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.

The final chapter in the Daevabad Trilogy will not disappoint for lovers of the first two installments of this series.  Coming in a whopping 750 pages, this story is full of adventure, magic, deception, romance and nail biting suspense. Nahid and Ali face their past and families to find their destinies.  Nahid dreams of a quiet life with no politics where she can heal her people. Ali faces his fears, learns of his true family heritage, and learns to unite all people and beings in the hostile world of Daevabad.  Both their journeys lead them to understand each other and to learn to trust one another; to find love.

This story was epic and each character touched my heart.  They will be missed but their adventures inspired me to be more than I can be.

I came into this book having no expectations, having not read the first two books in this series.  I have heard nothing but great things about the author, S. A. Chakraborty and I believe I checked City of Brass out from my local library but didn't get to it in time (I am a sucker for a "City of" book from any author).  I was intrigued since this is the last book in the series, but I also wanted to know more about the characters as I went in.  Through my research, I found that the first two books were incredibly well reviewed and I got the gist of the major plot points, etc. along the way.  I also used the author's website for a crash course in the world of Daevabad and it was incredibly helpful!

Although goodreads lists the page count as 400, this is a red herring.  This book is a tome at around 800ish pages.  I'm not complaining, because the pacing was just right, a credit to the author, their beta readers, and all of those involved in the writing/editing process.  The relationships are complex and the characters have a depth that is incredibly hard to achieve, even through three books.  You can tell this is a well crafted book by the way the reader (me, in this case) felt the triumphs, the conflicts, the exact emotions with the characters.  I was absolutely engrossed in this book and it's many players.  

The setting warms my heart, we need more novels set in a fictionalized, but with some elements of the real thing, magical West Asia/North Africa!  This was such an interesting setting for a book series.  Let's get more representation for cultural elements from this region!  I will be picking up physical copies of these books for my collection and for a good, thorough read/re-read!

I received a galley copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This was truly beautifully written and incredibly compelling. This is a world I would love to explore further.

I received an eARC of this book, so I didn't realize right away what a DOORSTOPPER this thing is. At over 750 pages, it took me a while to move through it...but honestly it was all to the good because I just didn't want it to end! 

The final pages of The Kingdom of Copper left Daevabad in tatters, with more than one prominent character dead after the Nahid uprising led by Banu Manizheh against the Geziris. Empire of Gold thrusts us right back where we left off...incidentally, you may want to take advantage of these last few weeks and reread the preceding if you haven't done so already--I found myself forgetting quite how much had happened in that last climactic battle! 

After poisoning most of the Geziris in Daevabad, Banu Manizheh has reclaimed the city with the help of the ifrit and her loyal Afshin, Darayavahoush--but all has not gone to plan. Not only did some of the Geziris manage to escape the bloodbath (including a few important players), but magic has also fled the city. Only Dara, with his ifrit curse, seems to have retained any ability. This poses a challenge to the band of usurpers struggling to unite the Daevas under the banner of the Nahid once more.

Meanwhile, Nahri has dragged Ali, now in possession of Suleiman's Seal, on a desperate magical flight from the city only to turn up in...Egypt. The two have seemingly been expelled from the magical world and are themselves without powers as well. Almost. Just as Dara's ifrit magic still works, so, too, does Ali's lingering gift from the marid. Water demon magic is not much to work with in the middle of this nonmagical desert land--but the smoothest con artist in Cairo has never depended on magic to survive, and soon Nahri catches up with characters from her past, giving her and Ali a little time to rest and plot their next move. 

Of course neither are content resting in relative safety knowing the dangers Daevabad is facing, and so it isn't long before they begin making their way back to the mystic city by boat, leveraging Ali's marid abilities to travel quickly along the Nile. Unfortunately, word of their flight from Daevabad has traveled much further than expected, and soon more than one overly interested party is tailing the two fugitives, many of whom willing to go to great lengths to ensure the pair never make it to the Daeva city.

I won't give away anything about the ending, but what I will say is that--while I did not get the ending I'd been hoping for--Chakraborty delivers a finale that is stunning, both completely inevitable and fully satisfying, and will leave readers drowning in all the feels for a long time to come. (I may have cried.)

I loved everything about this. S. A. Chakraborty's writing is flawless, and even though the book is long, the pace still feels quick. Each character meets a satisfying end, or we can at least see the promise of one, though of course not all those endings are cheery. No threads are left untied. The previous two books of the Daevabad trilogy had put this series in my top five of the past five years, and I'm so pleased that Empire of Gold not only proves a fitting end to a stellar series, but quite honestly blows the other two right out of the water! I anticipate this trilogy will stay high on my list of favorites for a long time and I hope they release a box set soon.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the Advance Reader’s Edition!
I loved the first two books in this trilogy and was so excited (and a little sad) to read the final book. At 764 pages, I devoured it in just a few days. What a wonderful conclusion to an amazing series! So many twists and turns I didn’t expect- yet so satisfying. The fantasy world and characters Chakraborty has created are so rich and well-developed. I highly recommend the Daevabad Trilogy!

