The Mahabharata Secret
by
Christopher Doyle
Genre: Fiction - Historical Thriller.
386 Pages, Om Books International.
Available in Different formats.


Most readers of my blog may be aware of the Indian epic,  Mahabharata. It is like 1000 stories in one, all inter connected and in which Bhagavad Gita is a part - the philosophical treatise which most Indians know about but do not follow. But then, this is India, so you cannot expect anything else!  So, what is the secret ? That is what I thought when I began this book. But I never expected Emperor Ashoka to make his appearance in the first few pages or that it would be a fast paced terrorist thriller that takes us through little known parts of India especially Bihar. I mean Rajasthan and Delhi where the author lives was okay but Bihar?

This book does two things. It flits back and fro through history, from Emperor Ashoka's times to the present and in between. It flits across South Asia and then inside India but more importantly, it reminds most people of South Asia about the Buddhist past of the region which lasted for around 2000 years, which is never taught in schools as if it never existed at all.

From the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan to the ramparts of Rajasthani forts, from scientists turned terrorists of the Lakshar -e- Taiba to the hunting for clues in Ashoka pillars in Bihar, the author masterfully weaves a story of intrigue, action, puzzles and reminders of the buried past.

I purposely read it in bits because I wanted to savour the feeling of eating a delicious meal  multiple times. The style is crisp and the tone is clear.The ending didn't leave me sated but Christopher Doyle, thank you for a much needed historical thriller.

To think this debut novel in 2013 has received so little attention was shocking.


If you feel I had still not told you what the secret is, I ask you to read the book. Buy it here


© Deepa Kandaswamy, All rights reserved.

The Immortals of Meluha

The Immortals of Meluha

 by Amish Tripathi

415 pages, Westland publishers.

Available in multiple formats.

Buy the book here

Skeptically, I picked up “The Immortals of Meluha” because the author was unknown to me and the title was nuts. Meluha? Huh? Also, there was so much hype about how great it was from friends and the fact that it is the first book in a "Shiva" trilogy, made me wonder - was this guy trying to sell religion as fiction? Dan Brown tactics ??? I was so wrong as this is the complete opposite of Dan Brown except for the fast paced action.

You have to know that I didn't read the book even when its sequels  were Indian bestsellers and especially since my relative stood in line, so she could buy the third and final book. I was a little distressed as this is the sort of madness I try to avoid.

But I was hooked from the first line. 

Spanning from the mountains in Tibet and Kashmir down to the forests in India, the author weaves a magical tale of a man named Shiva.The author, Amish Tripathi is not just imaginative but makes you think, why not? It is based on the simple premise that if so called Gods are truly men, how would they react to situations ? Why do we treat people who are unlike people we know, differently ? Is "culture" sacrosanct? Why do we call some disabled and treat them abnormally? Is it fair? To what extent can we go to create a meritorious society even though we completely ignore the economic circumstances that a person comes from? Why are people from developing countries always in awe of the developed world?

The author, using the ideal approach in fiction he brings to life – the places, situations and characters. Sound in physics and medicine, he makes you wonder if it is fact or fiction especially since it is fiction! The style is unique. I was so impressed, I read the sequels right away – The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras.

It is amazing Tripathi is able to write so well and still remain unknown to the rest of the world while truly silly books have made it to the NYT bestseller list! If you wish to curl up and read, this is one novel, you just cannot miss this summer.