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The Guardians of the Halahala

(Vikramaditya Veergatha #1)

Shatrujeet Nath (Goodreads Author)

4.25 · Rating details · 959 ratings · 136 reviews

"A good work of mytho-fiction" -- Anand Neelakantan

THE PRICE OF A PROMISE. PAID IN BLOOD.

The deadly Halahala, the all-devouring poison churned from the depths of the White Lake by the devas and asuras, was swallowed by Shiva to save the universe from extinction.
But was the Halahala truly destroyed?
A small portion still remains – a weapon powerful enough to guarantee victor ...more

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Paperback, Second Edition, 428 pages

Published August 2016 by Jaico Publishing (first published November 1st 2014)

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Mar 09, 2017 Vishnu Chevli rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaway-pr, english, book-own

[Edit - Added Author Interview link]
Ever since I read "The Immortal of Meluha", I became huge fan of the alternate history or mythology genre. Half of my wishlist books are filled with this genre. The Guardians of the Halahala was in my wishlist for more than a year. I got my hands on the book few weeks back. And I considered myself lucky that I got author signed copy.

Indian mythological literature is pretty rich and deep. During our college times we used to think why Indian authors were not rec [Edit - Added Author Interview link]
Ever since I read "The Immortal of Meluha", I became huge fan of the alternate history or mythology genre. Half of my wishlist books are filled with this genre. The Guardians of the Halahala was in my wishlist for more than a year. I got my hands on the book few weeks back. And I considered myself lucky that I got author signed copy.

Indian mythological literature is pretty rich and deep. During our college times we used to think why Indian authors were not recreating those stories. Soon a trend of alternate history-mythology stories started. Today we find more than 300 books in the genre. But one has to put enough effort to leave an impact on readers. By combining stories of 'Samudra-Manthan' and Vikramaditya, Shatrujeet has created mind-boggling epic 'The Vikramaditya Veerghatha'.

Trilogy revolves around poison called Halahala. In this first part, the Lord Shiva himself has given responsibility of the Halahala sealed dagger to Vikramaditya. As task was assigned by omniscient himself, Vikramaditya, being the Samrat of the Bharatvarsha and the king of Avanti, considered the responsibility as illustriousness. Vikramaditya didn't know why Shiva chosen him and Shiva didn't reveal it to him. His counsel of Nine had wholeheartedly accepted their kings decision to protect dagger. Before accepting dagger, Shindhuvrata was having threat from barbaric Huna & Saka from the west. After accepting dagger, Maghadh became aggressive and started taking military actions in the east to increase their prowess. Avanti started getting attacks from Devas & Asuras. Counsellor of Avanti with their power and technology were able to counter those attacks, but the devastation brought by attacks had already taken heavy toll on Ujjaini, the capital of Avanti.

With heavy anticipation and few exciting revelation author finished the first part on high peak. It is not possible for someone who liked the first part to not check second one. Shatrujeet was able to match my expectations. It is a sure shot best read of this year in the mytho-action-thriller. I will dig into second part ASAP.

Detailed review link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2017/0...
Author interview link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2017/0... ...more

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Dec 21, 2014 Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, review-copy

I have to admit at the very beginning that I accepted a review copy of this book from the author without even reading the blurb. The reason behind it is the Author’s debut novel “The Karachi Deception”. I had absolutely loved it for his writing style. Then again, once I accepted and realized that this is a fantasy / mythological book instead of a gritty thriller, I felt apprehensive… what if the author isn’t as good in writing in a different genre from what I have already read and appreciated. I I have to admit at the very beginning that I accepted a review copy of this book from the author without even reading the blurb. The reason behind it is the Author’s debut novel “The Karachi Deception”. I had absolutely loved it for his writing style. Then again, once I accepted and realized that this is a fantasy / mythological book instead of a gritty thriller, I felt apprehensive… what if the author isn’t as good in writing in a different genre from what I have already read and appreciated. I need not have feared. Shatrujeet Nath follows up his stunning thriller with an equally enthralling fantasy book.

During the ‘Samudramanthan’ which produced a lot of treasure and ‘Amrit’ in the end, also produced a poison, Halahala, so potent that even the fumes of it dropped the bodies of devas and Asuras alike. Lord Shiva had swallowed it in order to save the universe from extinction. But what many people do not know is that a small amount remains and the owner of it could have a huge advantage in any battle. Both Devas and Asuras are in search for it. But Lord Shiva, who knows the potential of it, entrusts Vikramaditya and his Navaratnas to guard it with their life.

