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The Anu Files #1
Tantra
Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather.
At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.
To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather.
At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.
To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
344 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2013
39 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Adi
23 books20 followersAdi grew up reading fiction books by flashlight, hiding under the covers, pretending to be asleep. While it would certainly affect his academic life the next day, he did go on to get degrees from Stanford University and Harvard University, so it was not all that bad.
Somewhere along the line, a poetry book and a minor textbook were published. He wishes he could withdraw all copies of said poetry book from the market. At the time, it was poignant, but now it is just embarrassing.
He’s always given more credit for his successes in life to those late-night reading habits of years ago than to the high-school academics he trudged through, and he yearned to write one of those books himself.
Deeply impressed by the vast religious history of India, he could not help but pick this topic for his first novel.
Somewhere along the line, a poetry book and a minor textbook were published. He wishes he could withdraw all copies of said poetry book from the market. At the time, it was poignant, but now it is just embarrassing.
He’s always given more credit for his successes in life to those late-night reading habits of years ago than to the high-school academics he trudged through, and he yearned to write one of those books himself.
Deeply impressed by the vast religious history of India, he could not help but pick this topic for his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
April 7, 2013
Originally posted at Booklok Coffee
Lemme just shoutout first -- "Finally a badass no-nonsense sassy Vampire Slayer female protagonist (with a dirty mouth..Scandalous!) from an Indian Author!! Hell yeah, bring it on!!"
A vampire related story from an Indian author is first but there are gazillions of Vampire stories in the book cosmos, when someone says 'a new vampire novel', I think what new could it bring!? A part of me is always reluctant to start any new series centering around vampires, I have read that many vampire novels, Jaw dropping good once I must add. But since it is the first Vampire novel in India, set in our dear Delhi, there was no way I could resist reading Tantra by Adi. And Adi managed to bring new spin in the Vampire genre by incorporating Tantra-- India's most spooky practice. Now that's something.
On Book Cover :
I have mixed feelings towards it, I like the color scheme, it's somewhat spooky with lightening and Anu crouched on a roof ready to jump on any vampire involved in any conspicuous activity. Though I did not get the face in the cloudy sky, does that signifies spirits?! or just special effect?
On the story :
"Have you ever seen me wear pink? No, and there is a good reason for that." ~page 112, Anu
Anu Aggarwal, with her stake in hand and leather pants on, she emerges in haunted nights of Delhi to kick butts and slay vampires, but that's not the reason which dragged her to India from New York, she is on a quest of Brian's killer, her Brian, and she will not rest till she burn that alleged vampire to pieces but no one can know about her motives, her thirst for vengeance.
"This is India. Nothing is ever that simple." ~page 115
On her vigilant jumps from roof to roof in dead of night, Anu encounters a vampire on hunt insinuating towards the purposeful killing of children, where vampire in question is just a pawn to a dangerous operation on prowl.
"Are you serious? Two guardians meet for the first time and you want to talk about my clothes?"--Anu
"What do you want to do? Compare the sizes of our stakes?"-- Amit
~Page 3
Anu and Amit, two guardians of the city -- Not romantically involved -- together unravels the secret behind the killings with the help of Dr. Sharma. Initially she scoffs at the idea of Tantric activities and its affiliation with the killings but having seen the ritual from her own eyes she is set to annihilate the culprit but it is not that simple. Under the guidance of Pandit Grover and Dr, Sharma Anu is trying to unlock the Brahma astra and overcome the alluring maya, meanwhile she is fighting her attraction to a sexy human --Gaurav , trying to dodge the dekhan-dekhi and marriage clutches her aunt is planning on, and haunted by the memories of Brian. The Villain of the story-- Baba Senaka -- the Tantric in disguise is an uncanny creation by the author which led to a spine-chilling stupefying climax with some unexpected revelations.
Characters:
As mentioned, Anu Aggarwal, the female protagonist is strong, fearless and bodacious, is capable of taking care of herself in dark alleys of Delhi at nights. She is witty, sassy and has a quirky charm; she is a Damsel but not in distress. She knows how to use her weapons (pun intended). Her partner or co-guardian Amit is another interesting character with a smart mouth who never fails to crack up the situation with his ingenious remarks.
Baba Senaka is one of those Villains who never fails to fright, I find him more real than any other character of the book, he has not only mastered the Tantric astras, playing the dangerous game but is also brimming with over confidence, He is one of my favourite character from the book.
Gaurav-- Anu's love interest, I rather found him boring and really hoping she opens her eyes and see Chandra-- head of vampires/ Panch-- is a wicked rugged gazillion years old Vampire with a smirk that gets under Aun's skin. He is Mystery to me and I am looking forward to more of Chandra in the next instalment.
Other side Characters like Baba Senaka acolytes, Suresh, Karim, Anu's aunty, Anu's cousin, Karta kept the story engaging.
Writing:
What I really liked about this book is the lucid writing, the witty narrative tone, which never fails to make you laugh and kept me on edge anticipating the next scene throughout. It wasn't fancy or forced unlike some other annoying books but natural and more bona fide. The Banter between Anu and Amit or Anu and Chandra are most appealing, though there were a lot less of Anu and Chandra for my taste, I guess Author is saving it for the next instalment.
Author kept the concept of 'Shifting' vague; I wanted to understand that, though at one point he tried to explain it a bit. Every book has its own backdrop of Vampires and their origin, I was disappointed that author did not explain the origin of his vampires (hopefully he saved that for the next instalment), though he did had a theory on why-vampires-are-so-fast-strong-powerful, their workings etc and I found it rather convincing.
The concept of 'Threads' is one of the most intriguing parts along with the explanations of all types of Ratris and their powers, astras, balance and relation between satvvik and tantric activities, maya etc.
The trend of bringing Mythology in modern scenario was started by Rick Riordan when he introduced a modern Greek demigod, since then it has become a hot topic and Adi has utilized the most eerie spooky Tantra concept pretty well which will surely be welcome by the younger generation overseas as well.
Overall Vampires+Tantra+badass-heroine+creepy-scary-Villain results in a fantastic spellbinding world.
Quotes:
"There are no good and evil here, merely connections, relationships and most importantly actions, reactions, consequences." ~ page 142"You must temper your actions, your karma with dharma, our duty and values. There is no greater sin than to shrink what is your duty. Sometimes your duty takes you places that you do not want to go..." ~ Page 262
Lemme just shoutout first -- "Finally a badass no-nonsense sassy Vampire Slayer female protagonist (with a dirty mouth..Scandalous!) from an Indian Author!! Hell yeah, bring it on!!"
A vampire related story from an Indian author is first but there are gazillions of Vampire stories in the book cosmos, when someone says 'a new vampire novel', I think what new could it bring!? A part of me is always reluctant to start any new series centering around vampires, I have read that many vampire novels, Jaw dropping good once I must add. But since it is the first Vampire novel in India, set in our dear Delhi, there was no way I could resist reading Tantra by Adi. And Adi managed to bring new spin in the Vampire genre by incorporating Tantra-- India's most spooky practice. Now that's something.
On Book Cover :
I have mixed feelings towards it, I like the color scheme, it's somewhat spooky with lightening and Anu crouched on a roof ready to jump on any vampire involved in any conspicuous activity. Though I did not get the face in the cloudy sky, does that signifies spirits?! or just special effect?
On the story :
"Have you ever seen me wear pink? No, and there is a good reason for that." ~page 112, Anu
Anu Aggarwal, with her stake in hand and leather pants on, she emerges in haunted nights of Delhi to kick butts and slay vampires, but that's not the reason which dragged her to India from New York, she is on a quest of Brian's killer, her Brian, and she will not rest till she burn that alleged vampire to pieces but no one can know about her motives, her thirst for vengeance.
"This is India. Nothing is ever that simple." ~page 115
On her vigilant jumps from roof to roof in dead of night, Anu encounters a vampire on hunt insinuating towards the purposeful killing of children, where vampire in question is just a pawn to a dangerous operation on prowl.
"Are you serious? Two guardians meet for the first time and you want to talk about my clothes?"--Anu
"What do you want to do? Compare the sizes of our stakes?"-- Amit
~Page 3
Anu and Amit, two guardians of the city -- Not romantically involved -- together unravels the secret behind the killings with the help of Dr. Sharma. Initially she scoffs at the idea of Tantric activities and its affiliation with the killings but having seen the ritual from her own eyes she is set to annihilate the culprit but it is not that simple. Under the guidance of Pandit Grover and Dr, Sharma Anu is trying to unlock the Brahma astra and overcome the alluring maya, meanwhile she is fighting her attraction to a sexy human --Gaurav , trying to dodge the dekhan-dekhi and marriage clutches her aunt is planning on, and haunted by the memories of Brian. The Villain of the story-- Baba Senaka -- the Tantric in disguise is an uncanny creation by the author which led to a spine-chilling stupefying climax with some unexpected revelations.
Characters:
As mentioned, Anu Aggarwal, the female protagonist is strong, fearless and bodacious, is capable of taking care of herself in dark alleys of Delhi at nights. She is witty, sassy and has a quirky charm; she is a Damsel but not in distress. She knows how to use her weapons (pun intended). Her partner or co-guardian Amit is another interesting character with a smart mouth who never fails to crack up the situation with his ingenious remarks.
Baba Senaka is one of those Villains who never fails to fright, I find him more real than any other character of the book, he has not only mastered the Tantric astras, playing the dangerous game but is also brimming with over confidence, He is one of my favourite character from the book.
Gaurav-- Anu's love interest, I rather found him boring and really hoping she opens her eyes and see Chandra-- head of vampires/ Panch-- is a wicked rugged gazillion years old Vampire with a smirk that gets under Aun's skin. He is Mystery to me and I am looking forward to more of Chandra in the next instalment.
Other side Characters like Baba Senaka acolytes, Suresh, Karim, Anu's aunty, Anu's cousin, Karta kept the story engaging.
Writing:
What I really liked about this book is the lucid writing, the witty narrative tone, which never fails to make you laugh and kept me on edge anticipating the next scene throughout. It wasn't fancy or forced unlike some other annoying books but natural and more bona fide. The Banter between Anu and Amit or Anu and Chandra are most appealing, though there were a lot less of Anu and Chandra for my taste, I guess Author is saving it for the next instalment.
Author kept the concept of 'Shifting' vague; I wanted to understand that, though at one point he tried to explain it a bit. Every book has its own backdrop of Vampires and their origin, I was disappointed that author did not explain the origin of his vampires (hopefully he saved that for the next instalment), though he did had a theory on why-vampires-are-so-fast-strong-powerful, their workings etc and I found it rather convincing.
The concept of 'Threads' is one of the most intriguing parts along with the explanations of all types of Ratris and their powers, astras, balance and relation between satvvik and tantric activities, maya etc.
The trend of bringing Mythology in modern scenario was started by Rick Riordan when he introduced a modern Greek demigod, since then it has become a hot topic and Adi has utilized the most eerie spooky Tantra concept pretty well which will surely be welcome by the younger generation overseas as well.
