The Legend of Bahirji-Naik: The Raiders of Surat (Book 1)-Shreyas Bhave

Book: The Legend of Bahirji-Naik: The Raiders of Surat (Book 1)
Author: Shreyas Bhave
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

Have you heard about the personality of Bahirji-Naik?

The Legend of Bahirji-Naik: The Raiders of Surat by Shreyas Bhave tells us the story of the Maratha Swarajya and what happens when the constant attacks have ravaged the Swarajya’s armies and depleted its treasury. The Mughal Subhedar Shaistekhan, sits encamped with his occupying army in the Maratha’s ancestral city – Pune. To survive, Raje must replenish the Swarajya’s treasuries and rebuild its armies. A hundred kos to the North lies the city of Surat, a hell-hole of corruption and guile, but rich with gold. An attack on Surat would solve all Raje’s problems. But Surat lies deep in Mughal territory, defended by Mughal Subhedar Inayat Khan, with a garrison of five thousand trained troops. The Swarajya’s hope of survival now depends on a seemingly impossible mission. The brunt will be borne by the Guptachar corps, led by Bahirji-Naik, and their new apprentice, Shashidhwaj, a mere boy of sixteen, using everything they know, to achieve fatteh. Can the Guptachars lead Raje’s army to Surat, negotiating such a vast stretch of hostile Mughal territory? Can they devise a way to beat the defenders of the city? Above all, can the Maratha Swarajya prevail? Or will it be destroyed like the hundreds of others who dared stand against the mighty Mughal Empire?

The book is a well-researched account of the Maratha raid of Surat in 1663, and while the author has taken creative liberty, as mentioned in the author’s note, the book reads like a gripping account of events as they occur. Shreyas’ storytelling is quite distinctive as he uses characters as well as props to move the plot forward and develop the situations. The book starts off with multiple events taking place at different places and is told as a flashback upto the point where the raid begins, and the various sub-plots converge. What I liked about the book is that the central aspect of the story is mentioned and yet remains obscure till the very climax which adds to the intrigue of the plot. The revelations in the climax are not someone would have guessed, and somehow made complete sense in hindsight. Another thing I liked is the fact that the book keeps its focus on the story of the Guptachars and their work, rather than move into a tirade about good or bad.

Coming to the characters, Bahirji-Naik impressed me with the detailing that Shreyas has done for their characters, specially when the historical information about them would have not been in as much detail as he would have liked. The way their characters show up in this book have surely got me excited for the upcoming books so as to see how their other adventures pan out. Shashidhwaj’s character was the star of the book and the way he matures from the first page to the last, specially in the scene inside the shamiyana (no spoilers!) is the sign of a storyteller par excellence. The other characters we see are people of note that form a critical part of our history, and I liked how Shreyas uses visual cues to paint a word picture of them.

The book is an excellent story of the spy craft Indian history has had and the crucial role they play in the game of empires. If you are a history buff and love historical fiction, then this is a book that comes highly recommended. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

A copy of the book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Get your copy of the book on Amazon India, or your nearest bookstore!

The Magicians of Mazda-Ashwin Sanghi

Book: The Magicians of Mazda
Author: Ashwin Sanghi
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Do you believe that we all share a common history across the ancient times?

The Magicians of Mazda by Ashwin Sanghi explores the story of what happened when a fleet of boats dock at the port of Sanjan in Gujarat in 720 CE which carried 18000 frightened souls fleeing the cruelty of Iran's Umayyad Caliphate. Chanting Sanskrit-like prayers, the high priest consecrates a sacred fire to thank their god, Ahura Mazda, leading them to a new home and hope. He uses a mysterious substance to spark the flame, but few know of its miraculous properties or provenance. Centuries later, Parsi scientist Jim Dastoor is abducted from his Seattle laboratory and whisked away to Tehran. The Ayatollah believes Jim is the key to uncovering the ancient relic known as the Athravan Star and his men will do anything to possess it, even murder.  Deftly navigating between time and geography, the book travels backwards, through the epochs of Islamic jihad, Macedonian revenge, Achaemenid glory, messianic birth, Aryan schism-to the Vedic fount from where it began.

