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Member Since: 1/6/2008
Band Website: secretofthesands.com
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Secret of the Sands, a novel by Rai Aren & Tavius E.

Secret of the Sands has been making regular appearances as an Amazon.com BESTSELLER for the category "Books, Religion & Spirituality, Fiction"!! As debut novelists, we are thrilled about this accomplishment! Thank-you all so much!!! Oh yeah, our sights are set to drive it even higher, so do stay tuned, dear friends... ;)

"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

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...

Still more fantastic 5-STAR reviews for Secret of the Sands!!

5.5 out of 5 stars!! April 29th, 2008 By Faye V. (Louisiana, USA)
"I love this book! Secret of the Sands starts with a bang and hits the ground running. Very Indiana Jones. I'm an avid Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Mystery reader and I've read many books with dual authors. Although most are good, it's usually apparent that sections were split up and who wrote which part. It's rare to find authors that work so well together they seem like a single voice. That is this book. Secret of the Sands is very well-written and seems as if it was penned by a single author. Everything flows together well and I couldn't tell who wrote which part. If I had not know there were two authors I wouldn't have known from reading. The story was exciting and held interest throughout the entire book. The characters were fun and entertaining. I love Jack and Bob! They were my favorites. This book is dangerous - I stayed up until 2am to finish it! And now I want to know when the next one will come out. I can't wait! - Faye V."

*****
(From Amazon.com) 5 out of 5 stars Loved every minute of it!, April 20, 2008 By Marauder (Louisiana, USA), Deputy Headmistress of the Official Potterholics Annonymous
The description that initially comes to mind is Indiana Jones, with a bit of Stargate, Mummy, and 5th Element, yet remaining completely unique. Secret of the Sands is an excitingly vivid, page-turning adventure infused with history, humor, and excitement. Rai Aren and Tavius E. have created a spectacular story with characters that I just love or simply love to hate. Like National Treasure, there is just enough historical and scientific fact mixed in to make the fictional story plausible and fun. And what a wonderful way to spotlight archaeological theories that have lost the public eye. I kept wanting to read and, by half-way through, I didn't want to put it down. Secret of the Sands was a thrill ride until the very end and I loved every minute of it!

*****
(From Amazon.com) 5 out of 5 stars Exceptional Read!, April 14, 2008 By S. K. Shirley "Cleo" (Williamsville, NY USA)
I recently finished this book, which I literally devoured,and was never so sorry to be finished with anything in a very long time. In all honesty, I'm not easily pleased when it comes to my favorite subject, ancient Egypt, and it takes a lot to grab and hold my attention. This book most assuredly did just that. The authors were able to seemlessly transition between ancient times and present day, never losing the momentum of the story. I particularly enjoyed the way they incorporated the possible premise that the Sphinx, not to mention the Egyptian civilization, is older than is commonly believed by the present day archeological community. I share that belief actually. I recommend this book strongly to anyone looking for a great read and I simply can't wait for the next installment. The day it's released will be the day I have it in my possession.

*****

(From Amazon.com) 5 out of 5 stars Worth picking up!, April 13, 2008 By Emma Lartey "Book Worm" (Calgary, AB Canada)

This book is hard to put down. It's a fun adventure, rich with historical detail and vivid imagery. The characters and events are very realistic. The story blends past and present Egypt so well that the transitions are seamless to the reader. Theories posed on ancient Egyptian mysteries are very plausible - this book is as good a read as The Da Vinci Code. I can't wait for the sequel and hope there will, one day, be a movie!

*****

(From Amazon.com) 5 out of 5 stars Amazing Novel, April 7, 2008 By Ann B. Keller (Cleveland, OH USA)

In Secret of the Sands, talented authors Rai Aren and Tavius E. weave the threads of the past and present into an intricate literary tapestry surrounding the great sphinx of Egypt. From the moment I turned the first page, I was caught up in their tale, gasping for breath as the secret trap door slammed closed, cutting off my air, shouting for joy at Mitch and Alex's archaeological discoveries, chuckling at their friends' Jack and Bob's antics, and frowning at Zazmaria's greed and treachery.

The mark of a truly good story is one that transcends the ages. Although the writers may base some of their novel in the past, a good yarn echoes into the present and future, as well. Secret of the Sands cherishes love, family and honor, condemns evil and treachery and presents us with a tantalizing theory of what lies beneath the great sphinx. Is the power behind the sphinx not of this world? If so, how can man possibly hope to control it?

I want more. Thankfully, the sequel, Destiny of the Sands is apparently already under way and this reader shall be one of the first in line to continue reading this marvelous saga of Egypt.

*****

"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

*****
www.realbookreview.com Book Reviews - The Good and The Bad - as they say, "We truly "tell it" like it is" - by Tommy Taylor, author of The Second Virgin Birth

Cool thing is these are audio book reviews, take a couple of minutes & have a listen :) Tommy is also doing audio author interviews - stay tuned for an upcoming one with Tavius & I, we're looking forward to doing it!

