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The Demon Door #1
The Sand Prince
“When the storm came, it was made of magic, not rain, and when it had passed, the life and the city Hellne knew were changed forever.”
Two worlds
On the war-ravaged demon world of Eriis, Hellne, the fierce young queen, fights to keep her people alive.
On the green and gentle human world of Mistra, the demons have faded into myth. Only a handful of old men and children still guard The Door between the worlds.
Bound by magic
Rhuun, the Prince of Eriis, uncovers a sultry book written by a human, sparking an obsession with the other world. When he is forced to flee Eriis he must escape through The Door or pay the price in blood.
Divided by a door
The humans of Mistra are not what Rhuun was expecting—and one insufferable young woman in particular is about to find out that the demons of Eriis are not mythological after all . . .
Two worlds
On the war-ravaged demon world of Eriis, Hellne, the fierce young queen, fights to keep her people alive.
On the green and gentle human world of Mistra, the demons have faded into myth. Only a handful of old men and children still guard The Door between the worlds.
Bound by magic
Rhuun, the Prince of Eriis, uncovers a sultry book written by a human, sparking an obsession with the other world. When he is forced to flee Eriis he must escape through The Door or pay the price in blood.
Divided by a door
The humans of Mistra are not what Rhuun was expecting—and one insufferable young woman in particular is about to find out that the demons of Eriis are not mythological after all . . .
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
Kim Alexander
19 books311 followersKim Alexander grew up in the wilds of Long Island, NY and slowly drifted south until she reached Key West. After spending ten undocumented years in the Keys, she moved to Washington DC, where she lives with two cats, an angry fish, and her extremely patient husband. She began writing when she ran out of authors to interview (and they pulled the plug on her channel, Sirius XM Book Radio.)
Kim was in her twenties when she finally read a book not prominently featuring spaceships and/or wizards. Turns out Jane Austen was pretty funny!
THE SAND PRINCE is Kim’s first novel and begins a fantasy series called THE DEMON DOOR. Her husband tells her she needs to write at least ten more books if she intends to retire in Thailand, so thank you for your patronage.
Kim was in her twenties when she finally read a book not prominently featuring spaceships and/or wizards. Turns out Jane Austen was pretty funny!
THE SAND PRINCE is Kim’s first novel and begins a fantasy series called THE DEMON DOOR. Her husband tells her she needs to write at least ten more books if she intends to retire in Thailand, so thank you for your patronage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 14, 2018
Okay, here's the thing. I'm probably harder than I ought to be on the books I receive from Netgalley, wanting apostrophes to be where they're supposed to be and the correct homophones to be used and commas to be where they're supposed to be which is a rather hypocritical thing to say considering this sentence. And in The Sand Prince, at times, none of that happens consistently: "insure" instead of "ensure", and "the jokes on me", and "laying" for "lying", and dangling participles, and run-on sentences and comma splices like "The shade was famous, it was called Ever Blue."
Know what?
I don't care.
And I didn't care while reading it. I flinched when the errors came up, and muttered a little prayer that they'd be fixed for publication … and forgot about them a few seconds later. Because this was good. It was so good. It was so bloody remarkably good that I wanted to buy drinks for all the characters (except, you know, the truly horrible ones) and hug them and keep reading about them indefinitely. I genuinely missed them when the book was over. I love this book; I love these characters (even the horrible ones) and their growth and depth; I love the world(s)-building and the not-quite-hereness of it and the utterly beautiful and unique story. I can't wait for the second book.
It's got everything. It's funny - "'I am certain it’s a dog,' she said" – and moving and suspenseful. I cared – still care – what happened. My heart broke at one point, and I kept reading in a kind of a daze (but … no… I'm telling you, you're messing up the story…) until something else happened and I yipped and all but punched the air. And a little while later came one of the sweetest love scenes I've ever read.
And then there was the time I had to convince a demon he was pretty.
Okay, I do wish someone would take a firm hand on the editing reins. It was pretty bad. Normally I'd feel it necessary to knock off a star. So let's just say I knocked off a half a star and rounded up. Just to maintain my cred as a cantankerous grammar Nazi.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review. And that was one of the best things that happened all year.
Know what?
I don't care.
And I didn't care while reading it. I flinched when the errors came up, and muttered a little prayer that they'd be fixed for publication … and forgot about them a few seconds later. Because this was good. It was so good. It was so bloody remarkably good that I wanted to buy drinks for all the characters (except, you know, the truly horrible ones) and hug them and keep reading about them indefinitely. I genuinely missed them when the book was over. I love this book; I love these characters (even the horrible ones) and their growth and depth; I love the world(s)-building and the not-quite-hereness of it and the utterly beautiful and unique story. I can't wait for the second book.
It's got everything. It's funny - "'I am certain it’s a dog,' she said" – and moving and suspenseful. I cared – still care – what happened. My heart broke at one point, and I kept reading in a kind of a daze (but … no… I'm telling you, you're messing up the story…) until something else happened and I yipped and all but punched the air. And a little while later came one of the sweetest love scenes I've ever read.
And then there was the time I had to convince a demon he was pretty.
Okay, I do wish someone would take a firm hand on the editing reins. It was pretty bad. Normally I'd feel it necessary to knock off a star. So let's just say I knocked off a half a star and rounded up. Just to maintain my cred as a cantankerous grammar Nazi.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review. And that was one of the best things that happened all year.
September 14, 2015
~I received this book from Netgalley, in exchange for a honest review~
DNF – stopped at 33%
The synopsis made me imagine The Demon Door was a really funny, compelling fantasy/romance and I really wanted to like this book. I really did.
