An orphan girl turned criminal deals in the sale of illegal magic. A jinn with a carefully concealed dark past. A sheltered prince determined to prove his worth. A thief that blindly serves the king of the Forty Thieves. A quest for an ancient magical relic takes them on a harrowing journey to the deadly Sandsea, the buried city of the jinn. On their way, they encounter the most powerful, and deadly, jinn ever known. Jinn that only existed in stories passed down through generations. Relationships are forged and destroyed, family is lost and found, and evil is released and destroyed. The world is vibrant, the danger tangible, and the characters deeply flawed.
This book is an epic fantasy adventure with roots in the tales of The Arabian Nights. I had this book on my TBR for several months before I finally picked it up. I hesitated to read this one because I’ve read a lot of Middle Eastern fantasy novels over the last couple of years—some good, some not. The Stardust Thief did not disappoint, and I’m counting down the days until The Ashfire King, the next book in the Sandsea Trilogy, comes out in November 2023! There were surprises at every turn; I gave up trying to predict the ending after one hundred pages.
The Stardust Thief is the first book in the Sandsea Trilogy. It’s full of twists and turns that will keep the reader glued to the page. You will stay up late to finish this one!
I recommend this book to readers who liked An Ember in the Ashes, The Wrath & the Dawn, and The City of Brass.