S.A. Chakraborty Books in Order: Daevabad Trilogy Reading Guide
Author of the Daevabad Trilogy — epic fantasy rooted in Islamic mythology, Arabian Nights tradition, and the political history of the early Islamic world.
About S.A. Chakraborty
S.A. Chakraborty came to fantasy writing through a deep self-taught interest in Islamic history, and the Daevabad Trilogy is the direct product of that scholarship. The series stands apart from the wave of Western-mythology fantasy that dominates the genre: Chakraborty builds her world from the actual theological and political conflicts of the early Islamic world, drawing on the traditions of djinn, ifrits, and the magical geography described in pre-Islamic and Islamic literature. What makes the trilogy exceptional is that the mythology never feels like decoration — it's structural, load-bearing, the reason the characters' conflicts have the specific texture they do. Her protagonist, Nahri, is one of fantasy's sharpest pragmatists: a survivor who approaches her impossible situation with calculation and adaptability rather than prophecy or chosen-one destiny. The full trilogy is published and the conclusion delivers.
Where to Start: The City of Brass
Start with The City of Brass — it's the entry point to the trilogy and the world. Unlike some series where later entries are considered stronger, the Daevabad Trilogy builds steadily throughout: The City of Brass establishes the world and characters, The Kingdom of Copperdeepens the politics, and The Empire of Gold delivers the payoff. All three are required reading for the full experience.
S.A. Chakraborty Books in Order
The Daevabad Trilogy
A complete trilogy rooted in Islamic mythology and the history of the early Islamic world.
- 1
The City of Brass
Daevabad Trilogy, Book 1
Nahri, a street con artist in 18th-century Cairo, accidentally summons a djinn warrior named Dara while performing a fake exorcism. The summoning reveals a heritage she never knew — and drags her to Daevabad, the legendary brass city, where every faction has a reason to want her dead. An immersive entry point rich with mythology and political intrigue.
Note: Start here. A strong self-contained story that sets up the larger trilogy.
- 2
The Kingdom of Copper
Daevabad Trilogy, Book 2
Five years after the first book, Daevabad simmers under an uneasy peace. Nahri navigates palace politics while Dara and Prince Ali pursue their own paths — all converging toward a reckoning. Chakraborty expands her cast and deepens her political world considerably.
- 3
The Empire of Gold
Daevabad Trilogy, Book 3
The trilogy's conclusion brings together every thread from the first two books for a final reckoning over the fate of Daevabad. Chakraborty delivers a satisfying ending that honours the complexity of every character's arc.
If You Like S.A. Chakraborty, Try:
Both authors draw on non-Western folklore traditions with the same level of genuine cultural immersion. If the Winternight Trilogy's Russian folklore drew you in, Chakraborty's Islamic mythology world-building offers a similar depth.
Miller's Circe and The Song of Achilles demonstrate the same instinct for mythology-rooted literary fantasy — treating ancient source material with genuine seriousness while telling wholly original stories.
Jemisin's willingness to build completely original cosmologies from non-Western traditions, paired with morally complex characters, will appeal to readers drawn to Chakraborty's world-building ambition.
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