Unfortunately, The Demon Door failed my expectations.
I found the first chapters a little confusing: there wasn’t a clear narrative voice and often the Author jumped from one POV to another in the space of few sentences. The overall result was quite messy and more than once I needed to go back and re-read the last paragraphs in order to understand what was going on.
Myself: take no notice and keep going.
Even though Rhuun was supposed to be the main character, the story started months before his birth. This device is definitely original and a good backstory is sometimes crucial in order to understand the plot development… but in this case I think it was too much. All this backstory merely explained the world building and while I was waiting for Rhuun to step in, I had the impression that nothing really meaningful was happening.
Myself: take no notice and keep going.
IMO a good quality marker is how much a book keeps you hooked. When I read a book I usually get fully absorbed and when the Real Life knocks at my door, it hurts to leave my beloved bookish world.
Unfortunately, in this case I found myself skimming and re-reading pages because I wasn’t focused. I was bored instead. And that to me is a serious bad point.
Myself: STOP.
Conclusion: the execution didn’t match the idea that IMO was really cool.
DNF – stopped at 33%
The synopsis made me imagine The Demon Door was a really funny, compelling fantasy/romance and I really wanted to like this book. I really did.
Unfortunately, The Demon Door failed my expectations.
I found the first chapters a little confusing: there wasn’t a clear narrative voice and often the Author jumped from one POV to another in the space of few sentences. The overall result was quite messy and more than once I needed to go back and re-read the last paragraphs in order to understand what was going on.
Myself: take no notice and keep going.
Even though Rhuun was supposed to be the main character, the story started months before his birth. This device is definitely original and a good backstory is sometimes crucial in order to understand the plot development… but in this case I think it was too much. All this backstory merely explained the world building and while I was waiting for Rhuun to step in, I had the impression that nothing really meaningful was happening.
Myself: take no notice and keep going.
IMO a good quality marker is how much a book keeps you hooked. When I read a book I usually get fully absorbed and when the Real Life knocks at my door, it hurts to leave my beloved bookish world.
Unfortunately, in this case I found myself skimming and re-reading pages because I wasn’t focused. I was bored instead. And that to me is a serious bad point.
Myself: STOP.
Conclusion: the execution didn’t match the idea that IMO was really cool.
Shelved as 'spfbo7'
September 28, 2021Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
December 4, 2015
This story is about Rhuun, the demon Prince of a world called Eriis. He has felt like the ugly duckling of his world his entire life, and when the truth of his pedigree is revealed to his people and he is in danger, he escapes his demon home for the human world of Mistra. Armed with only the knowledge of the human world he gained from a romance novel written 100 years before, Rhuun encounters strange humans and even stranger animals on his travels in Mistra. Will he return home? Will he become like the Duke from his novel? Will he find love?
This book was a little confusing to start off with. There was no clear narrative voice in the first few chapters and the perspective kept switching from one character to another within the space of a paragraph. However, I persevered and I am glad I did.
This story, around 30 pages in, gets really interesting and I was keen to see how it would unfold. Unfortunately, the story staggers a bit in the middle and I nearly gave up a few times, but I am glad I stuck it out until the end, because the ending really did make it worthwhile.
It is worth reading this book for Rhuun alone. The other characters, while they do play their part, are mostly incredibly annoying. Aelle started out as sweet, but quickly turned horrible. Ilaan was too naive for his own good. The Queen was as cold as ice and Scilla was a spoiled brat.
Rhuun sees himself as an abomination. He is too tall compared to the rest of his people. He doesn't have wings, or powers and feels helpless. When someone compliments him on his looks while he is in Mistra, he thinks they are insulting him. Reading about him experiencing the human world is adorable and listening to him talking to himself like he is the Duke from his novel is very endearing.
I feel like the romance part of this book was really an after thought, as there was so much lore and world building that it really was put on the back burner and didn't really come into the story until the last 50 pages or so. Perhaps if it had been spread a little more consistently throughout the book I would have enjoyed it more? I'm not sure.
Overall, this was an interesting coming of age story, with Rhuun trying to find his place first in Eriis and then in Mistra. He is a character you want to root for, you want him to succeed and he is the reason I finished this book.
This book is definitely a slow burn, with the flame nearly flickering out completely in the middle there, but it was enjoyable overall.
This definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea, the writing style is different to much that I have read before, but once you are in, Rhuun's story won't let you go, I bet.
2.5 Stars
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!
This book was a little confusing to start off with. There was no clear narrative voice in the first few chapters and the perspective kept switching from one character to another within the space of a paragraph. However, I persevered and I am glad I did.
This story, around 30 pages in, gets really interesting and I was keen to see how it would unfold. Unfortunately, the story staggers a bit in the middle and I nearly gave up a few times, but I am glad I stuck it out until the end, because the ending really did make it worthwhile.
It is worth reading this book for Rhuun alone. The other characters, while they do play their part, are mostly incredibly annoying. Aelle started out as sweet, but quickly turned horrible. Ilaan was too naive for his own good. The Queen was as cold as ice and Scilla was a spoiled brat.
Rhuun sees himself as an abomination. He is too tall compared to the rest of his people. He doesn't have wings, or powers and feels helpless. When someone compliments him on his looks while he is in Mistra, he thinks they are insulting him. Reading about him experiencing the human world is adorable and listening to him talking to himself like he is the Duke from his novel is very endearing.
