Sea of Sand

Dragon Heart #4

by Kirill Klevanski

He got his revenge, but instead of triumph, Hadjar was left with only loneliness and emptiness in his soul.
Death had come for him, and he was ready to give himself to it, but then a fleeting memory gave him new hope, a way to make amends, and this reignited his desire to live and fight. He decided to do the impossible – make the Gods change their minds and take responsibility for their failures, make them resurrect his parents and friends, and prevent the terrible betrayal that started it all.
To do this, Hadjar will go to the Empire, traveling through the endless Sea of Sand. What peril will he encounter along the way? Will he encounter new friends or enemies? Or perhaps even a girl who will warm his cold dragon heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Adventure, Epic Fantasy, Action, Martial Arts, Fiction

543 pages, ebook

First published December 18, 2019

About the author

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Reviews

[Jon Honey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look , I liked the last 3- I can even forgive the frequent inconsistencies and weird attitudes toward women, frequent inconsistencies in morals/behavior of the MC, inconsistencies in the magic system, contradiction of certain parts of each books plotline- but WHAT ABOUT THE TIGER CUB? It sounded cool when we met the cub (3 books ago?) but YIKES the author been stringing it along and doing nothing with it for so long and forgetting about it, then suddenly remembering it, then forgetting it ?? "The sword was his ONLY friend and ally through everything blablabla" okay but I guess not the TIGER CUB which is apparently not torn to shreds when his clothing is, or turban or whatever. I'm gonna try the next one hoping that the books start to rectify these inconsistencies, because otherwise the quality just isn't there to bring me back

[Superbunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

sorry kirill. i wanted to like this as much as all the other books beforehand, but it just wasn't interesting enough. it felt too much like a filler. also what's up with the inconsistencies?

9:04
einan: if you told me you had a dark storm dragon's blood, i would probably have been surprised

10:33
einan: what tribe did you say your ancestor beast was from again?
hadjar: the dark storm tribe
einan: i've never heard of it, that tribe was not in the list of monsters. even though it was almost 300,000 years old.

the ending sounds promising however and i really look forward to the next book... whenever the audio for that is gonna come out lol. probably in 2050 hahaha!

[XR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I wasn't going to get into this book because Nero and Serra aren't in it, but I was happily surprised that I really enjoyed reading it. I liked the new characters that came into Hadjar's life, and I'm even happier because Azrea his ever loyal and loving kitty was still with him.

This new country that Hadjar is in is definitely more of a challenge compared to his homeland. I'm all for the change. Oh... and there's a cute little Serra in this story, and she wants Hadjar to marry her! TOO CUTE!

[Artrain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next please!

I don't usually give books 4 or 5 star ratings cause I follow Goodreads rating system by which, 3 star suffices for most books (which means I liked it).

Very rarely there comes along a series that does something new. Well maybe it's not exactly new and still uses some old well liked formula, but when it has been presented in such a fresh and honest way, it's hard to think of it as not being new. I'm using the term 'series' instead of refering to this particular book is because everything in this review can be applied to all previous books of the series also.

So, why 5 stars. World exploration. Ask yourselves a question, when was the last time you truly enjoyed world exploration in any book? When was the last time you were excited to not just read about different places the author has imagined, but truly feel as if it is you, the reader who is exploring them, and in some cases discovering them?

A lot of us fantasy fans live for this stuff, yet funnily enough, it's something that is often put on the backseat during many authors works. To be honest even I had forgotten what it really feels like to really explore different places when reading a book, and with this instalment particularly, I felt like I was hit in the face by it.

The amazing thing is this is the 4th book in the series, and it still gave me this feeling. Heck, I know that the next one will also continue to do so, and probably the one after that, and the one after that. The world that the author has imagined seems to have no limits. And that is amazing. When was the last time somebody was courageous enough to do that? (To answer my own question, for me it was Steven Erickson's Malazan Book Of The Fallen series, one which I also rated 5 stars, but it's slightly different genre)

On to other things, the story continues to be interesting and unpredictable, and the character continues to grow in typical WuXia fashion. The translation is not perfect, but considering the author's limitations, I'm fine with it and applaud his effort to release his work in non-native language. I hope more authors do this because you can really sense not only a different writing style, but even slightly different imagination which is extremely fresh and interesting to read.

Summing up, great book. Can't wait for the next.

[Maxim Tarima · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the theme is strange, I liked it. Writing a story with a new idea is hard, and yet this story managed to turn out quite well written and captivating. The character perseveres through whatever challenges are in front of him. I love how even though such a series is hard to keep interesting, the author manages to do it by making it so that Hadjar becomes more of a nomad. It is interesting how one of his friends turns out to not be human, or alive, at all, but was more of a magic construct. And a magic construct that is a key to a rare treasure. I also like how the character keeps getting stronger and introduces new concepts in a way that makes sense, which I feel some authors don't do. I also like how the author makes it so that the culture of the native people of the desert is very rich and interesting.

[GaiusPrimus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated and plot armor

While I’m still enjoying the series, it is getting extremely complicated and the plot armor is getting stronger as the story continues.

