Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu by Kevin Missal
Release: October 14th 2017
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Fingerprint Books
Source: Amazon
Synopsis:
Born in the quiet village of Shambala, Kalki Hari, son of Vishnuyath and Sumati, has no idea about his heritage until he is pitted against tragedies and battles.
Whisked into the province of Keekatpur, which is under the fist of Lord Kali, Kalki sees the ignominy of death trumping life all around him. He learns that he has been born to cleanse the world he lives in, for which he must journey to the North and learn the ways of Lord Vishnu’s Avatar; from an immortal who wields an axe.
But trapped in the midst of betrayals, political intrigue and forces that seek to decimate him, will he be able to follow his destiny before the Kaliyug begins?
Video Review
Dharmayoddha Kalki Review:
When I picked up this book, I initially gave up reading as the plot felt unbelievable. How do you disguise horses to resemble elephants? How does a bull not feel the fire burning on him? The author throws the reader into the plot directly and introduces a plethora of characters. I had no idea what was happening and felt it was all over the place! But I forced myself to continue and I am so glad that I did! Because, after the first 50 or so pages, once I adjusted to the pacing and the characters, I really started loving this book! I really got absorbed in the story once Kalki fights the Mlecchas and Kripa tells hims who he really is after Battle of Shambala.
One thing which I feel really works for this book is the length of the chapters. There are around 80 chapters in this book, but each of them are just 4-5 pages and short to read. Moreover, each chapter alternates between the plot and the characters that makes it exciting. The pacing was fast and consistent and did not drag at any moment. Each of the chapters ends in a cliffhanger where you don’t know what is going to happen. One scene that stands out is when Kalki is being executed, and how someone comes in a grand manner to save him.
Even though Kalki is the main character, I loved all the other characters. In fact, there are some scenes where I didn’t even like Kalki. I loved Durukti and the lengths she goes through to save her brother. Kali is a very interesting villain with many layers. I love how he turns so evil once the cure starts working and he becomes crazy with power. Padma is also a fascinating character and I cannot wait to see what happens with her. Arjan is my favorite character and I loved how he steps away from his comfort zone to save Kalki. Bala, Lakshmi, Ratri are all interesting but didn’t really have that memorable impact on me like the others. I am also keen to know what happens to Symrin, Manasa, and Urvashi in the sequel.
The story really did end with a bang! I think the author must be a fan of Game of Thrones, because he kills off many of the pivotal characters on the way. I loved this because it because brought a shocking element to the plot that stepped away from the norm.
On the downside, I felt like the book could have started off in a more gradual way. Like I mentioned, I had to force myself to get past the first few chapters to really start liking it. There are also quite a lot of grammatical errors that I wish the publishing company had fixed as it made this book look a bit unprofessional and tardy.
Overall, I LOVED reading this book, and I really feel it is one of those books that you need to sit patiently through for the first few chapters before things start falling into place. Kevin Missal has now become one of my favorite authors and I cannot wait to read some of his other works.
Purchase this book from: [Amazon]
