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Shadows in the Sand (Empyria, Book 1)
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Price drop - now only 77p in the UK or $1.15 in the US!
New reviews just in:****
After reading a million and one fantasy books, this one is much different. The end half of the story has been well thought out and has been planted well in the first half, also having perspective from several characters gives much more depth to the whole story rather than just your typical one point of view.
More please, I need to know what happens !!!
***
This is the imaginative fantasy tale of a race hard pressed by a desert land and a lack of water. Recent geological activity has greatly reduced the city's water supply and has allowed a fearsome race of sand-dwelling creatures to encroach. The people of the city are divided into four groups, hunters, medics, craft workers and soldiers and the story follows a group of four who grew up together.
The author has created a great set-up here which is very promising but it is marred by some clunky sentences and rather wooden dialogue at times. I found these rather distracting. Michael Diack is a young author and I think experience will make his writing flow better. I hope he continues to write and on the basis of this book I think fantasy is his genre.
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FREE TODAY and THIS WEEKEND: 13th to 15th Septhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Sand-...
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New reviews just in:
*****
A very intricate and thought-provoking fantasy story. It is very well written and had me gripped from the first page. It's not the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won't be the last. I look forward to the next book in the series.
New review just in:I read this book in two nights. It was so good I didn’t want to stop! Normally I’m not a big fan of prologues in novels, but this one was done well and set the stage and tone of the book perfectly. It is an epic fantasy and therefore has a pretty big task of doing some convincing worldbuilding and selling us on the characters and creatures. Sometimes I read a fantasy and roll my eyes at just how cliché and stereotypical it all is. Like the author has a checklist of every fantasy cliché that must be fulfilled. I was SO happy it wasn’t like this in this book, and almost met like a different type of fantasy…the strangest feeling like it could be in the far future and distant past (at the same time) yet felt contemporary and modern…on a different world, yet somehow could see it as this one…it was the traits of the people that kept it grounded in reality, I think and made it so relatable no matter the bizarre circumstances. An enjoyable and entertaining read. (4 stars)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
Listening to reviewers and readers is a key part of my journey into being a writer. So I've removed the prologue from Shadows in the Sand - I hope it is a now a quicker beginning for fantasy lovers. Some people don't mind prologues, but others, it seems the majority from my feedback, really do detest them. Any opinions?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Sand-...
Hello all,To celebrate the release of Book 2 in my fantasy series, I have made Book 1 free today.
FREE TODAY: Shadows in the Sand
Reviews for Shadows in the Sand (Empyria, Book 1):
“I am reminded of the early Dune novels by Frank Herbert as well as a bit of Tolkien when I read this book.”
“This is an exciting, action-filled tale, brilliantly and imaginatively plotted and written.”
“Fantastic read! His characters are very well developed and his descriptions are incredible. The plot is fresh and keeps you interested the whole time. This story really comes to life.”
Amazon US:
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Amazon UK:
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And the final part of my fantasy series, The Light and The Glass, is now out for only 80p!
The Light and The Glass:
The elves and humans know that their fate is intertwined as they seek to survive the threat of enemies known and new. The seven stones of light, hidden by the wicked Mayer, hold the key to victory. But can they trust the renegade dragon brothers, Gorlyx and Brelyx, who offer their only hope of recovering the lost stones?
This is a story full of dilemma and heroic action providing a breathless conclusion to the Empyria fantasy adventure. Strewn with battles against the tightening grip of evil adversaries, thousands must die – but who will survive?
Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Glass-f...
Amazon US:
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Glass-fan...
Free today again:http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
Over 1400 downloads and number 3 in the epic free fantasy chart!
Only $0.99 for this weekend. Reviews:
I should start with a spoiler alert – 'Shadows in the Sand' ends at a perilous point, requiring the next book in the series. If you don't want want to read a gripping novel that is the first of a series, then you shouldn't start 'Shadows in the Sand'.
While most fantasy novels are set in worlds resembling medieval Europe, Empyria is much more primitive. Humans only exist in very small clusters of hunter-gathers, with very limited technology. Almost everything they encounter thinks that men are nothing more than another food item. When an earthquake shuts off the communities water supply, everyone must begin a process of moving to a new refuge … that is far from safe.
The world Micheal Diack has created is continually fascinating. The environment is so threatening, and mankinds technology so limited that I continually asked myself – would anyone actually be able to survive this?
Well worth reading for an adventure in a world unlike any other.
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First, I love Athmane and Faria. I really like that they, Mary and Bayoud have known each other basically all their lives. It gives their bonds to each other a very lived in feel and the reader is able to focus more on the story unraveling than on the building of the characters relationships.
With a larger cast of characters like this it's easy for an author to loose a someone's place in the plot. To not mention them for too long and suddenly they're back in the story and we're all left scratching our heads trying to remember who this person is and what they mean to us. Michael didn't do that. He did a great job of giving us glimpses of the characters, creating tension around them and leaving us wanting more when he moved on to the next one. It creates that feel of a story within a story. My only complaint would be that the characters are a little bit flat. They're dialogue is stunted sometimes which leaves it feeling a little unnatural. I think Michael was more focused on the story unfolding and it's unique and exciting enough that one can forgive slightly flat characters.
If you're a fan of epic fantasy, this is a book you need to read.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E...
Recent reviews! 4 and 5 stars.This is a story like no other. I find myself saying this a lot lately. It could be due to the fact that fantasy stories are not my normal read. In my defense, I can only say, I was captivated. I could not stop reading about a breed of people that I knew was not real, that the entire was so far from reality, it was not funny. But the author did such a terrific job describing the environment, its inhabitants and all the perils the inhabitants went through, I just could not put the book down, even though I was exhausted from all the fighting, walking, and searching for water. Great read!
It's like Dune went viral. I'm kidding. It's good. It's original. I liked it. The world was carefully constructed without too much explanation pulling away from the story.
The story centers around a few thousand survivors who need to find a new source of water. The pool they depend on is running dry. they need to relocate to another area around Dunein. Shadows in the Sand is their struggle to survive.
New reviews:Michael Diack's Shadows in the Sand drew me in right from the beginning and never released it's grip. The book was so entertaining that I finished it in less than a week and eagerly await the next chapter in this saga.
Set in the primitive world of Empyria, the human race has dwindled to just a few thousand people. When all of the sudden their water supply is cut off they face extinction if they can not find a way to get more water. Leaving the city of Nimar will both be dangerous and challenging but with no other choice, they must. The main characters face an assortment of monsters and other creatures along the away, eventually forming an alliance with elves in time for their ultimate battle with the evil Sanghouls.
The action sequences flow and are wonderfully told. I was able to see in my head exactly what was going on. The characters were strong and well developed. This book is a must read for those who love a good fantasy/action story.
5 stars
I have been a long-time lover of fantasy books, starting with Piers Anthony and the Wheel of Time series. I can highly recommend this adventure. It's similar to Dune in some ways - wrapped in a desolate world where the constant quest for resources dictates the characters' actions. A great read for any fantasy lover!
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-fa...
New Review:I usually get frustrated with fantasy pretty quickly, but this one was far outside the mold. There were no excessively convoluted sideplots or irrational quests to complete. Just an action-packed tale of survival. Far more akin to a post-apocalyptic thriller than “Lord of the Rings.” Which is a good thing. The author also crams in a lot more details about combat, logistics and all around world-building than you usually find in fantasy,
The only drawback was the dialogue seemed a little too deadpan sometimes. Especially during that climatic (and cliff-hanger) ending. I’m picturing the heroes just shrugging their shoulders the whole time!
Still, that doesn't change the fact that this is a well-organized story and a lot of fun. A great read, hands down.
New Review: 5 starsThis is an exciting story set in an unusual fantasy world in the desert. The four main characters are childhood friends and represent the different aspects of life in Nimar, the city where they live. We have a soldier, hunter, craftsman and medic. I liked the idea all the inhabitants of Nimar had to follow one of these four careers.
Nimar has run out of water, which spells death in a desert and in the pursuit of finding new sources of water, our heros come across all sorts of mythical creatures from giant serpents to friendly elves and horrible Sanghoulls.
This is a fast paced adventure and the fantasy world is brought vividly to life. The mixture of male and female heros plus their different skills stops this book becoming just an action adventure for the boys. There is plenty of battles but also romance and interesting scenes featuring the craft and medical characters.
If you enjoy fantasy you will love his book!
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
New 4 star review:Shadows In the Sand – Empyria – Book One.
“Shadows in the Sand” is the first part of a series of fantasy novels written by the young English writer Michael Diack.
It’s set in the ancient city of Nimar in Empyria, a desert land where the inhabitants are at risk, for the water supply is running out and it isn’t being replaced.
The writer’s expert knowledge of barren desert states comes through strong in his writing.
It reminds the reader of Tolkien’s stuff and with the fantasy genre enjoying a worldwide boom with a massive and growing following, this book will surely find a wide audience.
As you might expect there’s plenty of action with battles and fighting aplenty featuring fearsome creatures, monsters, elves, and warriors, and if that is your bag then you will surely enjoy this.
I have to confess that fantasy is not my favourite bookshelf, but once I’d got into this I enjoyed it.
Michael Diack is still at the beginning of his writing career and this is a very promising step forward, and it will be interesting to see what he writes and releases in the future.
New Review:In all honesty, I do not normally read this genre of books. But I enjoy reading talented authors and on a friend's recommendation I purchased it.
I was immediately sucked in by Diack's writing. It's precise, rhythmic, and detailed. The writing is sophisticated and mature. Diack has a great future ahead.
