Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager, I have had the pleasure of reading this ahead of its release (kinda). Frankly, I would have cried had I not had the third book in hand when I finished the second one. It’s that kind of cliffhanger. Anyway! Onto the last book in the series! I've always liked Hatset, Ali's mother, for her fierce love and protectiveness toward her children. In fact, I've always liked all of Ali's family (minus his murderous father). Zaynab and Muntadhir play minor roles but strong roles. Empire of Gold’, despite suffering in the end, from a generic storyline, some under-developed and clichéd characters, one particularly unconvincing relationship and some all too convenient plot points, is an enjoyable climax to a solid debut series that a lot of people are going to love… Ha! I said enjoyable climax. The City of Brassreads like an invitation for readers from Baghdad to Fairbanks to meet across impossibly divergent worlds through the shared language and images of the fantastical.”— New York Times Book Review She also takes issue with what is a frequent trope in YA medieval fantasy, monarchies that rule for centuries undisturbed. Oh, this kingdom was eight hundred years. There’s no kingdoms that lasted for eight hundred years. There’s this one stable ruling family? I think we should pull that apart a bit. - from the Fantasy Inn interviewAnd the notion that a rightful heir is ordained by a higher power and will rule wisely if only he or she can assume their rightful place. Medieval? For sure. Sane? Not at all.

Lee, Sun-min (27 June 2013). "Promoting Empire of Gold". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013 . Retrieved 28 June 2013. {{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL ( link)I continue to be impressed with the worldbuilding in this series. By the time I started reading this book, I was already so wrapped up in Daevabad's political powerplays & the ever heightening stakes. Then this book takes us on a longer trip through the magical world outside of Daevabad. It was fascinating to finally learn more about the marid & their connection to Ali. Chakraborty painted such a vivid picture of the djinn world, interwoven with real bits of Arabic cultures. This is the best kind of fantasy world. It draws you in with broad strokes but before long you find that you have absorbed even the most minute of details. I was easily able to picture the stunning, vibrant settings of this book within my mind. Daevabad & the rest of the magical world will stay with me long after my completion of this series, in the best way possible.

But for those who haven’t had the opportunity yet, I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking this is a series of just beautiful magic set in a far away place. Though the characters are powerful djinn, the setting an enchanted city, at the center of the story is revenge and violence, passed down through the generations. Pain and grudges are inherited, just like their powers, and it can be a difficult cycle to break out of. Right now, though, we’re here to talk about the finale of this story, and I loved it. Perhaps even more importantly, I was satisfied by it. Sometimes endings can feel too wrapped up in a neat little bow and, while a part of me might argue that quite a few characters ended up a lot safer than I expected, there’s no denying that Chakraborty puts her characters through the ringer. Everything in this novel, both good and bad, felt earned, and there’s nothing more satisfying than that in a series finale. Dara’s arc is one of redemption and it was, quite unbelievably, my favourite. It is grim! Oh baby, it is dark, that poor son of a bitch! He is struggling with the aftermath of Manizeh’s campaign of genocide against the Geziri people of Daevabad. He is seeing a change in Manizeh and finally grows some balls and begins to openly question some of her decisions. This doesn’t end well for him but that’s beside the point.As a devout Muslim going on Hajj was very important to him, so in 1324, he travelled on a pilgrimage to Mecca with 60,000 men, some of whom were enslaved. They carried gold and other riches, some of which was distributed to the poor along the route. So much gold was traded and donated that it caused the price of gold to collapse in Cairo and other cities. There's a scene at the start, an SAS battle 10 years previous, that only fits in some time later when two of Eddie Chase's former colleagues show up, and one has switched sides. To make the long story short; this drama isn’t directed for everyone but one thing’s for sure, it’s unlike other same-plot dramas since there are no cheesy moments, weak characters or shallow acting. This is a high class screenwriting that’s very rare to find in Korean or Asian dramas in general.

