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Sands of Time
In one tragic moment, Sam Shepard's family was gone. His wife and children taken from him in a tragic accident following a bitter
argument. Sam is left alone struggling with a mountain of guilt and a chasm of grief that can only be filled with alcohol. When a young, attractive woman comes to stay at his inn, Sam thinks his luck might be changing. She brings him comfort and a kindred spirit suffering through her own loss. Is she the answer to everything he has been wrestling with for all this time? Soon after, Sam begins to have dreams about his dead wife and have hallucinations of her speaking tomhim. Has the alcohol finally gotten the best of him?
With the help of his manager Natalie, his best friend Curtis and his
Pastor; can Sam follow the clues that will save his future -- or will he just become another victim of The Caealitus?
** This special, enhanced edition of Sands of Time includes a special sneak peak at Bruce's second novel, Towering Pines Volume Room 509 AND his third novel, Philadelphia A Lance Carter Detective Novel!
argument. Sam is left alone struggling with a mountain of guilt and a chasm of grief that can only be filled with alcohol. When a young, attractive woman comes to stay at his inn, Sam thinks his luck might be changing. She brings him comfort and a kindred spirit suffering through her own loss. Is she the answer to everything he has been wrestling with for all this time? Soon after, Sam begins to have dreams about his dead wife and have hallucinations of her speaking tomhim. Has the alcohol finally gotten the best of him?
With the help of his manager Natalie, his best friend Curtis and his
Pastor; can Sam follow the clues that will save his future -- or will he just become another victim of The Caealitus?
** This special, enhanced edition of Sands of Time includes a special sneak peak at Bruce's second novel, Towering Pines Volume Room 509 AND his third novel, Philadelphia A Lance Carter Detective Novel!
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
51 people want to read
About the author
Bruce A. Sarte
12 books30 followersAlready an accomplished songwriter with two gold records to his credit, Bruce lives just outside of Philadelphia with his family. In addition to writing, he enjoys baseball, playing guitar, reading, church, cooking and being a dad.
Bruce grew up at the Jersey Shore (the picture is at Point Pleasant Beach, where Sands of Time is set) and graduated from Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, NJ where he first became enthralled with reading and writing. From his early influences Bruce was introduced to and fell in love with Shakespeare, Marlow, Henry James and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
In addition to his books, Bruce has written for The Bleacher Report and The Examiner.
Bruce grew up at the Jersey Shore (the picture is at Point Pleasant Beach, where Sands of Time is set) and graduated from Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, NJ where he first became enthralled with reading and writing. From his early influences Bruce was introduced to and fell in love with Shakespeare, Marlow, Henry James and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
In addition to his books, Bruce has written for The Bleacher Report and The Examiner.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 12, 2011
Book Title: Sands of Time
Author: Bruce A. Sarte
Publisher: Bucks County Publishing
ISBN: 9780982981634
Reviewed By Michele Tater For The Couch Tater Review
The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. ~George Eliot
After the death of his wife and two kids, Sam Shepard's cure for his depression is Mr. Daniels, as in Jack Daniels, the golden liquor of choice. He gets through his days in a drunken blur until he starts to experience scary and eerie happens. Having to face the fact the he is either hearing and seeing things because of the drinking or there is something going on that he needs to look into further. The book gives an heartbreaking account of a man walk down the path of destruction after tragic has struck. Although he has people around him that want to help him, he turns them down and choose to drown his sorrows in drink. With the slight of chance, that circumstances may change, Sam is given something that he never let go completely; a glimmer of hope.
Written in an unique style which may cause the reader to think that the book is full of mistakes in the placements of paragraphs. I found that maybe the author did this to break up the sentences in just a way to give them emphasizes and a slight psychological pause. Geared for both the male and female population, however for adults only, because of a certain description of a personal in nature event. Without any clues of what may happen next in the book, the reader is complied to read the book to the end. Well worth the putting the housework and/or the garage cleaning on hold to finish this read.
Author: Bruce A. Sarte
Publisher: Bucks County Publishing
ISBN: 9780982981634
Reviewed By Michele Tater For The Couch Tater Review
The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. ~George Eliot
After the death of his wife and two kids, Sam Shepard's cure for his depression is Mr. Daniels, as in Jack Daniels, the golden liquor of choice. He gets through his days in a drunken blur until he starts to experience scary and eerie happens. Having to face the fact the he is either hearing and seeing things because of the drinking or there is something going on that he needs to look into further. The book gives an heartbreaking account of a man walk down the path of destruction after tragic has struck. Although he has people around him that want to help him, he turns them down and choose to drown his sorrows in drink. With the slight of chance, that circumstances may change, Sam is given something that he never let go completely; a glimmer of hope.
Written in an unique style which may cause the reader to think that the book is full of mistakes in the placements of paragraphs. I found that maybe the author did this to break up the sentences in just a way to give them emphasizes and a slight psychological pause. Geared for both the male and female population, however for adults only, because of a certain description of a personal in nature event. Without any clues of what may happen next in the book, the reader is complied to read the book to the end. Well worth the putting the housework and/or the garage cleaning on hold to finish this read.
December 29, 2010
Sands of Time follows Sam Shepard from a suicidal, lonely man who lost his family to a man who has a new purpose fighting super-vampires for God. This book has everything in it -- there is sadness, happiness, sex, action and yes... vampires.
I highly recommend is for the adult crowd, there is some language and at least one or two "adult" scenes in it. It is a great summery type read.
I highly recommend is for the adult crowd, there is some language and at least one or two "adult" scenes in it. It is a great summery type read.
January 17, 2014
Ex-racecar driver, who takes pain killers every day for his back pain, becomes raging alcoholic after wife and children mysteriously die in car wreck. Maybe. The book is not too clear on what -exactly- happened to Sam Shepherd's family.
BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKEN BY VAMPIRES.
This book is for lovers of erratic fiction. The premise was interesting enough to hook me to read it. I was expecting a delightfully quirky / creepy / unique ghost story or something. AND INSTEAD VAMPIRES.
Before the vampires, though, we have objectification of women running full throttle. Every character that is not Sam is a woman, who is best defined by her fashion choices, whether she's wearing a bra, how her hair frames her "firm breasts" and how much he wants to sleep with her. This guy is TOTALLY IN MOURNING YO.
Then comes the characters who ROUTINELY FAIL the Mary Sue Litmus Tests. All of them. All the characters just know things. People just walk off beatings delivered by the undead. The priest gives TERRIBLE ADVICE for a Christian novel, because it serves the plot better than his character build. And everyone wants to sleep with Sam.
The one sex scene is the only sex scene. Thank god. The word "penis" is used 11 times. My kindle counted for me. And then, I counted for me. It is not a sexy sex scene. None of my friends were turned on. Not the nympho. Not the demisexual. Not even the totally vanilla conservative straight girl. Why was this here.
The worst part of this book is not the bad sex. It's not even the latter half of the book, where the characters make plans and routinely do not abide by them to defeat the vampires. It's not even that none of the vampires died in the end. It's not even that NO ONE died in the end & this was not really a victory so much as a "well, that happened."
The WORST part of the book, is just the writing.
My favorite sentence of this book:
I was left wondering whom had I just had sex with.
In a single sentence, the word "slightly" was used three times. It's not even one sentence like this. It's pretty much every tenth sentence is just redundant and packed to the gills with defensive writing techniques.
Sarte had an interesting premise, but his writing completely destroyed any possibility for it to shine as brightly as other reviewers seem to think. I hope in his future writing endeavors, he yields to the guiding hand of a copy editor or at least an honest friend.
BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKEN BY VAMPIRES.
This book is for lovers of erratic fiction. The premise was interesting enough to hook me to read it. I was expecting a delightfully quirky / creepy / unique ghost story or something. AND INSTEAD VAMPIRES.
Before the vampires, though, we have objectification of women running full throttle. Every character that is not Sam is a woman, who is best defined by her fashion choices, whether she's wearing a bra, how her hair frames her "firm breasts" and how much he wants to sleep with her. This guy is TOTALLY IN MOURNING YO.
Then comes the characters who ROUTINELY FAIL the Mary Sue Litmus Tests. All of them. All the characters just know things. People just walk off beatings delivered by the undead. The priest gives TERRIBLE ADVICE for a Christian novel, because it serves the plot better than his character build. And everyone wants to sleep with Sam.
The one sex scene is the only sex scene. Thank god. The word "penis" is used 11 times. My kindle counted for me. And then, I counted for me. It is not a sexy sex scene. None of my friends were turned on. Not the nympho. Not the demisexual. Not even the totally vanilla conservative straight girl. Why was this here.
The worst part of this book is not the bad sex. It's not even the latter half of the book, where the characters make plans and routinely do not abide by them to defeat the vampires. It's not even that none of the vampires died in the end. It's not even that NO ONE died in the end & this was not really a victory so much as a "well, that happened."
The WORST part of the book, is just the writing.
My favorite sentence of this book:
I was left wondering whom had I just had sex with.
In a single sentence, the word "slightly" was used three times. It's not even one sentence like this. It's pretty much every tenth sentence is just redundant and packed to the gills with defensive writing techniques.
Sarte had an interesting premise, but his writing completely destroyed any possibility for it to shine as brightly as other reviewers seem to think. I hope in his future writing endeavors, he yields to the guiding hand of a copy editor or at least an honest friend.
July 9, 2011
Three acts are typical of a play, and many novels can be broken down into a three act structure. Evaluated this way, "Sands of Time" is three acts, each a different genre.
The first act, which sets up the remainder, is contemporary fiction. While there are hints of several directions in which the story could go, this first part is mostly getting to know Sam Shepard. We learn Shepard is a successful business owner haunted by the death of his wife and children, struggling with alcohol and faith; not just religious, but also faith in himself.
Act two reads like a mystery with a hint of romance as Shepard finds clues indicating not all is as it seemed. Act three introduces a mostly unexpected paranormal element and could be classified as a paranormal thriller.
I’ve read books like this before and they’ll often feel like they take a change of direction that makes no sense. As a reader, I’ll feel like the author is cheating by setting up expectations in my mind and then not meeting them. I didn’t feel this way with "Sands of Time." In principle, I like the idea of genre mixing, but it can be hard to pull off. Satre manages this feat by giving hints in prior sections of what is coming. He also smoothly segues from one section to the other. Both of these make what could have seemed like sudden changes feel like a logical story flow. Last, Satre pulls the threads together from all three parts, accomplishing a surprise ending that is satisfying in all respects.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The first act, which sets up the remainder, is contemporary fiction. While there are hints of several directions in which the story could go, this first part is mostly getting to know Sam Shepard. We learn Shepard is a successful business owner haunted by the death of his wife and children, struggling with alcohol and faith; not just religious, but also faith in himself.
Act two reads like a mystery with a hint of romance as Shepard finds clues indicating not all is as it seemed. Act three introduces a mostly unexpected paranormal element and could be classified as a paranormal thriller.
I’ve read books like this before and they’ll often feel like they take a change of direction that makes no sense. As a reader, I’ll feel like the author is cheating by setting up expectations in my mind and then not meeting them. I didn’t feel this way with "Sands of Time." In principle, I like the idea of genre mixing, but it can be hard to pull off. Satre manages this feat by giving hints in prior sections of what is coming. He also smoothly segues from one section to the other. Both of these make what could have seemed like sudden changes feel like a logical story flow. Last, Satre pulls the threads together from all three parts, accomplishing a surprise ending that is satisfying in all respects.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
November 8, 2013
I remember when I first got this book that there was something regarding vampires in it. Some time passed before I actually sat down to read this story. When I did read, I kept thinking to myself, wasn't there supposed to be vampires in this tale? I read the first 60% of this book without finding a trace of any vampires, although Author Bruce Sarte may have cleverly hidden them from me to where I should have noticed them, but didn't.
If there is any excuse at all as to why I missed those clues, it is because Sands of Time doesn't start out like a lot of the vampire stories I've come across as of late. In fact, the fact that roughly the first half of the book didn't seem to have anything paranormal about it came across as a wonderful reprieve for me. Here I found myself immersed in what felt like a mystery story, right up to that 61% mark. I enjoyed reading about the main character, Sam Shepard. At times, Sam seemed like one of the most human characters I've followed through any story. He isn't ashamed of his flaws, but he has definite redemption value here. And the author has certainly put a unique spin on the vampire trope.
If you're looking for a vampire read that instantly brings the bloodsuckers to the forefront of the story, you may find yourself wanting in the first half of this book. Author Sarte builds the story and mystery in layers, taking the time to make this reader care about the protagonist. And I do. I hope there are more Sam Shepard stories out there, because I feel there is so much story to be told here.
If there is any excuse at all as to why I missed those clues, it is because Sands of Time doesn't start out like a lot of the vampire stories I've come across as of late. In fact, the fact that roughly the first half of the book didn't seem to have anything paranormal about it came across as a wonderful reprieve for me. Here I found myself immersed in what felt like a mystery story, right up to that 61% mark. I enjoyed reading about the main character, Sam Shepard. At times, Sam seemed like one of the most human characters I've followed through any story. He isn't ashamed of his flaws, but he has definite redemption value here. And the author has certainly put a unique spin on the vampire trope.
If you're looking for a vampire read that instantly brings the bloodsuckers to the forefront of the story, you may find yourself wanting in the first half of this book. Author Sarte builds the story and mystery in layers, taking the time to make this reader care about the protagonist. And I do. I hope there are more Sam Shepard stories out there, because I feel there is so much story to be told here.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews