Book Review - Daitya Diaries - Blood and Vengeance by Aditya

I am not lying but "Daitya Diaries -  Blood and Vengeance" caught my attention the moment I saw the book launch invitation in my mailbox by publishers. Let me tell you frankly, I haven't checked the blurb of the book at that time, I liked the cover so much I just wanted to read the book. The next thing I did was grabbed the copy. Though I read the book a little late, I am happy that my selection was not wrong. It is indeed a good book. Let me give more details.

Book Blurb

A man arrives at the temple town of Srisailam. He carries with him a warning to the gods. A cosmic war between the Devas and the Daityas has spilled over into the mortal world.

A few years ago in the same temple town, a tour guide named Mallikarjuna finds himself being unjustly punished and sent to Naraka. At the same time, a mysterious figure challenging the Devas has been gathering resources from the annals of time to bring forth a monster that will fulfil his promise for revenge.

Daitya Diaries is an exciting blend of Hindu mythology and world history. It’s an adventure that takes you on a fantastical journey, through time and space. On one hand it’s a story of an innocent man, punished through no fault of his own. And on the other, it is a story of a Guru, seeking vengeance after the slaughter of his students before his very eyes. It is the story of a battle against the prime forces of power, of greed and lust that rule our world today

Before I start, let me tell you Daitya Diaries is not a simple Mythological Fiction using Indian Myths. The author has taken freedom and made many modifications. So don't get confused while reading.

Coming to the story part, there are two major characters who shape the plot. Mallikarjuna, a Srisalem's temple guide, and Daitya guru Shukracharya. Mallikarjuna was given a task to take three mysterious guys to a nearby forest. These mysterious guys were none other than Indra & his companion Devas. In the forest, Mallikarjuna was supposed to guard the area and stop trespassers, failing to which he was sent to a prison in Yamaloka. On another end, Shukracharya is trying to bring an Asura to life, who can destroy thousands of lives. Mallikarjuna survived his punishment, freed Yamaloka from the grip of greedy Devas. And now he was given the task to stop Shukracharya. The Shukracharya part also covers some historical characters/incidents, like Genghis Khan/accident of Chernobyl disaster. Read the book to know more.

My points / observations about the book

1. Easy to follow language usage
2. Jumbled flow, which creates interest to readers to know what next.
3. Part action, part thriller, full of entertainment
4. Light in size. Good for a short trip
5. Ideal for beginner. That doesn't mean season reader cannot enjoy it.
6. Nice cover. That is the main reason why I am writing this review
7. Characters of Mallikarjuna & Shukracharya are really portrayed well.
8. Good choice for your mythological bookshelf (and nice color shade if you are arranging shade wise :) )

Recommended to YA as well. A person above 14 can read this book.

I would give 4 out of 5 to the book.

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads