What do you think?
Rate this book
Ten Kings: Dasarajna
Based on a portion of the Rig-Veda which is now regarded as historical fact by scholars, historians and archaeologists, this is the thrilling story of King Sudas and the impossible battle he was forced to fight against a far superior force led by Ten Kings (‘Dasarajna’ in Sanskrit) comprised of his neighbors and allies led by his friend Anu, instigated by Anu’s guru Vishwamitra, in a bid to wipe out Sudas and his ‘Shudra’ tribe and take control of the rich fertile lands they guarded on behalf of the ‘Bharata’ nation. The place where they fought later became the site of the city of Harappa, possibly the first modern urban center in history, and the nation that was established in that region later came to be called…Bharat. A battle epic that flags off the Itihasa Series retelling major landmarks in the history of the Indian sub-continent.
ebook
First published January 1, 2012
96 people are currently reading
650 people want to read
About the author
Ashok K. Banker
105 books651 followersBROWN GIRLS RULE Beaming Books Oct 17, 2023 I AM BROWN Book Trust Great Books, Bank Street Prize | A KISS AFTER DYING 2022 | They/them | AuDHD NB BI🇮🇳
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 1, 2021
It was just an idea. Before I close my tired eyes, let me peruse a few pages of this book. A novel involving something Vedic must be rather boring. So, just an exploration.
Well, this one is good! What happens next?
My God! This is better than all those so-called page turners. I literally can't stop!
Whoa!
So now, with red eyes and a silly grin, I am writing this review. It’s awesome! It allows you to live through the battle of Ten Kings mentioned in Rigveda.
If you like well-written crisp and taut stories with three dimensional characters and a solid plot, then THIS is your book.
Highly recommended.
Well, this one is good! What happens next?
My God! This is better than all those so-called page turners. I literally can't stop!
Whoa!
So now, with red eyes and a silly grin, I am writing this review. It’s awesome! It allows you to live through the battle of Ten Kings mentioned in Rigveda.
If you like well-written crisp and taut stories with three dimensional characters and a solid plot, then THIS is your book.
Highly recommended.
January 23, 2015
The theme of totally mismatched forces going head-to-head seems to be a recurring one this year. Right after Malcolm Gladwell comes Ashok Banker who pens his own version of the Leonidas v/s The Persians story against an Indian backdrop. The anecdote itself is believed to have been inspired by an incident in the Rigveda and tells the story of a time when the idea of a nation called India itself was yet to materialize.
The timeline of the story spans 14 hours where in King Sudas who holds a ramshackle state of men and women together in the present day state of Punjab successfully fends off an onslaught of attacks. The name of the story stems from a coalition of Ten Kings (Dasarajna in the story) who try to force their way into Sudas’s kingdom and are utterly annihilated in the process. Unlike my analogy, the story here is not one which relies on violence porn like ‘300’ but opts for a quick and bloody resolution. The culmination of the story is when the first foundations of the Harappan culture are laid down.
I was not much of a taker for this story. There are two main reasons for this .The first was that it appears to be too long drawn out and stretched thin until the climax. Should you peel away all the ambiance and the frills, there is only a single battle that propels this whole story forward. To add to it, the battle itself is too cluttered with deus ex machina that it appears to be too contrived. Ashok Banker is someone who gives a believable persona to his protagonists even if they are gods in the mortal realm and yet the King Sudas appears too good to be true in his pristine and unruffled appearance and conduct.
Not a thoroughly enjoyable one but a brisk read.
The timeline of the story spans 14 hours where in King Sudas who holds a ramshackle state of men and women together in the present day state of Punjab successfully fends off an onslaught of attacks. The name of the story stems from a coalition of Ten Kings (Dasarajna in the story) who try to force their way into Sudas’s kingdom and are utterly annihilated in the process. Unlike my analogy, the story here is not one which relies on violence porn like ‘300’ but opts for a quick and bloody resolution. The culmination of the story is when the first foundations of the Harappan culture are laid down.
I was not much of a taker for this story. There are two main reasons for this .The first was that it appears to be too long drawn out and stretched thin until the climax. Should you peel away all the ambiance and the frills, there is only a single battle that propels this whole story forward. To add to it, the battle itself is too cluttered with deus ex machina that it appears to be too contrived. Ashok Banker is someone who gives a believable persona to his protagonists even if they are gods in the mortal realm and yet the King Sudas appears too good to be true in his pristine and unruffled appearance and conduct.
Not a thoroughly enjoyable one but a brisk read.
October 26, 2020
'𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙮?'
‘𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚, 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙩, 𝘼𝙣𝙪. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘽𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩-𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙖.’
⚔️3400 BCE. Bharatvarsh, (even before it was known by that name) there was a king named Sudas of Trstu Bharata Clan, ruling the land of five rivers (Panjab) who dreams of building India's first brick city which if constructed makes him unconquerable. To stop him, King Anu of Anu clan, on the advice of his guru Vishwamitra staged a usurpation of Suda's throne. But when that plan failed Anu along with the armies of the other 10 kings - Anu, Pani, Alinas, Puru, Matsya, Bhrigu, Parsu, Dasya, Druhyu, and Bhalana - marched against Sudas. Vastly outnumbered, Sudas and his dwindling army had no chance of victory let alone survival. But sage Vasishta, his guru by using his knowledge of astronomy, meteorology, and metallurgy would change the result of this battle and thereby the history of India forever.
⚔️The plot of the book is based on Dasarajna, the battle of ten kings episode in the Rigveda wherein the coalition of 10 kings attacked king Sudas who defeated them by the intervention of Lord Indra and Varuna. Ashok K. Banker had removed the divine elements from the story and used his own imagination in recreating this Indian tale which gives the vibes of the 300's.
⚔️Ashoka K. Banker's writing reminds me of George R.R. Martin, detailed, and vivid, but also lengthy and repetitive. His description of the period, the land of 5 rivers, and action sequences are graphic and how he had used the topography in the formation of battle strategics is commendable. However, if you remove all these ambiances and the frills, the story felt too stretchy; there is only a single battle that propels it forward.
⚔️The characters felt like a caricature without any layer/ scope of development. King Sudas feels like a pristine superhero directly comes out of a comic. His wife Sudevi, the only woman in the story portrayed as weak. Sage Vishwamitra makes a cameo role in the beginning and then disappeared. The only characters I like are king Anu who makes me loathed him and Sage Vasishta who change the course of the battle.
⚔️The climax of the book was quite predictable and ends with the foundation of Harrapan culture and the rise of the Iron Age in India which I feel odd because Harrapan culture is a product of the Bronze Age, not the Iron Age.
Overall Ten Kings was a quick read, but it was certainly not Ashoka K. Banker's best work. Nevertheless, it's still worth reading by every mythological fiction lover.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.5/5)
‘𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚, 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙩, 𝘼𝙣𝙪. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘽𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩-𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙖.’
⚔️3400 BCE. Bharatvarsh, (even before it was known by that name) there was a king named Sudas of Trstu Bharata Clan, ruling the land of five rivers (Panjab) who dreams of building India's first brick city which if constructed makes him unconquerable. To stop him, King Anu of Anu clan, on the advice of his guru Vishwamitra staged a usurpation of Suda's throne. But when that plan failed Anu along with the armies of the other 10 kings - Anu, Pani, Alinas, Puru, Matsya, Bhrigu, Parsu, Dasya, Druhyu, and Bhalana - marched against Sudas. Vastly outnumbered, Sudas and his dwindling army had no chance of victory let alone survival. But sage Vasishta, his guru by using his knowledge of astronomy, meteorology, and metallurgy would change the result of this battle and thereby the history of India forever.
⚔️The plot of the book is based on Dasarajna, the battle of ten kings episode in the Rigveda wherein the coalition of 10 kings attacked king Sudas who defeated them by the intervention of Lord Indra and Varuna. Ashok K. Banker had removed the divine elements from the story and used his own imagination in recreating this Indian tale which gives the vibes of the 300's.
⚔️Ashoka K. Banker's writing reminds me of George R.R. Martin, detailed, and vivid, but also lengthy and repetitive. His description of the period, the land of 5 rivers, and action sequences are graphic and how he had used the topography in the formation of battle strategics is commendable. However, if you remove all these ambiances and the frills, the story felt too stretchy; there is only a single battle that propels it forward.
⚔️The characters felt like a caricature without any layer/ scope of development. King Sudas feels like a pristine superhero directly comes out of a comic. His wife Sudevi, the only woman in the story portrayed as weak. Sage Vishwamitra makes a cameo role in the beginning and then disappeared. The only characters I like are king Anu who makes me loathed him and Sage Vasishta who change the course of the battle.
⚔️The climax of the book was quite predictable and ends with the foundation of Harrapan culture and the rise of the Iron Age in India which I feel odd because Harrapan culture is a product of the Bronze Age, not the Iron Age.
Overall Ten Kings was a quick read, but it was certainly not Ashoka K. Banker's best work. Nevertheless, it's still worth reading by every mythological fiction lover.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.5/5)
February 26, 2015
पुस्तक - दशाराजन
लेखक - अशोक के. बैंकर
हाल ही में संपन्न हुए विश्व पुस्तक मेले में मेरी कई हाजिरियां दर्ज हुई। इस बार बहुत सी पुस्तकों ने मुझे आकर्षित किया, जिनमे से एक थी अशोक के. बैंकर के नयी पुस्तक “दशाराजन”। “Ten Kings” के नाम से अंग्रेजी में प्रकाशित पुस्तक, मंजुला प्रकाशन द्वारा हिंदी में अनुवादित एवं प्रकाशित हुई जिसका नाम “दशाराजन” है। अमूमन मैं “क्राइम फिक्शन” को पढना बहुत पसंद करता हूँ और बहुत पहले से पढता आया हूँ। अशोक बैंकर जी के बारे में प्राथमिक जानकारी भी मुझे क्राइम फिक्शन कि दुनिया के द्वारा ही हुआ। इन्टरनेट पर सर्च करने के दौरान कई सालों पहले मुझे अशोक बैंकर जी के बारे में जानकारी प्राप्त हुई थी। अशोक बैंकर जी ने भी नब्बे के दशक में लगभग तीन क्राइम थ्रिलर लिखे थे। बस उसके बाद से मैं उनके द्वारा लिखे गए क्राइम थ्रिलर और माय्थोलोजिकल सीरीज भी पढना चाहता था।
अशोक बैंकर जी कि पुस्तक ज्यों ही मैंने पुस्तक मेले में देखी त्यों ही मैं उसे खरीदने लगा तब मेरे साथ के मित्र लोकेश गौतम ने कहा कि उसके पास यह पुस्तक है। तब फिर क्या था, मैंने शाम को ही उससे इस पुस्तक को हथियाया और पढना शुरू किया।
लेखक के अनुसार यह कहानी एक ऐसे राजा या कबीले के मुखिया के बारे में है जिसने अपने विरुद्ध खड़े हुए दस राजाओं के साथ युद्ध किया था और इसका वर्णन ऋग्वेद के सातवें मंडल के एक श्लोक में आता है। आगे भी कई मंडलों में इस युद्ध के बारे में जिक्र आता है। खैर मैं इस बात कि सच्चाई में नहीं जा पाया हूँ लेकिन ये मान के अगर चलूँ कि यह बात सच है तो पुस्तक पढने का मजा दोबाला हो जाता है। क्यूंकि कभी-कभी कुछ कहानियों को सिर्फ कहानी कि तरह ही नहीं पढ़ा जा सकता। इतिहास और मिथ पर आधारित कहानी को तो बिलकुल भी कहानी कि तरह नहीं पढ़ा जा सकता। उसको कहीं न कहीं महसूस करने से कहानी में रोमांच बना रहता है।
यह कहानी त्रित्शु काबिले के राजा या मुखिया सुदास नामक मुखिया की है। लेखक के अनुसार त्रित्शु कबीला वही क्षेत्र है जो वर्तमान में पंजाब कहा जाता है। चूँकि यह क्षेत्र उपजाऊ भूमि से भरा हुआ है इसलिए उसके करीबी राजाओं और कबीलों कि नज़र इस क्षेत्र पर है। ये सभी काबिले और राजा मिलकर एक साथ एक दिन त्रित्शु काबिले पर हमला बोल देते हैं। ऐसे में कैसे सुदास अपनी छोटी सी सेना के साथ इन दशों राजाओं का मुकाबला करता है। कैसे वह इन दस लालची राजाओं के भटक चुकी इन्द्रियों के खिलाफ युद्ध लडेगा।
जहाँ सुदास के सामने दश राजाओं को सैन्य बल था जो लगभग साठ हज़ार सैनिकों कि क्षमता रखता था वहीँ सुदास के पास सिर्फ तीन-चार हज़ार का ही सैन्य बल था। लेकिन सुदास के पास अपनी धरती के लिए मर मिटने वाले जाबाज थे। जहाँ दशों राजा और उसके प्रतिद्वंदी इस युद्ध के लिए साल भर से तैयारी कर रहे थे वहीँ सुदास को इस बात कि खबर भी नहीं थी कि अचानक एक दिन चारो ओर से दस राजाओं कि सैन्य शक्ति उसे अपने घेरे में ले लेगी।
चूँकि सुदास क्षत्रिय था तो उसका कर्तव्य था कि वह उनसे युद्ध करे। सुदास युद्ध करता है और बहुत ही खूबसूरती और जज्बे के साथ अपने जीवन को अपने मातृभूमि को समर्पित कर देता है।
इस उपन्यास कि पूरी कहानी सुदास और दशाराजन युद्ध कि चारो ओर ही घुमती रहती है। कहानी को लेखक ने बहुत ही सुन्दर और रचनात्मक रूप से प्रस्तुत किया है। ऐसी प्रस्तुति है कि अहसास ही नहीं होता कि मैं एक मायथो-लॉजिकल कहानी पढ़ रहा हूँ। उपन्यास में लेखक वही वातावरण उत्पन्न किया है जो वैदिक काल में हुआ करता था। सभी किरदारों के साज-सज्जा और भेष-भूषा का भी खास ख्याल रखा गया है। उपन्यास में दो किरदार और है जो युद��ध कि भूमिका निभाते हैं – महर्षि वशिष्ट और महर्षि विश्वामित्र। महर्षि वशिष्ट, त्रित्शुओं के गुरु थे तो महर्षि विश्वामित्र पुरे भारत वर्ष के गुरु थे।
अशोक बैंकर पर जो मैंने भरोसा किया, जो इस पुस्तक पर भरोसा किया, पढना शुरू करके, वह सफल रहा। क्यूंकि इस पुस्तक ने मुझे शुरू से अंत तक बाँध कर रखा। ज्यों ज्यों कहानी युद्ध भूमि कि और बढ़ी और जब युद्धभूमि कि घटनाओं को लेखक ने मेरे सामने प्रतिबिंब��त किया तो मैं अचंभित हो गया। अशोक बैंकर जी कि इस पुस्तक ने इस बार निराश नहीं किया। क्योंकि इनके द्वारा लिखी गयी पिछली पुस्तक “Red Blood Saari” ने मुझे बहुत निराश किया था।
खैर, यह मेरी उन सभी मित्रों को सलाह है जो पुस्तकें पढना पसंद करते हैं कि आप यह पुस्तक भी एक बार पढ़ कर देखें।
आभार
राजीव रोशन
लेखक - अशोक के. बैंकर
हाल ही में संपन्न हुए विश्व पुस्तक मेले में मेरी कई हाजिरियां दर्ज हुई। इस बार बहुत सी पुस्तकों ने मुझे आकर्षित किया, जिनमे से एक थी अशोक के. बैंकर के नयी पुस्तक “दशाराजन”। “Ten Kings” के नाम से अंग्रेजी में प्रकाशित पुस्तक, मंजुला प्रकाशन द्वारा हिंदी में अनुवादित एवं प्रकाशित हुई जिसका नाम “दशाराजन” है। अमूमन मैं “क्राइम फिक्शन” को पढना बहुत पसंद करता हूँ और बहुत पहले से पढता आया हूँ। अशोक बैंकर जी के बारे में प्राथमिक जानकारी भी मुझे क्राइम फिक्शन कि दुनिया के द्वारा ही हुआ। इन्टरनेट पर सर्च करने के दौरान कई सालों पहले मुझे अशोक बैंकर जी के बारे में जानकारी प्राप्त हुई थी। अशोक बैंकर जी ने भी नब्बे के दशक में लगभग तीन क्राइम थ्रिलर लिखे थे। बस उसके बाद से मैं उनके द्वारा लिखे गए क्राइम थ्रिलर और माय्थोलोजिकल सीरीज भी पढना चाहता था।
अशोक बैंकर जी कि पुस्तक ज्यों ही मैंने पुस्तक मेले में देखी त्यों ही मैं उसे खरीदने लगा तब मेरे साथ के मित्र लोकेश गौतम ने कहा कि उसके पास यह पुस्तक है। तब फिर क्या था, मैंने शाम को ही उससे इस पुस्तक को हथियाया और पढना शुरू किया।
