Secret of the Sands, 2009 ReadersFavorite.com 'Fiction-Mystery' Silver Medalist, SECOND EDITION [Kindle Edition]

Tavius E. (Author), Rai Aren (Author)

Book Description

For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...

A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion. -McNally Robinson

Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters are fully developed. And the plot is gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you forget you are reading a work of fiction. -Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy


A Prophecy was Told...

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents

A Secret Long Buried...

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe

A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked...

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there...they shouldn't even exist at all

A Power Unleashed...

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying...


Secret of the Sands is a unique cross-genre novel with a double-storyline. The genres it encompasses are mystery, suspense, archaeology adventure, & historical fiction, combined with an element of speculative sci-fi. The story revolves around Great Sphinx of Giza & alternate theories about its age & origins. The novel weaves a new (fictional) chapter to ancient Egyptian history with an explanation for the true origin & purpose of the mysterious & enigmatic Great Sphinx.

*****

Continue the adventure with Destiny of the Sands...the thrilling sequel to Secret of the Sands...

Some secrets cannot remain hidden...and some cannot be forgiven...

The Great Sphinx of Giza has guarded a secret, both dangerous and incredible, for 12,000 years. Now deadly enemies emerge, and those involved must face startling truths and deep sorrow, in the fight against the forces of tyranny...

Destiny of the Sands continues the archaeological mystery tale of Secret of the Sands, taking the characters you've come to know and love on a darker, and far more perilous journey...

"High adventure, past and present, merge into a multi-leveled tale of epic proportions in this triumphant sequel to the best-selling novel, Secret Of The Sands!" 
- Gary Val Tenuta, author of Ash: Return Of The Beast and The Ezekiel Code

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is my kind of book. The authors are extremely talented. I cannot praise this book enough. Fast paced, page turner, character development, fascinating plot...what more could I ask for. --ReadersFavorite.com

From the Author

Secret of the Sands is an AWARD-WINNING mystery novel. It won the silver medal in the category of "Fiction-Mystery" in the Readers Favorite 2009 book contest. SECRET OF THE SANDS is an Indiana Jones type of adventure novel - suitable for ages 12 to 112! - where the reader is treated to two adventures-in-one as it weaves back and forth between a royal family with a potentially deadly secret in ancient Egypt and the adventures of a couple of modern-day archaeologists on a mission to uncover an amazing artifact that could change the world.


The idea for the book came from a program on the Discovery Channel where archaeologists were proposing that the Sphinx might very well be thousands of years older than the history texts state. Rai & Tavius have been fascinated by ancient Egypt their entire lives, so this program immediately sparked their imaginations and creative fire.


The adventure novel Secret of the Sands is a little bit "Indiana Jones" meets "The Mummy" meets "National Treasure", which also has shades of "The Chronicle of Narnia" & "The Golden Compass" in them.


Destiny of the Sands continues the archaeological mystery tale of Secret of the Sands, taking the characters you've come to know and love on a darker, and far more perilous journey. Mitch and Alex, our young Egyptologists, along with their friends, Jack and Bob, are mysteriously called back to Egypt, just as a sinister enemy surfaces. Dark forces are on the hunt for the priceless, yet deadly ancient artifact Mitch and Alex unearthed eighteen months ago below the Great Sphinx of Giza. This powerful technological device, which had remained hidden for over 12,000 years, thrusts our friends into a fight for survival as they are outmatched and outgunned by a hostile adversary that knows exactly how to get to them.

In the past, we see embattled King Traeus rocked by a devastating secret that has been revealed. This secret will change his life forever. Deadly threats emerge, spurred on by this shocking secret. Now there are no lines that will not be crossed in a terrible fight for power and in the name of vengeance.

In both the present and the past, a secret that has been carefully guarded emerges, and nothing will ever be the same again...

