Fiction Overload

Ash Mistry…

I agree, I'm a big fat sucker for fantasy. I love reading about impossible things. Beautiful beasts and frightening monsters. Devious villains and gallant heroes. Supernatural elements and magical twists. No wonder authors like Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson fame) and JRRT (LOTR….)are few of my fav authors. I devoured HP while I was in college. I still remember being in one of my pre-university exam prep lectures and reading  HP without caring what the prof was talking about. 10 years have passed, but nothing in me has changed when it comes to reading fiction. I've read Percy and the Heroes of Olympus series sitting in office, sometimes at client location. J (nothing to be proud of to be truthful)

So when I was feeling down last week, I browsed through Amazon for something new and exciting. And that’s when Amazon suggested, I should take a look at Ash Mistry series. Amazon says….

Rick Riordan did it for Greece. Now Sarwat Chadda does it for India… Book two in the incredible action-adventure trilogy about Ash Mistry, reluctant hero and living weapon of the death goddess Kali.

When something is sold with that introduction, how come one like me NOT pick it up?

Past few days have been nothing but mayhem for me. Workload was making me want to quit, and people driving me mad. It was a time of great unrest and personally a very low time. It was time for a boost and Ash did just that.

True to the introduction that Amazon offers, this is truly something that will appeal to the Rick Riordan fans. India is land of mystery and intrigue, where gods are still very much a part of the daily life of most of the population. We believe that they exists and we trust that they do exist amongst us in day-to-day life. For Indians, god isn’t about the entity that stays on a pedestal and looks down upon the mere mortals, but rather they are incarnations of the great power that live, breathe and strive amongst us. We believe that the great are incarnations of the Gods and Gods are personified as friends, philosophers and even lovers in popular myths. For someone who is born and brought up in India with myths about devotees getting married with their patron gods (like Mira), and god waiting outside the house of their devotees for the devotee to finish his chores (like Vittal and Pundalik)… it’s perfectly acceptable that the Goddess of Death and Time…. Kali can chose a 15 year old boy warrior to be her weapon.

Ash Mistry is a very believable little boy. He is pampered little brat who loves his family, out on holiday in India. Surrounded by mysterious people in the heart of India’s religious hub, Varanasi. He is pulled into the magical world of sacrifice hungry Gods, immortal demons and plans of world domination. The idea of Rakshasa in Indian Mytho is such a colorful concept, and Sarwat Chadda uses them to the fullest. This is a very quirky little author (check his blog), to look out for. The guy has a flair for action. He has a head for the myths and does an excellent job of creating a hero that is superbly relatable and lovable. Of course he didn't have to make the demons so weird, but I guess it works in the overall theme of the story.

This is a book series that feeds people like me with all the necessities of life. there’s mystery, there’s magic, there’s a hero struggling to become a hero, there’s the badass villain and the plans for world dominations, there’s mysterious teachers and there’s the every lasting theme of family, responsibilities, love and friendships… with a dash of mistrust, intrigue and a little backstabbing mixed with some fast paced action (this coming from me is a BIG deal, trust me… I’m a MR fan)…. So, all in all…what’s not to like?

If you have ever found yourself lost in the world of HP / LOTR / Percy Jackson… then Ash Mistry is the series for you. Doesn't matter if your Hindu mytho is rusty… there’s enough info in the books to make up for it. So, get of your backside, pick this one up… or download from Amazon and READ… phsss.... I read all three books in less than 8 days...