NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Library Journal
Vulture
The Verge
SYFYWire * Finalist for the World Fantasy Award: Best Novel *Nominated for the Locus Award: Best First Novel *Finalist for the British Fantasy Award: Best Newcomer Step into The City of Brass , the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty perfect for fans of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings , and Uprooted, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts. Featuring a stepback and extra content including a bonus scene and an excerpt from The Kingdom of Copper. On the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman of unsurpassed skill. She makes her living swindling Ottoman nobles, hoping to one day earn enough to change her fortunes. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she learns that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. Forced to flee Cairo, Dara and Nahri journey together across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mythical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, to Daevabad, the legendary city of brass. It’s a city steeped in magic and fire, where blood can be as dangerous as any spell; a city where old resentments run deep and the royal court rules with a tenuous grip; a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound—and where her very presence threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries. “An opulent masterpiece. Chakraborty’s debut is desire-soaked, intrigue-laced, and rife with so-delicious-you’ll-sink-your-teeth-into-it worldbuilding and equally mesmerizing characters. A must-read.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen “S. A. Chakraborty’s debut novel is an adventure that sweeps readers through the streets of Cairo and out into a spellbinding landscape of magic, warring clans, sacrifice, and betrayal. Each page reveals a new wonder. Con-woman Nahri, djinn warrior Dara, and the enchanted city that they--and we--are only just beginning to understand, are captivating. What an exciting ride!” - Fran Wilde, award-winning author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and Horizon “ The City of Brass immerses you in a magnificent and vivid world. It’s a thrilling adventure, brimming with fabulous magic, compelling characters, and wonderful intrigue. I can’t wait for book two!” - Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queen of Blood “A richly imagined, stunningly immersive book that takes you into a world of darkly alluring djinn and beguiling magic...Peopled with irresistible characters and steeped in the myths of the Middle East, The City of Brass is a dazzlingly inventive tale.” - Ausma Zehanat Khan, award–winning author of the Khattak/Getty mysteries and The Bloodprint “ The City of Brass is the best adult fantasy I’ve read since The Name of the Wind . It’s stunning and complex and consuming and fantastic. You must read it.” - Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes “Chakraborty writes a winning heroine in Nahri — flawed but smart and engaging. And her portrayal of the cultural conflicts in the magical city of Daevabad and of Ali’s inner turmoil is compelling and complex, serving as a strong counterpoint to the thrilling action.” - Washington Post “Even a few pages will enmesh you in its magic.” - Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author "I loved the protagonist, there was a nice cast of supporting characters, and the plot had some twists and turns that I did not see coming… Her style is vivid and colourful and very readable. The best thing, though, was the setting. Instead of drawing on the European Dark Ages and Middle Ages, Chakraborty evoked the flavours of the Middle East and ARABIAN KNIGHTS and the legends of the djinns. I enjoyed the novel hugely, and I just ordered the second and third books in the trilogy so I may continue the adventure." - George R.R. Martin “ The City of Brass is more than a promising debut — it beguiles all the way...Chakraborty’s research and imagination are equally strong, and she deftly sets up a rich world — and ample suspense — for the rest of this trilogy.” - Variety “Chakraborty combines the plot’s many surprises with vivid prose, and leavens the action with wry humor. There is enough material here—a feisty, independent lead searching for answers, reminiscent of Star Wars ’s Rey, and a richly imagined alternate world—to support a potential series.” - Publishers Weekly “ The City of Brass is a gorgeous epic as rich in its language as it is in characterization, and I can’t recommend it highly enough...There’s palace intrigue, simmering passions, plenty of magic, and a fascinating bestiary. Simply one of the best de
Vulture
The Verge
SYFYWire * Finalist for the World Fantasy Award: Best Novel *Nominated for the Locus Award: Best First Novel *Finalist for the British Fantasy Award: Best Newcomer Step into The City of Brass , the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty perfect for fans of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings , and Uprooted, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts. Featuring a stepback and extra content including a bonus scene and an excerpt from The Kingdom of Copper. On the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman of unsurpassed skill. She makes her living swindling Ottoman nobles, hoping to one day earn enough to change her fortunes. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she learns that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. Forced to flee Cairo, Dara and Nahri journey together across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mythical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, to Daevabad, the legendary city of brass. It’s a city steeped in magic and fire, where blood can be as dangerous as any spell; a city where old resentments run deep and the royal court rules with a tenuous grip; a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound—and where her very presence threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries. “An opulent masterpiece. Chakraborty’s debut is desire-soaked, intrigue-laced, and rife with so-delicious-you’ll-sink-your-teeth-into-it worldbuilding and equally mesmerizing characters. A must-read.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen “S. A. Chakraborty’s debut novel is an adventure that sweeps readers through the streets of Cairo and out into a spellbinding landscape of magic, warring clans, sacrifice, and betrayal. Each page reveals a new wonder. Con-woman Nahri, djinn warrior Dara, and the enchanted city that they--and we--are only just beginning to understand, are captivating. What an exciting ride!” - Fran Wilde, award-winning author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and Horizon “ The City of Brass immerses you in a magnificent and vivid world. It’s a thrilling adventure, brimming with fabulous magic, compelling characters, and wonderful intrigue. I can’t wait for book two!” - Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queen of Blood “A richly imagined, stunningly immersive book that takes you into a world of darkly alluring djinn and beguiling magic...Peopled with irresistible characters and steeped in the myths of the Middle East, The City of Brass is a dazzlingly inventive tale.” - Ausma Zehanat Khan, award–winning author of the Khattak/Getty mysteries and The Bloodprint “ The City of Brass is the best adult fantasy I’ve read since The Name of the Wind . It’s stunning and complex and consuming and fantastic. You must read it.” - Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes “Chakraborty writes a winning heroine in Nahri — flawed but smart and engaging. And her portrayal of the cultural conflicts in the magical city of Daevabad and of Ali’s inner turmoil is compelling and complex, serving as a strong counterpoint to the thrilling action.” - Washington Post “Even a few pages will enmesh you in its magic.” - Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author "I loved the protagonist, there was a nice cast of supporting characters, and the plot had some twists and turns that I did not see coming… Her style is vivid and colourful and very readable. The best thing, though, was the setting. Instead of drawing on the European Dark Ages and Middle Ages, Chakraborty evoked the flavours of the Middle East and ARABIAN KNIGHTS and the legends of the djinns. I enjoyed the novel hugely, and I just ordered the second and third books in the trilogy so I may continue the adventure." - George R.R. Martin “ The City of Brass is more than a promising debut — it beguiles all the way...Chakraborty’s research and imagination are equally strong, and she deftly sets up a rich world — and ample suspense — for the rest of this trilogy.” - Variety “Chakraborty combines the plot’s many surprises with vivid prose, and leavens the action with wry humor. There is enough material here—a feisty, independent lead searching for answers, reminiscent of Star Wars ’s Rey, and a richly imagined alternate world—to support a potential series.” - Publishers Weekly “ The City of Brass is a gorgeous epic as rich in its language as it is in characterization, and I can’t recommend it highly enough...There’s palace intrigue, simmering passions, plenty of magic, and a fascinating bestiary. Simply one of the best de