In the first few books, there was at least the semblance of organic progression but not so much anymore. It seems like everyone he fights, he gains the power to beat in the middle of the conflict or he’s saved by something.

I understand this is a device od the genre, but this series is overdoing it.

Also, didnt he finish the last book in a dungeon?

[Ian Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two heroes from legend

Wow! Both the story and translation are incredible. While I really like the larger than life Hadjar the dragonheart, the world and the adventure sucked me in and wouldn't let go until the last page. Epic and Legendary are apt descriptions. Dragon Heart keeps getting stronger and has surpassed the Cradle series for me. I like the myth-like quality of the prose and the slow reveal keeps me hungry for the next book.
Score: 9.7 out of 10

[Arnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pēc ilgi kārotās vecāku slepkavības vaininieka atriebības sasniegšanas, Hadžars alkst sasniegt Dariusas impērijas zināšanu centru un uzlīmeņot savu kultivācijas spēku jo lielāko. Bet Dragon Heart sērijas pasaule ir tik vājprātīgi liela (vai maz ir apaļa planēta?), ka ceļš, lai to sasniegtu, pats par sevi ir iekšējā rakstura un spēka izaugsmes stāsts, kas pirmkārt mērojams karavānas ietvaros cauri milzu tuksnesim.

https://poseidons99.com/2024/07/27/ki...

[E.M. Merrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sand of the Sea expands Hadjar’s journey into uncharted territories, delivering thrilling naval battles, rich lore, and unexpected twists. Kirill Klevanski’s vivid storytelling and compelling characters make this another standout in the Dragon Heart series. A must-read for fantasy fans!

[Faisal]

weaker than the first 3 books but it had really great lore and expanded on the world building

[Clint Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alert

I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.

So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”

Cheers

[Karen Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting to become a grind.

What can I say? The story is becoming more and more of a slog through inelegant and seemingly forced attempts to add far East mysticism, utilizing worn out tropes.

I'm honestly not sure if a lot of the difficulty I had with finishing this one was due to that, or just an, off feeling that comes from the slight cultural differences in grammar that seem to come from direct translations. This doesn't make it bad, per se but does make it more work to get through.

Not sure if I'll be attempting to find my way through the rest of the series or not. I enjoy the wuxia elements, but the fights and awkward interactions between the characters is making it a bit of a slog.

[Tony Hinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still addictive but I worry that it's losing momentum now that Hadjar avenged his parents.

The magic system is like a fractal pattern - with each layer that is peeled away there is another layer of equal complexity revealed. That's both good and bad - we enjoy a feeling of expanding a diverse landscape but suspect the diversity has a strangely repetitive nature.

I'd like to see the character of Hadjar's feline companion explored a little more. So far she is acting as a "get out of jail" card more than a fully fleshed being.

[Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one's more of the same. The magic "system" has become completely untethered—apparently anything goes at this point. Battles have reached such a high level of metaphysical nonsense that I don't even really read them anymore, I just skim them looking for important passages. The end is a particularly hot mess.

Most bizarrely, our MC seems to be constantly bleeding. Where does it all come from?

I'll keep reading them because I still sort of want to figure out where this is going (I mean at some point we should reach "true cultivator" right?), but it's a lot more work than fun.

[Bonniejean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic

This series is well worth you time! The story is well written and deep. The characters are captivating and you want to continue to get to k ow them. Up to this point the steps in the hero's journey continue to build and pull you along with them!! Can't wait for the rest!!!

[Mahesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking exciting

I am awed by the story, it's start as simple story but it reached so many complexities. Wow, I'm looking forward to the next battles and surprises the author is gonna give me.!!!!

[Ford Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good fun read. Had a slow start as it's building the next trilogy to the series.

I really enjoy this series. Book four starts the beginning of a new trilogy with the main character from books 1 2 and 3. I thought this started a little slow, however the author created A whole New world in that the main character was in a desert environment, completely different from the first three books. The building of this new world and the inhabitants took time, but I found that the main character and his new supporting cast, was still just as interesting and fun to read.
The author is trying to, for lack of a better description, level up the main character as he gains power. I find this to be a challenge for any author, because as a reader you find yourself wondering what happened to other powers and why is he not using them to the fullest extent. For example, in the earlier books the main character had an attack method where he sheathed his sword and then drew it and it created an attack that could Pierce almost all defenses. That attack was never used, or described in this fourth book, as the main character evolves, I understand that his past attacks evolved with it. My one critique is that the author struggles to convey the complex leveling of powers that he's giving the main character. I still recommend the book and really enjoy the series. Great read, look forward to book five.

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sea of Sand by Kirill Klevanski is another good entry in the series, but there are a couple of things that feel like they're breaking down some of the previously established worldbuilding. The main character is trying to present himself as a simple character who is just a fighter. That's entirely at odds with the plots, schemes, and other actions he employed as a general. The tone of the story also became a fair bit more juvenile - as if Klevanski wanted to step away from his somber seriousness and make the story more fun... after killing off most of the cast in the earlier entry. He makes a fast friend, and it feels somewhat forced. Main characters cannot be alone, so after a few chapters he's not. The level of cultivation in the sea of sand is also a bit too high. I get the idea behind the sudden increase in power scaling, but it was too much. Some plot threads should be followed up on, but aren't. And there's some lore bending going on with the Black General that I'm not too sure of, and the vague hints about the Seventh Heaven seem to be becoming mundane parts of ordinary myth.

None of this is necessarily bad, but I feel some cracks. I'm hoping they mend sooner, rather than later.

[C H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely the BEST Wuxia series I have read!

The authors writing and translation/editing is superb. The author does not use fake Chinese broken Engritch like some authors do such as michael chatfield.

The storyline is extremely well thought out and makes sense. World building is very well done. The only thing that was hard to grasp is the numbers of people living in cities and/or the number of troops in a squad/army.

I just finished my binge reading and am having to wait for book 5 to be released in April. I read the intro and noticed that KK plans to write some 20 books to cover his storyline arc. This is going to cover more than Robert Jordans Wheel of Time series.

This is an excellent intro into the wuxia cultivation genre. The best thing is that it is written very well and there are no amateur flubs that come across as broken Engritch.

Previously I used to HATE wuxia because I tried to read Chatfied and a few other worthless authors and they extensively use the broken Engritch style which makes reading the genre very distasteful. This author writes in a very professional style.

Read this series. It’s excellent.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find this series amusing. The protagonist ends up in fights where his clothes are shredded, or he is slashed all over his body and his clothes are left hanging by threads.... Yet the cat and all his items on his person are left unharmed.... and he is able to put clothes back on after a battle... and the items are in his pockets...

How much longer will it take for the neural computer to reboot? It's been two books already, and while they were hints, nothing has come of it.

The series isn't as interesting with the protagonist's main cheat missing.

Nothing that happened since the "reboot" has really interested me. I wonder if the author realised while already deep in the series that the neural net was too powerful, and decided to shut it down?

There is nothing special to differentiate this series from other hack and slash cultivation books, other than the Dragon heart.

I'm fed up seeing the protagonist struggle for scraps. If the neural net or something more impressive doesn't show up to push our protagonist forward, I think I will drop the series (again).

3/5 Stars

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As could be expected, the pacing slows down as the story enters a new arc. It's better paced than the 2nd book, but it's still annoying. The books come across as having a certain pre-planned endpoint and everything till that point is what's seen as the smoothest progression. The problem is that that doesn't make the journey entertaining.

Slow parts can be handled with some degree of skimming, but the more frustrating part is in the progression. It feels cheapened when regular auxiliary events create convenient power spikes. Besides losing some of the meaning of the progression (since plot devices can clearly just invalidate it) the reversions after these events just feel dull because nothing that happens will be a new high.

And it's all the more annoying because there is still enough of a hook that it's likely I'll pick up the next one.

[Wilhelm Eyrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still pretty good!

There are some semblances of plot armor and nonsensical battles coming out but it doesn’t seem over pronounced yet. My big concern is the pace has slowed down dramatically and progression in his main cultivation has basically been nonexistent for the last two books.

I really enjoy the mental battles he has to go through and his new friend. Getting some more backstory into his ancestry is welcomed but I also would like more for this truly massive world as well.

7/10

[Ashner Solomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigh no longer as good

Things lost in this book

Subversion of expectations (became predictable) ex. Fights super strong enemy almost dies and faints, rinse and repeat

Pacing has been thrown off completely because the rooting(or grounding) table from neuronet is gone so nothing really to compare powers too.

Realms are skuffed the transformation realm as like sub 5 realms not and each not really serving a purpose (like it did in the first 3 books).

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

The saga continues

Hadjar (the MC) continues his adventures and journey on the way of the sword. Less gigantic battles in this book which is a nice change as the Mad General takes on a new role as a caravan guard travelling to the empire across the Sea of Sand.
New foes and friends, the story is getting better and better with each passing chapter.....

[maxamoud · Rating 1 out of 5]

Done.

I'm done with the series. I gave it 4 chances now, the quality just going down the hill. the writer always uses the same solution in every battle the main character miraculously powers up or bowls the sword power out of **** there's not consistently in this series.

And Bunch of random Characters.

[Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got nothing done today....

Ugh I'm in love with this series. I literally did nothing but occasionally move to keep from going numb. Ready for the next one *refreshes page until it's out*

[Grant Merrifield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang from a cliff.

What a cliffhanger well I just read books 1 through 4 start to finish good books took me a little while I was going to read the next book but it's not out till April.

[A M Steinbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still good

Still good. Book surprising and not stale. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I started with kindle unlimited and liked the books enough to buy them outright as I shall want to read them again.

[Michael Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic

Much better. This book starts to get back to what interested me in the series in the first place. The only thing I wish is that a map and a chart of the cultivation system were included.

[Daniel Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

NO SPOILERS.

Lots of Sand in book 4, which provided plenty of action, twists, and many unexpected turns. Saw Hadjar deal with sadness and questioning his path. Plus a big new big bad. Another entertaining story in the Dragon Heart series.