Of Sand and Malice Made

The Song of the Shattered Sands #0.5

by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Çeda is the youngest pit fighter in the history of the great desert city of Sharakhai. In this brilliant new story, a prequel to Twelve Kings, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf. None but her closest friends and allies know her true identity.

But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, one of the sadistic creatures known as ehrekh which were forged long ago by the god of chaos. They are usually desert dwellers, but this one lurks in the dark corners of Sharakhai, toying with and preying on humans. As Rümayesh works to unmask the White Wolf and claim Çeda for her own, Çeda's struggle becomes a battle for her friends, her life, and her very soul.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Novella, Magic, Adult

228 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Bradley P. Beaulieu began writing his first fantasy novel in college, but life eventually intervened. As time went on, though, Brad realized that his love of writing and telling tales wasn't going to just slink quietly into the night. The drive to write came back full force in the early 2000s, at which point Brad dedicated himself to the craft, writing and learning under the guidance of writers like Nancy Kress, Joe Haldeman, Tim Powers, Holly Black, and many more.

Brad and his novels have garnered many accolades including two Hotties—the Debut of the Year and Best New Voice—on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist, a Gemmell Morningstar Award nomination for The Winds of Khalakovo and more:

* Top Ten Book and Debut of the Year for 2011 on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist for The Winds of Khalakovo
* Best New Voice of 2011 on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
* 2011 Gemmell Morningstar Award Nomination for The Winds of Khalakovo
* Top Ten Debut for The Winds of Khalakovo on Ranting Dragon's Best of 2011
* Top Ten Debut for The Winds of Khalakovo on Mad Hatter's Best of 2011
* Top Five Book for 2012 on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist for The Straits of Galahesh
* 2012 Most Anticipated for The Straits of Galahesh on Staffer's Book Review
* 2012 Most Anticipated for The Straits of Galahesh on The Ranting Dragon
* 2013 Most Anticipated for The Flames of Shadam Khoreh on The Ranting Dragon

Brad continues to work on his next projects, including an Arabian Nights epic fantasy and a Norse-inspired middle grade series. He also runs the highly successful science fiction & fantasy podcast, Speculate, which can be found at speculatesf.com.

Novels

THE LAYS OF ANUSKAYA
* The Winds of Khalakovo
* The Straits of Galahesh
* The Flames of Shadam Khoreh

Short Story Collections
* Lest Our Passage Be Forgotten & Other Stories

Novellas
* Strata (with Stephen Gaskell)

Contact Information
Website: www.quillings.com
Twitter: @bbeaulieu
Facebook: facebook.com/bradley.p.beaulieu

Reviews

[Bradley]

Please like this review. I'll be using it to post updates to the book.

Jan 10th, 2017 - Of Sand and Malice Made is up for a Stabby Award in the Short Fiction category! If you enjoyed the book, I'd love your vote. Just open to the short fiction category in the /r/Fantasy post for the Stabby Awards and upvote it! Voting closes tomorrow, Jan 11th, 2017!

Dec 28th, 2016 - With Blood Upon the Sand has ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies). Find out more at my blog. If you're a reviewer and would like a review copy of the book, please send me your name and the site you review for and I'll do my best to get you a copy. NetGalley should have it up next week, and you can request a copy there as well once it's available.

Oct 19th,2016 - If you're curious to learn a bit more about the series, here's a fun YouTube video that I recorded with Ezekiel Boone (The Hatching) and Mark Stay from Gollancz!

Oct 19th,2016 - SAND & MALICE audiobook!

For those who like to read via audio, last month we released an audio version with Sarah Coomes reprising her role as the voice actor. You can check out a sample via the Audible page. Happy reading! Er, listening!

Oct 19th,2016 - This is and update for Book Two, With Blood Upon the Sand. I'll update here a few more times, but if you want to keep up with news on the second book, please go to its Goodreads page and mark it as Want to read (or what have you).

At this point, we're still on schedule for a February release of With Blood Upon the Sand. The near-final book has been turned in and is being copy edited. I expect to have something back in the next month or so, and then I need to turn around edits quickly for the final run-up to production.

We're also nearing the final cover design. The artwork itself was turned in a while ago, and the artist, I think it's safe to share at this point, is Donato Giancola! It's some pretty stunning artwork, and I can't wait to get it out there for you to see. Hopefully soon!