I feel like the romance part of this book was really an after thought, as there was so much lore and world building that it really was put on the back burner and didn't really come into the story until the last 50 pages or so. Perhaps if it had been spread a little more consistently throughout the book I would have enjoyed it more? I'm not sure.
Overall, this was an interesting coming of age story, with Rhuun trying to find his place first in Eriis and then in Mistra. He is a character you want to root for, you want him to succeed and he is the reason I finished this book.
This book is definitely a slow burn, with the flame nearly flickering out completely in the middle there, but it was enjoyable overall.
This definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea, the writing style is different to much that I have read before, but once you are in, Rhuun's story won't let you go, I bet.
2.5 Stars
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!
May 9, 2015
I think this book could have been much more. The world is there. But not really. I would have wanted a fuller world building, cos I love that stuff.
Was this YA? Fantasy romance? I guess. The romance came late though and I was all, what? I got a bit surprised. Which was good, I like surprises. But I guess I should not call it fantasy romance then cos there were no romance, but still, it had that feeling.
Truthfully, like I have said earlier. I just wanted more. More of the world. Better character development. Better make me care...
Cos I did not really care. Rhuun was kind of pathetic. Ok so I know you are a freak, no wings, no magic, still, you are a loser. His 2 friends are not even his friends. His mother was cool though, that is why I enjoyed the book at first, but then it became about Rhuun and I felt all meh.
Right. There is a demon world, a human world. A door between. The door is no closed. Time moves differently for some reason. Humans are assholes. Poor demons (give me some faults please.) Poor Rhuun the prince is a loser. He wants to visit the human world, he obviously will. That part was dull.
I wanted more than I was given. It had potential but did not come through.
Was this YA? Fantasy romance? I guess. The romance came late though and I was all, what? I got a bit surprised. Which was good, I like surprises. But I guess I should not call it fantasy romance then cos there were no romance, but still, it had that feeling.
Truthfully, like I have said earlier. I just wanted more. More of the world. Better character development. Better make me care...
Cos I did not really care. Rhuun was kind of pathetic. Ok so I know you are a freak, no wings, no magic, still, you are a loser. His 2 friends are not even his friends. His mother was cool though, that is why I enjoyed the book at first, but then it became about Rhuun and I felt all meh.
Right. There is a demon world, a human world. A door between. The door is no closed. Time moves differently for some reason. Humans are assholes. Poor demons (give me some faults please.) Poor Rhuun the prince is a loser. He wants to visit the human world, he obviously will. That part was dull.
I wanted more than I was given. It had potential but did not come through.
July 28, 2016
42%+ was world building and the main characters hadn't even met... I was about to give up.
Overall enjoyable though, and once he got through the door I liked Rhuun so much better.
If I could only change one thing (apart from the poor balance of world building to story) if would be the washed out time jumping between chapters. Linear writing is good. It is just annoying to jump back and forth in time over and over between every chapter, even events a few hours apart are sometimes told over he course of 5 chapters and not in any kind of order. Like CBEAD, when all you want is ABCDE. Ugh. It made it much more of a chore to read and added nothing to the story.
Overall enjoyable though, and once he got through the door I liked Rhuun so much better.
If I could only change one thing (apart from the poor balance of world building to story) if would be the washed out time jumping between chapters. Linear writing is good. It is just annoying to jump back and forth in time over and over between every chapter, even events a few hours apart are sometimes told over he course of 5 chapters and not in any kind of order. Like CBEAD, when all you want is ABCDE. Ugh. It made it much more of a chore to read and added nothing to the story.
April 29, 2020
Very good world-building in this fantasy. I really enjoyed both the setup (the 2 worlds separated by a door) and the characters.
June 13, 2015
Actual rating 2.5 stars. I've chosen to round up this time because I've noticed that some Netgalley reviewers DNF'ed and gave it a rating of 1 ★ despite having read less than 20%. That's bad form in my eyes.
I think most people who have read this book, reacted negatively to the fact that the blurb does not fit the majority of the story. The events the blurb refers to, take place in the last 25% of the book. The rest is darker and more depressing, while I'm sure the readers expected something lighter and funnier.
BTW, those of you that DNF-ed this book should know that the last 25% were actually quite good. I know; to little & too late. Unfortunately.
I think most people who have read this book, reacted negatively to the fact that the blurb does not fit the majority of the story. The events the blurb refers to, take place in the last 25% of the book. The rest is darker and more depressing, while I'm sure the readers expected something lighter and funnier.
BTW, those of you that DNF-ed this book should know that the last 25% were actually quite good. I know; to little & too late. Unfortunately.
August 12, 2015
Demons live on one side of the door and humans live on the other. They appear to have steady diplomatic relations, but an act of war causes the Demons to forever be locked on their side of the door, to suffer the harsh conditions that exist.
I did not like anything about this book, from start to finish. I don't like to be a negatively nelly, so I will make this short and to the point. I felt like I was reading a history book about a strange new culture. I don't like reading any sort of history, especially on a fake world. I put up with the monotonous boring first few chapters expecting the story to get interesting after the setting and world building was established, but it never happened. The backstory dragged on forever, with no emotions or any real characterization to peak my interest. Everything was just so dry! There was even sex scenes that were made slightly clinical like a doctor's exam, which was super awkward, at least for me reading it. I was almost finished with the book before I even realized what the plot was suppose to be about. Overall I did not enjoy or get this book and I will not be reading any more from the author.
