In a different life, under a different name, Razia Khan was raised to be the Crown Prince of Nizam, the most powerful kingdom in Daryastan. Born with the soul of a woman, she ran away at a young age to escape her father’s hatred and live life true to herself.
Amongst the hijras of Bikampur, Razia finds sisterhood and discovers a new purpose in life. By day she’s one of her dera’s finest dancers, and by night its most profitable thief. But when her latest target leads her to cross paths with Arjun Agnivansha, Prince of Bikampur, it is she who has something stolen.
An immediate connection with the prince changes Razia’s life forever, and she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous political war. The stakes are greater than any heist she’s ever performed. When the battle brings her face to face with her father, Razia has the chance to reclaim everything she lost…and save her prince.
What the blurb from the publisher fails to mention is that there's also feathered zahhaks, large flying quadrupeds that breath thunder, fire, acid, or ice. So, close enough to dragons for the imagination (hopefully there will be official artwork closer to the publication date), and large enough to be ridden by royalty. While dragon riders as a trope has been around for decades, the author consulted with a USAF Lt. Colonel for the aerial battle scenes and it shows. The action scenes are engaging and unmuddled.
The publisher's blurb, also, in my opinion, focuses a little too much on the romance aspect of the book. While the relationship between Razia and Arjun is a major plot point, there is also such a focus on being true to oneself and dreaming of reclaiming what has been lost, while struggling with surviving day to day and daring to plan for the future. Romance as a genre isn't my cup of tea, but this book is epic fantasy, just with a romance subplot.
I enjoyed this book immensely, and am very much looking forward to the sequel. It's nice to get away from a generic European setting for epic fantasy, and I look forward to reading more books like Stealing Thunder and Hunted by the Sky. Throughout the book, I was able to parse most of the unfamiliar terms through context, and there was a glossary in the back. At times, Razia's internal monologue could be a bit repetitious, and overall the story could do with a bit of tightening. There may be some times when things may work out a bit too simply or neatly for some readers, but I personally prefer my recreational reading to fall more on the happy ending side than gritty realism.
The author's note states: 'Now, I'm proud to say that Stealing Thunder will be the first adult fantasy novel with a trans woman main character, written by a trans woman, ever to be published by a mainstream press in the United States'. Author and trans activist Alina Boyden wrote Stealing Thunder while working on her PhD in cultural anthropology, focusing working with the hijra communities of India and Pakistan. Representation matters, and I hope Stealing Thunder will encourage publishers to bring us more voices to listen to.
I read an uncorrected proof of Stealing Thunder. It is scheduled to be published in May of 2020 and will be available in print at the Galesburg Public Library.
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