Rai Aren's Blog - Posts Tagged "sci-fi"
"Can you spell B-L-O-C-K-B-U-S-T-E-R?" New 5-star review!!
I wanted to share another of our latest 5-star reviews for Secret of the Sands:
(reposted from Amazon.com):
This book has "Summer Blockbuster" written all over it. Mr. Bruckheimer, are you paying attention?
Amittedly, it has all the elements I love--action, suspense, the metaphysical world, Egypt, archaeology.... Yes, it brings to mind my hero, Indiana Jones. This book is as close to Indy's equal as any novel or film will ever get.
The pacing is flawless, the characters well-defined, the history thoroughly researched. The authors have done their homework, and I can't wait for the seuqel.
A note to the reviewer who criticized the authors' grammar, etc.--bear in mind that this is not meant to be a textbook. It's entertainment. The best novelists learn the rules of good English, then break at least half of those rules. The objective is to tell an exciting story, not give an English lesson.
I would enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone who wants a real page-turner!
Norma Beishir
author, Chasing the Wind
(reposted from Amazon.com):
This book has "Summer Blockbuster" written all over it. Mr. Bruckheimer, are you paying attention?
Amittedly, it has all the elements I love--action, suspense, the metaphysical world, Egypt, archaeology.... Yes, it brings to mind my hero, Indiana Jones. This book is as close to Indy's equal as any novel or film will ever get.
The pacing is flawless, the characters well-defined, the history thoroughly researched. The authors have done their homework, and I can't wait for the seuqel.
A note to the reviewer who criticized the authors' grammar, etc.--bear in mind that this is not meant to be a textbook. It's entertainment. The best novelists learn the rules of good English, then break at least half of those rules. The objective is to tell an exciting story, not give an English lesson.
I would enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone who wants a real page-turner!
Norma Beishir
author, Chasing the Wind
Two more great reviews of Secret of the Sands!!
Hello Goodreads friends,
We are having a great week with two recent stellar reviews of Secret of the Sands! I thought I would share them here with you:
reposted from Amazon:
5-stars: "Tell all your friends about this Secret", May 9, 2009
"Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have masterfully intertwined a story about a modern day archeological dig in Egypt with a story that took place at the same exact location in ancient times.
Enjoy digging through the pages as you meet archeologists, Mitch and Alex as they unearth an extremely powerful artifact. Then fall back into ancient times and learn how and why King Traeus hid this same strange artifact 12,000 years ago.
In these two completely different stories, it is fascinating to see the differences, yet, even more so, the similarities of how true power effected people in ancient times as it does today.
While power, deception, and lies run concurrent in both stories. So do honor and integrity.
Not having much interest in ancient Egypt, I was somewhat skeptical at the beginning of this tale, but I was quickly won over by the wonderful characterization and scenes. I also really enjoyed the transitions between modern and ancient stories. Secret of the Sands is an enjoyable, fun to read novel that has me looking forward to the authors' sequel, Destiny of the Sands.
Very nicely done, Ms. Aren and Mr. E."
Michael Balkind
Author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball
Our second review was posted on a very cool book blog, The Book Girl Reviews, here is our link:
The Book Girl Reviews: Secret of the Sands
I thought I would also share that review here:
May 10th, 2009: "This book is about two archaeologist who uncover a secret from 12000 yrs ago. The book goes back and forth between the past and present day.
The past deals with the Kiernan people and the royal family who ruled them, and how the family suffered and coped with their decisions dealing with the secret that Traeus has been keeping.
The present deals with Alex and Mitch uncovering this secret and how they handle what they find. Also how they're handling the person trying to undermine them and they must find out who is secretly helping them and why.
The sequel should have the answer to all and am really looking forward to see how all turns out.
This book was very good. I thought the humor dispersed between the archeologist helped to get through the technical facts you need to know to fully understand just how much research and detail they have to go into to arrive at their conclusions. I really felt an emotional pull to the royal family they were researching, and got caught up in the excitement every time Alex and Mitch found out something new. The way the book was written kept you moving right along and descriptions of events made you feel like you were right there with them. I was thoroughly immersed in the royal family's story and suffered right along with Traeus. I am anxiouly awaiting the sequel, Destiny of the Sands, and expect it will be even more exciting to see how Traeus will go on and what Alex and Mitch will do next about reviving the secret. Until then, I wait expectantly."
