Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery: Thursday, April 1 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Details

Fastest delivery: Friday, March 26

Available to ship in 1-2 days.
As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

Secure transaction

Ships from	Amazon.com
Sold by	Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

& FREE Shipping

Used: Very Good | Details

Sold by Pastime Book Sales

Share <Embed>

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 2 images

Follow the Author

Vahan Zanoyan

The Sacred Sands: a novel Paperback – November 29, 2016

by Vahan Zanoyan (Author)

14 ratings

See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$4.99

—

Paperback

"Please retry"

$16.95

$4.75

As the eight-year-old war between Iraq and Iran approaches to an end, tensions between the Arab Gulf states and Iraq start to rise. Some of the largest exporters of crude oil in the Persian Gulf collude to bring down the price of oil, at great cost to their national coffers. Oil prices undergo the most erratic fluctuations in decades. Most seasoned observers and analysts, both in the private sector and in the US government, seem oblivious to an impending Gulf war.

It falls to James Blackburn, a global energy consultant based in Washington, DC, to uncover a brewing conflict in the Middle East that exposes and explains the imminent risks. Thrown into an emotional whirlwind between a passionate transatlantic affair and a blossoming affection for another woman closer to home, Blackburn finds himself caught in an equally intractable quandary as the interests of his various clients begin to clash. But the burning question remains: will his warnings to the US intelligence community about the looming cataclysm in the Middle East be heeded?

“…the story is relentlessly paced and brimming with historical insight.” Kirkus Reviews

“It is the most accomplished novel I have read this year and I can thoroughly recommend it.” --Readers’ Favorite Reviews

“A deftly crafted and consistently compelling novel from cover to cover, The Sacred Sands showcases author Vahan Zanoyan as having a genuine flair for original and entertaining storytelling.” –California Bookwatch

Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publication date

November 29, 2016
Dimensions

6 x 0.83 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0998392405
ISBN-13

978-0998392400
See all details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account

Editorial Reviews

Review

"the story is relentlessly paced and brimming with historical insight...this will undoubtedly be a feast for anyone who's hungry for knowledge about the Middle East ... An exceptionally erudite...portrait of a key point in a region's history." Kirkus Reviews

"The scope of this novel is breathtaking... The Sacred Sands is very well written with an intriguing plot that will keep you hooked to the very end. What you will also gain from the book is a clear analysis of the problems in the Middle East, the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism and the way that we in the West view the region, from the pen of someone who has a deep understanding of this area. Vahan Zanoyan is a consummate storyteller and has managed to present an incredibly complex subject in a clear, erudite, and most certainly entertaining way. I urge you to read this book - it is the most accomplished novel I have read this year and I can thoroughly recommend it." Readers' Favorite Reviews

About the Author

Vahan Zanoyan has previously published two novels based on a chance encounter with a sex-trafficking survivor: A Place Far Away and The Doves of Ohanavank. His third novel, The Sacred Sands, reflects his own experience as an international energy consultant.

Before he retired, Zanoyan served as an advisor to governments, private organizations, and other major players in the fossil fuel industry. He currently divides his time between Southern California, Armenia, and the Middle East.

Start reading The Sacred Sands: a novel on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Publisher : gampr books (November 29, 2016)
Language : English
Paperback : 368 pages
ISBN-10 : 0998392405
ISBN-13 : 978-0998392400
Item Weight : 1.08 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 0.83 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,214,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,551 in Political Fiction (Books)
- #13,138 in Political Thrillers (Books)

Customer Reviews:
14 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		69%
4 star		20%
3 star		11%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Mogulmeister

Powerful, compelling, and really interesting - highly recommended!

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

I strongly recommend "The Sacred Sands" to anyone interested in it. It's an intriguing novel that gives us an insider's perspective on the geopolitical aspects of oil and the oil industry. The story is told from the perspective of Jim Blackburn, founder and CEO of a U.S.-based international petroleum industry consulting company. Blackburn's business is relationships and connections with a wide variety of people in different countries/companies/governments, and synthesizing that information to advise clients on oil price movements and economic aspects of the oil industry. There are all sorts of plot twists and turns, and the narrative moves quickly. Unlike a lot of fiction that's written by people who don't necessarily know first-hand of what they write, this is just the opposite, and it all comes across as highly credible. Once the story gets started, the book is hard to put down. It was incredibly interesting and I learned a lot. And there were definitely a few laughs in it too, although no one should think of this as a funny book. I really enjoyed "The Sacred Sands" and highly recommend it. It's the second of Vahan Zanoyan's books that I've read (the other is "A Place Far Away"--also outstanding!). He's 2/2 in my book!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Enrique S

A well-written, fast-paced, page-turner novel. You won't be able to put it down.

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is a well-written, fast-paced novel, weaving thrilling intrigue and secret societies into the geopolitics of oil markets and world power, full of cultural idiosyncrasies, and spiced with love affairs, and even brutal murder. The conversations and musings among some of the characters reflect a deep knowledge of their cultures, an essential element in their decision-making. The descriptions of how some of them personally profit from the markets is “right on the money” (pun intended), and it barely scratches the surface with only a couple of simple examples. The connections to real-life (public) events and characters (albeit labeled as purely “coincidental” in the classic legal disclaimer), suggest a reality that might be unbelievable to most people. Zanoyan’s detailed description of places and events, often in staccato sentences, are reminders of writings by Hemingway or García Márquez, and transport the reader to a particular place and time with no words to spare. Occasionally, some details seem excessive, but abundance of details is part of the Middle Eastern culture, and none are wasted. They all serve a purpose and, at some point, they are all brought together. As in any good thriller, resist the temptation to peak into the last chapter.

As history seems to be repeating itself in Syria and Afghanistan, Sacred Sands is a “must-read” for understanding essential elements and values of the Middle Eastern and American societies. Just make sure that you have a long weekend after you start reading it. You won’t be able to put it down.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jim S

A Great Read

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

The Sacred Sands is a fascinating look at the complex geopolitics of the Persian Gulf set mainly in the period leading up to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Told in an intriguing fiction format, it encompasses real people and events. The novel captures the big picture Gulf dynamic of Sunnis, Shiites, traditional tribes, fundamentalists and progressives. At the same it dives into details about consortiums, commercial dealings, love affairs and lives of characters on three continents. Mr. Zanoyan is a highly skilled writer with a wealth of knowledge about oil markets, Arab and Japanese culture, and the power games that get played out in the Middle East. This was an enjoyable read that became more addictive with each chapter.

Helpful

Nicolas Tavitian

An excellent novel for anyone interested in his insights into the ...

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

An excellent novel for anyone interested in his insights into the international politics of oil. I read it more as a testimony of the author's experience, interestingly contextualized, as no political science book could have done. The missing fifth star is for the character of the hero. As the author's presumed incarnation, he is a little too central and one-dimensional, a little more depth and realism and a few flaws would have helped...but it doesn't spoil the read.

Helpful

George Beranek

Great story set in an exciting time

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

Fair notice: I worked with Vahan over 10 years ago. That said, I really enjoyed this book as a slice of oil markets and geopolitics from the mid -80s to the early 90s. The author brings to life the sometimes frenetic tempo of events and the complexity of Middle Eastern politics of the time. Throw in a couple of love interests and a spook and you have a really great story.

Helpful

suspenseful way with such detailed descriptions right from the start that you feel like you're with the insiders

Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2017

Verified Purchase

The world of global oil is secretive, chummy, dangerous, and opaque to most of us. Zanoyan takes you there in a vivid, suspenseful way with such detailed descriptions right from the start that you feel like you're with the insiders. He clearly knows what he's talking about, and given us a fun, fictionalized view into a below-the-radar real world of movers and shakers.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Will recommend it highly

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2017

Verified Purchase

I could not put it down. It is a page turner. Not just interesting but very, very informtive for those of
us who are not in that field and have no knowlege of the oil business.
Very well written. Will recommend it highly.
Nora

Helpful

Alex

Great book on the geopolitics of oil

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is a fascinating book to show the ins and outs of oil markets and the effect on world politics. Good narrated story to keep the book fun and interesting.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer

An excellent read, I'd strongly recommend it to anyone with ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2017

Verified Purchase

An excellent read, I'd strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Middle East and politics of oil. Thank you for making my tube rides more enjoyable!

Amazon Customer

Weak story

Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2017

Verified Purchase

Weak/thin storyline but a few good geopolitical tidbits.

See all reviews

Buy used: $4.75

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

The Sacred Sands: a novel Paperback – November 29, 2016

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy used:

$4.75