I found the plot quite engrossing and different from anything that I have read from an Indian author so far. We all know of the ‘Samudramanthan’ and Halahala, and we also know of Vikramaditya and his various tales. When put together, they indeed form something unique. Complimentary to the plot is its characterization. The author has taken the age old characters and presented them in a new avatar. The Gods, especially Lord Shiva, seem so human in the story that one can almost identify with them. But I have to say that Vikramaditya stands out among all of them. With a wide choice of Devas and Asuras available, I choose team human because Vikramaditya as the wielder of the Hellfires is really a formidable personality. The author’s style of writing is opulent and easy to get into at the same time. He has not only maintained quality in writing, but has also improved upon it.

I would recommend it to all mythology and fantasy lovers as it guarantees entertainment with its plot, action and twists.

http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2015/01/The... ...more

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Sep 27, 2016 Vikalp Trivedi rated it did not like it

Shelves: reading-challenge-2016

Deceived by hordes of positive reviews and being a fan of Indian Mythology , I picked 'The Guardians Of Halahala' , the book one of 'Vikaramaditya Veergatha' , written by Shatrujeet Nath.

As I started reading the book the start was slow , the pace remained slow throughout . It felt like I was reading story of a Indian T.V. serial . The book qualifies every quality to be a perfect Indian daily soap . Useless conversations , nothing happening in many chapters , half of the chapters were wasted in c ...more

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Aug 14, 2019 K.J. Charles added it

Shelves: indian, fantasy

Epic Indian-set fantasy with kings, demons, deadly MacGuffin, pending apocalyse, betrayals, politics, conspiracies, and one meeellion characters. All the fun of the fair, in fact. I enjoyed this a lot as an epic romp: the massive cast somewhat overstretched my mental faculties at points but I got to grips eventually and liked the team of Guardians and the concept a lot. There's a *lot* of exposition and the writing is workmanlike, but it's a good big twisty story with a vivid setting and lots of ...more

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Aug 26, 2015 Priyanka Roy Banerjee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: indian-authors, mythology

For the uninitiated, Halahala is the poison that was churned from the oceans, expecting Amrit instead. It was deemed to be so potent that it could destroy the three universes and who better than the destroyer himself to consume the poison and save everyone. If the Halahala didn’t exist anymore, what’s the story about? You have to read to find out because it has been crafted so beautifully.
Kudos to Shatrujeet Nath for bringing back Mythology and Fantasy in my reading habitat. Recommended for eve ...more

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Dec 22, 2017 Guttu rated it really liked it

Shelves: indiareads2018

When I was 10, I was introduced to this story of King Vikramaditya and Betaal or "Vikram aur Betaal". I was fascinated by both the characters. Vikram, for being human and yet having courage to carry a ghost on his back and Betaal for his wicked sense of humor. Some years later, I was introduced to one more story of Vikramaditya, i.e. Singhasan Battisi. Since then I have seen him as a courageous and righteous king like no one. He was like Ram of modern world. My interest in this characters made m When I was 10, I was introduced to this story of King Vikramaditya and Betaal or "Vikram aur Betaal". I was fascinated by both the characters. Vikram, for being human and yet having courage to carry a ghost on his back and Betaal for his wicked sense of humor. Some years later, I was introduced to one more story of Vikramaditya, i.e. Singhasan Battisi. Since then I have seen him as a courageous and righteous king like no one. He was like Ram of modern world. My interest in this characters made me read this book.

I had read a great deal of praise about this book and I wanted to finish this last year. Somehow, I couldn't. It's for the good because it has given me a great start for this year.

Long time back during the Smaudra Manthan, Halahala (a deadly poison) was released. Devas and Asuras were both affected from the Halahala and it posed great thread to the whole creation. Both Devas and asuras approached Lord Mahadev to save them. Lord Mahadev decided to drink all the Halahala to save the world. But a small potion of the Halahala was stolen by an asura named Veeshada who had traps it safely inside a dagger. The dagger was under safe custody of Shiva, who is no one but Mahadeva himself living in the Himalayas. Shiva decided to hand over the dagger to Vikramaditya so that he could meditate in peace. Now it is Vikramaditya's responsibility to protect the dagger from both Devas and asuras who want to possess it to have an upper hand over their enemy.

The story is powerfully weaved never letting the grip loosen once the introduction part is over. The characters, Navratnas or the nine councilors or Vikramaditya, play major role in this book. There is more of them than Vikramaditya himself. It works so well that you'll love at least two of the characters from the Navratnas. Their background stories have been scattered over the book which I felt should have been packed into a chapter or two. It is annoying when a remark about a characters past is made and it is not revealed for the next 30-40 pages. This has been repeated throughout.

The fantasy elements in this book are admirable. The Ashvins, Maruts, Andhaka, Swords of Hellfire, etc.. will make you crave for more and more fantasy. The story would have been dull if not for these fantasy elements. One more plus about the story is that it effortlessly moves from one plot to another. It's not that easy when you have hundreds of characters and places in one story.

The flaws I found may not be of great importance to many. But I certainly thought they could have turned this into a much better book. The first was the annoying bombardment of unfamiliar words. It just breaks the flow of reading a thriller. Author doesn't have to impress the reader by diction but by the art of story telling. Secondly, There is a huge scope for humor in this story which hasn't been exploited much. It's like that one piece of cashew in good-day cashew biscuits. More would have made it tastier.

At the end of it, I won't be able to resist reading the next book in this trilogy. I'll have to put down everything else and read it. I doubt it will be limited to trilogy as there is scope for 5 books at least. Prepare to be blown away if you consider reading this.

P.S. - "Where there's Vikram, there's Betaal" :D :D ...more

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Mar 14, 2019 Ruchi Patel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned

I had my eye on this book since long and finally I got chance to read it and I am really glad that I picked up this book. My favourite genres are mythology and fiction and this book is perfect combination of both. The story begins with the scene of “Samudramanthan”. My grandparents used to tell me the stories regarding mythology and I have heard few stories regarding it. “Halahala” is the most powerful poison that has been derived from this process. So the Deva and Danava requested the lord Shiv ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Roshan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Let me start by stating the obvious.
The Guardians of the Halahala is unlike any book you have read in the Indian historical fiction genre till date. The beginning of a trilogy, it effortlessly combines religion, legend, history and even one of the most iconic characters from our fables, bringing a unique perspective to their story.

review Godyears bookIt all begins with one of Lord Shiva's most iconic moments - one that requires not just the devas and asuras but also Lord Vishnu to work beside ea ...more

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May 04, 2020 Infantina rated it really liked it

Recommended to Infantina by: Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws

Shelves: fiction, series

Rightly named Vikramaditya Veerkadha, the story happens after thousand years when Lord Shiva swallows Halahala, a portion that gives victory to whoever has it. Lord Shiva failed to drink the last portion of the Halahala and he can’t drink it again to safeguard the universe from depletion as He nearly died the first time. At this point of time, I found Mahadeva Lord Shiva to be powerless when he sought help from Vikramaditya.He is just like us needing help from trusted people once in a while.

It m Rightly named Vikramaditya Veerkadha, the story happens after thousand years when Lord Shiva swallows Halahala, a portion that gives victory to whoever has it. Lord Shiva failed to drink the last portion of the Halahala and he can’t drink it again to safeguard the universe from depletion as He nearly died the first time. At this point of time, I found Mahadeva Lord Shiva to be powerless when he sought help from Vikramaditya.He is just like us needing help from trusted people once in a while.

It makes me wonder from an atheist point of view, if there is any God, is he powerless too?What is stopping Him/Her to help the needy and downtrodden people? I understand the author’s way of thinking which is God has given the power to choose between right and wrong. So if we are doing bad things/good things, Karma will decide whether the gate of heaven is open for us or we are going to be pushed into hell despite our likes and dislikes. But playing with one’s life is not a right behavior even it is God Himself. After reading the novel, my perspective of looking at God changed totally. I was questioning my belief.

Now coming on to the Halahala, the angels of Devaloka and demons of Patala compete among themselves to get it which is stored in a dagger’s hilt. Who is going to win? It is a battle between the good and the evil.Vikramaditya and his nine councilmen who are all humans are entrusted by Lord Shiva to guard the dagger that contains a small amount of Halahala. Will they succeed despite so many odds? Because their lives are at stake. How can they save themselves from Asuras and Devas and also from hunas and sakas?

We all have read the mighty king Vikramaditya’s story in our childhood days but this one is a totally different take from the books we have all read. The nine councilmen who accompany Vikramaditya on his journey to succeed.That is why the novel is called ‘The guardians of Halahala’. Not only these people are in this book, there are so many intriguing characters which occasionally makes us forget who is who only in the first half. Second half is fine.

When I started reading the novel, I had a feeling I will not like it. The prologue was not that impressive to capture my mind though it did give me a glimpse of what I already know that is Vikramaditya is the chosen one to do the job given by Lord Shiva. Will he succeed?Hell, yes(If the author changes his mind in the next series, just forgive me please). The novel is very simple but the suspense of what we are going to find next, the hardships that Vikramaditya and his nine council men are going to undergo, the mystery unraveling itself gave me a satisfactory read.

I have read mythological thrillers before and watched movies too(Lord of the rings) but not like this one. I can’t believe how the author managed to write a book that readers of all ages love. If you like mythological thrillers, this one is tailor made for you. Each character speaks volume.

There are lots of twists and turns in this well plotted story. I understand this book is written basically around Hindu myths. I am still in the learning process but I can do a comparison of certain things like omniscient Lord , demons, angels, witches, flesh eating pishachas and spirits as no human knows the full story of how the universe was formed with proof.

As the book is 400 pages long, I took breaks to read it. That doesn’t mean the book is not a compelling read. Indeed, it is the opposite. I devoured each page so much that will feel like bragging to some of you. King Vikramaditya is loyal, down-to-earth and valiant enough to lead the nine council men towards brighter future for himself and his people. His love for Vishaka even though she is in a vegetative state for almost two years is heart-touching. ...more

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Mar 28, 2015 Shreya Ganguly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The title and the cover of the book is fierce and dominates the appearance a dagger looking royal and pristine, but bold enough to hint what the book beholds.

While many may contemptuously flick history as tales of the dead and gone, it has in recent times emerged a one of the best received genre. The art of combining fascinating history with appetizing mythology has not really been around but the Author seems to have carved his way in and has come to stay with a lasting impression. The recipe re ...more

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Jan 11, 2015 Namratha rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, adventure, mythology, historical-fiction

During the legendary churning of the White Lake : Samudramanthan, one of the most heinous things to be thrown up was the poison Halahala. Halahala had the capacity to raze both the Devas and Asuras to dust and wreck untold havoc on everything. The task to save the world ultimately fell upon good ol'Lord Shiva, who swallowed the deadly poison (ergo the blue throat) and averted disaster.

Temporarily.

For Lord Shiva knew something that was oblivious to the rejoicing Devas and Asuras. A minuscule port ...more

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Jan 09, 2015 Arun Shourie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The stories of Samrat Vikramadithya, the Superhero King of Ancient India, including the Vikaram-Betal Stories was what I fascinated most in my Childhood, when i used to read those stories in Chandamama. Fantasy was the major part in such stories. The Author Shatrujeeth Nath has choosen such part of fabled History which leaves much scope for him to add whatever fiction he wants, while at the same time using all the known contemporary characters associated with Vikramadithya (Nine Gems, Betal, Ind ...more

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Feb 15, 2015 Sreekant rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shatrujeet Nath and I worked together briefly at A&M magazine, and, later, he was part of the start-up team (of three) when we started agencyfaqs! (now afaqs!). He was a passionate – if occasionally forgetful :) - colleague who felt strongly about whatever it was that he was writing about. We were together for over five years until he left, later to become the editor of Brand Equity.

At some point, Shatrujeet took a different route to pursue full-time creative writing. When his first book, The Ka ...more

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Mar 31, 2015 Durvankur Patil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

December, 2011

The Immortals of Meluha had cast a spell on me and left my mouth wide and gaping. I was in awe of the book like the rest of the country was; only thinking that this was the best book I ever read.

A few years later...

April, 2015

The spell was cast again and this time it was Shatrujeet Nath. The Karachi Deception had laid a solid foundation for the author and every book nerd knew that this man can tell a story better than the rest. The Guardians of the Halahala has left me speechless.

I ...more

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Feb 08, 2015 Suresh S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I am normally wary of multi-book fantasy sagas because I have a dread of that oft-used phrase in fantasy fiction - "world-building". I cannot be bothered to read through tomes of preamble and meandering description just to get to a stage where the characters and story finally get going. Thankfully, even with this first book of his proposed trilogy, Shatrujeet loses no time in setting the plot wheels in motion. In fact, with an ensemble of interesting characters and multiple narrative threads, th ...more

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May 27, 2017 Pradyota Prakash rated it really liked it

Well, this book was a surprise find. Walking down Sapna's aisle, this book looked too inviting to not pick it up. I know I judged it by its cover, I decided to surprise myself. And surprise myself, I definitely did.

