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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.
In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there...they shouldn't even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest...
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" and "The Golden Compass" in it. Find our new 2nd edition kindle - now only $2.99!Same great story, cool new cover! See Rai's author blog for more details.
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Their detailed storytelling paints a picture of ancient Egypt in all its glory. The end of the novel leaves the reader curious and wanting more. This reader can hardly wait for the sequel, Destiny of the Sands. --Authors on the Rise Book Reviews
"The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it." --sabrinareviews.com
"Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization." --TeensReadToo.com
"Secret of the Sands mixes mystery, ancient Egypt, romance, and as well as paranormal elements to make a fascinating novel." --Cheryl Koch, Amazon Vine Voice
"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
From the Author
Secret of the Sands is a highly unique cross-genre novel with a double-storyline. The genres it encompasses are mystery, suspense, adventure, and historical fiction, combined with an element of speculative sci-fi. The story revolves around Great Sphinx of Giza and alternate theories about its age and origins. 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. With this story they have woven a new (fictional) chapter to ancient Egyptian history with an explanation for the true origin and purpose of the mysterious and enigmatic Great Sphinx. (edited by 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".
There are a few books I picked up and could not let go - Secret of the Sands is one of them! Rai Aren and Tavius E. have written a book that takes place in ancient ancient Egypt and present day Egypt near the Sphinx. A pair of young archaeology students, a young man and woman - Mitch and Alex are on a dig and suddenly discover a mysterious box, and with the help of two friends they open the box that is so old, it predates anything else known - the glyphs are in a different form, the metal not known in the current world. The ancient era story details how this box and the information came to be and the backstory of the characters that will play through this amazing trilogy. As I was reading Sands, I kept thinking of the pace is much like Raiders of the Lost Ark, because it is that good and that well paced. The co-writing team of Rai Aren and Tavius E. have come up with movie material and what a movie it will make! For those of us who are lovers of the ancient worlds, Egypt, present and past, archaeology, the metaphysical, and mystical happenings, this is a great choice for you.
This novel is innovative, concise and enthralling. Fluctuating between present day and ancient Egypt, the pace never decelerates. The reader is treated to plausible theories regarding many riddles of this mysterious civilization. This time-honored culture is so clearly portrayed with characters which are so skillfully brought to life that one can easily imagine they are actually present as events are unfolding. The story comes to a clear conclusion yet leaves the reader desperately hoping there will be a sequel.... or a trilogy.... or even better yet, a whole series of these phenomenal books!
Have you ever wondered how old the Sphinx really is? Have you been intrigued by the mysteries swirling like the desert sands around this awesome ancient monument? Rai Aren and Tavius E. have written a mesmerizing story in which two young archaeologists discover an artifact that could provide all of the answers. But they are not the only ones who are interested in this relic, for it holds a power unlike anything seen on Earth before... Secret of the Sands takes us back 12,000 years to the origins of the artifact and the people who created it. Their story is interwoven with the lives of the archaeologists studying it in the present. Both sets of characters are so well-drawn that I could swear I heard them breathing! This novel is packed with adventure and suspense, and the style is fast-paced and filled with vivid description.When I got to the end I thought "oh no!" I wanted more, more, more! But I'll have to wait for Destiny of the Sands to get it. Rai and Tavius, please hurry up with that sequel!
