Storm From Taxila: The Asoka Trilogy

The Asoka Trilogy #2

by Shreyas Bhave

Bharatvarsha, Land Of The 272 EL
Bindusar, the Samrat Chakravartin of all the Aryas, ruler of the Indian sub¬continent, is dead. Chaos rules as the royal succession turns upon intrigue, dark coalitions, violence and death. The realm stands divided and civil war ensues.
In Asoka kills his brother's Ashwamedha stallion and marches to Patliputra with his army. The Ancient Brahminical Order rises in his support. Have they made the right choice?
In The rightful heir, Sushem, raises an army to meet the challenge posed by his ambitious and gifted brother, Asoka. He prepares to march to the capital and seize the throne by force. Will history repeat itself? Will Sushem achieve what his grandfather Chandragupta did?
In Guildmaster Hardeo sets out on a private mission to cquire the great salt pans of Sindh. Will he succeed in his secret enterprise?
In Radhagupta travels to fulfill the task allotted to him by the Order. Kanakdatta, the Buddhist, stands up to stop him. Will Radhagupta fail in his mission?
The winds of war howl over the sub-continent, blowing every last person one way or the other. Blood will be spilled, secrets revealed and men ruined. History shall be made. In Book II of the epic Asoka Trilogy, the storm approaches — the harbinger of death and destruction. When the dust finally settles the great question will be Who is the next Samrat of the revered lands of the Aryas?

504 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2018

Reviews

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Video Review Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdjuW...

I was eagerly waiting for this sequel of Asoka Trilogy - Storm From Taxila because I was completely flat when I have read the first part - “The Prince of Patliputra”. I had almost lost hope of the next part after waiting for a year. (I have seen or left tracking many such good book’s sequels in past) Luckily 2 months back Leadstart publishing newsletter brought me good news of this part. And again my attention stuck to the book and started waiting for the book to reach my doorstep. I have received the book 2 weeks back. I could have finished book earlier if I was not busy with some important work.

When I have finished the 1st part, there were many questions in my mind which required next volume. How would Sushem react to the killing of Ashwamedha Yagya horse? How will fight between Asoka & Sushem fare? How will Chanakya and/or Radhagupta use their cunning methodologies in their favor? Well, to address these questions along with many new revelations “The Storm from Taxila” is presented to fan like us.

Multiple threads in the timeline of Ashoka started with this part. Radhagupta was included in the Ancient Brahminical order and given the task to free Hariharan from the clutches of Shiva. Asoka was secretly approaching Patliputra, later on, he was inducted inside the city as crown prince. Sushem started marching with his full army towards Patliputra to get his birthright and to knock some sense in Ashoka’s mind. Hardeo marched towards Junagarh to buy salt pans of Saurashtra. And as usual, Chanakya was preparing Patliputra for coming storm. In another parallel, during Chandragupta’s time, Chandragupta was approaching Patliputra to dethrone Nanda. He had taken Guidance of Chanakya and help of Malayketu (Puru King’s son). The story ended with Ashoka and Chandragupta’ coronation in their respective timeline. But that doesn’t mean the end. 3rd part of the trilogy will come soon.

The gem of the story is characterization. Especially characters like Chanakya, Radhagupta, Chandragupta, Ashoka, Devi, Malayketu. Due to the limit, I will explain two characters here. Let’s take the example of Chanakya, in the first part he was a clear hero (though shrewd and cunning) the second part makes you feel that from heroism his portrayal shifted to neutral or semi-antagonist, an authoritative strictly egocentric character. Likewise, Malayketu who was shown as pain in a** in the beginning, you will feel pity for him by the end of the book. Though we thought it is the story between Chandragupta & Nanda or Ashoka & Sushem both heroes are considerably sidelined to give the canvas to more important characters. I know it is difficult to digest but read the book to know more.

I have already mentioned that Chanakya has never opened the secrets through which he had achieved his goals, all we have are estimates. Shreyas has used the best possible ways to bring it to us with help of his own imagination. I would say a must read. And one of the best grab in the historical fiction genre.

