An epic novel of adventure in the grandest tradition of historical fiction, Empires of Sand takes us on a thrilling, unforgettable journey.
As civilizations collide around two men, a battle begins: for survival, for love, and for a destiny written in a desert's shifting sands.
The year is 1870. Paris is under siege, and two boys, best friends and cousins, are swept from their life of privilege. A brutal killing forces Michel deVries — called Moussa — to flee to his mother's homeland in North Africa. A family disgrace forces Paul deVries to seek redemption in the French military.
Ten years will pass before they come face-to-face again. Now Moussa has become a desert warrior and a beautiful woman's forbidden lover, while Paul leads an ill-fated French force into the Sahara. Against a breathtaking landscape of blazing sands and ancient mysteries, these two men face a struggle that will shatter lives across two continents — and force them to choose between separate dreams and shared blood....
Publishers Weekly
FYI: According to the publisher, Ball has made four journeys across the Sahara, inspired by the true story of the 1880 French expedition that attempted to establish a railroad through the desert. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
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David Ball lives in the Rockies with his wife, Melinda, and children, Ben and Li. He is currently at work on a new novel, Ironfire.