The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy #1)

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The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy #1)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 17,846 ratings · 1,622 reviews

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...more

Paperback, 436 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by Westland (first published January 1st 2010)

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Jan 19, 2013 Meghna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, reviewed

The book is based on the belief that perhaps the actions, the deeds and karma are the only deciding factors in transforming an ordinary man to Mahadev - God of Gods.

WHAT I LIKED THE MOST ABOUT THE BOOK
Using the same characters, places and names which are associated with Lord Shiva -Mansarovar,Sati, Nandi, Daksh, Gunas, makes the whole story very believable and easy to relate to.Many euphoric moments throughout the narrative, especially the episode when Neelkanth inspires the Suryavanshi army to...more

42 likes · like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Qube [V³] rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: indian-authors

The Immortals of Meluha is a mythological novel (erroneously labelled sometimes as epic fantasy) that takes one of the gods of Indian mythology and portrays him as a man. Amish intelligently tweaks and warps the cast of familiar characters (familiar to Indians, at least), and paints a fantastical version of Shiva's life that is credible in some parts and amateurish in others. It is not a version the religious or the traditional will appreciate, but is one that will appeal to those who are not av...more

8 likes · like · see review

Nov 24, 2012 Indian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good story poorly written

Amish Tripathi weaves a splendid but totally fictional & fantasised account of Shiva's traivails.

For the folks looking for Lord Shiva's mythologicaly accurate chronical would feel frustrated. This book is certainly not for the purists; they should explore authetic SHIVA PURAN for that goal.

This is a fabricated, but very well conceptualised story, weaving together the history(Indus Valley Civilization), geaography ( North Indian plains above the Vindhayas) & myth...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Mihir rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: There’s quite a backstory to The Immortals Of Meluha. It was a book that was rejected by almost every publisher that the author had approached. Disappointed but not defeated the author went on to self-publish it and with a strong online presence managed to sell enough copies to become an Indian bestseller. He was of course then taken on by a traditional publisher and became a reputed bestseller all across the Indian subcontinent while bein...more
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: There’s quite a backstory to The Immortals Of Meluha. It was a book that was rejected by almost every publisher that the author had approached. Disappointed but not defeated the author went on to self-publish it and with a strong online presence managed to sell enough copies to become an Indian bestseller. He was of course then taken on by a traditional publisher and became a reputed bestseller all across the Indian subcontinent while being translated into many languages as well.

The story focuses on Shiva, a twenty-one year old warrior who is living with his tribesmen in what is currently Tibet. He comes across a group of Meluhans (Meluha is what is now Western India & Pakistan) who are searching for something or someone. Shiva’s tribe is called the Gunas and another tribe called the Pakratis is hunting them. Shiva detests the needless violence and decides to follow the Meluhan party back to their land. Things seem troublesome in Meluha wherein the Suryavanshi kings (Descendants of the Sun) are the rulers and the people live by Suryavanshi standards. They are facing friction from their eastern neighbors, the land of Swadeep ruled by Chandravanshis (Descendants of the moon) as both sides are clueless in regards to the drying up of the Saraswati River and hence blame each other for their differences.

There’s Nandi who yearns to be the right hand to the prophesied “Neelkanth”, Sati is the Suryavanshi princess who is rather held down by an archaic law and might find release if she can find the true path. Then there’s Brahaspati who provides Shiva with some mental acuity and comic relief as he tries to help the “Neelkanth” with his role. Thrust into this maelstrom of people and events, is Shiva who while being a foreigner is still caught up in the throes of an ancient prophecy whilst not believing it personally? Thus begins the first chronicle of the Shiva trilogy.

I was able to read this book when it was released in India and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot for a variety of reasons. The mythological aspect of the story is highlighted in a big way; the author has utilized a lot of aspects of mythos associated with Lord Shiva and had inserted them intelligently in the story. As a person who’s decently versed in Indian mythology, I was certainly blown away by the author’s expertise in utilizing small mythological kernels and factoids and planning the story around their like. Secondly the story is pretty linear and very fast paced, from the start the reader is introduced to an ancient world however the plot twists and the pace will have the readers racing along smoothly. For many readers the terminology and settings of the story might be very different that what they have come to expect within epic fantasy however the glossary provided will help tremendously in their understanding of the plot and terms. Characterization is very relatable however the characters seem a bit two-dimensional. This might also be due to the fact that this was a debut novel and written a few years ago.

There’s also the epic storyline and the author does his best to lay out the details of the conflict brewing as well sow some seeds of confusion to misdirect the main characters as well as the readers. I would recommend the readers refer to the glossary whilst reading the story as that way they can get more out of the story and its intricacies. I was hooked onto the happenings from cover to cover and couldn’t read faster to reach the climax and the author ends it on a very nice cliffhanger. This was a very crucial move by the author as readers on reading the last words will want to jump into the next book immediately. The writing is definitely smooth and the prose very accessible for any reader to be immediately drawn in to the story and world presented.

One of the things that I found to be a bit jarring was the modern day slang and jargon that was utilized throughout the story. The author describes many situations and often the characters mouth dialogues and terms as if they were living in the modern era instead of four millennia ago as per the tale settings. This was a point, which has been criticized by many readers as well as many critics and is a thoroughly valid one. This is the one major flaw of an otherwise very good debut. Many might feel that the story seems very formulaic by epic fantasy standards in spite of the Indian settings and that might something to keep in mind while reading this debut. The characters appear a bit two-dimensional and are also a bit predictable however since this is the first volume, I think we can wait to see how the individual and overall characters arc pan out in the remaining volumes.

CONCLUSION: I had hopes that this book would be a good read however the author did one better and made it a fun one. Amish Tripathi is a talented man and he proves himself to be an effective storyteller as well. This book is highly recommended for those wanting to read something different in the field of epic fantasy. Amish joins the diverse epic fantasy wave spurred on by the likes of Saladin Ahmed, Martha Wells and few others, with his take of a fantasy tale with a terrific Indian mythological bent.(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Tanvi Srivastava rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh! What a book I have just finished reading... spell-binding and refreshingly different from the rest..! Amazed by the writer's flights of fantasy and how beautifully he has woven the mythology with fiction in a contemporary style..!! Must read..!

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May 04, 2013 Swati rated it 3 of 5 stars

After a long time I read a book from an Indian author and I have to say I wasn't disappointed :) . This novel is written in very simple language and used Indian mythology which was pretty cool idea because I was able to connect with it very quickly :). Once I was able to forget the actual story of Lord Shiva and read it as it was written without trying to verify the facts it was great reading :).
This novel also provided some insights into how we can turn ourselves into destroyer of evil :) . It...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Rabindranauth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Shiva! The Mahadev. The God of Gods. Destroyer of Evil. Passionate lover. Fierce warrior. Consummate dancer. Charismatic leader. All-powerful, yet incorruptible. Quick wit, accompanied by an equally quick and fierce temper.

Coming from a Hindu family, and not being a very religious person myself, when I came across this book it piqued my interest. I was also curious to see how someone who was religious would fictionalize his faith in such a way as to make it an interesting tale, something anyon...more Shiva! The Mahadev. The God of Gods. Destroyer of Evil. Passionate lover. Fierce warrior. Consummate dancer. Charismatic leader. All-powerful, yet incorruptible. Quick wit, accompanied by an equally quick and fierce temper.

Coming from a Hindu family, and not being a very religious person myself, when I came across this book it piqued my interest. I was also curious to see how someone who was religious would fictionalize his faith in such a way as to make it an interesting tale, something anyone would love to read, and at the same time not deviate from the basic facts of his religion. As such, I decided to read it, and was sucked in from the introduction.

The Immortals of Meluha is the first of a trilogy, based on the Hindu deity Shiva. The concept for the book is that the myth of Shiva is centered on the life of an individual who lived many years ago. As such, the book follows the life of Shiva from the age of twenty-one and tells of his early life. Shiva is the chief of a tribe called the Gunas, who live in an area that is currently Tibet. One day, he encounters a group of Meluhans, who are travelling in search of something, or someone. Shiva decides to take the offer of the Meluhans to live in their city after a violent encounter with a rival tribe. Upon his arrival in Meluha, he learns that the Meluhans are lead by the Suryavanshi kings [Descendants of the Sun] and follow the Suryavanshi style of living. He also learns of the Chandravanshis [Descendants of the Moon], with whom the Meluhans are on the brink of war. The cause of this war is the drying up of the Saraswati River, which each side blames the other for. Shiva soon learns the Meluhans consider him to be the object of a prophecy, and as such he goes on to play a key role in the conflict.

The story is fast paced, an easy read, and a thoroughly enjoyable one, especially for readers of epic fantasy. The world described is very rich, and though the minor characters feel a bit two-dimensional, they are very well put together. Shiva deals with many situations which force him, as a spiritual person to have many philosophical discussions that make you connect with him easier. The plot is well laid out, though a little predictable, but being the first of a trilogy this is not unexpected. The writing style makes it very easy to be sucked into the book. I found the religious basis, the spirituality and the philosophy that make a key part of the book to be the most engrossing parts of it, that made me crave to read further. Coupled with a neat cliffhanger ending, it grips you to the very last page.

However, there are a few things I found perturbing. The first is that the dialogue between characters was strangely modern for such a historical story, and whereas for some it will make this an easier read, for me it reduced the depth of the story. Another, minor, flaw for me is that the story was rather linear, and there weren’t many tidbits that leave the reader wanting answers. Finally, for those unversed in Indian mythology such as I, it requires the use of the provided glossary. Most fantasy novels have a way of putting strange words into a context where you can derive its meaning, this was not so in The Immortals of Meluha.

All told, the book makes for a very good read and a very captivating one if you love myths and reading them in the context of a fictional story. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology, and Indian culture. Just bear in mind it is a work of fiction and as such I am sure the author had to exercise a little leeway in his use of mythological facts for the sake of the story.
(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Saburi rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: unfinished

This book is a nightmare for all those who not only are devout lovers of Shiva but worship him for what we know of him. For me it definitely was a nightmare. The idea of his journey from human to supreme being is the only thing about the plot that I liked and which had tempted me to buy this book. But, very sadly, I could not relate to the wrong facts(they pinched me very much) and to the very vague writing (which killed me)!! Moreover, if you really want to know Shiva, go read Shiva Purana or S...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Crooked rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: indian_authors

I first heard about this book from a friend who had said that the book was a good read. Curious I tried reading up more about it and saw that noted columnists like Anil Dharkar and Sandipan Deb had given it great reviews. I read the first chapter online and liked it well enough that I decided to buy it. I went to quite a few book shops and found that it was sold out in most places. That is really surprising for a first time Indian author. Finally I found it in a tiny little shop, the proprietor...more I first heard about this book from a friend who had said that the book was a good read. Curious I tried reading up more about it and saw that noted columnists like Anil Dharkar and Sandipan Deb had given it great reviews. I read the first chapter online and liked it well enough that I decided to buy it. I went to quite a few book shops and found that it was sold out in most places. That is really surprising for a first time Indian author. Finally I found it in a tiny little shop, the proprietor telling me that the one I bought was one of the last copies he had left.

The plot seemed interesting enough. A different take on Shiva the destroyer, a god revered by millions of Hindus all over the world, one of the Trimurti (three main Gods, the others being Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver ), known as Natraj -- the lord of dance and one of the most passionate men in Hindu mythology.

The author has done a good job of integrating all the details known to us about the Indus Valley Civilization and has also given his own explanations for various concepts. I liked the discussion on what is evil and the fact that what is considered evil or wrong by some people may not be seen in the same way by others. He has introduced concepts of terrorism, the caste system and the position of women in society in this first book in a planned trilogy.

But that was all I liked about the book. The writing was poor and the editor needed to do a better job. The characters were flat and not at all well developed. It was hard to believe that people, even a wise king and his courtiers, would be so ready to believe that a person was their savior and blindly follow him without considering the consequences of their decisions.

Also when an author wants to emphasize how good his protagonist is, it is best done in a subtle manner but here it is loudly proclaimed over and over again by the other characters which annoyed me a lot. Each fact is repeated over and over again in ten different ways and it made me wonder if the author thinks we are complete fools who will not get a concept on the first try.

Even though modern language is necessary for a book to connect with the general audience, the author seems to have completely forgotten what his book was about & the language used was extremely jarring and cliched and kept distracting me from focusing on the book. The book reads more like a movie script than a novel. It seems as though the author has written the book keeping Bollywood producers and directors in mind, rather than genuine readers.

The last few chapters, especially were very hastily written and seemed really rushed. The author had some good places where he could have ended this book but he chose to end the book with a cliffhanger and a 'To Be Continued'. Did the author not know what was to happen next? Or was he not convinced that his story was interesting enough for audiences to want to read the next book if he had given it a proper ending. Even in a book series a reader must be able to read a book and have a sense of conclusion which was absent here.

Overall even though the author had a great idea and some really interesting ways of making it all come together, weak writing and poor editing makes this a very big let down. (less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Neha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-with-parts

A pure adult fantasy (in a nice way)... 'The Immortal of Meluha’ is a mythical fiction book… The legends of the past have been recreated.. Gods are humanized and traditions are questioned.

Without revealing too much I would say it traces beautifully the journey of Shiva from being a tribal to a 'Mahadeva'. Even other popular characters of Ram, Nandi, Sati, Daksha, Brahma are neatly placed. Only one issue the English used is too local and common phrases like 'dammit' 'what in the name of' etc soun...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Prakash Ramaswamy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Started reading this book only last week after hearing about it from a few friends. Ended up wondering how did I not pick this up for reading till now!

