The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy #1) by Amish Tripathi
Published by: Westland
Pages: 436
Format: Paperback
Genre: Mythology, Fiction
About the Book:
1900 BC. In what modern Indians mistakenly call the Indus Valley Civilisation. The inhabitants of that period called it the land of Meluha a near perfect empire created many centuries earlier by Lord Ram, one of the greatest monarchs that ever lived. This once proud empire and its Suryavanshi rulers face severe perils as its primary river, the revered Saraswati, is slowly drying to extinction. They also face devastating terrorist attacks from the east, the land of the Chandravanshis. To make matters worse, the Chandravanshis appear to have allied with the Nagas, an ostracised and sinister race of deformed humans with astonishing martial skills!
The only hope for the Suryavanshis is an ancient legend: When evil reaches epic proportions, when all seems lost, when it appears that your enemies have triumphed, a hero will emerge.
Is the rough-hewn Tibetan immigrant Shiva, really that hero? And does he want to be that hero at all? Drawn suddenly to his destiny, by duty as well as by love, will Shiva lead the Suryavanshi vengeance and destroy evil?
My Review:
This book is a fictionalized tale of the journey of an ordinary human – Shiva to become Nilkanta (the one with blue throat) and ultimately Mahadev (The supreme God). Amish has used the same characters, places from Hindu Mythology and weaved a very intricate and intriguing story.
The book highlights the belief that the actions are the only deciding factors in transforming an ordinary human to Mahadev – God of Gods. It’s a very interesting story about a simple prophecy gone all confusing.
Even though the characters are derived from Hindu mythology; this book can be read as any other historical fiction. This book tells us story of Shiva, a chieftain from the Himalayan region who along with his tribe migrates to mighty and peaceful Suryavanshi clan, Meluha. Expecting a peaceful and prosperous life for him and his tribe member, Shiva is in a rude shock when all is not what it seems in Meluha. From here starts Shiva’s journey to become the legend he is destined to be.
What I liked the most is, Amish has kept the basic characteristics of the mythological Gods and Goddesses the same. Amish has brought us a completely original plot brilliantly blending mythology and fiction to create an awe-inspiring saga.
Definitely recommended to all fiction lovers.
Bookishly 