“This book came highly recommended, after reading the Shiva series by Amish, and I read it with some anticipation.
While I did find the dual storyline fascinating, the fact of the matter is that it was not engrossing enough in the long run.
The storyline especially in the Chanakya section was quite flat, with there being hardly any worthwhile opposition, and most enemies falling flat as soon as Chanakya planned something. What it needed was a worthwhile villain, but there was none.
The modern day Chanakya, Pandit Gangasagar, had somewhat rockier course to power and politics, but again the victories were facile, and superficial.
SPOILER Alert :
The opening sequence of Chandini being shot was not a great surprise, at least to me, and it was fairly obvious as to the reason why it was done.
I believe that with somewhat lesser number of characters, and more attention to making us care about them, the story could have packed in far more punch.
In comparison, you care much more about most characters in Amish's Shiva trilogy series.
A good read, with some quotable quotes, but not as engrossing and enlightening as could have been.”
golu wrote this review Sunday, February 12, 2012.
(
reply |
permalink )
