Race the Sands in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Apr 16, 2020 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved everything about Race the Sands! Hooked from the very first page, the interesting character profiles is what struck me first. Tamra had a great backstory: she’s a highly skilled trainer (old injuries keeping her from competing in the kehok races herself), and an incredibly badass character (with enough flaws to make her realistic). Both she and the other characters had great motive from those backstories – compelling enough to sustain the whole plot. Very well done.

Characters aside, I lo I loved everything about Race the Sands! Hooked from the very first page, the interesting character profiles is what struck me first. Tamra had a great backstory: she’s a highly skilled trainer (old injuries keeping her from competing in the kehok races herself), and an incredibly badass character (with enough flaws to make her realistic). Both she and the other characters had great motive from those backstories – compelling enough to sustain the whole plot. Very well done.

Characters aside, I love books that incorporate training or education in a skill not found in our world. In this case, it was kehok riding (kind of like horse racing, but on wicked chimeras). The training wasn’t the forefront of the story, but it was incorporated often enough to satisfy my cravings for it. It all took place in a desert world where the people revolve their lives around a reincarnation-based religious structure. It was a cool concept. I’ve seen similar frameworks in other stories, but often the reincarnation ends up being a false belief. In this world, those who die really are reborn according to how they lived their lives. It added an interesting dynamic to an already cool plot. I loved every moment. It’s not the most sophisticated fantasy I’ve ever read, but it’s definitely one of the most fun.

I like Durst’s writing style. She’s telling stories robust enough for an adult market, but her characters and overall presentation are accessible enough to appeal to the YA crowd. When I first read Queen of the Blood (book #1 in her Renthia series), I initially thought it was an elevated YA novel… meaning I liked it, lol). Her main influence is Tamora Pierce, and you can definitely see that in this work. The writing itself is beautifully done – she has an exhibition of page hooks at the end of her chapters that are superb enough to be noticeable…. they made the book hard to put down.

Durst’s storytelling really sings to my soul. In the acknowledgments section of Race the Sands, she talked about what sparked her love for fantasy and shaped her journey as a writer – both of which I found personally inspiring as I look at my own budding career. It motivated me to dust off my manuscripts and continue chasing my goals. This section in particular jumped out at me:

I believe that fantasy is a literature of hope and empowerment. It can serve as a light in the darkness,as a guide towards strength, and as an escape from pain. It is my secret hope that someone will read Tamra and Raia’s story and realize that they can be who they want to be, that the can shape the world, that they can race the sands – and win.

I’ll never forget the profound impact her words had on me. It’s awesome when books can influence your life beyond just reading and reviewing.

Recommendations: Race the Sands was an incredibly fun book that will appeal to both adult fantasy fans looking for something lighter and YA fans looking to pick up something more robust. And to add to its recommendability, it’s a stand-alone novel, so you can pick it up without huge commitment. It’s one of my favorite books I’ve read in a while, and I can’t wait to share it with peeps I know are going to love it too.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

Other books you might like:

Joust (Dragon Jousters, #1) by Mercedes Lackey

Alanna The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1) by Tamora Pierce

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (The Song of the Shattered Sands, #1) by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Court of Fives (Court of Fives, #1) by Kate Elliott

...more

93 likes · Like · see review

Jun 25, 2020 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-read

3.5 stars

If you want to try one of Sarah Beth Durst's books, this is a reasonably solid standalone fantasy novel representative of her work.

While I wasn't a fan of the entire Queens of Renthia series, I did enjoy the first two books in particular, The Queen of Blood and The Reluctant Queen. Race the Sands shares some similar traits with those books, including an imaginative setting and interesting main characters whose primary flaws stem mostly from a lack of self belief and confidence. Personal ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Jul 01, 2020 Di Maitland rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, non-humans, war, leader, titled-characters, favourite-books-series, action-girl, competition, young-adult, audiobook

Augur Yorbel, will you please inform the Emperor to be that his prize racer will only run for one rider.

WHAT an awesome read. I loved this book. It's got monster racing, alpha-females, sweet princes, political intrigue and family drama, what's not to love.

Tamra is a kehok racing trainer. A former racer herself, she's familiar with the huge monsters, a mishmash of animals parts host to the souls of the worst of human society in their former lives. I must admit, I was sceptical of this reincarnati ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 22, 2020 Lata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: x2020-read, auth-f, sf-f-h

This book was so much fun! It’s essentially a girl and her horse story, well, actually, two women and their hellbeasts. With an interesting cosmology, powerful priests, training and racing, horrible family and wonderful, found family, political intrigue, corruption, backstabbing, people who aren’t what they seem, making big mistakes and finding redemption, and a solid portrayal of deep, caring motherhood. And hellbeasts!

7 likes · Like · see review

Jul 04, 2020 Lindsay rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

In a world where your virtue in your current life results in rebirth in the next one as something else, the worst of the worst get reborn as kehoks, monstrous unnatural chimeras that are doomed to only ever be reborn as kehoks forevermore. In the country of Becar, people receive the help of Augurs to guide their lives to the best possible reincarnation and as a result Augurs are an important part of Becar society. Also important in Becar are the kehok races, where riders try to control the monst ...more

4 likes · Like · see review