Amish - The Secret Of The Nagas (Shiva Trilogy, #2)

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Shiva Trilogy was recommended by my reader friend Prajkta, who was the same lady who introduced me to Paulo Coelho. She was in a kind of trance and was not able to stop praising it! More importantly, she shared with me the book too. Me, after finishing the second chapter ordered a copy for myself ! Because I knew this is a book I will read again, and should be a part of my book collection...

Mythological or folklore inspired stories has one advantage - people already knew the story. They know what to expect. And the biggest drawback is not to challenge the original story or not to disturb their feelings towards the characters. Amish, the about the author column says, did exhaustive research and understanding of Shiv Purana and it was the base of the Trilogy.

I have read my share of mythology books and epics. Not just limited to Ramayana and Mahabharata. But about Shiva, I hardly did. Though I know the main stories, he is one among the Thrimurthis and that, but not deep enough. So I was naturally happy and excited about this series. I was expecting a contemporary read of Shiva stories. Like a new way of presenting the myths. The one thing the most exciting and attractive was presenting him a human, whose God-like actions in the world gave him the God status.

His presentation in the first book ( The Immortals Of Meluha, Prajkta has promised me that she will cover the book here ) was well-done. The stage was set for his God-like actions. In the second book it is his journey towards the setup for the bigger things ( that is what I am expecting! ). His new allies, discoveries, along with the reader of course, are the theme of this one.

There are many a time my knowledge was challenged in the book. Like, birth of Ganapati. The two I heard was that, Shiva behead Ganesh in anger and on Parvati's request, to bring him back to life, he fits the head of an elephant. Another was that Ganesh was the child born when Shiv and Parvati romanced as elephants. Here the third one is - nope, you got to read it to find it, I don't want to kill it ;) BUT, a big but, I didn't feel Amish's story untrue. Because of the setting up he has done with the story, I felt that could be the perfect way. One more reason to believe Shiva's power and respect for the law. Hhhmmm... Intelligent.

Amish's writing style is superb ( do I need to re-iterate it ??? ). His language is simple. Canvas big. It is so big that he draws the pictures and incidents so clear and vivid before the reader. Whether it is war or Love or dance. Magical style he got. One good thing he did with the second book is that, the titles he gave to the chapters are less profound. i.e., in the first book, when the chapter says the first meeting of Shiv and Sati, he titled it, Shiva meets Sati, we know what is going to happen, but was reading to know how. Here in the second book it was rectified.

This is a book for everyone. Anybody who can be thrilled by the story of a warrior becomes God. I am eagerly waiting for the third book - The Oath Of The Vayuputhras to know how the transformation happened. I am sure Amish will not disappoint me. By then, I will read both the books again, together :)