Chaturanga

Anand Neelakantan seventh Book Chaturanga, the second book in the Baahubali trilogy series, was released on 6 August 2020

Political intrigue is astir in the land of Mahishmathi. After the failed coup staged by the Vaithalikas, Sivagami finds herself elevated to the position of bhoomipathi, from where she can more ably pursue her burning goal to avenge her father’s death. Meanwhile, there is a tussle between the two sons of the maharaja of Mahishmathi for the crown. And behind the scenes, a wily, skilled player of the political game moves the pieces to topple the king, Somadeva.

Will the maharaja—usually able to match wits with the best of them—prevail? Or will one of his many enemies finally be able to best him at this game of Chaturanga?

Set against a backdrop of ambition, love, loyalty, passion and greed, the second book in the Bāhubali: Before the Beginning series is a twist-a-minute page-turner—riveting and deeply satisfying.

REVIEWS

The book makes use of a rich language that neither overpowers the story nor does it unnecessarily complicate things. Is it entertaining? The book is packed with entertainment. The pace is much quicker than the unhurried pace of Book 1. There is a sense of urgency with which the characters tend to move. If you are reading the Books 1 and 2 back to back, this difference might feel much more pronounced to you. How good are the characters? The characters are winners of this story. While in Book 1, they are either pure evil or inherently good,it is in ‘Chaturanga’ that we get to see their various shades. They become much more nuanced and many of them constantly oscillate between good and bad often blurring the lines that separate the two.

Sankalpita Singh

"Chaturanga" also Known as Shatranj or The Game of Chess is Basically a Game... with Lot of Tactics and Mind and in that the Title is Very appropriate for the Novel, the Only difference though... There are not only 2 Players in this Game Of Power... The 2nd Part of The Baahubali Series Is a highly Exciting Read, it has passed its predecessor by a big Margin... The Sinister Game of Power and The Equally Sinister Players always hold the readers interest... Shivagami is the Central Character here as well, but the Center Stage is taken by a lot of different characters everyone has their personal agendas and are ready to go to any extent to fulfill it... The Story Stood perfect on my hopes and even exceeded it by the amount of entertainment it Provided... Will Now be Waiting for the Concluding Part With Much Eagerness...

KVishal Jha

Coming from the author who provided India a perspective on Ravana & Duryodhana, Baahubali: Before the beginning trilogy started with 'The Rise of Sivagami' which was on par with his earlier writings; grippy, insatiable and emotionally satisfying. In Chaturanga, Anand made sure that he had a balance with multiple characters that he chose to represent the cruelty & monstrosity of Mahishmati empire. In his writings, I like the way he uses a period fictional settings to relate and recreate the present day taboos and blind faiths thereby reflecting the very society we live in. With an ease in his literature, the pace of reading is irresistable. Characters like Brihannala and Ally were weaved to perfection. On an overall note, the pace at which the narration took place, ending each chapter with a climax of its own but yet creating a stronger link with the next, this book is your place to dwell if you have been a fan of Indian mythological cum historical fiction for a while.

Srinivas

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