Detailed Review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Ronita Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name- Storm from Taxila
Written By- Shreyas Bhave
Published by- Platinum Press
Pages- 497
Ratings- 4.5🌟
Review-
Asoka's succession to the throne of The Great Mauryan Empire certainly deserves to be bound within the pages of a book. The least favourite among King Bindusar's sons Asoka had to fight his brothers and Sushim, his eldest and Bindusar's favourite. The civil war that followed after Bindusar's death has been recorded and retold through generations.
Though I must admit there are several versions of this war of succession. According to folklores and a section of historians believes that Asoka overpowered and killed all his 99 brothers except the youngest one. The Buddhists also believe that Asoka was a ruthless ruler and was known as Chand Asoka who became a just ruler only when he followed the path of Buddhism, after understanding the implications of the Kalinga war.
The real history is just distorted and hidden within layers of misconceptions, but then a historical fiction can give voice to some of the most believed and well accepted conspiracy theories making a list of what could have happened.
The second book of this series narrates the years of civil war and the treacherous misdeeds and betrayals by some of the most trusted men of Samrat Asoka.
I should confess that the second book is better handled than the first one in terms of narration and also in maintaining the suspense and the air of mystery and thrill. The plot was well laid and the characters were pretty detailed showcasing every side of their personality.
The book leaves an aftertaste and a whiff of a great war and an impending doom for few of the characters.
Lastly, I can say that I am eagerly waiting for the third book of this series and the first two are certainly recommend to everyone who loves a good historical fiction.

[Sheetal Maurya - Godse (Halo of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Prince of Patliputra’ was the first review copy I have reviewed on my blog in the year 2016. The book had a great storyline, plot, and subplots. The story ended on an interesting note and I was eagerly waiting for the second part. I have received this book, long back ago but didn’t have a chance to pick it up. However, Finally I finished this book and I can say that Shreyas has done a brilliant job again. Keep on reading to know more about this book.

Plot summary:

Continuing from the first book, this book has various subplots which run parallel. Ashok has fallen in love with Devi and after killing horse of Sushem’s Ashwamedha Yagya, they both are returning to Patliputra.

Prime Minister, Radhagupta has joined ancient brahminical order and Arya Chanakya has given him an important work to rescue Hariharan from the clutches of Shiva. The member of this order is secretly shaping ways for Ashok’s eligibility for the throne.

On the other side, Sushem is trying to overcome the financial loss and preparing an army for the upcoming war with his brother, Ashok.

Guild master Hardeo has gone to Junagarh to buy the Salt pans from the Raja Jain.
With this, the story of Chandragupta is also narrated where he is marching to dethrone the Nanda with the help of King Puru’s son Malayketu.

I don’t want to describe the story much as it will spoil the secrets, however, I would like to talk about the characters sketched by the author. Shreyas has amazingly drawn every character of the book, be it Hardeo or Arya Chanakya. We all know about the diplomatic skills of Chanakya and this book narrates them well.

Ashok, Devi, Dashrath and other characters are the need of the story and the author has perfectly developed them.

This book is a journey of Ashok and Chandragupta to the throne of Patliputra, but is this the end? Nope, this book again leaves some question which is going to be answered in the next part.

Writing style:

The author has managed to compile various subplots in an interesting way and the language is pretty easy which can be understood by every reader. The amalgamation of fiction and myth is simply remarkable.

My Perception:

I lived the era of Ashok through this book. This book is enveloped with the various characters which will make you think. Devi, who is a Vaidya but there is something which is not clear to see. Arya Chanakya who is ruthless, excellent planner and expert in diplomacy, Sushem who believes that he has every right to own the crown. The mighty warrior Chandragupta’s son, Bindusar’s lousy character that is not worthy for the kingdom. This is a great read for all those who love historical fiction. I had some difficulty to remember the story of the previous book as I have read it a long time ago. However, the author has given a brief of the story in the book. This book is a great combination of treachery, greed, power, diplomacy, and love for the nation.

An amazing fast-paced book which should be read every adventure and fantasy lover!

[Dr. Charu Panicker · Rating 3 out of 5]

ആര്യന്മാരുടെ ദേശത്തെ ബിന്ദുസാര ചക്രവർത്തി അന്തരിച്ചു. അനന്തരാവകാശി ആരാകും എന്ന ആകുലത എല്ലായിടത്തും പടർന്നു. രാജ്യം ആഭ്യന്തരയുദ്ധത്തിന്റെ വക്കിലായി. സ്വന്തം സഹോദരനായ സുഷമന്റെ യാഗാശ്വത്തെ വധിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് അശോകൻ പടനീക്കം ആരംഭിച്ചു. അശോകനെ നേരിടുന്നതിന് സിംഹാസനത്തിന്റെ നേരവകാശിയായ സുഷേമനും സൈന്യത്തെ സജ്ജമാക്കി. സിന്ധിലെ ഉപ്പളങ്ങൾ പിടിച്ചടക്കാനായി വണികസംഘത്തലവൻ ഹരദേവൻ രഹസ്യനീക്കം നടത്തി. ചാണക്യനും യുദ്ധതന്ത്രങ്ങളും രക്തം ചീന്തുന്ന ഒരു രചന.

