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Showing posts with label Kevin Missal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kevin Missal. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2020

Book Review: Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal | The Narasimha Trilogy Book 2

Book Review

Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal


Book Review: Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal | Dhiraj Sindhi | Indian Book Blogger
Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal

Author: Kevin Missal

ISBN: 978-9353578190

Genre: Myths, Legends and Sagas (Religious Fiction)

Length:  260 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins India (15th July 2020)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2DeWCPr

About the author:


Kevin Missal wrote his first book at the age of 14, and at 22, the St Stephens graduate is a bestselling author and a fulltime writer, with the first two books in his Kalki series being runaway successes. Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu and its sequel Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma have sold one lakh copies in under a year.

Book Review: Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal | Dhiraj Sindhi | Indian Book Blogger
Kevin Missal
Kevin loves fantasy fiction and has always been a fan of mythology. His books have been featured in publications like The Sunday Guardian, The New Indian Express, and Millennium Post.

Follow him on Instagram: @kevin_9695
Check out his Facebook Page: Kevin Missal
Twitter Handle: @kevin_missal

Read my review of Narasimha by Kevin Missal (Book #1 of this trilogy) here.

REVIEW

Summary

Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal is the second book in The Narasimha Trilogy (previously called, The Mahaavatar Trilogy) – the reimagining of the legend Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu; depicts the constant conflicts between the father-son duo where Hiranyakashyap – now an invincible Asura king, is all set to win over anything and everything by the means of violence, war, aggression, and destruction using his military forces and the Brahmastra, while Prahlad with his completely opposite ideology has decided to rid his land of scum and evil using the least violence possible; the book addresses several issues that are very relatable in the modern times such as abusive relationships, resistance, bully parents, types of terrorism, etc and also states the importance of having faith in God; while developing and enhancing the well-established characters, the author introduces new characters also; with these legendary figures and a riveting plot, this adventurous book sets out to create an everlasting impression on readers that of unforgettable outlooks.

Narration

Hiranyakashyap is written in third-person narrative, where the chapters are narrated through different POV characters. POV characters for this book include Hiranyakashyap, Prahlad, Narasimha, Holika, and Chenchen (Narasimha’s romantic partner). The writing style absolutely suits the thrilling and mysterious narration with a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter. The language is easy to comprehend, so it can be enjoyed by children also. Kevin Missal has brilliantly illustrated the action scenes, which is one of the best characteristics of this text.

Location and Setting

The story takes place in Satya Yuga, a century after the Samudra Manthana (The Churning of the Ocean) in the world of Illavarti. Illavarti (originally ruled by Devas) is the fictionalized version of the Vedic Age, where Swarg and Pataal are two different islands. Meanwhile, Asura from Pataal migrate to Illavarti and the truce is formed between Devas and Asura. Devlok and Kashyapuri, two major cities of Illavarti are ruled by Indra and Hiranyakashyap respectively. Indra worsens the tension between Devas and Asura by breaking the truce, not once but twice. While the first book revolves around Kashyapuri, Yakshlok, and Sonitpur, this second installment focuses on Naglok, Kashyapuri, and wilderness on the outskirts of Kashyapuri. Again, the magnificent places portrayed by the author make you feel the grandeur of its architecture, be it palaces or sewers.

Theme

Hiranyakashyap is shorter than Narasimha (the books, not characters), but has a lot going on around simultaneously, which really contributes to the ever-progressive plotline. The book involves several themes that make the book what it is – a thriller, relatable saga. Kevin Missal has given a sci-fi touch to it by including various scientific elements such as the extraction of tetrodotoxin from pufferfish, the aircraft, hydrokinesis, and a lot more. On the other hand, there are mystical elements also that demonstrate the magic in ancient India. The Brahmastra makes Hiranyakashyap a superhero-like figure. Just like Narasimha, where Kevin Missal talked about consent, bully parents, and religion, he draws special attention to abusive relationships, terrorism, and the power of art in Hiranyakashyap. There is this outstanding conversation between Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap, which is of course a little dramatic but highlights some of the rhetorical devices very effectively and I shall cherish it forever.

Characters

The author has introduced many new characters besides Hiranya, Holika, Anuhrad, Andhaka, Narasimha, Chenchen, Narada, Prahlad, and Dhriti. The new character cast consists of Parvati – Lord Bhairav’s wife (who plays a major role in the current book), Asamanja – new leader of Vishnusena, Garuda – Narasimha’s long-lost companion (belongs to the Suparn tribe), Matrikas – an all-female mercenary group, and Lord Varuna. There are some majestic characters like a trickster and the goddess of death who may have little roles to play but are critical for the story. Talking about the character arcs, the well-established characters from the first book continue to grow in the second book. Andhaka, being the most mysterious and complex character never fails to surprise you every single time. My favorite character – Holika has the most dynamic character arc. Relationships (romantic and otherwise) between different characters are carried out with utmost care because they define the very objectives of each character involved in this novel.

Plot

The plot is really progressive in the sense, that you will discover something new and mesmerizing in every chapter. There is not a single excerpt from the book, which would make you feel bored. The author has provided all the details that a reader really cares for. Revealing anything from the storyline would mean spoilers. So, if you want me to do a separate spoiler review, then let me know in the comment section below.

"One cannot justify hitting your partner as a form of love. It's not an expression of anything but violence."

My Views

Firstly, the things I loved about the book. I loved how advanced the world of Illavarti has been portrayed. I loved how the book brings to your attention some of the prevailing issues. I find it just and only appropriate of him incorporating these subjects, highly relevant to modern times. Apart from these obvious elements, one thing that stood apart was the revolutionary art.


Having said that, let us move towards the things I disliked. This artistic movement is as clear as mud for the effect it had on people. The book doesn’t give you time nor the details to savor it or even apprehend this movement. Secondly, the book felt really short for the type of content it holds. (Or maybe because of its fast-paced nature, who knows!)

Happy Reading!
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Will see you in the next post. Till then buh-bye. Take Care. Peace. ☮

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Book Review: Narasimha by Kevin Missal (The Mahaavatar Trilogy Book 1)

Book Review

Narasimha by Kevin Missal

Narasimha by Kevin Missal


Author: Kevin Missal

ISBN: 978-9353570767

Genre: Mythological Fiction (Fantasy)

Length:  350 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins India (10th June, 2019)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2X0IZMw

About the author:


Kevin Missal wrote his first book at the age of 14, and at 22, the St Stephens graduate is a bestselling author and a fulltime writer, with the first two books in his Kalki series being runaway successes. Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu and its sequel Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma have sold one lakh copies in under a year.

Book Review: Narasimha by Kevin Missal (The Mahaavatar Trilogy Book 1) | Dhiraj Sindhi
Kevin Missal

Kevin loves fantasy fiction and has always been a fan of mythology. His books have been featured in publications like The Sunday Guardian, The New Indian Express and Millennium Post.

Follow him on Instagram: @kevin_9695
Check out his Facebook Page: Kevin Missal
Twitter Handle: @kevin_missal

REVIEW

Narration

Narasimha is first of ‘The Mahaavatar Trilogy’, the reimagining of mythological tale about Lord Narasimha, fourth Avatar of Lord Vishnu. Narasimha is written in third-person narrative, where chapters are narrated through different POV characters. The thoughts of particular characters are presented in each chapter. The story starts with prologue, where POV character is Kayadhu, Hiranyakashyap’s wife. Hiranyakashyap is ruler of the Asura Empire. The writing style is simple yet gripping.

Location and Setting

As we all know that Narasimha is the fourth Vishnu Avatar from time of Satya Yuga according to Hindu mythology. The story takes place in the world of Illavarti, a fictionalized fantastical version of Vedic Age. The conception of this world is just amazing and more realistic. Asuras are foreigners from island of Pataal and Devas are foreigners from island of Swarg. Apart from Manavs, there are Danavs, Nagas, Shivas, Ganas and Simhas. And Nara belongs to the Tribe of the Simhas, thus Narasimha. The story reflects the rich architecture through fortresses and palaces. There are mountains and rivers; Mandara hills are talked about often as almost half of the story revolves around Sonitpur (where Andhaka rules─ Hiranya’s nephew) and the mini kingdom of Shiva, which are situated at the feet of these hills. City of Kashyapuri is ruled by Hiranya and the story depicts the type of corrupt government he leads.

Theme

Narasimha falls under the category Myths, Legends and Sagas. There are different beings with opposite beliefs. Devas stand for Dharm and Asuras stand for Adharm. So the wars are being fought for one reason or another. And Indra has made it worse by breaking the truce, not once but twice. Kevin Missal has done great job by putting in perspectives of both Devas and Asuras without being biased that reader will find it difficult to sympathize with either of them. We all have heard this tale at some point of our life as a part of Holika Dahan tradition. An epic of the legends like Prahlad, Hiranyakashyap, Holika and Narasimha. Prahlad who being son of Asura king, starts worshiping Lord Vishnu, however that was most essential for eradicating Adharm and that provides the central point for this novel.

Characters

Narasimha is full of characters and I think, is the sole essence of the book apart from the story itself. Kevin Missal has provided with such distinct voices through the POV characters that I loved all of them. Kevin presented such definite vision through the third-person POV of such discrete characters that made me question whether the character is wrong at all even if he/she is rebellious and depraved. Kevin Missal has created such strong and phenomenal characters. Narasimha the soldier. Anuhrad and Prahlad. Anuhrad goes to help his cousin Andhaka (main antagonist for this novel) by the orders of his father. Prahlad remains in the city for being interim king of Kashyapuri while his father Hiranya, goes to fight with Vigyasa against Lord Agni. Hiranya’s sister Holika is searching for the mastermind behind the Vishnusena, a threat to the Asura Empire. 

SPOILER ALERT!

Plot

Well, the storyline for this first installment is all about Hiranyakashyap getting that ultimate boon/weapon from Lord Brahma and Prahlad converting from non-believer to believer and betraying his own subjects. The book ends with the epilogue stating that it won’t be that easy for Narasimha to protect Dharm.

“In the name of religion, one must preach and spread peace, not violence.”

My Views

The story was very unpredictable and bit slow at first until Holika made her first appearance. Then it started to build speed and remained steady but was still unpredictable. The story then accelerated when Hiranya discovers about Brahmashastra but it still remained unpredictable despite the fact that we all know this tale since childhood. The character arcs are very dynamic, be it Holika or Prahlad. Each supporting character contributes to the storyline. The conception of weapons and the stones that fuels them, like any other modern fiction but is meaningful for the future of story. Romance is the inevitable part of the storyline and gives the very reason for the succeeding plot. The end is satisfying and I am already waiting for the sequel.

Final words. This book is an epic in the true sense for author has mind-blowingly written providing multi perspective view of ancient epic, makes it more realistic and more stimulating.

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Follow me on InstagramFacebookTwitter and Pinterest. Don't forget to subscribe. Don't forget to subscribe for more content. Thank you so much for reading!


Will see you in the next post. Till then buh-bye. Take Care. Peace. ☮

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