More as I have it!

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Video Review:

https://youtu.be/nO_oukDuTys

Wow! I really love how well this prequel novels ties into the main books. I definitely recommend reading this before (With) Blood Upon the Sand or immediately following because events that happen in Of Sand and Malice Made affect what happens in the second main novel. Fast-paced and engaging.

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good little side story to a demon character I hope to see more of!
Personal rating: 3.5

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read the novel that this is a prequel to, but I'm going to rectify that at some point soon.

This novella is made up of three interlinked stories with Çeda, a young pit fighter with a dark past, and her interactions with Rümayesh, an ehrekh, a demonic/djinn like creature.

By this point Çeda has already made a name for herself as the White Wolf, fighting in the pits, but she also works for her handler Osman doing various criminal work. Unfortunately her exploits of attracted the notice of Rümayesh and after she handles their first encounter "notice" escalates to obsession.

Excellent world-building with a desert city flavor and a compelling protagonist.

[Samir · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're planning to start The Song of the Shattered Sands series, this serves as a great introduction to the magical world and the leading character. If you're already a fan, then you will certainly enjoy this one as well.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The soul is a flame that can never be extinguished.
Blown by wind it may gutter ;
hidden by veils it may darken ;
and yet it will remain,
waiting dor all who seek it".

Relato ambientado en el mundo de Sharakhaï tres años de los sucesos de la historia principal. Al contrario que el primer relato, el 0.3 este cuenta con el doble de páginas y es un poco más complejo, por lo que he tardado un poco más en leerlo.

"There are stories and there are stories, Çeda. Some are meant to be shared far and wide. There are stories that lift. That bind. Or that cause fear where should be afraid. Those sort of stories keep us as one and remind us of who we are. And then there are those who infect, that poison. Trust me to know the difference between the two".

En este relato o pequeña novela, tenemos a una Çeda más joven y nos adentramos en una historia donde los dioses y sus hijos (monstruos, criaturas mágicas entre otros) conviven entre los humanos, pero hay que tener cuidado porque estos no se contentan con satisfacer a estos últimos. Pues donde hay dioses misericordiosos también tenemos aquellos que solo quieren la malicia.

“Many great things are created when the world is dark. Things of light and beauty made all the more so for the darkness that surrounds them”.

Como he comentado antes, esta historia me ha costado un poco más de leer que otras lecturas. Esto se ha debido a que me la he tenido que leer en inglés y el nivel era un poco más alto del que estoy acostumbrada a leer. Además, a esto tienes que sumarle el vocabulario específico del mundo y de las batallas. Eso sí, aunque me haya costado me ha encantado tanto como la novela principal. Sin embargo, no se lleva una quinta estrella.

Yo creo que el hecho por el que amo tanto estas obras no son ni de lejos los personajes sino la ambientación y el folclore intrínseco, es decir las criaturas mágicas que forman parte de su cultura popular y son reales en su mundo y no simple leyendas.

"How many souls has she toyed with in the ages spent wandering the desert ?
Many….
Many inded.
And now the sands spent wandering the desert".

Totalmente recomendado.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2016/0...


This novella could easily be used as an introduction to Çeda and the world Beaulieu has created in The Song of the Shattered Sands series. Çeda was one of my favorite parts of Twelve Kings of Sharakhai as I love her strength in spirit as well as her strength in the fighting pits. Of Sand and Malice Made is an interesting look into Çeda at an earlier time in her life.

Prequels are interesting beasts. I have read some where the suspense of the story was ruined by what I learned in previous books (books that were published first but chronologically occur after the prequel). But then there are other prequels that manage to create a self contained story that is new to you, gives an interesting story and background to a character you were already familiar with and weaves a tale that is still full of suspense despite you having read a story that occurs after. It can be a great way to help the reader understand more of what is going on by learning about history and events that were at least relative mysteries prior to the novella. Information that you didn’t miss, that is not essential to the other books, but that enhances understanding and entertains while reading something completely new. Of Sand and Malice Made firmly lands in the latter category. It is a prequel story done extremely well, and I believe it is one the could easily be read before or after Twelve Kings of Sharakhai.

