Rebellion by Shatrujeet Nath

​"Rebellion" by Shatrujeet Nath -Unexciting!

This book is published by Jaico in 2022 and has 408 pages. This is Book 1 of  'Warlord of Ayodhya' series. 

Kaikeyi extracted promise from Dashrath. Ram was ordered to 14 years of vanvas. Sita and Lakshman accompanied him. Bharat became reluctant king. Bharat is surrounded by multiple dangers. There is a Rakshasa attack. Raya Nagnajeet of Gandhara is moving against river kingdoms led by Kekaya. Raja Lavanyasurya of Madhupura has a plan of his own and has held Ayodhya at ransom owing to his favorable geographic location. Lankadhipati has sent Sorceress Simhika disguised as a weaver. Sudhanva is hatching a conspiracy. Dileepa, a Dandapala, is investigating for Bharat but is being targeted. People are disappearing. Bharat decides to do Agnimanasa against the advice of sages. 

What is Kaikeyi’s reaction? Why is Sudhanva conspiring? What does Simhika want? Why are people disappearing? What’s the endgame of Lavanyasurya? Why is magic depleting?

Author has imagined an interesting concept. Magic should be in the air for anyone to use it. Magic is replenished by homa of Rishis. Rakshasa try to destroy homa to deplete magic. It’s interesting. Magic is not something you create by mantra but something you use. It’s finite and needs replenishing. I loved the concept. 

Bharat is surrounded by problems. He doesn’t have allies and trusted men by his side. He is looked at as an usurper and a weak king. Bharat has an uphill task to change this perception and protect Kosala. 

Biggest drawback of this book is the story. The story is weak. It’s very slow. First half of the book is uninteresting. Second half of the book generates some interest, introduces various problems and sets the stage for second book. It's the curiosity, rather than the story, that keeps reader interested. 

It took me more than a month to read this book. That’s too much by my standards. It’s simply because the book doesn’t excite you, it doesn’t wake the ’what next’ inside you, you are not eager to know what happens next. There is a shock at the end of the book, but it isn’t unexpected. 

Now that the ground work is done and stage is set, hopefully second book will be more interesting and enticing. 

This book is definitely not in the league of other Shatrujeet Nath books. 

Book 2 ‘Resurrection’ is going to be published soon. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What did I like? Concept of magic.

What I didn't like? Story. 

Read only if you are going to read the series, hoping that author will stand up to his reputation in next book.