City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett book cover
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City of Stairs

452 pages 2014 Fantasy, Mystery, Political Fantasy ๐ŸŒถ๏ธ Clean Standalone
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The Vibe

The gods of the continent of Bulikov were killed decades ago. But walking through the city, spy Shara Thivani discovers that the divine isn't quite as dead as everyone believes. A fantasy murder mystery set in a post-colonial world where the colonizers killed the colonized's gods โ€” and the theological rubble is still dangerous.

Spice Check

๐ŸŒถ๏ธ Clean

Clean โ€” political fantasy.

Content Heads-Up

Is This Book for You?

Skip if you dislike:

Ending: Satisfying with series setup
Pacing: Medium

What This Book Feels Like

Moods: Inventive Political Mysterious Dark

Tropes: Dead Gods Colonial Politics Spy Protagonist Mystery in Fantasy

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a trilogy?

Yes โ€” the Divine Cities trilogy.

Is the post-colonial angle heavy?

Central and thoughtfully handled โ€” the politics enhance the fantasy.

Is it standalone?

Works as one but the trilogy is worth completing.

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