Vikram and Betaal: Night of the Blood Moon-Amit Juneja

Book: Vikram and Betaal: Night of the Blood Moon
Author: Amit Juneja
Publisher: Penguin India

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

What would you do if you encountered a real-life Betaal?

Vikram Chauhan, a brilliant fintech entrepreneur with no belief in the supernatural, is at the peak of his Silicon Valley career. But when his wife, Meera, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, his world collapses. He abandons everything to chase a cure at any cost. His desperate search leads him to the whispers of a hidden temple in the remote town of Gresham, Rajasthan, said to perform miraculous healings. But Gresham hides darker truths. On the ominous night of the Blood Moon, Vikram is brought before the temple’s enigmatic high priest, who offers him a single, terrifying bargain: salvation for Meera, in exchange for capturing the ancient pishach―Betaal. Bound by an otherworldly oath to Vikram’s bloodline, the pishach draws him into a harrowing cycle of encounters. Each time Vikram closes in, Betaal tells the story of its current host and poses a riddle that tests his morality, forcing him to confront the limits of love, logic, and faith. As Meera’s time slips away and the curse of his lineage resurfaces, Vikram must face an impossible question: how much of his humanity is he willing to sacrifice to save the woman he loves? Vikram and Betaal: Night of the Blood Moon plunges into a world where ancient folklore collides with modern reason, a haunting tale of love, legacy, and the darkness that binds them both.

Vikram and Betaal is a wonderful take on the original folklore, set in the modern times. Amit presents a story that is rooted in the traditional story of Vikram and Betaal, but at the same time also aligns perfectly with the present times. The storytelling is very vivid and you are drawn into the story as Amit weaves this tale, page after page. Another aspect of the book I really loved was the background to the folklore and how the endless cycle across the ages has been set into the plot. When the book started, I was honestly expecting a conventional retelling of Vikram and Betaal, with sub-plots and Vikram answering questions. I was pleasantly surprised how Amit not just retains the core of the conventional idea of questioning morality through Betaal’s stories, but takes it a step forward by linking the host bodies and the names. As a reader, you are compelled to also think from Vikram’s perspective and try to answer Betaal’s questions, and that is there the newspaper clippings, police report etc. come into picture, which feel that you are living the story in Gresham, and not just reading the book in your room. The climax of the book is not just a moment, but a series of events that was truly not expected and while I was envisaging a climax basis what had happened, Amit did take me by surprise, especially with that one death of which I was certain would not happen (not revealing it here!).

The book reads like the horror shows that used to air on TV some years back with those grainy graphics and questionable costumes, but the horror was real, and the chills were guaranteed. Amit also manages to tease about some other characters that dwell in the forests of Gresham, and with our very home-grown tech billionaire at the helm, I am sure the book is the first of many encounters with the otherworldly creatures.

Coming to the character development, I loved the way in which Vikram’s character has been written. His transformation from a career-driven tech entrepreneur to a family focused person was sketched quickly but quite nicely. His character arc, post his arrival in Gresham, however, was something that really shines out. I was initially concerned that with the current times, Amit might have taken a 180-degree on Vikram, but even with the modern times, the essence of Vikramaditya was written beautifully. Another character I really loved was that of Dushyant. A friend who responds on one phone call is truly precious, and I loved how Amit created this friend in Dushyant. His ability to work around the toughest of the situations was very well written. Meera’s character, while a small part of the book, is one of the most important aspects of storytelling that Amit uses.

Overall, Vikram and Betaal is one of the best pieces of writing I have read recently and I am eager to see more adventures of Vikram and his cohorts. In my opinion, the book deserves 5 Betaals out of the 5 in Gresham forest.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you.