Twelve Kings: The Song of the Shattered Sands
Sep 2015 · Hachette UK
4.4star
33 reviewsreport
Ebook
592
Pages
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About this ebook
An epic fantasy series where prophecy and mystery combine, with bloody results in the ancient walled city of the Twelve Kings . . .
In the cramped west end of Sharakhai, the Amber Jewel of the Desert, Çeda fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she's never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha'ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets. It's the night that the asirim, the powerful yet wretched creatures that protect the Kings from all who would stand against them, wander the city and take tribute. It is then that one of the asirim, a pitiful creature who wears a golden crown, stops Çeda and whispers long forgotten words into her ear. Çeda has heard those words before, in a book left to her by her mother, and it is through that one peculiar link that she begins to find hidden riddles left by her mother.
As Çeda begins to unlock the mysteries of that fateful night, she realizes that the very origin of the asirim and the dark bargain the Kings made with the gods of the desert to secure them may be the very key she needs to throw off the iron grip the Kings have had over Sharakhai. And yet the Kings are no fools-they've ruled the Shangazi for four hundred years for good reason, and they have not been idle. As Çeda digs into their past, and the Kings come closer and closer to unmasking her, Çeda must decide if she's ready to face them once and for all.
Readers are enthralled by Twelve Kings:
'The worldbuilding is sumptuous, detailed and so imaginative . . . the intrigue is sketched in a cunning way so that you are left being unsure why is the evilest of them all and who to ally yourself with' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'What really jumps out for me is the storytelling and atmosphere! It is richh, this is my first middle east influenced fantasy and the details surrounding it were amazing' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Çeda is the type that (usually) does what she wants and apologizes for it later. I can relate to her in this way, and so it was very easy for me to root for her . . . This was a fantastic book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Really good world building, love the boats that sail the sand dunes and the intricate story is clever and engrossing' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'You get the feel of the desert's heat, the dust and sand, the narrow streets and the imposing buildings . . . There is a lot of mystery in this story and you aren't always sure who is in the right, who is in the wrong' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
In the cramped west end of Sharakhai, the Amber Jewel of the Desert, Çeda fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she's never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha'ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets. It's the night that the asirim, the powerful yet wretched creatures that protect the Kings from all who would stand against them, wander the city and take tribute. It is then that one of the asirim, a pitiful creature who wears a golden crown, stops Çeda and whispers long forgotten words into her ear. Çeda has heard those words before, in a book left to her by her mother, and it is through that one peculiar link that she begins to find hidden riddles left by her mother.
As Çeda begins to unlock the mysteries of that fateful night, she realizes that the very origin of the asirim and the dark bargain the Kings made with the gods of the desert to secure them may be the very key she needs to throw off the iron grip the Kings have had over Sharakhai. And yet the Kings are no fools-they've ruled the Shangazi for four hundred years for good reason, and they have not been idle. As Çeda digs into their past, and the Kings come closer and closer to unmasking her, Çeda must decide if she's ready to face them once and for all.
Readers are enthralled by Twelve Kings:
'The worldbuilding is sumptuous, detailed and so imaginative . . . the intrigue is sketched in a cunning way so that you are left being unsure why is the evilest of them all and who to ally yourself with' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'What really jumps out for me is the storytelling and atmosphere! It is richh, this is my first middle east influenced fantasy and the details surrounding it were amazing' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Çeda is the type that (usually) does what she wants and apologizes for it later. I can relate to her in this way, and so it was very easy for me to root for her . . . This was a fantastic book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Really good world building, love the boats that sail the sand dunes and the intricate story is clever and engrossing' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'You get the feel of the desert's heat, the dust and sand, the narrow streets and the imposing buildings . . . There is a lot of mystery in this story and you aren't always sure who is in the right, who is in the wrong' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Ratings and reviews
4.4
33 reviews
Top Famous
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January 13, 2018
I am not a sexiest but, female protagist and fantasy books don't really go hand in hand. What this book sorely needs is a little male touch. Even The Last Jedi which has a female protagist, had very prominent male roles.
Alexis Nguyen
- Flag inappropriate
May 1, 2016
Warning! don't start reading if you have a big day at work tomorrow. The characters and world are so well drawn, the tales so intricate you won't be able to put the book down. Impatiently awaiting next instalment.
9 people found this review helpful
About the author
Bradley Beaulieu is the acclaimed author of THE WINDS OF KHALAKOVO trilogy, and has been singled out as a writer to watch, having honed his craft working with authors including Holly Black, Tim Powers and Nancy Kress. He lives and works in the US, and you can follow @bbeaulieu on twitter.
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