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Shinmahs #1
Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs
When neither steel nor sorcery will suffice, where do you turn?
The dark realm of Yashin is immune to every physical threat, and its sorcery is unmatched. Khomer, the dark warlord, now sets his sights on Liguanea as his gateway to subjugating the free world.
With no answer to Yashin's supremacy, hope rests on a handful of men and women with uncommon mental prowess, who have not been seen for years - the Lost Shinmahs.
Meanwhile, two Shinmahs set out in secret with their son to train his mind at Liguanea. They are unprepared for the journey, for Khomer lies in wait with his agents aprowl. Driven from one danger to the next by Khomer's relentless pursuit, they must reach Liguanea at all costs. For, at stake is all of Pangaea.
But there can be no sanctuary from Khomer ...
Combining mental prowess with sword & sorcery, Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs is among the few epics that explore the human mind as a weapon. The term Shinmah is derived from Sanskrit and connotes 'mind power'.
On Amazon's Kindle Bestseller Lists:
#1 in Sword & Sorcery; Coming of Age; Myths & Legends; and Indian Writing.
Available on Amazon . For more about the Shinmahs, click here.
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The dark realm of Yashin is immune to every physical threat, and its sorcery is unmatched. Khomer, the dark warlord, now sets his sights on Liguanea as his gateway to subjugating the free world.
With no answer to Yashin's supremacy, hope rests on a handful of men and women with uncommon mental prowess, who have not been seen for years - the Lost Shinmahs.
Meanwhile, two Shinmahs set out in secret with their son to train his mind at Liguanea. They are unprepared for the journey, for Khomer lies in wait with his agents aprowl. Driven from one danger to the next by Khomer's relentless pursuit, they must reach Liguanea at all costs. For, at stake is all of Pangaea.
But there can be no sanctuary from Khomer ...
Combining mental prowess with sword & sorcery, Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs is among the few epics that explore the human mind as a weapon. The term Shinmah is derived from Sanskrit and connotes 'mind power'.
On Amazon's Kindle Bestseller Lists:
#1 in Sword & Sorcery; Coming of Age; Myths & Legends; and Indian Writing.
Available on Amazon . For more about the Shinmahs, click here.
.
- GenresFantasy
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2012
4 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Kevan Dinn
4 books22 followersAfter years of hectic corporate life across four continents, I wanted do something different, creative and personally satisfying. Like writing fiction. I created a new world with a whole new set of mental powers, and set a four-book epic in the world that reflects my own taste in reading - heroism; adventure; long odds; and a mix of mental, physical and sorcerous powers.
Three of the four books are now available on Amazon at these links: The Lost Shinmahs | Assassin's Tribute | Quatil's Vengeance
Tired of extensive physical travel around the world, I now prefer less punishing mental excursions into fictional worlds of my own creation.
Goodreads links: The Lost Shinmahs | Assassin's Tribute | Quatil's Vengeance
Three of the four books are now available on Amazon at these links: The Lost Shinmahs | Assassin's Tribute | Quatil's Vengeance
Tired of extensive physical travel around the world, I now prefer less punishing mental excursions into fictional worlds of my own creation.
Goodreads links: The Lost Shinmahs | Assassin's Tribute | Quatil's Vengeance
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 15, 2012
Well...I'm a great fantasy fan and I've read them all :) Not boasting but seriously there are very few series that I haven't read. I was a bit apprehensive when I picked up this book. Though this one didn't have the brilliance of LOTR, it was a good read nonetheless. The world created is interesting..the creatures new and engaging....but what I loved about this book are the concepts introduced. For example, the idea that nothing is good or evil, it is all a matter of perception is praise worthy. The development of characters is also good and the pace fast. However, the book lacked conviction and some of the parts were pretty abrupt...the training of the Shinmahs, for example, is not described properly. It would have become much more engaging with better descriptions. Probably the other books in the series would be better developed. While books are all about elaborate descriptions, movies are not and this one would definitely make a great movie. The characters are interesting and I like the mystery surrounding the elusive Prophecy. Seems as if Adoy and Salin are related(Just a guess :P)
On the whole, a book worth reading if you like fantasy.
On the whole, a book worth reading if you like fantasy.