I received this title from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I did not like anything about this book, from start to finish. I don't like to be a negatively nelly, so I will make this short and to the point. I felt like I was reading a history book about a strange new culture. I don't like reading any sort of history, especially on a fake world. I put up with the monotonous boring first few chapters expecting the story to get interesting after the setting and world building was established, but it never happened. The backstory dragged on forever, with no emotions or any real characterization to peak my interest. Everything was just so dry! There was even sex scenes that were made slightly clinical like a doctor's exam, which was super awkward, at least for me reading it. I was almost finished with the book before I even realized what the plot was suppose to be about. Overall I did not enjoy or get this book and I will not be reading any more from the author.
I received this title from the author in exchange for my honest review.
June 22, 2015
I really wanted to love this book, I wanted to love this book so much and then rub it in my friends face (Im jk I love you Eden) that I got it from NG and she didnt but that wasn't the case. It's not that I hate this book because I didn't. I just felt confused about 3/4 of the time, which was irritating. There was a lot of jumping around and switching of characters but there wasn't a clear method of telling who was talking and who wasn't.
So, I dont wanna really get into a review on a lot of things, specially since I noticed the book is being reedited and redone. I'm hoping there will be a major overhaul of this book, maybe make some more things clear because the plot and general idea of the story is fascinating to me. I look forward to comparing this version to the new one whenever it's available.
So, I dont wanna really get into a review on a lot of things, specially since I noticed the book is being reedited and redone. I'm hoping there will be a major overhaul of this book, maybe make some more things clear because the plot and general idea of the story is fascinating to me. I look forward to comparing this version to the new one whenever it's available.
February 16, 2022
DNF at ~45%
I tried so hard to finish this. I was gifted a copy and I didn't want to DNF it in return. But I've been forcing myself to inch my way through it one chapter at a time and I have 7 hours and 2 minutes left, which will likely be weeeeeeeeks more at this rate. I just can't. I give up. I was enjoying neither the story, nor the narration. Other reviews say it gets better around the halfway mark. But I can't even force myself to get there. I'm just SO DONE with it.
I tried so hard to finish this. I was gifted a copy and I didn't want to DNF it in return. But I've been forcing myself to inch my way through it one chapter at a time and I have 7 hours and 2 minutes left, which will likely be weeeeeeeeks more at this rate. I just can't. I give up. I was enjoying neither the story, nor the narration. Other reviews say it gets better around the halfway mark. But I can't even force myself to get there. I'm just SO DONE with it.
December 23, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Sand Prince had a huge opportunity to be a great fantasy novel, and perhaps it will redeem itself in its sequel. Unfortunately, I felt like it didn't come into its full potential.
The Sand Prince starts off a little bit confusingly. Although the narrative still had me interested in the story, there was a lot of unclear changes from character points of view which had me questioning who everyone was when we hadn't yet been introduced to these characters. But I got through it, and after the first few chapters I had a pretty clear grasp of who was who.
The story itself had a pretty strong beginning. Hellne really seemed like a character that I would grow to like. In the beginning she came off as a very strong and intelligent young woman. But as the story unfolded I became wary. I'm not quite sure what her intentions are. I guess that's probably something we will find out in book two.
The idea of these two worlds connected only by access through the door was intriguing, and when the door was suddenly sealed closed in a subtle attempt at war I figured that an improbable romance would build between Hellne and Maloy. Wrong.
In fact, Rhuun is conceived and the truth of his human father is kept as a secret from him and the people of Eriis.
Then Rhuun got older, and I suspected a romance was developing between he and Aelle.
Turns out I was wrong on that account, too.
I guess what really frustrated me with this book is that it was nearly 400 pages and it felt like a whole lot of filler and not a lot of action. It was 400 pages to set up for a story that feels like it hasn't even started yet. I also never felt like I was fully invested in the worlds or the characters that the author created.
2016 holds the release of the second installment of The Demon Door series, but I'm not so certain I'll be involved.
The Sand Prince had a huge opportunity to be a great fantasy novel, and perhaps it will redeem itself in its sequel. Unfortunately, I felt like it didn't come into its full potential.
The Sand Prince starts off a little bit confusingly. Although the narrative still had me interested in the story, there was a lot of unclear changes from character points of view which had me questioning who everyone was when we hadn't yet been introduced to these characters. But I got through it, and after the first few chapters I had a pretty clear grasp of who was who.
The story itself had a pretty strong beginning. Hellne really seemed like a character that I would grow to like. In the beginning she came off as a very strong and intelligent young woman. But as the story unfolded I became wary. I'm not quite sure what her intentions are. I guess that's probably something we will find out in book two.
The idea of these two worlds connected only by access through the door was intriguing, and when the door was suddenly sealed closed in a subtle attempt at war I figured that an improbable romance would build between Hellne and Maloy. Wrong.
In fact, Rhuun is conceived and the truth of his human father is kept as a secret from him and the people of Eriis.
Then Rhuun got older, and I suspected a romance was developing between he and Aelle.
"'I am yours,' she told him before leaving. And, not taking any chances, she added, 'and you are mine.'"
Turns out I was wrong on that account, too.
I guess what really frustrated me with this book is that it was nearly 400 pages and it felt like a whole lot of filler and not a lot of action. It was 400 pages to set up for a story that feels like it hasn't even started yet. I also never felt like I was fully invested in the worlds or the characters that the author created.
2016 holds the release of the second installment of The Demon Door series, but I'm not so certain I'll be involved.
April 17, 2017
I received a copy of this story while it was free on Amazon from the author. My review is my honest opinion of the book.
