Thundergod : The Ascendance of Indra by Rajiv Menon

Title : Thundergod: The Ascendance Of Indra

Author : Rajiv Menon
Genre : Fiction / Mythology
Publisher : Westland Ltd.
Pages : 384
My Rating : 7/10
Reviewed For : MySmartPrice Books / Indian Debut Writers Month 2013 / South Asian Challenge 2013 / First Reads Challenge 2013

 

 

Blurb:

 

One day a prince from one of the four great tribes will unite the sons of Aditi and he will sow the seeds of an empire that will rule the world. Born of a prophetic union between the Earth Goddess Gaia and Daeyus, chief of the Devas, comes the story of a child recounted by history to have become a king and retold by legend to have transcended into a god. Indra, destiny’s orphan, finds himself growing up in a vortex of treachery and tribal incumbency. Shielded from the usurpers of his birthright only by the watchful eye of the warrior sage Mitra, he first sets out to conquer the hearts of his tribesmen, and then the kingdoms of the unmapped world. Aligning forces with his brothers by blood oath and divine intervention Agni, Vayu, Varuna and Soma Indra embarks on a military campaign of epic proportions, stretching from the Euphrates in Asia Minor to Harappa on the Indian subcontinent, encountering formidable armies, demonic beings and powerful goddesses, and losing the only woman he really loves. Will he get her to love him again? Will he avenge the death of his father? Will he assume his place in the pantheon of the gods? In a compelling saga, blended by history, spiced by legend and mutated by myth, Rajiv G. Menon transforms ten years of research into a lightning rod of an action adventure that streaks into your consciousness with the speed of Indra’s thunderbolt.

 

My Review:

 

Thundergod: The Ascendance Of Indra is a complete high-octane read from the outset. Being an ardent mythology buff, something in me (I call it curiosity) prompted me to read this one, if only to know how the author had portrayed a less popular God like Indra!! The Hindu has described this book as “a story of unbridled flamboyance from a debutant author”, so yes - unbridled it is and how!! Mediocre doesn’t settle it for the author, the events here are at the extremum -  swashbuckling action, bloodbath, heartbreak, amorous dalliances, revenge, cowardice, conspiracies, shifting loyalties – you name it & it has got it.

 

The story kickstarts with King Daeyus (who is the chief of Devas – a clan of barbarian warriors) leading his men on a mission across the vast sandy stretches of the Karakum Desert. So brave and virile he is, (The way his character is sketched, I am compelled to imagine him as Gerard Butler from the movie “300”), that even the Earth Goddess Gaia, who being an Elemental is forbiden from consorting with humans, cannot resist him. The result of this brief tryst is Indra – whose birth is prophesied and who is destined to unite the sons of Aditi. However, from the moment Indra is even conceived, forces of nature & human beings alike start concocting to annihilate him. However, destiny’s child – Indra remains protected by supernatural powers and guarded by the warrior sage Mitra.  As the years proceed, Indra grows up in a vortex of treachery, tribal incumbency and splintering loyalties. On attaining adulthood, Indra claims his birthright position as well as his childhood sweetheart’s hand in marriage. However, on the other hand he loses her love in a series of unexpected events and is left heartbroken in a single stroke. A heartbroken & brave warrior never fears anything and needless to say, what follows next is Indra’s ambitious quest - first to conquer the vanquishers of his father & then the kingdoms of the unmapped world. The author charts Indra’s journey as he turns into a war machine and attains a new high after every conquest. Supporting him in the carnage are his brothers who are bound to him by a blood oath – Agni, Vayu, Varuna & Soma. Finally, the hunter becomes the hunted and Indra finds himself ensconced in Swarga after he fulfils his prophecy.

 

The author has created a plot which resembles a grand game of chess, where many players are introduced and their roles constantly oscillating between being a pawn or a knight. The plot is replete with testosterone-charged, adventuristic voyages of the protagonist. The most striking part, however, is Indra’s metamorphosis from an innocent, mortal lad to an alpha male to finally a God!! As a reader, I found him endearing, sympathized with him, watched him run high on heady brews as well as ambition, plough down entire armies of humans & other creatures alike and finally deteriorating into a power hungry king. The author has not created stereotypical perfect God but has a sketched a very flawed protagonist with whom the readers will share a love-hate relationship. Another major highlight of this novel was the author’s earnest attempt in meshing together Indian mythology & world history. His love for Greek & Indian mythology as well as meticulous research is clearly evident in this read.

 

While the plot is packed with pace, it also includes a lot of graphic war & erotic details. While at the start they seem inevitable, page after page of war scenes in all its glory of bloodshed becomes repelling and slows down the pace of narration. Secondly, the author has filled the plot with motley of characters & frankly, I was overwhelmed by the vast array of characters. Also, whilst doing so, the author has wonderfully developed Indra’s character but whilst showering all his attention on Indra, the author has not done justice to the secondary characters. Especially, the characters of Vayu, Varuna, Agni & Soma are not fleshed out properly neither is their equation with Indra. And lastly, with all the anticipation for the final battle building up, the ending seems to be rushed & abrupt which left me absolutely unsatisfied.

 

When this read came out, it garnered a lot of mixed reviews. And after reading this one, I got a feeling very much like that – mixed emotions!! While the author has to be lauded for a beautiful & bold debut effort, I also wish to read a more crispier plot in the sequel sans a little bit of gore. All in all, this is a complete page turner that will keep the reader hooked.

JFK by Jhangir Kerawala

Title : JFK
Author : Jhangir Kerawala
Genre : Mystery / Fiction
Publisher : Grey Oak / Westland Books
Pages : 225
My Rating : 8/10
Reviewed For : MySmartPrice / IQRC 2013

Blurb:

JFK ... A dying man’s last word ... A plea, an accusation or a clue? That’s what the police couldn’t figure out. What they did know was that they had serial murders in broad daylight, and just one suspect with little motive ... Jatin F. Karunamoi, the dead man’s best friend. Jatin is no hero; he’s an unemployed 50-year-old, desperate to find a job. But his only hope for a life of dignity lies in him finding the real killer. As he jumps headlong into the investigation he has little idea what he’s getting into ... a hunt for the faceless murderer. Each step Jatin takes to unravel the mystery brings him closer to insanity as he encounters unimaginable situations, devious characters, intrigue and ... death. In this fast-paced thriller set in Kolkata, debut ant novelist Jhangir Kerawala brings the reader face-to-face with the ugly underbelly that looms large beneath the bright lights of urban India.

My Review :

When I first saw the title JFK, I like many others thought this book was about the late U.S. President & his assassination. But then on reading the blurb, I realised that it had nothing to do with any of it. In fact this was a very much desi read, set in the City of Kolkata and partly in Uttar Pradesh, promising to take the reader on a roller coaster of a ride with its fast paced thrill. A unique title, an intriguing blurb but a dull cover page set against the backdrop of Kolkata seemed a rather interesting combination.

In one word, JFK can be described as your good old “whodunit”!! It starts with the murder of an old man – Ram Prasad Yadav on a dark night. Next we know, our protagonist i.e. Jatin’s best mate – Manish is also killed the same night by the same gun. While the author keeps Ram Prasad’s identity & story under the wraps till we reach the middle of the read, Manish is described as a “decent man with no enemies”!! So who would want to kill a man like Manish?? This is what Jatin has to discover & this is his story as he juggles between trying to find out his best friend’s murderer & resolving his own personal issues. Manish in his last dying moments, gives a call to Jatin & utters just 3 alphabets – “JFK” which are the only clue that Jatin has. As Jatin decodes the clue & stumbles upon the many secrets of his otherwise best friend Manish, he realises that Manish was not what he seemed to be. Armed with this knowledge, Jatin sets out on a hunt which not only takes him to the real killer but also changes his entire perspective of life.

On first impressions, this story might seem like any other thriller but this one stands out in a number of ways. Firstly, the protagonist – Jatin is not your average young, dynamic hero. He is a  50-year old unemployed man who is dealing with what we can all relate to as mid-life crisis. Unemployment, financial crisis, family issues - amongst all these troubles, his only haven is his mate – Manish but when Manish is murdered, Jatin is thrown headlong into a maze of intricate lies & ghosts of pasts.

Secondly, the author has introduced this unique spin through which emerges the second protagonist – Ram Prasad Yadav. The readers get to know about his story & struggle only when they reach the middle of the plot but once it is out, it surpasses even Jatin’s struggle. The author has portrayed Ram Prasad Yadav in all shades from white to grey but the sheer grit & determination of this character & his lone crusade stands out amongst the rest. Thirdly, the author has outlined a plot that is very relatable, grounded & real. He has also addressed the various evils that still exist in our society despite its modernity & has tried to create an awareness. And lastly but perhaps the best part of this story was the fact that the author has highlighted a very important and basic human trait. All of us have hidden secrets, every person is not exactly the same as he portrays himself in front of the society, family or friends. Through almost every character, the author has played up this point.

Along with Jatin & Ram Prasad Yadav, the author has also included a motley of characters & various sub plots which add to the mystery of the plot. The author’s style of writing is reader –friendly, in other words, it is easy to read. However, there were a few sub-plots which were not concluded properly in the end and that left me unsatisfied. Also, the story seemed to drag in the last few pages, it could have been crispier. This is not a classic nor a glossy read but if you are looking for something that will keep you hooked till the end then JFK is the one for you. Kudos to the author for his debut effort.

(The review copy has been provided by MySmartPrice. This review is entirely my own personal & honest opinion. I do not receive any kind of payment or monetary gains for my review.)

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R.I.P by Mukul Deva

Title : R.I.P
Author : Mukul Deva
Genre : Thriller / Fiction
Publisher : Westland Books
Pages : 298
My Rating : 8.5/10
Reviewed For : Blogadda

Blurb:

R.I.P. The Resurgent Indian Patriots. Self- appointed guardians of a nation seething with anger at the endless scams and scandals rocking its very foundation. Vigilantes who vow to stop corrupt politicians and colluding civil servants. Even if it means killing them.

Colonel Krishna Athawale and his team of Special Forces officers rally to protect the country from the enemy within. They call themselves the K-Team. And no one is safe from their deadly intent. Hell-bent on stopping them is Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando, gun for hire and Krishna’s bête noir. Caught in the crossfire is Vinod Bedi, Special Director CBI. Reena Bhagat, a glamorous news anchor, embittered by her husband’s betrayal. And two young boys, Sachin and Azaan, torn apart by the loss of a parent. It doesn’t get bigger.

My Review :

They say that an enemy within the country is far more dangerous than the one sitting outside it. And this is what exactly India is facing today. People meant to take the country on the path of development are manipulating the common man’s wealth & the country resources instead. This novel brings out the sentiments of one such Indian (the author) who like most of us is angered by the turn of events taking place in our country & the mute spectators doing nothing to change it.

When I first read the blurb for RIP, the first thought that came to my mind was “League of Shadows”. To non-lovers of Batman series, League of Shadows is a collective of vigilantes who lead the path to true justice by taking on the criminals themselves. The K-Team here from RIP is something on the same lines!!

Amongst the various Indian thrillers being penned down, this book stands out from the rest, starting from the title to its cover to its plot. The title RIP  is an acronym for The Resurgent Indian Patriots who are a group of vigilantes who won’t think twice before assassinating a corrupt politician. On the cover page, what stands out the most are various elements of warfare - a soldier carrying a gun, a syringe, a bullet & an explosion!! Coming to the plot, this one is a fast paced action-packed punch which kick-starts with 3 high profile murders (here we go…….) & a promise for more assassinations if the political scum is not cleared!!

These assassinations are carried out by the K-Team which is a team of 6 Special Forces ex-officers lead by Colonel Krishna Athawale. In case you are wondering if the “K” factor of the team is inspired by Ekta Kapoor, the answer is no. The K-Team is named so because the names of all of its 6 members start with K (too much of a coincidence, I say!!). The origin of K-team lies in the fact that India as country has become the leading name in the arena of Corruption. Exploited endlessly by the politicians to the point that every day a fresh new scam is discovered, the K-team decide to take matter in their own hands to purge the system. Naturally, there are roadblocks which the K-team encounters. One of them is in the form of an official enquiry carried out by CBI Assistant director Vinod Bedi. And another is in the form of one of the most corrupt politician’s marionette, an ex-army man gone rogue – Raghav. So here is a plot that is at its crispiest & has some shades of Bollywood style masala.

Honestly speaking, this was my first Mukul Deva novel & I wasn’t expecting much but this one does manage rock your world. The most important feature of a thriller is its capacity to keep the reader on the edge & Mukul Deva gives you just that!! Also, the author’s army background is starkly evident in this read as the author dextrously combines his knowledge & creativity with military precision (literally!!). The book has a motley of characters via whom the author brings to fore the most basic of human traits which drive the human mind & the complexities that tag with each of these emotions. However, the most salient feature of this read is that it will strike a chord with every Indian reading this book. Mukul Deva has written in a way that arouses the otherwise dormant patriotism in each one of us & bring out the rebellion. Although the author has put a disclaimer that the book is entirely a fictional work, the readers will find the characters & the various scams described in the book familiar. I thought this was one book that seamlessly kept oscillating between fiction & reality.

This is a simple read with a fast paced plot. However, the pace does slacken a bit at a few places.  The plot could have been more tighter & relatable had not the author adopted the Bollywood style conclusion. This does tend to make the plot a teeny bit fantastical instead of keeping it grounded. All in all, a read that offers radical ideas.

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