Review: Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Summary:

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

My thoughts:

I’ve been a huge fan of the first book in the series last year, Twelve Kings of Sharakhai, and I can’t wait to read more books set in this stunning world. I was all too happy to get to read a sequel about one of my favorite female protagonists.

I’m usually not a fan of additional short stories for series because they often feature content that has been hinted at in the full length books before, but wasn’t worth going into details. Of Sand and Malice made is not such a short story. Of Sand and Malice Made is a new full adventure that can stand on its own and gave me a lot more than I hoped for. Being a prequel, I still think it should be read after Twelve Kings of Sharakhai, as it, thankfully, doesn’t introduce you to Çeda’s world all over again, but rather reads like the next book in the series, only that it’s set before the events of book one.

Yet again, I was excited to see fierce and loyal Çeda fight her own battle but also not unwilling to ask for help when she knows she needs it. This is why she easily became one of my favorite female characters in fantasy: she knows how to kick ass, but she is also vulnerable.

Of Sand and Malice Made also features a new exciting creature, making me more and more fascinated with this world, always wanting more. If you’re looking for your next unique fantasy read, set in a world that’s not your average fantasy one, this is the series to read.

In love with the setting and the main character more than ever, I was glad we get to read Of Sand and Malice made while anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. If only it had been longer.