Hi Debra,

Thank-you so much for this wonderful review! It really means the world to us. As authors, the greatest joy we receive is knowing someone enjoyed our work :)

Many thanks,

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

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!

RAI AREN & TAVIUS E. IN SECRET OF THE SANDS HAVE MADE A SMOOTH LEAP FROM PRESENT DAY SUSPENSE AND INTRIGUE FOR MORE OF THE SAME IN THE YEAR 10,000 BC. THE CHARACTERS MITCH AND ALEXANDRA(ALEX) ARE PART OF AN EXCAVATION TEAM NEAR THE PYRAMIDS AND THE GREAT SPHINX IN EGYPT. THEIR LEADER PROFESSOR ABNER DUSTIMAINE DOES NOT TRUST THEIR WORK EVEN TO THE POINT OF ASSIGNING SOMEONE TO WATCH THEM CLOSELY. HIS ANGST TOWARD THEM IS MOTIVATED BY JEALOUSY. ABNER HAS GOOD REASON FOR HIS SUSPICIONS FOR MITCH AND ALEX HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR DIG THAT COULD BE A LINK TO PROVING THE MYTH THAT AN ALIEN CIVILIZATION HAD INHABITED ANCIENT EGYPT AND MAY HAVE BEEN THE BUILDERS OF THE PYRAMIDS AND THE GREAT SPHINX.
FAST BACKWARD TO 10,000 BC. AND TROUBLE WITHIN THE ROYAL FAMILY OF KING TRAEUS. THERE'S A SECRET HIDDEN WITHIN THE SANDS OF THAT KINGDOM. IT DWELLS AMIDST DECEIT AND ADULTERY. BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER UNTIL A WAR BETWEEN THE INOCENT SETTLES NOTHING.
A GOOD READ WITH A PACE THAT MAKES ONE HANG IN UNTIL THE VERY END. I DID THINK THE LAB CHARACTERS BOB AND JACK WERE TRITE AND COULD'VE BEEN REPLACED BY ONE NERDY SCIENTIST CALLED SIGMUND. BUT I'M NOT THE AUTHOR..JUST THE READER. MY WIFE,BARBARA, WOULD NOT RELEASE SECRET OF THE SANDS TO ME UNTIL SHE FINISHED AND WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE ORIGINALITY AND INTRIGUE WITHIN THOSE PAGES THAT SHE TURNED SO QUICKLY WITH CURIOSITY AS TO WHAT WOULD COME NEXT. WE BOTH AWAIT THE SEQUEL. PERHAPS RAI AREN & TAVIUS E. WILL TAKE US TO THE HOME PLANET OF THOSE WHO BUILT THE PYRAMIDS AND THE GREAT SPHINX.

I love this book. I can't wait to read the sequel. It may be difficult for some people to read. It is like reading two books at the same time. But both stories are really good. Excellent book.
The one thing that I did notice alot was there is alot of typing errors (?). Alot of spots in the book there were words either missing or in the wrong order. More the proofreader or editors fault than than the author.

A mystery, a secret, prophetic dreams, and a threat to the planet's existence. Sound like a good beginning? It is. But there's more, and it starts when young archeologists Alex (Alexandra) Logan and Mitch Carver stumble across an artifact while part of an excavation team working near the Great Sphinx. The pair don't know what they've discovered, but they suspect it's significant. They also know they can't trust the professor they report to. Meanwhile, 12,000 years earlier, a race of people called the Kierani are dealing with their own secrets, betrayals, and threat of destruction.

This all makes for a dynamic page-turner as the pressure mounts for both ancient and modern characters. There's a lot going on in this multi-faceted story as intrigue and tension mounts in gripping climaxes. Plot aside, what's especially appealing about Secret of the Sands is the way authors Rai Aren and Tavius E entwine both stories using multiple viewpoints and short, engaging chapters. Their simple writing style is also suitable for younger readers.

While I've certainly enjoyed my share of novels, few of them have left me wanting to rush out and by the sequel as much as this one does. The story leaves some big questions unanswered, and while that strategy might irritate some, it sure didn't hurt the Star Wars movies. Nor should it hurt this entertaining novel.

After reading all the glowing reviews I was a bit disappointed at first. I felt the modern day characters were stereotypical and predictable and I could complete the dialog without going to the next page. The worst thing was, however, the lack of any sense of legitimate archaeology. They ignored all well known procedures. Those are my objections. The ancient civilization, however, did come to life for me and the characters were more believable. After struggling through the first third of the book I decided to ignore the bad archaeology and just enjoyed myself. When the sequel comes out I will read it with interest. I just hope they do a little more research in the meantime and take away some of the Nancy Drew feeling of the modern day characters.

This is a nicely written novel. Of course, it's fiction, but cleverly handled. Anyway, I think nobody has nor can have the authority to deny what's proposed here. Humankind past has still too many mysterious things, for which History and historians have tried to find "clever" explanations.
We try to find explanations for everything, although there are many things, that simply can not be explained. The Sphinx is one of them, sitting there, awaiting for God knows what, and since when.
The authors play with an interesting idea, and they knit a beautiful story around it.
A book to be read in no more than 4 days, at most. You keep turning and turning pages until they end. And then, you feel you'd like to go on reading more about the same.
Let's wait for the Destiny to enlighten us ...

Because I love books about Egypt, I saw a link and purchased this book on a whim. Boy, was I surprised! Secret of the Sands is well written with some nice historical references and abviously, a lot of planning and research. It's not often that you find new authors that make you want to find their next work, but this one did. The story is fast paced with nice links to past events in a format moving from past to future very seamlessly. I'mlooking forward to the next in the series and would encourage you to pick this book up. It's an enjoyable read that leaves you wanting more.

I have finished reading Secret of the Sands and I am very impressed. In all honesty, it is not often that I pick up other writers novels, unless it is very eye appealing, or has a catchy promo. Secret of the Sands has both and was extremely well written, with a writer's eye to finite details. Unlike some novels, the exciting pages and characters within captures the reader's attention right away. I must admit, you had captured my interest and fueled my imagination, which kept me burning the midnight oil and turning pages. It was extremely hard to put down, while the plot had me desiring more pages to turn.

I like to consider myself as a good storyteller, but you realize I said, good. Then, there are great storytellers. It is my belief that Rai Aren & Tavius E. fit as Master Storytellers and Great Authors. I look forward to Destiny of the Sands and resume my fascination with the characters, Alex, Mitch, Bob & Jack.

When Mitch and Alex, two young archaeologists working at a dig near the statue of the Sphinx in Egypt, they accidentally uncover artifacts that could not have possibly existed - not back then and not even now! Along with their faithful assistants, Jack and Bob, who exist solely on diet coke and coffee, they begin the long arduous task of solving the mystery of what lays hidden in the sands. We get to go back in time to around 10,000 BC and meet the royal family led by King Traeus and his beautiful Queen Axiana.
Much intrigue winds its way through the past into the present, giving us insight into the origins of the artifacts. Can we solve the mystery of the sphinx?
If we can't, it's still one heck of a ride! Highly recommended by this reader!