[Pankaj Goyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storm From Taxila by Shreyas Bhave is the second installment of the series called Asoka Trilogy. As the title of the series suggests, the books of this series are based on the life of Asoka, a well-renowned Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty. The Prince of Patliputra, the first book of the series, presented a brilliantly crafted tale of the initial years of Asoka, especially his military exploits before he became the emperor. The book not only entertained me but also left a long-lasting imprint on my heart.

I was eagerly waiting for this second book of the series as the first book had concluded with a number of unanswered questions, in addition to impressing me on various levels. However, after waiting for more than a year and a half, I had started to lose hope of seeing the sequel in reality. There was no update and I felt that the second book of the series is somewhat not materializing. Therefore, my happiness knew no bounds when I came to know that the long-awaited sequel is finally coming. Finally, the book got published and I also got my hands on this book. And, as was the case with the first book, this second book too left a good impression on me. So, without much further ado, let’s talk about Storm From Taxila.

Storm From Taxila continues from where the first book left off. Things are pretty much same. The book again takes you into a magnificent world of politics, conspiracies, bravery, cowardice, loyalty, and betrayal. The plot continues to thicken and the central story keeps moving on. A number of new side-plots also develops and move along with the central story-line. As noted in the first book, Chandragupta Maurya’s story runs parallel to Asoka’s story-line in this book too. I won’t disclose anything about the main plot of this book as it might act as a spoiler. However, there is no harm in telling you that you will find answers to the unanswered questions left at the end of the first book. At the same time, you will get a new set of unanswered questions at the end of this book.

The thing that impressed me most about this book is the storytelling style of the author. Without even writing long descriptions of life during the Maurya period, the author has been successful in presenting the hustle and bustle of the Mauryan dynasty. The story moves at a fast speed and this pace has been maintained throughout the book. The characters have been sketched well. These are not black and white, and different shades of grey have been added to them. While Asoka is the main protagonist in this series, the character that impresses you the most is Chanakya. Chanakya, who served as the chief administrator of Chandragupta Maurya, has been depicted as playing an important role during Asoka’s reign too in this book. Now, historical records don’t give any reference of Asoka’s meeting with Chanakya but a look into chronological events suggests that Asoka must have met Chanakya. Whatever may be the case, Chanakya of this book is an attention-grabbing character. I loved the way his character has been portrayed in this book and also appreciated the different dimensions added to his character. It would be interesting to see how his character pens out in the last volume of the series. While I have no problem with the character of Asoka, I would love to see some new dimensions in his representation. Hopefully, I will get the same in the third book of the series.

The author delivered on all my expectations. In other words, this second book of the series definitely delivers on the promises the first book made. I will highly recommend this book to all the lovers of historical fiction. This book will not only entertain you but will also educate you. So, go for it!

Note: This review was originally published on
https://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2018/1...

[Pooja Srivastava · Rating 4 out of 5]

•••BOOK REVIEW•••
Storm from Taxila By Shreyas Bhave
⚔️
#PLOT: Storm From Taxila is the second book from 'The Asoka Trilogy'. It revolves around the great question - Who is the next Samrat of the revered lands of the Aryas?
Book contains the depiction of Asoka's succession to the throne of The Great Mauryan Empire after fighting his brothers and Sushim, his eldest and Bindusar's favourite. The civil war that followed after Bindusar's death has been recorded and retold through generations.
Thus the story leads to the years of civil war and the treacherous misdeeds and betrayals by some of the most trusted men of Samrat Asoka.
The story ended with Ashoka and Chandragupta’ coronation in their respective timeline. But that doesn’t mean the end. 3rd part of the trilogy will come soon.
⚔️
#WRITING_N_NARRATION: Same as last review, this book's writing is full of facts and spellbound description of ancient events. Author's writing is the outcome of some great research and knowledge.
The fast paced narration makes it easier for the reader to glide through 500 pages easily. I liked how things unfolded.
⚔️
#CHARACTERS : All thee characters have been sketched well in this book. While Asoka is the main protagonist in this series, the character that impresses you the most is Chanakya. I loved the way his character has been portrayed in this book and also appreciated the different dimensions added to his character.
⚔️
#MY_VIEWS: I don't mind reading heavy description of events if it's worth it. So I loved every single description of wars. It requires ample amount of knowledge to write a book on true events; this book is a great source of knowledge as well.This second book of the series definitely delivers on the promises the first book made. I will highly recommend this book to all the lovers of historical fiction.

