Stealing Thunder
Protecting her identity means life or death in this immersive epic fantasy inspired by the Mughal Empire.
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.
Title: Stealing Thunder
Series: Stealing Thunder #1
Author: Alina Boyden
Genre: LGBT /Fantasy
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: ACE
Publishing Date: 05/12/20
Language: English
ISBN: 1984805460
ISBN-13: 978-1984805461
My Review
Stealing Thunder is a beautifully written tale of a former prince now in hiding with a backdrop of the orient doused in adventure delivering a highly readable plot.
Razia Khan is her name now and she climbs walls stealthier than anyone else, steals quietly and swiftly from the rich and dances most alluringly to captivate her audience. She is a transgender woman working in a dera along with sisters just like her who also have escaped a life of beatings and discrimination. Most of them have always known that they were born in the wrong body that didn't match their woman's soul.
Razia meets prince Arjun at one of her performances and she stands out immediately to him. Smitten with her whit and beauty, he begins to spend time with her, while she continues thieving right under his nose. As their infatuation turns to friendship and more, she almost gets caught by him climbing walls at night and jumping roofs.
With the continued interest of Arjun, Razia lets down her guard and tells him the truth. The two of them share a love for flying zahhaks, large feathered creatures that only the noble are allowed to fly and he is impressed by her abilities to control and maneuver them so well. Razia misses flying her own but soon finds the opportunity to do so when she becomes entangled with Arjun's family in a political war that brings her close to home and to her father who has hated and searched for her for years.
Not only did Razia endure a troubled childhood, but as she meets Arjun's family, she is being tested of her intentions towards Arjun until her tactics to pull strategic moves against the enemy pay off and she garners a spot as a concubine in his home. But the threat of her old life isn't over until she can save her little sister too and prove her loyalties in the biggest heist she has ever taken part in.
Will Razia finally defy the odds and earn the respect and happy life she deserves?
***
This novel was written by a transgender woman and it was my first experience to read a book with a transgender (main) character. I loved the backdrop of the orient and moments of adventure in it, while in all it was written full of heart. It reads swiftly and is one of those novels you can just get lost in. A bit of intrigue, foes, and enemies round this novel up perfectly and in all, it's a very engrossing story.
I liked Razia and Arjun's characters, and I love the way their relationship developed. Both of them are upstanding, nice people, but the concept is still foreign to me. There is no doubt that the author's voice is absolutely beautiful and this novel was written very well. I think it is a great way to be introduced to the subject without it feeling overbearing and I'm certain we will see more books like this in the future. I believe there will be a sequel to Stealing Thunder and I would definitely read it as well.
Cheers.
I received an Arc of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
All opinions are my own. Thank you kindly.
