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In Becar, who you are in this life will determine what you become in your next life. For those with good intentions, there is yet hope: your destiny can be changed with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you are doomed to return as a mindless kehok (monster) for the rest of time.
Unless you can win the Races.
Tamra, once a celebrated kehok rider, has become a professional trainer to riders looking to risk the dangers of the races. When a tragic accident shatters her confidence, damages her reputation, and leaves her nearly broke, she knows she only has one chance left to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her. She needs the race prize money. She needs to find a winning kehok … and a rider willing to trust her.
Raia has one chance to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom, but she’ll need a first-rate trainer.
Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia, choosing to pair her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win — if he can be tamed.
Race the Sands is an epic fantasy that manages to contain a vast world, introduce an intriguing religion based on karma, and craft complex characters in a way that is well written and utterly compelling … all in the space of a single book.
Alongside a healthy dose of monster racing is a surprising amount of intense intrigue and political scheming. The belief system also plays a large role in the story, and in my opinion, it’s a large part of what makes this story feel so unique and compelling. Augers contain the power to see a person’s soul and the path they are on, and in the world of Becar, they are revered and feared by everyone. However, while good intentions are upheld as the ideal and purest way to live, a lot of terrible things can be done under the banner of good intentions — something the book does not shy away from exploring.
Overall, with its increasing stakes and surprising themes, Race the Sands isn’t the straightforward monster-racing story you might first expect. It’s a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down book that explores some surprisingly deep themes revolving around life, death and family. And with its easy-to-read style, as well as the presence of a younger protagonist as one of the main characters, this adult book will likely also appeal to teen readers who enjoy epic fantasy.
Rated: Moderate. Violence can be graphic at times, featuring several bloody deaths. Language includes 9 uses of moderate language and 4 uses of mild language. There is no sexual content.
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