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Monday, October 6, 2014

The Exiled Prince by Ravi : A Review



BOOK TITLE: The Exiled Prince
ISBN: 9788172344818
AUTHOR: Ravi
GENRE: Fiction / Mythology
NUMBER OF PAGES: 262
FORMAT: Paperback
SERIES / STANDALONE: Crystal Guardian series #1
REVIEW BY: Dhivya Balaji
HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: Fingerprint publishers sent us a copy in exchange for a honest review. We thank them for that!
SUMMARY:
          Crystal Guardian series is a racy, mythical sci-fi work of fiction that brings together the British, the Legend of Rama and a cosmic crystal.

          Part 1 of this racy Trilogy titled The Exiled Prince. The story begins in British India and the book plunge into non-stop action right away as we hear about the Crystal of Creation...

          Legends say that the Crystal of Creation, with part of the souls of Lord Shiva and Narayana suspend within it, has the power to construct the universe, annihilate it, and recreate it again. Since the moment of its creation, this single most powerful weapon in the universe has remained hidden somewhere deep within Mount Kailash.

          Except now. Now, it has gone missing.

         Rama, the hero of the ages, must embarks upon a perilous journey to find the Crystal of Creation before someone else, someone with an insatiable lust for power, discovers it and the reigns of the entire cosmos fall into the wrong hands.

          And thus begins an epic adventure which will take Ram, the legendary superhero, beyond the kingdom of Ayodya into lands where he will have to battle the fiercest of demons in all of history in order to do what he must. It will also seek to answer a question that has never been asked: Who was Rama really?

          Nothing arbitrary. Nothing wilful. And as powers greater than the universe itself come together only to erupt into chaos and intrigue, discover an intriguing tale set in a time before Time, where the immortal Rama will come to life and reveal his world through his eyes as he begins his quest for the Crystal of Creation.
REVIEW:
          Ramayana – Every child in any Indian household has grown up hearing it, or at least hearing of it. It is one of the two great epics. Rama is one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. And how many ever stories you can read about Him, they can never be enough or complete. There is always that one unexpected angle, that one sudden surprising story, or simply, the same story told in a different angle. The Exiled Prince is a very, very engrossing read in this regard – with its sub plots, plots within plots and stories within stories, in parallel timelines.
          When you start a mythology based book, there are fanatics and critics and ‘knowledgeable’ people who have read the epics in their original forms and will find a contradiction in every point. But much like all the famous stories, the Ramayana can be interpreted in many, many ways and can easily contain multiple viewpoints based on not only the understanding of the reader, but also the perception of the author. What is interesting and unique in this book is the fact that this is written in a first person narrative. Yes, you can read about Rama himself telling his story – to his sons and hanuman. This is where the book becomes interesting.
          The story starts with the premise of ‘the crystal of creation’ that contains parts of the souls of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. While these gods are powerful individually, their combined power will surely be phenomenal. The crystal is believed to contain the super powers of creation, destruction and is considered to be an infinite source capable of fathomless destruction when it falls into the hands of someone who has no control for the lust of power. Rama’s true purpose is to find out the place of the crystal and take it before someone else gets their hands on it.
          The first chapter of the story is set in Madhuranthagam – a little known place in Tamil Nadu, India, which is famous for its temple of Rama, though is much underrated. A British colonel is busy with the task of evacuating a whole village fearing floods, while the local people reiterate the belief that their protector, Prince Rama will save the village. And miraculously, He does. Whether or not this incident is real will surely be debated. But anyone who has visited the temple will feel the presence surely.
          The scene where all the seven major sages meet to talk about the crystal is at once awe inspiring and chilling. From there, Rama begins narrating the story and there is no looking back. It becomes hard to keep track of each story as it unfolds and as each new character (an old character revealed in a new perception) is described. Many of us have heard of the queen Kaikeyi’s valour, and of Vishwamitra’s slip up from bachelorhood with Menaka. But to read it described in connection to the story of the crystal is quite new.
          Any mythology lover likes to read different perspectives of the same story. And the more controversial it is the better stimulating to the human mind it is. The Exiled Prince fares well in this aspect. The book is descriptive enough, and written in Rama’s perspective, shows the turmoil he faces in his mind. The scenes of battle and the use of weapons are in detail. The marriage of Ram and Sita take us to Mithila directly. And the language in which this book is written helps very much. It is lucid and phrased clearly.
          Take up this book, even if you are not a mythology lover. This will surely give you another refreshing perspective on the age old but always new tale called Ramayana. It is high time Rama had a say in it!
WHAT I LIKED:
          The story of the crystal, and of Rama’s true purpose.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
          The stories within stories that sometimes becomes a bit distracting. Plus the descriptions are also heavy. Though necessary, this will hamper the progress of a new reader.
VERDICT:
          A new perspective, a different read. Go for it.
RATING: 4.2/5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
          Ravi V is an entrepreneur and innovator in the IT sector in the USA where he has been living since the late 1990s. Though trained as an engineer, Ravi has a keen interest in ancient Indian history and mythology and his first literary venture, The Crystal Guardian Series, is a testimony to this deep abiding passion. Apart from his academic and literary pursuits, Ravi also loves exploring such varied topics as futuristic science, human evolution and cosmology. A globetrotter in the truest sense, he enjoys hiking and snorkelling in different corners of the world and uses these experiences to connect better with the natural world. Of the firm belief that our myths are linked to our evolution as a species, Ravi took about three years to do extensive research on the legends and myths that surround the figure of Rama in order to write this book where he seeks to create a larger than life image of this ancient Indian superhero. This book is a testament to his faith and his life. He takes inspiration from J. K. Rowling, Sidney Sheldon and Dan Brown. Ravi is also a fan of Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku and Carl Sagan.
EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Paperback
PRICE: Rs. 199 for paperback
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