July 19, 2014
First off, this is one of the very few recent commercial fiction books from India where the writing is good, and follows global norms.
The world is fresh and new, and the backstory is compelling. The characters are pretty good and well-etched. A pretty good creative effort from a first-time author.
I thought there was some depth to this book, particularly in its backstory. The politics is an interesting mix of a quasi-federation/quasi-democracy sandwiched between a monarchy and an autocracy. And there are some democratic towns thrown it.
There is an interesting sprinkling of philosophy too - why go to war? Why punish the citizens for their ruler's sins? Some questions that are relevant to our real world (e.g. are UN sanctions against errant dictators effective?).
The book ends with the series promising vast scope. Much of the world, its beings, its realms and the world of mental powers remain to be explored. While Khomer is the prime antagonist, there is a raft of antagonists in the background, who presumably will come to the fore as the series progresses. The powers of the human mind have scope to be explored.
There are wrinkles in the writing that need to be ironed out, but that did't 't come in the way.
A promising debut.
The world is fresh and new, and the backstory is compelling. The characters are pretty good and well-etched. A pretty good creative effort from a first-time author.
I thought there was some depth to this book, particularly in its backstory. The politics is an interesting mix of a quasi-federation/quasi-democracy sandwiched between a monarchy and an autocracy. And there are some democratic towns thrown it.
There is an interesting sprinkling of philosophy too - why go to war? Why punish the citizens for their ruler's sins? Some questions that are relevant to our real world (e.g. are UN sanctions against errant dictators effective?).
The book ends with the series promising vast scope. Much of the world, its beings, its realms and the world of mental powers remain to be explored. While Khomer is the prime antagonist, there is a raft of antagonists in the background, who presumably will come to the fore as the series progresses. The powers of the human mind have scope to be explored.
There are wrinkles in the writing that need to be ironed out, but that did't 't come in the way.
A promising debut.
November 3, 2013
Nice book.
Clean writing that strikes a nice balance. It is not slangy or of the pulp fiction variety. And at the same time, it is not ponderous like in some literary fiction. It flows smoothly, and has good visual imagery. As I read it, I couldn’t help thinking that it will make a good movie.
The characters are unusual and etched well, and I particularly liked the female characters. I was left with a warmth for them, and am keen on knowing what happens to them. With 4-5 strong central characters, the book maintains a good pace and offers variety. However, I was unable to decide who, between Adoy and Damoth, was the prime protagonist, as both of them have major roles.
I haven’t read much fantasy, but I enjoyed the variety and uniqueness on this book. I liked the way it took me away from the reality of daily life into an intriguing fictional world.
Clean writing that strikes a nice balance. It is not slangy or of the pulp fiction variety. And at the same time, it is not ponderous like in some literary fiction. It flows smoothly, and has good visual imagery. As I read it, I couldn’t help thinking that it will make a good movie.
The characters are unusual and etched well, and I particularly liked the female characters. I was left with a warmth for them, and am keen on knowing what happens to them. With 4-5 strong central characters, the book maintains a good pace and offers variety. However, I was unable to decide who, between Adoy and Damoth, was the prime protagonist, as both of them have major roles.
I haven’t read much fantasy, but I enjoyed the variety and uniqueness on this book. I liked the way it took me away from the reality of daily life into an intriguing fictional world.
September 17, 2015
This rating is not mine. It represents the views of 30-odd beta readers who read the book before publication.
I believe the book is among the first to explore mental powers, both subtle and manifest, in a substantive way. The world and the magic system are entirely new, as are the characters and several beings.
Like many older classic epics, it is a heroic story that features multiple heroes rather than anti-heroes. There is a good deal of sword & sorcery, but it is not grim dark.
I believe the book is among the first to explore mental powers, both subtle and manifest, in a substantive way. The world and the magic system are entirely new, as are the characters and several beings.
Like many older classic epics, it is a heroic story that features multiple heroes rather than anti-heroes. There is a good deal of sword & sorcery, but it is not grim dark.
December 4, 2012
I found this book when the author posted about it in the Sword and Laser book club "Author Promo" section. It was available as a free Kindle book one weekend, so I grabbed it (note, it can still be "borrowed" via the Amazon Prime lending system for free, if you're a Prime member).
