Empires of Sand

By: David Ball

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 27 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

After four trips to the Sahara and extensive historical research, David Ball crafted this sweeping adventure novel spanning two continents and 15 years. Set against a backdrop of the crumbling French Empire’s attempts to colonize the Sahara Desert, Empires of Sand follows the lives of two cousins who are raised as brothers but destined to become enemies. It is 1870, and France is at war with Prussia. The son of a French count and a Saharan noblewoman, Moussa has been born to privilege. His cousin Paul will be an Army Officer like his father. For two young boys, the siege of Paris is merely another grand adventure. But as tensions rise, the French become more and more suspicious of “outsiders.” When Moussa and his mother are forced to flee to her homeland, it will be 10 years before Moussa and Paul meet again—on opposite sides of a brutal battle for control of the Sahara. David Ball has created a swashbuckling tale with something for everyone. With his masterful narration, George Guidall perfectly captures the struggles of two men as their personal loyalties shift in a rapidly changing world.

©1999 David W. Ball (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC

After 13 hrs I gave up.

Any additional comments?

After 13 hrs I gave up.

Maybe it is just the book isn’t for me, but I couldn’t find anything to sympathise with in any of the characters. The plot seemed to be more melodrama, or if not that, then “stock”; predictable, mechanical devices to drive the narrative. Action often doesn’t fit well with the development of the characters who act; the extent of the internal dialogue doesn’t match up with the impetuousness, thoughtlessness, or foolishness; mechanical devices.

Set in the last quarter of the 19th century, against the Franco-Prussian War and the French in the Sahara, the period should be fascinating, but it is never really a “character”.

The strength of the book is in the descriptions of physical details … Paris, action, the desert, etc; the physical aspects of the characters.

“…over the summer the moat became ever more elaborate, winding in a grand circle around the tree, with bridges made of branches where one had to give the password. And on the bottom of the moat were carefully arranged patches of rocks that—if you looked just the right way at them—became crocodiles that ate trespassers, tax collectors, and knights of the evil kingdom …”

The other strength, for me, was the reader.

The style of the writing, in audio book form, seemed to owe something to that of “The Count of Monte Cristo.”; but without that story’s heart.

It didn’t help that the description on the Audible site includes a spoiler … “…follows the lives of two cousins who are raised as brothers but destined to become enemies …”; I guess it’s somewhere in the other 13hrs.

more like "quick sand" just kept sucking!

Would you try another book from David Ball and/or George Guidall?

I love George Guidall and even he couldn't save this story.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

He made the book tolerable

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

disappointment

Ho Hum

Has Empires of Sand turned you off from other books in this genre?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Not as strong a story as I thought it would be very ho hum. I like historical and factual stories and I think this was a bit lacking in attention catching. Sorry. Not for me.