The Sand Prince was an interesting story to read. I like the combination of two worlds and how the author developed the main relationship. While Hellne and Malloy are secondary characters, the entire series is due to their relationship and the author never loses track of that over the time span and story changes. Each world is unique in its own right as well as the beings inhabiting them. I found it engaging as I tried to discern whether the world of Mistra developed into a world like our own through the years but I can’t be certain. I love how close the world mimics ours but leaves it to the reader to decide. The world of Eriis, however, is completely foreign and well developed as a new intriguing world to explore. I know the author has plans for the current series but her world building skills leave so much availability in discovering Eriis through the eyes and experiences of other characters. The story is not action packed but the characters are enough to keep involved in the story. I look forward to where the story leads.
One note, this story continues in future books. It is a cliffhanger ending but not a suspenseful one and book 2 The Heron Prince is already available on Amazon!
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
The Sand Prince was an interesting story to read. I like the combination of two worlds and how the author developed the main relationship. While Hellne and Malloy are secondary characters, the entire series is due to their relationship and the author never loses track of that over the time span and story changes. Each world is unique in its own right as well as the beings inhabiting them. I found it engaging as I tried to discern whether the world of Mistra developed into a world like our own through the years but I can’t be certain. I love how close the world mimics ours but leaves it to the reader to decide. The world of Eriis, however, is completely foreign and well developed as a new intriguing world to explore. I know the author has plans for the current series but her world building skills leave so much availability in discovering Eriis through the eyes and experiences of other characters. The story is not action packed but the characters are enough to keep involved in the story. I look forward to where the story leads.
One note, this story continues in future books. It is a cliffhanger ending but not a suspenseful one and book 2 The Heron Prince is already available on Amazon!
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
February 13, 2018
Actual rating 2.5🌟. I just don't know how to input that without pressing the third star 😂. I could have loved the book, but there's a BUT.
First, I didn't really feel like there was a climax. There was no emotion stirred in me that made fe feel like I have to read so fast in order to catch up with what will happen next. It just feels so flat.
Second, I'm not sure I like any OTHER character except Rhunn. Aelle was nice at the beginning but she's like a complete puppet that only wants the throne. The queen was completely ice cold even to her own son! Ilaan is fine, but I quite don't understand his character. Scilla is a brat that disguises herself in front of her family. Yeah, there were a lot of brats.
Third, I don't know about other people but for me, when I see fantasy on the label, I think of adventures, of quests, maybe even war. In this book, there was very little of that featured. I kinda hate that it started and ended with "joining" (and that there were lots of that being mentioned) because it takes away the focus on fantasy being adventures. I kinda predicted and was right about the ending though.
Hmm, what nice thing could I say? Well, I liked that the book was certainly original and that I haven't read anything like it but it could be better.
First, I didn't really feel like there was a climax. There was no emotion stirred in me that made fe feel like I have to read so fast in order to catch up with what will happen next. It just feels so flat.
Second, I'm not sure I like any OTHER character except Rhunn. Aelle was nice at the beginning but she's like a complete puppet that only wants the throne. The queen was completely ice cold even to her own son! Ilaan is fine, but I quite don't understand his character. Scilla is a brat that disguises herself in front of her family. Yeah, there were a lot of brats.
Third, I don't know about other people but for me, when I see fantasy on the label, I think of adventures, of quests, maybe even war. In this book, there was very little of that featured. I kinda hate that it started and ended with "joining" (and that there were lots of that being mentioned) because it takes away the focus on fantasy being adventures. I kinda predicted and was right about the ending though.
Hmm, what nice thing could I say? Well, I liked that the book was certainly original and that I haven't read anything like it but it could be better.
February 2, 2018
The Sand Prince was a contradicting read for me. Usually when a book doesn't catch my interest in a few chapters, I know that it isn't for me. That being said, The Sand Prince doesn't quite work that way. The first half of the book was like a huge prologue. At the time it was hard for me to stay focused and interested in the story, but as I got further into the book I realized that the first half of the book was very important. So keep that in mind when you give Kim Alexander's book a try. By the time I got half way through the book, I was hooked. Rhuun is a wonderful character and a reluctant Prince. I'm still on the fence about Lelet, but I like their dynamic. I'm interested to see how the story plays out, because even though Rhuun gets a quick break in Mistran, Eriis is in a sense of chaos and possibly about to rebel.
I definitely recommend this book and sticking around for book two. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.
I definitely recommend this book and sticking around for book two. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.
August 7, 2021
The premise of the plot is very interesting and the concept of "Demon Door" and perspectives from both sides is a very nice stone that needed more polish. Perhaps I'm a bit biased but a when a book starts with a dialogue about a young and rich "wench", it sets a tone that's not up my street. The new few pages continue down the road and the relationship descriptions didn't sit well with me. The dialogues were a bit straight forward and lacked the oomph that would have grabbed attention for the more significant events. The narrative jumps weren't smooth and the pacing was a lot slower that struggled to keep me hooked and made the unravelling of the plot a bit messy. Overall, there's a lot of potential to the book, but it's more like a diamond in the rough. Look forward to see more of authors works in future.
November 4, 2015
Mixed feelings about this story. Hmm...
The plot is interesting, the characters are good but the story takes too much time for the action to really begin. Frustrating as it could be, every time I was on my way to put the book down, the author was coming up with new twists that kept me interested.
Really started to get into it when Rhunn travel through the door. A bit long as it's almost the end...
I guess the sequel will have already the sceneray deployed so it will be easier to enter into the core of the story.
Promising but some length in my opinion.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
The plot is interesting, the characters are good but the story takes too much time for the action to really begin. Frustrating as it could be, every time I was on my way to put the book down, the author was coming up with new twists that kept me interested.
