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The Empire of Gold
2023: Other Books
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The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty - 5 stars and multiple hearts!
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argh! I really need to get on with this trilogy (I've only read book 1) - this sounds FAB!
Yes, you do!Each volume just builds on top of the one before. And the last 100 pages -- of what was already a wild ride of a read, just took it to another level.
I consider this a trilogy that could readily be considered a classic and will be at some point. I think part of what really put it over the top for me was how I suddenly realized while reading this particular one that the author had brought to life all those statues, ruins and carvings I saw in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and museums of the ancient world. In a warmer more realistic way - for me at least - than just about any of the writers of mysteries set in ancient egypt have done. And there are some excellent mystery series out there.
It's also the moment I realized that reading it so spread out was not the best, and it will need a re-read.
Oh and the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek has a huge role -- one of my favorite and most frequently ignored gods of Ancient Egypt!
But it's so thick! lolI have book 2 on hand - I'll go find book 3 first so I can read them one after the other.
I really want to go Egypt! one day...
Tien wrote: "But it's so thick! lolI have book 2 on hand - I'll go find book 3 first so I can read them one after the other.
I really want to go Egypt! one day..."
Tien - given how much you read.... this is a walk in the park.
It reads fast. Plus I stayed up too late on work nights 3 nights in a row because so good. Ditto on 2nd. I was kicking myself for not reading it over the long weekend, 😁
Thanks for the motivating review! I read the first two in October and November but didn't really love #2 and stalled at #3 being even longer. Your review makes it sound fun and worth jumping into soon before I forget what happened. Plus Egypt!
Kateloves2read wrote: "Joanne wrote: "really need to start this trilogy!"I suggested a BR in our Epic Fantasy book group."
I can assure you that if your fantasy group really likes to discuss, these generate really good discussions. At least do in my IRL Feminerdy group.
A great start to my 2023 reading year!
It opens with Ali and Nahri in Cairo in the first decade of the 20th Century, having barely escaped Daevabad with Suleiman's gift and their lives. All their magic and the magic in the parallel universe of djinn and daevas has disappeared with the removal of Suleiman's ring from Daevabad. Ali and Nahri need to regroup and decide how to move forward, whether to return to Daevabad which has fallen after a bloodbath under the control of Nahri's mother, Banu Manizheh and Dara, her resurrected military commander, and seek to seize back control from Banu Manizheh. Daevabad and its new ruler face broken alliances, revolution, and devastation. What follows is a battle to control a city, each side having its own political agenda and beliefs as to who should govern Daevabad, who are the saviors of the world and how it is to survive and be ruled.
What follows is complex, thrilling, heartbreaking, and entertaining. Chakraborty weaves in so much ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern mythology and folklore, even bringing to vivid life the carvings and sculptures you can see with a visit to the nearest museum. My personal favorite is the shedu Mishmish -- essentially the winged lion image you see in so much Ancient Bysantine sculpture. The writing is exciting and lively, rich and complex, but so very readable. My only complaints: I would have liked to have had a Zaynab viewpoint and a bit more of the 'modern' universe circa 1900 Egypt/Middle East, rather than pretty much just the parallel Daevabad world. However, a much longer series would have been needed and it might even have weakened the story.
To think this series is a debut! Chakraborty is a gifted writer and I can't wait to see how she develops.