#BookReview :: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1) by Alwyn Hamilton

Dustwalk is an unforgiving, dead-end town. It's not the place to be poor or orphaned or female. And yet Amani Al'Hiza must call it 'home'.

Amani wants to escape and see the world she's heard about in campfire stories.

Then a foreigner with no name turns up, and with him she has the chance to run. 

But the desert plains are full of dangerous magic. The Sultan's army is on the rise and Amani is soon caught at the heart of a fearless rebellion...

An epic story of swirling desert sands, love, magic and revolution. 


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Amani is a resident of a town called Dustwalk. All the town has is a weapons factory and that is it. As the story begins, we see that with the death of both her parents, she is living with her uncle and aunt. But she has been dreaming of leaving the town for good, first along with her mother and then on her own. Little did she expect her life changing with the entry of a foreigner. Jin is attractive and with a mind of his own. Without any knowledge of what he really is up to, she leaves her town behind with him and embarking on a journey of self-discovery.

Amani is a girl who is easy to like. Gun slinging and with a bit of a temper, she can hold her own in most situations. She has the most outrageous plans in the tight situations. But it has kept her alive and well. Jin on the other hand is wrapped up in mystery. He is someone who has travelled the world and has big ideas of his own. But not much about him is revealed till the end and as such the air of mystery around him only makes the readers curious about him. There are few more characters in the book who play important roles and I liked Shazad among them.

The best part about the book is the world building. The author gives us information about the world slowly and steadily while making sure that the plot progresses at a steady pace. This is a whole new world of Djinns, Ghouls and other creature along with halflings and humans. There were quite a few twists that I didn’t see coming even though hints were left from the beginning.

With beautiful narration and a steady pace, the book is an entertainer. I have quite a few ideas and so I will be sure to pick up the next book in the series.