Really started to get into it when Rhunn travel through the door. A bit long as it's almost the end...
I guess the sequel will have already the sceneray deployed so it will be easier to enter into the core of the story.
Promising but some length in my opinion.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
May 11, 2015
DNF
I started to read this book thinking it was going to be a a funny fantasy romance. From what I read in the blurb that's what it sounded like.
I think this story had so much potential but just didn't reach its mark. There was too much back story that we really didn't need to know. It was also kind of confusing and I got bored why to many times to continue.
ARC provided by netgalley
I started to read this book thinking it was going to be a a funny fantasy romance. From what I read in the blurb that's what it sounded like.
I think this story had so much potential but just didn't reach its mark. There was too much back story that we really didn't need to know. It was also kind of confusing and I got bored why to many times to continue.
ARC provided by netgalley
August 10, 2017
This book was given to me by a family member. Otherwise, I would not have ever sought a book with such a genre but I must say that it was pretty decent.
One of my peeves for any book is the overuse of description. In my opinion, if this book didn't focus on how dusty and dull a landscape was or a particular room over and over again, it would've just taken one single book to continue the whole series.
But I digress. The story was captivating but I didn't feel like I was given a chance to grow with the characters. Many characters appeared at once, mostly in Mistra and I hate a book that introduces characters like throwing an unplanned party.
The concept of the two worlds was what made this book take the cake and a many times I've been spooked.
Rhuun was a dull main character. He got kinda cool with his interaction with Scilla which was strange. Felt like he transformed into a whole different person and there was no reason for it. He went about like a spoiled brat with low self esteem which was painful and awkward to read but I pressed on.
I had a few moments where my face drew a smile. This book had its humour, not gonna lie about that.
The love scene with Moth and Lelet was unnecessary. Both caved into their infatuation with one another and there isn't anything more lame than reading about 'empty intimacy.'
ii
The part I liked however was:
(pg.305 line 16-25)
"Can I ask you something?" she said after a while. He made a small sound of assent. "The thing that was missing... did you miss it?"
The pause before he answered was longer than she anticipated. "It was different," he said. "It was like something else. Like the difference between walking and running."
"Were you walking, just now? Or were you running?"
She watched the sunlight moving across his closed eyelids. "I was flying."
Then she did cry, but only a bit, and he didn't see it.
(When you read the book and get to know Rhuun from the beginning- you will see why this scene in particular was dare I say: 'special'.)
I was disappointed that the only time the book was getting interesting was when I started running out of pages to read. I desperately hoped that Rhuun would meet with his father but it didn't happen; which was a complete let down since that was in fact the only reason I read the book after finding out that Hellne was with child.
This book overused commas.
In conclusion, I will not go in search of Book 2. However, if it occurs in a loop of circumstances that I come face to face with it, I might give it a little peek.
One of my peeves for any book is the overuse of description. In my opinion, if this book didn't focus on how dusty and dull a landscape was or a particular room over and over again, it would've just taken one single book to continue the whole series.
But I digress. The story was captivating but I didn't feel like I was given a chance to grow with the characters. Many characters appeared at once, mostly in Mistra and I hate a book that introduces characters like throwing an unplanned party.
The concept of the two worlds was what made this book take the cake and a many times I've been spooked.
Rhuun was a dull main character. He got kinda cool with his interaction with Scilla which was strange. Felt like he transformed into a whole different person and there was no reason for it. He went about like a spoiled brat with low self esteem which was painful and awkward to read but I pressed on.
I had a few moments where my face drew a smile. This book had its humour, not gonna lie about that.
The love scene with Moth and Lelet was unnecessary. Both caved into their infatuation with one another and there isn't anything more lame than reading about 'empty intimacy.'
ii
The part I liked however was:
(pg.305 line 16-25)
"Can I ask you something?" she said after a while. He made a small sound of assent. "The thing that was missing... did you miss it?"
The pause before he answered was longer than she anticipated. "It was different," he said. "It was like something else. Like the difference between walking and running."
"Were you walking, just now? Or were you running?"
She watched the sunlight moving across his closed eyelids. "I was flying."
Then she did cry, but only a bit, and he didn't see it.
(When you read the book and get to know Rhuun from the beginning- you will see why this scene in particular was dare I say: 'special'.)
I was disappointed that the only time the book was getting interesting was when I started running out of pages to read. I desperately hoped that Rhuun would meet with his father but it didn't happen; which was a complete let down since that was in fact the only reason I read the book after finding out that Hellne was with child.
This book overused commas.
In conclusion, I will not go in search of Book 2. However, if it occurs in a loop of circumstances that I come face to face with it, I might give it a little peek.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2019
The storyline for this book is fantastic!
I, myself, found the beginning to seem to drag a little, but once I hit the middle of the book, Wow!, the adventure began and the whole thing picked up and was amazing.
I’ve read demon books before, but nothing like this one. Instead of being mean and deadly, the demons are just like you and I. I really liked that idea, it showed a whole other side of what they can be like.
I loved that the demons and humans could travel to each other’s realms and some were friends. But as in real life, here to someone had to ruin it by starting a one sided war. This left the Queen of the demons making a deal with the mages. Good or bad idea?
The Queen's son was very different from all the rest of the demons. He was bullied because of his looks. (My childhood) the Counselor pushed his daughter on him to be friends with a hidden motive in the coming years. Her brother also became friends with the Prince, very good friends.
The Prince had a book and he was certain that the story had meaning for him to go through the sealed Door to the other side. He got his chance and not how he wanted it, but he ended up being a slave to a very young human. A family member of the human at some point decided that the Prince wasn’t what she was told he was and a new friend came to light.
Could the Prince go through with what the little girl insisted he do? Can he protect the girls sister? And when can he go home? You will have to read the book to find out.
July 16, 2017
Pay attention to the one and two star reviews that litter this page. Even these people are being kind. Any higher rating and I'm skeptical to its origins (friends, family, fellow hobbyists?).
Ultimately, if I'm to give this any compliment it would be that it's at least a pastiche of far superior characters, settings, plot devices, etc. that remind the reader of the good books they could be reading (or rereading again).
This seems like a blatant attempt to pander to the fantasy genre and create a franchise. Fine. I get it. We live in a world where a fantasy franchise can be especially lucrative. And no one has made mega-bucks with a Hollywood adaptation from the 'demon subgenre'... yet.
I get the feeling the author made a list that said "Zombies, vampires, dragons, wizards, warriors, spirits, ooooh... Demons! That could be the next big thing!"
Luckily, we live in a world where fantasy derivatives die a quick death in an oversaturated marketplace. There's a reason this book was free. It's definitely not worth your time, not even at that price.
Maybe read The Sand... 'Man' instead?
Ultimately, if I'm to give this any compliment it would be that it's at least a pastiche of far superior characters, settings, plot devices, etc. that remind the reader of the good books they could be reading (or rereading again).
This seems like a blatant attempt to pander to the fantasy genre and create a franchise. Fine. I get it. We live in a world where a fantasy franchise can be especially lucrative. And no one has made mega-bucks with a Hollywood adaptation from the 'demon subgenre'... yet.
I get the feeling the author made a list that said "Zombies, vampires, dragons, wizards, warriors, spirits, ooooh... Demons! That could be the next big thing!"
Luckily, we live in a world where fantasy derivatives die a quick death in an oversaturated marketplace. There's a reason this book was free. It's definitely not worth your time, not even at that price.
Maybe read The Sand... 'Man' instead?
May 16, 2018
Demons, humans, doors, and fire! This book contains so many exciting things that at first I was overwhelmed! It was a good overwhelmed though because the imagery that played through my mind while reading was so new and exciting that I found it very hard to put the book down! I enjoyed getting to know the original main characters as young versions of themselves and then experiencing the new worlds (after the weapon) through the child that is theirs!
This book kept me guessing at what was going to happen next and it had many highs and lows for all the characters. I liked that it allowed me to get to know several characters even though it followed the life of the young prince mainly. I am so excited to find out what happens now that he is in the human world and to see if the young queen does indeed find those that disappeared after the weapon was wielded by the humans as well as if Rhuun does indeed return to Eriis.
I also love that this book contains a message of just because you are different, it does not mean that there is something wrong with you, just as the young Prince Rhuun comes to find out once he is among the humans and Lelet!
This book kept me guessing at what was going to happen next and it had many highs and lows for all the characters. I liked that it allowed me to get to know several characters even though it followed the life of the young prince mainly. I am so excited to find out what happens now that he is in the human world and to see if the young queen does indeed find those that disappeared after the weapon was wielded by the humans as well as if Rhuun does indeed return to Eriis.
I also love that this book contains a message of just because you are different, it does not mean that there is something wrong with you, just as the young Prince Rhuun comes to find out once he is among the humans and Lelet!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
In Kim Alexander’s stunning debut novel, two worlds are at war, until a Door is put in place to close all contact between them. Rhuun is the Prince of Eriis, next in line to the throne. However, he has always felt out of place in the world of demons, because he looks different and can feel pain. On the other side of the Door, human time goes by much faster than in Eriis. When Rhuun finds a book from the human lands in the palace library, he latches on to it, to the point where he is seen as even more odd than he already was. When demon Queen Hellne’s past comes to light, Rhuun is directly affected, and he must run to escape it.
Holy heck, I loved this book so much! Alexander created such a lush and enticing world that completely draws the reader in. I loved Rhuun’s character development across the course of the novel as well. And I absolutely adored the contrast between Lelet and Aelle. All in all, I completely recommend this novel, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Holy heck, I loved this book so much! Alexander created such a lush and enticing world that completely draws the reader in. I loved Rhuun’s character development across the course of the novel as well. And I absolutely adored the contrast between Lelet and Aelle. All in all, I completely recommend this novel, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
February 4, 2017
I got this book accidentally believing it to be a romance novel so a bit of the reason I took away a star is through no fault of the book's, fantasy novels just aren't my typical reading material. That being stated, I still found the first half of the book rather frustrating with the way Rhuun was treated by the other demons and even his own mother, but they are a different species, so perhaps I should have been a little more understanding of their differences. By the end of this book it was easier for me to get through and I'm currently on the fence about whether or not to read the second.
November 21, 2017
No. Just....no. I tried, I really tried. I couldn't get into this book. The author is good, but the way the book is written is just way to confusing. It jumps all over the place! It jumps all back and forth in time! I felt like I was just getting snippets, no real meat, no real depth. The only character with any depth is Hellne, but she isn't the main character. With that, I can't recommend this book.
July 31, 2017
Frustrating at times.
A good Fantasy book needs a good backstory, the author needs to build a world I can get sucked into and believe in.
In this book, I wasn't interested in the world and thus in the heroes.
The book needed to be fast paced, with less unnecessary details.
A good Fantasy book needs a good backstory, the author needs to build a world I can get sucked into and believe in.
