Dawn of the Firebird

Book one in a stunning new epic fantasy trilogy by an unmissable new voice in Fantasy.

PERFECT for fans of The Poppy War, She Who Became the Sun and The Will of Many.

 

The raven, crane, and firebird each chose a tribe of man, granting humans heavenly magic.
But power in man's hand caused endless wars for land.

With mankind's destruction, the birds perished taking with them their magic.
Magic is now rare, war common.

The discarded daughter of an emperor, Khamilla Zahr-zad is raised with her mother's nomadic tribe until a violent raid ends that peaceful life. Amid the chaos of death, the heavenly magic of nur awakens within her, granting her the power to wield a cosmic light.

Khamilla suddenly goes from outsider to weapon, finally accepted into her father's court. Now worthy, she trains in combat and poisons, pledging loyalty to his throne. But tragedy strikes again and when her clansmen are defeated by a rival empire, Khamilla vows lasting vengeance as she escapes. However Khamilla is not alone - for something shadows her, feeding her darkness.

Hiding her identity, Khamilla infiltrates the enemy's army academy. She studies jinn, magic, and martial arts from cutthroat mystic monks in a bid to bring down an empire from within. However, through her studies Khamilla begins to question her father's teachings of war and rule.

With war escalating across kingdoms and a twisted magic spreading, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: revenge or freedom.

With gorgeous prose and a captivating magic system, layered with morally grey characters, Dawn of the Firebird embraces rich Islamic culture and raises provocative questions about individual power, choice, and the cost of war.

Review

Dawn of the Firebird has a propulsive, relentless feel that serves up twists until the very last page. If you enjoy morally grey characters and complex political worldbuilding, you can't miss Sarah Mughal Rana's fantasy debut. I couldn't put it down -- Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi

Epically woven with fascinating characters, riveting storytelling, and world-building that I dove headfirst into . . . Sarah Mughal Rana had me hooked from the first page of her debut, and I can't wait for more from her -- Justinian Huang, Stonewall Award-winning author of The Emperor and the Endless Palace

Fierce, epic, and utterly unforgettable. Sarah Rana has crafted a masterpiece that stole my breath and left me in awe. A triumph of storytelling and imagination -- June Hur, New York Times bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves

Intricately plotted with rich word building, compelling characters, and emotion that sears on the page, Dawn of the Firebird is one unforgettable story. Sarah Mughal Rana's novel is a tour de force and is not to be missed -- Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals

An action-packed adventure in a richly-drawn setting, with all the hallmarks of classic fantasy from a fresh and exciting new voice. Epic and luminous -- Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

With her adult debut, Sarah Mughal Rana offers a dazzling novel of bloody battles, heartbreaking betrayals, intricate worldbuilding, and an unforgettable cast of scheming characters. Khamilla is a fierce protagonist caught in a web of deceits and dark magic - that she herself helped to spin - and readers will still be rooting for her triumph at every turn! An ambitious work from a bold new voice in fantasy writing -- Anuja Varghese, award-winning author of Chrysalis

About the Author

SARAH MUGHAL RANA is a Muslim author who graduated from the University of Toronto and is now pursuing her MPhil in Asian studies at Oxford. She works at the intersection of human rights and Asian policy. She is a BookTok personality and the cohost of On the Write Track podcast. Outside of school, she falls down history rabbit holes and trains in traditional martial arts.