Tarikshir by Khayaal Patel: a review

I divide my choice of books in a few categories and judge me if you want to but books which look good are surely in my wish list. This debut work by Khayaal Patel, Tarikshir: The Awakening had in itself every category that I like. The cover is mesmerising where I remember when guests had come over to my place they commented that this book is gorgeous. The blurb is interesting and the premise holds your breath.

About the book- A small princely state in Rajasthan is the last bastion of resistance against the might of the British empire. While unrest surrounding the sudden death of the king of Devangarh grows, young prince Rudra Pratap Chauhan prepares to ascend the throne. But the kingdom is in turmoil. The Devangarh army is outnumbered and the British forces are closing in. To make matters worse, Rudra discovers the king's death may not have been accidental at all. The frequent appearance and disappearance of a mysterious, masked stranger, and a series of ritualistic murders in which the bodies have been drained of blood, spread panic across the realm. Who is this creature and how is he connected to all the strange occurrences? As Rudra struggles to manage his new responsibilities and investigate his father's death, he stumbles upon dark, dangerous secrets that will destroy everything he now holds together.

First things first, Rudra is definitely my newest favorite character. Everything about him is so good. But is everything what they seem it is? The book is all about known characters with unknown faces and unknown characters with known faces. It traces the journey wonderfully and does not seem like the author's first novel at all. The grasp of the language is wonderful and so is the narrating skills.

I'm seriously not going to comment on the characters or the plotline because the book is a series and I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. The flow is great and there's not a single dull moment in the book which might bore the readers. The language used isn't that much tough and is lucid enough for readers across generations to find the book meaningful and interesting. While a lot of writers are trying to experiment with the genre, Khayaal has done a commendable job in writing his debut.

For the cons of the book I would like to say that there were some scenes where I felt the book was stretched but then that's something that I give the liberty to the new writers about. The pace was maintained throughout apart from a few drops which I know the author will improve in his further books. I would also like to commend the author for writing something like this which made the book reading all the more worth while and giving birth to the eagerness to know what happens next. For me this one's a 4.5 on 5. Looking forward to more from the author's desk.