True to Ashwin’s style of writing, the book has multiple events unfolding at multiple locations that come together to bring the story to a close in a surprising manner. The storytelling keeps you turning the pages, and as you feel that things are finally settling down, something changes again and you are forced to move on rather than place a bookmark. The book is well researched and I loved the fact that he takes his time to set things up, be it the conflict or the solution. Another thing that I loved about the story is that things unfold in pieces, rather than a long discourse towards the end. The concept that he explores in the story is something that is quite unique, but as you read the story, you realise that the probability of the existence of the idea is not that fantastic, and such is the level of detail to which the things are explained. As a master storyteller, there is nothing written or mentioned by chance, and each and everything that is a part of the narrative has a reason for being there. What interested me in this story is that as a reader, you start guessing how the story would turn out, and while I am happy I could guess a very small part of the story, I was in awe of the very last unveiling in the climax, one that has an excellent message as well.

Coming to the characters, as a storyteller, Ashwin’s characters emerge over a period of time, and rather than show all his cards at once, the element of mystery is what makes his characters unique. As the plot moves, the characters’ true colors are revealed, and more often than not, the characters inhabiting the story would surprise you, more times than you can guess. I liked how Jim is the primary character, yet the spotlight is not much on him as it is on the culture and history of the Zoroastrians. Another interesting aspect of the characters in the story is that the connections between them which seem generic at first, start making sense as you continue with the story.

The book might look like a bulky read (450+ pages) but the gripping nature of the story will make it seem that it is almost half that. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who loves to read a well written mythological fiction. The book scores a 4.98/5 for me.

I got my copy at Kunzum Gurgaon and you can get your copies on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore.

A Paradox of Dreams (Book 3 of the Haveli Series)-Harshali Singh

Book: A Paradox of Dreams (Book 3 of the Haveli Series)
Author: Harshali Singh
Publisher: Readomania

What does the idea of family mean to you?

A Paradox of Dreams by Harshali Singh is the third book of the Haveli series that explores the story of Charu, the blind third daughter of the Sharma family who uses her psychic abilities to find victims as part of an SIT headed by Ravi, her lover. Back into the fold of the Haveli, Charu wakes up from a horrific dream to answer a phone call from an old friend, Prithvi Chauhan, the suave Minister of State. He asks Charu to help him locate his kidnapped younger daughter Myra, for old times’ sake. Like a Matryoshka doll, Charu and Ravi uncover the nefarious intentions behind the polished lives of the Chauhans even as Charu battles with dreams that claw at her psyche and memories.

There are very few stories that keep moving, yet the moment you identify a track, something changes and makes you rethink your stance all over again. The storytelling is excellent and keeps you on your toes as you try and identify the perpetrator in this well written whodunnit. The plot is well planned and it moves at an interesting pace, with pauses at just the right moments. Harshali explores the idea of family from different perspectives and goes on to show that it is not just blood that makes a family, but circumstances can also create a bond that lasts a lifetime. The climax was quite nicely written and the author has built up the crescendo almost perfectly.

Coming to the characters, I loved how Harshali sets up each of the characters, establishes their backstory and creates an entire world where they live and breathe. The characters descriptions are vivid and help you create a picture as you read along the book. I liked the tension she builds up among the characters as it adds substance to the story as well as keeps the story moving.

Overall, this is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who likes to read a well-cooked story with just the right amount of mystery and suspense built in it. The book scores a 4.96/5 for me.

I was provided a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Get your copies on Amazon India or your local bookstore today!

Stars from the Borderless Sea-Shalini Mullick

Book: Stars from the Borderless Sea
Author: Shalini Mullick
Publisher: Readomania

What is your take on the idea of soulmates?

