Reviewed By Varsha Singh
Shobha Nihalani’s NINE: Vengeance of the Warrior is the
second book in series of the NINE trilogy, after NINE: Curse of the Kalingan being the first. Nihalani has named the book after the legend of 'The Nine Unknown Men,' which is also the inspiration for the story.
“All future is defined by the past. And therefore, the end is
only the beginning.” Hence, Vengeance of
the Warrior (Book 2) traces back its threads to Curse of the Kalingan (Book 1).
The historical background of this fantasy thriller is engrained in the
famous War of Kalinga. In 261 BC: after his bloody battle with Kalinga, the
Mauryan emperor Ashoka, overcome with remorse, swore never to wage another war.
And to make sure no one else did. His Navratnas—the Nine—zealously guarded
their powers and knowledge, handing them down through millennia and generations
to ensure lasting peace.
From the corpses of the Kalingan warriors arose an angry
spirit bent upon avenging the Kalinga Empire, destroying the Nine (Navratnas of
Ashoka) and using their hidden knowledge to rule the world and change its
destiny. Knowledge, that could change the destiny of every living being on
earth.
The legend continues, when Tara, Akash and Zubin are brought
forward as the chosen ones of the recent era named as the “Trinity” in order to
carry forward the secrets of the society and protect it from evil hands. They do
so, effectively by burying the vicious Kalingan warrior. After that, Akash, Tara and Zubin live their
lives, hiding the fact that they are a part of King Ashoka’s exalted NINE and
that each of them has powers meant to be used for the benefit of mankind, when
needed.
But the restless bloodthirsty Kalingan spirit rises again
with greater evil powers, much angrier and more vengeful than before. This time
he chooses the body of a woman, Tejaswi, to destroy the Nine. But the NINE prevail
themselves ready with their enhanced power in order to face the Kala Yogis and
the Kalingan, with the help of their councilors. This time, Raakin, guardian of
the trinity and Anita, a journalist, play essential roles being at the side of
NINE; whereas, the Senior Six keep protecting them with their channelized powers.
The narrative is well-knitted, interesting and adds
adventurous feeling in the reader’s mind. It is difficult to put the book
aside, before finishing it up, as suspense keep crawling in head, till end of
this novel.
About Shobha Nihalani
Shobha Nihalani is an author who previously worked as
a copywriter and journalist. The writer’s debut novel was Karmic Blues and her other novel is
The Silent Monument. Shobha Nihalani is known as a writer of thrilling fiction. Her books are
spiced with murders, chases, fierce characters, and storylines that draw a lot from
ancient Indian history.
Nihalani has worked as a copywriter, bookkeeper,
teacher, salesperson, and journalist before becoming an author. Apart from writing novels;
Nihalani also writes a humour column and blog posts. She and her family reside in Hong Kong.
About the book-
Published by- Penguin Books Ltd
Published- 20th May 2014
Imprint- Penguin Metro Reads
ISBN- 9780143418832
Category- Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy
Price- Rs. 250.00
Buy the Book-
At Flipkart
At Amazon
At Homeshop18
At Uread
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At Junglee
Source- The Bookaholics
Buy the Book-
At Flipkart
At Amazon
At Homeshop18
At Uread
At Bookadda
At Junglee
Source- The Bookaholics