Overall Vampires+Tantra+badass-heroine+creepy-scary-Villain results in a fantastic spellbinding world.
Quotes:
"There are no good and evil here, merely connections, relationships and most importantly actions, reactions, consequences." ~ page 142"You must temper your actions, your karma with dharma, our duty and values. There is no greater sin than to shrink what is your duty. Sometimes your duty takes you places that you do not want to go..." ~ Page 262
April 5, 2013
After a long time I have come across an Indian female character who is in control of her head and heart ( mostly) . No giggles , no guy issues , no drama. Anu is a true professional vampire hunter [ Sigh! And I love vampires] , one of the best in her generation. But even she finds herself clueless and lost at first in capital city Delhi. The settlement , the relations made , unexpected friendships and unusual foes do make her life interesting and difficult at the same time.
Adi’s writing is simple , clear and with lot of humor, which I must say is done with a class. The setting is realistic and relatable ,except maybe her night Auto travels. I actually envy her the liberty to sit on rooftops and enjoy the beauty of night. I liked her boss in Delhi , suresh but sadly not much light is thrown on his character. An obvious love for Chandra , the old and charming [ with looks of 25 yr old ] Chandra and total win for Amit , the vampire hunter and anu’s friend. We all love and need and should be such awesome friends and company for all times !
The dark forces in the book arise from use of Tantra and I enjoyed the way Adi sets its plot and unravels the extent of Tantra. Also the description of Maya and its power or hold on the world is a treat to read and imagine [ I will not say more in case I spoil the beauty of these scenes ]. On that note , Adi gets full score.
what I missed in the book was a proper background of Anu , of the vampire hunters , how and what made them different from rest , Chandra’s story and bit more of larger picture of the forces at work in the book. I know there is a sequel coming and I hope all these questions are answered in that.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
My rating : 4/5
Adi’s writing is simple , clear and with lot of humor, which I must say is done with a class. The setting is realistic and relatable ,except maybe her night Auto travels. I actually envy her the liberty to sit on rooftops and enjoy the beauty of night. I liked her boss in Delhi , suresh but sadly not much light is thrown on his character. An obvious love for Chandra , the old and charming [ with looks of 25 yr old ] Chandra and total win for Amit , the vampire hunter and anu’s friend. We all love and need and should be such awesome friends and company for all times !
The dark forces in the book arise from use of Tantra and I enjoyed the way Adi sets its plot and unravels the extent of Tantra. Also the description of Maya and its power or hold on the world is a treat to read and imagine [ I will not say more in case I spoil the beauty of these scenes ]. On that note , Adi gets full score.
what I missed in the book was a proper background of Anu , of the vampire hunters , how and what made them different from rest , Chandra’s story and bit more of larger picture of the forces at work in the book. I know there is a sequel coming and I hope all these questions are answered in that.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
My rating : 4/5
September 7, 2021
Read more reviews at Reviewing Shelf.
The book cover and the beginning reminded me of Legend. However, the similarities ended just a few pages into it.
The book cover and the beginning reminded me of Legend. However, the similarities ended just a few pages into it.
I had this sort of love-hate relationship with this book. I loved the way it started. 'A vampire read by an Indian author, one of its firsts. And a wow female character at that. This looks like a great read' was what I was thinking. But well, my happiness didn't last long.
The vampires gave way to saints, the stake gave way to astras and the book went downhill for me. 'Alas', I wondered. 'If only the book had stuck to vampires and vampire hunters'.
The book also had some uncanny resemblance to Crewel but it is nowhere as good.
But wait, didn't I say I had a love-hate relationship? Where did the love go then?
Well, I loved the mature writing that scarcely (I have to sadly admit) graces the pages of an Indian authored book. I loved the humor and ended up smiling and laughing out aloud so many times. I really liked the mature characters and the main character of Anu packs a punch, just love her! The chemistry between the characters, be it harmless flirtation, friendly hugs or sparkling sizzlers was just wow.
What I didn't like was too much Indian-ization of the book which truly wasn't necessary and would have made a great story without it. Too much of astras, mind-boggling theories and some amount of repetition didn't go down well with me.
Will I be looking out for the second book in the series? Probably yes, because I see potential in the author. The plot may not have been great but the writing certainly was.
Overall, a great attempt at his first book. But I was left wanting for so much more. A good read, I would say.
April 12, 2021
Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars
Background:
As the back cover of the novel proclaims -- Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather.
At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.
To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
The front cover is nice and appealing with shades of indigo-blue and royal-blue. Girl with a big knife, lightning, face (spirit) in dark clouds protruding downwards from the sky, with the city backdrop to it, the book covers serves its purpose of presenting a mystery-adventure soup to the first time picker.
Characters:
The main protagonist is Anu Aggarwal, a from-NY-to-Delhi vampire hunter who has come to India in the search of her lover Brian's killer vampire. She is really a badass character when it comes to hunting her targets. Her Delhi counterpart is Amit, always flirting with her and reassessing his role as a guardian for the rest of his life. Despite his increasing disinterest in his regular job being a vampire hunter, he performs his duties well with his conscience.
Then come Anu's cousin Smiti, her aunt Nina, her lust-interest Gaurav, who all play important parts in taking the story forward and also shaping Anu's social life which used to be almost non-existent earlier. Dr. Sharma and Pandit Grover become her mentor in solving out the Tantra puzzle to fight the most evil man in the city, tantric Senaka aka Babaji, whose character mostly evolves indirectly rather than direct presence in the story until it goes climaxing towards the end.
Vampire city king Chandra is inserted as a grayish character, an element of surprise most of the times.
Story:
The story starts with a NRI vampire hunter, Anu, returned to Delhi to avenge her lover's killer traced to a Delhi vampire. But sooner than later, she is forced to look into other supernatural matters enveloping the city, teaching her that vampires aren't the only bad things she would have to fight in the future here. Along with Amit, she first comes across child disappearances (mainly from slums) in the city and trace it back to Baba Senaka, the evil tantric who is hellbent on using children's spirits to establish his connection with the spiritual world and amass great power to achieve his enlightenment (the tantric way).
On the other hand, Suresh, their Delhi centre's head is always convincing Anu that vampires aren't a big concern in Delhi, which she finds annoying as her main motive being present there is to search for Brian's killer into vampire's 'mostly-incomplete' database. She doubts Dr. Sharma initially as well who introduces her to the knowledge of ancient Indian supernatural power Tantra, but believes and agrees to take his help once confrontation with the odd truth of being nearly killed by Senaka's acolytes on her surprise attack visit to the ashram compound where she witnesses him using children's spirits for his own deeds.
In between come her cousin Smiti, her situational face-offs with Gaurav, and her aunt Nina with whom she is staying for now. Of these, she discovers Nina to be already looking out prospects for her marriage; develops lusty feelings for Gaurav; wants to keep Smiti out of trouble, more when Amit develops interest in her later. All this and her confrontation with Pandit Grover, a sattvic priest, who helps her to discover what is maya, with Chandra, the vampire head called Panch in the city, whom she wants to kill herself being a vampire hunter, but finds unable to do so, firstly because of her sheer lack of powerlessness before him, and later when she finds out that he could play a major role in her fight against Senaka; with all those vampires who have turned over to Senaka's side due to his tantric power making them vulnerable, and fighting them alongside Amit....
All of these forms the crux of the story. Does she finds a way to defeat the evil within time who is growing dangerously in power? Is she able to form side with vampires despite herself born and trained to kill them unhesitatingly? Does she discovers the path of maya and Tantra in positive manner or does she have to follow the unstable path of Tantra herself for the righteous cause? Will it all be acceptable to her? What are the motivations of Chandra, Pandit Grover, Karta, and even Dr. Sharma in choosing her to be the only one possible when it comes to defeat Senaka?!
To discover all this and much much more, delve into the extra-ordinary and India's first supernatural action thriller, and get surprised every now and then. You won't mind reading India's very much ancient mysterious powers so deeply rooted in earlier times like Mahabharata and else, and still today, weaved so fearlessly into this book by the author.
Likes:
Everything is likable about this book, well not everything, but still almost everything.
The writing style is so smooth and the action scenes are described so flawlessly with greatly balanced details.
The surprise locking and unlocking of horns among several major characters at times.
Coolness and vibrancy felt throughout the whole book, no narrative lost anywhere.
Adventure, mystery, ancient 'magical?' powers at work and their satisfying working details and usage inserted at appropriate places in the story.
Natural but unpredicatable twists and turns building up in this story about super-natural.
Dislikes:
Romance and Love presented only in the form of lusty dialogues/descriptions spread across here and there throughout the book got a disgusting look from me whenever I came across such everytime.
Overall, I would only say that Tantry by Adi is a riveting supernatural action thriller in its truest sense. Despite author's debut work, he has done a commanding job in this novel. Don't you miss it, Indian vampire and supernatural genre readers!
Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars :)
Background:
As the back cover of the novel proclaims -- Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather.
At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.
To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
The front cover is nice and appealing with shades of indigo-blue and royal-blue. Girl with a big knife, lightning, face (spirit) in dark clouds protruding downwards from the sky, with the city backdrop to it, the book covers serves its purpose of presenting a mystery-adventure soup to the first time picker.
Characters:
The main protagonist is Anu Aggarwal, a from-NY-to-Delhi vampire hunter who has come to India in the search of her lover Brian's killer vampire. She is really a badass character when it comes to hunting her targets. Her Delhi counterpart is Amit, always flirting with her and reassessing his role as a guardian for the rest of his life. Despite his increasing disinterest in his regular job being a vampire hunter, he performs his duties well with his conscience.
Then come Anu's cousin Smiti, her aunt Nina, her lust-interest Gaurav, who all play important parts in taking the story forward and also shaping Anu's social life which used to be almost non-existent earlier. Dr. Sharma and Pandit Grover become her mentor in solving out the Tantra puzzle to fight the most evil man in the city, tantric Senaka aka Babaji, whose character mostly evolves indirectly rather than direct presence in the story until it goes climaxing towards the end.
Vampire city king Chandra is inserted as a grayish character, an element of surprise most of the times.
Story:
The story starts with a NRI vampire hunter, Anu, returned to Delhi to avenge her lover's killer traced to a Delhi vampire. But sooner than later, she is forced to look into other supernatural matters enveloping the city, teaching her that vampires aren't the only bad things she would have to fight in the future here. Along with Amit, she first comes across child disappearances (mainly from slums) in the city and trace it back to Baba Senaka, the evil tantric who is hellbent on using children's spirits to establish his connection with the spiritual world and amass great power to achieve his enlightenment (the tantric way).
On the other hand, Suresh, their Delhi centre's head is always convincing Anu that vampires aren't a big concern in Delhi, which she finds annoying as her main motive being present there is to search for Brian's killer into vampire's 'mostly-incomplete' database. She doubts Dr. Sharma initially as well who introduces her to the knowledge of ancient Indian supernatural power Tantra, but believes and agrees to take his help once confrontation with the odd truth of being nearly killed by Senaka's acolytes on her surprise attack visit to the ashram compound where she witnesses him using children's spirits for his own deeds.
In between come her cousin Smiti, her situational face-offs with Gaurav, and her aunt Nina with whom she is staying for now. Of these, she discovers Nina to be already looking out prospects for her marriage; develops lusty feelings for Gaurav; wants to keep Smiti out of trouble, more when Amit develops interest in her later. All this and her confrontation with Pandit Grover, a sattvic priest, who helps her to discover what is maya, with Chandra, the vampire head called Panch in the city, whom she wants to kill herself being a vampire hunter, but finds unable to do so, firstly because of her sheer lack of powerlessness before him, and later when she finds out that he could play a major role in her fight against Senaka; with all those vampires who have turned over to Senaka's side due to his tantric power making them vulnerable, and fighting them alongside Amit....
All of these forms the crux of the story. Does she finds a way to defeat the evil within time who is growing dangerously in power? Is she able to form side with vampires despite herself born and trained to kill them unhesitatingly? Does she discovers the path of maya and Tantra in positive manner or does she have to follow the unstable path of Tantra herself for the righteous cause? Will it all be acceptable to her? What are the motivations of Chandra, Pandit Grover, Karta, and even Dr. Sharma in choosing her to be the only one possible when it comes to defeat Senaka?!
To discover all this and much much more, delve into the extra-ordinary and India's first supernatural action thriller, and get surprised every now and then. You won't mind reading India's very much ancient mysterious powers so deeply rooted in earlier times like Mahabharata and else, and still today, weaved so fearlessly into this book by the author.
Likes:
Everything is likable about this book, well not everything, but still almost everything.
The writing style is so smooth and the action scenes are described so flawlessly with greatly balanced details.
The surprise locking and unlocking of horns among several major characters at times.
Coolness and vibrancy felt throughout the whole book, no narrative lost anywhere.
Adventure, mystery, ancient 'magical?' powers at work and their satisfying working details and usage inserted at appropriate places in the story.
Natural but unpredicatable twists and turns building up in this story about super-natural.
Dislikes:
Romance and Love presented only in the form of lusty dialogues/descriptions spread across here and there throughout the book got a disgusting look from me whenever I came across such everytime.
Overall, I would only say that Tantry by Adi is a riveting supernatural action thriller in its truest sense. Despite author's debut work, he has done a commanding job in this novel. Don't you miss it, Indian vampire and supernatural genre readers!
Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars :)
April 8, 2013
Tantra by Adi (no, not Aditya Chopra) is a gripping tale of a vampire hunter's roller coaster ride intertwined with mythical concepts, hunt for the killer and, wait for it, pressure of arrange marriage.
Anu Aggarwal, a US based Indian who guards New York City against vampires has to come to New Delhi in search of her boyfriend Brian's killer. Back in her homeland she discovers an alternate side of vampires, gets involved in Vedic Tantra and strive her best to expose all dreadful secrets which will lead her to the killer. All this, while tangling the internal politics of her organization and her aunt's persuasion to get married.
Since Bram Stoker's masterpiece, the concept of vampires has been degraded to many levels. The best example would be the Twilight series; Stephanie Meyers would never get peace for how she insulted such a wonderful concept. Luckily, I didn't expect much from this book and well, it didn't disappoint me. Vampires are, so to speak, just used here to form an unconventional backdrop. As the story proceeds you would find yourself in the midst of a typical Indian writer who want you to believe that secrets are hidden deep in our mythology and the protagonist must fight to stop a catastrophic event. And won't forget to induce some romance, whenever he gets the chance; even amongst all the chaos.
Author had put everything available in the market of fiction i.e. vampires, mythology, love, family drama, politics, social values, etc. in a mixer and served a dish in the form of this book with a topping of eccentric humor. Now this dish looks quite delicious and will surely win the prize for presentation, but it is tasteless. Methinks, an author fails to realize the true potential of his/her story when he/she tries to focus more on the marketing strategies. Thinking about what the reader would like, I instead of what you want to say will eventually void the purpose. Tantra by Adi is just a mambo-jumbo of all the clichés without any soul.
Though writing doesn't collaborate with 'about the author' section which claims Harvard and Stanford Universities, it is simple and appropriate with the type of story. The best part of this book is author's bravery; blending supernatural fiction with your go-to-guy characters isn't as easy as it may sound. Stirring eccentric topics (read bisexuality) is also commendable. I wish author have developed more incidents that would have provided a depth to the characters. But as the climax of the book hints towards the beginning of a series, one could always hope. And I hope things will be more sorted out in following novels with clearer characters, clean story flow and… well I could do with the humor. Recommended for those who reads all and only Indian authors. Take a shot; it is nescient but not boring. Read More..
Anu Aggarwal, a US based Indian who guards New York City against vampires has to come to New Delhi in search of her boyfriend Brian's killer. Back in her homeland she discovers an alternate side of vampires, gets involved in Vedic Tantra and strive her best to expose all dreadful secrets which will lead her to the killer. All this, while tangling the internal politics of her organization and her aunt's persuasion to get married.
Since Bram Stoker's masterpiece, the concept of vampires has been degraded to many levels. The best example would be the Twilight series; Stephanie Meyers would never get peace for how she insulted such a wonderful concept. Luckily, I didn't expect much from this book and well, it didn't disappoint me. Vampires are, so to speak, just used here to form an unconventional backdrop. As the story proceeds you would find yourself in the midst of a typical Indian writer who want you to believe that secrets are hidden deep in our mythology and the protagonist must fight to stop a catastrophic event. And won't forget to induce some romance, whenever he gets the chance; even amongst all the chaos.
Author had put everything available in the market of fiction i.e. vampires, mythology, love, family drama, politics, social values, etc. in a mixer and served a dish in the form of this book with a topping of eccentric humor. Now this dish looks quite delicious and will surely win the prize for presentation, but it is tasteless. Methinks, an author fails to realize the true potential of his/her story when he/she tries to focus more on the marketing strategies. Thinking about what the reader would like, I instead of what you want to say will eventually void the purpose. Tantra by Adi is just a mambo-jumbo of all the clichés without any soul.
Though writing doesn't collaborate with 'about the author' section which claims Harvard and Stanford Universities, it is simple and appropriate with the type of story. The best part of this book is author's bravery; blending supernatural fiction with your go-to-guy characters isn't as easy as it may sound. Stirring eccentric topics (read bisexuality) is also commendable. I wish author have developed more incidents that would have provided a depth to the characters. But as the climax of the book hints towards the beginning of a series, one could always hope. And I hope things will be more sorted out in following novels with clearer characters, clean story flow and… well I could do with the humor. Recommended for those who reads all and only Indian authors. Take a shot; it is nescient but not boring. Read More..
April 20, 2013
You know the saying never judge a book by it's cover? Well, that is completely applicable in this case. While the cover is way too immature and shabbily designed, the content inside will not disappoint you. The good thing is the author realized this fact, and has a contest running up to design his new cover.
The book is about Anu, a professional guardian who keeps the vampires of the city at bay. However, this makes her closed ones at risk, when finally the vampires takes over the only person she cared of. Seeking vengeance, she makes her way to India. Assessing the situation here, she realizes it is a lot different from what was back there in New York City. As she digs deeper, she reveals the deep dark secrets of how the vampire community in this new place works. But soon she realizes her real enemy isn't actually the vampire community, but someone even worse than that, who is a lot more powerful from the vampires, whom to kill would take a lot more than the ceramic blades.
Enter Dr. Sharma and Pandit Grover, who help her de-mystify the secrets of Senaka, her enemy. She soon realizes that his weapons is less of physical, but more of spiritual, the power of tantra. She now has to dig down deep into the old sanskrit texts to look for a weapon to face Senaka, the sattvic way. This would mean, she has to go beyond her capabilities, master the skills of something which hasn't been used in years and realize her potential to the fullest, within the limited time!
The book is total page turner. Great narration, in a complete flow, with a pinch of humor, this book is sure to hook you up. You are sure to enjoy your time with this book, and would just wish to reach the last page of the book, to know how the mystery unveils itself.
However, I do feel at some places the description was un-necessary and that the author tried to spoon-feed a point or two. A lot of questions were left un-answered, and so I feel we can expect a sequel to this.
On the whole, the book is sure to give you a great time. Buy it, read it, enjoy it!
Rating: 3.5/5
The book is about Anu, a professional guardian who keeps the vampires of the city at bay. However, this makes her closed ones at risk, when finally the vampires takes over the only person she cared of. Seeking vengeance, she makes her way to India. Assessing the situation here, she realizes it is a lot different from what was back there in New York City. As she digs deeper, she reveals the deep dark secrets of how the vampire community in this new place works. But soon she realizes her real enemy isn't actually the vampire community, but someone even worse than that, who is a lot more powerful from the vampires, whom to kill would take a lot more than the ceramic blades.
Enter Dr. Sharma and Pandit Grover, who help her de-mystify the secrets of Senaka, her enemy. She soon realizes that his weapons is less of physical, but more of spiritual, the power of tantra. She now has to dig down deep into the old sanskrit texts to look for a weapon to face Senaka, the sattvic way. This would mean, she has to go beyond her capabilities, master the skills of something which hasn't been used in years and realize her potential to the fullest, within the limited time!
The book is total page turner. Great narration, in a complete flow, with a pinch of humor, this book is sure to hook you up. You are sure to enjoy your time with this book, and would just wish to reach the last page of the book, to know how the mystery unveils itself.
However, I do feel at some places the description was un-necessary and that the author tried to spoon-feed a point or two. A lot of questions were left un-answered, and so I feel we can expect a sequel to this.
On the whole, the book is sure to give you a great time. Buy it, read it, enjoy it!
Rating: 3.5/5
April 13, 2013
I did have my premonitions on seeing the cover page of this book, but fortunately the story fared better. A female action figure from an Indian English fiction!!! A feast to the mind indeed. Adi has left some loose ends, but considering that a sequel is expected, we might know the answers soon.
An obsessive sadhu using the evil tantric techniques to conquer the world is not a new story when it comes to Indian movies and regional literature. The twist here is an intermingling of East and West and the introduction of a female savior. Anu is a no-nonsense professional vampire killer and her male allies are not jealous of her powerful reputation.The usual difference that irritates me so often when a male author writes on a girl is not even felt, but the sad part is, should we need to be brought up in America to become an enlightened heroine?
Setting could be Delhi, but as all the characters seems to be well versed in American English, this seemed unreal (where in Delhi we can find these kind of people, who can crack good Western jokes, is beyond my imagination). One reminder is the usual criticisms of India -- bad computer facilities, dirty slums, ignorance and fear.
Over all Adi has succeeded in maintaining a rhythm and balance, and a wise selection of characters adds to this gleam. Somewhere in the middle we might feel that his knowledge on tantra is a bit shallow, but that could be forgiven for this excellent plot. As a thriller cum spiritual reader, this is an interesting one for everyone interested in the genre.
An obsessive sadhu using the evil tantric techniques to conquer the world is not a new story when it comes to Indian movies and regional literature. The twist here is an intermingling of East and West and the introduction of a female savior. Anu is a no-nonsense professional vampire killer and her male allies are not jealous of her powerful reputation.The usual difference that irritates me so often when a male author writes on a girl is not even felt, but the sad part is, should we need to be brought up in America to become an enlightened heroine?
Setting could be Delhi, but as all the characters seems to be well versed in American English, this seemed unreal (where in Delhi we can find these kind of people, who can crack good Western jokes, is beyond my imagination). One reminder is the usual criticisms of India -- bad computer facilities, dirty slums, ignorance and fear.
Over all Adi has succeeded in maintaining a rhythm and balance, and a wise selection of characters adds to this gleam. Somewhere in the middle we might feel that his knowledge on tantra is a bit shallow, but that could be forgiven for this excellent plot. As a thriller cum spiritual reader, this is an interesting one for everyone interested in the genre.
April 2, 2013
Finally an awesome Indian female protagonist. I can easily see this book becoming a major motion picture. Somewhere between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Da Vinci Code in an unexplored Indian context. It is full of suspense and at the same time witty comic relief. For those tired of all the cliched biblical/vampire/european fantasies this is a must read. Tantra brings to the forefront the Indian occult juxtaposing it with the modern Indian society going through its own changes. Tantra is not just a story of action but also gives insight into a society grappling with changing attitudes towards tradition, marriage and sex. Those who have ever visited delhi will enjoy all the details the book brings out. Whether you are looking for a summer read, romance, action, mystery or even a minor history lesson this book covers it all... Kudos to Adi. Can't wait for the sequel.
April 4, 2013
I had intended to give it a 3.5 as I have given in my blog but Good reads didn't allow me to do so.
However, Tantra, by Indian fiction standard has delivered quite positively.
However, Tantra, by Indian fiction standard has delivered quite positively.
May 7, 2013
Introduction: If you go by the title “Tantra” and the backdrop of it, you would probably think of a superwoman so called the guardian taking the burden of the entire city on her shoulders to protect them from any evil eyes in this case – ‘The Vampires’ but before you could even think of a befitting theme (for all those who are prone to Vampire movies) how do you think female lead with a vampire story be suitably paired to an Indian audience? All that glitters is not gold…amused? Well am in no way trying to evade from the story or the harsh realities of life…Still bemused? To cut the swath- Who do you think would perform a ‘Tantra’? You got it a Tantric. There are people whom we term as sacred or preach them as austere but here comes the punch line again–‘All that glitters is not gold’ and this story though a fiction would surely clear all vows of those raised eyebrows about the harsh realities of a Tantric…This story also imparts a fitting tale to ‘At times even our enemies comes to our savior’. Who are the Enemies of guardian-Vampires? Can vampires help out a guardian? Did I instill suspense through the opening lines? Well I’ll tell you one thing this story does have an inclination towards personal life and though am not a fan of Twilight series this is worth a read for all those voracious readers to taste something tangy.
Cover Page: By the look of it you would probably relate to a character…who is watching a thunder strike the city from a roof top with her blood drenched dagger and the demon marking her movies from the skies. The cover page is tempting enough for the readers to splash them to the flings of something dire unusual especially to an Indian Audience.
Compositional Report: As devised by our ancient scholars, our fore fathers would put it – We are all bound to our karma and these karmic sages impels to preach what we are constituted to Achieve. Whether you call it to be our karma, fate or a sheer determination to hunt down the vampire who is responsible for the death of the Guardian’s only connection with the social binding, Anu Agarwal (A guardian) comes to India in search for a vampire who is responsible for her lover’s (Brian) death.
The first part of the story deals with Anu’s intervention with local guardian Amit, Local guardian head Suresh, her Aunt Nina, a combat with a child’s blood thirsty vampire Misra, and an oblivious rant with the vampire ‘panch’ head Chandra. It seemed as if the story would unfold how Anu traced her target but no, the artifacts were only the preparatory links for the main theme of the story that is how she takes up with an evil tantric (Baba Senaka) on his savage mission to destroy the rule over the city and the world soon after through the killing of small children.
Story also dwells with the connections of Vampires with that of Humans, Guardian and the Sages with their motives to exist together. And this survival for existence forced vampire Chandra to lend a helping hand to Anu to fight against the powers of tantric as he was overpowering them and turning them to his own side and strengthen his forces along with his followers acolytes.
As you would have retorted…how can a guardian trained to kill vampires face off a Tantric. To sum this up she is ably guided by a scholar Dr. Sharma who helped her with the training of the sage Brahma rajas (a weapon to fight with the tantric), helped by Sage Pandit Grovar to understand the links of the karmic connections and its implications to her new mission. Briefly empowered and inspired by the all powerful Karta’s act of neutrality by a Tandav dance which came just at the right time for Anu. The interaction of Anu with Pandit Grovar about Karmic threads and Karta’s in spite of being a neutral bystander –(the Tandav Dance)were the highlights of the story which I must say is well versed.
Adi also tried to woo personal life of the main character Anu by being rather descriptive of her aunt’s willingness to find a suitable alliance for Anu, her connection with her niece Smiti and her freshly renewed longing for love in the form of Gaurav and with couple of other incidences of social upbringing. And by far these were the loose ends of the story as it would distract readers from the main theme and minor plots were rather descriptive be it for humor or for simply adding up to the main theme they were proving a occlusion to the intense layout building up the climax.
Epilogue didn’t mention anything about Gaurav who was put up in the concluding part blending Anu’s professional and personal life thus ensuing with an abrupt end which doesn’t justify Gaurav’s inclusion to the climax.
For a first time writer, choosing an out of bound story and to blend a guardian (a protector from the vampires) to the Indian cultures and highlighting the dark side of our sages this is indeed a remarkable job which deserves a special mention. This is a fictional tangy flutter to the readers to change their taste buds. With the exorbitant script, an outrageous befitting Indian culture, superficial storytelling and a gracefully fed credence of opposite forces
I would give TANTRA 3.5 out of 5.
For more visit-http://anjan5.blogspot.com/2013/04/bo...
Cover Page: By the look of it you would probably relate to a character…who is watching a thunder strike the city from a roof top with her blood drenched dagger and the demon marking her movies from the skies. The cover page is tempting enough for the readers to splash them to the flings of something dire unusual especially to an Indian Audience.
Compositional Report: As devised by our ancient scholars, our fore fathers would put it – We are all bound to our karma and these karmic sages impels to preach what we are constituted to Achieve. Whether you call it to be our karma, fate or a sheer determination to hunt down the vampire who is responsible for the death of the Guardian’s only connection with the social binding, Anu Agarwal (A guardian) comes to India in search for a vampire who is responsible for her lover’s (Brian) death.
The first part of the story deals with Anu’s intervention with local guardian Amit, Local guardian head Suresh, her Aunt Nina, a combat with a child’s blood thirsty vampire Misra, and an oblivious rant with the vampire ‘panch’ head Chandra. It seemed as if the story would unfold how Anu traced her target but no, the artifacts were only the preparatory links for the main theme of the story that is how she takes up with an evil tantric (Baba Senaka) on his savage mission to destroy the rule over the city and the world soon after through the killing of small children.
Story also dwells with the connections of Vampires with that of Humans, Guardian and the Sages with their motives to exist together. And this survival for existence forced vampire Chandra to lend a helping hand to Anu to fight against the powers of tantric as he was overpowering them and turning them to his own side and strengthen his forces along with his followers acolytes.
As you would have retorted…how can a guardian trained to kill vampires face off a Tantric. To sum this up she is ably guided by a scholar Dr. Sharma who helped her with the training of the sage Brahma rajas (a weapon to fight with the tantric), helped by Sage Pandit Grovar to understand the links of the karmic connections and its implications to her new mission. Briefly empowered and inspired by the all powerful Karta’s act of neutrality by a Tandav dance which came just at the right time for Anu. The interaction of Anu with Pandit Grovar about Karmic threads and Karta’s in spite of being a neutral bystander –(the Tandav Dance)were the highlights of the story which I must say is well versed.
Adi also tried to woo personal life of the main character Anu by being rather descriptive of her aunt’s willingness to find a suitable alliance for Anu, her connection with her niece Smiti and her freshly renewed longing for love in the form of Gaurav and with couple of other incidences of social upbringing. And by far these were the loose ends of the story as it would distract readers from the main theme and minor plots were rather descriptive be it for humor or for simply adding up to the main theme they were proving a occlusion to the intense layout building up the climax.
Epilogue didn’t mention anything about Gaurav who was put up in the concluding part blending Anu’s professional and personal life thus ensuing with an abrupt end which doesn’t justify Gaurav’s inclusion to the climax.
For a first time writer, choosing an out of bound story and to blend a guardian (a protector from the vampires) to the Indian cultures and highlighting the dark side of our sages this is indeed a remarkable job which deserves a special mention. This is a fictional tangy flutter to the readers to change their taste buds. With the exorbitant script, an outrageous befitting Indian culture, superficial storytelling and a gracefully fed credence of opposite forces
I would give TANTRA 3.5 out of 5.
For more visit-http://anjan5.blogspot.com/2013/04/bo...
April 8, 2013
This is by far the darkest piece of Indian fiction I've picked up for a while. A paranormal thriller with thrills and chills galore, it has that peculiarly Indian feel to it. The author doesn't seem to want to come out publicly, simply going by the nickname 'Adi', obviously the short for 'Aditya', an everyday Indian name.
Anu, the main characater, is a young woman who can look after herself. Recently arrived in Delhi from New York, she's no sheltered Indian princess. She's walked on the wild side since she was young, having the unique gifts and training which make her a vampire hunter. She stalks the night in black leather with an impressive array of weapons hidden about her person, not to mention the ability to shift and give chase across rooftops in the dead of the night.
But now, the East/West culture shock kicks in. Her aunt insists she do the 'dekhan dekhai' custom like a good Indian girl and meet eligible young men from 'good' families (whatever 'good' means), with a view to settling down. The heat is too much. She's forced to ditch the black leather in favour of black kurta pyjamas. What's even stranger, is the fact that in India, the lines between good and bad are blurred. Back in New York, the vampires were the bad guys and always the target. In India, things are slightly different. The vampire hunters and vampires are inclined to do deals here, being very often on the same side. I'm not sure if that's so strange. As a reader who occasionally reads paranormal, I'm familiar with the tortured vampire hero who isn't bad at heart but who tries to keep his need to feed limited to preying on the scum of the earth, the wicked, underworld members of society who prey on innocents. But for Anu, it's something of a culture shock.
The common enemy of the vampire hunters and vampires is a seemingly innocuous guru, Baba Senaka, who runs an ashram in Delhi and who is a brand in himself.. Anu senses the evil atmosphere emanating from the Baba's ashram. While investigating a spate of kidnapped and murdered children, all clues lead the Baba. Is the revered guru is actually a practising tantrik underneath, someone who use the black arts for his own aggrandisement? Anu goes into training under the watchful eye of a couple of experts, learning sattvic mantras and exercises to counteract the evil influence of the Baba as vampires and hunters alike gather for the final showdown just before the Holi festival, when pure psychic power permeates the atmosphere.
There are enigmatic characters aplenty. Anu, one senses, is one step away from turning rogue. Although she's clearly on the side of the good and the innocent, she has scores to settle. Her lover in New York was murdered and as she was able to trace his killer back to Delhi, this is what motivated her to return to her place of origin. The powers who control the vampire hunters would clearly not approve of her using her skills for revenge so she keeps quiet. There's Amit, the Indian vampire hunter who is fully aware that the dangerous nature of his work means that he will never live out his lifespan. There's Chandra, the charismatic commander of the vampires who has lived longer than any of them. Pandit Grover, Dr. Sharma and the enigmatic Karta, powerful, psychic characters who inspire and encourage Anu as she readies herself for the confrontation with the naked power of evil.
What does it mean when all the questions are not answered at the end of a story? It means you have to wait for the second part. So that's what I'm doing now. I'm waiting for Part II of this dark and fascinating tale. I want to know who killed Anu's lover. Will Anu become Chandra's lady or will she get with Gaurav, a young man who attracted her since she arrived in Delhi?
I shall never think of Delhi in quite the same way again. City of tombs? Indeed!
Anu, the main characater, is a young woman who can look after herself. Recently arrived in Delhi from New York, she's no sheltered Indian princess. She's walked on the wild side since she was young, having the unique gifts and training which make her a vampire hunter. She stalks the night in black leather with an impressive array of weapons hidden about her person, not to mention the ability to shift and give chase across rooftops in the dead of the night.
But now, the East/West culture shock kicks in. Her aunt insists she do the 'dekhan dekhai' custom like a good Indian girl and meet eligible young men from 'good' families (whatever 'good' means), with a view to settling down. The heat is too much. She's forced to ditch the black leather in favour of black kurta pyjamas. What's even stranger, is the fact that in India, the lines between good and bad are blurred. Back in New York, the vampires were the bad guys and always the target. In India, things are slightly different. The vampire hunters and vampires are inclined to do deals here, being very often on the same side. I'm not sure if that's so strange. As a reader who occasionally reads paranormal, I'm familiar with the tortured vampire hero who isn't bad at heart but who tries to keep his need to feed limited to preying on the scum of the earth, the wicked, underworld members of society who prey on innocents. But for Anu, it's something of a culture shock.
The common enemy of the vampire hunters and vampires is a seemingly innocuous guru, Baba Senaka, who runs an ashram in Delhi and who is a brand in himself.. Anu senses the evil atmosphere emanating from the Baba's ashram. While investigating a spate of kidnapped and murdered children, all clues lead the Baba. Is the revered guru is actually a practising tantrik underneath, someone who use the black arts for his own aggrandisement? Anu goes into training under the watchful eye of a couple of experts, learning sattvic mantras and exercises to counteract the evil influence of the Baba as vampires and hunters alike gather for the final showdown just before the Holi festival, when pure psychic power permeates the atmosphere.
There are enigmatic characters aplenty. Anu, one senses, is one step away from turning rogue. Although she's clearly on the side of the good and the innocent, she has scores to settle. Her lover in New York was murdered and as she was able to trace his killer back to Delhi, this is what motivated her to return to her place of origin. The powers who control the vampire hunters would clearly not approve of her using her skills for revenge so she keeps quiet. There's Amit, the Indian vampire hunter who is fully aware that the dangerous nature of his work means that he will never live out his lifespan. There's Chandra, the charismatic commander of the vampires who has lived longer than any of them. Pandit Grover, Dr. Sharma and the enigmatic Karta, powerful, psychic characters who inspire and encourage Anu as she readies herself for the confrontation with the naked power of evil.
What does it mean when all the questions are not answered at the end of a story? It means you have to wait for the second part. So that's what I'm doing now. I'm waiting for Part II of this dark and fascinating tale. I want to know who killed Anu's lover. Will Anu become Chandra's lady or will she get with Gaurav, a young man who attracted her since she arrived in Delhi?
I shall never think of Delhi in quite the same way again. City of tombs? Indeed!
May 2, 2013
As I glanced the blurb, I was not too impressed since fantasy/vampire thrillers are genres I mostly stay away from. It is futile to explain why they fail to arouse the core column of interest inside me. Perhaps I like being grounded to reality through the books I savour. Nonetheless, I chose to read the book solely to review it. And I have to admit, I am impressed, indeed. Owing to the ‘vampire’ and ‘vengeance’ mentioned on the blurb, readers would tend to assume such in the initial chapters but the plot unfolds gradually.
The protagonist Anu Aggarwal is portrayed as a no-nonsense professional guardian, who despite of being utterly professional gets emotionally involved in her profession for reasons personal. I liked the idea of the heroine being the so-called ‘coconut-type’, putting on a stern persona but having a perfectly sensible and emotional interior. She is shown as a skillful vampire-hunter with no mercy for the bloody creatures. Having confessed that I haven’t read a single vampire thriller till date, or watched the popular series of vampire movies, I certainly felt clueless about the techniques of fights and jargon used. I wish the author would have explained the background to some extent as to why or how Anu became a guardian, and how do her likes take down vampires. Little episodes about how Anu tries to cope with the Delhi culture, her doting aunt, relatives and the process of arranged marriage are well sketched to grasp the readers’ interest. Few of them are hilarious and reflect the show-off traditions of upscale Delhites.
However, these are sidetracked when the main plot takes over eventually, and there comes the tantra. Being India’s first ‘tantric thriller’, I had expected the author to elaborate briefly (oxymoron!) about tantra, sattva and the likes. The theories and jargon would cater to most Indian readers but international ones might find it difficult being thrown into a pool of tantra practices all of a sudden. The bits already explained in the book are done well, thus raising the bar for the author. The other characters in the book provide ample support to Anu in her fight towards justice. Romance is there too somewhere, on your face some times. The author tried to create perfect balance of romance and work for the guardian, lest she is distracted only by prospects of romance.
I’m not a big fan of tantra and stuff. Still ignoring that, the climax seemed a tad amateurish – reminiscent of my childhood television epic Mahabharat where arrows and missiles collided mid-air and self-annihilated. It could have been better, in my humble opinion. Overall, the author has succeeded to captivate his readers with the plot and lucid writing. There are no major twists or turns, but the story line is pacy. Despite a few typos, it is worth reading at least once and if you fall in the category of the author’s target readers who love the vampire-vengeance-tantric rituals-spiritual-thriller, you are in for more.
The anti-climax suggested more books in this series until I reached the last page which said the author’s website has clues to the next book. So there is a series coming, and I guess I would look forward to reading the next ones despite the theme being tantra or ‘Indian voodoo’ as it is termed.
P.S. – Oh, and I loved the idea of adding a bookmark depicting the cover image. Wish more books did the same!
The protagonist Anu Aggarwal is portrayed as a no-nonsense professional guardian, who despite of being utterly professional gets emotionally involved in her profession for reasons personal. I liked the idea of the heroine being the so-called ‘coconut-type’, putting on a stern persona but having a perfectly sensible and emotional interior. She is shown as a skillful vampire-hunter with no mercy for the bloody creatures. Having confessed that I haven’t read a single vampire thriller till date, or watched the popular series of vampire movies, I certainly felt clueless about the techniques of fights and jargon used. I wish the author would have explained the background to some extent as to why or how Anu became a guardian, and how do her likes take down vampires. Little episodes about how Anu tries to cope with the Delhi culture, her doting aunt, relatives and the process of arranged marriage are well sketched to grasp the readers’ interest. Few of them are hilarious and reflect the show-off traditions of upscale Delhites.
However, these are sidetracked when the main plot takes over eventually, and there comes the tantra. Being India’s first ‘tantric thriller’, I had expected the author to elaborate briefly (oxymoron!) about tantra, sattva and the likes. The theories and jargon would cater to most Indian readers but international ones might find it difficult being thrown into a pool of tantra practices all of a sudden. The bits already explained in the book are done well, thus raising the bar for the author. The other characters in the book provide ample support to Anu in her fight towards justice. Romance is there too somewhere, on your face some times. The author tried to create perfect balance of romance and work for the guardian, lest she is distracted only by prospects of romance.
I’m not a big fan of tantra and stuff. Still ignoring that, the climax seemed a tad amateurish – reminiscent of my childhood television epic Mahabharat where arrows and missiles collided mid-air and self-annihilated. It could have been better, in my humble opinion. Overall, the author has succeeded to captivate his readers with the plot and lucid writing. There are no major twists or turns, but the story line is pacy. Despite a few typos, it is worth reading at least once and if you fall in the category of the author’s target readers who love the vampire-vengeance-tantric rituals-spiritual-thriller, you are in for more.
The anti-climax suggested more books in this series until I reached the last page which said the author’s website has clues to the next book. So there is a series coming, and I guess I would look forward to reading the next ones despite the theme being tantra or ‘Indian voodoo’ as it is termed.
P.S. – Oh, and I loved the idea of adding a bookmark depicting the cover image. Wish more books did the same!
April 10, 2013
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Book Review: Tantra By Adi: A Thriller On Secret Of Tantras: Demons And Vampires
Childhood of Adi seems similar to mine – while making others in home believe that I am asleep under the blanket, it would be an interesting storybook being read otherwise under dim lights passing through the blanket. Adi is a degree holder from Stanford University and Harvard University. But still Adi is quite impressed by the versatile religions and their existence in deep harmony in India. Probably that is one of the reasons that he picked India as the happening place in his first novel Tantra.
Tantra is an interesting thriller that strongly engages its readers - page after page, keeping them hooked onto the plot and thinking about what would be happening next. The cover image seems quite fitting with the theme and plot of the story knowing that the lead role is played by a female. Tantra is a word derived from Indian mythical and spiritual powers. This is probably first attempt from an Indian author on writing a vampire story and that too successfully. A sincere attempt of Indianization of a vampire story has probably paid back successfully to Adi.
It is Anu Aggarwal mostly depicted as having stake in her hand and is in leather pants. She moves from the United States to Delhi in India in search of Brian’s killer. Brian and Anu were in love with each other. While trying getting clues of Brian’s killers in New York she moved to Delhi after getting hints about her target being in Delhi. But while coming to Delhi she never knew the different kind of adventure and thrill she would be going to encounter in Delhi. She came with a mission of finding her target and destroying it completely to take revenge from Brian’s killers.
Anu decided to wander around in Delhi during night time so as to find out her target easily. During her hunt she encounters a vampire who is on a dangerous mission of killing children for a altogether different purpose. Anu meets Amit become two guardians of the city that is under danger of getting its innocent children getting killed by a vampire and no one has got a single clue about who is doing it and what would be the purpose behind these killings. Both Anu and Amit find a friend in Dr. Sharma who gives them knowledge about Tantras and Tantric activities being used by the killer in the city. Gradually they come to know that it is Baba Senaka – an expert Tantric who is applying his dirty tricks for killing children in the city with a special mission of his own. Baba Senaka turns out to be a powerful villain in the story who needs to be tackled in a very different manner.
A number of characters have been kept as less prominent in this book but might appear strongly and prominently in next series by Adi. Lot of terms related to Indian mythology and spirituality would be new for many readers. Keeping that in mind, Adi has taken care his readers, though encountering those terms for the first time, must get an idea on what those terms and make them quite clear about the same. Terms like Tantras, Ratris, evil powers, astras, balancing of power, maya and good (or satvic) power to encounter tantric power.
Book Review: Tantra By Adi: A Thriller On Secret Of Tantras: Demons And Vampires
Childhood of Adi seems similar to mine – while making others in home believe that I am asleep under the blanket, it would be an interesting storybook being read otherwise under dim lights passing through the blanket. Adi is a degree holder from Stanford University and Harvard University. But still Adi is quite impressed by the versatile religions and their existence in deep harmony in India. Probably that is one of the reasons that he picked India as the happening place in his first novel Tantra.
Tantra is an interesting thriller that strongly engages its readers - page after page, keeping them hooked onto the plot and thinking about what would be happening next. The cover image seems quite fitting with the theme and plot of the story knowing that the lead role is played by a female. Tantra is a word derived from Indian mythical and spiritual powers. This is probably first attempt from an Indian author on writing a vampire story and that too successfully. A sincere attempt of Indianization of a vampire story has probably paid back successfully to Adi.
It is Anu Aggarwal mostly depicted as having stake in her hand and is in leather pants. She moves from the United States to Delhi in India in search of Brian’s killer. Brian and Anu were in love with each other. While trying getting clues of Brian’s killers in New York she moved to Delhi after getting hints about her target being in Delhi. But while coming to Delhi she never knew the different kind of adventure and thrill she would be going to encounter in Delhi. She came with a mission of finding her target and destroying it completely to take revenge from Brian’s killers.
Anu decided to wander around in Delhi during night time so as to find out her target easily. During her hunt she encounters a vampire who is on a dangerous mission of killing children for a altogether different purpose. Anu meets Amit become two guardians of the city that is under danger of getting its innocent children getting killed by a vampire and no one has got a single clue about who is doing it and what would be the purpose behind these killings. Both Anu and Amit find a friend in Dr. Sharma who gives them knowledge about Tantras and Tantric activities being used by the killer in the city. Gradually they come to know that it is Baba Senaka – an expert Tantric who is applying his dirty tricks for killing children in the city with a special mission of his own. Baba Senaka turns out to be a powerful villain in the story who needs to be tackled in a very different manner.
A number of characters have been kept as less prominent in this book but might appear strongly and prominently in next series by Adi. Lot of terms related to Indian mythology and spirituality would be new for many readers. Keeping that in mind, Adi has taken care his readers, though encountering those terms for the first time, must get an idea on what those terms and make them quite clear about the same. Terms like Tantras, Ratris, evil powers, astras, balancing of power, maya and good (or satvic) power to encounter tantric power.
June 6, 2013
*I received this book for free through Goodreads First Read and I am reviewing it after giving it a thorough reading.*
I do not read tons of Urban Fantasy, but once in a while I get in the mood for it, so the timing on this is perfect. I love India, I have been fascinated with its culture, religions, language, and of course food since I was a child. To me the idea of mixing vampire hunting with Indian culture seemed both totally original and genius.
The book is set in New Delhi, our heroine, a leather wearing, vampire hunting, chick from New York, decides to transfer to New Delhi to 'rediscover her roots' or in other words revenge. Yes her lover was murdered and the only clues lead to India.
Her search for revenge escalates (as these things tend to) into needing to learn a form of Indian spiritual super-power to stop an evil madman who plans on destroying the city. A time honored technique for story telling that works quite well.
I loved this book, it was one of those times where I start it while taking a bath and then just speed read through it in *almost* one sitting. I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to read it ALL. To me that is one of the best compliments I can give to a book.
I was, however, not expecting this to be the first in a series and felt a bit miffed because I have to wait to find out the answers to all my questions. Is the Karta who I think he is? What exactly is Anu? What is going on with her sexy romantic interest? Will she find Brian's killer? TOO MANY QUESTIONS!!! But enough about my annoyance at not having instant gratification!
The characters were very enjoyable. Thankfully the vampires were not love interests, because frankly I am sick to death of that...I am also sick of them being the main characters, so it was very refreshing to have them be accessories to the plot instead of the main driving force. Anu is an enjoyable heroine, bad-ass enough to be cool but also vulnerable and flawed enough to allow character growth. Amit is lovable and a great foil to Anu.
The plot is quick paced and not once did I find myself bored with too much description or lulls in the action. Even when Anu was having to deal with her personal life (like avoiding her Aunt's constant attempts at arranging a marriage) was enjoyable.
I am greatly anticipating the next book in this series and plan on recommending this book to many friends.
I do not read tons of Urban Fantasy, but once in a while I get in the mood for it, so the timing on this is perfect. I love India, I have been fascinated with its culture, religions, language, and of course food since I was a child. To me the idea of mixing vampire hunting with Indian culture seemed both totally original and genius.
The book is set in New Delhi, our heroine, a leather wearing, vampire hunting, chick from New York, decides to transfer to New Delhi to 'rediscover her roots' or in other words revenge. Yes her lover was murdered and the only clues lead to India.
Her search for revenge escalates (as these things tend to) into needing to learn a form of Indian spiritual super-power to stop an evil madman who plans on destroying the city. A time honored technique for story telling that works quite well.
I loved this book, it was one of those times where I start it while taking a bath and then just speed read through it in *almost* one sitting. I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to read it ALL. To me that is one of the best compliments I can give to a book.
I was, however, not expecting this to be the first in a series and felt a bit miffed because I have to wait to find out the answers to all my questions. Is the Karta who I think he is? What exactly is Anu? What is going on with her sexy romantic interest? Will she find Brian's killer? TOO MANY QUESTIONS!!! But enough about my annoyance at not having instant gratification!
The characters were very enjoyable. Thankfully the vampires were not love interests, because frankly I am sick to death of that...I am also sick of them being the main characters, so it was very refreshing to have them be accessories to the plot instead of the main driving force. Anu is an enjoyable heroine, bad-ass enough to be cool but also vulnerable and flawed enough to allow character growth. Amit is lovable and a great foil to Anu.
The plot is quick paced and not once did I find myself bored with too much description or lulls in the action. Even when Anu was having to deal with her personal life (like avoiding her Aunt's constant attempts at arranging a marriage) was enjoyable.
I am greatly anticipating the next book in this series and plan on recommending this book to many friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2013
Having just finished reading “Tantra” by Adi, I’m happy to say that it was a fast-paced, action-packed thrill of a read. Refreshing to say the least…
“Tantra” is Volume One of “The Anu Files” and it is definitely not your typical “bad vampires” versus “good hunters” read. While the book alluded to Anu, the main character, being a well-known and much feared vampire slayer in New York City, we met her on the streets of Delhi. While living in New York City, Anu suffered a terrible blow; the tragic loss of her true love Brian. Anu wants revenge, but her only clue is a grainy photograph that seems to point to New Delhi. Consequently, she requested a transfer, and returned home to India.
Shockingly enough, Anu discovers that Delhi is nothing like New York City. Vampires aren't lurking on every street corner, or hanging out in every night club or bar. Going from a lightning speed night life to a sleepy silence, causes Anu to wonder what the difference is. Could it really be as simple as the heat? Undeterred, Anu still prowls the streets nightly; seeking vampires, or at least something to break up the boring monotony of nothing.
As fate, or luck, would have it, Anu happens upon a vampire preying upon a child. Shortly after dispatching it, she learns that there have been other unexplained deaths of children throughout the city. As she follows various leads, she is horrified to learn that the tales she grew up with as a child in India are not merely superstitions or fairy tales. Due to this knowledge, she realizes that she must put the plans of revenge that brought her to India on hold. For now, she must focus on learning the ancient rites and tantras that will be needed if she wants to triumph over the coming threat.
I don’t want to provide any more of the story but suffice it to say “Tantra” was a great book. It was well-written, with good character and plot development. “Tantra” was also a very descriptive read, but not to the extent of becoming too graphic.
In closing, author Adi has skillfully woven vampire lore to Indian culture and mythology. In doing so he has provided the reader with a new take on an old subject, and given us a new style of vampire books.
“Tantra” is Volume One of “The Anu Files” and it is definitely not your typical “bad vampires” versus “good hunters” read. While the book alluded to Anu, the main character, being a well-known and much feared vampire slayer in New York City, we met her on the streets of Delhi. While living in New York City, Anu suffered a terrible blow; the tragic loss of her true love Brian. Anu wants revenge, but her only clue is a grainy photograph that seems to point to New Delhi. Consequently, she requested a transfer, and returned home to India.
Shockingly enough, Anu discovers that Delhi is nothing like New York City. Vampires aren't lurking on every street corner, or hanging out in every night club or bar. Going from a lightning speed night life to a sleepy silence, causes Anu to wonder what the difference is. Could it really be as simple as the heat? Undeterred, Anu still prowls the streets nightly; seeking vampires, or at least something to break up the boring monotony of nothing.
As fate, or luck, would have it, Anu happens upon a vampire preying upon a child. Shortly after dispatching it, she learns that there have been other unexplained deaths of children throughout the city. As she follows various leads, she is horrified to learn that the tales she grew up with as a child in India are not merely superstitions or fairy tales. Due to this knowledge, she realizes that she must put the plans of revenge that brought her to India on hold. For now, she must focus on learning the ancient rites and tantras that will be needed if she wants to triumph over the coming threat.
I don’t want to provide any more of the story but suffice it to say “Tantra” was a great book. It was well-written, with good character and plot development. “Tantra” was also a very descriptive read, but not to the extent of becoming too graphic.
In closing, author Adi has skillfully woven vampire lore to Indian culture and mythology. In doing so he has provided the reader with a new take on an old subject, and given us a new style of vampire books.
April 9, 2013
Indian authors and thrillers is not a very common notion. Unfortunately lesser known Indian authors perch themselves on the branch of love stories to see how the world of readers embraces them. So when I first saw the book “Tantra” by Adi, frankly I was a bit surprised with the prologue and wanted to read the book as soon as possible. No high hopes, cause of the perceptions I had, but way too curious to know about a female lead, who fights with Vampires, in a book named Tantra (black magic).
Anu Aggarwal, a US returned, Indian Delhiete girl, lives with a nagging but loving aunt with a mission of getting her niece married before Anu gets to say the word marriage, is a no nonsense guardian whose soul hobby is hunting down the demons of night – Vampires. But Anu has a looming sadness and desire for vengeance veiled under her “go for the kill attitude”, for her now dead boyfriend Brain. This reason brings her to the city of Delhi where she has to put her past aside and learn life is not just shades of black and white, right and wrong, there is more to every story, every being. The story soon transgresses form simple vampire-human track to a much explored and engrossing paranormal narrative.
rest of the review at
http://vaisakhimishra.blogspot.in/201...
Anu Aggarwal, a US returned, Indian Delhiete girl, lives with a nagging but loving aunt with a mission of getting her niece married before Anu gets to say the word marriage, is a no nonsense guardian whose soul hobby is hunting down the demons of night – Vampires. But Anu has a looming sadness and desire for vengeance veiled under her “go for the kill attitude”, for her now dead boyfriend Brain. This reason brings her to the city of Delhi where she has to put her past aside and learn life is not just shades of black and white, right and wrong, there is more to every story, every being. The story soon transgresses form simple vampire-human track to a much explored and engrossing paranormal narrative.
rest of the review at
http://vaisakhimishra.blogspot.in/201...
April 7, 2013
This book is a unique twist to the normal vampire/vampire hunters novels you have read before. Set in India, it integrates an Indian version of dark/light magic called tantra. Anu is a hunter, who just lost a lover in New York and moves to India to find the vampire who killed him. Instead she finds that things are not as black and white as they were back in New York. As any fantasy novel does, the book has two hot guys vying for Anu. However the book also opens your eyes to Indian traditions like arranged marriage.
A definite must read for all fantasy and vampire lovers out there. I have never read anything like this before, its nice that the generic vampire is not present in this book. I am sick of reading about sunlight, coffins and crosses. In addition reading about the Indian culture, brought in a new twist. I loved reading about Anu's arranged marriage meetings! Can't wait for the next book!
A definite must read for all fantasy and vampire lovers out there. I have never read anything like this before, its nice that the generic vampire is not present in this book. I am sick of reading about sunlight, coffins and crosses. In addition reading about the Indian culture, brought in a new twist. I loved reading about Anu's arranged marriage meetings! Can't wait for the next book!
April 12, 2013
Do you believe in Tantra and supernatural forces that you have read about in mythological pieces? Well, even if you don’t, trust me and my words and pick up a copy of TANTRA by Adi to spend a leisurely weekend fighting the evil forces in the comfortable confines of your bedroom. You wouldn’t regret it. To read more, click here.
May 23, 2013
I received this book in a giveaway.
I have read quite a few books hovering around voodoo and tantra and vampires, but the fact that makes this one special is that it is entirely based in the Indian context.
Its the story of Anu, who has a lot to deal with, including vampires, incantations, arranged-marriage proposals et al. Perambulating through numerous, breathtaking twists and turns, this novel was one of the most well-crafted and plotted story I have read recently.
I have read quite a few books hovering around voodoo and tantra and vampires, but the fact that makes this one special is that it is entirely based in the Indian context.
Its the story of Anu, who has a lot to deal with, including vampires, incantations, arranged-marriage proposals et al. Perambulating through numerous, breathtaking twists and turns, this novel was one of the most well-crafted and plotted story I have read recently.
April 2, 2013
I thought the book was about vampires.Then Asimov in Delhi. Suspense. Dark deeds. Philosophy.
The book continues to surprise you, With its quality to grip and layers of depth as deep as you want it to go. As slowly you want to go. Yet fast paced.
For it was a definite 5 stars for me. I hope the author is planning a sequel. It was a great ending, but left me longing for more.
The book continues to surprise you, With its quality to grip and layers of depth as deep as you want it to go. As slowly you want to go. Yet fast paced.
For it was a definite 5 stars for me. I hope the author is planning a sequel. It was a great ending, but left me longing for more.
April 2, 2013
A very well written book. A must read for all fiction lovers. Amazing story line and each chapter binds you through out. Anu's character very well depicted. I read the book in one go.
May 26, 2017
Tantra revolves around Anu, a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.In India, she finds more than she expected. She discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.
Lets first talk about the good things in the book. For starters, it is not even remotely related to Edward Cullen-Bella Swan- Vampire meets girl fall in love kind of story. I like the way Adi has portrayed the Anu’s character in the story. She is strong, practical, no nonsence kind of a girl.....Read complete review here: http://www.coml13.com/tantra-book-rev...
Lets first talk about the good things in the book. For starters, it is not even remotely related to Edward Cullen-Bella Swan- Vampire meets girl fall in love kind of story. I like the way Adi has portrayed the Anu’s character in the story. She is strong, practical, no nonsence kind of a girl.....Read complete review here: http://www.coml13.com/tantra-book-rev...
January 11, 2018
Interesting setup of vampires in India
I really enjoyed the premise of respecting different religions, territories, and allowing the different groups to coexist peacefully. It was a bit disappointing when the action turned predictable, and that means violent. Still, a fun read, and I can’t wait for more.
I really enjoyed the premise of respecting different religions, territories, and allowing the different groups to coexist peacefully. It was a bit disappointing when the action turned predictable, and that means violent. Still, a fun read, and I can’t wait for more.
June 23, 2017
Interesting mix of Vampire world and ancient weapons purported as tantra. Not enough justice done to character building and endings.
June 14, 2020
A very stupid novel..
December 21, 2013
This is the first time I was reading a book on vampires. Till now, the only information I had on vampires was courtesy The Twilight Series of movies.
The book’s blurb reads as follows: “Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer. In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather. At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing. To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.”
The author is a science graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He has been deeply impressed by the vast religious history of India.
For me, the book was a slightly heavy read essentially because it talks a lot about energies – of the sattvic and trantic types. But once you are able to get past it, it is then that the book becomes interesting. It takes you through a roller-coaster journey of how Anu moves from New York to New Delhi in search of revenge; how she encounters several people on her journey – some of them friends, some of them vampires; how a seemingly unrelated incident becomes the focus point of a much larger force at play.
The underlying theme of the book is quite powerful. Everything that we need to deal with all the incidents in our life is within us. Sure, we may need a mentor or a guide who can take us along that path, but we need to walk that path ourselves. And once we channel our mind into something productive, it can work wonders. We only need to believe and have a purpose larger than life.
The other fascinating aspect of the book is the immense research that has gone into it. The whole discussion of the astras and mantras makes for some really deep reading.
The book has some wonderful sentences such as: “God is the embodiment of that vastness, the source and the end of everything. There is no good. There is no evil. It is all an illusion manifest.” “Low expectations are the easy route. I have learned to ask less of the world than it wants to give me.” “There is no greater sin than to shirk what is your duty. Sometimes your duty takes you places that you do not want to go.”
It is an out-of-the-ordinary novel – you will either finish it in one sitting or not be able to go past its few pages. But stick on and you are sure to be rewarded. I am going with 3.5/5 for this book.
This review first appeared on my blog www.pallosworld.blogspot.com
The book’s blurb reads as follows: “Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer. In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather. At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing. To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.”
The author is a science graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He has been deeply impressed by the vast religious history of India.
For me, the book was a slightly heavy read essentially because it talks a lot about energies – of the sattvic and trantic types. But once you are able to get past it, it is then that the book becomes interesting. It takes you through a roller-coaster journey of how Anu moves from New York to New Delhi in search of revenge; how she encounters several people on her journey – some of them friends, some of them vampires; how a seemingly unrelated incident becomes the focus point of a much larger force at play.
The underlying theme of the book is quite powerful. Everything that we need to deal with all the incidents in our life is within us. Sure, we may need a mentor or a guide who can take us along that path, but we need to walk that path ourselves. And once we channel our mind into something productive, it can work wonders. We only need to believe and have a purpose larger than life.
The other fascinating aspect of the book is the immense research that has gone into it. The whole discussion of the astras and mantras makes for some really deep reading.
The book has some wonderful sentences such as: “God is the embodiment of that vastness, the source and the end of everything. There is no good. There is no evil. It is all an illusion manifest.” “Low expectations are the easy route. I have learned to ask less of the world than it wants to give me.” “There is no greater sin than to shirk what is your duty. Sometimes your duty takes you places that you do not want to go.”
It is an out-of-the-ordinary novel – you will either finish it in one sitting or not be able to go past its few pages. But stick on and you are sure to be rewarded. I am going with 3.5/5 for this book.
This review first appeared on my blog www.pallosworld.blogspot.com
June 21, 2015
Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather. At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing. To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
The book falls under multiple categories - mystical fiction, vampires, supernatural stuff and a super-heroine. And there lies the biggest flaw of the book. It tries to grapple with so many sub-plots in one go that either the characters/situations remain under cooked or have very little significance to the narrative. Delhi seems to have picked as the city to pan out this story, but clearly this could have been any city. No place seems familiar and a passing reference of West (or central or North) Delhi makes fleeting appearances. The author place the story in Delhi but very few of us can claim to know of the city by the cafes and restaurants these characters interact and do all the action.
There is very little background given for Anu's vampire abilities and even though this may not have been necessary...with supposedly the first book in the series, it was crucial to build a relationship of your central protagonist with the readers. The author drowns the narrative by introducing so many tantric and spiritual stuff, you feel like an atheist sitting in a pravachan and don't know how to get out of it. Coming with a tacky cover design, the story starts briskly but takes too many detours to reach its ultimate destination.
It is not that books is a trash. There is some fun in the conversations of Anu and Amit, a fellow vampire. With dry and witty humour, these conversations keep you engrossed for a while. There is abundant research done for the mystical stuff but somehow it never becomes sum of its parts. The author takes a right step in the direction by going in an unknown territory as far as Indian fiction is concerned but botch it up by inundating the readers with too much of information in one go.
I am going with 2.5/5 for Adi's 'Tantra'. It introduces a strong and interesting central character but concentrates more on the action than treatment of these characters. This book silently reminded me why i have always hated the 'Twilight Series' so much. Much ado about nothing. Read it at your own risk!
In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather. At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing. To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.
The book falls under multiple categories - mystical fiction, vampires, supernatural stuff and a super-heroine. And there lies the biggest flaw of the book. It tries to grapple with so many sub-plots in one go that either the characters/situations remain under cooked or have very little significance to the narrative. Delhi seems to have picked as the city to pan out this story, but clearly this could have been any city. No place seems familiar and a passing reference of West (or central or North) Delhi makes fleeting appearances. The author place the story in Delhi but very few of us can claim to know of the city by the cafes and restaurants these characters interact and do all the action.
There is very little background given for Anu's vampire abilities and even though this may not have been necessary...with supposedly the first book in the series, it was crucial to build a relationship of your central protagonist with the readers. The author drowns the narrative by introducing so many tantric and spiritual stuff, you feel like an atheist sitting in a pravachan and don't know how to get out of it. Coming with a tacky cover design, the story starts briskly but takes too many detours to reach its ultimate destination.
