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Quick answer: If you loved The City of Brass, read Kingdom of Copper and Empire of Gold, then try A Master of Djinn, The Wrath and the Dawn, Throne of the Crescent Moon and The Jasmine Throne. All blend rich settings, magic and court politics.
S.A. Chakraborty's debut follows Nahri, a con artist in Cairo who accidentally summons a djinn warrior and is swept into the hidden city of Daevabad. The books below share its Middle Eastern or South Asian settings, magical politics and strong heroines. Most are adult or older teen fantasy, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Kingdom of Copper | S.A. Chakraborty | Adult | the next in the series |
| The Empire of Gold | S.A. Chakraborty | Adult | series finale |
| A Master of Djinn | P. Djèlí Clark | Adult | alternate-history mystery |
| Throne of the Crescent Moon | Saladin Ahmed | Adult | sword and sorcery |
| The Wrath and the Dawn | Renée Ahdieh | Teen | romantic retellings |
| Mirage | Somaiya Daud | Teen | doppelganger plots |
| A Thousand Nights | E.K. Johnston | Teen | fairy-tale retelling |
| The Jasmine Throne | Tasha Suri | Adult | Indian-inspired epic |
| Black Sun | Rebecca Roanhorse | Adult | pre-Columbian inspired |
| Sorcerer to the Crown | Zen Cho | Adult | period fantasy |
| The Bear and the Nightingale | Katherine Arden | Adult | folklore fans |
| Uprooted | Naomi Novik | Adult | forest magic |
| Spinning Silver | Naomi Novik | Adult | clever heroines |
| The Night Circus | Erin Morgenstern | Adult | enchanting settings |
| The Priory of the Orange Tree | Samantha Shannon | Adult | standalone epic |
1. The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
The second Daevabad book raises the stakes as old tensions erupt into war. Richer and darker than the first.
Best for: the next in the series.
2. The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
The final Daevabad book follows the struggle to save the city and its people. Emotional and epic.
Best for: series finale.
3. A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
In an alternate Cairo in 1912, a female investigator hunts a killer who claims to be a returned mystic. Fast and stylish.
Best for: alternate-history mystery.
4. Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
An aging ghul hunter is drawn into a plot in a city modeled on medieval Arabia. Classic swords-and-sorcery with heart.
Best for: sword and sorcery.
5. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
A girl volunteers to marry a murderous king to avenge her friend. A romantic retelling of One Thousand and One Nights.
Best for: romantic retellings.
6. Mirage by Somaiya Daud
A girl who looks like a princess is forced to take her place. Lyrical, with a Moroccan-inspired setting.
Best for: doppelganger plots.
7. A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
A girl offers herself as a bride to a king who kills his wives and fights with stories. Elegant and quiet.
Best for: fairy-tale retelling.
8. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
A princess in exile and a maid with secrets join forces. Rich and political, inspired by India.
Best for: Indian-inspired epic.
9. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
A cult of priests, a sea captain and a prophecy converge in a world based on Pre-Columbian Americas. Big and violent.
Best for: pre-Columbian inspired.
10. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
A black sorcerer and a gifted woman fight prejudice in Regency England. Witty and warm.
Best for: period fantasy.
11. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
A girl in medieval Russia sees household spirits and defends her village. Atmospheric.
Best for: folklore fans.
12. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
A girl is taken by a wizard to live in a tower and fight a haunted wood. Rich and romantic.
Best for: forest magic.
13. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
A moneylender's daughter tricks a winter king and finds her own power. Smart and strong.
Best for: clever heroines.
14. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Two magicians are bound in a contest in a circus that appears at night. Lush and atmospheric.
Best for: enchanting settings.
15. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
A huge standalone epic about queens, dragons and a hidden war. Rich in worlds and characters.
Best for: standalone epic.
How to Choose
For the next books in the series, read The Kingdom of Copper. For similar settings, A Master of Djinn and Throne of the Crescent Moon. For romance, The Wrath and the Dawn. For political epic, The Jasmine Throne. Daevabad has a large cast, so keep a character list handy as you go. If you want to read widely, alternate a long epic with a short one so that you do not burn out. Many readers also like to keep a printed map of the Middle East and North Africa nearby while reading Chakraborty, since Daevabad's geography draws on real places.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The City of Brass about?
Nahri, a healer and thief in Cairo, learns she is part djinn and is taken to Daevabad, where politics and old grudges threaten her.
How many Daevabad books are there?
Three: The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold.
Does Chakraborty have other books?
Yes. The River of Silver is a Daevabad story collection, and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a separate novel.
Is it suitable for teens?
It suits older teens and adults because of violence and mature themes.
Is there a romance?
Yes, but it grows slowly and sits inside a political story.
Is City of Brass a romance?
It has a romance, but politics and magic matter more.
Who is Dara?
He is the djinn warrior who brings Nahri to Daevabad and drives a lot of the early plot.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. It is narrated by Soneela Nankani and widely praised.