Book Review — Hiranyakashyap: The Narasimha Trilogy Book 2 by Kevin Missal

Hiranyakashyap: The Narasimha Trilogy Book 2 by Kevin Missal

Publisher: HarperCollins India
Pages: 264
Price: Rs. 250 INR(Paperback), Rs. 150 INR(Kindle Edition)
ISBN: 978–9353578190
Buy here: https://amzn.to/358vV9K

My take on the book:

Hiranyakashyap is the second book in The Narasimha Trilogy; there is a quick recap of what happened in book one so that those who pick the second book have continuity. This book can be read standalone, however, it is always suggested to read the earlier part in a trilogy to understand the character graph better.

Hiranyakashyap is bent on seeking revenge and destroy Indra’s kingdom; Narasimha is searching for Prahlad, so does Holika, but has a change of heart after discovering some past truths about Prahlad’s childhood. Where would destiny take them and how would that shape Prahlad’s future forms rest of the story.

Those who read the first part would know that the story has characters from Indian mythology but only their names are retained and everything else from their character traits to the actual story have been reimagined by the author. While that is the talking point of this trilogy, that can also be a reason for dislike for those who have grown up reading the stories around Narsimha as an avatar of Lod Vishnu. The story thus can be enjoyed only if imagined to be a new one.

The language used is contemporary and not exactly what is found in typical mythological fiction. The cover is well designed and is appealing. This book also has an open ending like the earlier one, keeping the readers guessing about the next part. If you can appreciate the author’s imagination to weave a story around these characters and always wished to read different take of Indian mythology, then you will not regret picking this one; especially if you have already read the first part and curious to read further.

My rating:

3.5/5.