Cát bụi thời gian

by Sidney Sheldon

Kisah empat biarawati yang tiba-tiba terlempar ke luar lingkungan biara mereka yang aman. Mereka terseret dalam perjuangan keras antara gerakan separatis Basque di bawah pimpinan Jaime Miro yang idealis dan penuh kharisma, dan Angkatan Darat Spanyol di bawah komando Kolonel Ramon Acoca yang bertekad menumpas mereka semua.

Megan, si gadis yatim-piatu, bersedia mengorbankan apa saja untuk mengetahui identitas orangtuanya. Namun dia tak berdaya melawan daya tarik Jaime Miro.
Lucia, si cantik jelita yang berdarah panahs, putri mafioso dari Sicilia, diincar polisi karena dua perkara pembunuhan. Tetapi, dia rela mengorbankan kekayaan dan masa depannya untuk menyelamatkan nyawa teroris yang sedang sekarat.
Bahkan keheningan dan kesucian biara tak mampu menghapus masa lalu Graciela. Mampukah dia mempertahankan kesuciannya dalam pusaran arus dunia yang bejat dan penuh maksiat ini?
Dan Teresa, yang terombang-ambing antara kenyataan yang dihadapinya dan masa lalu yang ingin dilupakannya, dalam kebingungannya justru memohon bantuan Kolonel Ramon Acoca---kesalahan fatal yang mencelakakan kawan-kawannya sendiri.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Sidney Sheldon (1917-2007) was an American writer who won awards in three careers—a Broadway playwright, a Hollywood TV and movie screenwriter, and a best-selling novelist.

His TV works spanned a twenty-year period during which he created I Dream of Jeannie (1965-70), Hart to Hart (1979-84), and The Patty Duke Show (1963-66), but it was not until after he turned 50 and began writing best-selling novels such as Master of the Game (1982), The Other Side of Midnight (1973) and Rage of Angels (1980) that he became most famous.

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one really ever wrote a more entertaining romantic potboiler than Sidney Sheldon, and The Sands of Time is one of his best. It has loads of color and atmosphere, and characters you root for. Each divergent story-line is as interesting as the last, Sheldon's tremendous gift for storytelling on grand display here.

You won't forget nuns -- though not all are actually nuns -- Lucia, Teresa, Graciela or Megan, nor will you forget the wonderfully colorful portrait of Spain and its conflicts of the period when this was written. Like a lot of Sheldon's work, it is soapy but not so much so that we lose interest. In fact, that's actually part of its charm.

Anyone who remembers watching The Other Side of Midnight, then grabbing a copy of the book, knows how much fun it can be to read the master of melodrama. Sheldon's never going to make anyone forget Remarque's Three Comrades, but for sheer entertainment, you can't beat The Sands of Time. If you've got a few days at the beach, you won't be sorry you took this with you.

[Rolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I finished reading this book, my first reaction was...



I mean, after all the excruciating details for the bull run, the convent, what happened with Sister Teresa in the military camp and some other things that I cannot remember anymore (I did mention in my other reviews that I do not have a good memory), I found the ending somewhat lacking. Okay, to be perfectly honest, I found the ending totally lacking. After reading this book and after my "what the hell?" moment, I really wanted to hit something or even someone. So just to satisfy my bloodlust I just watched UFC. Reading this book was mentally tiring.

This is just my opinion though.

[Ieni Divina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It failed to disappoint. I love this book. The first time I read it I was just a sophomore student in high school and I just couldn't put it down. It really different from the usual stories that I was used to reading. I promised myself then that I will buy a copy of my own.

I started collecting books then with John Grisham's and Agatha Christie's works. It was so hard to find this book from second-hand bookstores. I couldn't afford to buy a new one since I was still a student and lived on a tight budget.

Finally, I found a good copy for only Php150. Lucky huh?

**will give the review next time. :D

[Sumit RK · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read but far from perfect:
1. Not a single likeable/memorable character in the entire book
2. The entire backdrop of Spanish Civil war didn't have major impact.
3. Too many characters, each with his detailed backstory which had no relevance to the main story(OK except 1 )
Not the auhor's best work But overall a good read. So 3/5

[Fatemeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

تو سال‌های نوجوونی سیدنی شلدون نویسنده‌ی محبوبم بود.اون وقتا یه کتابش بین دوستا چند دست میچرخید.
حین مرتب کردن کتابخونه‌م بهش برخوردم و خواستم یه چرخی تو اون دوران بزنم.طبیعتاً که تجربه‌ی الانم مثل اون موقع نیست و اون جوری بهم نچسبید.ولی خب سرک کشیدن تو گذشته گاهی خوش میگذره.😌

[Crime Addict Sifat · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, yet another sensational fiction by Sidney Sheldon. If you are fishing for a good book to hang out with, I would suggest ‘The sands of time’. It really does justice. Cheers!

Four nuns find themselves suddenly thrust into a hostile world they long ago abandoned for the safety of the convent. Unwittingly they become pawns in a battle between the charismatic Jaime Miro, leader of the outlawed Basque nationalists, and the ruthless Colonel Ramon Acoca of the Spanish Army.

Four women - and the men they are forbidden to love..

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okayish thriller. I know it is a story and one should not have too many questions but still..... there were many things not very convincing. The premise was good . This is the second book I have come across of a convent with the code of silence followed by its inhabitants. . But the atmosphere was so different from The Beautiful Mystery which was a five starrer for me.

It is the story of four nuns who escape from their convent during a military attack on it and of the rebel leader Jaimie Miro . How all their lives become entangled is the crux of the story. But I have may unanswered questions (view spoiler)

But all in all an entertaining read.

[Devanshi Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down at all. I never wanted to stop reading it, it was a really addicting and enticing read. But then we are talking about Sidney Sheldon aren't we?
Though I think at a point in the middle I thought the flashbacks were getting a little too much, but then I found myself grateful for all that knowledge. The character development was precise and each character had an intricately drawn past which was explained in detail. And that does sound awesome.

[Dem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Jelena Milenković · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Sully (sully.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The difference between a rebel and a patriot depends upon who is in power at the moment.” — Sidney Sheldon, Sands of Time

The Sands of Time is an action-packed novel published in 1988 by the Master of Unexpected, Sidney Sheldon.

The story is set 37 years after the Civil War in Spain or the Spanish Inquisition (which lasted from 1936-1939). Remember, that Civil War was one of the bloodiest civil wars in history. More than half people lost their homes and lives in the battles for power between the Republicans and the rebel Nationalists in Spain.
Going back to the real setting of the story. Dated 1976 in Madrid -Spain, the Spanish government ruled by a authoritarian leader, Leopoldo Martinez had a conflict with the Catholic church. Leopoldo Martinez believes that the church has been hiding and aiding rebels inside their convents. Consequently, he decided to threaten the church which resulted to violence that forced four (4) women to leave the Spanish convent and seek a fight to death against the government.

[Sofi Bru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Si tuviera que pensar en un ejemplo de thriller histórico, definitivamente pensaría en esta novela de Sidney Sheldon.
Una lectura totalmente recomendable, ideal tanto para acompañar las vacaciones, como para sumarle algo de adrenalina a la rutina del día a día.
Me gusta mucho Sheldon, pero creo que la caracterización que logra con las protagonistas en esta obra, hacen que se trate de una novela a destacar dentro de la voluminosa producción del escritor.

[zoha (A book maestro)]

Either I am going to reallyyy regret my decision to read Mr. Sheldon or it might be the start of a beautiful love story! (starring me and his books) But keeping in mind my history with suspense/thriller chances are of latter.

[Xana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tinha lido este livro há muitos anos. Raramente leio o mesmo livro 2 vezes, mas gostei muito de voltar a Sidney Sheldon.
É uma leitura fluída, uma história simples, que me manteve sempre interessada.
Acho que vou ler mais dele de novo 😊

[Neha Azhar-Fahad · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The difference between a patriot and a rebel depends on who is in power at the moment"

I have no words how much I adore Sidney Sheldon and his books, and his brain, and his ideas, and his entire being. There will never be another Sidney Sheldon. Note that. THERE WON'T BE A STORYTELLER LIKE SIDNEY SHELDON EVER AGAIN.
There is something inexplicable about his writing, which grips the reader from the beginning till the end, keeps the reader intrigued, letting them feel every single emotion. And how many emotions I've felt reading his books. From sheer happiness to dreading sadness, from huge disappointments to blissful satisfactions, from ugly crying to cheshire cat grins, Sheldon takes you to an emotional rollercoaster ride with his words, words which leave a huge impact and make home within you.

The Sands Of Time. Self appreciation time, that I decided to buy this book from the thrift store. Old and worn out as it was, I was having second thoughts about buying it. Now I want to kiss myself for listening to my inner bookworm.

Here's how I felt about some of the characters: 
*spoilers alert*

Jaime Miró: The hero of the Basque people, the legendary freedom fighter who was ready to die for what he believed in, was my favorite. I hated him in the beginning, but as time wore on, admiration turned into love. He is a brave man who loves his people and fought for them. A man with an intimidating personality and a somewhat kind heart, who had lost his family during the war and is now seeking vengeance.
Sister Megan: Megan or Patricia, whatever you would like to call her, is a nun and an orphan, who doesn't know she is the daughter of the deceased industrialist and owner of Scott Industries. As a child she lived in an orphanage then decided to serve God, and becomes a nun. I had no reasons to hate her, and when she saved Jaime Miró twice, I wanted to hug her.
Sister Lucia: A Sicilian woman who is the daughter of an Italian Mafioso, who's childhood was a dream for any kid, suddenly finds her world turned upside down when her father and brother are prisoned for the rest of their lives. The way she avenged them by murdering two of the treacherous people her father trusted, I admired her courage and bravery, and the way she tricked everyone around her. Loved the way her story ended.
Sister Graciela: Whatever other's have opinion of her character, I adored Graciela until she did that stupid thing. How, why on earth would she leave someone she loved and who loved her equally and she was so close to her happy ending? She disappointed me.
Sister Teresa: Man, that woman deserved better. Having suffered so much in the past because she was the most ugly person in her family, and then being betrayed by her own sister for the only man she truly loved, Sister Teresa decided to join a convent to run away from the world and finds peace there. For thirty years, she served God, and then suddenly she finds herself back in the selfish, hostile world she long ago abandoned. I felt sorry for the way her part in the book ended.


"White wine or red?"

This sentence changed my entire life and I was running and jumping around the house, shouting, because I felt the entire tension slipping away which had become a constant part of me since I started reading this book. The ending was perfect. Everything was perfect about this book.

[Md. Al Fidah · Rating 5 out of 5]

