Dawn of the Firebird
with Sarah Slimani (Narrator)
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Pub Date 4 Dec 2025 | Archive Date 29 Oct 2026
Bloomsbury UK Audio | Bloomsbury Archer (UK)
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Description
Bloomsbury presents Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana, read by Sarah Slimani.
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.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook |
| ISBN | 9781526674357 |
| PRICE | £18.00 (GBP) |
| DURATION | 19 Hours, 45 Minutes |
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Featured Reviews
Halima R, Reviewer
Loved this. After a year of mostly reading Romantasy, this book felt so different and enjoyable. It’s a long, complex book that took me about two months to read but the journey was worth it - the book is incredible!
It’s the kind of high fantasy I love with huge stakes, a fierce female lead, and so much depth in the world-building. Khamilla Zahr-zad is such an amazing character. She’s driven by vengeance after her family is overthrown, and she struggles with betrayal after betrayal. And then has to infiltrate the enemy’s magical academy, trying to take them down from the inside, where truths are blurred and reality is not as it seems.
The way the author blends Islamic lore with this forbidden magic and the whole Jhinn mythology is just so unique and rich. It’s like nothing I’ve read before, but it feels so natural in the world that’s built here. Khamilla herself is such a badass, so morally grey and layered. I really appreciated how raw and honest her emotions are throughout the book, especially as she deals with betrayal, anger, and the weight of what she’s doing.
It’s a revenge story, but it doesn’t feel like a typical one. There’s so much more to it—political intrigue, relationships that twist and turn, the search for identity and belonging and this constant tension between power and vulnerability.
It’s important to note that there’s no romance in this but the rare relationships/ bonds that Khamilla formed in the book are compelling and at times heartbreaking - especially with the children. There’s so much I want to say but it’s hard without spoiling it!
All I do want to say is that the book is incredible. The perfect mix of old-school epic fantasy with a fresh, new energy. If you’re into dark, intense stories with complex characters and some serious emotional payoff, this book is a must-read.
NB: I was lucky enough for the physical arc and the netgalley audiobook arc and do grateful to Bloomsbury & Sarah, as Khamilla story provided me with a much needed escape from my own problems. But the book ended at a dramatic point and I desperately need the next part!