The Sacred Sands

As the eight-year-old war between Iraq and Iran approaches to an end, tensions between the Arab Gulf states and Iraq start to rise. Some of the largest exporters of crude oil in the Persian Gulf collude to bring down the price of oil, at great cost to their national coffers. Oil prices undergo the most erratic fluctuations in decades. Most seasoned observers and analysts, both in the private sector and in the US government, seem oblivious to an impending Gulf war.

It falls to James Blackburn, a global energy consultant based in Washington, DC, to uncover a brewing conflict in the Middle East that exposes and explains the imminent risks. Thrown into an emotional whirlwind between a passionate transatlantic affair and a blossoming affection for another woman closer to home, Blackburn finds himself caught in an equally intractable quandary as the interests of his various clients begin to clash. But the burning question remains: will his warnings to the US intelligence community about the looming cataclysm in the Middle East be heeded?

"...the story is relentlessly paced and brimming with historical insight." Kirkus Reviews

"It is the most accomplished novel I have read this year and I can thoroughly recommend it." --Readers' Favorite Reviews

"A deftly crafted and consistently compelling novel from cover to cover, The Sacred Sands showcases author Vahan Zanoyan as having a genuine flair for original and entertaining storytelling." -California Bookwatch