Such begins Loulie’s journey accompanied by one of the Sultan’s sons, Aisha Bint Louas - a jinn hunter and one of the forty thieves of Prince Omar, and Qadir whose jinn identity remains hidden. There, the sultan commands her to go on a quest to the Sandsea and look for a very ancient relic, a legendary lamp in which a powerful Jinn is locked. Left without much of a choice, she follows the sultan’s army to the palace - one that is so unnaturally beautiful it can only be a reminder of shed jinn blood. Loulie’s already adventurous life takes a turn when the sultan sends his army to the night market, the underground souk where Loulie sells her illegal relics to bring her to the palace.

Mostly known as the midnight merchant, she sells the relics she tracks with the help of her enchanted compass and her Jinn bodyguard and friend, Qadir. But these enchanted items, these relics, have been declared illegal by the sultan.Īnd that’s exactly what the main character, Loulie Al-Nazari - Layla for some - does. Most importantly, jinn magic lives on in objects that become enchanted and carry a power that can prove useful. This blood cannot bring back people to life but has great healing powers. Jinn blood transforms barren land into lush flowery gardens with waterfalls. Humans mercilessly hunt jinns as their silver blood brings life to anything it touches.

The Stardust Thief’s world is one where humans and jinns are at odds. a small but mighty book.' reviews debut novella for ❤️‍🔥

'Filled with visceral descriptions of life under occupation, The Stone House is a must-read. Such an endearing tale makes the reader curious as to what other familiar references, nay major elements, will be rooted in Arab oral storytelling tradition and the various stories it encompasses. This beautiful beginning summons the memories of a childhood spent listening to jinn and ghoul stories told by ravis (storyteller) embodied by a member of the family (often grandmothers). The book itself opens with a tale, The Tale of the Jinn, which starts poignantly, 'Neither here nor there, but long ago'. 'The reader is engrossed in an adventure where appearances are misleading, identity is questioned and relationships are put to the test' In a world where written stories are more prevalent than oral stories, Chelsea Abdullah manages to combine both in The Stardust Thief by beautifully weaving stories within stories, tales within tales. A must-have for your shelves, and a must-read! Written by American-Kuwaiti Chelsea Abdullah and published by Orbit Books, The Stardust Thief - the first book of The Sandsea Trilogy - is the latest addition to the Arab-inspired fantasy genre. Arab-inspired fantasy books are few and far between in the Anglophone publishing world, even more so when they're coming from voices borne from the region itself.

The stardust thief chelsea abdullah