouldn't like them to end up together - like you I think it'd be cool if she ends up on her own!

YES! I'm so rooting for Dara to team up with Razu and bring Mutandhir into the whole thing somehow (here's hoping)

Well - we knew Jamshid was Kaveh's son - but Nahri always seemed different so it kind of makes sense?

Huge. I'm probably not going to finish it in time we said.

Uuu, yes with Mutandhir in the team too. I expect an epic end 😄

Hahaha yes no worries! I'm intrigued so I may stay on schedule if I can

Chapter 20

(view spoiler)[ Yeah I definitely feel like there will be a thing between Ali and Nahri.. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21

(view spoiler)[ Oooh I feel like Dara rising against Manizeh is getting more and more likely and I'm here for it!
But his discovery of the crypts is soo creepy
Also - Dara can't read?!?
And I definitely feel like Nahri's suspicions that the Ifrit are playing Manizeh is right - they're actually using her as a puppet - especially once she revealed the whole story of finding the ring etc (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22

(view spoiler)[Yay! They reached Ta Ntry! And Jamshid is safe! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23

(view spoiler)[ Awww Jamshid saying that Nahri is his sister is the only good thing he's heard - that's so cute. Also Sheikh FIre-Sword hahah (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25

(view spoiler)[ I like Hatset a lot actually. And I could actually kind of see Ali and Nahri together.. (hide spoiler)]


Chapter 27

(view spoiler)[Wellll I was not expecting that! Mutandhir is clever (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 29

(view spoiler)[ Now I don't like this rift between Ali and Nahri - they're definitely stronger together! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 30

(view spoiler)[ So Ali is somehow descended from Sobek?! I mean I figured they had some marid affinity but I didn't quite expect that! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 31

(view spoiler)[I kind of feel sorry for Dara - yeah he did horrible things but he's so lost - and I totally thought Manizeh was going to kill Mutandhir there not just take out his eye (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 32

(view spoiler)[ Ok I'm not mad at how that kiss happened - but HE CAN'T DIE - She has to get the ring out whole (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 33

(view spoiler)[It was so obvious that Nahri would take the seal sooner or later! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34

(view spoiler)[ I like Fiza bossing Ali around! hahah (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 35

(view spoiler)[OH SHIT MANIZEH ENSLAVED HIM AGAIN - poor guy just wants some peace and freedom (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 36

(view spoiler)[“If you make me cry, I’m going to stab you.” I can totally relate hahahah (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 37

(view spoiler)[I like Ali's skills at politics! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 39

(view spoiler)[The writing is so visual here (I mean in the whole book but in this chapter especially) it's like being transported into a different world! And ooooh things are really gearing up to an epic end now! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 40

(view spoiler)[This Sobek is really an interesting re-imagining of the deity! And I like Ali's plan! (hide spoiler)]

CH 20. Yeah, but I don't mind it anymore, if the thing had happened in the first book I would've been disappointed, but here it's 6 years after the first book so I'm okay with it. I have to say I'm maybe a bit disappointed because I liked Nahri and Dara and would've wanted more of that, but also time passes and things change.. and like many other things i this book, it feels real.

CH21. The raise against Manizhah is a go :D Yeah, it seems she's been played since childhood.. I love how things just got an even biger picture with that information.
As for Dara not being able to read... that's not so surprising considering that he's from the super old times and a solder, at that time there wouldn't be a point in him knowing to read since he was a solder.

CH 23. Jamshid throwing a slipper at Ali 😂😂 Also, yes to your comment about the chapter.

CH 25. I like Hatset too

CH 27. Well, Muntadhir is definitely raising against Manizhah and I'm impressed.. also, a bit disappointed that he didn't team up with Dara.. I mean I know Dara is a mass murderer, but I liked him from the start and we saw things from his POV to see that he's not all black as others see him.

You obviously know what happened with Kaveh, but I don't know.. So at this point it looks like Muntadhir is going to let Kaveh be killed because Jamshid is dead... And, well, if he did that and Jamshid found out...I think that could break them.

CH 30. To be honest I wasn't thinking much about it, I mean yes there had to be some marid blood in his family, but I haven't thought about it more. Now in hindsight it makes sense why Sobek saved them and helped them.

CH 30. Wait, is Dara a slave again or...?
Jeez, Manizhah was a psycho tyrant when she took Daevabad, but now....

Oh my god this book I am not okay - I definitely agree with you though it all feels very real - I think we talked about this in the last buddy read for the second book but I like that it's actually all shades of grey rather than black and white good and evil etc!

