With dashes of inspiration from One Thousand and One Nights, Chelsea Abdullah’s debut fantasy kicks off in a world of sand and magic. The Stardust Thief follows Loulie al-Nazari, aka the Night Merchant, a trader of illegal magic who is ordered by the sultan to find a powerful relic—a lamp that will heal the land but destroy all jinn in the process. With the help of her jinn bodyguard, Qadir; the sultan’s son, Prince Mazen; and Aisha bint Louas, a relentless jinn hunter, Loulie must cross through treacherous territory and endure brutal trials to recover the lamp.
Rather than overwhelming the reader with multiple plotlines and a sprawling cast of characters, The Stardust Thief focuses on its central trio and the locales they visit. The various settings never feel empty or underpainted, especially in the sections told from Prince Mazen’s perspective: Forced to live cooped up in the palace for most of his life, his eager delight at finally experiencing the broader world is infectious. As the party draws closer to the lamp, Abdullah slowly unveils new truths about this world, resulting in a narrative that grows richer as it intensifies in pace. With each revelation, from the nature of relics to the existence of ifrit (hyperpowerful jinn), Abdullah propels the reader forward, heightening anticipation for what the next few pages will bring.
Loulie, Aisha and Mazen are drawn in exacting detail, with all their strengths, faults and feelings on full display, and The Stardust Thief is full of captivating intrapersonal conflict. Abdullah does a fine job creating realistic protagonists with clear differences and opposing philosophies: Loulie despises the task she has been given, Aisha despises the work Loulie does and Mazen just wants everyone to stop fighting.
Abdullah has put together a strong start to a series, setting up characters readers can root for even when those characters are opposed to one another, building a world that promises new twists every few pages, and crafting an ending that clearly leads into the next two books in the series. With its healthy balance of intrigue, character growth and action, The Stardust Thief is an enjoyable read that slowly enchants its readers.
