A stunning debut novel inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. I loved this book from start to finish and I cannot recommend one enough. The characters were well-developed, the story was amazing, and the worldbuilding was detailed. Chelsea Abdullah will be an author I watch out for in the future.

I was really excited for this one! I haven’t read a retelling for One Thousand and One Nights before and so it really piqued my interest. I will say that this was a mixed bag for me but the last 30% made up for the lull in the middle.

The book is told from multiple point-of-views. The main two being from Loulie and Mazen. I liked seeing the roles being changed and having a strong woman be the treasure hunter while the prince was basically the cowardly lion. I’m not going to lie, he does seem like the cinnamon roll type (my favorite) and he really learns to take charge and be what others needed him to be in dangerous situations. I am here for the growth!

The other characters, even ones with minor roles, added some interesting plot lines. I am very curious about one in particular that involves a Jinn hunter named Aisha. I wasn’t too sure about her in the beginning but she definitely caught my attention in the last half.

There were times that I did struggle with the characters, mostly in the middle of the book. I felt like a couple weren’t around enough to make the climatic moments very emotional. They fell a bit flat. The same could be said for the pacing of the book as well. The beginning had me intrigued and then it felt like a slow trudge through the middle and then picked up again at around 55%. I flew through the book after that!

I do think that there could have been one more point-of-view and maybe it would have taken the surprise out of a certain plot twist but I also would have liked to know more instead of it being in the background.

If you are looking for romance, you won’t find it. There is talk about feelings but it doesn’t progress into anything. I didn’t mind this as sometimes I just want all of the action.

Overall, I really liked this one. It may have had its downs but I am happy I pushed through because the ending was worth it and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: May 17, 2022)

Description: Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, this book weaves together the gripping tale of a legendary smuggler, a cowardly prince, and a dangerous quest across the desert to find a legendary, magical lamp.

“The Stardust Thief” by Chelsea Abdullah is a beautifully written tale of unique twists and turns I wasn’t expecting from a story inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. I wasn’t aware until I had finished the book that this was the first of three in The Sandsea Trilogy, so while the author thankfully ties up many loose ends to finish this book, there are still two more books before the story will end.

The details and imagery in this book are outstanding! The author masterfully describes every detail to paint a lavish picture in the reader’s mind. I loved how the desert winds tugged playfully at the characters’ clothing, how the desert air shimmered with particles of dust so fine they looked like twinkling stars, and so forth. I never realized how beautiful and how treacherous a desert could be until I read this book.

I did find the first few chapters a little difficult to follow with so many new characters and places to remember (with strange names I wasn’t always sure how to pronounce), but after the quest for the magical lamp began, I felt more comfortable with the story and began to really enjoy it.

The characters were all unique and interesting. Loulie al-Nazari (or the Midnight Merchant) is fascinating and such a brave heroine for this series. I also loved Qadir and how his character was always keeping me guessing. I wasn’t so sure about Prince Mazen or fearless Aisha at the beginning but grew to really like them as the story unfolded. I loved that the story jumped between the POVs of Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha, because it helped me understand and connect with the characters, and I found myself routing for all three.

While I wish I could jump straight into the second book of this trilogy to find out what happens next, I did very much enjoy this first book. I recommend it to any reader interested in a unique retelling of a classic tale!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing an ARC to review.

Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, this book weaves together the gripping tale of a legendary smuggler, a cowardly prince, and a dangerous quest across the desert to find a legendary, magical lamp.

The Stardust Thief is the perfect homage to the classic middle east fairytales while doing its own unique world-building. Every character is so layered and richly described that this world of Jinn and humans comes to life right before your eyes. A very well done first novel of a trilogy that leaves me wanting more.

The synopsis of this book was an immediate YES from me. I'm all about Middle-Eastern inspired fantasy lately and this delivered! I loved the characters (especially Aisha and Qadir!) and how well-written it was, especially for a debut novel. It was extremely unique, despite using some familiar tropes and settings.
My main reasons for rating it 4 stars vs 5 stars are due to the slow pacing and the fact that I found myself confused in some parts. Especially toward the end, there was a lot going on and it was a little hard to follow.
Would definitely recommend to other fantasy lovers, although I would say it's a bit more on the "advanced" side of the fantasy spectrum.