I had zero expectations when I started this book. I never knew I would end up falling in love with it. It's incredibly well written. I love Shatrujeet's style of writing. It's so rich, on par with the greatest literature books. The only thing that actually put me off was that the scen ...more

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Mar 15, 2018 Ankit Singhal rated it it was amazing

This series is going to be the best fiction work on Hindu mythology. You read this and then you realize Amish's work is highly over rated. This book has everything a fantasy fiction should have: a wonderfully crafted plot, a myriad of characters and each of them built with amazing details and high paced story. The interesting part of the book is that you desperately want to know the climax but since you are enjoying the story so much, you dont want to miss the details.

Just a caution that book i ...more

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Aug 26, 2020 Vimal Raj Kannan rated it it was amazing

wanted to give 4.5 stars
the story is new for me not sure if it is entirely hindu mythology or a mythological fiction.
i have read only about the vikram and veetal adventures so i was surprised to know that the same vikram appears here.
there are lots of characters so i was bit confused in the beginning. only in the latter part of the novel i understood the distinction in different characters. initially i thought raj-guru, acharya & vetala batta are all different characters and raj-guru & dhanvant ...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Tanmay Meher rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A thrilling journey

You just need to start and I bet the grip does not go loose till the last page of the book. What a masterpiece developed by the writing genius Shatrujieet Nath!!!! There is not a single line in the book which will disallow you to sit straight . The fighting scenes are more than real, the way its being narrated, one feels like being part of that era and witnessing the events. Do hold your breath and don't refrain yourself from exploring this mythological fiction full of action ...more

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Apr 07, 2020 Vishal Kumar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A must read. A surprise read with a exceptionally good story which you hardly get now a days. I loved the characters and specially the council of Nine members. After Shiva trilogy by Amish Tripathy, this is a must read and now I know we have good Indian authors as well who knows how to tell a good mythology tale.

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Jan 05, 2020 Sriramachandra Murthy rated it it was amazing

When you write a beautifully crafted sentence, you feel proud and you enjoy every bit of it. When you read a well built sentence with a great vocabulary, you will be taken to a different world, and what if all those sentences are constructed in a book along with a well structured plot. This is 'The book'.. I don't have any more words to say than this.. Well written Sir.. Kudos..#shatrujeetnath

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Dec 28, 2019 Geetanjali rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.75 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️✨

Good book. 👍🏻✌🏻

Samrat Vikramaditya impresses with his qualities of duty, honour, bravery and many others, so do his band of counsellors. And I appreciate the author who actually bothered giving them all equal importance. I liked the action plots. They are very well written, but the book seems incomplete. The introductory part stretches more than it should, and makes the book a bit less interesting at the start, but once it’s 40% completed, it takes a good pace. But a lot of th ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Sindhuja R rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An excellent work of mythological fantasy blending in and borrowing from 3-4 legends. The author’s creativity and narrative shine and keep you hooked.

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Sep 01, 2015 Nandhini Chandrasekaran rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Full review @ http://nandhinisbookreviews.blogspot....

If there is a human brain that needs to be researched upon, next to Einstein’s, it is author Shatrujeet Nath’s. I am not trying to exaggerate, but you will understand the truth in my statement if you’ve read his second book, The Guardians of the Halahala. Certainly, such an intricately woven plot could not have come from an ordinary brain!

When I read The Immortals of Meluah by Amish Tripathi, I felt it was the best mythological fiction. It ma Full review @ http://nandhinisbookreviews.blogspot....

If there is a human brain that needs to be researched upon, next to Einstein’s, it is author Shatrujeet Nath’s. I am not trying to exaggerate, but you will understand the truth in my statement if you’ve read his second book, The Guardians of the Halahala. Certainly, such an intricately woven plot could not have come from an ordinary brain!

When I read The Immortals of Meluah by Amish Tripathi, I felt it was the best mythological fiction. It may not be right to compare the efforts, work and creativity of two artists, however, it feels compelling to reveal that The Guardians of the Halahala definitely has an edge over the former. Eagerly looking forward to the next in the trilogy series.

It’s simply a must-read for all readers interested in Indian mythology.

The Guardians of the Halahala is a historical fiction, based on Indian mythology. The churning of the ocean by Asuras and Devas in search of the Amrit followed by the discovery of the deadly poison, Halahala that was consumed by Lord Shiva in order to protect the Asuras and the Devas, is a familiar Hindu mythology. However, what we wouldn’t have possibly known is the fate of the concealed portion of Halahala by an Asura, which has the power to destroy any magnificent enemy. Though Lord Shiva had safe guarded it for long, it is time to leave it safe to another hands. King Vikramaditya and his nine councilors are the chosen ones to pursue this daunting task of combating the powerful forces of the Asuras and Devas and at the same time save their kingdom and people and most importantly, guard the Halahala.

The book transports the readers straight to ancient India. The royal court scenes and battle field portions have been narrated so realistically that one can effortlessly rebuild all of it in the mental screen. The narration is sometimes poetic, sometimes fierce and sometimes just plain, exactly in accordance with the mood of the situation. The most admirable aspect of the narration is the significance given to even the minute details of the plot. Here are a few lines that I must have read at least a ten times:

‘The sun had yet to shake off its slumber when the small boat slipped through the dark water…’ (Page 28)

‘The darkness that had enveloped the plain just moments ago was now punctuated by hundreds and hundreds of pinpricks of phosphorescent light, winking eerily through the fine drizzle like silver-green fireflies.’ (Page 218)

‘…the king’s foot skidded every now and then to dislodge an avalanche of pebbles, which rolled down and disappeared into the fetid, gray-black waters of the Kshipra. The river barely moved, and even the ripples from the falling pebbles died prematurely on its sludgy surface.’ (Page 348)

There’s almost nothing I could find that needs a scope for improvement. However, a friendly warning that I would like to give the readers is that you will meet new characters almost every now and then. Most of the characters are known as much as they are unknown. In case you do not get to complete the book within a few days, as happened to me, you are sure to go back and forth to recollect the events, places and characters.

The intoxication of the splendid writing hasn’t got over me yet. And it feels difficult to write anything more about this book.
...more

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Nov 16, 2014 Rahul Khatri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: proud-to-be-an-indian-read

I really don't know where to begin to from .........
Lets start with the Cover Page - A very beautifully designed cover showcasing dagger with a shiny liquid in between the hilt .Simply superb .As the book is all about guarding Halahala so the shiny liquid is of course the halahala .
Now Another design that's on beginning of every new chapter of the book is of Sun Crest which is also vey beautifully designed .
And now the writting . As one can expect from the author of THE KARACHI DECEPTION , the p I really don't know where to begin to from .........
Lets start with the Cover Page - A very beautifully designed cover showcasing dagger with a shiny liquid in between the hilt .Simply superb .As the book is all about guarding Halahala so the shiny liquid is of course the halahala .
Now Another design that's on beginning of every new chapter of the book is of Sun Crest which is also vey beautifully designed .
And now the writting . As one can expect from the author of THE KARACHI DECEPTION , the plot is MIND BLOWING . Have read many other fictions before related to hindu mythology but this one is something very different . Once a samll portion is used from mythology otherwise the whole story is generated by authors mind . I say 1 : 99 I.e 1 % from mythology & 99% is author's fantasy and brainy thoughts :)
Coming to the plot ......
Honour , Friendship & Respect are the major keywords to be used to descibe whole story beside it Arrogance , Greed , Politics , betrayal and evil is also there .Book is veey high oaced & gripping that I finished the book in just 2 days .
With the first page itself I felt so attached to the book and with turning leaf to leaf evens unfold in very nice manner .
As the name suggest THE GUARDIANS OF HALAHALA , the plot is all about saving Halahala , Posion chuned from white lake by devas and asuras and swallowed by shiva , from both devas and asuras . One day the omniscient shiva came to Samrat of Sindhuvarta & gave him dagger that contains halahala to potect it from both asuras and devas .So the Samrat and his council of 9 are designated as the Guardians of Halahala . As both asuras and devas get tonknow that halahala is in possesion of Human king Vikramaditya , both launch an assault on the kingdom to retieve the halahala . Devas led by Indira first send Ashvini brothers and then Maruts to carry an assault on human king & Asuras led by Shankracharya send an army of Pisachas under andaka .One interesting thing that I loved is that even the book is written about very old era but the auhor has used very modern words to describe each and every incident .
Author has done a magnificent job by giving an index of Major Characters in the begining of the book & Glossory of Indian terms at end .
in short I sa its a MUST READ thriller and as its a Triology so many unanswered questions still left and expected to be answered in IInd and third part . ...more

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Sep 29, 2018 Sachin Shanbhag rated it it was amazing

Book Review: The Vikramaditya Veergatha by Shatrujeet Nath (Book 1: The Guardians of the Halahala, Book 2: The Conspiracy at Meru, Book 3: The Vengeance of Indra)

The Game of Thrones TV series has gone on to become one of the largest runaway successes of our times with a viewership that could rival or maybe even beat any other series. Having said that, the series originated from the books written by George R. R. Martin and any book lover worth his or her salt would swear that the books are so muc Book Review: The Vikramaditya Veergatha by Shatrujeet Nath (Book 1: The Guardians of the Halahala, Book 2: The Conspiracy at Meru, Book 3: The Vengeance of Indra)

The Game of Thrones TV series has gone on to become one of the largest runaway successes of our times with a viewership that could rival or maybe even beat any other series. Having said that, the series originated from the books written by George R. R. Martin and any book lover worth his or her salt would swear that the books are so much better!

And with that seemingly random fact, let me get to the topic on hand, my take on the Vikramaditya Veergatha by Shatrujeet Nath. Mythological fantasy fiction as a genre has evolved tremendously in India over the last few years and many authors have dabbled in it some to resounding success and others who were way in over their heads. When I first heard the name “The Guardians of Halahala”, I didn’t know what exactly to expect and while the genre is one of my favourites after pure fantasy, I did not pick it up until a chance found me in the possession of the first 3 books of the series.

Having read a large number of books of this genre, I am sure that making your presence felt and standing out is a herculean task for any author but Shatrujeet from the very first book has raised the bar and how. I had decided that I would review each book of the series as I finished it but the first book flowed into the second and the second into the third so seamlessly that I found myself reading through them at breakneck speed and I write this after having read all three. As an aside, my wife started with The Guardians of Halahala after I was done with it and overtook me while reading The Vengeance of Indra – having quietly taking it away when I was only a quarter through it!

The story starts with Lord Shiva entrusting the dagger of Veeshada to Samrat Vikramaditya for safekeeping knowing him to be an upholder of all that is right and a worthy opponent to the best of adversaries. This dagger contains the leftover of the deadly Halahala poison that was revealed as a by-product of the churning of the ocean by the Devas and Asuras, rivals collaborating to find the much sought after Amruta. Both parties have been striving to get hold of the dagger and Shiva thought that Vikrama would be the ideal candidate to keep it away and foil any attempts by them to wrest it away. The books take us through the numerous conflicts Vikrama and his trusted aides have to grapple with in carrying out Lord Shiva’s charge.

The author starts weaving together a tight storyline from the first book itself and the plot, though complex, keeps you hooked from start to end. Samrat Vikramaditya (adapted from the Vikram Betaal story) of Avanti and his 9 councillors form the mainstay of this grand tale and every other sub-plot intermingles with the main story. The Samrat rules over Sindhuvarta, which comprises of many other nations, each with their individual ruler who is allied with Avanti, Vikrama’s own kingdom. Along with the humans which also include the Huna and Saka tribes, there are Devas, Asuras, Yakshas, Danavas, Pisachas, Garudas etc playing an equal and important role in the story. With so many characters, there is bound to be a lot of confusion and a general dilution of the plot. But this is where Shatrujeet surprises: each character in the books has been carefully etched and given enough background to ensure that their role in the proceedings is clear to the reader.

The level of detail amazes in many small but important ways; the Hunas and Sakas, both of which are imaginary races who are sworn enemies of the kingdoms of Sindhuvarta have been given their own language, which is as distinct from anything than I’ve ever read before. The physical descriptions of the multitude of characters are detailed so well that I could see each and every one of these in my mind’s eye with clarity. The same level of detail is also found in outlining the lives of different kinds of people described in the books including soldiers, tradesmen, palace attendants, merchants, nomadic tribes of the desert etc not forgetting the Devas, Asuras and Yakshas themselves.

