I love everything about this series and this collection of short stories is just the cherry on top! Reading these tales and these characters only makes me want to go back and start the series all over again. I feel like I should write S.A. Chakraborty a personal Thank You Letter for taking us back to the magical world of Daevabad in The River of Silver.

This is the perfect companion piece to the trilogy. Not only did she give us more content for what comes next for Ali and Nahri, Jamshid and Muntadhir, Dara, and Zaynab, but also what happened in the past or even scenes taken out from the trilogy timeline. Chakraborty writes a brief intro to this collection saying that writing these stories not only helped her flush out our beloved characters, but it also helped her cope with isolation during the pandemic and figure out what her next step is as an author.

The writing does not disappoint and has zero flaws. We experience the same kind of mystical imagery that we saw in the main books. There were several points while reading this where I had a huge grin on my face because the writing is *chef's kiss.* The pacing and the timing is executed well, and she gives us a good balance of characters to read.

This book should definitely be read after reading the The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, and The Empire of Gold as there are many spoilers. And I think it would be downright confusing trying to read this book first because the world of Daevabad is so complex.

If you're like me and loved The City of Brass series, then you'll love The River of Silver.

*I received an eARC copy of this book from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

I was over the moon to read this book.  The Daevabed trilogy is the crème de la crème of fantasy trilogies IMO and The River of Silver is the cherry on top.  You’ll obviously want to read the trilogy first, starting with City of Brass.  The River of Silver is a collection of short stories that take place before, during, and after with an alternate epilogue even.  It was exciting to get a glimpse at some of the characters we didn’t hear from previously but obviously my favorite part was seeing/hearing from my favorites like Nahri and of course Muntadhir/Jamshid (I could read a book on those two alone).  I did really enjoy the Duriya and Rustam POV.  I thought the last chapter from Nahri with Ali could have been included in the original story.  Ali transformed from one of my least favorite characters of the series to quite possibly my favorite, that’s how talented Chakraborty is.

Anyway, overall if you’re a fan of the series you’ll enjoy this collection.

Thanks Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's been such a delight to return to Daevabad and to get some stories in the perspective of other characters! This is a nice little collection of short stories (including the alternate epilogue that was in the Empire of Gold paperback) and it was a pleasure to get some more time with these characters.

Manizheh

I am enjoying these short stories much more than the mediocre conclusion we got in The Empire of Gold. Maybe I'll reread. Maybe not.

I feel for Manizheh in this story, until I remember all of the horrors she inflicts on Nahri. Just because you were badly treated doesn't mean you should badly treat others. Life lessons.

Duriya

I had forgotten this was Nahri's mother. Rustam has so few joys in life. I'm glad he found this one.

I love all of the Egyptian and Muslim rep in this series. We need more diverse books.

Hatset

We finally get to learn more about Ali and Zaynab's mother. I've always been curious. The Ayaanle are a force to be reckoned with.

Muntadhir

My favorite brother is Ali, even if he is a little too attached to his faith.

Muntadhir is the epitome of a fuckboi. No one wants that. I mean, obviously, someone wants that. But not me.

Jamshid

This boy is so cringe. No, I will not call him a man.

Dara

The older I get, the cringier I find Immortal Man/Teenage Girl relationships. That's not a relationship. It's creepy.

Jamshid

I am all about Middle Eastern LGBTQIA+ rep, but both Jamshid and Muntadhir are so cringe. And no, I cannot and will not stop saying cringe. It is what it is.

Ali

The one I've liked the least, and it was still good.

I ship Ali/Nahri, but he really should've married that girl. And built some alliances. Heartbreak helps nobody.

I still don't understand the Marid storyline, but I guess that doesn't matter.

The Scout

Here's a thought. Don't rape women. Profound.

Nahri

Muntadhir is unexpectedly kind. I still don't ship him with Nahri. I'm not sure I ship him with anyone.

Ali

Ali is growing a garden for Nahri. My eyes are crying.

Zaynab

Zaynab really comes into her own here. I had forgotten all that happened with the hospital. I need to reread the original series.

Muntadhir

Burn that wedding contract!

For the first time in my life, I am not annoyed at Jamshid. Growth. For him? For me? Who knows?

An Alternative Epilogue to The Empire of Gold

Uninterested in Dara's travels, but would love to hear more about Zaynab.

Nahri

This scene is not an extra. It needs to be added to the original.

This book had everything I wanted from it: an engaging collection of legends, all engaging in their own right! It reminded me so much of Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo, which is one of my favorite short story collections! I think this is definitely worth the read if this series was one of your favorites like it is mine.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!!