Lord Shiva has graced my Life when I started practicing Isha Yoga more than three years ago. Reading about his Life - even imagined one - was a revelation.

A friend warned that once you pick it up, you can't put it down. How true? Finished the book in one go, in just 3 sittings. It has been a long while since I've done such voracious reading!

'Immor...more Started reading this book only last week after hearing about it from a few friends. Ended up wondering how did I not pick this up for reading till now!

Lord Shiva has graced my Life when I started practicing Isha Yoga more than three years ago. Reading about his Life - even imagined one - was a revelation.

A friend warned that once you pick it up, you can't put it down. How true? Finished the book in one go, in just 3 sittings. It has been a long while since I've done such voracious reading!

'Immortals of Meluha' is the first part of Shiva Trilogy by young first time author Amish Tripathi. He sure knows how to tell a story, with memorable characters who we'll end up rooting for, vivid detail of the great nation of Bharat, its people and culture several thousands of years ago and truly nail biting action and heart tugging romance that actually place you right in the midst of it all.

Amish has vividly re-imagined Lord Shiva as an intelligent, witty, strong willed and macho man who rose to be God of Gods (Mahadev), rather than sticking to the standard known premise of him being worshiped as a God. So 'Immortals of Meluha' is nothing but 'Shiva Puran' for the Millennials. One they'll thoroughly love and immensely enjoy to read, like, comment & share!

The distinct and distinguished characters like Shiva, Sati, Nandi, Brahaspati & Daksha who're well known to those of us who've heard, read or watched Shiva Puran or those that've been created by Amish himself such as Ayurvati, Parvateshwar, Kanakhala, Badhra, Krithika, Drapaku, the nameless Naga warrior & Vasudevs make the story immensely enjoyable with each of them roaming the land of ancient India and living their lives right in front of our eyes.

The way Amish has beautifully tied together every legend associated with Lord Shiva, from Kailash, Manasarover to Tiger Skin to Neelkanth to Bharathanatyam dance to Trishul to the war cry 'Har Har Mahadev', leaves one in suspended disbelief thinking 'oh, this is how it must've been'! Lord Shiva is also portrayed as a revered Leader who's a non-conformist and didn't bother too much about hierarchy, class, creed, taboos or the business-as-usual way of doing things.

The way Amish points out how culturally, socially and technologically the Suryavanshis (a race of Indians who're the inhabitants of Meluha or the Indus Valley) were superior and how talent or skill was respected over birth and how women were equal to men, will serve even the current society and generation well.

I also had a few deeply spiritual experiences (similar to the ones I had in my Master Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's presence or while attending Isha Yoga programs) while reading the book - esp. when Ayurvati sights the Neelkanth for the first time and when Shiva performs his Thaandavam (dance) for the first time. "And then came the dance" is now etched deeply in my soul along with the dancing formless form of Lord Shiva.

Immortals of Meluha is highly recommended for anyone who loves fiction and is interested in history of a great nation and the mythology that surrounds that history! Shambo Mahadev!(less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Neha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good read... Amish has a knack for blending fiction with mythology. For all those who dread reading mythology, pick up this book.

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May 10, 2011 Sailesh rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is as all the reviews point out, a very good read. Ever since i read the synopsis on a website, i wanted to read the book and once i started reading the book it proved to be page turner indeed.

The book has got all the goodness of a 'grandmother's tale' and all the masala of a 'bollywood movie'. I would rather say that, it is a grand mother's tale in a bollywood style. It has got everything, mystery, myth, history, spirituality, suspense, action, love, friendship & what not.

But then,...more

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Dec 20, 2011 RaskolnikovRR rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

A treat to rational atheists looking for a reason behind the meaningless religious mumbo-jumbo.
The description of Meluha is very particular and enjoyable. The characters will outlive the book, I'm sure. A typical potrait of Shiva, snake wound around his blue neck, with his white bull Nandi and his wife Parvati will hold more meaning and mystery to you after reading this book.
There is a logical explanation of almost every aspect of the so-called Lord Shiva, his Trishul included.
The perspectiv...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Chavi rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are some things in this book which, as a devote of Lord Shiva, i dont agree with. But as most of it was fiction, enjoyed reading this. Can't wait to start another part.

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Aug 20, 2012 Karishma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent!!! Gripping storyline with my favorite God of God...Lord Shiva...Very Well written...Defintely going in my favorite list!

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May 13, 2013 Arjun Kumar rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review is from my blog.....

