Chelsea Abdullah is an American-Kuwaiti writer born and raised in Kuwait, where she grew up listening to stories about mysterious desert creatures and wily (only sometimes likable) heroes.
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.
"Abdullah brilliantly unfolds a tale built from the threads of One
Thousand and One Nights...Abdullah splendidly transports readers
into this world by layering details into the story so deftly that
the veil between magic and reality slips and flows
delightfully."--Library Journal, "Best SF/Fantasy of 2022"
"It's hard to believe that Abdullah, an American-Kuwaiti writer who
grew up on some of the traditional tales she embellishes, is a
debut writer. The prose is polished, the world rich with depth, and
the characterizations endearing."--Paste Magazine
"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
"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
"Abdullah's Sandsea Trilogy kicks off with a beautifully crafted
novel heavily influenced by the art of storytelling and personal
narrative, especially that of the classic Arabian tale One Thousand
and One Nights.... Abdullah is a gifted storyteller, weaving
together three disparate points of view in order to bring to life a
rich world, rife with magic, where anything that can be dreamed up
can happen."--Booklist
"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 Down Comes the Night
"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
"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
"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 City of Brass."--C. L. Clark, author of
The Unbroken
"An impressive first in an expected trilogy, one that hits high
notes of several popular themes and trends (found families,
classics retold), but offers fresh perspectives as well. It will
delight readers who appreciate highly atmospheric books. Share
widely, not just with fantasy readers."--Library Journal
"[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 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
"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
![]() |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
![]() |