लेखक के अनुसार यह कहानी एक ऐसे राजा या कबीले के मुखिया के बारे में है जिसने अपने विरुद्ध खड़े हुए दस राजाओं के साथ युद्ध किया था और इसका वर्णन ऋग्वेद के सातवें मंडल के एक श्लोक में आता है। आगे भी कई मंडलों में इस युद्ध के बारे में जिक्र आता है। खैर मैं इस बात कि सच्चाई में नहीं जा पाया हूँ लेकिन ये मान के अगर चलूँ कि यह बात सच है तो पुस्तक पढने का मजा दोबाला हो जाता है। क्यूंकि कभी-कभी कुछ कहानियों को सिर्फ कहानी कि तरह ही नहीं पढ़ा जा सकता। इतिहास और मिथ पर आधारित कहानी को तो बिलकुल भी कहानी कि तरह नहीं पढ़ा जा सकता। उसको कहीं न कहीं महसूस करने से कहानी में रोमांच बना रहता है।
यह कहानी त्रित्शु काबिले के राजा या मुखिया सुदास नामक मुखिया की है। लेखक के अनुसार त्रित्शु कबीला वही क्षेत्र है जो वर्तमान में पंजाब कहा जाता है। चूँकि यह क्षेत्र उपजाऊ भूमि से भरा हुआ है इसलिए उसके करीबी राजाओं और कबीलों कि नज़र इस क्षेत्र पर है। ये सभी काबिले और राजा मिलकर एक साथ एक दिन त्रित्शु काबिले पर हमला बोल देते हैं। ऐसे में कैसे सुदास अपनी छोटी सी सेना के साथ इन दशों राजाओं का मुकाबला करता है। कैसे वह इन दस लालची राजाओं के भटक चुकी इन्द्रियों के खिलाफ युद्ध लडेगा।
जहाँ सुदास के सामने दश राजाओं को सैन्य बल था जो लगभग साठ हज़ार सैनिकों कि क्षमता रखता था वहीँ सुदास के पास सिर्फ तीन-चार हज़ार का ही सैन्य बल था। लेकिन सुदास के पास अपनी धरती के लिए मर मिटने वाले जाबाज थे। जहाँ दशों राजा और उसके प्रतिद्वंदी इस युद्ध के लिए साल भर से तैयारी कर रहे थे वहीँ सुदास को इस बात कि खबर भी नहीं थी कि अचानक एक दिन चारो ओर से दस राजाओं कि सैन्य शक्ति उसे अपने घेरे में ले लेगी।
चूँकि सुदास क्षत्रिय था तो उसका कर्तव्य था कि वह उनसे युद्ध करे। सुदास युद्ध करता है और बहुत ही खूबसूरती और जज्बे के साथ अपने जीवन को अपने मातृभूमि को समर्पित कर देता है।
इस उपन्यास कि पूरी कहानी सुदास और दशाराजन युद्ध कि चारो ओर ही घुमती रहती है। कहानी को लेखक ने बहुत ही सुन्दर और रचनात्मक रूप से प्रस्तुत किया है। ऐसी प्रस्तुति है कि अहसास ही नहीं होता कि मैं एक मायथो-लॉजिकल कहानी पढ़ रहा हूँ। उपन्यास में लेखक वही वातावरण उत्पन्न किया है जो वैदिक काल में हुआ करता था। सभी किरदारों के साज-सज्जा और भेष-भूषा का भी खास ख्याल रखा गया है। उपन्यास में दो किरदार और है जो युद��ध कि भूमिका निभाते हैं – महर्षि वशिष्ट और महर्षि विश्वामित्र। महर्षि वशिष्ट, त्रित्शुओं के गुरु थे तो महर्षि विश्वामित्र पुरे भारत वर्ष के गुरु थे।
अशोक बैंकर पर जो मैंने भरोसा किया, जो इस पुस्तक पर भरोसा किया, पढना शुरू करके, वह सफल रहा। क्यूंकि इस पुस्तक ने मुझे शुरू से अंत तक बाँध कर रखा। ज्यों ज्यों कहानी युद्ध भूमि कि और बढ़ी और जब युद्धभूमि कि घटनाओं को लेखक ने मेरे सामने प्रतिबिंब��त किया तो मैं अचंभित हो गया। अशोक बैंकर जी कि इस पुस्तक ने इस बार निराश नहीं किया। क्योंकि इनके द्वारा लिखी गयी पिछली पुस्तक “Red Blood Saari” ने मुझे बहुत निराश किया था।
खैर, यह मेरी उन सभी मित्रों को सलाह है जो पुस्तकें पढना पसंद करते हैं कि आप यह पुस्तक भी एक बार पढ़ कर देखें।
आभार
राजीव रोशन
April 26, 2016
This is the first Ashok Banker novel which I have read. Although I was always intrigued by his novels, I always kept away from them since most of them are series. I decided to read this since I thought that it is a stand alone novel. However, it is not. It is part of the Itihasa Series.
Ten Kings is Banker's first historical fiction novel. This novel is about the historical battle of Dasarajna documented in the Rig Veda which was fought between Sudas, one of the tribal lords and Ten Kings on Trtsu land, which is now Punjab. Ten Kings has something for everyone - history, geography, intrigue, conspiracy, battle, war action.
It has lessons in management, planning, strategy, tactics, verbal and actual warfare.
It shows how Sudas, his guru and his tribe used their knowledge of astronomy, metallurgy, warfare, strategy and how they harnessed nature to suit their needs. The strategic and tactical genius showed by Sudas and his leaders to win a battle in which the enemy forces were 100 times their own is definitely worth reading about.
The flow of the novel is very logical. The pace is perfect, keeps you on edge at all times. There are hardly any sections in the book which seem superfluous. The language is perfect - neither very verbose nor too pedestrian to appeal just to the masses. The integrity of language is maintained. I am not aware how historically correct the novel is. The characters are well defined. It would have been good if the characters would have been etched out a bit more. What is interesting is that there are very few physical descriptions of the characters.
Overall, it is definitely worth a read. I am looking forward to the rest of the Series - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. Places which have always been a source of intrigue, fascination and marvel.
Ten Kings is Banker's first historical fiction novel. This novel is about the historical battle of Dasarajna documented in the Rig Veda which was fought between Sudas, one of the tribal lords and Ten Kings on Trtsu land, which is now Punjab. Ten Kings has something for everyone - history, geography, intrigue, conspiracy, battle, war action.
It has lessons in management, planning, strategy, tactics, verbal and actual warfare.
It shows how Sudas, his guru and his tribe used their knowledge of astronomy, metallurgy, warfare, strategy and how they harnessed nature to suit their needs. The strategic and tactical genius showed by Sudas and his leaders to win a battle in which the enemy forces were 100 times their own is definitely worth reading about.
The flow of the novel is very logical. The pace is perfect, keeps you on edge at all times. There are hardly any sections in the book which seem superfluous. The language is perfect - neither very verbose nor too pedestrian to appeal just to the masses. The integrity of language is maintained. I am not aware how historically correct the novel is. The characters are well defined. It would have been good if the characters would have been etched out a bit more. What is interesting is that there are very few physical descriptions of the characters.
Overall, it is definitely worth a read. I am looking forward to the rest of the Series - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. Places which have always been a source of intrigue, fascination and marvel.
February 22, 2015
I have been a huge Ashok Banker fan. Have read the Ramayan series twice plus a lot other books of his. To be honest I was a tad disappointed with this book.
Nothing is wrong with the book per se. It's well written, fast paced but may be my expectations were too high from this book.
The build up is fantastic but somehow the end comes too soon and it looks as if King Sudas wins the battle very easily. This does have a '300' feel to it but of course the results are different.
It would be awesome if some film maker can convert this book into a motion picture
Nothing is wrong with the book per se. It's well written, fast paced but may be my expectations were too high from this book.
The build up is fantastic but somehow the end comes too soon and it looks as if King Sudas wins the battle very easily. This does have a '300' feel to it but of course the results are different.
It would be awesome if some film maker can convert this book into a motion picture
April 28, 2017
Brook no mistake, he is one of the finest mythology-retellers India has got. And he was here long before Amish Tripathi could say ‘Shiva’. The Ramayana series is one of my favorites – because Rama is depicted as a superhero rather than a God, a dharma-bound mahayodha with rippling muscles, cool head, and a firm jaw that betrays no emotion. His prose crackles with tension, and bursts with expansive imagination – he is the best!
But sadly, ‘Ten Kings: Dasarajna’ isn’t. I guess it has much to do with the fact that the Rigvedic lore on which it is based provides material of not more than 3 hymns. Mahabharata and Ramayana are epics of gigantic proportions, whereas the tale of Sudas is not more than a short story. The author stretches himself pretty thin here – hence we have more pontification and less action, less detail and more abstraction.
This is a classic David v/s Goliath tale. The might of 66,660 warriors led by 10 kings pitted against a puny force not even 1/10th its size, led by the righteous Sudas. It also boasts of a clash of epic proportion between age-old rivals - Vashistha and Vishwamitra. It sounds exciting, it feels exciting when you read it, Ashok Banker makes us invested in the characters – but you somehow feel cheated in the end. Battle-scenes, one of the strong fortes of Ashok Banker, seem quite illogical in this book. Sudas’s soldiers break battle formation at their whims and fancies, his kids and wife are always around (even in the heat of the battle) to give the story an emotional anchor, Sudas and his soldiers dumbly watch as their enemies build bridges right in front of their eyes so that they can come across and slaughter them (rather than strike them when his opponents are vulnerable), Sudas lets go of Anu (twice) in the name of Dharma (such flimsy reasoning would have gotten him killed in GoT) – Mr. Banker, this wasn’t you at your best.
Though disappointed, I look forward to ‘Harappa’ and ‘Mohenjo daro’. But it has been five years since he wrote ‘Ten Kings: Dasarajna’, and he has moved on to other projects. I do hope that he writes them, and writes them well this time. Because I cannot bear to think that Ashutosh Gowariker’s pitiful attempt might be the only rendition of those glorious times past.
But sadly, ‘Ten Kings: Dasarajna’ isn’t. I guess it has much to do with the fact that the Rigvedic lore on which it is based provides material of not more than 3 hymns. Mahabharata and Ramayana are epics of gigantic proportions, whereas the tale of Sudas is not more than a short story. The author stretches himself pretty thin here – hence we have more pontification and less action, less detail and more abstraction.
This is a classic David v/s Goliath tale. The might of 66,660 warriors led by 10 kings pitted against a puny force not even 1/10th its size, led by the righteous Sudas. It also boasts of a clash of epic proportion between age-old rivals - Vashistha and Vishwamitra. It sounds exciting, it feels exciting when you read it, Ashok Banker makes us invested in the characters – but you somehow feel cheated in the end. Battle-scenes, one of the strong fortes of Ashok Banker, seem quite illogical in this book. Sudas’s soldiers break battle formation at their whims and fancies, his kids and wife are always around (even in the heat of the battle) to give the story an emotional anchor, Sudas and his soldiers dumbly watch as their enemies build bridges right in front of their eyes so that they can come across and slaughter them (rather than strike them when his opponents are vulnerable), Sudas lets go of Anu (twice) in the name of Dharma (such flimsy reasoning would have gotten him killed in GoT) – Mr. Banker, this wasn’t you at your best.
Though disappointed, I look forward to ‘Harappa’ and ‘Mohenjo daro’. But it has been five years since he wrote ‘Ten Kings: Dasarajna’, and he has moved on to other projects. I do hope that he writes them, and writes them well this time. Because I cannot bear to think that Ashutosh Gowariker’s pitiful attempt might be the only rendition of those glorious times past.
October 19, 2016
Dasharajna or the ten kings is a part of Rig Veda, story of a valiant king who defied all odds and won a legendary battle against collective mammoth armies of 9 king of Bharatkhanda . India's very own 300 but unlike Spartans they lived to tell the tale. Initial setup and descriptions were bit lengthy but necessary for the story arc. Kusa fields, Uttanga Mountain, Parsuni River and even the animals, all of them played a significant role in the story.
