The New York Times bestselling novel by the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Author of 2016, published in 15 countries!
Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.
Amani Al’Hiza is all three. She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead. Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.
A New York Times bestseller
Film rights optioned by Willow Smith
“Evokes such disparate influences – 1,001 Arabian Nights, Hindu lore, and Navajo myth, as well as, inevitably, the triumvirate of Tolkien, Lucas and Rowling.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Fans of Sarah Maas and Victoria Aveyard should give this one a try.” —VOYA
It was Rae Carson's blurb that piqued my interest in this book, and having now read it, I can see why she raved. REBEL OF THE SANDS feels a lot like a Rae Carson book (specifically WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER), and that is high praise.
The world in this book is slightly familiar and yet wholly other (my favorite kind of worldbuilding). It's like a mashup of the Wild West meets Aladdin. There is magic and myth woven together with political intrigue and a strong romance.
Amani and Jin are fantastic. She's strong and clever and doesn't let regret overwhelm her. I loved how resourceful and determined she was without ever sacrificing her compassion for others. And Jin was her perfect match. He was just as strong but never overbearing or egotistical, and refreshingly unapologetic about his feelings and decisions. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this romance plays out.
My only real complaint is that at about the 1/3 mark, a slew of new characters are dumped into the book and it was frustrating to try and keep track of them all. I imagine they will distinguish themselves in future books, but in this book, it pulled me out of the story and slowed the pace.
All in all, REBEL OF THE SANDS was a magical and exotic tale, full of surprises and a seriously enjoyable romance. Count me in for the sequel.
