A Desert Torn Asunder
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15
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Average rating3
Now in paperback, the final book in The Song of the Shattered Sands series closes the epic fantasy saga in a desert setting, filled with rich worldbuilding and pulse-pounding action. The plans of the desert gods are coming to fruition. Meryam, the deposed queen of Qaimir, hopes to raise the buried elder god, Ashael, an event that would bring ruin to the desert. Çeda and Emre sail for their ancestral home to bring the traitor, Hamid, to justice. To their horror, they discover that the desert tribes have united under Hamid's banner. Their plan? A holy crusade to annihilate Sharakhai, a thing long sought by many in the tribes. In Sharakhai, meanwhile, the blood mage, Davud, examines the strange gateway between worlds, hoping to find a way to close it. And King Ihsan hunts for Meryam, but always finds himself two steps behind. When Meryam raises Ashael, all know the end is near. Ashael means to journey to the land that was denied to him an age ago, no matter the cost to the desert. It now falls to Çeda and her unlikely assortment of allies to find a way to unite not only the desert tribes and the people of Sharakhai, but the city's invaders as well. Even if they do, stopping Ashael will cost them dearly, perhaps more than all are willing to pay.
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Soooo...I feel a little guilty giving this only three stars. I would give it 3.425 stars if I could.
This is the conclusion to my favorite fantasy series of the last few years, and it has almost everything that makes the other books, especially the first two of the series, absolutely brilliant. Sharakhai and the Shangazi (I'll say it before and I'll say it again!) is a setting that belongs in the fantasy pantheon right alongside Middle Earth, Hogwart's, and whatever you call where the Wheel of Time takes place. And the characters...Çeda is a character that I think about all the time. She is a brilliantly-rendered, not just believable, but REAL character who is brave, smart, and frustrating in her decisions. But she's consistent, and always well-written.
That's where I think this book just falls a little bit short for me. As often happens in series, the number of characters goes up by necessity, and the faves just don't get as many pages. I read these books for Çeda, and there is just too much of the other characters that, although they are just as well-done, just aren't Çeda.
The other problem was just that this book felt too short. It was suspenseful, it was exciting, but it was very fast-paced and it just seemed like it was over too fast. I have to admit I had a particular ending in mind, and it just didn't happen. It's pretty rare that I care that much, but I guess I went into it with too many expectations.
NEVERTHELESS, this is a good ending to an excellent series. I will definitely be re-reading at least two of the books. They are that good.
Featured Series
6 primary books12 released booksThe Song of the Shattered Sands is a 12-book series with 6 primary works first released in 2001 with contributions by Bradley P. Beaulieu.
