Secrets of the Sands (Children of the Desert, #1)

A thief chooses the wrong victim. A desert lord abandons his lands. A young woman accepts a stewardship. They all find their destiny on the sands. Idisio cut the wrong purse and found himself bound to serve a desert lord who just gave up his wealth, his lands, and his name to wander. His new master is the lone survivor of a massacred family and might be insane, but serving him is better than life on the streets. Lady Alyea accepts the king's mission to assume stewardship of the desert lord's abandoned fortress in the hope of gaining power. But the southern desert is a harsh world of violence, suspicion, and politically tangled family clans who worship the old gods. By the time she realizes she's in over her head, it's far too late to back out. Out on the sands, the harsh glare of the sun reveals more about the world--and themselves--than they ever wanted to know.

cafad Scratha, A Powerful Desert Lord With A Persecution Complex, Believes Everyone Is Lying To Him. When His Obsession Collides With The King's Efforts To Rebuild The Shattered Realm, The Orphaned Street-thief Idisio And The King's Emissary Alyea Become Pawns In Their Multilayered Game. The Secret World Into Which Idisio And Alyea Are Drawn Will Not Only Change Their Lives: It Will Change Them.

publishers Weekly

wisoker's Epic Debut Attempts Much And Accomplishes Only Some. The Thief Idisio Chooses The Wrong Mark; The Desert Lord Cafad Scratha Signs Over His Property To A Northern King; The Northern Noblewoman Alyea Peysimum Is Given Unprecedented Power. As Their Lives Meet In A Complex Sequence Of Events, A World Long In Balance Edges Toward Chaos. The Desert Setting Is Intriguing, But Wisoker Crams Into One Novel A Story Better Spread Over Two Or Three, With Multiple Long-lost Heirs, Political Power Games, A Strange Desert Religion, And Idisio's Complex History Leaving Little Room For Developing Characters And Interesting Ideas. This Overambitious Tale Is Certainly Engaging, But Too Trite, Rushed, And Confusing To Be Really Memorable. (apr.)

Cafad Scratha, a powerful desert lord with a persecution complex, believes everyone is lying to him. When his obsession collides with the king's efforts to rebuild the shattered realm, the orphaned street-thief Idisio and the king's emissary Alyea become pawns in their multilayered game. The secret world into which Idisio and Alyea are drawn will not only change their lives: it will change them. NOTE: This book was originally published through Mercury Retrograde Press; it is currently housed with ReAnimus Press.