Narasimha The Mahaavatar Trilogy by Kevin Missal

‘How is Bhairav?’ Nara had known all of these men during his stint back in the army. Now, none of it made sense. Lord Bhairav was a Shiva, just like Lord Rudra had been before him, during Mohini’s Yug. Shiva was a war title given down below in the mountainous regions of the Gana tribe. ‘Worse. Andhaka has been a nuisance,’ Indra sighed. ‘You have to hand it to him, though. Even though he’s blind, he’s quite the man, quite a warrior.’ Nara nodded. He had heard about Andhaka – the famous son of Hiranyaksha, the previous Asura king. The blind prince who was near impossible to kill, so superior were his battle strategies.

Narasimha, once a brave soldier, has left the war and lies low as a physician in a village. But a familiar face from his past seeks his help to stop the tyranny of the blind usurper Andhaka. If Narasimha refuses, the world might just end. What will he do? And why did he leave the war in the first place? Prahlad, the interim king of Kashyapuri, is torn between the ideals of his unrighteous father and his love for Lord Vishnu. Whom will he choose? Hiranyakashyap, the ruler of the Asura Empire, wants to avenge the death of his wife. To do that, he must go through the Trials and get the ultimate weapon – the Brahmastra. But the Trials have sent so many others to their death. Can Hiranyakashyap survive?

I love to read mythological fictions. Because unlike our elder generation we need some concrete base for our belief . And if I can borrow one dialogue from this book itself, “Faith is most important. Faith strengthens us and makes us believe “. So, there is a need of  faith in our roots to grow and thrive. And our mythologies are most important thing from our past . This book not only talks of the fourth Avtar of Vishnu but also we can see the glimpses of our rich culture . The strong women characters and their importance in the society, the equality and respect they commanded in that age is commendable. 

Either Holika or Dhriti or Chechen, each women character has their own strengths and I really appreciate it. The bravery of Holika impressed me the most. The different shades of Prahlad is really interesting and I am looking forward to the next installment of this triology to know how Prahlad emerged from his death trap and how he will survive and continue his Vishnu worship? 

His brother’s character is also quite impressive. The language and narration of the book is impressive. There is a smooth flow of incidents and kept me glued to the book. It has been quite an interesting read and I never felt that I am reading a mythological fiction .There is never a single dull moment in the book.

Book Review by Sneha Prakash

Book : Narasimha

Author : Kevin Missal

Publisher : HarperCollins India

Price : ₹170

Pages : 345

Rating : ☆☆☆☆4/5