Empire in the Sand by Shane Joseph
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From a certain point of view, having an older protagonist undergo intrigue, fairly massive life travails, and romance can be a refreshing change in a thriller. In this case, it's still a mild thriller, but that shouldn't detract.

In reality, the novel is thoroughly grounded even as it jumps through different time periods, different conflicts, and a personal life that always keeps circling back in upon the main question.

Is it really about a life of choices that come back around to bite you? Or is it really about starting afresh and making amends?

This is mostly left up to the reader and we're asked to enjoy the journey. Perhaps, in the end, it's not just an empire in the sand.

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