First, I like to Wish you a Happy Maha Sivarathiri(10 3 13). The Immortals Of meluha Is a novel written by an indian author amish tripathi who gave up the financial career and focus only on writing when his debut novel i.e. “the immortals of melhua” was Hit. Sorry Still the book is selling on vast areas.

One of the ecstasy moment in my life is , I finished reading this novel On the auspicious day, ” The Maha Sivarthiri”. Well, You may be wonder what is the link bet...more

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May 10, 2013 Sangita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Immortals of Meluha is not about the God Shiva.Instead it is about a chillum lovingtribal chief Shiva who makes his journey from being a normal human being to the savior NeelKantha. Story comes with all the self doubts a person overcomes while on his journey for salvation, for finding his truth. Along the way of his journey, Shiva meets the love of his life in a widow and vikarma (people with bad karma) Sati.

One of the striking fact of the book is author has not given Shiva the traditional role...more

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May 05, 2013 Deepak Dev rated it 3 of 5 stars

First we have to give a clap to the author for coming with such a good selection of a myth which every Indian might have heard of but not as detailed as Mahabharata or not as sure and clear as it is.. of course only if you weren't watching the om namashivaya serial.

The story can't be credited or scrutinized since it is the story of the a god, an interpretation of a myth which is alive today.

Amish had done a great job in weaving together the history, myth and geography of India to produce a beaut...more

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May 03, 2013 Ashwina Jha rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a book! This is far from the kind of novels that I like to read. It was only the high praises that my friends and acquaintances had for it that made me read this amazing narrative. Amish is a brilliant author, no doubt. One thing that put me off, though, was the lack of consistency. What I mean by that is you could sense the author's ups and downs while writing the story. Some parts are magnificently detailed whereas some parts are just brushed through. You could easily sense it.

The storyl...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Srideepa rated it 2 of 5 stars

First I was captivated by the prologue and his self justification that he loves Lord Shiva who has made him write the story. Now, I am confused. Is he referring to Shiva he has narrated ? If so, that Shiva was a human being and has no ability to make Amish write this fiction. If he refers to God Shiva, then he contradicts his own depiction of Shiva who was no more than a human being.

Characters are taken from Hinduism such as God Shiva, his wife Sati and Nandi (Nandi was described as fat person....more First I was captivated by the prologue and his self justification that he loves Lord Shiva who has made him write the story. Now, I am confused. Is he referring to Shiva he has narrated ? If so, that Shiva was a human being and has no ability to make Amish write this fiction. If he refers to God Shiva, then he contradicts his own depiction of Shiva who was no more than a human being.

Characters are taken from Hinduism such as God Shiva, his wife Sati and Nandi (Nandi was described as fat person. He might have thought that a bull if depicted as person should be stout). If I purely see this as fiction, then I feel this is gripping. However, as a mythological fiction, I have issues which I can say partly because of my prejudice and partly because of his narration.

If he agrees that Gods do exist, then he can say that "his" Shiva is the one blessed by God Shiva. What was most compelling for me to read this novel made me irritating when I was reading this novel. Also, too much of Suryavanshi life and way too much about their platform structures made this novel boring. Also, the end of war was too predictable while the way of was only the question.

He kept saying about "Lord Ram's" Rules. However, for most of the things he says (for eg Maika system), we haven't heard anything about this. If he had quoted some history papers about ancient systems ( or atleast some ancient literature about Ram Rajya) and correlates them here, it makes sense. Otherwise, I see Suryavanshi concepts as his dream rules to be followed for what he considers as safe & calm society. Also, he makes petty mistakes here and there which are too obvious. Sangam Tamil was not a correct way of calling South India. The correct way is Tamil Sangam or Sanga Tamil(which again refers to Ancient Tamil and may not be correct still. But anyone would have passed if Amish had committed later mistake). This mistake makes any Tamil Reader think he has just "Googled" and has not done any research while writing.

Overall, I felt this is a pure fiction novel and while you read this novel, keep saying to yourself that Ram, Shiva, Sati, Gunas, Nandi, Daksha doesn't refer to the ones you worship/heard stories about.

Since I bought Shiva Trilogy as a Combo, I have to read the other two now. I hope he got and accepted feedback after his first novel and would have done better in his subsequent novels. (less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Sundarraj Kaushik rated it 4 of 5 stars

A thoroughly enjoyable book if you can keep aside the faith and accept that Lord Shiva is an ordinary marijuana smoking human with his limitations and his abilities.
The book is based on the story where Shiva gets married to Daksha's daughter Sati. The books portrays Devagiri, placed somewhere in the the present day Kashmir, as the area where the Suryavanshis live. They are ruled by Daksha. They lead a very disciplined and a practically disease free life. They live to more than 100 years and they...more

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Mar 22, 2013 AC rated it 1 of 5 stars

Dear Amish - Please stop making Ekta Kapoor soaps out of Indian Mythology. We hindus have a big heart and usually accept these kinds of remodelling of our sacred books. But this work is hopeless. This book is just a overhyped and overtalked about indian book, that has no moral value to impart. The writer starts of by saying that he wants to make shiva believable as a man and someone just like us, yet in the entire story, miracles keep happening all the time (none of which happen in our lives and...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Pratik Shrivastav rated it 1 of 5 stars

Oh God...so overhyped,overrated and oversold book one have ever read in life.As soon as I read the first two lines of the book I just tingled with the sense that this guy should have done MBA from some IIM and he should be working in finance.....No joking.So shrewdly chosen topic of Lord Shiva.I myself give Lord Shiva that respect that when I go in Temple, my head just bow down with the shame of small sins I made and can't even dare to look at Shivling and just pray to him "forgive me and bless...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Abhilash Ruhela rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are some books that need no introduction. They are just already declared EPIC and no one needs a review to purchase and read them. These books are just meant for discussion as no one tries to pull it down as its almost everyone's favorite. And an amazing scenario happens when its by an author who's the First Timer. A debutante getting such success and acclaim assures that even if the book will not be an EPIC kind of a tale, it will at least end up being an averagely written book. After Ch...more There are some books that need no introduction. They are just already declared EPIC and no one needs a review to purchase and read them. These books are just meant for discussion as no one tries to pull it down as its almost everyone's favorite. And an amazing scenario happens when its by an author who's the First Timer. A debutante getting such success and acclaim assures that even if the book will not be an EPIC kind of a tale, it will at least end up being an averagely written book. After Chetan Bhagat, people kept on talking about who's the next. Many authors came, turned Bestsellers but no one bought the kind of revolution that Chetan Bhagat bought with his first book following other 5. And finally, 2 years back, we witnessed another Revolution through the first book of SHIVA TRILOGY written by AMISH TRIPATHI. Being a debut book of his, it got into Bestsellers in its first week itself. The mystery is yet to be solved that who told Indian audience that this first timer has written a tale that will touch hearts. :-) But whatever, Kudos to you Mr. Amish.

Synopsis: Shiva, one of the chief Hindu deities, is portrayed in an entirely different light in Amish Tripathi's debut novel, The Immortals of Meluha. The first book of The Shiva Trilogy, The Immortals of Meluha charts Shiva's journey from the mountains with his Tibetan tribesmen to the kingdom of Meluha, which is occupied by the Suryavanshis, a race of people who are descendants of Lord Ram and live along the banks of the River Saraswati.
When an episode involving the preserving drug somras leaves his throat blue, Shiva is hailed as the 'Mahadev' according to an ancient prophecy, the man who'll lead the Suryavanshis to victory against the Chandravanshis. Caught in the middle of a tense conflict, Shiva must now make some quick decisions to save Meluha from the wrath of the evil Chandravanshis and their twisted and disfigured assassins, The Nagas.
Will Shiva be able to rise to the occasion and save the clan of the Suryavanshis?
Why does the Princess Sati shy away from speaking to him every single time?
Who are the Nagas, and why are they assisting the Chandravanshis?
Set in 1990 B.C., the book takes readers on an imaginative and exciting journey through Amish's world.

Amish Tripathi does have the flick of writing. He knows how to build a story using the mythological characters and how to merge two stories together. It is not that he has just tried it for the sake of doing something that is uncommon in the writing industry. Few months ago, I read Ashwin Sanghi's The Krishna Key. This book has the same smell. The way Amish Tripathi has brought- Mythology, philosophy, history and Geography together is what most writers can only dream of. He made his protagonist so huge that its hard to believe that its a fiction story. You want to believe each and every sentence of the book.

All the characters in the book are beautifully described. Not one of the major characters can be said to be left incomplete or un-happening. Everyone has their role pretty good in the story. Shiva is someone whom I have become so fond of that I am happy this book has come as a Trilogy that I will get to read more about him in The Secret of The Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras. Parvateshwar and Nandi are my favorite characters after the Shiva. Then imagining Sati is another good part about the book. It's always lovely to imagine love interest of the protagonist while reading a book. :-) Then, Daksha is wonderfully described. Anandmayi is one character I am still unsure about. I didn't enjoy her part in the pre-climax. It could have been skipped.

The first action scenarios in the initial pages of the book is wonderful to start with. Then the way he migrates to Meluha. Later the Somras part and its explanation is interesting. Then the entrance of Sati and description of Shiva's dance and then their marriage, later on, is a treat. Once when people start calling Shiva their God and savoir, and the way Shiva react to them by smiling to himself, are laughable moments in the book. Even you get an urge to see the blue-colored neck of this Neelkanth. Then Parvateshwar's hatred for him is beautifully portrayed. I liked all the contradictions that were shown between the two. Later on, just before the war when Shiva tells everyone that there's a Mahadev in all and asks them to exclaim,"Har Har Mahadev", it is another good-to-imagine part.

These are very few parts about which I have talked otherwise I would say that the book is a good One time read. Actually, it can be read many a times but I ask all to read it at least one. Missing this one would be a mistake. And as Karan Johar has already purchased the rights of this book and Hrithik is been said to play Shiva, I must really say that do read it before the movie comes. Because this book is too grand to even imagine. I don't know how can someone build a set that can look as huge as what is being defined in the book. I don't want to speak any negative points about the book because I didn't feel irritated while reading any part. I just didn't want the Climax to be incomplete in such a way even though it is to be continued later in the 2nd book. I was enjoying the tale of warriors, their laws, values, morale, evilness etc. I want all of you to read the Trilogy in a sequence by giving yourself time of 7-10 days. :-) The SHIVA TRILOGY 1 is 400 pages of POWER.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Shalini M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I read/heard a lot of raves and recommendations on 'The Shiva Trilogy', from friends (though in all honesty, I think the news reached me only after the second book had been published). I love to read fiction based in mythology (Mrityunjay and Yajnaseni are amongst my favorites). So, the "description" of Amish Tripathi's book(s) - a radically new interpretation of life and times of Lord Shiva - interested me a lot, specially because of the fact that it presented a different perspective altogether...more I read/heard a lot of raves and recommendations on 'The Shiva Trilogy', from friends (though in all honesty, I think the news reached me only after the second book had been published). I love to read fiction based in mythology (Mrityunjay and Yajnaseni are amongst my favorites). So, the "description" of Amish Tripathi's book(s) - a radically new interpretation of life and times of Lord Shiva - interested me a lot, specially because of the fact that it presented a different perspective altogether of what we understand from mythology.

The story is set in 1900 BC, and is centered on the premise that Shiva was an ordinary mortal, who came to be revered as a God, acquired the title of 'Mahadev', through his actions. It continuously takes references from mythology, as well as from history, but it is essentially a work of fiction.

The first book in the series, "Immortals of Meluha", focuses on details and sets the context for the story. Shiva is the leader of a small Tibetan tribe, fraught with a struggle for day-to-day existence. He accepts the invitation of the Suryavanshis, who are the descendants of Lord Rama, to settle in their country, Meluha (what we now know as the Indus Valley Civilization). The immigrants are amazed by the prosperity of the country, which is due to the extreme stability and planning of the society, based on strict rules and regulations (believed to be proposed by Lord Rama himself). Though over the times some of the rules have been bent and diluted (by and for, who else, but the nobility - the people in power). This seems to be an ideal society, an Utopia, except for a few rules that Shiva finds unfair. The country is however on an edge, feeling the presence and power of strong evil, and Shiva is soon recognized as Neelkanth, the savior from the evil.

The people believe, and convince Shiva, that the evil is represented by Chandravanshis, who live in the opposite side of Indian subcontinent, in the area between Ganges and Brahamputra rivers, which also includes Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama. There also is an indication of presence of the Nagas, people who are physically deformed, and believed to be evil and sinful beyond redemption, and therefore held in extreme dread. Although the Suryvanshis find it impossible to believe, it appears to them that Chandravanshis have enlisted the help of Nagas to launch surprise attacks against them. This belief leads Shiva to lead Suryavanshis in a difficult war against Chandravanshis' much larger army, on an unfavorable ground. With their skill, organization and will, the Suryvanshis manage to win the war. And then comes the intriguing part - the Chandravanshis also believe in the legend of Neelkanth, and have also been awaiting deliverance from evil!

The book offers very interesting, imaginative views on the origin of some of the aspects of mythology - the invocation of "Har Har Mahadev", Shiva's Trishul, the role of Shiva as the destroyer (of evil). The credibility of the story is built through elements like gradual development of Shiva from a brave warrior who is uncertain of the faith that is entrusted in him, to the confident leader. Adding to the flavor is quintessential struggle to identify good and evil, and the mutual disbelief of two complimentary powers in their ignorance.

One significant jarring note for me was the language - a little too modern for the era the story is capturing - with use of terms like Immigration department, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Radiowave communication, etc. But it was not big enough a deterrent to enjoying the story. Also, it was a little slow, but I guess that is to be expected, as being the first book, it has the onus of creating the background. In all, I liked the book, with all its premises and imagination, though not to the extent the reviews extolled it, but enough to go for the sequel(s). (less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Nilesh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-fiction

This book is extremely intelligent and clever more than anything else.

Humanizing the mythical tales involving gods is not an easy task. Particularly when one tries to ensure that all the tiny facts about the deities mentioned in texts of various kinds or stories involving all sort of surroundings are not just uncontradicted but mostly weaved into a still refreshingly new story.

The author does a phenomenal job recreating everyone and every aspect involving Mahadev and the surrounding greats in th...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Priyanka Adhikary rated it 1 of 5 stars

I first saw the ad for Immortals of Meluha on You Tube and it piqued my curiosity. A thriller set against the backdrop of ancient Meluha with Lord Shiva as the protagonist sounded novel. The intriguing theme and the glorified blurbs heightened my expectations from the book. The cover was nicely done and impressive. So, with eager anticipation, typical of a bibliophile, I started reading. But the first few pages itself planted a seed of doubt in my mind. With a plot that is virtually non-existent...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Sachin Kanchan rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Saga Retold (for the Immortals of Meluha )

Theme: The book centers on ancient prophecies, the quest for power, judgment of right and wrong and romance.

Summary: According to the author the events in the book took place in an era set around 1900 BC at a place whose natives called it the Land of Meluha which the people of current age named it the Indus-Valley Civilization.

The book is by far one of the most intriguing and exotic pieces I read, crafted by someone as a debut. The way the author ha...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Sonila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sonila-s-reading-shelf

Drawn by the cool cover design, I bought this book sometime back and started reading....
The book is the first of a trilogy to be written by the same author.... Amish is an IIM grad in this mid-thirties and the book is somewhat different from what you would expect from an IIM grad... but then Chetan Bhagat was an IITian and gave us '5 point someone'.. :D

Set in 1900 BC, 'The Immortals of Meluha' tells the story of Shiva... a Tribal Chief. Worried that the lives of his tribe are in constant danger...more Drawn by the cool cover design, I bought this book sometime back and started reading....
The book is the first of a trilogy to be written by the same author.... Amish is an IIM grad in this mid-thirties and the book is somewhat different from what you would expect from an IIM grad... but then Chetan Bhagat was an IITian and gave us '5 point someone'.. :D

Set in 1900 BC, 'The Immortals of Meluha' tells the story of Shiva... a Tribal Chief. Worried that the lives of his tribe are in constant danger by frequent fights with other tribals... he accepts the offer of the biggest kingdom in India, Meluha, and moves into their city. Here by a turn of fate he is christened as 'The Neelkanth' - the Saviour, an Avatar of the great Rudra, the Mahadev himself.
All of a sudden, a simple tribal is assigned the task of leading a war of the good against the evil - the Dharmyudh. Would a simple tribal from the foothills of Himalayas be able to keep up to these expectations? How he fights with his inner demons and failures while trying to save one whole civilization forms the rest of the story...
The novel ends in a cliffhanger and readers have to wait for the second part to know what happens next.
The book is well-written and you can actually visualize the Indus Valley and Harappa civilizations, while reading it. It talks about caste system and how it became so important in later years.
Shiva's character is etched according to the popular beliefs about Lord Shiva. The characters are named according to mythology. For example, Shiva's love interest is named as Sati. Her godfather is named as Parvateshwar and hence she is called Parvati. These things kept me amused and also gives you an idea about how much the author knows about the Indian Mythology as well as history. The book beautifully blends the both. At times it dragged a bit and I kept losing interest :-) But all in all a brave attempt.
When I pick such a book, I expect a bit more of the mystique, some more questions which force me to think... maybe a revelation of something hitherto unknown about Indian history or mythology or a totally different angle to the popular myths and legends which are such a big part of Indian culture...

It is a good read if you are alone at home on a Saturday afternoon, and are a lover of mythology.

I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Rating: ***
(less)

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Is it a palatable representation of Shiva for an orthodox Hindu	8	50	May 16, 2013 06:19am
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About Amish Tripathi

Amish is a 1974-born, IIM (Kolkata)-educated boring banker turned happy author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions.

Amish has most recently writt...more

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The Secret of the Nagas (Shiva Trilogy #2)

The Oath of the Vayuputras (Shiva Trilogy, #3)

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