The Midnight Merchant - (The Sandsea Trilogy) by Chelsea Abdullah (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Neither here nor there, but long ago...

Legendary merchant Loulie al-Nazari has rescued the jinn realm from collapse beneath the Sandsea, but there is no peace between humans and jinn. When the sultan unveils a twisted magic capable of devastating the balance forever, Loulie must gather her own magics and bargain a deadly alliance to thwart his plans. If she fails, she risks losing her family.

Meanwhile, exiled prince Mazen bin Malik has heard the rumors of unrest in the human cities. Faced with the destiny he has been fleeing his whole life, he must decide: Will he turn away from his brother's lies to free himself, or will he rewrite his story to claim his inheritance?

Former thief Aisha bint Louas is also out for vengeance. But, haunted by jinn and memories from a past that is not her own, she struggles to remember herself. To obtain revenge against the sultan that betrayed her, Aisha will have to master not just her death magic, but herself, before she is lost forever.

Review Quotes

"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

"You'll be charmed immediately by the characters and pulled in by this exploration of how the stories we hear and the stories we tell ourselves--beautiful and heartbreaking alike--shape us. Perfect for fans of S.A. Chakraborty's The City of Brass." --C. L. Clark, author of The Unbroken

"Reading The Stardust Thief feels like being told a story on a long, moonlit night: intimate and wondrous. Filled with folkloric dangers and a lovable cast of characters, Abdullah's debut is by turns whimsical and thrilling. I was held under its powerful enchantment from the first page to the very last." --Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic

"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

"Abdullah has created a sumptuous feast of richly layered classic tales, and characters who will have you hungering to unravel their mysteries. The Stardust Thief will transport you, enchant you, and revive your belief in the magic of storytelling." --Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

"Sizzling with action and secrets, The Stardust Thief is a grand adventure with unforgettable characters, enchanting magic, and plenty of heart!" --Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

"[The Stardust Thief] nods to such classic tales from One Thousand and One Nights as "Aladdin," "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and the framing tale of Scheherazade, but then charts its own thrilling territory...A marvelous plunge into a beautifully crafted adventure." --Kirkus

"Abdullah's ambitious debut, the first in the Sandsea Trilogy, weaves an intricate tale that draws from the legends of One Thousand and One Nights to create something entirely new...Lush descriptions bring the setting to life, while the focus on myth and storytelling contrasted against the characters' harsh reality adds to the sense of mystery and enchantment. This powerful, intriguing adventure will leave readers eager for more." --Publishers Weekly

"Abdullah writes stories like a sparkling, burning thing painted against the pitch-black night, ever out of our reach. Gently touched with lyrical writing, Abdullah's talent is making you feel like magic exists." --BuzzFeed "Once again Abdullah deftly conjures magic. The middle book in Abdullah's adventure is no less thrilling or expansively conceived than the first." --Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

Consumed by wanderlust, she has put down roots in various states. After earning her MA in English at Duquesne University, she moved to New York, where she currently lives. When not immersed in her own fictional worlds, she spends her free time playing video games, doodling characters, and hoarding books she doesn't have the shelf space for.