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A review by breabooks
Blood of the Sands by
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
“You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be loved.”
Wow. Just wow. I know just enough about Star Wars to know this is basically a reylo fic, but that does not detract from the perfection that is this story.
Keera is an exile in a harsh world where “the desert gives and the desert takes away.” Barely surviving on her little oasis, she decides to steal supplies from a man who stumbled upon her lonely oasis to camp for the night.
The Viper is burdened with the magic of the Ballan desert. He is also the sword of Lord Alasdar. The Viper, under Alasdar’s orders, travels the desert to unite all the clans under his Lord so that they may restore the dying desert. He catches a Keera stealing from him at night, but can’t bring himself to do what he must- kill her. Keera is able to eventually get away from The Viper, but that is only the beginning of this epic story.
The world building is beautiful. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been immersed in a fantasy world based on a desert. The magic is interesting and the beasts of this world are so wildly different from anything I’ve read. The writing is stellar. The plot is fast paced with no lulls. Grayson eloquently paints a picture of a harsh world where only the strong survive. The characters have an incredible amount of depth. From acknowledging deep-seated feelings of anger and resentment, to tearing away walls and allowing oneself to be loved, Blood of the Sands has an epic plot that explores some really tough themes.
I have to say I did see a lot of Star Wars parallels, but if I wasn’t looking for them I wouldn’t have noticed. Do not fret if you’re not a Star Wars fan - it doesn’t detract from the book. …. But the Darth Vader death choke did make an appearance.
Overall, I freaking loved it. The sequel is at the top of my list. I’ll be devouring it the minute it releases.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted arc in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Just wow. I know just enough about Star Wars to know this is basically a reylo fic, but that does not detract from the perfection that is this story.
Keera is an exile in a harsh world where “the desert gives and the desert takes away.” Barely surviving on her little oasis, she decides to steal supplies from a man who stumbled upon her lonely oasis to camp for the night.
The Viper is burdened with the magic of the Ballan desert. He is also the sword of Lord Alasdar. The Viper, under Alasdar’s orders, travels the desert to unite all the clans under his Lord so that they may restore the dying desert. He catches a Keera stealing from him at night, but can’t bring himself to do what he must- kill her. Keera is able to eventually get away from The Viper, but that is only the beginning of this epic story.
The world building is beautiful. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been immersed in a fantasy world based on a desert. The magic is interesting and the beasts of this world are so wildly different from anything I’ve read. The writing is stellar. The plot is fast paced with no lulls. Grayson eloquently paints a picture of a harsh world where only the strong survive. The characters have an incredible amount of depth. From acknowledging deep-seated feelings of anger and resentment, to tearing away walls and allowing oneself to be loved, Blood of the Sands has an epic plot that explores some really tough themes.
I have to say I did see a lot of Star Wars parallels, but if I wasn’t looking for them I wouldn’t have noticed. Do not fret if you’re not a Star Wars fan - it doesn’t detract from the book. …. But the Darth Vader death choke did make an appearance.
Overall, I freaking loved it. The sequel is at the top of my list. I’ll be devouring it the minute it releases.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted arc in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death