Gifting Fire

January 18, 2021
The enthralling sequel to Stealing Thunder returns to the South Asian–inspired fantasy world of Daryastan, where trans heroine Princess Razia Khanum finds her newly vested power slipping through her fingers. The Zindh province where Razia has been installed as governor is in the throes of a rebellion, and, worse, Razia’s father is attempting to force Razia into an arranged marriage to her rapist, Karim Shah. Separated from her lover, Prince Arjun, Razia must face her worst fears and exploit every tool at her disposal to ensure her own freedom and the safety of her people. With fast pacing and a consistently strong emotional core, Boyden further develops the series’ themes of power, sacrifice, and father-daughter relationships, while moving beyond the questions of gender and social expectations that many readers may expect from a story with a trans protagonist. The immersive world of Daryastan is further developed to add both grit and beauty, and, in Razia, Boyden has created a smart, scrappy, and tenacious trans woman protagonist whose exploits are a delight to read. Lovers of non-Western fantasy and readers looking for empowering women- and trans-led stories will be thrilled. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger Literary.

February 1, 2021

Razia Khanum has found love and acceptance with Prince Arjun, but to protect him she also had to bargain with her father. Now he is calling in the debt: Razia must secure the province of Zindh as its governor. Surrounded by enemy provinces, left with her father's men who have no loyalty to her, Razia must find footing with a rebel queen who is beloved in the province. But things get worse when she is forced into a marriage with none other than Prince Karim, who raped her as a child, and she is sequestered in a foreign palace with few allies. Razia must draw on her past as both a courtesan and a thief to outmaneuver Karim and save her people. Boyden brings back her fast action and lush worldbuilding with her transgender princess as heroine. VERDICT The sequel to Stealing Thunder continues to entertain as a beautiful romantic fantasy series inspired by Pakistani culture.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 31, 2021
This sequel to Stealing Thunder (2020) catapults readers back into the world of Daryastan and the star-crossed lovers Razia and Prince Arjun. The former courtesan has to serve as subahdar, a ruler of a city and province, all while dodging threats from old enemies, including her father. Tremendous sacrifices have been made, and even more lie ahead, with plenty of twists and turns to complicate things. This epic fantasy will draw readers in with zahhaks (dragons), political drama that rivals the Game of Thrones series, and a trans protagonist who shows resilience in the face of forces bent on taking her down. Gifting Fire immerses readers in a unique, South Asian alternate history landscape. While the well-researched terminology is incredible and prolific, it can be difficult to follow, and though it is less pronounced than in the previous novel, transphobic language is used by the villains. Still, readers who have had their fill of pseudo-medieval epic fantasies will find a fresh new voice in this novel. Fans of Naomi Novik, Jacqueline Carey, and Anne McCaffrey in particular will enjoy this series.

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