Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma by Kevin Missal
Release: November 1st 2018
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Fingerprint Books
Source: Amazon
Synopsis:
After a defeat at the hands of Lord Kali, Kalki Hari must journey towards the Mahendragiri mountains with his companions to finally become the avatar he is destined to be. But the road ahead is not without peril.
Not only is he trapped by the cannibalistic armies of the Pisach, he is also embroiled in the civil war of the Vanars. And in midst of all this, he meets a face from the legends.
Meanwhile, Manasa, the sister of the late Vasuki, plots to overthrow Lord Kali by bringing a massive war to his kingdom. But Naagpuri, her homeland, has been infiltrated by their sworn enemy, the Suparns. Not only does she need to protect her kingdom from the Suparns, she must also protect her close ones from the league of conspirators at her own home. Who can she really trust? And will she be able to put an end to Lord Kali’s rule?
As the plot thickens and Lord Kali sees his ambition crushed right before his eyes, he comes to know about his race and its history that threatens to destroy the very fabric of this world’s reality.
Video Review
Satyayoddha Kalki Review:
This is one book that I enjoyed so much in some places, and really felt like it missed it mark in other places.
Let’s start with the positive. It picks up immediately where the first book ended. The author must has been in an adrenaline rush because each chapter has multiple plots taking place filled with action and adventure. It is even better in terms of the adventure and thrills than the first book! I loved the how complex some of the characters become in terms of their development. For example, in the beginning, you hate Kali so much for the way he is treating Arjan, However, after his downfall, you actually start to feel sorry for him and wish that things had worked out well. There are a wide range of villains who are so entertaining to read, like the cannibalistic Pisach, or the creepy Alakshmi with her hyenas, or the crazy Urvashi who has magical powers and knows how to use them too well.
Arjan is again one of my favorite character. There is just SO much that happens to him in terms of what he goes through. He falls in love, imprisoned, defeats a tyrant, gets superpowers and so much more! The reader also sees him slowly start to lose his faith with the world and how he leans to the dark-side. Moreover, I really admire the author for showing Arjan and Rudra in a gay relationship without being scared of what the public might feel. Also, I am very proud of the author for writing Arjan’s relationship in a normal and fluid manner. He depicts the characters as normal people, and doesn’t show them as effeminate, comical or degrading.
Again, similar to the first book, there are quite a few important characters who are killed off. I was extremely shocked when one of my favorite characters dies towards the end as I was hoping to see this person in the third installment as well. The Dandak battle is also very gripping in the second half and introduces some characters like Lord Bhajrang and Taar.
So here’s where I had trouble with this book. In the first book, even though there are various story arcs, there was some link that connected them all. However, in this book, the story-lines felt disconnected from one another. You have a separate story-line taking place between Kali and Arjan. Another parallel story between Manasa, Nanda and Kadru. A third parallel story-line taking place with Kalki, Padma with Lord Bajrang and the Dandak war. If I read this without reading the earlier one, I would feel that each plot was independent from one another. Manasa’s story-line in particular felt disconnected to the big picture of the dharm vs. adharm.
Some of the characters like Durukti and Manasa were very disappointing to read. In the first book, Durukti is this strong figure who fights a battle to save her brother. However, here, she is submissive and mousy and hides in Kali and Urvashi’s shadow. Hence, while I really loved this story in some ways, something just felt off about it. Overall, this book was very entertaining to read!
Purchase this book from: [Amazon]
Read my review of other books in the Kalki Series: [Book1]
