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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Librarywala.com Reviews: The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi

Hello Librarywalas!
There are a few books that leave a lasting impact on the literary scene. The Immortals of Meluha burst in to the Indian books circuit, and took it by storm. This is our review of the national bestseller. Do give it a read.


Title : The Immortals of Meluha
Author : Amish Tripathi
Publisher :Westland

Mythology and faith have always been held on a giant pedestal in India, and millions are pious believers of myriad Gods. Against that background, Amish Tripathi’s debut novel is mythology on steroids! The book is the first installment of The Shiva Trilogy. Rooted in ancient scribes and corroborated in parts by history, The Immortals of Meluha is two parts action, one part drama and five parts speculative fast-paced fiction. How can it not enthrall readers, when its core premise is that Lord Shiva wasn't in fact a Lord, but a mere mortal that was immortalized by legend?

“Whether a man is a legend or not is decided by history, not fortune tellers.”

The story is set in 1900BC in Meluha (or the Indus Valley Civilization), an almost Utopian empire built centuries ago during Lord Ram’s brilliant reign. However the country is in a state of disarray as the Chandravanshis and evil Nagas align to terrorize the Meluhans, the sacred Saraswati river depicts signs of extinction and the magical ‘somras’ is depleting. The only spark of hope is ancient lore that states-when problems become insurmountable for ordinary men, the Neelkanth (savior) will appear. Chapter 1 ‘He Has Come!’ kicks off with a burly, battle-fatigued Shiva in a dilemma over an enticing offer from Nandi, inviting him and his tribe Gunas to inhabit Meluha.  Shiva finds himself responding to the call of destiny while finding love of his life, forming brotherly associations with some and leading a whole country against evil.  In the midst of awe-inspiring battle, Shiva rises to the occasion as the ultimate warrior, simultaneously coping with the trials and tribulations of ordinary mortals.

His tryst with inner demons, confusion, frustration and desperation to find the ultimate solution and the final realization will surely resonate with people of all age groups. The contemporary and conversational style of writing has clearly been used favoring the mass appeal, and has worked like a charm. The careful reader will find hidden nuances in Amish’s writing- the references to untouchability, terrorism and even immigration-which offer much fodder for thought.  The author creatively brings out every human’s stubborn resolve in prescribing to particular set of beliefs and believing that his way is the ‘right’ way.  One can draw many parallels with modern scenarios, especially with the Anna Hazare-lead anti-corruption movement gathering steam.

This concoction of angst, drama and romance makes for a heady read. Fusing fact, faith and fiction seamlessly, this is a book that deserves a marathon read, as it keeps you hooked from start to finish. The sequel to this book ‘The Secret of the Nagas’ is now out and promises to be an exciting read as well.

Librarywala.com gives the book 'The Immortals of Meluha' 4.5 on 5.

Feel free to issue the book online on the Librarywala website here: 


Amish Tripathi is a marketing whiz and has generated a huge fan following due to his out-of-the-box techniques to reach out to readers. Do connect with the author here:
The Shiva Trilogy website-http://shivatrilogy.com/ 
Amish Tripathi on Facebook-http://www.facebook.com/amish.tripathi



Feel free to share your opinions on the book with us. 
Happy Reading!