I was so excited to receive this copy of stories from the world of my favorite trilogy,  The Daevabad series.   This begins with stories several years before the first book and ends with an alternate epilogue and a last story a year after the last book.  Some do not contain spoilers but most do so I would definitely recommend reading the series first if you haven't already, but, of course,  that's just my opinion so please do as you wish my friends. 

This was utterly delightful and emotional and just everything.  I feel like so many questions were answered for me that I didn't even realize I needed to know.  I cannot recommend this enough and I also cannot recommend the whole series enough either!

Out October 11, 2022!

I just love these books and characters so much😭 I haven’t read the other books but now I HAVE to. So happy for netgalley giving me the chance to review this book😊

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment reading this book! Since finishing the Daevabad trilogy recently, I've been eagerly waiting for more!

And this book certainly did not disappoint! With all-new insights into belived characters, as well as some scenes that simoly didn't fit into the originals, Chakraborty has given fans what we truly wanted. More.

I especially appreciated all the sections dedicated to Jamshid (undeniably my favorite character, thank you very much). But there are also characters we never got to know, as well as *ahem* villains we didn't care to.

Huge debt of gratitude to Chakraborty and team for this incredible gift.

The River of Silver felt like a song coming on that you listened to endlessly on repeat a few years ago, and when it comes back on it just makes you feel warm and glowy like "yeah... I really love this some and that time." It has been a few years since I read the Daevabad series and I absolutely adored those books so it was so satisfying to be back in Daeva with these characters again. 

The only downside was that I wish I either had this book when I read the trilogy or had been smart enough to re-read the trilogy before starting this. Shannon adds little context blurbs at the beginning of each chapter but there were so many moments I needed to google a character name or wish I could have truly understood the context of where this side story took place. I am super excited for new fans to have this for their inevitable Daeva book-hangover and to one day re-read all four books again!

Thank you, NetGalley for the E-Arc!
I it was so excited for this book as I absolutely love to be original trilogy. I think it was really creative to not do a prequel or sequel but have kind of a short story mixture. I think that's really different and creative and I really enjoyed reading it. I also love that we got to see a lot of characters from the original trilogy. I think this was a great continuation and I hope other authors will try out this format as opposed to the standard prequel or sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I was so excited to jump back into this world and these characters.  I really enjoyed this read, it was a wonderful step back home into a series I loved.  This  is beautifully written and a great and necessary read if you already loved the series.

This chronological collection of 15 stories made me fall in love with The Daevabad world all over again!! SAC has taken the characters that had played a small yet impactful part in the original trilogy and wrote them all into a story collection. Reading this book first will spoil the trilogy, so I advice to read this after. Not all stories are spoilers tho, SAC has included notes of how the stories came to be and if they are spoilers. But I assure you’ll enjoy this more if you read it after reading the trilogy. The world-building is just as beautiful and exciting. I can see myself rereading this collection in the future! SAC is a wonderful writer, I solemnly swear I will read anything she writes. 

Thank you Harper Voyager via Netgalley for the arc.

Ironically, I recently picked up The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty for the exact reason the author wrote the book; I was going through personal issues and I needed some familiarity in my life. Like Chakraborty, I was excited to revisit a world I already knew and loved. The River of Silver turned out to be the exact mixture of comfort and adventure that I needed!

The book is an anthology of short stories that take place in the same world as Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy. There are stories for many of the characters we all know and love, that span a huge time period, from before the other novels to after them. It also included an alternative ending to The Empire of Gold.

Once again, I find myself at a loss for words to adequately describe the immense talent that Chakraborty so clearly has in abundance! I love that she decided to revisit this world and expand on so many of her characters. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t feel as connected to this book since the stories follow quite a few different characters, but that worry was completely unfounded. I ended up loving that I got a deeper look into the histories and lives of characters I already knew, especially Hatset’s and Rustam’s stories.

My favorite part of the book is that it is so immersive just like Chakraborty’s other books. I truly felt like I was in Daevabad while reading, and that feeling of escaping reality is indescribable. Likewise, I have only found a handful of authors who have this uncanny ability to fully transport their readers to another world.

Chakraborty has a solid place among my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to read The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi when it comes out next year!

I loved this book so much!! It was so wonderful to be back in Daevabad again and to hear more stories from this world. This series has one of the most beautiful, magical, and representative worlds I’ve read in any fantasy novel. I loved the combination of history and magic and found it very well executed. 

So glad I got an arc for this!!

If you're looking for a reason to read, or re-read, the Daevabad trilogy, this is it. Chakraborty has brought some of the minor characters to the forefront in this chronological collection of stories (with careful spoiler warnings). Vivid descriptions and smart dialogue make for a very enjoyable read while we wait for her next project. I'm falling in love with these characters all over again! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for early access to this review copy.

Oh to go back to Daevabad and revisit secrets and details about beloved characters in this 256 page book of tales and side notes, was a wonderful treat.  It read to me like deleted scenes from a favorite movie being watched years after the last viewing of the original.  I recalled a lot, but had forgotten quite a bit too, as I read more detailed accounts of Muntadhir and Jamshid's romance and Zaynab's transition to rebel leader.  The cover of the arc I received says "A Novel," so I was really confused, but once I read the author's note and Googled to see that more final copies said, "Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy," I settled in and was swept away.  I would suggest this for more mature readers than the YA I felt could enjoy City of Brass, as there is a lot more relationship threads and when not interspersed with other plot points, it reads a lot more romance focused. I would also suggest that you have read the trilogy recently to fully enjoy the extra tidbits shared in this compellation.  Each chapter is shared chronologically and tells what spoilers are contained and for what book.  I don't know that if you hadn't read all three of the books, this book would make much sense, but the heads up does allow the reader to place the information and see how it would affect and "spoil" the story. #islamicschoollibrarian #muslimauthor #muslimcharacters #2022 #dayoffdeliberations

This is a collection of 15 stories, including an alternate epilogue, set in the Daevabad universe. Chakraborty has a forward explaining how the collection came about (writer's block during Covid) and includes information at the start of each story stating when in the timeline that scene takes place. She also says if the book contains spoilers for the series and which book it would spoil, but in my opinion this is best read after reading the whole trilogy.

Most of these stories follow prominent side characters, including several about Muntadhir, Jamshid, and Zaynab who are my some of my favorite characters in the series. We get some stories about Nahri, Ali, and Dara as well, and a few new characters. Overall, I loved being back in this world again. These stories added more depth to the world building in some cases and in others showed us different views of major events in the trilogy. 

While I'm not sure how necessary this book was, especially given that most of these stories were previously available for free on the author's website, I had a good time reading it and would recommend it to fans of the series.

I finished reading The Empire of Gold in July. I honestly didn’t even know The River of Silver was coming out until I saw it on Netgalley. Immediately I requested it and was thrilled to have received it! Since The Empire of Gold was published in June of 2020, I can’t imagine how excited those who read that book when it came out will be to pick up this book and continue the story. For me, it was easy to fall right back into this world because I had just finished the third book. If it’s been a while since you’ve read The Empire of Gold, you may want to refresh your memory of its characters and plot. I loved this book because it allowed me to see glimpses into other characters’ points of view during the trilogy. It also gave me some insightful background and finally an epilogue of certain characters I longed for. I gave this book 4.5 stars.
For full review and book flatlay see blog post.

A perfect anthology, in my mind, has a constant throughline tying the stories together. There’s some kind of overlying theme or ending story that makes the work as a whole cohesive - beyond just the world it’s set in. The River of Silver, while revisiting the lush world of the Daevabad trilogy, reads much less like an anthology and much more like a collection of chapters S.A. Chakraborty couldn’t find a way to slot into the main storyline of the series and still wanted to publish. Each short story is completely independent of each other and follow no sense of order or timeline - some containing spoilers for the entire series and some that can be read even before the first book. Which is puzzling, because there’s definitely not enough “meat” in each story to guarantee a new reader to the series would enjoy any one of them without a fair amount of background information. 

I’m a shameless Jamshid fan, and come away from this book aware that I would have much preferred a full novella that focused solely on him than these short, completely disconnected short stories spanning centuries. This anthology is for the superfans of the series, the readers that want every bit of additional exposure to the world and each of the characters now that the trilogy has concluded. As a casual enjoyer of the series I find myself not necessarily disappointed that these little tidbits didn’t blow me away. But I’m not sure I’ll remember them beyond a passing thought of “oh that’s some interesting new context.” 

In the end, if this was S.A. Chakraborty’s way of formally sharing with the world scenes she never managed to work into the final published Daevabad trilogy - I’m sure it was a cathartic and fulfilling experience to release. It’s nothing close to my personal idea of a structurally sound anthology, but I’m still going to read anything else she releases. I just think her writing and attention to character detail shines more in her 500+ page tomes where she has the time to really illustrate the complexity of her vision. These kinds of short, disconnected random collections of stories aren’t really the pieces to a cohesive anthology, but stories I’m sure fans of the series will resonate with them nonetheless. 

Thank you to the publisher Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

I *cherished* the Daevabad trilogy when I finished it. It is going to be one of those book series that I will read for the rest of my life. I thought I had the closure I needed, but River of Silver was just so much fun. I love that we got to spend more time with side characters, even though I love Ali and Nahri and Dara. I was most happy to see more from Jamshid and Muntadhir and of course Manizheh. If you loved the Daevabad trilogy, you will not regret picking this one up.