In Of Sand and Malice Made, Çeda is early in her pit fighting career. She is younger, and that can be seen in her personality and decisions. The story revolves around her entanglement with Rumayesh, an ehkreh, or in put into plain terms, a demonic type of creature that has the ability to steal memories as well as potentially hijack bodies. And this one has fixated on Çeda. Not good. Çeda must find a way to free herself of this powerful foe.

This may be a novella length story (at about 200 pages), but the story felt richer and deeper than I would expect for that page count. Highly recommend this book and series. Honestly my only negative comment is that I can’t get my hands on a copy of the next book in this series quite yet.

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/10/02/...

In my review of Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu, I called the book’s main character one of the best female protagonists I have encountered in years. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I learned later that there was also a prequel novella in the works, and that Çeda will once again be the focus of this tale.

And so I read Of Sand and Malice Made, despite my usual disinclination to pick up novellas and short-form fiction, because that’s just how much I adore Çeda. The book opens with an introduction to her as a young teen, but already she has made a name for herself as the indomitable White Wolf in the fighting pits of Sharakhai. Around this time, Çeda also begins her smuggling work for Osman, running contraband for him to earn some extra wages. Life goes on, until one day a problem with a previous delivery comes back to haunt her, landing her in hot water with a wealthy client.

However, there’s more than meets the eye about this client, as she turns out to be the ehrekh known as Rümayesh, a malicious magical creature made long ago by the god of chaos. The ehrekh likes to toy with its victims, possessing their bodies and forcing them to do its bidding. And unfortunately, this demon has fixated her attentions on Çeda, targeting our unsuspecting protagonist with her nasty minions and dark magic. Now it’s clear that Rümayesh is out to take away everything Çeda has ever cared for, including her friends, her secret identity, and her very soul.

Of Sand and Malice Made is structured so that its three distinct parts form a larger narrative detailing Çeda’s encounter with Rümayesh, and even includes some gorgeous illustrations between each section. For a book that’s already on the shorter side though, I wasn’t quite sold on this format which further breaks the story down into even smaller parts, and I think any issues I had with pacing stems from this issue. Still, I liked how each section had its own unique feel, and because of this style we also got to see several sides of Çeda. Taken as a whole, this book does a pretty decent job showing us who she is and, more importantly, what makes her tick.

This novella also serves as a good introduction to the magic-steeped world of the series, showcasing the wonders of the magnificent desert city of Sharakhai. The world-building blew me away when I read Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, and it felt great returning to this setting for another adventure, one that explored a darker and more mythological side of the lore. The story itself is satisfying, and manages to pack a whole lot of action, intrigue, and emotion in this small package.

Still, I can’t stay this one hit me on the same level as the novel, but then again, that was to be expected. Obviously, it would not be fair to compare the content of a novella to what you can get from a full-length 600 page novel like Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, but if you want to start your journey with The Song of the Shattered Sands series, this could be the perfect jumping-off point to get your feet wet. And if you like what you see, do consider picking up the full novel; Twelve Kings was a masterpiece in epic fantasy world-craft and characterization, and if you haven’t read it yet, you should do it as soon as possible. Now I’m waiting on pins and needles for the sequel, and even though Of Sand and Malice Made wasn’t that book, reading it sure sated my hunger a little and made the wait slightly easier to bear.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

U ovoj noveli, kroz četiri kratke priče, pratimo Çedine dogodovštine pre samog početka romana 12 Kraljeva Šarakaija, i samim tim imamo priliku da istražimo još više, kako njen lik, tako i svet u kojem se radnja ovih dveju knjiga odigrava.
Možda bi bilo previše tražiti od čitalaca da roman 12 Kraljeva Šarakaija zapravo započnu ovom novelom, ali svakako, vi koji se upustite u čitanje te knjige, ovu morate u nekom trenutku pročitati.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lepa priča sa porukom da je bolje biti ne primećen od strane moćnih pošto se to nikada ne završi lepo za slabije.

Ovde imamo tri priče koje su povezane ali je moguće čitati ih odvojeno, mada zašto bi to hteli :) Lepo ispričano sa interesantnim likovima i malo mistike i magije drži pažnju od početka do kraja.

Knjiga se dešava pre prve ali bih preporučio da ipak pročitate prvu knjigu pa onda ovo pošto će te imati više satisfakcije za likove.