But I felt so likely because I already invested in this series for so long and after the cliffhanger of second book, I was really curious about the story’s progression so I want to yell at myself to have second thoughts to start this one. So I grabbed it. It already glued to my hands, my mind, my heart and to my soul. Here we go! Let’s get lost in the story inspired by Arabian nights! As always, my favorite part of any book is the characters. Nahri and Ali were great. I admit, I never really loved Ali until this book. I thought him alright in book one. I liked him in book two. But boy, does Ali shine in this novel. He was just too precious for this world. Nahri too was as always an interesting character and I really enjoyed watching her journey after having her world come crashing down so many times. Filming began May 14, 2013 at a restaurant and traditional market in Incheon, South Korea. The first scene filmed involved Jang Tae-Joo ( Ko Soo) and his younger sister Jang Hee-Joo ( Yoon Seung-Ah) buying a t-shirt for their father and eating pork cutlet together.

Other recaps for this series:

As the novel begins, Nahri and Ali have been swept away to Egypt, while Daevabad has fallen to Manizheh and her loyal enforcer, Dara. Though our heroes are tempted to completely leave their old lives behind, they ultimately return to reclaim the city from the increasingly-tyrannical Manizheh, who has led the city to the brink of collapse. By the end of the novel, Nahri and Ali are poised to embark on a romance (we hope), as Dara sets out to recapture the souls of those who have been kidnapped by one of the villainous and bloodthirsty ifrits. The me 10 years ago loved them, the love story, the adventure and excitement, the character development, the villains - it all hooked me, and I couldn't put the books down. The now me just felt it was the same story, different relic, and I have a hugely long 'to read' list of other books I'm more excited about and enjoying more. Jang Tae-joo comes from nothing, and his ambition is fuelled after witnessing the misfortunes of his poor hardworking father. After their father dies, Tae-joo, along with his mother, raises his little sister Hee-joo on his own, and fights tooth and nail to rise to the top relying on his cunning wits. Smart, passionate, and driven, he endures contempt and humiliation as he works relentlessly towards his dreams of success and wealth. But betrayal and exploitation gradually turn him into a cold-hearted, ruthless mogule. He marries Seo-yoon, although he loves Seol-hee. While Ali is speaking to Ghassan, Kaveh steps in with a crying woman. She says her husband has been killed outside the hospital, and there are now riots and fights between the shafit and the Daevas. This novel did what many of the novels I love most do: it made me nostalgic. That makes no real sense when stories like this aren’t hugely similar to the stories I grew up with. This series is much more Arabian Nights than Grimm’s Fairy Tales and I was more familiar with the latter as a child, but The Empire of Gold had the same sense of adventure and journeying and doing what’s right over what’s easy that I’ve always loved in my stories. Add to that its focus on history and politics and this is a winner for me.

I didn’t dislike this book. I think that’s important to say right off the bat. In fact, I still generally really like this entire series. The problem, however, is that for the first time, I’m starting to see the same things cycle through thematically and plot wise, and it’s starting to get a little tiresome. This series is starting to skirt that really dangerous line that longer series often fall prey too, and I’m really hoping the next veers away sharply. And all the characters meet along the way are just as interesting. I would have wanted more of Sobek and the other marid and ifrits if only because their histories are so fascinating.Set over a period of 20 years from the 1990's, "Golden Empire" follows a family as the family members vie for the top position. Speaking of relationships, I wish Muntadhir and Jamshid got a better more clear ending than the one we got, while I understand that they were clearly secondary characters and got a better ending than I could have hoped for, my greedy heart still wants more. As far as Al-Qahtani siblings are concerned, oh, goodness, what a brilliant trio they make! I loved their growth as a whole and just…so many feels! On his return from Mecca, Musa invited many scholars and architects to travel home with him, bringing their great minds to Mali's cities. He built many great libraries, mosques and palaces across the empire. There were more than 400 cities in the Niger Delta. Timbuktu became the heart of his empire, the centre of trade and culture. News of wealth and learning spread far and wide. Traders and scholars from Europe, the Middle East and Africa came to live in Mali. Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid, the unpredictable water spirits, have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried. Update 22/7/20. Removing half a star. With a bit of time to reflect, I definitely preferred the second book and can't justify giving this one the same rating