Monday 23 May 2016

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton // unmemorable and unengaging


Title: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1)
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Genre: Fantasy
Warnings: death, allusions of rape
Rating: 1 star
Goodreads | Book Depository
Normally I start my reviews with a story summary, but I'm already forgetting what happened in this book having just finished it, which is surprising since you'd think a Western and Middle Eastern crossover would be a bit more memorable.




For me to like a book it needs to have a super strong and memorable story, or beautifully engaging writing. Rebel of the Sands had neither. The writing felt so plain and I was so unconnected from it and by extention the characters. It was all telling and no showing, and even the telling had me a little confused.

It was an interesting concept, but I think I knew from the start I would not like the blending of fantasy settings. The only things Western about the story were guns and sand, and the only things Middle Eastern about the story were Sultans and sand. And that sucks, because you don't know how badly I have wanted to read a good Middle Eastern fantasy. Of course, there were more parts to the story, but it all felt so disjointed that none of it really clicked into place. It's not that the two settings didn't mix well together, it's that even together they felt largely underdeveloped.

There was basically no story for the first half of the book. When some form of story started to take shape nearer the end I was too far lost in my boredom of the bland language to really pay attention.
Diversity Note: Middle Eastern characters

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