Sve u svemu preporuka za ljubitelje ovog serijala pošto saznajemo dosta o prošlosti glavnih likova.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun- I think I liked it even better than Sharakhai. Review should go up on B&N this week, will post a link when it does.

[Yoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don´t really like reading short stories but this one. I wish I knew this prologue was that good. Cause now I really need to read the whole series.

[Karina Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella and Ceda’s adventure with an ehrekh. It explained a few more things about the world and I enjoyed Brama’s character. I’m so excited to start book two 😍😍

[Mili · Rating 3 out of 5]

A prequel novella with tales about Çeda. 3.5 🌟. I love fast reads inbetween! Of Sand and Malice Made gives a small glimpse into Çeda her adventures. This one focussing on an encounter with an ehrekh! Fabulous dark and magical creatures. Made by the gods and they love to toy with humans. I wasn't entirely blown away by the novella and I certainly think I enjoyed it more after reading Twelve Kings. Because some of the characters were already fleshed out a bit in Twelve Kings they had more meaning for me in the novella. It is a nice additional read to the Sharakhai world.

[Che Adventure · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review Of Sand and Malice Made
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa1Oa...

[Lianne Pheno · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...

Cette novella préquelle à la série Sharakhaï était vraiment très sympa et nous dévoile une partie de la mythologie qui nous était inconnue. J'ai vraiment passé un très bon moment et ça me redonne vraiment envie de continuer la série principale.

Comme dans la série principale nous suivons Çeda, ainsi que quelques apparitions de son meilleur ami Emre. Concernant la situation de départ : Çeda est une adolescente, elle commence tout juste à se battre dans l'arène ou elle est en train de se fait un nom et elle fait toujours des courses pour gagner sa vie en dehors.
L'une de ces courses va avoir des répercutions inattendues.

En effet on lui rapporte que le produit qu'elle a délivré a été empoisonné et aurait pu tuer le client. A partir de ce moment la, Çeda ne le sais pas mais elle a mit le pied dans un engrenage qui va l'embourber dans une montagne d'ennuis sous la forme d'un Ehrekh, un démon mythologique qui va commencer à s’intéresser à elle et à son passé et qui ne connait pas le mot "non".

Le récit est raconté sous la forme de 3 histoires à la suite, liées bien entendu par l'histoire commune. En fait on est simplement dans une histoire qui se déroule en trois phases, chacune étant raconté comme si elle était indépendante.

En dehors de quelques sous entendus concernant le passé de Çeda et les secrets qu'elle cache, il n'y a pas de lien entre cette histoire et celle de la série principale. Ce qui fait que ce livre peut très bien être lu en premier ou même indépendamment.
En plus elle a suffisamment de background en elle même pour ne pas avoir besoin de la série principale pour marcher, ce qui est un très bon point.

Franchement j'ai adoré cette histoire. Le monde et la ville de Sharakhaï sont tellement vivant qu'on imagine vraiment les odeurs, les couleurs ou les bruits. L'auteur a su créer en quelques pages un univers qui donne envie, qui nous plonge avec délice dans cette ville mythique.
En plus de ça le mystère de l'histoire rajoute une couche pour donner une atmosphère unique à ce récit.

C'était intéressant de voir Çeda en adolescente, finalement elle a peu changé en dehors du fait qu'elle a une certaines naïveté ici qu'elle n'a plus ensuite. Elle n'a pas l'intention de s'insérer dans les histoires des autres, ce qui est compréhensible dans ce monde ou déjà survivre quand on est une orpheline est difficile. Mais pourtant elle n'hésite pas à se battre pour sauver ceux qui ont été mis en danger à cause d'elle.

Moi qui normalement est moins fan des histoires courtes, j'avoue que celle ci a parfaitement fonctionné. J'en suis ressortie avec un sentiment d'émerveillement qui m'a fait vraiment plaisir. J'aimerais vraiment lire des histoires courtes aussi bonnes plus souvent.

En fait elle m'a vraiment remotivée à continuer la série dont le tome 2 traîne dans ma bibliothèque depuis sa sortie. Je pense que je vais même relire le premier avant parce que cette histoire ci m'a rappelée que je ne me souvenais plus grand chose de la mythologie du monde.

17/20

[Kitty G Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I was sent this for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I knew I would almost certainly enjoy this when I got it becuase I LOVED Twelve Kings by Bradley Beaulieu and within this we are following the same main character of Çeda. Çeda is a younger version in this book becuase this is a prequel to Twelve Kings, but already from her adventure we can start to see the young woman she becomes in the later book.

This has some beautiful illustrations at the start of each part (there are three parts) and tells a story which is interconnected in each part. The three tales all form one overall story of Çeda's encounter with a demon-like creature who takes a liking to her. This is definitely not good for Çeda and her friends who all become quickly enmeshed in trying to escape the creature and the story goes on from there.

What I liked about this is it's a super quick and easy read. It's only about 200pgs which means that it's fast to enjoy and get to the action, but it also means it doesn't have the same emotional levels as we have in Twelve Kings. This was fine for me as I expected that due to the length, and the fun nature of the story and already knowing the character made up for that.

Overall this is a super fun little read and one I would definitely recommend. I look forward to book #2 in the Twelve Kings series even more now as I've read this one and I hope it comes soon :) 3.5*s overall!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as a prequel to the Twelve Kings series. I haven't read any of his other material so the characters were new to me and therefore, spoiler free.

Three interwoven tales tell us of Ceda, a pit-fighter who doubles as a runner for her dodgy boss. This reminded me a little of the Bel Dame trilogy particularly with a desert setting but the stories are dis-similar.

There is a djinn-like character who fixates on Ceda and the story quickly escalates.

[LordTBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis

Çeda, the heroine of the widely anticipated, just-released novel Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, is the youngest pit fighter in the history of the great desert city of Sharakhai. In this prequel, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf; none but her closest friends and allies know her true identity.

But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, an ehrekh, a sadistic creature forged long ago by the god of chaos. The ehrekh are usually desert dwellers, but this one lurks in the dark corners of Sharakhai, toying with and preying on humans. As Rümayesh works to unmask the White Wolf and claim Çeda for her own, Çeda’s struggle becomes a battle for her very soul.

Review

Thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of Of Sand and Malice Made (The Song of the Shattered Sands #0.5) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving a copy of the novella did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

I have been seeing Beaulieu’s works across social media so I figured it was time to give them a shot. What really had me intrigued were the covers for his Song of the Shattered Sands series; each one more beautiful than the next. I have also seen reviews from some bloggers I wholeheartedly trust and felt confident going into Of Song and Malice Made.

While I do enjoy novellas, what with the ability to read some in very short periods of time (because we all know time is a rarity), I don’t know if the way Of Sand and Malice made was structured allowed me to enjoy the introduction to the series as much as I would’ve wanted. Instead of it being a straightforward storyline, it is broken up into three (3) separate parts that end up being forming the larger narrative. I feel like with each story, I had to gear back up to become engrossed instead of sticking with a pure timeline. This may work for others, but unfortunately it didn’t for me.

On the flipside, the character of Çeda, the world-building, and the gorgeous prose that Beaulieu packs into this “short novel” shine through bright as the morning sun. It is a great introduction to a strong female protagonist who I would put on a pedestal next to Nona and Tam Hashford. Çeda is a very likable and cunning character that I cannot wait to see more of, and the ability to see her beginnings make for an impatient wait to start Book 1. I am also excited to see more of the world we receive a small glimpse of here. The way the author uses language to describe even the streets have me drooling to see the larger landscape.

All in all, Of Sand and Malice made is a good introduction to the larger series. I am hoping to start Twelve Kings fairly soon.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depth of mythology the author is building around this series is amazing. Loved Twelve Kings and with such a kickass character as Ceda why not write more stories around here.
The novella is a prequel to Twelve Kings and shows a younger Ceda basically fighting for her existence.
Interesting premise again and an additional layer of depth to the series.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: .

This felt a lot shorter than it was, I flew through it.

Based on this I will definitely read on in the series and tackle those longer (dauntingly long) books.

It was a nice introduction to the world, and I loved how the world was described. I could feel the hot sun beating down, the cool splash of water, the squirm-inducing moths (ew).

[Ettelwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story how Nicole is never gonna to buddy read with me again because my ass is way so quick.

Má to atmosféru a Ceda co by hlavní hrdinka nemusí být vůbec špatná. Ale hlavně doufám, že se nezapomene na Bramu.

Těším se.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this all in one day, during a hike session up the White Mountains (NH).

First off, fantastic narration. Sarah Coomes brings the whole gang to life. Normally I'm a read first and listen second person, but I'm thankful I had (Brad gave me this for free!) an audiobook copy. Sarah was *that* good.

Malice Made is pretty much three parts, all connected to one story. I was never totally sure who was out for what and why, and I love that. Ceda, as I said in my Twelve Kings review, is up there with the greatest of female protagonists. She's my favorite, along with Nyx from Kameron Hurley's "God's War" trilogy.

Seeing as it's a prequel, I felt Ceda wasn't yet the woman we meet in Twelve Kings. Not as brash, confident, and such. I appreciated that, because I don't want the characters to feel the exact same. Means they haven't gone through anything between books and that was not the case here. Believe me.

If I had a suggestion for other readers, try rereading Twelve Kings beforehand. New readers can start with this. It's actually a great starting point. But I had trouble remembering some characters and their place in the first book. Not vital, though.

Great, great stuff from Brad. I'm grateful he put this out. Props to everyone who had a part in it.

Ps - I'll eventually buy a hardcover/paperback. The cover is so beautiful.

pps - Almost forgot. I wanted to add this. The world building is special in these books. I really appreciate what Brad's created and love the Arabian nights feel. If you love big worlds where all kinds of creatures and beings exist, with liveful cities, then please try this series out.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!

A story in three parts sprung from the desert sands. Beaulieu refers to this as the little book that could. The way the three parts blend from one to the next is curiously masterful.
Çeda, known in the pits of the desert city of Sharakhai as White Wolf, finds herself pitted against an ehrekh, a creature sprung from the whims of the God of chaos.
When Brama Junayd'ava steals Çeda's purse she rectifies the situation, yet Osman takes her to task for toying with Brama. He points out to her that her ego is involved and as a pit fighter that can't happen.
The ehrekh Rümayesh draws Çeda in, to steal her dreams, the window to her soul, Çeda knows fear, and knows that she must find a way to destroy Rümayesh. Çeda cannot allow Rümayesh entree. The emotional battle to lead Rümayesh away from her deepest thoughts and secrets, to avoid enslavement is intense.
Unfortunately in the melee, Brama becomes involved, joined to Rümayesh. Çeda must try to separate the two. In doing so she further endangers her very being.
This little book certainly can.

A NetGalley ARC

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars)

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute hoot! Of Sand and Malice Made is an adjunct short novel for Bradley Beaulieu's Shattered Sands series, and I think is a terrific way to introduce the series, or to add some additional lore onto it, as Brad said he intended with the novel. I breezed through this relatively quickly, especially considering how rarely I read "actual physical books" anymore (and a signed one - eow!).

This story follows Ceda, an renowned young pit fighter in the desert city of Sharakhai. Through a twisted series of events, she finds herself intertwined with a godlike creature largely believed to be of fairytales, she is forced to make many sacrifices and hard decisions in order to free herself - and her few loved ones - from the grasp of the ominous Rümayesh.

Of Sand and Malice Made is fast-paced, without being rushed, and has plenty of lore, an evolving plot that contains ample suspense, and some really fun and engaging characters. I'm admittedly a bit behind on Beaulieu's series (I read mostly shorter novels now because lazy), but OSAMM really brought me back around, and has certainly inspired me to get back into the novels and enjoy the lovely prose and awesome world created by Brad. This is such a fun little read.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty cool little book! I won this as well as Twelve Kings in Sharakhai in a contest from the publisher without having read anything from this author. This little novella served as a nice introduction to the series and author, and I'm glad I started here.

It's a well-written story filled with mythology and magic. I'm story sucker for these types of settings, and I'm really easily sucked into the types of desert folklore that typically play into it. It seems like the author has a really full world here, and I'm excited to see what his full novels are like. I've got high expectations after this, and from what I've heard, Beaulieu lives up to them.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn’t as good as the larger installments to the series, but there is no surprise there. I enjoyed it all the same.

[Bogdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting volume of three novella about the world of Sharakhai, all of them connected, with stories about the ehrekh Rümayesh, a djinn kind of creature, that was a major character in the last book of this series, volume that I`ve just read.

I liked it a lot because it adds a lot of new things and informations into the whole setting.

A must for every fan of the series, but also a good volume ready to be tried to see if the world of Sharakhai it`s something you would like.