I’ve recently acquired the Netgalley app on my phone, enabling me to listen to audiobook arcs and so far it’s been a success. I recall reading this Sand and Sorcery trilogy with great fondness – read my reviews of The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold – so when I saw that Chakraborty had released an audiobook of stories based in that world, I jumped at the opportunity to tuck into this offering.
BLURB: A prospective new queen joins a court whose lethal history may overwhelm her own political savvy…
An imprisoned royal from a fallen dynasty and a young woman wrenched from her home cross paths in an enchanted garden…
A pair of scouts stumble upon a secret in a cursed winter wood that will turn over their world…
Now together in one place, these stories of Daevabad enrich a world already teeming with magic and wonder. From Manizheh’s first steps towards rebellion to adventures that take place after The Empire of Gold, this is a must-have collection for those who can’t get enough of Nahri, Ali, and Dara and all that unfolded around them.
REVIEW: This collection of shorter tales showcases Chakraborty’s writing chops. It takes more technical skill to craft a successful short story than a novel, because there is less time to pull the reader into your world. And while in a novel-length work, the three pillars of strong storytelling – setting, plot and characterisation – don’t always have to be perfectly balanced, or even fully realised, that isn’t the case when writing shorter fiction.
It doesn’t hurt to have an accomplished narrator, like Soneela Nankani to bring these stories to life. To the extent that I had to make several starts before I could get through the first very emotional story, which had me in bits. Before each story, Nankani announces whereabouts within the trilogy the events take place and whether it provides a spoiler or not. This useful addition makes the collection an ideal companion read alongside the trilogy, providing extra insights into all the main characters who feature, along with interesting backstories that may have been mentioned within the main trilogy, but now are fully fleshed out.
I think that first wrenching story is my favourite – and it also provides a poignant insight into the suffering of a character whose subsequent anger has a profound effect on Daevabad. More than anything, this collection reminded me all over again just how the enmity within the city affects the main characters and what a claustrophobic, hurtful place it has become. Highly recommended for fans of the Daevabad Trilogy – and it is also worth reading alongside the series, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of immersing yourself in this classy sand and sorcery adventure. While I obtained an audiobook arc of The River of Silver from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
Brainfluff 
I’ve never tried the NetGalley app, and I’m not sure why, it sounds very convenient! Glad you loved this collection.😁
Thank you, Tammy:). I can’t believe how easy it is to use the app on my phone – FAR easier than loading an arc onto my Kindle!
Even though I’ve had City of Brass on my TBR for a while, I still have to start reading it, but it’s great to know there are some corner-filling stories that will make the journey even more interesting! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome, Maddalena:). I’m not sure if I would have gone for this one if it hadn’t been available as an audiobook – but I’m very glad I did.
I was hesitant whether to read the trilogy, so maybe I should start with the short stories instead. If I enjoy them, I could advance to the novels. Or should definitely I read them first?
No… I don’t recommend that you read these stories, first. They really are more of a companion read, or at least a collection to pick up after you’ve read the first book. The author writes with the assumption that you already know the world, I think.
Thank you. I guess I’ll give the author a pass for now then. Maybe it’s not the time for me to meet these books yet. 🙂
That sounds like it might be the way to go, right now:)). There are a host of authors that I’ve enjoyed in the past whom I won’t go near, right now.