It is not that books is a trash. There is some fun in the conversations of Anu and Amit, a fellow vampire. With dry and witty humour, these conversations keep you engrossed for a while. There is abundant research done for the mystical stuff but somehow it never becomes sum of its parts. The author takes a right step in the direction by going in an unknown territory as far as Indian fiction is concerned but botch it up by inundating the readers with too much of information in one go.
I am going with 2.5/5 for Adi's 'Tantra'. It introduces a strong and interesting central character but concentrates more on the action than treatment of these characters. This book silently reminded me why i have always hated the 'Twilight Series' so much. Much ado about nothing. Read it at your own risk!
January 30, 2017
I'm giving the single book a 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and the series has potential. While the final writing wasn't perfect the story was still an enjoyable one. I wish Ms. Adi or someone had gone back over the book and made corrections to create a stronger and more effective novel. I don't believe this book was ever edited as well as it could have been, but I have seen worse. There were spelling and punctuation errors throughout the book, but since the book was written by an Indian author then I am assuming English is not her first language so the errors are explainable. The second big issue I had with the book was that there were so many story arcs that the writing seemed to lose focus during the latter half of the book. I understand this is supposed to be the first in a series so Ms. Adi had a lot of setting up for the sequel to do, but an editor should have been able to proofread and catch these issues. The last issue I have is how the book is marketed to the public. Many people have stated in their reviews that they were disappointed or misled by this book because they felt it is not a vampire book. The lead character Anu and the organization she works for specialize in vampire hunting BUT they deal with supernatural phenomena in order to help keep the peace in the world for regular people. There are plenty encounters with vampires throughout the story but this is not a vampire book! In my opinion, this novel should have been marketed as a supernatural young adult book instead as an adult vampire book.
I have issues with this book, but I was interested and enjoyed enough of the story to finish it, so I would say it's worth reading if you are in an open state of mind. The story tries to cover too much in one novel and is mismarketed. But if you want to kick your feet up with a nice diversion go ahead and pick it up. I will definitely be reading the sequel because I cannot wait to see where this story could go.
On a side note, I feel this book would have been tremendously better with an editor or a focus group of readers able to read an early edition who were able to give feedback on pros and cons of the book could have greatly helped. It can be hard for a writer to take a step back and see their mistakes; fresh eyes are often needed for reviewing. I cannot count the times while reading this book I agonized over how simple alterations or additions would have drastically improved things and elevated Ms. Adi's work to become the 5 star book it could have been.
Ms. Adi, if you haven't found an editor or need someone to read an early unedited version of your later work then please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to read over what you're working on and lend you my input. Your ideas are interesting, I know you have potential, and I would love to help you with that. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has read your work who would be willing to assist.
I have issues with this book, but I was interested and enjoyed enough of the story to finish it, so I would say it's worth reading if you are in an open state of mind. The story tries to cover too much in one novel and is mismarketed. But if you want to kick your feet up with a nice diversion go ahead and pick it up. I will definitely be reading the sequel because I cannot wait to see where this story could go.
On a side note, I feel this book would have been tremendously better with an editor or a focus group of readers able to read an early edition who were able to give feedback on pros and cons of the book could have greatly helped. It can be hard for a writer to take a step back and see their mistakes; fresh eyes are often needed for reviewing. I cannot count the times while reading this book I agonized over how simple alterations or additions would have drastically improved things and elevated Ms. Adi's work to become the 5 star book it could have been.
Ms. Adi, if you haven't found an editor or need someone to read an early unedited version of your later work then please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to read over what you're working on and lend you my input. Your ideas are interesting, I know you have potential, and I would love to help you with that. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has read your work who would be willing to assist.
April 24, 2013
Tantra the action packed story of a stunningly ravishing and vampire hunting New York city girl named Anu Agarwal, who moves into the sprawling city of Delhi in search of some answers and a couple of blood suckers to kill is both unique and predictable. The narrative is flawless and as Adi takes every reader on a nail biting journey through the alley ways and rooftops of a historic city with some old and set habits. The city offers her an entirely different challenge from what she was used to back in New York. She finds her enemies to be her allies and innocent children to be the price their unholy alliance. She finds powerful enemies, greater weapons and more importantly some answers and more questions to find answers to.
The story is a good and unique one and the narration is insidious, one tends to lose track of time as the story unwinds slowly and painfully. Though the twists are not expertly executed they are not dull or predictable for that matter.The lack of a strong prologue haunts the story as readers are often at a loss when it comes to the why part of most things in the story, Adi was not clearly in a mood to explore the past of both Anu and the vampires in the city of New Delhi.The book has enough in it to keep you interested till the very end if you have a thing for adventure and don't mind some more than ugly vampires.
The fall side of the story is that its very predictable when you are done with less than half the chapters and it has not one such twist that could keep the readers guessing. Once the villain is revealed it is only a matter of some chapter before its the end.There are no surprises no drama or not even some real action in it after that point. The story-line is plain and straight forward and taken for granted. One other thing is that for some unknown reasons the author has rushed through the climax way too fast and the whole things ends in a unceremonious ruckus. Thirdly the book lets a lot of questions unanswered even the basic ones that seem to be the very core of the story, in fact the story is not that keen on answering questions as it is on asking them.
The final word is that if you are looking for a one time read that would take your mind of many a mundane stuff in life, then Tantra by Adi is a very good choice. Its hearty, light and full of adventure and lets you easily be lost in the underworld of Delhi among vampires, magic and some super cool 'Tantric' stuff. But if you are that person who would prefer substantial quality to the books they read and is not at all into a the less classic ones then do keep your distance and find another book to read. This is strictly for a reader who is at leisure and is not much obsessed with everything literary about it.
The story is a good and unique one and the narration is insidious, one tends to lose track of time as the story unwinds slowly and painfully. Though the twists are not expertly executed they are not dull or predictable for that matter.The lack of a strong prologue haunts the story as readers are often at a loss when it comes to the why part of most things in the story, Adi was not clearly in a mood to explore the past of both Anu and the vampires in the city of New Delhi.The book has enough in it to keep you interested till the very end if you have a thing for adventure and don't mind some more than ugly vampires.
The fall side of the story is that its very predictable when you are done with less than half the chapters and it has not one such twist that could keep the readers guessing. Once the villain is revealed it is only a matter of some chapter before its the end.There are no surprises no drama or not even some real action in it after that point. The story-line is plain and straight forward and taken for granted. One other thing is that for some unknown reasons the author has rushed through the climax way too fast and the whole things ends in a unceremonious ruckus. Thirdly the book lets a lot of questions unanswered even the basic ones that seem to be the very core of the story, in fact the story is not that keen on answering questions as it is on asking them.
The final word is that if you are looking for a one time read that would take your mind of many a mundane stuff in life, then Tantra by Adi is a very good choice. Its hearty, light and full of adventure and lets you easily be lost in the underworld of Delhi among vampires, magic and some super cool 'Tantric' stuff. But if you are that person who would prefer substantial quality to the books they read and is not at all into a the less classic ones then do keep your distance and find another book to read. This is strictly for a reader who is at leisure and is not much obsessed with everything literary about it.
June 13, 2013
You could say that Tantra by Adi falls in the ‘Chetan Bhagat’ genre. I generally try to avoid the ‘Chetan Bhagat’ genre of Indian Fiction. You may not believe it, but there’s usually at least one person in the Delhi Metro who’s reading a Chetan Bhagat book. Everyday. We may criticize him all we want, but you have to hand it over to him for ‘creating’ (for lack of a better word) this genre of pacey novels with story lines that everybody seems to identify with.
Anyway, coming back to the main point, although Tantra by Adi is a light read, it’s not boring and has a kick ass heroine. And, I was in a mood for a light read. So, randomly, I entered myself for the giveaway of the book ‘Tantra’ by Adi on GoodReads and imagine my surprise when I won a copy!
This book is about Anu, a vampire hunter who moves to New Delhi for her own reasons, which are actually more personal rather than professional. She’s helped by Amit, a co-vampire hunter (who’s in the friend zone for now) and flirts with Gaurav, a handsome guy she met in a wedding which she was forced to attend by her Aunt who wants to see her ‘settled’.
In this book, she ends up dealing more with a Spiritual Guru gone bad rather than vampires although there is also a mysterious, enigmatic Vampire somewhere in the picture. I am assuming he will play a bigger part in the next book and I won’t be surprised if this is going to be a series instead of a stand alone novel. There are lots of questions that need to be answered and for that, a sequel(s) would be necessary. It also deals with the use of ‘good’ Tantrik magic, which is basically going to be how she ends up defeating the bad guys. The author has quite nicely included, in the background, the rigmarole of arranged marriage and so-called dating for the same. There is no overdose of romance (thankfully!) and lot of action. For a change, a female is the main character who makes the first move and ‘saves’ a male love interest. (Yey for female empowerment!)
Now, the book does have some grammatical mistakes at different places but this ought not to discourage a reader whose sole purpose in reading a book is to get entertained but not have to think too deeply about anything else. So, take it for what it is, a light, breezy but still pacey, funny book which manages the passing of time in an entertaining manner.
More reviews at: http://www.booksandalotmore.com
Anyway, coming back to the main point, although Tantra by Adi is a light read, it’s not boring and has a kick ass heroine. And, I was in a mood for a light read. So, randomly, I entered myself for the giveaway of the book ‘Tantra’ by Adi on GoodReads and imagine my surprise when I won a copy!
This book is about Anu, a vampire hunter who moves to New Delhi for her own reasons, which are actually more personal rather than professional. She’s helped by Amit, a co-vampire hunter (who’s in the friend zone for now) and flirts with Gaurav, a handsome guy she met in a wedding which she was forced to attend by her Aunt who wants to see her ‘settled’.
In this book, she ends up dealing more with a Spiritual Guru gone bad rather than vampires although there is also a mysterious, enigmatic Vampire somewhere in the picture. I am assuming he will play a bigger part in the next book and I won’t be surprised if this is going to be a series instead of a stand alone novel. There are lots of questions that need to be answered and for that, a sequel(s) would be necessary. It also deals with the use of ‘good’ Tantrik magic, which is basically going to be how she ends up defeating the bad guys. The author has quite nicely included, in the background, the rigmarole of arranged marriage and so-called dating for the same. There is no overdose of romance (thankfully!) and lot of action. For a change, a female is the main character who makes the first move and ‘saves’ a male love interest. (Yey for female empowerment!)
Now, the book does have some grammatical mistakes at different places but this ought not to discourage a reader whose sole purpose in reading a book is to get entertained but not have to think too deeply about anything else. So, take it for what it is, a light, breezy but still pacey, funny book which manages the passing of time in an entertaining manner.
More reviews at: http://www.booksandalotmore.com
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews