Book: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands trilogy #1)
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Published: 4th February 2016
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Source: eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
Source: eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
Pages: 368
Rating: 5/5 stars
Rating: 5/5 stars
This is the first book in a trilogy from debut author Alwyn Hamilton - and boy, is it a good one.
Coming into this book, I had heard a few good things, and the premise seemed interesting and fairly promising. Having now finished the book, it's safe to say, I loved it. Not only that, it is one of very few books that has gripped me from beginning to end. It's so easy to get lost in the world Hamilton creates, and I found myself willing the book to be longer just so I could keep reading.
Importantly, the characters in this book are so damn endearing. I loved the main character of Amani - she is a dreamer, she's a skilled marksman, and she's got a smart mouth (truly she struggles to know when to be quiet) - however it is especially this last quality that makes her so endearing. It's so easy to follow her story as she yearns to get out of Dustwalk, the small, depressing town she grew up in. Truly, her story-line is one we can all relate with, which is what partly serves to make this such a gripping read, I found myself really investing in her adventures, and spurring her to succeed.
The addition of the character of Jin, the mysterious foreigner, provides a good contrast to that of Amani, and they truly compliment each other well. There is a continuous romantic narrative in the story, however it never becomes overbearing or dull, and there are enough secondary characters, that every reader should be able to find someone to connect with.
There is a good mix of character development, world building and action in this novel, and ultimately the balance is just right. There's enough fast-paced sequences and dreamy story-telling elements that the story really moves along at a perfect pace, I never found myself becoming bored or skim-reading (as can be the case with other books), and that is a true testament to the excellent skills of the author.
Ultimately, I came into this expecting an average read, and what I got was a most unexpected, and pleasant surprise. I did not expect this to be one of my favourite novels this year, but the consistently solid story-line, interesting characters, and magical elements have cemented this as one of my top books of 2016.
Importantly, the characters in this book are so damn endearing. I loved the main character of Amani - she is a dreamer, she's a skilled marksman, and she's got a smart mouth (truly she struggles to know when to be quiet) - however it is especially this last quality that makes her so endearing. It's so easy to follow her story as she yearns to get out of Dustwalk, the small, depressing town she grew up in. Truly, her story-line is one we can all relate with, which is what partly serves to make this such a gripping read, I found myself really investing in her adventures, and spurring her to succeed.
The addition of the character of Jin, the mysterious foreigner, provides a good contrast to that of Amani, and they truly compliment each other well. There is a continuous romantic narrative in the story, however it never becomes overbearing or dull, and there are enough secondary characters, that every reader should be able to find someone to connect with.
There is a good mix of character development, world building and action in this novel, and ultimately the balance is just right. There's enough fast-paced sequences and dreamy story-telling elements that the story really moves along at a perfect pace, I never found myself becoming bored or skim-reading (as can be the case with other books), and that is a true testament to the excellent skills of the author.
Ultimately, I came into this expecting an average read, and what I got was a most unexpected, and pleasant surprise. I did not expect this to be one of my favourite novels this year, but the consistently solid story-line, interesting characters, and magical elements have cemented this as one of my top books of 2016.
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