Book review: Pyramid, by Tom Martin

Good day friends,

I do like to take note of books that I enjoy, so here is my latest book review. It's on the novel, Pyramid, by Tom Martin:




Ancient wonders are the draw

This book had me hooked by the plot - an ancient mystery with dire warnings for the present, the settings - Peru & Egypt, and the genre - archaeological adventure/thriller. I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, so it was irresistible! I found Pyramid to be an easy read, fairly engaging, and enjoyable. The settings and sense of place were well done. I especially liked the focus on ancient history and mythology - those aspects of the story were fascinating.

I would have liked more follow-through for the book's antagonists and their mission, which started off strong, more impetus for the main characters to do what they were doing and for them to have made a bigger impact on the story's ending. Though they chased around the world (spending a lot of money on flights without specific aims), they didn't actually accomplish or affect much and the ending wasn't as strong as it could have been. I did like the main characters however and the pacing of the book was good.

Overall, I found Pyramid to be an entertaining read with a lot of interesting information presented. That for me was the book's strongest feature, so if you're like me and enjoy being entertained by ancient mysteries in an adventure setting, it's a good read. I liked it enough that I look forward to reading Tom Martin's next book, Kingdom:



Happy reading always my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

Secret of the Sands, award-winning mystery novel - back better than ever & ON SALE NOW!

I am extremely pleased to announce that SECRET OF THE SANDS, our award-winning, bestselling mystery novel has successfully undergone a great new upgrade. It has been polished inside & out. This endeavor took two months to complete and was initiated by the exciting award our adventure novel received of a silver medal for "Fiction-Mystery", in the ReadersFavorite.com 2009 Book contest.

The new cover has the medal on it and new wording. Here is what it looks like:



In the new interior, there's lots of new things including a couple of new quotes and some very cool hieroglyphs...you'll love it!

The new version is available on Amazon & even better - they have put it on sale! I don't know how long that will last & I have no control over that, so get it while it's hot, avid readers!! Here's the link:

Secret of the Sands - new version, on sale!




Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature is going to take 6-8 weeks to update to the new interior, but rest assured, it's the new version you will get!

The other changes to the interior include new blurbs & excerpts from numerous great reviews this ancient Egypt book has received along the way, an update to our author bio at the back of the book (it was time), the fixing of the handful of typos (egads!) that gremlins must have inserted into the book when we weren't looking ;) and the mention of our bronze medal award for the sequel, Destiny of the Sands - also from ReadersFavorite.com in the "Fiction-Mystery" category (which can also be found at the back of the book). We are thrilled to bits to have won two medals! I have also included our new tagline for the sequel on that page:

Some secrets cannot remain hidden, some cannot be forgiven...

Those words perfectly capture the story of both books, if you've already read Secret of the Sands, you will know what I am talking about... ;)


Here is a screen shot of the awards that we won:




If you are a Canadian bookstore or library, you can also order SECRET OF THE SANDS through our new distributor, Red Tuque Books:

www.redtuquebooks.ca







Here is our ad, which appears in Red Tuque's 2010 Spring catalogue:




Here is the ordering info - readers can also use the ISBN or LCCN to request the book at their fave library or bookstore if they don't already carry it:

ISBN-10: 1-4196-7552-4
EAN-13: 978-1419675522
Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN): 2010904965

BISAC codes:

1. FIC002000 FICTION / Action & Adventure
2. FIC030000 FICTION / Suspense
3. FIC040000 FICTION / Alternative History
4. FIC028010 FICTION / Science Fiction / Adventure
5. FIC024000 FICTION / Occult & Supernatural


So, who would love Secret of the Sands? This adventure novel has a double storyline, where the past & present intertwine & is intended for both young adult & adult audiences. It would appeal to people who love National Treasure, The Mummy movies, and Indiana Jones (it even has shades of The Chronicles of Narnia & The Golden Compass in it), readers who love suspense, adventure, alternative historical fiction, speculative sci-fi, unique mystery tales, and those who are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the enigmatic Great Sphinx of Giza…covers a lot of people, doesn't it?! That was the idea ;)

Secret of the Sands has made numerous appearances as an Amazon.com BESTSELLER in the categories of "Ancient Civilizations", "Books, Religion & Spirituality, Fiction", "Fiction, Action & Adventure", and "Historical Fiction", so having a new version of the book that has been shined & polished is very special :)

Happy reading always, my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS


In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts over 12,000 years old, but the find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may turn out to be the deadliest…

Rai Aren

Author

Secret of the Sands

Read Now - http://bit.ly/15WZUp

Twitter - @raiaren

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands - New Canadian Distribution Deal!

I am very pleased and proud to announce that Canadian distributor, Red Tuque Books, has struck a deal to carry our award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands. This will more easily allow all of those super-cool Canadian bookstores & libraries to stock the book on their shelves.

Our ISBN for ordering is: 9781419675522

Here is our ad, which appears in their 2010 Spring catalogue:




Here is the link to the Red Tuque website where you can learn more about them:

www.redtuquebooks.ca




They have been invited to present at the 2010 BC Library Conference on April 22nd, 23rd and 24th, where there will be representatives from about 350 BC libraries. If you are attending the conference, be sure to say hello to Red Tuque and ask about adding our Indiana-Jones style adventure novel to your shelves. Help support indie efforts & fellow Canadians by ordering from Red Tuque! :)

Don't forget, Secret of the Sands has undergone an upgrade, so it is even more polished & awesome than ever! The new version should be on the market in two weeks or less (I'll let you know as soon as it's there!).

Who would love it? Anyone from ages 12-112, people who love National Treasure, The Mummy movies, and Indiana Jones, readers who love suspense, adventure, alternate historical fiction, speculative sci-fi, unique mystery tales, and those who are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the enigmatic Great Sphinx of Giza…covers a lot of people, doesn't it?! That was the idea ;)

Happy reading always, my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Rai Aren

Author

Secret of the Sands

Read Now - http://bit.ly/15WZUp

Twitter - @raiaren

Latest ETA on updated version of Secret of the Sands, award-winning mystery novel

Hey everyone,

Well, it's taken a little longer than I thought to update our adventure novel Secret of the Sands, I had a ton of technical problems with all of the various changes I was making. However, I finally made it over the hurdles (whew!!), and it's been a very worthwhile process, it's going to be better than ever! I've spent the latest month+ polishing & perfecting the book - the story remains the same, but the cover & interior have undergone a very nice aesthetic upgrade, you can reference my previous blog post for more details on it. Since that posting I made even more changes - the interior has lots more cool things…you'll have to get the book to find out! ;)

A new proof is on the way, so it should only be a couple more weeks until the new version hits the shelves. I am very excited & tremendously pleased with these changes, it's going to be great!

I will let you all know when the book is back on the market :)

Cheers!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

We are now award-winning authors!

I am extremely pleased to announce that we have won two medals in the category of “Fiction-Mystery” in the Readers Favorite 2009 book contest: a silver medal for our mystery novel Secret of the Sands and a bronze medal for its upcoming sequel, Destiny of the Sands (coming in 2010!). How cool is that?!?! This is truly an honor for us and I am thrilled to say that we are now award-winning authors! Here is the link to the announcement:

2009 Readers Favorite Winners



It is immensely gratifying to receive this praise and to know that our stories resonate with readers and reviewers alike. It really is a dream come true… ☺

I just had to show off our super cool Certificates of Award:






I would also like to share the judge’s comments we received on each book:

SECRET OF THE SANDS

Authors Rai Aren and Travius E. bring the ancient past to life. Secret of The Sands is a fast paced adventure reminding me of The Indiana Jones Series. The authors successfully weave the past and present together playing out two stories at once. In the past, we watch the story of King Traeus and Queen Axiana unfolds. There is strife in Traeus’’ kingdom. He builds a secret chamber under the Sphinx to hide a powerful machine that he hopes will help his people.
In the present Archeology students, Mitch and Alex discover a box hidden in a secret chamber under the Sphinx. The box contains two scrolls and a metal unknown to humankind but predating the iron age. They more they learn the more they question.
This is my kind of book. Please, please make a continuing series and a movie! The authors are extremely talented. I cannot praise this book enough. Fast paced, page turner, character development, fascinating plot…….what more could I ask for. – ReadersFavorite.com


DESTINY OF THE SANDS:

Destiny of the Sands is the second book in this series. The first book was Secret of The Sands. The story continues in 1941. The war continues and the mysterious box resurfaces. Mitch and Alex must return to once more study the strange alloy. The past and the future intertwine to create an adventure that the reader will not want to end. Danger lurks around every corner as the Nazis fight for world dominance.
(The authors) allow reader to observe life in ancient Egypt and during WWI. There descriptions are fascinating. The characters are realistic. I was very partial to the ancient Egypt scenes. While the stories are parallel for me the past was almost hypnotic. I wanted to experience more. I hope there is another book in this series. – ReadersFavorite.com



Happy reading always my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the mystery novel Secret of the Sands
Destiny of the Sands to be released in 2010
www.secretofthesands.com

Operation eBook Drop - authors, join in!

Hi fellow readers & authors,

I wanted to pass the word along about a great initiative – Operation eBook Drop. It provides donated eBooks to soldiers serving overseas. I am always inspired to hear about how books can help bring some light into someone’s life. I signed up to donate copies of Secret of the Sands – our title, published by Bristlecone Pine Press, was recently listed in the OmniLit catalogue, which made this possible. Here’s the link to our book there:

Secret of the Sands on OmniLit




Here is an article about it by Holly Christine in the Pittsburgh Book Examiner. You can find Holly on Twitter: Holly's Twitter page and here is the link to the article, which I have copied in below:

Operation eBook Drop article from Pittsburgh Books Examiner

"Operation eBook Drop is the recent development of Edward C. Patterson, author of eight novels (The Jade Owl, most recently). In the Kindle forums, Patterson came across a US soldier stationed in Iraq. The soldier expressed an interest in downloading Patterson’s work, but couldn’t because Amazon’s Whispernet (the service Amazon uses to send eBook purchases to it’s Kindle counterpart) does not function in Iraq.
The issue sparked an idea in Patterson, a frequent poster and respected member of the Kindle forums. After discovering that Kindle authors expressed an interest in making their work available for free to overseas soldiers, he concocted a plan to use Smashwords, utilizing the site’s coupon feature for free eBooks to soldiers.

Since the conception of Operation eBook Drop only a few days ago, over thirty-five independent authors have offered their work(s) for free to overseas U.S. soldiers. Smashwords quickly responded with Patterson in further developing the project, notifying nearly 1300 authors.

For now, authors interested in participating in the program are encouraged to email Patterson. Works must available through Smashwords with a 100% off coupon code. Soldiers interested in particular works will express their interest through Patterson. Patterson then notifies the author, who will then email the soldier links and coupon codes. Smashwords is currently working on an automated system to further the project development.

For more information or to get involved with the program, visit Smashwords for complete program details."

*******

If you are an author, I hope you will join us in this very worthy effort!

Happy reading, always, wherever you may be…

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands





For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy





P.S. I thought I would share our video trailer with you:




Created by Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands, with help from her friend Tommy Taylor, author of The Second Virgin Birth.

Upcoming author appearances!

We are pleased to announce that Rai & Tavius will be doing some upcoming author signings! Our very good friends at Chapters Macleod Tr.S. here in Calgary have invited us back for book signings this fall & into Christmas! We will have dates for you hopefully in the next couple of weeks, so do stay tuned. Did we mention what a great gift Secret of the Sands makes?!

We hope to see you soon!

Rai & Tavius
www.secretofthesands.com

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy



Secret of the Sands book trailer:

Secret of the Sands is now on Facebook!

In addition to our very popular MySpace page, Secret of the Sands is proud to now also have a cyber-presence on Facebook! Come on by, add yourself as a fan, add us to your favorites, drop us a line on our wall, we would love to hear from you!


Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com


Secret of the Sands on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rai-Aren/22602068086


Secret of the Sands on MySpace:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=310050637

New! Trailer for Secret of the Sands

Check out our very cool, exciting new trailer for our novel, Secret of the Sands!