Redefining ‘Religion’ and ‘God’ for Young Readers by Executing a Groundbreaking Plot in the Synthesis of Contemporary and Mystical Settings

  

Redefining ‘Religion’ and ‘God’ for Young Readers by Executing a Groundbreaking Plot in the Synthesis of Contemporary and Mystical Settings

The Ascendance of Evil by Abhinav (Kalki Chronicles Book #3)

Book Review by Dhiraj Sindhi

The Ascendance of Evil by Abhinav

Author: Abhinav

ISBN: 978-0143454632

Genre: Mythological Fiction for Children and Young Adults (13-17 years)

Length: 336 Pages

Publication Date: 22^nd November 2021

Publisher: Penguin 

Illustrator: Vibhav Singh | Instagram: @_vibhavsingh

Cover Designer: Samar Bansal | Behance: @samarbansal

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/3w4W1Hy

About the author:

Abhinav is a Mumbai-based software developer working for a financial services firm. His debut book The Sage's Secret is the first instalment in the Kalki Chronicles. He has since published a second book in the series, Kali's Retribution.

Instagram: @am_abhinav

Goodreads: @am_abhinav

Disclaimer: This is not a review, it is only intended for initiating discussions. The opinions and views presented in this article are my own and do not reflect anything about the book's author. 

REVIEW

The Ascendance of Evil by Abhinav is the third and concluding part of the Kalki Chronicles series. You can find here the review of the first part, Sage’s Secret that I uploaded earlier on the blog. The second part is Kali’s Retribution, which I had skipped deliberately, seeking relatively more entertainment and suspense than what a normal reading would allow. And sure enough, I found it so. The character list had broadened, the writing style improved, the pace had drastically increased, and the plot became much more exciting with plenty of new elements, complexities and secrets. 

The Ascendance of Evil focuses on the battle between Kali, the lord of evil and the Kalki avatar, which is to decide the future course of the planet and the universe. Kalki is accompanied by EOK (Espionage of Kalki, if I’m not wrong) soldiers and the Immortals. Whereas, Kali has an army of sorcerers and other dead Rakshasas. The great war of Kurukshetra—Mahabharata is the ultimate reference point, the Bhagwad Gita and other events serve as a guide. The book begins with the death of Kalki and the resurrection of Kali. This is just one of the several twists and total 180° shifts the book introduces. 

“Despite having so many places of worship, there is a scarcity of goodness. On the other hand, even though I am not worshipped in any form or at any place, evil is present everywhere. It’s as if gods don’t exist at all.” 

The plotline seems very natural and high-minded, addressing the prevalent issues related to humanity. It takes place in the year 2026 and the epilogue, 2050. Considering that the novel takes a didactic course towards the end, the author is being daringly hopeful with readers, vouching for humanity and degrading it at the same time.

With so many characters, all with unique significance puts a good weight on the storyline. Lord Krishna, his charm and his philosophy plays a key role throughout the book. His mystic personality and the way he sees the world and a soul and ‘being one with the universe’ truly shapes this novel’s heart. The war and combat scenes are complemented by illustrious writing and dark, mysterious settings, exactly opposite to the astral realm which is portrayed as nature’s refuge. 

‘I am of that opinion that…Evil will be removed from this world and humans will be rescued by you, the God.’ To which Kalki replies, ‘You are so learned! Yet you fail to understand a simple truth…that humans are at the mercy of their fellow humans. Not at the mercy of gods…or Evil for that matter.’

I cannot stress enough how relevant the book is for this year in particular. I will tell you why. It smoothly carries out all the broad principles pertaining to spirit, purpose, nature, religions and so on. Some subjects like spirit, nature and the universe are discussed in depth with high morale. Whereas, others are merely abstract and superficial ideas but that is obvious since these are some most complex issues, or should I say, we have made them too complex to fix them. I commend how the author chose to deal with warfare, which is exactly what I found ground-breaking in this very specific genre. Nuclear threats, peace talks, money and power, rampant destruction of nature, wildfires and the appalling state of inaction. What is also unconventional is the redefinition of religion and god through long dialogues from the author’s mouthpiece, Kalki.

There is this chapter solely dedicated to matters of social issues we face daily. Although, for a chapter only, I am glad that this book addresses these issues and tells kids what things are absolutely wrong with individual micro-stories. This includes poverty, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ rights, human rights, caste divisions, and all kinds of divisions, religious hatred, divorce, honour killings, inequality, animal cruelty and more. As the author has forewarned, even after three decades, if the universe and nature still allow us to thrive, we WILL continue to endure these issues while also being part of these issues, jeopardizing the existence of other humans and species. 

“Humankind knows the cost of their advancement. But they are ready to pay it, since it is not their wallet it is coming out of.”

Happy Reading!

Are you on Instagram and Goodreads? Let's connect!

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The Sage's Secret by Abhinav | The Kalki Chronicles | Book Review

    

The Sage's Secret by Abhinav (The Kalki Chronicles)

Book Review by Dhiraj Sindhi

The Sage's Secret by Abhinav

Author: Abhinav

ISBN: 978-0143442363

Genre: Children's Action and Adventure

Length: 256 Pages

Publication Date: 31 August 2018

Publisher: Penguin Random House India

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/3gY43Ln

About the author:

Abhinav is a Mumbai-based software developer working for a financial services firm. His debut book The Sage’s Secret is the first instalment in the Kalki Chronicles. He has since published a second book in the series, Kali’s Retribution.

Instagram: @am_abhinav

Goodreads: @am_abhinav

Disclaimer: This review is only intended for initiating discussions. The opinions and views presented in this article are my own and do not reflect anything about the book's author. 

REVIEW

The Sage's Secret by Abhinav is the first instalment in the series The Kalki Chronicles, an Action and Adventure book series for children based on Hindu Mythology. Set in the year 2025 and onwards, the book has several fantastical elements and a set of characters. The premises is far removed from the reality of the novel itself. The Kalki avatar is not 'all-knowing' like Krishna and so Lord Krishna had already arranged for Kalki's training in Kaliyuga before he died. The twenty-year-old protagonist, Anirudha receives communication and instructions from the lord via dreams, God's favourite mode of communication as is evident in Indian folklores. Sage Dweepa is going to teach Anirudha everything that he'll need to defeat his enemies and fulfil his duties as the tenth avatar.

The antagonist for this first book is Kalanayaka who is given the position in the army of Kalabakshakas, led by the lord of time—Kalarakshasa. It is said that the formation of this group can be traced back to Dvapara Yuga, although the author has not provided any explanation of the origins as to how they came to be or why. The Sage's Secret includes the journey of Anirudha from being an ordinary boy to a well-equipped combatant. 

What I liked about the book is the use of sorcery and the fantastical power of controlling energy, though the idea is poorly executed. The writing style is engaging and the narration provides more information than what can be considered adequate. I also appreciate the secret after which the book is titled after. The character development of Kalanayaka and Anirudh is what made me stick to the book till the end. In the last few chapters, the story progresses exponentially which sets a quite dramatic stage for the next book, 'Kali's Retribution'.

I do not understand though that while the story spans over such a vast expanse of time, places and possibilities, the story's focus narrows down to just a few characters and an isolated battlefield. As it is categorised as children's fiction, I think it should have provided something more useful instead of repetitive expositions, making it slower and boring to follow. 

Happy Reading!

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Kala Krishnan’s Lyrical Prose in Mahasena Harmonizes the Novel’s Striking Elements, Creating an Undying Ode in the Reverence of the God of War and Victory

 

Kala Krishnan’s Lyrical Prose in Mahasena Harmonizes the Novel’s Striking Elements, Creating an Undying Ode in the Reverence of the God of War and Victory

Book Review by Dhiraj Sindhi

Mahasena: Part One of the Murugan Trilogy by Kala Krishnan

Mahasena by Kala Krishnan

Author: Kala Krishnan

ISBN: 978-9390679133

Genre: Myths, Legends & Sagas

Length: 264 Pages

Publication Date: 19^th July 2021

Publisher: Context – An Imprint of Westland Publications Private Limited

Cover Design: Saurabh Garge

Cover Designer: Website: theaoi.com/ | Instagram: @garge_saurabh

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2YaUKS8

About the author:

Kala Krishnan works in Bengaluru. She is the author of two books of poetry, He Is Honey, Salt and the Most Perfect Grammar and Offer Him All Things Charred, Burned and Cindered, in which the god Murugan appears in surprising versions.

Kala Krishnan (PC: Kinshuk Rawat)

Instagram: @poetkala

Website: poetry.sangamhouse.org/

The Hindu Article: ‘I see Murugan as language’

Disclaimer: This review is only intended for initiating discussions. The opinions and views presented in this article are my own and do not reflect anything about the book's author. 

REVIEW

Not long ago that I came to know of the associations between my hometown and the young lord Kartikeya. While there is only a single prominent temple in Gujarat that is dedicated to Balamurugan, one of the Mahapuranas tells a wholly different story. According to the local legend, as mentioned in the Skanda Purana, a golden pillar was fixed at the place along with the Shivaling (Stambheshwar Mahadev, a temple in Kavi that hosts thousands of pilgrims after its redevelopment, on the full moon and the new moon of every month) on the battlefield where Tarakasur was slain by Kumara—the young God of War, to celebrate the victory. This place was then a much-revered pilgrimage region called Kumarika Kshetra where the Mahi River met with the sea, thus Mahisagara-Sangam Tirtha, also known as Gupta Kshetra, which is now represented by Khambhat—a town on the coast of Gulf of Cambay, Kavi—a town on the other side of the gulf and the neighbouring region. That is how Khambhat has received its name, after applying phonetic laws with contraction, assimilation and elimination; the Sanskrit name ‘Stambhtirth (The Pillar Shrine)’ was transformed into modern-day Gujarati name ‘Khambhat’. I’m saving the details for some other blog, now, let’s see how the poet and author, Kala Krishnan pays ‘a homage to a cherished boy-god’—as Sharanya Manivannan says—as well as to the language of the South in a unique way and probably the perfect way for the modern world era, something that is essential to preserve and uphold the cultures cascading through centuries of generational changes.
 
Mahasena by Kala Krishnan—a mythological fiction, is a synthesis of several literary and non-literary elements that are emphasized to achieve an effect, a sense of high regard and admiration for the Lord Murugan and everything he touches in his lifespan; woven together as one lyrical phenomenon that flows rhythmically like a river, gushing down from its source at higher altitudes to the plains where it’s much needed, cutting through the grounds, rocks, valleys, mountains called Skanda, Kartikeya, Guha, Mahasena, Kandhan, Murugan, Kumara and ceaselessly thrives not knowing how many lives depend upon it in myriad aspects; it is thus the exceptionally beautiful, written in rich prose, a musical story of the God of Tamizh from his birth to battlefield, from Kumara to Mahasena, and most importantly from ‘ the Kumaras’ language’ to the fully-developed rich culture of Tamil people.
 
Let me now shed light on the five major elements that are seamlessly ingrained in the text and into one another, which bursts open the floodgates for lively imagination and even wilder creativity.
 
Nature: The free-flowing nature, something that is boundless and limitless, the flora and fauna, the earth, the sky, the fourteen worlds in the universe, the rivers, the mountains, the seasons and the likes of it, all are depicted as natural it could get. It is quite responsive and sensitive that it reacts to everything the Gods do. While it is not bound by time, space or any living being, the very presence of the divine being comforts nature and it starts moving as if dancing to the rhythm of Murugan’s heartbeats. This is because, of course, Murugan treats himself as an inseparable part of it, which is evident by the breath-taking scenes where the boy-god is shown playing with snakes and where “Kandhan was mud” and the creatures—“worms, bugs, caterpillars, bees, butterflies, dragonflies—were swimming into him, passing through skin and swimming out.”
 
Music: Music and the art of writing and reciting poems, verses, and the likes is the second thing that is given utmost importance in Mahasena, the first being the language of the South, Tamizh. The music is accommodated in the storyline as well as the writing style from the very beginning before the younger brother of Ganesha was born. The music comes to Lord Murugan as naturally as Dance comes to Shambhu and Shakti to Parvathy. Murugan always has the anklets of music wrapped around his feet and gravely condemns any flaw he recognises, which he always does. The author has cleverly ensured that the two leaders on the battlefield are equal, no more, no less. The Dashagriva Ravana also plays a small part along with the opponent of Murugan—Surapadman. As these Asuras are depicted as engineers and experimenters, they also have achieved perfection in the art of music.
 
Tamizh Language: The Tamizh language is one of the most prominent aspects of the novel. This language is portrayed as the most natural language that can occur to any being; that also goes hand in hand with everything from people to objects. The grammar, the words and the phonetics of this language are such that the words or noises a child barely a year old would make on seeing a newborn and that would be in none other than Tamizh. Murugan makes the language perpetual and never-ending by teaching it to Kuru Muni Akaththi, also known as Agastya or Akattiyam, who in turn, spreads it across the land of the South with the help of grammarians, poets, bards and scholars, where it “grew surer and more adventurous, it sank roots, and like a giant tree…and on its branches perched the mighty-winged birds of poetry, grammar and music.” And thus Kartikeya gets yet another name—Tamizh Theivan means the God of Tamizh.
 
Magical Realism: It is debatable that whether to treat the fantastical elements in mythology as pure miracles or as elements of magical realism. Well, I have chosen to call it magical realism because even in the set boundary of mythology some things go beyond comprehension and reasoning. Some of the magical realism devices are communication via dreams, epiphanies, the very birth of Kartikeya, his ability to speak to the anklets as if using a similar mellifluous sound.
 
Reconstructed Myths, Legends and Sagas with Freshly-developed Characters and Unique Working Mechanism: The author Kala Krishnan has developed her own mythology world that has its own creation story and own way of functioning. I am utterly in love with how she has presented the enigmatic images of the gods and goddesses; they are depicted as human-like as they can get and at the same time, they never lose or stop radiating the god-like aura of divine energy. It is also absolutely remarkable how the author has detailed the relationships between the siblings—Ganesha and Kartikeya, Murugan and Aambal, and one that has no equal in the universe—Shiva and Parvathy, the Mother and Father of Creation, whose relationship is just as Kala Krishnan describes it—“you couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began.”
 
I will be eagerly waiting for the next part in the Murugan Trilogy to uncover the secret behind ‘Mahasena’, a name given to Murugan by Indra’s daughter Devyani, also known as Devasena or as Murugan calls her, ‘Theivanai’, which is also the title of the next book.

Happy Reading!

Thank you @vivekisms for the review copy!

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

Book Review

Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal

Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal

Author: Kevin Missal

ISBN: 978-9353578190

Genre: Myths, Legends and Sagas (Religious Fiction)

Length:  260 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins India (15^th 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.

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. ☮

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.

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