Twelve Kings in Sharakhai
Bradley P. Beaulieu
DAW, Sep 1 2015, $24.95
ISBN 9780756409722
Centuries ago, desert tribes attacked the sprawling city of Sharakhai. Twelve kings united and prayed to the Gods to
save their urban home. When these rulers
succeeded in turning away the threat, they also became immortal. Ever since they saved Sharakhai, the twelve,
kept safe by chosen Silver Spears and Blade Maidens, have ruled with ruthless
domination while living in ultra-posh conditions; at the same time keeping
their groveling masses in abject poverty.
When Ceda was a child, the monarchs executed her beloved mother by
stringing her naked body upside down and carving an odd symbol and accusations
on her skin. Obsessed with revenge, now
nineteen years old Ceda has become an accomplished pit gladiator searching for
a royal weakness. Her best friend Emre,
also seeking ways to destroy the odious Kings, allies with heartless fanatic
Macide who believes innocent blood must fall as collateral damage in order to
dethrone the kings. Emre also befriends
fixated with rage Ramahd, who wants to kill Macide for murdering his wife and
child in the name of freedom.
The first sword and sorcery Song of the Shattered Sands fantasy is
a fantastic thriller starring a wonderful avenging female gladiator. Ceda makes the tale; especially her
incredible flashbacks to her beloved mom, her friendship with Emre and a
connection to the White Wolf. The other
viewpoint subplots are well-written, but pale next to Ceda. Although the storyline starts slow as Bradley P. Beaulieu creates Sharakhai and introduces its key
cast particularly the heroine, the various Kings, and the monarchs’ opponents
(afraid to even whisper rebellion); but once set the novel accelerates into
an action-packed opening epic.
Harriet Klausner
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