[Soham Mohanty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storm from Taxila is the second part of the Asoka Trilogy written by the young, thriving author Shreyas Bhave. It is a historical fiction book which recreated the scene of Asoka killing his half-brother Sushima to ascend the throne of the Empire of the Mauryas. The introduction of many plot twists amaze the readers to the maximum extent and arise an interest in them to unravel the upcoming plots. Much of the book contains fictional content but in a very realistic manner.
The story begins by Radhagupta, the Emperor’s new prime minister dissuading the queen of Taxila and the wife of Sushima to plot against her own husband by falsely attempting to murder Asoka. An infuriated Asoka kills Sushima’s horse that is symbolic of him being the successor of his father, and prepares a standing army with the help of his old allies to take over the capital of Pataliputra. The opportune moment arises as the Samrat of Aryavarta, and the father of both Asoka and Sushima, Bindusara, passes away. As both the brothers are on a move to Pataliputra, Asoka reaches a fortnight before Sushima and takes the city over. When Sushima reaches there, he lays a siege over the city. But Asoka’s army is all set to attack them from the rear. Will Asoka become the Samrat or Sushima will become successful in defeating him? Read the book to dive into Aryavart in the Asokan era.

[Audriza Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is written by myself by not having read the first book.
Ashoka is a great figure in Indian history and that of the Maurya Empire I think ok the author has done a mind blowing job in researching about every aspect that needed to be put in the book and executive them extremely well.
The element of mystery along with twists and turns are so well established with the events being chronologically developed that there was not a single point of time that I did not feel that I was reading a book which was the second one in a trilogy and not having read the first one.
The language was easy and narration gripping; characters like Chanakya were beyond my expectations the flow of the book was very smooth and the pace was moderate to fast with good vocabulary. The book is long and I required three to four sittings to complete the book but it was so brilliantly written that I was always looking forward to reading the next time I would pick up the book.

[Narayanan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really pathetic writing and really pathetic imagination and story. Rather than doing proper research looking at diverse viewpoints before writing such a historical fiction, he swallows whole the greek narrative portraying the greek as great and takes to even higher levels. He takes one of the most illustrious and honorable persons in the history of India like Chanakya and portraits him as a dishonorable goonda/rascal whose only purpose is personal revenge. One would think Chanakya personally murdered someone in family of Mr Bhave for him to have such shameless vengeance. Maybe he seems him own character in Chanakya when writing. One of the worst historical fictions ever written.

Anyone who has read Arthasastra or even the historical records of how the rule in Chandragupta's time was conducted in a decentralised power manner, justice system etc can only pity the lack of credibility in anything depicted in this trilogy.

[Gunjan Mittal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about the journey of Ashoka to the throne. This book clarifies on what happens between Sushem and Ashoka, their fight. I don’t want to talk a lot about the story. This is a book filled with a lot of historic information and I think its best to read the book and find out for yourself..
The best part of the story is the characterisation. All the characters have been described really well. All the sides, both positive and negative sides have been portrayed in an amazing way. I loved the way author has kept the character of Chanakya really secretive.

Read the complete review on my blog - http://blushesandsparkle.com/storm-fr...

[DarkAng3L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story telling style of the author really impressed me. I picked up this book right away after completing Book 1. Again, this as well revolves around politics, conspiracies, loyalty & betrayal. Even for this Books 2, Chandragupta Maurya's story runs parallel to Asoka's story line.

It is definitely a good sequel to the first and a must read !

[Pranav Rokde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Book. Kept me hooked till the end and now panting for the Book III

[Munjal Dalwadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Fluent and good flow. Never feel like put it down. A real page turner. It could have been with more twist and turn and more surprises but over all satisfied with the book.

[Anil Vishnoi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great.

Not great. Infact not even worth the time it took to read the entire book had it been for free

[Nemish Kanwar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, Shreyas has done a good job painting the characters grey.

The fiction grabs attention of reader and has remained intriguing throughout the span of book. Really looking forward to the last part