In this book, I wasn't interested in the world and thus in the heroes.
The book needed to be fast paced, with less unnecessary details.
February 14, 2018
Kim brings great voice to this tale along with cunning storytelling. When not zinging the reader with droll, she'll charm you with the unexpected.
Thank you NetGalley and Kim for the opportunity to read The Sand Prince. You set the hook well and I'm off to Amazon for the second in the series!
Thank you NetGalley and Kim for the opportunity to read The Sand Prince. You set the hook well and I'm off to Amazon for the second in the series!
February 17, 2023
The Sand Prince is a different take to the the cliche thought of what a demon is. You have two worlds and the characters in them are enough to keep you engaged. Read this book! You'll be in for a storytelling ride.
June 30, 2017
premise is good but needs more character and world building. Story can be so much more
May 17, 2015
To be honest, this book was pretty boring for much of it. I had a really hard time making myself read it so it took longer than usual. It also didn't help that sometimes the story was all over the place and you couldn't tell who was talking at the moment. I wanted to quit quite a few times but I've never not finished a book, but mostly I was hoping that it would get better.
Some time ago the humans of Mistra and the demons of Eriis had interactions of a sort. The humans came to Eriis all the time, but they would rarely, if ever, allow a demon into their own world. They even built a door to control this passage. The demons suspected nothing and were free in giving their knowledge. Until the day the humans sent thru a magical weapon that wiped out most of the demons and their world and locked the door. Left to take control of the people was the demon princess who had never learned anything of ruling because it was never expected to go to her. She becomes a strong queen despite that and with the mages of the city she helps her people that had survived to rebuild and keep going. During this time she gives birth to Rhuun. Before the weapon she had found herself in love with a human and Rhuun was the result. Nobody at court treats him like the prince he is because they can tell he's different. His mother does all she can to hide his human side to ensure his safety and it works (more or less) until the day Rhuun's best friend accidentally enables the mages to figure out Rhuun has human blood. So to save his life, Rhuun reads a spell left in the book his mother received from his father and flees to the human world beyond the door.
Rhuun had always been obsessed with the humans but never suspected he was part one. He is immediately disappointed with what he finds. When trapped in the dark void that is the veil between worlds, he gets bound to a human brat that thinks she's the greatest. Having no choice but to follow her orders, he is sent on petty and ridiculous assignments so she can make her siblings suffer. One in particular she hates. Her sister, Lelet. In his free time from crime, he explores the world and is pretty much overwhelmed by all he sees, smells and hears. He does decide that he loves water the most though. His last task is to kidnap Lelet and bring her to a specific place. It's this part of the book that I probably enjoyed the most. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. No doubt to make you want to read the next one...
I truly did like Rhuun. He was such a great guy despite his cluelessness and didn't actually want to do anything that he was forced to do. You could tell he was brought up in a higher station, but at the same time was down to Earth. I just liked him.
Scilla (I think that was the brat's name) was such an annoying little girl. She was so petty and stupid I just wanted to smack her. She talks to a demon thru her notebook, and believes everything they say which is just ridiculous. But it's because of them she goes to the veil and somehow manages to bind Rhuun to her will. How that happened is anyone's guess. Anyway, I hated her.
I found an odd thing about the demons in this book though. They are actually rather small in stature; both the males and females are quite a bit smaller than the humans.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Some time ago the humans of Mistra and the demons of Eriis had interactions of a sort. The humans came to Eriis all the time, but they would rarely, if ever, allow a demon into their own world. They even built a door to control this passage. The demons suspected nothing and were free in giving their knowledge. Until the day the humans sent thru a magical weapon that wiped out most of the demons and their world and locked the door. Left to take control of the people was the demon princess who had never learned anything of ruling because it was never expected to go to her. She becomes a strong queen despite that and with the mages of the city she helps her people that had survived to rebuild and keep going. During this time she gives birth to Rhuun. Before the weapon she had found herself in love with a human and Rhuun was the result. Nobody at court treats him like the prince he is because they can tell he's different. His mother does all she can to hide his human side to ensure his safety and it works (more or less) until the day Rhuun's best friend accidentally enables the mages to figure out Rhuun has human blood. So to save his life, Rhuun reads a spell left in the book his mother received from his father and flees to the human world beyond the door.
Rhuun had always been obsessed with the humans but never suspected he was part one. He is immediately disappointed with what he finds. When trapped in the dark void that is the veil between worlds, he gets bound to a human brat that thinks she's the greatest. Having no choice but to follow her orders, he is sent on petty and ridiculous assignments so she can make her siblings suffer. One in particular she hates. Her sister, Lelet. In his free time from crime, he explores the world and is pretty much overwhelmed by all he sees, smells and hears. He does decide that he loves water the most though. His last task is to kidnap Lelet and bring her to a specific place. It's this part of the book that I probably enjoyed the most. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. No doubt to make you want to read the next one...
I truly did like Rhuun. He was such a great guy despite his cluelessness and didn't actually want to do anything that he was forced to do. You could tell he was brought up in a higher station, but at the same time was down to Earth. I just liked him.
Scilla (I think that was the brat's name) was such an annoying little girl. She was so petty and stupid I just wanted to smack her. She talks to a demon thru her notebook, and believes everything they say which is just ridiculous. But it's because of them she goes to the veil and somehow manages to bind Rhuun to her will. How that happened is anyone's guess. Anyway, I hated her.
I found an odd thing about the demons in this book though. They are actually rather small in stature; both the males and females are quite a bit smaller than the humans.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
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