আমি ইংরেজী বই বেশিদিন হল পড়া শুরু করি নাই। ৭-৮ বছর হবে, তাও ছাড়া ছাড়া ভাবে। এরপরও আমার বন্ধু মহলের অনেকেই আমাকে জিজ্ঞাসা করত নতুন শুরু করলে কোন বই দিয়ে শুরু করা যায়। আমি উত্তর দিতাম আইজাক আসিমভ নাহয় সিডনী শেলডন। কেন?
কারণ খুবই সহজ। প্রেস একেকজন কে একেক উপাধি দেয়। কাউকে কিং অফ হররস, কাউকে কিং অফ থ্রিলারস, কাউকে নভেলিষ্ট ইত্যাদি ইত্যাদি। সিডনী শেলডনের উপাধি শুনবেন ? দ্য মাষ্টার স্টোরীটেলার। আসলেই অন্যদের লেখা উপন্যাস হিসেবে মনে হয়, মনে হয় ক্যামেরা দিয়ে আমি দেখছি আর নায়ক আমার সামনে অভিনয় করে দেখাচ্ছে। কিন্তু উনার বই আমি যখনি পড়েছি, আমার মনে হয়েছে এই চরিত্রটা আমিই (অবশ্যি মেয়েদের চরিত্র ছাড়া, ওগুলো আমার বউ বা বোন বা মা)। আমিই দৌড়ে পালাচ্ছি, আমিই নায়িকাকে সান্ত্বনা দিচ্ছি, আমিই ভিলেনকে ফানা ফানা করে দিচ্ছি।
বেশী বেশী মনে হচ্ছে? আসলে আমার প্রথম বই আজিমভের হলেও আমি ইংরেজী বই পড়া শুরু করছি উনার বই পড়ে। একেবারে উইকি ধরে নামের সাথে নাম মিলিয়ে। ১ থেকে শুরু করে শেষ পর্যন্ত। শুধু মাষ্টার অফ দ্য গেম বাকি রাখছিলাম ২ বছর - শেষ হয়ে যাবে যে।
সব বই ভাল লাগছে এমন না। মর্নিং, নুন, নাইট, ডুমসডে কন্সপাইরেসি এসব বই ভাল লাগে নাই। কিন্তু, কেউ যদি আমাকে সেরা কাজে বলতে বলে আমার উত্তরে স্যান্ডস অফ টাইম অবশ্যি থাকবে।
চার নানের কাহিনী না বলে তিন নান আর এক ইম্পোস্টারের (নকল ব্যক্তি) কাহিনী বলায় ভাল। চার নান - টেরেসা (প্রায় ৬০ এমন একজন নারী, যার চেহারার সৌন্দর্যের অনুপস্থিতি তাকে জীবনের প্রতিটা ধাপে কষ্ট দিয়েছে। মানুষ যে আসলেই শারীরিক সৌন্দর্যের পূজারী তার বড় উদাহরন ইনি), গ্রাসিয়েলা (অসম্ভব সুন্দর এই মহিলাকে তার শৈশব এখনও তাড়া করে বেড়ায়), মেগান (সবচেয়ে প্রগর এই আপাত এতিম নান কিন্তু বই এর মাঝামাঝি থেকেই প্রধান নারী চরিত্র বলা যায়) আর সব শেষে লুসিয় (এর ব্যাপারে কিছু বলব না। সব বলে দিলে বই পড়ে কি করবেন?)
বই এর প্লট স্পেন এর রাজনৈতিক ঘটনাকে ঘিরে আবর্তিত। পলায়নরত বিপ্লবী জেমি মাইরোর দলের হাতে ধরা পড়ে পলায়নরত নান চারজন। এদেরকে নিরাপদে তাদের আরেক কনভেন্টে পৌছে দিতে বাধ্য হয়ে রাজী হতে হয় জেমি মাইরোকে। বাড়তি নিরাপত্তার জন্য তিন দলে ভাগ করে দেয় সে নানদের। পিছনে ব্লাড হাউন্ডের মত গন্ধ শুকতে শুকতে ছুটে আসে জেনারেল আকোকা। এই ইঁদুর বিড়াল দৌড়ই পুরা গল্পের সাবপ্লট।
ঠিকই পড়ছেন আমার কাছে এটাকেই সাব প্লট মনে হইছে। আসল প্লট মনে হইছে, চার জন নানের পিছনের জীবন আর তাদের প্রত্যেকের ভবিষ্যতের বর্ণনাকে, আর এ জন্যই সিডনী শেলডন মাস্টার স্টোরী টেলার। প্লট ত জমজমাটই, শুধু শুধু আর জমিয়ে কি লাভ? দুধ ত ঘি হয়েই আছে। মাখন না হলেই ক্ষতি কি?
তবে বইটা যে সব দিক দিয়ে পারফেক্ট এমন টা না। প্রচুর কাকতালীয় ঘটনা, প্রচুর চাইল্ডিস (যদিও মজার) এস্কেপ প্ল্যান। বিশেষত শেষের দিকের কিছু ঘটনা পুরা বই এর উপযোগী হয় নি।

[NAZMUS NOYAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a fast-paced thriller that blends romance, action, and political intrigue against the backdrop of 1970s Spain. Sidney Sheldon weaves the lives of four nuns, each with a hidden past, into a gripping narrative after they are forced to flee their convent during political unrest. As their paths cross with revolutionaries and soldiers, secrets unravel, and destinies shift.

