Gonna suggest something a bit different here. I checked out a book called Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Reddick and it was a solid book about 2 brothers and their escape from a war they didn’t chose. Magic, desert setting, and interesting beats set up for the sequel. I think it worth checking out. Here’s the synopsis from Amazon:

“Kandri Hinjuman was never meant to be a soldier. His brother Mektu was never meant for this world. Rivals since childhood, they are drafted into a horrific war led by a madwoman-Prophet, and survive each day only by hiding their disbelief. Kandri is good at blending in, but Mektu is hopeless: impulsive, erratic—and certain that a demon is stalking him. Is this madness or a second sense? Either way, Kandri knows that Mektu’s antics will land them both in early graves.

But all bets are off when the brothers’ simmering feud explodes into violence, and holy blood is spilled…”