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The City of Brass

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The City of Brass

By: S. A. Chakraborty
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
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About this listen

Discover this spellbinding debut from Sunday Times bestseller S.A. Chakraborty.

‘An extravagant feast of a book – spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable’ Laini Taylor, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author

Among the bustling markets of eighteenth century Cairo, the city’s outcasts eke out a living swindling rich Ottoman nobles and foreign invaders alike.

But alongside this new world the old stories linger. Tales of djinn and spirits. Of cities hidden among the swirling sands of the desert, full of enchantment, desire and riches. Where magic pours down every street, hanging in the air like dust.

Many wish their lives could be filled with such wonder, but not Nahri. She knows the trades she uses to get by are just tricks and sleights of hand: there’s nothing magical about them. She only wishes to one day leave Cairo, but as the saying goes…

Be careful what you wish for.

©2018 S. A. Chakraborty (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fiction Historical Occult Fantasy Scary Ottoman Empire City Imperialism
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Critic reviews

" 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, New York Times best-selling author of An Ember in the Ashes)
"An extravagant feast of a book - spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable." (Laini Taylor, Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling author)
"A richly imagined, stunningly immersive book that takes you into a world. You will race to the end of this bold and brilliant debut." (Ausma Zehanat Khan, award-winning author of the The Bloodprint)

What listeners say about The City of Brass

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful epic fantasy

This was a wonderful fantasy drawing on the rich mythology of the Middle East. A very promising start to the trilogy.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastically imagined adventure

The narration of this book makes the reading experience much more accessible to the whole story. This is a layered and complex world which in a couple of sections can feel overwhelming. I highly recommend staying with the story though as you will soon become familiar with a strange vibrant world. It has beautifully described scenes and unique adventure. The characters are fully formed with conflict and heritage. It’s just brill.
If you’re a fan of Daughter of Smoke and Bone series you’re enjoy this!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story more than expected

Exciting, picturesque story telling. The first in a trilogy. Looking forward to the next two stories with great anticipation.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wonderful story

Really interesting tale and, for me at least, a breath of fresh air having fantasy based off a different culture than the usual elves and dwarves.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting setting but at times behaviour nonsensical

Nahri behaves in the most bizarre way a lot of the time.
It is an intriguing setting though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting concept of a magical world

Enjoyed the concept the setting the different characters were interesting each with their own motives for the politics in the book. Good narators and voice actors chosen.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good just not great

I liked the politics but it took me half the book to really understand all the different jinn terms, types and alliances. Whilst a good story and well written my main problem was that I didn’t massively connect with any of the main characters given their biased views and prejudices, therefore was less excited about who was going to win out.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Arabian Nights Style Beautifully Reimagined

Loved this first book for the totally different style to standard Fantasy fair and the thought gone into the world and story of the Djinn. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the characters and could not predict the plot. The narration was very well done though the American accent doesn't quite fit the world we're transported to and left me wondering how much more immersive it could have been. Overall the book surprised me and I was totally captured by the world and thoroughly recommend it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Engaging, entertaining and enticingly good.

Once I settled into the narration I was completely enthralled.

The characters are vivid, their dynamics engaging and entertaining. I particularly liked the contrasts of good an evil mixed with the ambiguousness of doing the right thing.

The story is extremely interesting and has such depth. There was never a dull moment and I was thoroughly engaged. The end leaving me desperate to begin the next book. I’m so happy I don’t have to wait.

Overall I enjoyed the narration. I did up the speed to get a pace that was suitable for me and I did have to replay a few bits to understand certain parts as the words were not spoken clearly but all in all is was very well done.

I have heard many good things about this series and I’m ever so pleased that this book has lived up to the hype.

I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

So much potential but failed to deliver

I'm still in two minds about this book. It took so long to get anywhere and by the time it did the book finished, I wanted to give up around a third to half way through but persisted. By the end it set up to be a good story but by that time I'm not sure I want to Devote any more time to it, so not sure if I'll read the next book especially if it follows the same arch and takes forever to get any where. Had the potential to be a really good epic but for me fell short

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1 person found this helpful