Stars from the Borderless Sea by Shalini Mullick asks some fundamental questions such as What is true love? Who are soulmates? Can love be defined by the constructs of society and convention? Can an affair rescue a marriage? Can true love ever tear people apart? The book explores three separate stories about Two college mates who fall in love, only to be separated-their love stays steady, though they meet just twice in forty years, A close-knit family, shadows from the past, a lingering suspicion, and a relationship put to the test & An emotionally unavailable husband, a hurt wife; and an affair that redeems and transforms. The book is a story of three strong women, and their journeys, and love, as mature and strong as them. In these times of speed dating, hook-ups, and break-ups, Stars from the Borderless Sky, a collection of three riveting stories, takes an unconventional, honest, empathetic look at that most universal of human emotions—love.

The thing about love stories is that the idea of a romance usually sounds good when it is complete, requited, however Shalini’s book tells us three stories of love that remained just shy of the people being together, but somehow these are among the best stories I have come across. Told beautifully, the 3 stories explore love across time and boundaries, and while each one of them is a stand-alone story, there is a common thread that connects them. The storytelling is powerful and the way in which the stories unfold is quite interesting. Another thing I loved about the stories is the magic of nostalgia and the reminiscing of the days gone by, specially through the visual cues she uses such as newspapers, old letters etc. The climax of each of the stories is meticulously planned and is just the perfect end to the story she is telling.

The stories in the book exist because of the characters and each of the people who appear in the story are very minutely detailed and connecting them is quite easy. Shalini’s characters are drawn from real life, and the one thing I loved is how inanimate objects have been given a key role in the progression of the stories. So be it the letters, newspapers or a city, these are some critical characters that transition from the inanimate to being almost a crucial and critical part of the story, specially when we take a walk through some of the most iconic places in Connaught Place.

This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves to read a well written love story and is not too much into happy endings, for this is a collection of stories that touch your heart. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore.

Princess and Prejudice (Devgarh Royals #2)-Alisha Kay

Book: Princess and Prejudice (Devgarh Royals #2)
Author: Alisha Kay
Publisher: Amazon Kindle

What do you think would happen when two people from opposite ends of the social spectrum fall in love?

Princess and Prejudice (Devgarh Royals Book 2) by Alisha Kay is the story of what happens when Yuvarajkumari Jayshree Singh, Princess of Devgarh, and Dr Aryan Sharma meet and it’s almost like opposites combust. He thinks she is a bratty and entitled princess, while she thinks he is an uptight pain-in-the-ass, who needs to have the stick surgically removed from his rather delectable posterior. When Aryan’s sister gets engaged to Jessie’s brother, they are forced to declare a reluctant ceasefire. But the hostilities don't cease. Instead, they erupt in an unexpected and unlikely gush of desire and longing. With their families set to merge, Aryan and Jessie need to decide if his prejudice and her pride can be set aside long enough for the love they feel to blossom. Or will they spend eternity wondering if they'd missed their chance at happiness?

The story has been crafted beautifully in the steamy and interesting way that has become Alisha’s signature. Picking up the two characters that we meet in the first book, Alisha weaves a story so compelling that you would be forced to turn the pages one after the other till you reach the end, almost wanting a bit more. The plot moves at a decent pace and the tension between the two main characters is quite palpable as well as realistic, one that keeps the reader engaged. The storytelling is vivid and I liked how Alisha uses visual cues to paint a picture of the events as they occur. The alternating telling of the events between Aryan and Jessie helps the emotions of both the characters come to the fore and establishes the tension in the plot that the author was aiming for. The climax has been wonderful planned and executed.

Coming to the characters, we first meet them in The Maharaja’s Fake Fiancée, and this time we see more of Aryan and Jessie and how their romance shapes up. Almost akin to a foe-turned-lovers tale, the characters have been wonderfully sketched and I liked how she actually creates Jessie a complete invert of Aryan, yet leaves bits and pieces of common aspects, as if you are looking at yin-yang. The chemistry between the two is quite powerful and I loved how she has created a love-hate relationship that drives the story forward.

Overall, this is a worthy sequel to the first book and I would definitely recommend this if you are in a mood to read some wonderfully written romantic story. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

A copy of the book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Get your copy of the book on Amazon India here.

Check out my review of The Maharaja's Fake Fiancée (Devgarh Royals #1) here.