Soon, I got into the story and really enjoyed the character development. I felt like I knew Athmane. The plot captivated me, which surprised me because I normally don't get into fantasy. This one was awesome. Now I'm hooked and will have to read the others.
In short, I loved it. Michael Diack has a new fan.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
Another new review:Shadows in the Sand is set in an apocalyptic world where human survivors eke out an existence amongst a harsh and brutal environment. In contrast to the exposition-heavy opening chapters the novel is extremely well written. It is also a largely based action tale, something rare for a first instalment of a fantasy series.
The plotline is beautifully simple. A tribe’s water pool is running dry and it is up to a hunter and tracker Athmane, along with his childhood companions, Faria, a craftsman, Bayoud a soldier and Mary a medic, to go into new lands and find out why.
This is no clichéd quest but rather a life and death mission. The desert however is full of perils such as sandghoulls and serpents which always keep the narrative fresh and exciting. The mood of the desert, especially at night; its beauty as well as terrible dangers are wonderfully evoked.
The work is very different from most fantasy novels and reminds me of one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, Frank Herbert’s Dune, yet this time with the tale told from Arakis’ Fremen viewpoint. That is not to say this tale is derivative. The story is entirely the author’s own.
The one staple fantasy character the author does borrow is the elf. Yet the reader need not fear clichés for they serve to act as an important catalyst in the narrative as it is realised the two races must work together if they are to withstand an encroaching dark, malign enemy.
This first instalment of Michael Diack’s Empyria trilogy promises great things. The canvas grows increasingly broader throughout as the author creates the foundation for the second instalment. If Diack manages to keep the same atmosphere and mood without falling into the usual fantasy stereotypes I believe this trilogy will be something very special indeed and attract an army of fans.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
New review:In Empyria it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who want to kill you. Athmane and his friends must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Forced to move they now face many unknown dangers. This story thrives on tension and danger. The sheer depth of “Shadows in the Sand” is simply amazing. This book exceeded all my expectations with its incredible story line that was highly imaginative, inspired and totally unique. The fast moving action pulls me along on a thrilling journey, which is full of vivid imagination and suspense. His characters are unique and original, yet seem simple when you realize that they aren't perfect. This is the beginning of book one where the journey begins. As a side note: the characters are not only likable, but are generally upstanding citizens with strong moral fiber. I like that. Also, there is fighting and death, but the scenes are not written too gruesome or gory. I like that as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
New Review and book cover!Great fantasy novels are difficult to write because even if you’re writing about events or characters that never happened or existed, there is still the readers’ demand for believability and verisimilitude. But Michael Diack, with his ‘Shadows in the Sand’, has fulfilled those demands in a flourish: this is a book you will “devour” and whose sequel(s) you will watch out for. Here’s why.
‘Shadows in the Sand’ is a post-apocalyptic tale about the remnants of mankind who manage to thrive and survive after a devastating cataclysm. And like how human beings lived in the past, this small, vulnerable community of survivors in a city called Nimar live near a water pool, on which they depend on for their meagre nourishment. But the water pool happens to be drying up—in a few weeks, the water would be gone. Desperate, the humans send out search or exploration parties everywhere to find an alternative water source, despite their fear that there might not be any. This post-apocalyptic situation sounds familiar—but in ‘Shadows in the Sand’, the humans have allies and foes that come from the fantasy genre: elves, trolls, giant insects, mermen and mysterious immortal beings called the Ovites. And if the water problem isn’t enough, the humans also face a formidable problem: the murderous onslaught of the Sanghouls, beings whose main mission in life is inflict death. Fortunately for the humans, they’re not alone: an elf prince offers alliance and military help—and a chance to survive the Sanghouls: using the long lost seven stones of light as weapon. There’s only one little problem: as I’ve said, the stones have been lost a long time ago, and nobody knows where they are.
And that’s only for starters—as you may realize, this is an epic fantasy tale that shall span multiple books, as indicated by its sheer scope. But if this “Book 1” is any indication, then the entire series is set to become a well-loved classic. Author Michael Diack has a way with words that compels you to keep on turning the pages and drops your jaws when you least expect it. He paints a rich, vivid, and evocative backstory that supports the tale’s present, giving us more than enough emotional gravitas to “feel” with the main characters.
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Price drop for the coming winter months! Only $0.99.http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
thanks everyone!
Only when Prince Viro, an elf of the southern lands, arrives in Nimar do the humans truly understand the threat to their existence. The two races must unite and reclaim the lost seven stones of light – the only weapon that can defeat the demonic shadow enclosing them.
As four of the city’s most talented young men and women, Athmane, Faria, Bayoud and Mary will be critical to Nimar enduring the perils, both natural and unnatural, that await them.
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Em...
If you love Lord of the Rings, you'll love this.