*****

www.AllTheseBooks.com The online community for Readers-Authors-Books

Check it out – there’s lots of interesting & helpful info there including a “featured author” section for new writers (keep checking back for our future feature!) Our review is posted below...☺ www.allthesebooks.com

"Secret of The Sands" by Rai Aren and Tavius E., Postby Mary on Thur. Feb 21, 2008

"This novel is innovative, concise and enthralling. Fluctuating between present day and ancient Egypt, the pace never decelerates. The reader is treated to plausible theories regarding many riddles of this mysterious civilization. This time-honored culture is so clearly portrayed with characters which are so skillfully brought to life that one can easily imagine they are actually present as events are unfolding. The story comes to a clear conclusion yet leaves the reader desperately hoping there will be a sequel…. or a trilogy…. or even better yet, a whole series of these phenomenal books!"

** Even more great 5-star reviews can been seen on Amazon.com!!
NEW!! Secret of the Sands is a participating member of "Dedicated to our Defenders" whose mission is:"to enrich the lives of the men and women fighting for freedom abroad by providing books to help them pass their downtime."
We are honored to be a part of this wonderful initiative, and deeply moved to know that books, those magical things, can make such a positive difference in so many ways... :)

Slideshow of some SoS images:

We hope to meet other writers, readers, publishers, agents, creative folks of various & assorted kinds, kind people, cool people, people whose energies are vibrating on a higher frequency (you'll know who you are!)

P.S. This is a "PG-rated" MySpace page folks, so friends & comments will be added/accepted accordingly :)
Influences: J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, James Rollins, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Robert J. Sawyer, Matthew Reilly, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowling, Jeremy Robinson

Sounds Like: A little more about...

Secret of the Sands has a little dash of Indiana Jones meets the Mummy, but is a historical/alternative history novel that explores the mysteries of Ancient Egypt & the Great Sphinx of Giza. It has a double storyline, the past & present intertwine as each sheds more light on the other. Matthew Reilly's novel, Temple, is another example of a adventure novel with a double storyline...

Who can read it?!: Secret of the Sands & its sequel are both suitable for kids & adults, anyone ages 12 & up. Our intent in writing the story was to make it accessible to a wide audience, in the same way our favorite stories & movies are. If your kids liked Harry Potter - then they can certainly read our story. We hope you enjoy the story as much as we enjoyed writing it & we would love to hear back from you on it!

Here's our very cool poster - if you live in Calgary, you might have seen it around town. Doesn't it make you just go crazy wanting to know what the Secret is...?!? ;)

Rai's Misc. Fun, Colorful Stuff, akin to SoS in heart & spirit...Cool things that Rai likes & wants to sharel! :)

Like any good Egyptian (in heart, spirit and/or past-life) I had to include this little piece of wisdom... ;)

P.S. my four kitties can pretty much attest that they are treated as such, in the manner their species has become accustomed, lol!

INDY!!! THE COVER FOR THE UPCOMING BOOK BY JAMES ROLLINS, AS WELL AS THE POSTER & MOVIE TRAILER FOR INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL! ...I'm countin' the sleeps...

Rai's first kitty is even named after Indy, I call her Indy when she's a good kitty & Indiana when she's a bad kitty... You remember the line from the movie - "We named the dog Indiana..." - too funny!!

Enjoy the trailer, but if you start drooling on my MySpace page, just wipe up... ;)

Wall*E - the new animated movie from those genuises at Pixar. This looks so cool, so sweet, not only will we be checking this out in the theaters, but I already have a place reserved for it on my DVD shelf... :)

Wall*E short trailer. Note, as with so many of these animated movies, there are really good messages embedded...

Wall*E longer trailer:

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT TRAILERS & NEW MOVIE POSTER! WOW!!!

Batman: The Dark Knight movie trailer:

NEW! The second trailer for Batman: The Dark Knight:

ALSO NEW! HELLBOY II THE GOLDEN ARMY TRAILER & MOVIE POSTERS!

Another soon-to-be Blockbuster! Intense!

Hellboy II Trailer:

IRON MAN TRAILER & MOVIE POSTER! I finally got a chance to see this movie & I LOVED IT!! I knew it was going to kill at the box office. It's very, very entertaining, I definitely recommend checking it out. The movie is well-cast throughout, everyone is great. Robert Downey Jr. is so much fun to watch, he is a brilliant actor, and he absolutely shines in this role. His personality, wit, and charisma are the real deal - he is the heart & soul of this story and elevates it from entertaining action/adventure (which is always primo in my book!) to a movie with subtleties, heart & top-quality acting. I will have to buy this on DVD when it comes out. Can't wait for the sequel!!

Iron Man trailer:

Here's a link to more Iron Man trailers - the full theatrical version, the teaser trailer & the Super Bowl spot. Enjoy!

Iron Man trailers

Rai & Tavius dream of the day where we will be checking the movie trailer for Secret of the Sands...we can't wait!!

A funny toon on behalf of our animal friends :)