As always, I am deeply grateful for these wonderful reviews and to know that our story continues to resonate with our readers. The sequel, Destiny of the Sands, is coming along smashingly!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
We are having a great week with two recent stellar reviews of Secret of the Sands! I thought I would share them here with you:
reposted from Amazon:
5-stars: "Tell all your friends about this Secret", May 9, 2009
"Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have masterfully intertwined a story about a modern day archeological dig in Egypt with a story that took place at the same exact location in ancient times.
Enjoy digging through the pages as you meet archeologists, Mitch and Alex as they unearth an extremely powerful artifact. Then fall back into ancient times and learn how and why King Traeus hid this same strange artifact 12,000 years ago.
In these two completely different stories, it is fascinating to see the differences, yet, even more so, the similarities of how true power effected people in ancient times as it does today.
While power, deception, and lies run concurrent in both stories. So do honor and integrity.
Not having much interest in ancient Egypt, I was somewhat skeptical at the beginning of this tale, but I was quickly won over by the wonderful characterization and scenes. I also really enjoyed the transitions between modern and ancient stories. Secret of the Sands is an enjoyable, fun to read novel that has me looking forward to the authors' sequel, Destiny of the Sands.
Very nicely done, Ms. Aren and Mr. E."
Michael Balkind
Author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball
Our second review was posted on a very cool book blog, The Book Girl Reviews, here is our link:
The Book Girl Reviews: Secret of the Sands
I thought I would also share that review here:
May 10th, 2009: "This book is about two archaeologist who uncover a secret from 12000 yrs ago. The book goes back and forth between the past and present day.
The past deals with the Kiernan people and the royal family who ruled them, and how the family suffered and coped with their decisions dealing with the secret that Traeus has been keeping.
The present deals with Alex and Mitch uncovering this secret and how they handle what they find. Also how they're handling the person trying to undermine them and they must find out who is secretly helping them and why.
The sequel should have the answer to all and am really looking forward to see how all turns out.
This book was very good. I thought the humor dispersed between the archeologist helped to get through the technical facts you need to know to fully understand just how much research and detail they have to go into to arrive at their conclusions. I really felt an emotional pull to the royal family they were researching, and got caught up in the excitement every time Alex and Mitch found out something new. The way the book was written kept you moving right along and descriptions of events made you feel like you were right there with them. I was thoroughly immersed in the royal family's story and suffered right along with Traeus. I am anxiouly awaiting the sequel, Destiny of the Sands, and expect it will be even more exciting to see how Traeus will go on and what Alex and Mitch will do next about reviving the secret. Until then, I wait expectantly."
As always, I am deeply grateful for these wonderful reviews and to know that our story continues to resonate with our readers. The sequel, Destiny of the Sands, is coming along smashingly!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Secret of the Sands was again an Amazon kindle Bestseller!!
Hello fellow readers!
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
Secret of the Sands was again an Amazon kindle Bestseller!!
Hello fellow readers!
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
ETA on updated version of award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands
I just wanted to give folks an update on the ETA of the new version of Secret of the Sands, the Readers Favorite 2009 "Fiction-Mystery" silver medalist. The proof copy is scheduled to arrive this Monday, Mar.8th, 2010. It should only take me a day to review it, then if all is well, it will be approved for publication. Hopefully it will be back on the market by the end of next week. I will post updates as I get them!
In the meantime, our kindle edition remains on the market through our publisher, Maine Desk, LLC - that version won't be changing. If you are an eBook reader, do check out our ancient Egypt book and find out what has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza for 12,000 years...here's the link:
Kindle edition of mystery novel Secret of the Sands
Happy reading, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
In the meantime, our kindle edition remains on the market through our publisher, Maine Desk, LLC - that version won't be changing. If you are an eBook reader, do check out our ancient Egypt book and find out what has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza for 12,000 years...here's the link:
Kindle edition of mystery novel Secret of the Sands
Happy reading, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
