Roshani Chokshi Books In Order

Publication Order of The Gilded Wolves Books

Publication Order of Pandava Quartet Books

Publication Order of Pandava Graphic Novels

Publication Order of The Star-Touched Queen Books

Publication Order of Star-Touched Queen Collections

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Evelyn Skye Collections

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Sandhya Menon Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Roshani Chokshi is a fantasy writer best known for the Star Touched Queen series of novels. Chokshi comes from a mixed race home with an Indian father and a Filipino mother. However, she and her siblings never learned how to speak either Indian or Filipino, as her parents did not want them to be confused. As such, Chokshi for the most part spoke English at home, leaving fairy tales the only way to reconnect with her cultural heritage. Most of the narratives of the Star Touched Queen are therefore a celebration of her childhood. While she has asserted that the worldly mythology that she came in contact with while growing up tends to tell the same stories over and over, the cultural framework of her narratives offers a different perspective. Like many other successful writers, Chokshi had always had a dream to be a writer and has had her manuscripts rejected several times. Nonetheless, being a law student made it even harder to concentrate on her writing as in her last year of college, she had to prepare not only for the LSAT but also for law school. Knowing that the year was her last real chance of writing professionally, she would spend her year interning in a cramped law office while writing her first novel in the Star Touched Queen series of novels.

Roshani Chokshi takes her inspiration not only from the classic Greek mythology but also from her own Filipino and Indian heritage, which gives the stories quite a unique and interesting twist. For instance, there are tales that draw inspiration from Indian tales of the Kalidasa and the Mahabharata. These she mixes up with the more familiar Western tales of Hades and Persephone and Paradise Lost. As a teen, she had always fancied herself a teen demi Goth and hence the tales of Paradise Lost were very alluring. Growing up on fare like Paradise Lost, Chokshi is very familiar with quotes such as “I’d rather reign in hell than serve in heaven.” The same concepts are prevalent in her novels particularly her Hindu folk tales such as Savitiri, where a maiden tricks death thus controlling her own destiny. Her conception of the different cultural traditions as a historical treasure that everyone can make their own is what makes the novels so appealing not only to audiences in her native Asia, but also around the globe.

A central component of Roshani Chokshi novels is that they tend to be a mixture of fantasy and mythology. While the narratives are not that unique, she makes her coming to age stories distinctive particularly in her Star Touched Queen novels. The overarching theme is that every demon whether it be external or internal will haunt and teach us differently, which is what makes the stories stand out, even as they are from stories that the reader will find all too familiar. In her Star Touched Queen series of novels, Chokshi includes threads that are reminiscent of the Greek myth of Persephone and Beauty and the Beast in largely Indian mythology. Nevertheless, while Indian mythology tends to favor the idea of world building, Western mythology is all about personal relationships. In this regard, the novels are in the main based on a world building setting, and peopled with the more common characters from the Western myths.

Chokshi’s novels stand out for their vivid imagination, given the variety of worlds in which the narratives are set. She asserts that a lot of research goes into the detailed creation of her worlds. Some of her descriptions approximate the descriptions of worlds that she has found in texts such as the Vishnu Purana. In a recent interview, the author asserted that the description of a subterranean land that was full of lush groves, shining jewels, and beautiful maidens that was called Patala offered some inspiration for the worlds in the Star Touched Queen. Chokshi crafts each piece to evoke a specific emotion in the reader. For instance, the Night Bazaar evokes a strong sense of wonder. In this regard, her writing style evokes that of her favorite authors Renee Ahdieh of The Wrath and the Dawn and Laini Taylor’s of Daughter of Smoke both of whom use very flowery language.

In The Star-Touched Queen, Chokshi’s debut novel, fortune, and fate converge in a tale of passion and power. The chief protagonist Maya had it foretold that she would have a marriage full of destruction and death. As expected, her father’s kingdom has not only fear of her but also scorn. Resigned to pursue scholarly ambitions, she is brought down to earth when her father decides that she would be the perfect wife for a prince fomenting rebellion in a nearby vassal state. She is soon the wife of Amar and queen of Akaran, which is nothing she ever wanted. But her role as queen means she now has power and a voice that she did not have in her father’s kingdom. Even so, as Amar’s wife she also finds desire, protection, and compassion, emotions she thought he would never get back. Her new home has its own trove of secrets behind the glass gardens, locked doors and a tree that brings forth old memories rather than fruit. Maya soon finds herself in danger with no one but her husband to trust. With the fate of the otherworldly realms and that of humans threatened by annihilation, it is up to Maya to unravel an ancient mystery before disaster strikes.

Crown of Wishes, the second novel of The Star Touched Queen series sees the princess of Bharata taken captive by one of her kingdom’s sworn enemies. Facing scorn and exile, Gauri has been stripped of all that she ever had. Vikram, her captor offers her a way out by promising to get her kingdom back if she would fight for him. Setting aside their differences, they enter the Tournament of the Wishes as a team where the Lord of Wealth, the king of a mythical city, offers every victor a wish. What follows is a tale of danger and trials that test their strength and wits. These dangers range from twisted fairy revels, a feast of fears, and mischievous story birds. But in all the carnage and danger of the mythical world, Vikram and Gauri finally realize that they have more to feat from desire than from anything the world can throw at them.