All in all, it was a good, not great, book. The book was desperately in need of an editor: there were parts that were rushed, parts that plodded along, and a variety of typos and mis-spellings. That said, I can't really fault the book for these issues...it looks like it was one of those books where the author self-published, and you don't get the fancy editors until you go with a publisher...and let's face it, most Kindle books have typos. I also think that the author is either from the UK or some other British-influenced country; there were many turns of phrase and colloquialisms that you just don't find in American English. As for the plot, it was somewhat basic and predictable, but at least it was fun. If I had a major gripe with the plot, it's that it didn't take enough turns and that the main characters were all too safe. For everything that was going on, it never felt like any of the major characters were in any real danger. I suppose that not every author can be George R.R. Martin, but really, you always got the impression that the main characters would be OK. And, as I noted, the pacing in this book was off.
That all said, I enjoyed it well enough. It was a quick and easy read and I probably wouldn't feel gyp'd even if I had paid the U$3 for it. One slight note, in case you decide to read it, though, is that though the book has a definite end to the main story arc, it's obviously the "first in series of X" thing and some rather major aspects of character development and action will be coming in future tomes...
All in all, it was a good, not great, book. The book was desperately in need of an editor: there were parts that were rushed, parts that plodded along, and a variety of typos and mis-spellings. That said, I can't really fault the book for these issues...it looks like it was one of those books where the author self-published, and you don't get the fancy editors until you go with a publisher...and let's face it, most Kindle books have typos. I also think that the author is either from the UK or some other British-influenced country; there were many turns of phrase and colloquialisms that you just don't find in American English. As for the plot, it was somewhat basic and predictable, but at least it was fun. If I had a major gripe with the plot, it's that it didn't take enough turns and that the main characters were all too safe. For everything that was going on, it never felt like any of the major characters were in any real danger. I suppose that not every author can be George R.R. Martin, but really, you always got the impression that the main characters would be OK. And, as I noted, the pacing in this book was off.
That all said, I enjoyed it well enough. It was a quick and easy read and I probably wouldn't feel gyp'd even if I had paid the U$3 for it. One slight note, in case you decide to read it, though, is that though the book has a definite end to the main story arc, it's obviously the "first in series of X" thing and some rather major aspects of character development and action will be coming in future tomes...
July 13, 2017
I really liked this book. It's in three parts.
The first and third parts are typical fantasy - action, intrigue, pacy sword-and-sorcery stuff. The middle part is a little slower, and that is the part I liked best - for its world building, exploration of the magic system (mental powers), and the reluctant maturing of a peace-loving boy into a warrior.
The backstory and the motivations that that drive the characters were great. There are brief nuggets of war philosophy too that one doesn't find often in fantasy. The author has taken time (and pages) to bring some depth to the book. The middle part was like literary fantasy fiction, while the other two were regular classic fantasy.
All in all, a wholesome read.
The first and third parts are typical fantasy - action, intrigue, pacy sword-and-sorcery stuff. The middle part is a little slower, and that is the part I liked best - for its world building, exploration of the magic system (mental powers), and the reluctant maturing of a peace-loving boy into a warrior.
The backstory and the motivations that that drive the characters were great. There are brief nuggets of war philosophy too that one doesn't find often in fantasy. The author has taken time (and pages) to bring some depth to the book. The middle part was like literary fantasy fiction, while the other two were regular classic fantasy.
All in all, a wholesome read.
December 25, 2013
Amazing imagination and world-building and a pacy read. Better English than in most published works in India. One of the standout features is that it is one of the few fantasy books coming out of India which is not a mere retelling of existing Indian myth.
January 1, 2013
- language was different and nice; clean
- plot, suspense was intriguing
- the world is different from most fantasy books; liked it
- fast paced; held my attention
- plot, suspense was intriguing
- the world is different from most fantasy books; liked it
- fast paced; held my attention
June 16, 2013
Here is the link to the review of this book:
http://prathamesh-amrutkar.blogspot.i...
Check it out! Book is awesome. It won't disappoint you.
http://prathamesh-amrutkar.blogspot.i...
Check it out! Book is awesome. It won't disappoint you.
October 19, 2020
Surprisingly good !
I really enjoyed this book from the start the author did splendid job of putting the main characters in believable situations that really give the story line a lot of beautiful detail with the world the author put around them.i also enjoyed the world and the main character of this story it never got boring and the flow was at a good pace so the story line was always moving forward always growing this book is worth the money I paid and more hopefully you will enjoy this book as much as I God bless .
I really enjoyed this book from the start the author did splendid job of putting the main characters in believable situations that really give the story line a lot of beautiful detail with the world the author put around them.i also enjoyed the world and the main character of this story it never got boring and the flow was at a good pace so the story line was always moving forward always growing this book is worth the money I paid and more hopefully you will enjoy this book as much as I God bless .
July 10, 2019
A good start to the series. Interesting.
October 17, 2020
Intriguing and different
July 11, 2013
My review: http://bit.ly/175VQca
Some books deserve a publishing deal. I think this is one.
There is nothing very complex about the plot or the narration, but it has the magic necessary to hold the reader's attention. Parts of it took me back to a childhood habit as well. The world created is new, and the ending leaves me eager, as a reader, to explore more of that fantasy world. Some parts of the book felt very rushed, but I guess that's because the volume was becoming heavy. Other than this, I'd just suggest the author to make the characters a little more descriptive.
Enjoyed the read, and looking forward to the remaining 3 parts.
Some books deserve a publishing deal. I think this is one.
There is nothing very complex about the plot or the narration, but it has the magic necessary to hold the reader's attention. Parts of it took me back to a childhood habit as well. The world created is new, and the ending leaves me eager, as a reader, to explore more of that fantasy world. Some parts of the book felt very rushed, but I guess that's because the volume was becoming heavy. Other than this, I'd just suggest the author to make the characters a little more descriptive.
Enjoyed the read, and looking forward to the remaining 3 parts.
April 2, 2014
An entertaining read for fans of classic/epic fantasy, admittedly a genre I haven't read for a while. Kevan Dinn's talents are especially evident in world-building and immersive descriptions of the settings in this first volume. One of the challenges with writing in this genre is dealing with backstory, and here I have to admit that I skipped some sections where there was too much info-dumping. Additional editing would have helped fix typos and some issues with pacing. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable story and I look forward to the next book.
April 5, 2013
Not terrible and definitely some interesting shifts in the ideas of magic, though calling it profound is a bit of a stretch as essentially what a person does with their mind here is no different than what is done by incantation elsewhere. At times the story reads like a D&D journey, villains popping out of nowhere to pump up a flagging narrative, but the characters are interesting enough to keep this problem to a relative minimum. Definitely a good first novel to a series and this reader hopes the writing becomes more fluid with time.
November 11, 2014
I had thought that Indian fantasy fiction was limited to mythology rehashes. But when I searched eBooks, I found a couple of original fantasy authors like the author of this book.
I don't recall reading a fantasy book that dwells primarily on mental powers. To that extent, this book seems unique - not only in India, but in the entire fantasy genre. That this is from an little known Indian writer, is quite a surprise.
Great characters, intriguing world, and a very nice story. Above all, a very enjoyable read. The series is very nicely set up at the end of the first book.
I don't recall reading a fantasy book that dwells primarily on mental powers. To that extent, this book seems unique - not only in India, but in the entire fantasy genre. That this is from an little known Indian writer, is quite a surprise.
Great characters, intriguing world, and a very nice story. Above all, a very enjoyable read. The series is very nicely set up at the end of the first book.
December 28, 2012
There is a vast fantasy adventure story bring told in these pages, one with a lot of solid elements, magical weapons, a distinctive magic system, and plenty of mystical beings and creatures. What is lacking, though, is a fluidity of writing style. Passages and conversations come off stilted, and are far less effective then they could be.
Kevan, find yourself an editor. A mean, author-hating ogre of an editor, but one who will guide you into making your good books great ones.
Kevan, find yourself an editor. A mean, author-hating ogre of an editor, but one who will guide you into making your good books great ones.
December 1, 2013
A bit light reading. Though there are some contemplations about morality, good/evil etc., nothing is fleshed out clearly. There doesn't seem to be any result/outcome of those discussions. Decent book. Nothing extraordinary.
April 20, 2013
good light fantasy read looking forward to next book.
July 20, 2015
Very good
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews