Friday 2 December 2016

The Conspiracy at Meru by Shatrujeet Nath: a review

The second book of the Vikramaditya Veergatha series, The conspiracy at Meru has been one of the most awaited books since the first book has been released. Left at a cliffhanger, everyone was keen on knowing what happens next and trust me on this, Shatrujeet Nath didn't dissapoint. As I see the cover for the first time and touch the book, the feeling is unexpressable. I quickly turn on to the blurb to see what it has to say about the book.

According to the blurb- Victory is temporary. The battle is eternal. Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine have fought valiantly to repel the rampaging hordes from Devaloka and Patala- but Avanti has been brought to its knees. Ujjayini lies battered; its citizens are scared, and morale is badly shaken. Meanwhile, the barbaric Hunas and Sakas are gathering on the horizon, and cracks are emerging between the allied kingdoms of Sindhuvarta. The only silver lining is that the deadly Halahala is safe. For now. Bent on vengeance, Indra is already scheming to destroy Vikramadirya, while Shukracharya has a plan that can spell the doom for the Guardians of the Halahala. How long can the human army hold out against the ferocity and cunning of the devas and asuras? And will Vikramaditya's love for his queen come in the way of his promise to Shiva?

First things first, even though it is highly suggested for every reader to read the first book of the series first before going to the second book, you would not be disappointed if you start with this one. The map, the index lists everything that you might need for the feel of the book. The excitement and the edge of the seat feeling that hooked you in book 1 is maintained in this book too and trust me when I say this, I read it in one go.

 The mixture of mythology and thriller is something that holds the reader from get one. The author has been known for writing gripping plots and rightfully so. The best part I liked about this book would be the development of the characters. The way things shaped from book 1 to book 2 traces the ever evolving side of the author. As always, the action and adventure packed ride makes this book so much more than we expected.

I won't give in much about the characters again but then I am looking forward to the conclusive part where I'm sure the only thing I'll talk about is the characters. There are very few books with which we connect, this book is one such. What I would love to talk about for now has to be the storyline. Mystery. What does this word stand for you? For me, this series is the ultimate answer to the question. The layering that the author has done is brilliant. You would root for people and would hate people but you are sure to love the book. The end was again, the trademark of the author which I'm sure might make anyone wait eagerly for the next.

Speaking of the cons of the book is tough. What didn't work for me in the book is something what a few new readers might also feel. Since there are multiple characters with names that we aren't used to listening to on a daily basis, it takes a bit time to get used to it. The index helps a lot and it is also suggested to read book 1 and 2 back to back to retain the feel. Apart from that, this series is a must read series and the expectations are higher for the next. This book for me is  4.5 out of 5, waiting for so much more from the author.

1 comment:

  1. Blogging is the new poetry. I find it wonderful and amazing in many ways.

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