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The Stardust Thief

Written by: Chelsea Abdullah
Narrated by: Nikki Massoud, Sean Rohani, Rasha Zamamiri
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Publisher's Summary

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.

Neither here nor there, but long ago....

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land—at the cost of sacrificing all jinn.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems, and she must decide who she will become in this new reality.

©2022 Chelsea Abdullah (P)2022 Orbit
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What the critics say

"The Stardust Thief is a dream written upon a page—absorbing, lingering, and poignantly told. Abdullah weaves a sweeping adventure of tales within tales, while laying bare the ways those we love can both uplift us and break our hearts." (Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter)

"A thrilling adventure about found families, ancient magic, and stories that linger...I thoroughly enjoyed it." (S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass)

"Shimmering with magic, The Stardust Thief is a gripping adventure set against an immersive world. Abdullah masterfully crafts a tale, with equally chaotic and lovable characters, that reads like it is meant to be told around the fire beneath a starlit sky." (Aamna Qureshi, author of The Lady or the Lion)

Featured Article: The Top 14 Fantasy Audiobooks of 2022 To Listen To

The fantasy genre is always rich with an unending list of new titles. From the latest best fantasy books released in a book series to a groundbreaking standalone story, it can be hard to know what fantasy audiobook to prioritize next. That’s why Audible has compiled this list of 2022’s best audiobooks. Our picks span the fantasy and science fiction gamut. They include ghostly looks into the paranormal, forays into mind-bending magic and fascinating quests into the unknown. Plus, the list features fantasy authors from every corner of the globe and celebrates the rich diversity of writers within the fantasy genre.

What listeners say about The Stardust Thief

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A Thrilling Adventure

A thrilling adventure perfect for anyone who enjoys One Thousand And One Nights, THE STARDUST THIEF is packed with excitement, magic, drama, banter, twists, and legends. I was enthralled throughout, taken to a hypnotic world, and can’t wait to return!

Loulie, Aisha, and Mazen are great characters with depth and goals. They all have unique voices (bold, vengeful, and sweet) and mannerisms that make them strong and interesting. Each one has their world rocked by a revelation that alters their perception of what goals they had. No one comes out unscathed, which keeps the stakes raised.

The plot is filled with mystery and magic, the setting and lore immersive. Readers who are familiar with Middle Eastern lore and One Thousand And One Nights will recognize certain legends and creatures, which a mythology lover like me always appreciates.

THE STARDUST THEIF ends on a cliffhanger that has me begging for more, and I can’t wait to continue this hidden gem!

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The Stardust Thief; Book one!

what a great escape into a old world of magic, filled with diverse and incredible characters that are bound by duty, family and survival! can't wait for more!!!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great story but the narration confused me at times

Love this genre and the story is great! The narration did make it difficult to understand at times, especially with three narrators and their different ways of pronouncing character names. I found it difficult to understand who was being referenced a few times and had to skip back to listen over again. Overall I really enjoyed it!

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Good Start to an Interesting Series

The Stardust Thief is a captivating debut inspired by 1001 Nights. The book follows Loulie, known as the Midnight Merchant, who deals in illegal magic. She’s ordered by the sultan to find an ancient lamp that holds the power to revive the barren land—but at the cost of sacrificing all jinn. The world in this book is fully realized, with the author drawing on Middle Eastern folklore to create a setting that captures the reader's attention. I really enjoyed the inclusion of stories within the text, which added depth to the world-building.

The characters and their relationships are well-executed, with the bond between Loulie and her jinn bodyguard, Qadir, being my favourite. However, the pacing was somewhat uneven. The back-to-back action scenes with little breathing room in between felt jarring. I found myself wishing for quieter moments to process the events and fully grasp the magnitude of the reveals. Because of this, some of the big twists didn’t feel as impactful as they could have.

Despite this, I enjoyed the ending, particularly the two major twists. Although I saw one of them coming, it didn’t lessen the impact of the other characters discovering it. With that cliffhanger ending I’m excited for the second book to come out next year.

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IN LOVE

literally did not stop listening to this book!
Narrators were perfect
Story flowed nicely without any slow bits. devastated that I have to wait for the next book!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Magic Genie

This is a total fantasy of the flying carpet kind. I got a little lost in parts of the story. Jumping here and then there with the characters. Overall satisfying listen. Great narration.

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Awesome adventure

Fantastic adventure straight out of Scheherazade’s 10,000 tales. I can imagine the movie in my head. I can’t wait for the sequel

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good

good book enjoyed it liked the multi tear narration for the different characters to keep it entertaining

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Too confusing for me

I could not finish this book and that rarely happens. It was just too hard to follow the characters.

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