The Stardust Thief is a new fantasy debut from author Chelsea Abdullah, marketed as being "inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights". And to be fair, that description is for once not incorrect, with the book featuring a Scheherazade-esque character in the backstory, a magic lamp containing a powerful Jinn, and a world filled with assassins, thieves, sultans and princes, smugglers, and jinn and relics of various powers. It's a type of fantasy novel that has become a bit more prominent of late I think (see S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad trilogy), and that's for the better - because I've really enjoyed such takes on Islamic/Middle-Eastern Myth, and so I had some high hopes for this one.

And these high hopes were pretty much answered as The Stardust Thief is very very good. The story focuses upon a trio of point of view characters: magic-dealing Loulie al-Nazari, whose heart remains conflicted by the murder of her family and the secret of her companion being secretly a jinn; Mazen, the cowardly prince who just wants freedom who hates his cruel jinn hunting brother; and Aisha, a thief and jinn-hunting assassin working for that murderous brother. Together they go on a quest for a lamp said to control jinn, and wind up dealing with more of the legends of jinn - and the ambitions of humans - than they ever could have imagined. The result is a really good start to a new trilogy.

--------------------------------------------------Plot Summary--------------------------------------------------------
For most people - the Jinn are monsters who ought to be hunted for the safety of humankind, beings who are responsible for murders and monstrous acts. But when Loulie al-Nazari was a child, her family was murdered by mysterious assailants, until she was saved by such a jinn, a being named Qadir. Gifted with Qadir as a bodyguard, and with the help of several of his magical relics, Loulie has made a name for herself as the Midnight Merchant, a criminal smuggler who acquires magical relics - illegal due to their connection with Jinn - and peddles them in underground markets. Loulie tries to keep her head down from the authorities, particularly the Sultan and his monstrous jinn-hunting and murdering son Omar, for both hers and Qadir's sake.

But after Loulie save the life of the Sultan's youngest son Mazen, she comes to the attention of the Sultan, and tasked with a quest that has killed all others who have attempted it: to track down an ancient lamp said to contain and control a powerful ancient Jinn who aided the Sultan's ancestors. And to make it worse, Loulie is forced to take with her Prince Omar and Omar's thief/assassin friend Aisha....meaning she and Qadir must be especially careful of their communications for fear of Qadir being exposed as a Jinn himself.

But it isn't just Qadir and Loulie who are holding secrets, but "Omar" as well - for Omar and Mazen have used a magical artifact to trade places, and her companion is secretly the cowardly freedom-wanting prince instead. And so they all soon find that themselves stumbling into more secrets about Jinn and humans than they could ever have expected: secrets and myths that threaten to change everything in the human world...if it doesn't kill them all first.....
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The Stardust Thief is in some ways a story with a lot of elements you've probably seen before or will recognize. You have three point of view characters in Loulie, Mazen and Aisha with very different point of views, stories straight out of 1001 Nights (The Woman saving her life by telling stories to the Sultan, the jinn in the lamp, a group of thieves and assassins working for the Sultan etc.), and one of these three characters is pretty standard too: Mazen is the royal who wants to adventure and see beyond the palace, and also who thinks the Jinn-killing and cruel ways of his father and brother are evil and wishes he wasn't related to them. There's plenty here that's very recognizable, from the above, to the clear evil plots of Prince Omar that you just know are going to come back into play in the end.

Yet what makes The Stardust Thief kind of special is how well it builds its world from these inspirations and from Abdullah's own creativity. As the cast goes on their adventure they find themselves caught up in a Jinn myth one or more of them has heard, which then is retold to the reader....except those stories might not quite match the realities they expect, as the stories tend to paint Jinn poorly....and while some of that is true, there are also two sides to those stories. And so we have Jinn, Ghouls, Possessions, Magic, and so so much more that I'm forgetting now, and it works so so well and making this a really strong world.