DESTINY OF THE SANDS...A powerful and ancient secret of mysterious origins resurfaces in the shifting sands of Egypt. Enemies strike. A dark and harrowing journey unfolds, racing towards a destiny 12,000 years in the making...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 701 KB
• Print Length: 316 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482575124
• Publisher: RFS Publications; Second edition (November 29, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004EEORPW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,973 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #70 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Coming of Age

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Blockbuster Movie on the way? December 30, 2010

By P. Martucci

Format:Kindle Edition

Secret of the Sands is a very entertaining and exciting tale of ancient Egypt and modern archeology. The authors succeed in painting the ancient world and its characters in realistic and memorable fashion. Secret of the Sands is a story of adventure, wonder, betrayal, forgiveness, suspense, and action - all the elements that so often can be weaved together into a blockbuster movie. A hope this tale gets the opportunity to reach the big screen - i'll be amongst the first in line to see it! Fans of adventure tales like Indian Jones will love this book.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Very amateur writing and needs a good edit January 29, 2011

By L. Mcgrew

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am mystified at the positive reviews received by this book. It's clear to me that it's been self-published and/or produced by a publisher that doesn't understand how to edit. But even once I can get beyond the grammatical and style problems presented by essentially unedited writing, most of the characters are two-dimensional or unbelievable, and the descriptions of Egypt 10,000 years in the past are sparse and not convincing. Expository writing is completely sacrificed to action and dialog. Battle scenes include things inappropriate for the context such as cannons, guns, and steel. There is almost no attempt to draw a picture of daily life, and when the authors do venture into that territory it seems silly and rings false. We are supposed to accept everything that doesn't make sense since it is out of context because we have been vaguely led to understand that these people are from an alien culture with advanced technology. Yet even that doesn't offer any satisfactory explanation for much of what happens, and by the end of the book, it's clear that you are going to have to wade your way through a sequel which may or may not provide more insight. I am under the impression that one of these authors can write better than the other one. If so, My advice to them as a team is to put that person in charge of writing the entire next book with just some creative input from the other. There are some good and even interesting ideas in this novel. But I would never recommend slogging through it just to occasionally find them because the execution is so poor. Don't waste your time or your money. I wish that I had not.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Secret Of The Sands has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it! December 12, 2010

By Gary Val Tenuta

Format:Kindle Edition

Fans of what might be called the "Indiana Jones" genre of fiction will be thrilled with Secret Of The Sands. Like a race horse on steroids it blasts out of the gate in the opening prologue and doesn't stop running until it reaches the finish line.

This remarkably well conceived and well executed first-time novel by Rai Aren and her co-author, Tavius E. is loaded with adventure, prophecy, mystery, secrets, deception, epic-scale battles, romance, good guys, bad guys, liers, cheaters, scoundrels, and, of course, heroes.

The action alternates back-and-forth between ancient Egypt and modern-day Egypt. The transitions between time lines are virtually seamless and, rather than interrupting the flow of the story, this plot device actually enhances the flow of the story. The two modern-day archaeologists, Alexandria (Alex, for short) and Mitch, are working on a dig near the Great Sphinx when Alexandria stumbles (literally) onto a mystery that will change their lives, and possibly the future of the world, forever.

The reader follows along with Alex and Mitch as they try to unravel the clues to this mystery, the origin of which goes back 10,000 years into the pre-history of Egypt. Here we find a complete society unknown to the pages of recorded history. At the core of this society is a Royal Family and a King with a dream and a secret that could unleash a power of unimaginable consequences.

At intervals throughout the book the authors skillfully break from the modern-day action to transport the reader back into the ancient past.... This is where the reader is totally immersed into the multifaceted and intriguing back story of that mysterious royal family and the events which, in turn, ultimately created the mystery that Alex and Mitch are desperately trying to unravel in the present.

Secret Of The Sands is a thrill-ride, complete with humorous interludes. The story ends with a set-up for a sequel and this reviewer is chomping at the bit, waiting for that sequel to be released.