Yes, we talked about it in the previous book, and yes, I like that about the book too. From what I read this book is taking it a step further with the horrible side and I like that. I don't know how I picked up the first book but I'm soooooo glad I stumbled upon it.

Yes me too! I feel like this series is under appreciated!

Chapter 41

(view spoiler)[That reflection of herself turning into Dara...oh my! Nahri's turning herself into a martyr (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 42

(view spoiler)[Mishmish - I'm dying! hahah. and OMG ali arriving just in time with an army - I would have loved to see his journey to get them more - BUT OH NO THE IFRIT HAVE HER NAME (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44

(view spoiler)[The whole thing about true names is so interesting - and that she ' made' Nahri her true name is brilliant - and ooh her and Jamshid are cousins not siblings!

OH MY GOD THIS CHAPTER MY EMOTIONS I CANNOT (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 45

(view spoiler)[I love Jamshid and Nahri's banter - and ooh will they finally get to be happy a bit?! yeeesss. I like the direction this took for Dara - he deserved some freedom (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 46

(view spoiler)[ Oh that was heartbreaking, but also so the right thing to happen?
“Find your happiness, little thief. Steal it and do not ever let it go.” (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 47

(view spoiler)[You could be a proper river lord, and instead
you will settle for paperwork and numbers.” He sounded scandalized. HAHAH that sounds about right

(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 48

(view spoiler)[“I don’t want a specialist!” Creator, this man’s obliviousness was going to be the death of her. “I want to spend time with you. Time at my house being normal and not on the run from monsters or plotting revolutions. I want to see what it’s like.” oh bless them both!

OMG the cook is her grandfather! (hide spoiler)]


Epilogue

(view spoiler)[Okay THEY ENDED AS FRIENDS and i loved it (hide spoiler)]

Phew that was a wile ride!

*I'm not mad at the kiss at all :D I was grinning like crazy when that scene happened.
*I like Fiza, and I wouldn't mind a book about her.
*Omg, the Dara chapter 😢 I almost started crying, but the audiobook moved on so I had to concentrate on what was being said. But I feel so sad for him. The best thing that could happen to him is to die.. for good.

CH 38. Well, now I did cry. I really hope Manizhah is going to die a slow very painful death. Poor Dara.

CH 39. This book is going to kill me. Now Nahri has to kill Dara.. I want to cry again.. which makes me love the book even more if that was possible.

CH 43. “Yes, Your Wateriness,” 😂 Again, I love Fiza

It ended all so nicely tied. I love it. Definitely the best book I've read this year, bringing me to tears of at least five times... it deserves the title 😂

Yes for sure!

(view spoiler)[ I love that it ended with Nahri and Ali as friends and *potentially* more once she feels safe and settled and happy on her own! (hide spoiler)]

I’m happy with how it ended but I also want more!

Yeah, I like that it ended like that between them with a maybe.

Oh, yes, I want more. Who know's maybe her next books are going to be in the same world. Have you seen there's a 2.5 book? It has POVs from other characters and some deleted scenes I think

mina wrote: "Yeah, I like that it ended like that between them with a maybe.

Oh, yes, I want more. Who know's maybe her next books are going to be in the same world. Have you seen there's a 2.5 book? It has PO..."

OOOH no I didn't see the 2.5 book - I need that! hehe

Yeah I would love to see a spin-off ! As you said maybe Fiza or someone!

OMG it's free on her website SAChakraborty.com/extra-scenes.html

It's not among the Daevabad trilogy, but on her GR page it's listed and you go on her site and download it because it's free :D I'm not going to read it yet cuz I have to finish some books before, but you can just fly through it 😂 it's around 181 pages but there's a lot of space between the sentences so it's probably a lot less pages.

Yeees, a spin-off would be nice.. But I'm also not minding the new book..

Author of The City of Brass trilogy S.A. Chakraborty's next series, historical fantasy pitched as Sinbad the Sailor meets Oceans 11 wherein an infamous, retired pirate gets pulled back into the game when she's offered to right a wrong from her past and score a fabled treasure, but assembling her old crew and outwitting a ruthless ex-Crusader aren't her only problems, because she's learned the hard way the fantastical legends behind such treasures hold deadly truths, and they're coming for her, to David Pomerico at Voyager, in a major deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in spring 2022

and reading it again.. like, maybe it is Fiza :D

I just commented that on your update - come on that definitely sounds like Fiza 🤞🤞🤞