Amazing end to a wonderful trilogy. I loved this one and thought the author did a great job. Cool cultural significance and I can’t wait to see more!

I received an electronic advanced read copy from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for my review. 

Empire of Gold is a satisfying conclusion to the Daevabad Trilogy, which I highly recommend. The Daevabad Trilogy is an epic fantasy set in a magical world inspired by Middle Eastern folklore. It follows the paths of Nahri, a woman who grew up in 18th century Cairo with inexplicable healing powers; Ali, a reckless young prince with strong religious convictions; and Dara, a centuries-old afshin whose infamous role in historical events color reactions to and expectations of him in the present. In City of Brass Nahri cannot escape the supernatural events that drag her into the magical city of Daevabad, where she becomes enmeshed in the political intrigue stretching back to the city’s foundation. The tension breaks in Kingdom of Copper when Manizeh, the Nahid healer thought to be dead, overthrows the Qahtani regime by unleashing a deadly poison. In Empire of Gold Nahri and Ali must find a way to restore magic and peace to the tribes while navigating romantic entanglements, oppressive social structures, and the individual interests of all they encounter. The worldbuilding is complex and immersive, and the protagonists are mostly compelling and multidimensional. 

*****************This remainder of this review contains spoilers.*****************

Resolution
I especially appreciated that the novel nicely tied up any remaining questions about the marid, Deavabad’s history, and especially Nahri’s origins. Once her father’s identity was revealed, it becomes clear that the backbone for this revelation had been laid in the first two novels, when we saw how the palace’s orange grove responded to her and in the subtle kindness shown by the Egyptian cook. I also liked that Nahri and Ali’s relationship came to a promising start given her ongoing trust issues and his moral resolve. I would have loved something more concrete, but it wouldn’t have been right for these characters. I only wish other key aspects of the story had been treated with the same level of attention to detail and careful construction.

Issues
My greatest complaint relates to Dara throughout the novel. While I appreciate the justice in his decision to dedicate his life to locating the vessels scattered by Visaresh, I found his decision to continue to live during the earlier battle incongruent with the emphasis on how broken his spirit was, especially after Manizeh enslaved him. In general, I think too much of Dara’s thoughts were revealed directly rather than through dialogue or actions. The term “shattered” was used at least once in probably every section from his perspective, to the point that it became a nuisance. Hopefully that will be cleaned up in editing! Nevertheless, that Dara not only mustered the will to live at the last moment but also managed to trick Manizeh was a stretch for me after the buildup. Despite his tragic backstory, Dara mostly falls flat throughout the series, with his only real growth coming at the very end.  

Similarly, the peris and blood magic seemed to be used as plot devices rather than as figures and abilities that are well-integrated into the novel. The peris do have a small role in the first novel, but I would have liked more continuity or buildup of their participation--or at least to have learned more about their motives or past actions over time. Then again, maybe the peris’ role is intended to seem arbitrary to emphasize the unjust nature of their interference. In terms of blood magic, the nature of the ifrits’ magic has been skirted around until the point that Manizeh learns it, and suddenly everyone understands what blood magic is. 

Monstrous Motherhood
Maternal affection is a major driving force throughout the novel and it can be consistently associated with monstrous qualities, perhaps speaking more to cultural perceptions and literary tradition than to any designs on the author’s part. Nevertheless, it makes for an interesting study. Manizeh’s increasingly desperate attempts to be reunited with Jamshid eventually lead her to murder scores of her own people and to enslave Dara. To a lesser degree, Hatset also prioritizes her children’s well-being over doing what’s best for the kingdom. Tiamat, “the great ocean itself, an abyss of chaos and creation, […] the mother of the marid,” is the physical embodiment of a monstrous being, who derives pleasure from chaos and violence. Finally, even Nahri’s shafit mother allies with a fearsome marid to protect her daughter.

To start things off, I didn’t realize this was book III of the The Daevabad Trilogy series and for obvious reasons, this wouldn’t be considered a standalone. From page one I was completely lost as to who the characters were. There were no author notes nor disclaimer stating this, and due to me being unaware of this it was a no-brainer that I decided to drop this later to pick it back up later once reading the earlier installments. From what I have read so far, “The Empire of Gold” seems like a promising read and I look forward to re-reading this back again in the future.