There is a smooth intermingling of characters most of us are familiar with from our own knowledge of Indian mythology and our epics and while I have never observed any connection between them prior to reading these books, I found the interplay more acceptable and craftily executed to give us a masterpiece of a story, one that can hold its own against any of the other giants we have read and love. Many of the principal characters are ones that we know such as Samrat Vikaramaditya himself, the lord of the Devas – Indra, Hiranyaksha and Holika – the sibling consorts ruling the Asuras, Brihaspati, Narada, Shukracharya, Kubera the Yaksha, Betaala of the Underworld and a few others I might have missed out. These are ably supplemented by many other characters created by the author including the 9 councillors of Vikrama’s court, each of them with a definitive character that shapes the narrative ahead, the various kings who are allied with Avanti or in a few cases are against it and the Devas and Asuras who form part of the Indra’s and Hiranyaksha’s kingdoms respectively.

Shatrujeet has moved from the traditional definition of good and bad when it comes to the Devas and Asuras and given them both a common cause – getting the dagger of Veeshada for themselves so that they can defeat the other and are willing to go to any heights, right or wrong, to get hold of it. Given that nothing is truly black or white and there are a lot of varying shades of gray in between, this concept works really well in this day and world. The description of Indra, Holika and Hiranyaksha is a thing of beauty and challenges any other impressions you may have had of them previously. The same is true for many other characters but you will need to read the books to find out for yourselves.

As I have already mentioned before, the story is larger than life and each and every event in the book fits perfectly in place in this mammoth tapestry that Shatrujeet has woven. There was obviously a reason I’d mentioned the Game of Thrones books right at the start of my review and just like in it, the Veergatha too has many different strands running through it each having its own place and each coming back to seamlessly integrate into the main plot and hitting home hard. Not one place did I get the feeling of something being in excess or not required to keep the story going. I cannot fathom the amount of research and tracking that must have been required to make this happen. Ashok Banker’s Ramayana was another book series that I had loved and have re-read it multiple times – the Vikramaditya Veergatha is right up that alley and I am proud to acknowledge that there are Indian authors who can be compared with the best of them out there!

I could go on and on about these books and why you should read them but I guess I have almost written a chapter’s length and am in danger of not being read. To end with, a subtle hint for Shatrujeet: George R. R. Martin wrote the first 5 books in his series almost one after the other and hooked millions of readers worldwide to the Game of Thrones. He has still not released the ‘last’ book of the series and along with the bouquets has had many a brickbat thrown at him just for his tardiness in this matter. Enough said!

Rating: 4.5 / 5
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May 19, 2017 Mukund rated it it was amazing

An amazing work by the author which will transform to you the land of Sindhuvarta. An epic with adequate ingredients of twists, emotions, action and treachery. An amazing work!!

Read the Complete Review here

https://reviewzoneweb.wordpress.com/2... ...more

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Dec 10, 2014 Sandeep Sharma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

After a great debut with ‘The Karachi Deception’, author Shatrujeet Nath takes his readers head on with sudden change in genre. The Gaurdians of the Halahala is a Fantasy/ Mythological fiction which is a part of the series called Vikramaditya Series.
The Saga talks about the poison Halahala that was the outcome of ‘Samudramanthan’. Lord Shiva is believed to have swallowed the poison but the lesser known fact was that a portion of Halahala was hidden in a dagger who’s possession somehow reaches t ...more

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Jul 26, 2015 Jithin S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: those who grew up on Indian mythology-cum-fantasy

Shelves: indian-mythology, fantasy, favorites

Woohoo!!! Finally a Indian mythological fiction with fantasy elements to it, something which I've been waiting for. I was much skeptical about this book as I had awarded a 2 star to the only other book by the author. But being grown up on a daily dose of Indian mythology-cum-fantasy and Vikram-Betal stories being among by absolute favorites during my childhood, I could not myself from taking a leap of faith.

MAN-O-MAN, did the leap paid off. Shatrujeet Nath have more than got it right this time.

T ...more

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Feb 28, 2016 Niveditha R rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book proves that (some) Indian authors can write. There is no attempt on the part of the writer to overly simplify the prose. It was the first book that I read of Shatrujeet Nath, so I wasn’t exactly sure of what to expect, given that other Indian books in the same genre had been mightily disappointing (I think everyone knows as to what I am referring to here). The book is also decently priced. A few things, if tweaked a little bit, could have made it even better:

1. The introduction of new ...more

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About Shatrujeet Nath

Shatrujeet Nath

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Shatrujeet Nath is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which includes The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru and The Vengeance of Indra. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. He is also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thrill ...more

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Vikramaditya Veergatha (3 books)

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The Conspiracy at Meru (Vikramaditya Veergatha, #2)

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