A strong world would be nothing of course without really strong characters, and while some of them (Mazen) are a bit derivative, they work really well here. Loulie is a woman who is caught between a lot of emotions - her desire to make it on her own and to prove herself as the Midnight Merchant right under the Sultan's nose, her hatred of those hunting Jinn after she was saved from death by Qadir, her feelings for a Jinn-hunting noble that leave her entirely conflicted, and more. The adventure forces her to confront all of these feelings in really interesting ways that always make you care and concerned for her. Mazen is of course the more generic character in that he's the prince who wants adventure and wants to be good instead of evil like his brother, but he's done particularly well, and the book manages to make him the right mix of naive and intelligent at the same time. And whereas you'd expect romance to grow between him and Loulie, the book merely makes Mazen's crush one-sided, and it works far better than if it was mutual. Finally, Aisha is a character I didn't know what to make of at first, being a thief who hates Jinn and who is kind of rebellious but also loyal at the same time. But that's the point of her, as a character who doesn't know what to make of herself, and what she herself is other than someone in need of vengeance for her loved ones, and her journey to something very different, and a bit more defined works quite well.

It all ends on a conclusion that is well, a hell of a cliffhanger. This book doesn't really stand alone, but it does end on a good stopping point that concludes this part of the arc and promises a whole new arc to come that is just well....something I want to read pretty quickly. Highly recommended.

I loved every moment of this book. 1001 Arabian Nights was one of my favorite stories growing up so this book had a lot to live up to and it did. This book will disappoint with its world building and character development

“Let us speak of lies and truths, and of the story hidden between them.”

This debut is everything I love in a fantasy novel. It has Jinn, it has magic, it has a badass female MC with a big heart and a lot of sass, it has adventure, it has relics, and it has storytelling!

I loved the relationship between Loulie and her Jinn bodyguard Qadir. They had great snarky banter that kept me laughing. I also really enjoyed the storytelling aspect of this book. The stories all helped with the world building and I loved that on several of the stories we got both the human story and the Jinn story (and to see the differences). I thought the characters were all so special and complex in their own way and I loved getting to know them. While Loulie and Qadir were my favorites, I also really loved Mazen. I have a lot of complicated feelings about Aisha, but I think that’s how we’re supposed to feel at this point. I absolutely can’t wait for the next book in this trilogy and to see where the characters go from here.

I was a bit nervous going into this because this book appears to be for fans of The City of Brass, which is a book that I DNF'D. I had a bit more success with this book as I ended up relatively enjoying myself. That being said though, this book is not without its faults.

Let's get into the details.

 
WRITING:

I didn't have too many issues getting through this as it was not an overly complex story and wasn't too dense either. That being said though, it did take me longer to get through this than an 800-page novel...

One thing I didn't enjoy visually about the book was the way it decided to depict the pages when a tale is being told. The page is greyed out and had a big blue title which frankly looked bad. This is one thing I hope is changed for the official release.

I also didn't think it was entirely necessary to have multiple perspectives, or at least three of them, but I will get to that more in the characters section.

Good news is that there is going to be a map, although the ARC only had a placeholder.


PLOT:

We start off the story with the tale of the Jinn, who are more or less the centerpiece of this story. I rather liked starting the story out this way because I am a bit fan of exposition straight out of the gate as I find that it helps establish the world for me. That is only some initial background information though, as the story is really about a trio of characters, plus another side character, who venture into the desert on behalf of the Sultan in search of a lost relic.

It is a bit awkward trying to talk about the plot because there is a crucial element of the story I want to talk about that, while it happens early on, is not mentioned in the synopsis and may be considered a spoiler. Overall though, while I did have issues with the plot which I will be discussing next, I rather enjoyed the journey I was taken on.

Moving right along, I had some issues with the pacing of the novel. The story took a bit of a detour away from the main plot for the majority of the book, and it took a while before it went back on track. It took so long in fact, and so much else was happening, that I even forgot what the main goal was. The plot was also rather cyclical with the same scenarios and outcomes kept happening over and over again. I also had an issue with distance and time, as I don't know how far they traveled and how long it took.

Finally, while I think that the book ended in a spot that helped set up what is to come, I also think that the book could have stopped at just over 300 pages. That is partly because it just felt like a good place to stop, partly because of the slow pace, and partly because there was also a chunk of the book that I think could have been taken out completely, as it didn't really add anything to the story.


WORLD-BUILDING:

It is nothing new or spectacular, but we've got Jinn. One thing this book has going for it is that it does establish the Jinn rather well. We learn more about them along the way after some initial conceptualization, and we also get the addition of the tales when appropriate. One thing I wasn't a big fan of when it came to the Jinn though, but this is just a pet peeve of mine, was that they relied on manipulation and possession. This bothered me not because of the lack of free will, but because it makes the characters completely incompetent.

One aspect of the world that I did like was the idea of relics. Maybe it is because of my focus in school, but any book that includes a treasure hunt sounds fantastic to me. I also liked the idea of the bag of infinite space, simply because I want something like that.


CHARACTERS:

We have a decently sized cast in this book, but we mainly follow three characters who are also the perspectives we get - Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha. The characters fell a bit flat for me as I found myself not overly interested in them despite the author laying out the groundwork for them. There wasn't a lot of positive growth within this book with them which made them a bit stilted, so I hope that there is moving forward.

This was an issue for me because the characters were a bit naïve and were constantly got into trouble while not having the capabilities to get themselves out of it. It is a huge pet peeve of mine, having characters who can't take care of themselves.

Loulie, also known as the Midnight Merchant, is someone who sells Jinn relics. Her character admittedly frustrated me a bit. She said, repeatedly, that she was weak and, in all fairness, she kind of was. In every confrontation, she wasn't able to do anything and was rather useless. Now, there is nothing wrong with characters depicted like this, but as someone who likes OP characters, it bothered me.

Mazen is the son of the Sultan, and is therefore a prince, who has been shut in the palace ever since his mother was killed by a Jinn. Out of the three, I thought his character was the best, but I still had some issues with him. For one, he didn't make a lot of smart moves in this. Secondly, just like how Loulie constantly called herself weak, he called himself a coward and wasn't able to overcome it very well.

Aisha is a thief who works under Prince Omar, and her perspective was the one I could have done without. I don't think it gave me much that couldn't have been covered in the other perspectives. I also just wasn't the biggest fan of her character. While I didn't hate her, she was absolutely horrible at her job of being a bodyguard, and her morally grey actions and ideologies were questionable. She also didn't have much personality because she was single-mindedly focused on her goal.

I found the most interesting characters were the ones that were not depicted enough, those being Qadir, Omar, and Hakim. While they could have a bigger role in the rest of the series, I found that they were pushed to the side a bit, which was a missed opportunity for me as, again, they had a lot of promise.

Qadir, even though he was the most present out of the three, was not utilized enough and was just in the background unless Loulie needed to talk to him. Omar was a very intriguing character, and a smart one at that, and he definitely should have had more on-page presence. In fact, having his perspective instead of Aisha's would have more for a far better story for me. As for Hakim, he is barely in the book, but that is exactly why I want to see more of him because of how little we know about him.

Finally, I had an issue with the dynamics between the characters. The relationship between Loulie and Mazen, and Mazen and Aisha, felt a bit underdeveloped. Part of that is because of the direction the story goes in at the beginning, and partly because we don't really get to see the characters bond with each other much which was disappointing.


CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

Now, I wanted to conclude on a positive note after having spent the entirety of this review talking about what didn't even despite my rating. This was a solid fantasy story. While again I had some issues with the plot and the characters and that the story dragged out and veered off the path, I did enjoy the journey the characters went on and the world the author built.

By the end, I was also left with the want to continue the series and see what happens next, which is always a good thing.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for giving me the opportunity to review this in advance.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

This book had me feeling all the emotions. I absolutely loved this book and can not wait to buy an actual copy. If you’ve heard or read the one thousand and one nights tale then I’m positive you will be interested in this book. It clearly leads off letting us know there will be another one, so I’m excited to see where it leads. I would like to say more but I don’t want to give anything away. I highly recommend this book. I couldn’t put it down.

You want to go on an adventure? Buy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, wow. That just happened. Admittedly, I have never read a book inspired by One Thousand and One Nights nor have I read One Thousand and One Nights. I've never even read a book involving jinn before. But if I had to have a first, I am so happy it was this one. I was hesitant that I could get lost since I was unfamiliar. There were times I translated words but I got the gist first. This story pretty much demanded that I take it in though. I don't suggest starting it until you're ready to finish it because it will be all you want to do. Knowing my reading tastes, I don't like what a lot of people would call "flowery." I had a suspicion that there would be some of that here and there was, true. But it didn't bog me down like other flowery descriptors have in other titles. This just enhanced what was already this brilliantly thought up world. AND THIS IS HER DEBUT!! These characters were so well developed and I could see these scenes in my mind and I am blown away. Aside from just loving these characters, the pacing of this book is perfection. You could sit it down after a chapter if you needed to but you will not want to and even if you sit it down, you're going to be thinking the entire time you're away, what is happening?? I need to know! Then you pick it back up and you're instantly transported back into this huge but familiar landscape. I am in awe.

In this debut, we're following Loulie al-Nazari, the Midnight Merchant. She and her trusty bodyguard collect magical items and then sell them for a profit. The objects are magic because JINN. And magic.. it really sells. Loulie has managed to carve out a nice little existence for herself and her bodyguard. They trust each other with their lives but can we ever really know someone completely? Did I mention, her bodyguard is a jinn? Because, he's totally a jinn! (Not a spoiler.) But they're just living their lives when a rogue jinn is spotted in their city and Loulie just reacts. Unbeknownst to her, she's just saved the son of the Sultan. A prince. After making such a name for herself as a collector of magic relics and then saving the prince, she has caught the full attention of the Sultan. He sends Loulie, along with her bodyguard, and his son on a quest. A quest that may or may not get all of them killed. Any guesses on what they are sent to retrieve? Anyone?? You guessed it. A lamp.

But this story is SO MUCH more than what I just described. Honestly, I liked that I went into this, not really blind but naive to the lore it was inspired by. Because this just had so much going for it. Even if it's inspired, it totally stands on its own. I am just sad because it's over and now I want to know what comes next. I know readers like to wait and binge series because they're afraid they'll forget details of endings. You won't. Not here. I promise. It's going to live in your head just like it is mine right now. And I am actually okay with it. I think this one is one that I will be glad ruminated in my mind over a long period of time instead of just blowing through a book and moving on. No, Loulie and her whole little band are going to be hanging out with me and I am glad to have them with me.

Seriously, if you love adventure with a smidge of political intrigue implications and not knowing who to trust, then pick this one up now.

I absolutely loved this book!
In The Stardust Thief we follow an unexpected ragtag quintet of characters as they begrudgingly work together to receive a magical lamp from the Sandsea. However, this book is SO much more than just that.

It’s a journey of the best kind, where each character evolves, the mythology and worldbuilding grow into something beautiful, and we see the dark side of the world too. Jinn being exploited and murdered by those in power purely out of fear, the prejudice that permeates throughout the kingdom, the dark mysteries behind Mazen, Loulie, Qadir, and Aisha.

Loulie is the main star of the show in my eyes. We know that she is a jinn, that she hunts for jinn relics and sells them as The Midnight Merchant. Her family and tribe were murdered for being jinn, and after finding herself entirely alone, she meets Qadir who seems to be her trusting bodyguard, friend, and confidante.

Mazen is one of the sultan’s sons, he is a prince kept in waiting, and a chess piece to be moved by those around him. He feels trapped inside the castle, but he’s dying to get out and explore his surroundings. Is he a coward to hide in the safety of the palace, or has he just never been given the chance to prove his worth?

Mazen’s brother, Omar, commands the Forty Thieves form within the palace and seems to have most of the power in the family. He’s a cunning, clever, and cruel character who has himself at the forefront of every conniving plan.
One of his trusted Thieves, Aisha, gets sent along with Mazen on the groups quest. Aisha is a badass, who holds an unquenchable hatred for jinn and will dive into any fight with them with her knives out.

As we can see, this is a group that would not get along if everyone knew the others secrets, and the way that Abdullah unfolds the story piece by piece is pure magic.
She weaves together the beauty and the darkness so expertly, that I am still in awe that this is a debut. She has a talent for storytelling that many can only aspire to, and I will be keeping an eye on whatever she publishes from here on out. I cannot wait until I get to check out the audiobook of this when it comes out, as I think it will only enhance this beautiful novel that holds the art of storytelling so dear.

TLDR: This book was a delight. If you have also been aching for a beautiful Arab inspired desert fantasy, you should preorder this one. Complex characters that you come to love, a beautiful world and culture that unfolds page by page, wrapped together by some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever had the joy of reading.
This is a new all-time favorite, and I can’t wait to read the sequel and the author’s future works.
It gets a very delighted 5/5 stars from me!

Thank you so much to Orbit for sending me a copy, I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read and review!

This review will be posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph on May 7th and Amazon on release day.



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, The Stardust Thief is a story of a mysterious merchant, her jinn bodyguard, and a sheltered prince in disguise who go on a quest to retrieve a legendary magic lamp.

I make no secret of my love of a strong female lead. Loulie wasn't my favorite one, but Aisha stole my heart from the beginning. She seemed far more alive and complex than the intended main character did. The pace throughout the first half of the book wasn't entirely slow, but things definitely picked up around 60% in and my interest was hooked for the rest of the book.mWhile the author doesn't go into overly-descriptive detail of the surroundings, she still manages to build an atmosphere that I could feel while reading.

This book is classified as Adult but aside from some descriptive violence when fighting, there isn't anything I would say couldn't be read by a YA audience. This is the main reason The Stardust Thief did not receive a full 5 stars from me, but Abdullah did a great job of fleshing out a world that I will be happy to return to in the sequel.

I'm so outdone! I just finished up a review for A River of Silver - a novella for the City of Brass trilogy. If you love that series as much as I do - then The Stardust Thief is needed in your life. I received an arc for this but will be getting a physical copy to have on my shelves - that is how much I loved this book.

First, it is an Arab story inspired by the Arabian story "A Thousand and One Night" by an Arab author. It has some influences from the original story but is still pretty "new" in my opinion. The world-building is spectacular and the magic system is Chef's kiss. I honestly think the best way to read this story is to have faith and go in completely blind. Don't read the synopsis. Don't read too many detailed reviews. Just know it's for people who love Arabia-inspired stories, pick it up, and enjoy the book with all of its lushness and surprises. I don't think you'd be disappointed. When you're through with the book, I would hope that you are on the Qadir ship right along with me!

Loulie makes a living as the Midnight Merchant, selling magical relics on the black market away from the Sultan’s watchful eyes. Mazen, one of the sultan’s sons, yearns for adventure, but the only adventure he can find is when he sneaks out of the palace to visit the town. Aisha, a talented thief who works for the sultan’s oldest son, is renowned for hunting and killing jinn without hesitation. These three people are brought together unexpectedly to go on a dangerous quest for the sultan. They all stumble across unexpected truths and dangerous realizations as they attempt to stay alive and fulfill the sultan’s commands.

The very first thing I have to say – the worldbuilding in this work is immaculate! Whenever I picked up the book I instantly felt immersed in the world. The settings were described with enough detail to bring it to life but never slowed down the plot. There were also so many instances of incredible lore and history woven throughout the book that added depth and richness to the world. Even just the concept of the Midnight Merchant and the lore surrounding relics were fascinating. I really can’t say enough about how amazing this aspect of the work is.

I was pleasantly surprised by the characters – the work is told from the third-person POV of three different characters, two of which are female. They are all well written with varying and realistic motivations. They were all shaped by their own personal history, which influenced their actions throughout the work, creating realistic and meaningful dilemmas. And having two wonderfully written, strong female leads was fantastic! I did feel that there was a bit of the plot happening to the characters rather than their actions significantly influencing the plot, but this was a minor complaint for me.

I also quite enjoyed how the author included romance in the work – it was there subtly, and thankfully it wasn’t forced between characters. The author avoided the trap of forcing Loulie and Qadir into a romance – their family-like relationship was refreshing and much more meaningful than a romance would have been.

Overall, I highly recommend this read for lovers of non-western fantasy. While it wasn’t necessarily complex in writing-style or execution, not all fantasy works have to be. The author did an excellent job at writing an engaging work of fantasy and I can’t wait to read the next work in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a forty thieves retelling, where Loulie and Qadir, track down and sell relics. Loulie meets Mazan and trails him one day only to save him from a murderess jinn and decides to track him home because his story about being a scribe doesn't add up, of course nothing is as it seems. Qadir is a jinn, Loulie is the last of her tribe and Mazan is a prince. All of whom get forced to go on a quest to find a relic/lamp. (I feel like I misspelled a few names)
This had very interesting concepts and the world building was pretty decent, the characters were fine, I just didn't feel attached to any part of the story. What happens when Jinn die was a fascinating idea, but we don't get to see much of those reactions. This reads very YA which tends not to work for me but if it works for you give this a try.

I am overwhelmed with love for this story. I'm in genuine shock. I haven't read a story this engrossing, this shocking, this absolutely beautiful. I have a confession: I am very cocky about my ability to predict stories. Where they're going, what the "twist" will be, how the characters will develop, everything. But Abdullah is such a gifted story teller that I couldn't pull myself out of the story long enough to think about where it was going. I was in it for the ride and it was incredible. This is hands down one of my favorite books ever, full stop.

Ok, now I'll calm down a bit and get into what makes this such an amazing fantasy read. This checks all the boxes: excellent world building without being burdensome, real characters with very real flaws, found family, multi POV, magic, excellent battles, betrayal, anti-heroes, zombies/ghouls, the freaking works! Think Aladdin but in every way better. In literally every way better. I won't give a plot synopsis as anything outside the blurb is a spoiler, but for the love of all things read this book!

Clearly, I did not in fact calm down. Ah well.

Also, a snarky note to anyone saying that the characters didn't "grow and change" enough in the story - this is part one in a trilogy and the story takes place over a few weeks. Give it time y'all. Come on.

*Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC**

This is exactly the adventure I have been looking for!

The author creates such a lush and vibrant world for the characters to explore. The relationships are intriguing and move the plot along nicely.

If you are looking for a fast-paced read with a bit of mythology and lore thrown in this book is for you.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the arc. I will definitely be adding this one to my physical bookshelf!

A fun, dangerously binge-readable start to a new fantasy series that seems poised to snatch up fans with its vibrant world, wonderful story, and likeable characters. The story really gets going about halfway through, where the main adventure starts to introduce you to the wider world after leaving the first city. And once you get into the world, it really does start to get to you. The desert sands, souks, and oases have never felt more tangible and mystical at the same time in a tale like this one, and seeing our heroes try to get along with each other while on a quest that many of them do not want to be on is a real treat. I loved the character work in this book, and while there were some standout favorites for me (Mazen and Aisha have a lot going on), I look forward to seeing how everyone continues their journeys in the following novels.

While this is a series starter, it also avoids the pitfall of throwing its readers under the bus with a completely unbearable cliffhanger, and instead ends in a way that makes me excited to get my hands on the next book without making me want to lose my mind.

A great read for fantasy fans, and readers who loved The City of Brass and other works like it should definitely find lots to love here.

I loved this, absolutely loved it. This story is all it’s own and feels original, yet has these few moments of recognition in its nods to the stories of One Thousand and One Nights. This is a classic quest novel, with found family and twists and turns till the very end. I loved the character development across the book and the depth of emotion. I also got swept up by the vivid imagery and really felt like I could be following alone on this desert adventure. I also loved how the author really weaved in themes of justice and issues like discrimination, wealth disparity, power dynamics, and gender roles in the story. Finally, the magic system was well-developed and interesting and felt fresh.
I can hardly believe this is the author’s debut. The writing was crisp and vivid, and the pacing near perfect. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installments!