True to Sheldon’s style, the book is cinematic, filled with suspense, and written in a highly accessible, page-turning prose. While some characters verge on the melodramatic and the plot occasionally stretches believability, the emotional stakes and rapid developments keep readers hooked. It’s an entertaining read for fans of escapist fiction with strong female leads and dramatic twists.

But nothing special from someone like Sidney Fckn Sheldon!

[Antoinette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this years ago and really loved it. Actually, I read most of his back in the day. It doesn't fit with today. Quite a few terms made me feel sick, like using 'ravisher' instead of 'rapist', and his constant use of his young characters 13-15 having sex.

[Jaspreet Kaur | Jasandbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book in one sitting. it was an interesting read but the story lost its charm after some pages and I didn't like it that much.

[Ian_E1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 nuns escape their covent with a group of terrorist. They walk through the mountains to different countries, and finally to the basque countries. Lucia. Graciela. Megan. And Teresa. All of them has a terrible terrible ending. Except for sister Megan and Graciela. Even though the plot of the story is really messed up, and really complicated, the theme was obvious in the end. Help others and you will get your help back. Helping someone and tricking them into something, can be the best way to assassinate someone. This was the thing that the lieutenant was misunderstanding. Jaime and his terrorist was always one step ahead of them. The book reminds me of all the times when time runs slow. Such as, in the book where the nuns had to keep their heads down without the word for 50 years... Have you been into something that made you seem like time was running by really fast? It makes it seem like a hour glass. Reverse the hour glass over and over again to make it go on forever. Just like the sands of time.

There was another theme in this book. Have faith. The Basque soldiers/terrorist had faith that they could overthrow the government. The nuns had faith that they can cross the 4 walls where they were trapped...forever... Either you have faith in god. Or you have faith in what happens next.

Even though there was a win-win situation at the end. A lot of nuns sacrificed themselves... It was never a win-win situation...

[Eds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of four nuns who were able to escape the hostile military forces of Acoca who got into their convent. They were instructed by the Reverend Mother to take the convent's most precious possession with them and bring it to the next convent where it can be safely kept and where they can seek refuge as well. However, they fall into the hands of the rebel group led by Jaime Miro.

Jaime Miro was ultimately the handsomest rebel this story has ever created. He was so manly, undeniably charming and witty. The leader of the outlawed Basque guerrilla.

On the other hand, each nun had their personal struggles prior to committing themselves in a life of prayer inside the four-walled abode. But,as they faced the real world which they long ago abandoned, each of them has to deal with the secrets of their past while in the hands of the men they eventually fall in love with.

With this book, Sheldon once again captivates the readers imagination to make each character vivid and alive.

[Labeba Salameh · Rating 3 out of 5]

ما بين اثنان ونص وثلاثة
وأول خيبة في قراءات ٢٠٢١

حسنا هذا سيدني شلايدون في المطبخ
يلتقط خلاطه
فهو العبقري الذي سيغرينا بقراءة كتبه مهما حوت من خلطات لكنه ملول هذه المرة
فليلقي في الخلطات مجموعة من الراهبات
وبما أن الموضوع يتضمن راهبات لابد ان تكون هناك قائمة لا منتهية من الانحرافات الجنسية ممم انتظر ربما يفترض ان نبقي على راهبة واحدة نقية ثم نميتها ميتة شنعة تفقد فيها ايمانها كله!! ماذا ايضا اه :اسبانيا، ثيران، ثورة، وتنين، اسفة أقصد ذئب ... ممم هل يبدوا كل هذا مزيجا كافيا لعمل خلطة مثيرة؟ لا في الحقيقة دعنا نضيف بعضا من ألمعية زوروا وحكاية خيالية لأميرة يتيمة!! و بعض الجنود ممم ماذا؟ تبقى شخصية نسائية قوية تمارس الانتقام 🤔والجنس معا في نفس الوقت لما لا!!. رائع .. الآن تبدو هذه لوحة أدبية فريدة 🤮.. أنا على يقين لو كانت الكاتبة أنثى لهوجمت بشراسة.
الميزة الوحيدة لهذه الرواية هو سرعة تقليب صفحاتها ولا شيء أكثر
اول لقاء مع سدني شلايدون وهو مخيب للآمال بجدارة اعتقد أن لدي ٤ روايات اخرى في مكتبتي له ومجرد التفكير بهذا يثير فزعي 🤦🏻‍♀️

[JoPaul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sidney Sheldon spins a yarn that is both entertaining and addictive. It was a spellbinding moment reading the thick and rich plot. At first, I thought Sands of Times is gory and bloody, chaotic, historical and violent. However, it was the opposite. It was a 400 page full of reminisces of each of the major characters.

On the other hand, Sidney Sheldon's writing prowess is sometimes predictable, in a good sense that you want to prove you're right. And when you are, you felt great because you feel that you are thinking like a poet, a writer, a master.

To get you out of boredom or if you want to kill time or to be invigorated from an exhausting activity. Try read a few pages and you'll pay no attention to your watch. Too late for you to notice, you skipped two dinners already, but deep inside you're not empty, instead overflowing with delight for what this story has kept.

[Dhruv Behl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had three words to describe this book they’d be OH MY GOD! This is genuinely my type of book. The places my mind went when picturing scenes in this book I couldn’t even begin to explain. As a person who loves Spain and everything it has to offer, the insights into the history were very insightful as well as the spoilers on how nuns live. If you want to improve your knowledge and become more like me I’d recommend. Would you cheat life I could tell you how?

[Deep Rao · Rating 2 out of 5]

Burrowed this from my school library when i was in the sixth grade, at the time Sidney Shelton seemed like an excellent author who told fantastic stories. My opinion has changed quiet a bit, the books in hindsight are a peeping hole into the mind of a person who in my opinion views the world as an void of meaningless sex and violence.

[elaheh · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتاب های سیدنی شلدون را همان اوایل که کتابخوان شده بودم دوران راهنمایی به امانت از یک دوست خوب کتابخون خواندم یادم که خیلی دوستشون داشتم هنوزم عاشق داستانهای ماجراجویی و معمایی هستم یک طرح کلی از داستانها در ذهن دارم

[Farah Tabira · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SANDS OF TIME BOOK REVIEW

AUTHOR: SIDNEY SHELDON

PLOT

It is the year 1976 in Pamplona, Spain. The Basque people are fighting for their rights against the Spanish government. ETA leader Jamie Miro and his friends ETA members Ricardo Mellado and Felix Carpio sabotage a bull running exhibit to escape from prison to distract the police but at the cost of many civilian lives. The prime minister of Spain appoints Colonel Ramon Acoca who is the head of GOE, the anti ETA group, to find Jamie Miro. Acoca’s wife and children were previously killed in a Basque demonstration that both the ETA and the church took part in. Therefore when Acoca hears the news of Jamie hiding in a certain convent, he decides to forcefully raid it.

The Cistercian Convent which is just outside Avila is the place where women from all walks of life live a life of worship, fasting and loneliness. The convent is run by Reverend Mother Betina. The GOE raids the convent and tries to assault the sisters but four of them manage to escape. Teresa, the eldest nun, is given the responsibility to take the convent’s one valuable asset which is a gold cross to the nearest convent to protect it from the raiders.

The four nuns have tragic back stories to tell.

Sister Lucia, who is the latest member of the convent and is actually Lucia carmine, is the daughter of a wealthy mafia don. She went to the convent to escape after she had killed three men who had been involved in her father’s and brothers’ arrest. She plans to stay in the convent for a few months before she can manage to escape to Switzerland to get back her father’s money.

Sister Graciella is the daughter of an atrocious woman who hated her and beat her to the point that she became unconscious when she discovered her sleeping with her then lover. Graciella willingly went to the convent after finding peace with God.

Sister Megan was abandoned as a child by her parents and was never adopted by anyone. She decided to join the convent instead of becoming a maid. She wants to know who and where her real family is.

Sister Teresa was a religious woman even when she was young. Her younger and more beautiful sister Monique took away her fiancé from her. Therefore Teresa went against god as a consequence of losing faith in him. She then decided to go to a convent. But her fiancé begged her to forgive him and told her he was returning to her.

Lucia wants to reach the Swiss border without making anyone suspicious of her. She is also determined to steal the gold cross and sell it to go to Switzerland. The four nuns are manipulated by a man named Carrillo who pretends to be a priest. He tries to seduce Graciella but they catch him in the act and tie him up.

They change their convent uniforms into regular clothes in order not to draw attention to themselves. Then they are found by Jamie and his men and Jamie’s lover Amparo. The ETA men are scared that the sisters will give away their hideout location for which they decide to take them over there.

Colonel Acoca has detected that four nuns are missing from the convent. He is convinced that Jamie Miro was hiding there and escaped before the soldiers reached it. The prime minster doubts Acoca’s theory and tells Acoca that he is going nuts. He allows the colonel to search for the missing nuns and Miro’s men because he is afraid the public will get suspicious about the brutality done to the convent by his soldiers for no reason at all. Carrillo tips them about the whereabouts of the sisters.

Meanwhile Teresa becomes paranoid after leaving the convent after so many years of solitude. She does not trust Jamie and his men for no obvious reason. She goes insane and starts to believe that Jaime’s men were hired by her ex fiancé Raoul to kidnap her. While everyone is asleep, she puts the gold cross in Lucia’s bag and goes to colonel Acoca’s camp. She informs them of Jamie and his men’s location. She is in delusion and begs them not to let her go back to Raoul.

Acoca’s men raid the camp. Jamie decides to split up to avoid getting captured. Ricardo Mellado goes with sister Graciella. Rubio Arzano goes with sister Lucia. Jaime Miro, Felix Carpio and Amparo accompany Sister Megan. The colonel questions Teresa about the whereabouts of the terrorists but her insanity has taken over her. Acoca orders his men to rape her until she talks. Teresa thinks that god has abandoned her and shoots a few soldiers and ultimately she is shot dead herself.

The rest of the story follows the three remaining nuns and Jaime and his men as they face threat, violence and conspiracies to ultimately find their destiny of freedom from the evil colonel’s men and the Spanish regime.

THOUGHTS

The Cistercian Convent subjected the nuns to routines and silence which was really sad to read about. They could have no desires and no freedom. This made me understand what a harrowing life the nuns in convents actually lead. Then I got to read about how they coped with the sins of the world again when they had to flee from the convent in order to avoid getting assaulted by Acoca’s soldiers. It was really sorrowful to see the sisters marveling at the designer clothes in the shop Carrillo took them for a change of clothes to protect their identity. The nuns were deprived of the basic necessities of life and had to live lives of ordeal, pain and despair. Although they thought they were staying close to God they really had no life which was bleak and dismal. They could hardly understand what the regular enjoyments, forget the luxuries, of the world meant.

The beginning was a little slow and the stories, histories and conversations made the plot drag on a tad bit but that did not really bore me out even a little bit. It was nice to know the history of the Basque movement and Franco’s regime. I really learnt a handful of useful information regarding ETA, the so called terrorists and Revolutionists and their rival, the sinister and abominable GOE. It was frustrating to read about the plight of the ETA members and my heart went out to them. They were fighting for a real cause which was to free their motherland which I wanted to see accomplished.

However I hung on and was duly rewarded with delectable chapters. Some of the chapters were really funny. For example, Rubio Arzano’s guilelessness and his tenderness towards sister Lucia was really heartwarming to watch. He was hopelessly in love with her but she was determined not to give her heart to a mere peasant because she was so filthy rich. She was scornful of him inwardly but never showed him her contemptuous side but she actually found his love for her hilarious and a matter of complete joke.

Sidney Sheldon is known as the master storyteller and the master of suspense. His writing draws you in completely, comforts you and takes you out of this world to an absolutely different and fabulous realm. He always has a powerful woman central character or characters in his works. They are all beautiful, talented and intelligent which can be said of Lucia Carmine, Graciella and Megan. He is famous for his superb plot twists and turns on every page. You will never know when he launches the most bizarre plot twist in the middle of the story. Just when you thought it could not get any worse, he tightens the notch a bit more. His narration and plots are taut with suspense. His novels are really fast reads and possess nail biting tension. Each page is like a tasty treat. This is the reason I absolutely adore his writing style.

In Sands of time, some characters believed in God for example Sister Teresa and others didn’t for instance Sister Lucia who had an indignant and indifferent attitude towards him. This was really interesting to read about because it seemed Teresa relied entirely on a supreme being and not her actions to bring about good changes in her life. On the other hand, Lucia was a disbeliever despite being a nun when she would just pretend to be religious. She would not whip herself as an act of retribution like the other sisters did but would beat her bed with the belt in order to make it look like she was beating herself.

Sister Teresa was really depressing to read about. I asked myself how anyone can live like her. I liked the imagination and knowledge of Megan. I hated Amparo because she was so desperate and Ellen Scott too because she was pure evil. I liked Graciella’s strength and how her story ended. These characters made the book enlightening as it taught many lessons of life.

The character of Jaime Miro was enigmatic and charming to say the least. He is courageous, gallant and valiant amidst so much trials and tribulations. He is afraid but doesn’t let on because he is fighting for a real cause against the sinister and ruthless Colonel Ramon Acoca and the Spanish regime. Miro has a fierce and passionate streak which I found romantic and sweet. The character Rubio Arzano was also similar to Miro except that he was too much of a softy. But I liked them both because they had big hearts and were really into saving the world from dark forces, a characteristic the damsel in distress in me totally adores.

[Petar · Rating 3 out of 5]

“ETA je nastavila. Bilo je puno nasilja…”

Nije okej posvetiti 300 strana i razviti skoro savršeno likove, sjajno spregnuti više naizgled nepovezanih priča, napraviti brutalan film u glavi čitaoca, i onda sve završiti u 15 strana. Veoma nezahvalno Sidni.

Doduše, to nije jedini problem ovog dela. Fokus na seksualnim momentima je ovde zaista preteran, do te mere da je apsurdno, neke odluke likova su užasno nerealne a dosta dijaloga je malo krindž što bi danas rekli.

Malo sam razočaran, obzirom na način na koji je delo počelo, ali šta je tu je. Korektan čas istorije sam imao barem.

[Victor A. Chaungwe Jr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting story on the uprising of the Basque after the Spanish Civil War and how the Catholic church was implicated.

However,what caught my attention was "the Moor". When I looked it up I was mesmerized by what they did in A.D. 711. The thought of North Africans capturing the Iberian peninsula (present day Spain and Portugal) would be looked at as a joke but it actually happened but this is not the history you'll find in our schools because the colonizer had their own objective.

[Imaginary Inkwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Sands of Time" is a captivating novel that seamlessly weaves together elements of fantasy, adventure, and romance. The author, with an exquisite command of language, transports readers to a mesmerizing world where time itself becomes a pivotal character. The narrative unfolds with a poetic elegance, drawing readers into a rich tapestry of intricate plotlines and well-developed characters.

The protagonist's journey through the shifting sands of time is both poignant and exhilarating. The author skillfully explores the consequences of altering the past and the profound impact it has on the present and future. The vivid descriptions create a vivid mental image of the landscapes and settings, immersing readers in the story's enchanting ambiance.

The character development is commendable, as each individual possesses depth and complexity. Their relationships add layers of emotion and authenticity to the narrative, making it easy for readers to connect with their struggles and triumphs. The romance elements are tastefully integrated, enhancing the overall appeal of the novel without overshadowing its central themes.

"The Sands of Time" is a masterfully crafted tale that will leave readers pondering the intricacies of time and destiny long after the final page. With its compelling storyline and evocative prose, this novel stands as a testament to the author's storytelling prowess, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of fantasy and adventure genres.