Ten Kings is fast paced account of just one day of righteous king Sudas' life. How clouds of gruesome battle hovered over his clan and how he snatched almost impossible victory from the jaws of his enemies and laid down the foundation of one of the most advanced civilization of ancient India at Harappa.
Ashok Banker is a master story teller and with his impeccable grip on english language he spun beautiful tale out of Rig veda. With King Sudas, enigmatic Guru Vashishta and fearless warriors of Trstu clan he created a vivid picture of land of five rivers.
Ten Kings is fast paced account of just one day of righteous king Sudas' life. How clouds of gruesome battle hovered over his clan and how he snatched almost impossible victory from the jaws of his enemies and laid down the foundation of one of the most advanced civilization of ancient India at Harappa.
Ashok Banker is a master story teller and with his impeccable grip on english language he spun beautiful tale out of Rig veda. With King Sudas, enigmatic Guru Vashishta and fearless warriors of Trstu clan he created a vivid picture of land of five rivers.
August 14, 2017
3.5 stars.
Got this as a gift from a co-worker (thanks, Tuhin!) ..... I enjoyed it much more than expected. It is a well written, fast paced and fun read. This serves as my introduction to Indian mythology and it was a good one. Couldn't quite get myself to bump up to 4, but, again, this was just plain fun.
Got this as a gift from a co-worker (thanks, Tuhin!) ..... I enjoyed it much more than expected. It is a well written, fast paced and fun read. This serves as my introduction to Indian mythology and it was a good one. Couldn't quite get myself to bump up to 4, but, again, this was just plain fun.
July 22, 2015
Amazing book. Loved it
March 24, 2015
Excellent story telling by Mr. Banker. He craftily choses facts and mixes them with fiction in an awe inspiring fashion.
Dasarajna, the epic battle between Sudas, the Tristu Bharata Tribe of India and 10 other kings of ancient India for the fertile alluvial lands of Parsuni (now Beas) now known as Punjab. I'm not sure of the historical accuracy of the war narration Mr. Banker has used, but it sure must have been majestic to beat and win over a size of army more than 10 times your own force that too at a time when numbers played a major role in warfare, a typical bronze age war-game.
A must read for all thriller enthusiasts and historical genre lovers.
Dasarajna, the epic battle between Sudas, the Tristu Bharata Tribe of India and 10 other kings of ancient India for the fertile alluvial lands of Parsuni (now Beas) now known as Punjab. I'm not sure of the historical accuracy of the war narration Mr. Banker has used, but it sure must have been majestic to beat and win over a size of army more than 10 times your own force that too at a time when numbers played a major role in warfare, a typical bronze age war-game.
A must read for all thriller enthusiasts and historical genre lovers.
September 5, 2015
Story: 1.5/2
Characters: 1/2
Presentation: 0.5/1
I mostly complete reading a book in 2-3
days but this book took me almost 2 weeks to complete; the reason being a very dull and boring start.
First 10-20 pages have been spent on describing Sudas's horse and dogs.
I lost interest in reading there after but skipped the first part and started reading the second part from where the main story starts.
From there on the story was quite fast paced and very much interesting.
This was my first pick of the much celebrated author and I'd say I was a bit disappointed.
Nevertheless a good story.
Note: Those who are going to read this book please start reading it from part 2.
Characters: 1/2
Presentation: 0.5/1
I mostly complete reading a book in 2-3
days but this book took me almost 2 weeks to complete; the reason being a very dull and boring start.
First 10-20 pages have been spent on describing Sudas's horse and dogs.
I lost interest in reading there after but skipped the first part and started reading the second part from where the main story starts.
From there on the story was quite fast paced and very much interesting.
This was my first pick of the much celebrated author and I'd say I was a bit disappointed.
Nevertheless a good story.
Note: Those who are going to read this book please start reading it from part 2.
February 6, 2017
An amazing book. The story told in a very beautiful and short way. I had never heard of this story and found this story from the Rigveda really great and inspiring. AKB has some amazing story telling qualities.
December 30, 2014
A disappointing read. It is as though the author has a chip on his shoulder while writing this book. Very poorly researched and scenes border on being distasteful. Reads like a cheap dime novel. Waste of money.
November 23, 2014
Quite a credible reconstruction of an elusively obscure interlude of the subcontinent's ancient history and setting a crackling pace by restricting the timeline to a long day... Mr Banker has used his most fecund imagination to great effect here to pen a rousing but engrossing tale..
Read
February 13, 2013Extremely gripping and interesting! I love how Ashok Banker tells his stories, it is almost like he uncovers them, piece by piece, riddle by riddle!
February 7, 2015
Need more books from Ashok K Banker. <3
December 24, 2015
Exciting and thrilling
September 12, 2017
A very fertile land ruled by an able righteous ruler attracts the envy of the other clans of his own tribe. These other clans plot the ruler’s downfall by forming some sort of a Mahagathbandan. The other clans in the tribe are 9 in number. The combined forces of 9 attack 1 and the 1 not only survives the attack but decimates the 9.
This is the famous story of the Dasharajna, or the battle of 10 kings that is recorded in the Rig Veda. The 9 bhArata clans comprising of Alina, Anu, Druhyu, Puru, Bhrigu, Matsya, Bhalanas, Parsu and Pani guided by the Bharata preceptor Vishwamitra attack the Trtsu king Sudas who is guided by Vashistha. Mandala 7 of the Rigveda describes how the battle was won when Vashistha summons Indra and Varuna to Sudas’s aid, and how the 9 kings get defeated owing to the combined wrath of Indra and Varuna. This is the topic that Ashok Banker tries to recreate in his “Ten Kings”.
Ashok Banker is famous for his re-interpretation of the Ramayana. I had read half of the first book of that series titled “The prince of Ayodhya” (TPOA) and found the writing to be aweful. The plot was really lame. That was one of the few books that I gave up midway. As an aside, I haven’t attempted to read Amish’s “Scion of Ikshvaku” primary because of being scarred by the TPOA experience. Anyway, given this rather bad prior experience, I approached “Ten Kings” with some hesitation. But since this was the only available fictional account of the Vedic age battle, I decided to give it a try and bought the book.
I found the writing to be much better than TPOA. The characters in this book were far more realistic than the earlier one. There were a few jarring notes in the form of anachronistic dialogue that were to be found here and there. For example, one wouldn’t expect a nurse to be called as “dai-ma” during the Vedic times especially when father and mother were being referred to as “pitr” and “matr” respectively. There were also a few characters who seemed slightly out of place (or time!). But apart from these minor inconveniences the book was rather good and was able to hold my attention such that I could read through the entire thing in half a day. I wasn’t really expecting to get a feel for the Vedic way of life in this book like I would have from an author like Devudu. So I wasn’t disappointed on that front.
Coming to the main theme of the book, Banker’s description of how Vashitha’s intellect coupled with Sudasa’s battle strategy won them the war is very believable. His rationalization of how Indra and Varuna came to the aid of Sudasa has a nice touch to it. The motivation for the 9 clans to unite against Sudasa has also been explained well. These are things that are missing from the Rig Veda narrative, so it was good to see Banker fill these gaps in a coherant manner.
The book looks to be the first in a series of books that talks about the Harappa and the Mohenjadaro civilization. So this book literally lays the foundation for the series.
I would recommend the book to anyone interested in this fascinating Vedic-age battle.
This is the famous story of the Dasharajna, or the battle of 10 kings that is recorded in the Rig Veda. The 9 bhArata clans comprising of Alina, Anu, Druhyu, Puru, Bhrigu, Matsya, Bhalanas, Parsu and Pani guided by the Bharata preceptor Vishwamitra attack the Trtsu king Sudas who is guided by Vashistha. Mandala 7 of the Rigveda describes how the battle was won when Vashistha summons Indra and Varuna to Sudas’s aid, and how the 9 kings get defeated owing to the combined wrath of Indra and Varuna. This is the topic that Ashok Banker tries to recreate in his “Ten Kings”.
Ashok Banker is famous for his re-interpretation of the Ramayana. I had read half of the first book of that series titled “The prince of Ayodhya” (TPOA) and found the writing to be aweful. The plot was really lame. That was one of the few books that I gave up midway. As an aside, I haven’t attempted to read Amish’s “Scion of Ikshvaku” primary because of being scarred by the TPOA experience. Anyway, given this rather bad prior experience, I approached “Ten Kings” with some hesitation. But since this was the only available fictional account of the Vedic age battle, I decided to give it a try and bought the book.
I found the writing to be much better than TPOA. The characters in this book were far more realistic than the earlier one. There were a few jarring notes in the form of anachronistic dialogue that were to be found here and there. For example, one wouldn’t expect a nurse to be called as “dai-ma” during the Vedic times especially when father and mother were being referred to as “pitr” and “matr” respectively. There were also a few characters who seemed slightly out of place (or time!). But apart from these minor inconveniences the book was rather good and was able to hold my attention such that I could read through the entire thing in half a day. I wasn’t really expecting to get a feel for the Vedic way of life in this book like I would have from an author like Devudu. So I wasn’t disappointed on that front.
Coming to the main theme of the book, Banker’s description of how Vashitha’s intellect coupled with Sudasa’s battle strategy won them the war is very believable. His rationalization of how Indra and Varuna came to the aid of Sudasa has a nice touch to it. The motivation for the 9 clans to unite against Sudasa has also been explained well. These are things that are missing from the Rig Veda narrative, so it was good to see Banker fill these gaps in a coherant manner.
The book looks to be the first in a series of books that talks about the Harappa and the Mohenjadaro civilization. So this book literally lays the foundation for the series.
I would recommend the book to anyone interested in this fascinating Vedic-age battle.
December 31, 2019
Ten Kings: Dasarjana (ebook) by Ashok K Banker- translated in Hindi by Ashutosh Garg: In the preamble to the Book, it has been described as taken from Rig Veda. The story is about King Sudas from Punjab, land of five rivers and the most agriculturally productive region. The time period is before Harappa Civilization. The publisher and the author has managed to describe a war for one day period in 274 pages binding the interest of the reader. At this period, India is a matriarchal society. Anu,l Brother in law of Sudas informs Sudas that he has inherited his kingdom as Sydas;s wife has granted him the guardianship. Sudas disagrees. Sudas is in league with 9 other local Chieftains who plan to attack Sudas. Guru Rishi Viswamitra and Rishi Vashista story is also a part. In the period, iron was not discovered and other weak metals were used as shields to cover the chest of a warrior. Rishi Vashistha discovers wrought iron with which swords and arrow ends were prepared.
Strategy of war has been described well. The enemy army is about 60000 total including elephants, chariots, horsemen, soldiers walking with bows and arrows and with swords. Sudas has 6000 army men who are committed to united India. They have bows and arrows, horses, swords. First, Sudas informs that enemy should not fight because lives of army is important, they disagree. Then as soon as the enemy crosses the river with the help of a temporary bridge, Sudas's army hides in the long grass. From here they are can aim their arrows at the enemy. Second, Sudas runs on his horse with his army to a mountain pass. From here only three persons can fight at a time. Sudas uses iron weapons which are able to pierce the shields and also able to bend and break the swords of enemy prepared from weaker metals. Third, it begins to rain and the water dam on the river is broken and a flood ensues. Anu concedes his loss and victory to Sudas. Sudas agree to truce in the name of United India named Harappa.
It is quite an interesting book - a must read for all.
Strategy of war has been described well. The enemy army is about 60000 total including elephants, chariots, horsemen, soldiers walking with bows and arrows and with swords. Sudas has 6000 army men who are committed to united India. They have bows and arrows, horses, swords. First, Sudas informs that enemy should not fight because lives of army is important, they disagree. Then as soon as the enemy crosses the river with the help of a temporary bridge, Sudas's army hides in the long grass. From here they are can aim their arrows at the enemy. Second, Sudas runs on his horse with his army to a mountain pass. From here only three persons can fight at a time. Sudas uses iron weapons which are able to pierce the shields and also able to bend and break the swords of enemy prepared from weaker metals. Third, it begins to rain and the water dam on the river is broken and a flood ensues. Anu concedes his loss and victory to Sudas. Sudas agree to truce in the name of United India named Harappa.
It is quite an interesting book - a must read for all.
June 8, 2019
Reading was great. The story is perfect. You better read it yourself for the plot and don't consider the reviews down here. But I found a problem with the timeline of the story. First of all, Dasrajana is a story from Rg Veda which is written around c. 1500 to 1200 BC. That means this is a story not from 3400 BC. Second, iron plays an important role in the story; and, the iron age in India starts after 1200 BC with the archaeological cultures of PGWC and NBPW. The story fairly gives way for the rise of Iron Age in India but 3400 BC looks vague. Third and the most important is that the story at the end calls for the Harrapan culture. At one hand the Author is considering the use of iron and the end of the Bronze Age. On the other, he is winding with the establishment of the Harrapan culture which is a Bronze Age Civilization. The whole historical timeline breaks here. In his trilogy, Harrapa and Mohenjo-Daro are sequels to Ten Kings. But, according to the historical timeframe, Ten Kings should be adjusted after Harrapa and Mohenjo-Daro. Of course, the Aryan civilization considers the Harrapan culture as there own and brings it under their own timeframe but the Author must have taken care. It is a work of fiction, I accept that but readers like me won't consider. Otherwise, the reading is great
July 17, 2021
The premise is simple. A good leader shows great valor and out of the world intelligence and leadership. The setting is in ancient India - so that makes a certain level of leadership certain. Throw in references to known mythology (Vishwamitra, Vasishtha et al). Bring in a nibble of science (or history?) - Harappa. And there you have it.
The author also tries to be authentic (or maybe knowledgeable) but comes across as presumptuous - or at least whimsical. Parents are addressed “Pitr” and “Maatr” but that does not translate to any other relations which are all still in English!
The narrative is fast paced and not the least bit jerky. The characters are limited and for a short book, that works well. Overall, an ok read.
The author also tries to be authentic (or maybe knowledgeable) but comes across as presumptuous - or at least whimsical. Parents are addressed “Pitr” and “Maatr” but that does not translate to any other relations which are all still in English!
The narrative is fast paced and not the least bit jerky. The characters are limited and for a short book, that works well. Overall, an ok read.
April 8, 2025
Ten Kings plunges readers into the ancient and tumultuous world of the Rig Veda, vividly reimagining the epic Dasarajna battle with his signature blend of fast-paced action and rich historical detail. The novel masterfully weaves together elements of myth and history, bringing to life the fierce rivalries and complex political landscape of the era as King Sudas faces a formidable coalition of ten ambitious rulers. Banker's compelling narrative and dynamic characters, set against a backdrop of ancient Indian culture and warfare, create a gripping and immersive experience that offers a fresh and exciting perspective on a foundational historical event, making it a captivating read for those interested in historical fiction and Indian epics
January 2, 2019
Doesn't everyone love a good underdog story? And the story of King Sudas is a GREAT underdog story. Of course, being such a trope, I'm afraid there's no way for any book to meet up to the best of its genre.
So compared to 300, and the magical shades of gray it manages to paint everyone, this book, with it's good and bad clearly delineated, falls flat.
But it's a worth a read. At least for the abs on the cover!
So compared to 300, and the magical shades of gray it manages to paint everyone, this book, with it's good and bad clearly delineated, falls flat.
But it's a worth a read. At least for the abs on the cover!
May 2, 2019
The premise is exciting. A Leonidas and Spartans like tale in the Indian context and all that Vedic lore fueling it. And yet, as you read the book, you are left with the impression that the author was working with very thin material at his disposal that he stretched to make a novel. It is a breezy read and the battle scenes are thrillingly written. I haven't read the authors other work but am hoping that with material for a denser story, he would fare much better.
December 10, 2022
The book was about some ancient battle between sudas, king of Trtsus and Anus - the ten kings. I started it with some hope to relish as I like to read mythology but unfortunately this book didn't hold my interest at all from beginig to end. Its all about a battle, nothing else in a monotonous language. And there's an indication of some series, this book followed by harappa but it was a wash out from the beginning. Hardly 2 stars for this part one.
December 31, 2018
It was tough to start reading this book. Once I did, it was hard to stop, thankfully had the time to finish. Read this book in one sitting. Loved it, yes it is like an Indian version of 300. It's a beautifully written, never read Banker before, but now will. 'Honor' could have been another title for the book. It's all about values and ethics.
April 29, 2019
An interesting story.
Nice story line with astonishing description of event based on mythology and ac. very compact and lucid description of event . very revealing story line. All readers interested in ancient India should read the book to get a new insight into evolving of ancient iIndia
Nice story line with astonishing description of event based on mythology and ac. very compact and lucid description of event . very revealing story line. All readers interested in ancient India should read the book to get a new insight into evolving of ancient iIndia
September 6, 2018
Good mix of everything
Good mix of science, history, fiction, belief in superpower, following ideals at the same time tactful, forward thinking and realistic too.
Didn't disappoint at any point during the book
Good mix of science, history, fiction, belief in superpower, following ideals at the same time tactful, forward thinking and realistic too.
Didn't disappoint at any point during the book
June 18, 2017
Good one. It would have been even better if visuals of the context explained further more
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews