Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands is  one that I would recommend and is part of the Rebel of the Sands Series. It is one that got me out of a funk of not wanting
to read. It was a book I finished in four days, which can be quite a feat some weeks.

I ended up describing this book to my husband as a mixture between the Wild West and Aladdin. It takes place in a fantasy world that is supposed to resemble Saudi Arabia or an equivalent (which was nice considering most of fantasy novels take place in northern Europe/Britain). But it's not only a time of scimitars and horses, though there are a few of them, there are also guns and magical beings.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about Rebel of the Sands was the religions and mythology in the story. It plays a vital role in the story as the plot moves forward and I think Alwyn Hamilton does a good job in presenting it to the reader. I also think she's gutzy because I've read a bunch of books who keep away from religion because they think it would be a turnoff for many readers. But Alwyn Hamilton didn't and made it vital the story. I thank her for it.

I also enjoyed the mythical creatures that come to life out of the sands. There are moments when Amani, the main character, recalls moments in the past to better understand these creatures that attack in the night. It gives us Amani's background, her spunky personality, and the world in which we are being brought to. There were many different types of creatures that roam the dark here. From Nightmares that kill you in your sleep, to Demdji--half human half Djinni--who are often killed for being an abomination, to the majestic Buraqi--immortal horses--that are faster than anything but a train. The world building was very well done in this book.

Amani and Jin were interesting characters. They were well developed. They ended up fighting, of course, and their fight and make up was believable.

The only thing I that I didn't really care for was the predictability. It is a YA book, and they have their own kind of predictability. But there were some things I didn't see coming. It is presented well, so if you were to pay close attention you probably could get it. Still I found it very enjoyable.

The next book is Traitor to the Throne.