Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty (spoilery thoughts)

 


“Can we delay bloodshed for at least a few days? I didn't cross a cursed lake in a giant wooden bowl so I could be beheaded for treason before I had a chance to sample some royal cuisine."

"That's not the punishment for treason," Ali murmured.

"What's the punishment for treason then?"

"Being trampled to death by a karkadann."

Lubayd paled and this time, Ali knew it wasn't due to seasickness. "Oh," he choked out. "Don't you come from an inventive family?”


First Line:  "Alizayd al Qahtani didn't make a month with his caravan."

The second book in the Daevabad middle Eastern fantasy series is from the point of view of 3 main characters: Ali, Nahri (Banu Nahri e-Nahid) and Dara (Darayavahoush - e Afshin).  Ali has been banished, Nahri forced to marry the King's son, and Dara, freed by Banu Manizheh, is unable to return to Daevebad.  All three are enslaved one way or another, oppressed by the King, circumstance, or power.  Ghassan, the King, is a horrible person, quashing and killing any one who doesn't obey him.  He fortunately died near the end of the story. And also, by the end, I didn't like Dara at all and he will have to work hard to redeem himself in the 3rd book. 

Politics, racism, oppression, infighting, back stabbing, assassination attempts, and magical entities all make for an riveting and thought provoking tale.  There is so much that happened, it is hard to narrow down.  Suffice it to say, the King and Nahri's husband died, Nahri saw the true Dara, came to understand her mother was just as evil.  

Nahri and Ali, using other's greed, managed to get away.  Ali with Suleiman's seal making him the new Emir and Nahri free.  Except, somehow they ended up in Egypt. What happens next? We will have to wait to find out in Empire of Gold.


617 pages

Harper Collins 2019 

Daevabad #2 

Middle Eastern Fantasy 


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