TITLE- The new dewtas: The rise of Rudra
AUTHOR- Suraj Kothiyal
NUMBER OF PAGES- 222
GENRE- Mythological fiction
PUBLISHERS- Inkstate Books
FORMAT- Paperback
About the book-
Neer, the head priest of the Himalayas, is troubled by the horrifying visions in his dream. On Ganga Maiyya's behest, he embarks on a journey to the doomed island of Bali .The island, plagued which cyclic torments of Sekala and Neskala are suffering from constant rainfall, faces an imminent danger of drowning in the sea. However, Neer's power was no match for the strong evil forces that kidnapped the king and the queen, activating the volcano of Mt Agung. With the neighbouring king of Java on his toes to attack and conquer the struggling island of Bali, will the gritty prince Erlangga, assisted by Neer, be able to save his kingdom?
My rating- ★★★★☆
My review-
A kingdom is on the verge of extinction, the people are caught up in the cycle of yin and yang, a stranger from thousands of miles comes to their rescue- What does he do, how does he do? Is he successful?
This is the story of the introduction of Hinduism in the country of Bali- the belief that existed before it and the process that took place during this introduction.
The story progresses through Neer's journey to Bali, his meeting with the crown prince Erlangga, the understanding of the situation and the forces at play and the final battle of breaking the chain of karma and result.
Initially the story starts a little slow but soon it turns out to become a gripping one. With twists and turns and revelations at every point the narration is really well built. The story contains a lot of historical facts which proves the research behind them. The manner in which the story progresses is really noteworthy. The changes in the surroundings and the characterization is detailed to a great extent. Also the transformation of the people where they start believing in Neer and his powers is described in the most lucid way possible.
This story combines a number of elements- it has mythology, mystery, history, politics, the lust for power,some amount of fiction and a whole amount of minute detailing.
Though the story is really good, the only problem that I have is with the characters. The characters have the same qualities throughout- there is very little character development apart from that of the crown prince. The characters seem to be very specific and didn't appeal to me, also Neer's character is overshadowed by the rest to a great extent. Inspite of being the reason of salvation he seems more of background character.
Characters-
Neer- he is the head priest of the Himalayas who travelled far away to the island of Bali upon the advice of Ganga Maiyya. He is the one who lead Bali to the path of salvation. A calm, level headed person with a powerful stone who became the reason Bali became free from the shackles of karma. Inspite of all the oppositions and suspicions he tried his very best till the end.
Erlangga- he is the price of Bali who somewhere becomes the protagonist. From a responsible ruler to a good son to a good friend, he is the only character who seems to develop throughout the story. We come to know many aspects of his kingdom and family and it is he who plays a pivotal role in helping Neer fulfil his destiny.
Other characters include the captain of the Chinese ship which brought Neer to Bali, who even plays an important role in the end, the priests of Bali, Erlangga's parents and the king of Java all of who help to take the story forward.
Writing style-
The narration is captivating, with new facts being added every time, there is not a single dull moment. The language is lucid, the facts well researched and the story gradually increasing in pace. The sequence maintained is commendable- overall a really good story telling.
This is certainly one addition to the list of mythological fiction that I would suggest. It just keeps the readers on the edge, mytho lovers do have a look- you will enjoy the history behind the story too.
I would like to thank the author for providing me with the review copy. It was really an interesting read.
Purchase link-
About the author-
The author, Suraj Kothiyal, hails from the beautiful city of Dehradun with his family roots belonging to the Himalayan region. His parents a teacher by profession, brother works in a software form and wife is a dance teacher. A mechanical engineer and an MBA in marketing, Suraj, had five years of Corporate experience before he started his own enterpreneurial journey.
Today Suraj's construction form develops beautiful living spaces for its customers in Dehradun.
Apart from marketing and construction, Suraj had keen interest in writing. He has been writing since childhood. Initially the hobby started out as writing poems in Hindi for school magazine. Is love of poetry continuous, and his collection of Hindi poems can be seen on his personal blog. As a child, whenever Suraj went close to the mighty mountains of Himalayas, they whispered a story in his ears. The stories later ignited a passion in him to write historical fiction and its his endeavour to bring to light the highly diversified and rich culture across the world. This book is inspired by of popular folklore in Bali that talks of a Hindu Saint namely, Maharishi Markandeya into Bali from India and introduced Hinduism on the scenic Island.
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