Just finished the first book of SHIVA TRILOGY, by Amish, named "The Immortals of Meluha", and it took me 16 days to read 397 pages, and I read it without performing any multitasking, i.e. I haven’t read any other book during this duration, like I generally used to do. A brief of the book is - a simple and engrossing read, and it will make you feel like you’re yourself going on this journey which the main character of the book takes, and I found one more worthy Indian writer in Amish, and I am expecting two remaining books by him on the same pattern, and I felt like he is the Indian JRR Tolkien, in making.
The story - A tribe residing at Mount Kailash, led by Shiva, is invited to live at a new place called Meluha with the Meluhans, and it is Nandi who came to take them all to his land and give them offer of their lifetime, to improve their standards. Shiva, after consulting with his best friend Bhadra, accept the offer, since here they are suffering attacks from a bad tribe ’Pakratis’. They entered the Meluhan region, and was awestruck by the clean and tidy areas, wonderful management by the Suryanavshis, under the rule of King Daksha, immediately liking the Meluha. But then a secret revealed that Shiva is a saviour, a Mahadev or rather NEELKANTH, for whom Suryavanshis are waiting for long, as they have enmities with the worst tribe the "Chandravanshis". And they are now sure of beating Chandravanshis since the Lord Neelkanth is now with them. As per them Chandravanshies, are bad tribe responsible for terrorist attacks on them, and they are even take help of other worst tribe known as the "Nagas". But Shiva, the Neelkanth started loving a Vikarma daughter of King Daksha - Sati. The story goes well till the war, and winning of Suryavanshis, alongwith the love story of Shiva and Sati. But the end is not an end, it is the beginning of more unknown secrets, and much more to come in other parts.
The book and author - I find one more current Indian writer worth in Amish Tripathi after Chetan Bhagat and Ashwin Sanghi. He was born in 18 oct 1974 in Mumbai. He was in financial services, and gave up his career after becoming a successful writer of this book. The book has sold over 175000 copies till August 2011. This book was the first of the Shiva Trilogy. 2nd book "The Secret of the Nagas" is also released, and 3rd part "The Oath of the Vayuputras" is due. I bought this book from Flipkart at Rs.117, now its available for Rs.127. Book goes for 397 pages divided over 26 chapters and a glossary. The book’s tagline goes like - The Story of the Man, Whom legend turned into a God.
Pros - 1. Simple language, and as simple as it can be, nothing twisted and turned, and it goes like butter, once you start reading it, you’ll finish it, it offers such excitement although being simple. The chapters didn’t looked boring, even spread for so many pages. The story is mythical but presented in new style, though Amish’s perspective, just a though that "what if the Gods are not Gods, but are common man, then what is it that took them to become Gods"
Amish is quite JRR Tolkien in making, as the whole book is journey-oriented, with pinch of human emotions and feelings, and a love to share with.
Good introduction and a first part which can certainly be developed in a trilogy, just hope that other parts are equally good or better.
Characterization is good, many characters are lovable and some are rules-bounded. The best character was of Shiva, the Neelkanth. Other worth looking are Sati, Nandi, Daksh, Parvateshwar, Ayurvati and Brihaspati, and one secret Naga character.
Wonderful imagination by the author, like he renamed Harappa civilisation as Hari-Yuppa, the land of Hari, and Mohanjodaro as Mohan-Jo-Daro, the land of Mohan. Also gave a map of ancient Bharat showing Yamuna river as a tributary to Sutlej and Saraswati, as per story, Yamuna was later diverted to meet Ganga, which flows through Chandravanshis land.
Cons - 1. Some grammatical mistakes, and some common mistakes are there in the book. Biggest I found is the use of name India, as I don’t think the period to which the story points, can have a name India, instead he could have used Bharat.
Story is just plain, the book is engrossing but as for this book, not much in the story.
Some situations in the book are undeveloped, it can be explained or explored more, which I was waiting for, but it didn’t came. Like the journey which Suryavanshis take to the Chandravanshis land for war, is just finished in few paragraphs, it could be explored, and made more interesting (Remember I am a LOTR fan!), although may be it’s author’s perspective that he wants it to be like that.
Some war techniques looked quite familier to 300 movie, I don’t know whether those are used in earlier wars or not, but maybe our author is inspired, as 2-3 situations matched.
My Verdict - 3.5/5 for this first and nice attempt at different format of story-telling by Amish. And worth a collection. I am looking for the part 2. Soon I’ll get it, read it and will post the review. As of now going with 2nd book of Matthew Reilly’s Jack West Jr. Trilogy named "The Six Sacred Stones".
GRuchirG.
Shiv ji ki jai :)