Disney/Pixar, Spielberg, Lucas please take note. This book has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it.

Gary Val Tenuta
Author of The Ezekiel Code
"2012 is coming...Or is it?"

***************************** Read more ›

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too February 6, 2011

By TeensReadToo

Format:Kindle Edition

Alex and Mitch are the outcasts of the archaeological dig site they are working at in Egypt. Their supervisor/Professor, Dustimaine, is out to thwart their every attempt at success. If he misses anything, his underling, Fessel C. Blothers, is there to catch them.

One day, Alex and Mitch literally stumble upon a secret; a secret thousands and thousands of years old, unknown to anyone but them. With the help of their lab tech friends, Jack and Bob, Alex and Mitch soon get snared in uncovering a mysterious power somehow connected to the great Sphinx.

Could this be the biggest discovery in archaeological history -- or just someone's plan to hurt and destroy another society?

Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization. The dialogue is believable and the plot is a page-turner.

Reviewed by: Erikka Adams aka "The Bookbinder"

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible March 6, 2011

By John Ogren

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book based off of the reviews I read. After finishing the book I wonder I even read the same book. There was a number of reasons I did not enjoy the book. First off the book was not proffread very well. The dialog felt very forced and unnatural. The book is split into two storys from different times present day and ancient eygpt. At times during each story line I was saying to myself the book is horrible. Plus the ending is very anticlimatic. Over all a major disapointment.

More About the Author

Photos: Rai & Star Wars clone friend; Official author photo: Rai Aren on the right, Tavius E. on the left.

RAI AREN (Twitter: @raiaren), co-author of SECRET OF THE SANDS, and its sequel DESTINY OF THE SANDS.

Rai is super-proud that both books, archaeology adventure/alternate historical fiction/mystery novels, have been Amazon kindle BESTSELLERS (thank-you readers!) and that SECRET OF THE SANDS is the 2009 ReadersFavorite.com "Fiction-Mystery" silver medalist. She and Tavius are also thrilled at the ongoing fan following that both books are enjoying. Your messages and support mean the world to us!

You can learn more about our adventures on our homepage at:

http://www.secretofthesands.com/

BIOS:

RAI AREN

Rai loves the stories of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Indiana Jones (her first kitty cat is named Indiana, Indy for short), and The Matrix (take the red pill!), to name but a few. She loves getting lost in these enchanting worlds and studying their underlying philosophies. Ancient Egypt has held a particular fascination for her since childhood. She is a HUGE sci-fi geek and has turned her own family into Trekkies (boo-yeah!) She hopes you all live long and prosper :)

Rai feels that novels have the ability to take us on magic carpet rides, allowing us to escape into fascinating and engaging worlds, where the stories become real to us. Storytelling is an ancient, timeless practice and is an integral part of who we are. For Rai, writing a novel is a similar, but far more intense experience and she is thrilled to be a part of such an honored tradition. She believes that these stories are out there, waiting and wanting to be told - that they travel the universe in search of the door, the conduit, to the soul who is meant to tell their tale. She hopes you enjoy the worlds she & Tavius have opened the doors to...


TAVIUS E.

Tavius E. (pen name) grew up and currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Movies such as The Lord of the Rings and The Star Wars trilogies have ignited his imagination. Authors such as David Eddings and Dan Brown have inspired him to write.

He enjoys learning about ancient Egypt and archaeology. He sometimes looks up at the stars in the skies and wonder about all the amazing stories that have never been told. As a result, he and his college friend, Rai Aren, are pursuing their shared interests of being successful storytellers.


UPCOMING WORKS:

Rai & Tavius are beginning work on the third and final book in the Secret of the Sands trilogy, REVELATION OF THE SANDS.

In addition, Rai is beginning work on her solo project - a short story entitled LOST CITY OF GOLD, which will become part of a series of archaeology adventure/thriller/mystery stories, called the "Ancient Quest Mystery Series".

Stay tuned for more details to come!