The Emperor's Riddles by Satyarth Nayak: a review

The catchy cover of debutant writer, Satyarth Nayak’s The Emperor’s Riddles becomes an instant hit among the readers. The green on the cover gives the eyes a very soothing effect that lasts till the end of the book. It makes it stand out in the crowd. The name has very beautifully supported the cover and the story.

According to the back cover:More terrifying than the savage murder of historian Ram Mathur on the ghats of Ganga, are the questions that follow. The letter carved on his face…the cryptic mail he sends his daughter Sia after he dies…more murders piling up. Desperate for answers, Sia turns to esoteric writer and fiend Om Patnaik. But what begins as a hunt for the killer, becomes an extraordinary trail of riddles strewn across the country that must end at the gates of an enigma… An ancient enigma so powerful that even gods would kill for it!!! In another time and space, rules an Emperor who plays with phenomenal forces that make him supreme…who faces these very forces when they threaten the survival of the human race. An Emperor who must ultimately pay homage to the enigma… As Patnaik and Sia race from one riddle to another, towards a royal secret that has remained alive for centuries…will the final truth save them or destroy them forever? The path beckons. Can you solve The Emperor’s Riddles?

As a debutant writer the author had done a great job. The flawless narrating style will make readers occupied from the very first page till the end of the book. The way the writer copes up with the Old Indian time and the current time is commendable.

The story unfolds around nine riddles which will lead the main two protagonists Om Patnaik and Sia Mathur towards a royal secret. After reading the very first page, readers are going to understand that this book is going to be a roller-costar ride. I appreciated the amount of research and the amount of effort the author had given for this book.

How they solve the riddles and why the number nine comes in use in every scene of the book, is why readers are going to love it. The heart racing thrill and interesting explanations makes this book a must read. The mystery of the eye in the cover also gets solved at the very end.

Though the end is something every reader looks forward to. The book is full of surprise elements and a much faced paced read but sometimes I felt or the readers might feel that few scenes are bit exaggerated. Especially at the end, where the author’s effort of keeping the suspense is visible and could’ve been much better if not stretched so much.

I loved the whole book and I’m surely going to recommend this book to all those readers who are searching for a fast paced, thriller teamed with the elements of fantasy. I would like to give this debut book a 4.5 on 5 for this magnificent read and would hope for many more books to come from the writer.


P.S.: This review is a part of the Readers Cosmos Book Review Program.