The Tale of Iśva Raman

Review:

5 stars

This was a great discovery. Epic, action, and adventurous portal fantasy, filled with Asian lore and rich Hindu Epic mythology. Starts with relatable events (bullies and misunderstandings at school) Raman (a boy whose teachers make no effort to learn the right pronunciation) is a 15-year-old bullied at different levels, but he can see "Karma" (later he will learn the correct term for this energy) as not many can understand.

Adventure (opportunity) disguised as an attack comes to him and he can't deny it. Raman faces a demon (rakshasa) at his school that results in a lot of damage, but the adults think he just vandalized the property on purpose.

It's time for his family to come forward and tell Raman the truth for he may be the key. He can see another world and creatures because some strange old lady (an Asura, a demon) cut his protective bands.

His older cousin returns and tells him the truth, (with a lot of legends and tales and details). Raman should join the trial at the Temple of the Heart Spring (aka private boarding school) to be instructed by gurus in the elemental magics with amazing mandalas, and creatures in order to protect the world and become a Kshatriya. I love that the author doesn't hold back on these and makes us wait for chapters before revealing a lot of information. Evil forces are plotting and it's time to act. A chosen one (my favorite trope) in a story filled with quests, all our favorite elements, and rich in mythology.

The Seed must be found, but no one knows what it is. Raman's father was the protector of the Seed before, now it's up to Raman to take charge, although he is more than people think.

Extra characters that I like a lot, Rudi, Maraniya, Wai, Luxmi. It's a journey and coming of age to save the world from the upcoming End War using Shakthi (magic/energy/power/Karma). Not all goes as easy as expected, there are bullies in this special place too, chakora eggs to hatch and bind to each student, demons to turn into their familiars, trails to pass, and exams. Unless we can control elements and help, we should stay away as useless Krimis (humans, also translated as parasites who pollute the planet).

Sometimes a book gets inspired by other works, and it's up to the authors to make sure the readers aren't pulled away from their world into a famous one already existing. Sometimes I felt that with this story, but it didn't completely ruin the experience for me.

The author's style plunges us into a magical world filled with adventure with great rhythm perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond, Momo Arashima, Sunbear Trials, Lulu Signatala * all of these books reference different worlds and cultural mythologies.

(These are samples from the ARC please disregard the text, that is not the final, this is just for us to see how the illustrations will be.

(Video made with information and videos from the author's Instagram. Check out the author's links for your preferred platform:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222582194-the-tale-of-i-va-raman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najeev_nadarajah/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Najeev-Nadarajah/author/B00A5SN8YC?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

"The Tale of Iśva Raman

by Najeev Nadarajah et al.

"The Tale of Iśva Raman, masterfully blends South Asian mythology into everything a fantasy lover could want—an epic adventure, dark monsters, and a world steeped in magic and mystery. Nadarajah crafts a spellbinding tale of an unexpected hero, weaving lush prose, humor, and heart while setting the stage for a breathtaking journey of heroism, self-discovery, and destiny." — Payal Doshi, award-winning author of Rea and the Blood of the Nectar.

One stormy afternoon, Iśva Raman is waylaid by a demon Asura, who demands that he surrender the Seed. Raman, however, has never heard of this Seed.

Confused and frightened, Raman is whisked away to a hidden temple where he learns about his accursed past and the incredible power of the Cosmic Seed. With the fate of the world at stake, Raman must find a way to keep the Seed out of the hands of the Asuras, or risk losing everything he holds dear.

Filled with ancient magic, mythical demons, friendships, plot twists, and plentiful humour, The Tale of Iśva Raman is a must-read for fans of coming of age teen fantasy books like Eragon and Harry Potter. Don't miss out on this epic adventure. And get ready to embark on a journey that will leave you breathless until the very last page!"

Illustrated by @nenad.pantic.art Awesome pencil artwork see more artwok here.