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Gods, Kings & Slaves: The Siege of Madurai
Best Selling Historical Novel in Online stores.
In the first week of its sale it reached the Amazon's Number one position of Historical fiction best seller lists.
War is coming... An ancient kingdom will meet a devastating new enemy.
Peninsular India, fourteenth century. The Pandyan empire is at its peak, its enemies subdued and its people at peace. Having left behind his step-brother Sundar in the race to the throne, Crown Prince Veera Pandyan is set to rule from Madurai, reputed to be the richest city in the subcontinent. But invisible fractures within the kingdom threaten to destroy it, and a new enemy approaches, swifter than anyone can imagine.
In Delhi, Sultan Alauddin Khilji’s trusted general, the eunuch Malik Kafur, has trained his eyes on the distant south, fabled for its riches. A slave captured by the Khiljis, Kafur is renowned for his ambition and cunning. None, not even the mighty Mongols, have defeated him – no empire can withstand the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake. And all he wants is to see Madurai on its knees, its wealth pillaged, its temples destroyed.
As an ancient city combusts in flames of treachery, bloodlust and revenge, brother will battle brother, ambition will triumph over love, slaves will rise to rule, cities will be razed to dust, and the victor will be immortalized in history...
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In the first week of its sale it reached the Amazon's Number one position of Historical fiction best seller lists.
War is coming... An ancient kingdom will meet a devastating new enemy.
Peninsular India, fourteenth century. The Pandyan empire is at its peak, its enemies subdued and its people at peace. Having left behind his step-brother Sundar in the race to the throne, Crown Prince Veera Pandyan is set to rule from Madurai, reputed to be the richest city in the subcontinent. But invisible fractures within the kingdom threaten to destroy it, and a new enemy approaches, swifter than anyone can imagine.
In Delhi, Sultan Alauddin Khilji’s trusted general, the eunuch Malik Kafur, has trained his eyes on the distant south, fabled for its riches. A slave captured by the Khiljis, Kafur is renowned for his ambition and cunning. None, not even the mighty Mongols, have defeated him – no empire can withstand the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake. And all he wants is to see Madurai on its knees, its wealth pillaged, its temples destroyed.
As an ancient city combusts in flames of treachery, bloodlust and revenge, brother will battle brother, ambition will triumph over love, slaves will rise to rule, cities will be razed to dust, and the victor will be immortalized in history...
Official FB page
https://www.facebook.com/r.venketesh
Online stores
Amazon.in
http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/93500...
Flipkart
http://www.flipkart.com/gods-kings-sl...
464 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2013
20 people are currently reading
924 people want to read
About the author
R. Venketesh
12 books54 followersAuthor. R.Venketesh is a Chennai Based Bilingual Novelist from India. South Indian Historical Fiction is his forte.
He has Published 3 novels in Tamil (pen name: Anusha Venkatesh | அனுஷா வெங்கடேஷ்), 2 of them are Sequel to famous Kalki's novels Ponniyin Selvan and Sivagamiyin Sabatham respectively Kaviri Mainthan (காவிரி மைந்தன்) and Kanji Tharagai (காஞ்சி தாரகை). And his another fictional work is Thillayil Oru Kollaikaran (தில்லையில் ஒரு கொள்ளைக்காரன்).
Gods, Kings & Slaves. The Siege of Madurai is his first novel in English
He has Published 3 novels in Tamil (pen name: Anusha Venkatesh | அனுஷா வெங்கடேஷ்), 2 of them are Sequel to famous Kalki's novels Ponniyin Selvan and Sivagamiyin Sabatham respectively Kaviri Mainthan (காவிரி மைந்தன்) and Kanji Tharagai (காஞ்சி தாரகை). And his another fictional work is Thillayil Oru Kollaikaran (தில்லையில் ஒரு கொள்ளைக்காரன்).
Gods, Kings & Slaves. The Siege of Madurai is his first novel in English
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 15, 2025
The author draws upon the historical events and myths surrounding 14th century Madurai to craft a compelling and immersive work of historical fiction. Venkatesh excels at recreating the political and cultural atmosphere of medieval South India, particularly a period that remains relatively unfamiliar to many readers when compared with the more frequently told Mughal narrative. His portrayal of the Siege of Madurai is especially engaging, enriched by vivid characterizations and a storyline that sustains the reader’s curiosity throughout.
One of the book’s strongest elements is its exploration of the early lives of the two central adversaries. Their formative years marked by personal upheavals, shifting loyalties, and ideological conflicts are woven thoughtfully into the narrative, offering plausible motivations for their later historical actions, many of which are left unexplained in conventional accounts. The story unfolds in the turbulent era following the decline of the Chola Empire, a time when the Khilji and Pandya dynasties clashed in a struggle that reshaped the political landscape of South India. The seamless back and forth between these two worlds and their protagonists keeps the pace lively and the reader deeply engaged.
The novel also brings several historical figures to life, illustrating how Alauddin Khilji dispatched his formidable general Malik Kafur to subdue the South. The accounts of Kafur’s campaigns including the capture of the Deogiri fort and the submission of the Kakatiya and Hoysala kingdoms are rendered with dramatic intensity. The destruction of major temples such as Chidambaram and the incursions into Madurai are described in a way that underscores the brutality and upheaval of the time, though the narrative occasionally amplifies these events for dramatic effect.
Despite a few minor historical inaccuracies and a second half that feels slightly rushed the book remains a thoroughly enjoyable read. Its lucid prose, gripping storytelling, and evocative reconstruction of a lesser-known chapter of Indian history make it worthwhile for fans of historical fiction. However, readers seeking strict historical accuracy may find some creative liberties distracting. For everyone else, it’s a captivating journey into a tumultuous and fascinating era.
One of the book’s strongest elements is its exploration of the early lives of the two central adversaries. Their formative years marked by personal upheavals, shifting loyalties, and ideological conflicts are woven thoughtfully into the narrative, offering plausible motivations for their later historical actions, many of which are left unexplained in conventional accounts. The story unfolds in the turbulent era following the decline of the Chola Empire, a time when the Khilji and Pandya dynasties clashed in a struggle that reshaped the political landscape of South India. The seamless back and forth between these two worlds and their protagonists keeps the pace lively and the reader deeply engaged.
The novel also brings several historical figures to life, illustrating how Alauddin Khilji dispatched his formidable general Malik Kafur to subdue the South. The accounts of Kafur’s campaigns including the capture of the Deogiri fort and the submission of the Kakatiya and Hoysala kingdoms are rendered with dramatic intensity. The destruction of major temples such as Chidambaram and the incursions into Madurai are described in a way that underscores the brutality and upheaval of the time, though the narrative occasionally amplifies these events for dramatic effect.
Despite a few minor historical inaccuracies and a second half that feels slightly rushed the book remains a thoroughly enjoyable read. Its lucid prose, gripping storytelling, and evocative reconstruction of a lesser-known chapter of Indian history make it worthwhile for fans of historical fiction. However, readers seeking strict historical accuracy may find some creative liberties distracting. For everyone else, it’s a captivating journey into a tumultuous and fascinating era.
February 17, 2017
Mythological and Historical fiction are the latest fad in Indian market and I am grateful because I love these more than the same love story being told over and over again.
Gods, Kings & Slaves is however quite different from what I have read so far. Frankly speaking, I have very little knowledge about the South Indian History. I know only the very basics and that too the outlines of the historical events. So, instead of researching about the period before picking up the book, I decided to let this book tell me the story. With the Pandayan Empire at its heights, Crown Prince Veera Pandyan is all set to rule his kingdom from Madurai. Malik Kafur is Sultan Alauddin Khilji’s trusted general who has his eyes on Madurai – a city well known for its riches and culture. Kafur is a cunning and ambitious. What plots have been set in motions and what roles do these men play in the siege of Madurai? Read to find out.
The books best superiority lies in the way the author has set up the intricate plot and all the while adding flavours to it by including the well known events from that era. Detailed description and well fleshed out characters only adds to the glamour of this title. Having no clue about this character beforehand, Kafur was the most interesting character in the novel. I enjoyed seeing him grow as the plot evolved and often found myself trying to get into his head. An interesting part of history requires great narration to do it justice and the author has managed it well.
There’s love, betrayal, treachery, ambition and every other element that you can think of to make a story interesting. History fan or a fiction fan – this book caters to the individual need of every reader.
Gods, Kings & Slaves is however quite different from what I have read so far. Frankly speaking, I have very little knowledge about the South Indian History. I know only the very basics and that too the outlines of the historical events. So, instead of researching about the period before picking up the book, I decided to let this book tell me the story. With the Pandayan Empire at its heights, Crown Prince Veera Pandyan is all set to rule his kingdom from Madurai. Malik Kafur is Sultan Alauddin Khilji’s trusted general who has his eyes on Madurai – a city well known for its riches and culture. Kafur is a cunning and ambitious. What plots have been set in motions and what roles do these men play in the siege of Madurai? Read to find out.
The books best superiority lies in the way the author has set up the intricate plot and all the while adding flavours to it by including the well known events from that era. Detailed description and well fleshed out characters only adds to the glamour of this title. Having no clue about this character beforehand, Kafur was the most interesting character in the novel. I enjoyed seeing him grow as the plot evolved and often found myself trying to get into his head. An interesting part of history requires great narration to do it justice and the author has managed it well.
There’s love, betrayal, treachery, ambition and every other element that you can think of to make a story interesting. History fan or a fiction fan – this book caters to the individual need of every reader.
September 16, 2018
This book was recommended by a fellow tam, just as interested in good historical fiction as me.
A lot of South Indian history is not known to mainland Indians, due to paucity of good translations/authors. Thankfully, this book comes out good in all markers - good writing, accurate portrayal of history, right amount of fiction to flesh out the characters.
By far, this book's protagonist/anti-hero is the eunuch general of the Khilji dynasty, Malik Kaffur. Born a Hindu to simple merchant father and ends up in the court of Alauddin Khilji, is destined to rewrite the history of his time through sheer willpower and cunning,. How he eventually decides to raid the South Indian lands fabled for their wealth is best to be read from this book. But what I especially liked was his initial observations of the Turkish originated rules of Delhi, their ruthlessness which was to become the reason for their inability to assimilate with the populace. As their greatest king observed, the Hindu populace shall never be subjugated by an alien invader. No attempts were made by any of the Delhi sultanate rulers to absorb and grow the local culture, as they believed in their affiliation to the Caliph of Baghdad.
The Pandyan royalty, captured in great detail, Kulasekharan, Veera and best of all, Vikrama, was quite refreshing. A just and amiable ruler may appear strong to his subjects, but it goes without saying that the weight of the crown is always heavy. This eventually affects a major decision which was to cause the end of a great line and start of a new page in the Pandyan lands. The details of the rich Cauvery/Kaveri lands is written in detail, and also the customs of the Pandyan kings, centred around the Goddess Meenakshi. The temple of Meenakshi in Madurai is now a major tourist attraction and is considered to be most important pilgrimage stop for Hindus. The story of how Madurai was founded on the banks of Vaigai is a good refresher course in history lessons.
But mayhaps, the most important lesson of the book is told by Vikrama, the general of Pandyan kingdom and uncle to both Veera and Sundara, that the seeds of an empire's decline are often grown in its glory - through complacence, decadence and belief that their rule is eternal. Tidings of change are written in unlikeliest of places, and this holds today as well - when all states in India are beset by nationalist, inward looking forces and are looking to rewrite our majestic history to suits their ideology.
Despite all the pressures from centuries of alien invaders, the fact the Meenakshi temple still stands to the test of time and that it was assisted in times of need by a king from Hampi, shows that heroes can comes from anywhere, but no empire has truly stood the test of time.
A lot of South Indian history is not known to mainland Indians, due to paucity of good translations/authors. Thankfully, this book comes out good in all markers - good writing, accurate portrayal of history, right amount of fiction to flesh out the characters.
By far, this book's protagonist/anti-hero is the eunuch general of the Khilji dynasty, Malik Kaffur. Born a Hindu to simple merchant father and ends up in the court of Alauddin Khilji, is destined to rewrite the history of his time through sheer willpower and cunning,. How he eventually decides to raid the South Indian lands fabled for their wealth is best to be read from this book. But what I especially liked was his initial observations of the Turkish originated rules of Delhi, their ruthlessness which was to become the reason for their inability to assimilate with the populace. As their greatest king observed, the Hindu populace shall never be subjugated by an alien invader. No attempts were made by any of the Delhi sultanate rulers to absorb and grow the local culture, as they believed in their affiliation to the Caliph of Baghdad.
The Pandyan royalty, captured in great detail, Kulasekharan, Veera and best of all, Vikrama, was quite refreshing. A just and amiable ruler may appear strong to his subjects, but it goes without saying that the weight of the crown is always heavy. This eventually affects a major decision which was to cause the end of a great line and start of a new page in the Pandyan lands. The details of the rich Cauvery/Kaveri lands is written in detail, and also the customs of the Pandyan kings, centred around the Goddess Meenakshi. The temple of Meenakshi in Madurai is now a major tourist attraction and is considered to be most important pilgrimage stop for Hindus. The story of how Madurai was founded on the banks of Vaigai is a good refresher course in history lessons.
But mayhaps, the most important lesson of the book is told by Vikrama, the general of Pandyan kingdom and uncle to both Veera and Sundara, that the seeds of an empire's decline are often grown in its glory - through complacence, decadence and belief that their rule is eternal. Tidings of change are written in unlikeliest of places, and this holds today as well - when all states in India are beset by nationalist, inward looking forces and are looking to rewrite our majestic history to suits their ideology.
Despite all the pressures from centuries of alien invaders, the fact the Meenakshi temple still stands to the test of time and that it was assisted in times of need by a king from Hampi, shows that heroes can comes from anywhere, but no empire has truly stood the test of time.
January 9, 2014
This is an exceptional debut novel from R Venkatesh. R Venkatesh is a renowned Tamil author and Gods , Kings and Slaves - the Siege of Madurai is his first novel in English.
This book is a historical fiction and deals with the history of Madurai. Not much is known about the history of South India and this is one of the main reasons why I picked up this book.
The plot revolves around 2 central characters - Veera and Malik Kafur. Veera is a Pandyan Price and the ruler of Madurai. Malik is an enuch who due to his great strategic skills becomes the commander of Allaudin Khilji's army in Delhi. The story starts from their birth and spans across many generations when finally Veera and Malik meet during the siege of Madurai. Veera's story starts as that of a young boy who is the illegitimate son of Madurai emeperor Kulashekharan. It then traces his youth as a young brave prince and finally is shown as a very weak ruler of Madurai. There are extremely interesting characters which come across in his story - his friend Akshayan, step brother Sundar, love interest Sunanda who becomes his sisterinlaw and wife Radhika.
The second story of Malik Kafur is extremely interesting and well told. Malik, earlier known as Ram born in a Hindu family gets castrated when trying to elope with his love interest Chaula. The scene where he is castrated is highly moving and brings a chill down your spine. His rise from a slave looking after the harem to the commander of Khilji army is exceptional.Both the stories run parallely in alternate chapters and finally intersect when Kafur attacks Madurai.
All the characters are extremely well sketched and one can identify with their feelings, weaknesses and shortcomings easily. The writing is simple and hence not once do you tend to get bored in this 450 page long saga. This book has it all - love, lust, revenge, sibling rivalry, friendship and wars. R Venkatesh is able to bring about the emotions of each character beautifully. A lot of the books in the historical fiction genre focus a lot on the war details which I sometime find boring.What I loved about Venkatesh's writing was that the focus was mainly on the story without getting into too much gory specifics of the war action.
This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a very long time and hope to read more brilliant books from Venkatesh in future. A must, must read for all historical fiction lovers.
This book is a historical fiction and deals with the history of Madurai. Not much is known about the history of South India and this is one of the main reasons why I picked up this book.
The plot revolves around 2 central characters - Veera and Malik Kafur. Veera is a Pandyan Price and the ruler of Madurai. Malik is an enuch who due to his great strategic skills becomes the commander of Allaudin Khilji's army in Delhi. The story starts from their birth and spans across many generations when finally Veera and Malik meet during the siege of Madurai. Veera's story starts as that of a young boy who is the illegitimate son of Madurai emeperor Kulashekharan. It then traces his youth as a young brave prince and finally is shown as a very weak ruler of Madurai. There are extremely interesting characters which come across in his story - his friend Akshayan, step brother Sundar, love interest Sunanda who becomes his sisterinlaw and wife Radhika.
The second story of Malik Kafur is extremely interesting and well told. Malik, earlier known as Ram born in a Hindu family gets castrated when trying to elope with his love interest Chaula. The scene where he is castrated is highly moving and brings a chill down your spine. His rise from a slave looking after the harem to the commander of Khilji army is exceptional.Both the stories run parallely in alternate chapters and finally intersect when Kafur attacks Madurai.
All the characters are extremely well sketched and one can identify with their feelings, weaknesses and shortcomings easily. The writing is simple and hence not once do you tend to get bored in this 450 page long saga. This book has it all - love, lust, revenge, sibling rivalry, friendship and wars. R Venkatesh is able to bring about the emotions of each character beautifully. A lot of the books in the historical fiction genre focus a lot on the war details which I sometime find boring.What I loved about Venkatesh's writing was that the focus was mainly on the story without getting into too much gory specifics of the war action.
This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a very long time and hope to read more brilliant books from Venkatesh in future. A must, must read for all historical fiction lovers.
June 28, 2015
I love historical fiction. There are so few dealing with South India and I grabbed this book without hesitation. For a change, I read this book somewhat slowly through my trip to Jaipur, Bhilwara, Gurgaon and back to Bangalore.
The book tells the story of Veera Pandyan and Madurai on the one side and the story of Malik Kafur and the Sultanate of Delhi during the reign of Alauddin Khilji on the other side. Venketesh does a remarkable job of bringing out the lives and times of the two kingdoms with vivid imagery. The characters come to life as you read the gripping narrative.
Malik is born Ram in a Baniya family in Gujarat, but gets castrated when he attempts to elope with a young girl from the harem of the Rana. He is sold to an Arab in the slave market. Ram is renamed Malik, adopts Islam and helps his master amass immense wealth. He is captured by the invading armies of Alauddin Khilji and taken to Delhi. The story chronicles the stupendous growth of Malik from being a slave to an astute general to becoming one of the most powerful persons in the Sultanate.
Veera is the illegitimate son of Kulasekharan Pandyan, the ruler of Madurai. Indeed the book starts with the sentence "He was born a bastard" and the first chapter gets you hooked. Veera and Sundar (the second, legitimate son of Kulasekharan Pandyan) both covet the throne of Madurai. You get to see love, ambition, greed, lust, bravery, cowardice and a whole range of emotions. Venketesh is at his best when he narrates the history of Madurai. For those who do not have much exposure to the history of Southern India, I strongly recommend this book.
The lives of Veera and Malik intersect when Malik leads the Turkish army to invade Madurai. The Siege of Madurai is probably not a "siege" in the conventional sense of the word since Madurai actually capitulates without much resistance.
The other characters also come alive and are interesting, but my favorites are Malik and Veera.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, you must read this book! This is an awesome debut novel in English! I wish that Venketesh writes more books bringing out the history of the South India! Power to you, Venketesh!
The book tells the story of Veera Pandyan and Madurai on the one side and the story of Malik Kafur and the Sultanate of Delhi during the reign of Alauddin Khilji on the other side. Venketesh does a remarkable job of bringing out the lives and times of the two kingdoms with vivid imagery. The characters come to life as you read the gripping narrative.
Malik is born Ram in a Baniya family in Gujarat, but gets castrated when he attempts to elope with a young girl from the harem of the Rana. He is sold to an Arab in the slave market. Ram is renamed Malik, adopts Islam and helps his master amass immense wealth. He is captured by the invading armies of Alauddin Khilji and taken to Delhi. The story chronicles the stupendous growth of Malik from being a slave to an astute general to becoming one of the most powerful persons in the Sultanate.
Veera is the illegitimate son of Kulasekharan Pandyan, the ruler of Madurai. Indeed the book starts with the sentence "He was born a bastard" and the first chapter gets you hooked. Veera and Sundar (the second, legitimate son of Kulasekharan Pandyan) both covet the throne of Madurai. You get to see love, ambition, greed, lust, bravery, cowardice and a whole range of emotions. Venketesh is at his best when he narrates the history of Madurai. For those who do not have much exposure to the history of Southern India, I strongly recommend this book.
The lives of Veera and Malik intersect when Malik leads the Turkish army to invade Madurai. The Siege of Madurai is probably not a "siege" in the conventional sense of the word since Madurai actually capitulates without much resistance.
The other characters also come alive and are interesting, but my favorites are Malik and Veera.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, you must read this book! This is an awesome debut novel in English! I wish that Venketesh writes more books bringing out the history of the South India! Power to you, Venketesh!
May 19, 2015
It was an Amazing Read. Most of the names and incidents found to be true and I connected it with other few Historical books in Tamil.
It definitely a Page Turner and never found an Indian Author could portray a Historical fiction into a Page turner book.
Portrayal of Veera Pandiyan and Malik Kafur from their Childhood was fantastic and the way author linked the 2 Protagonists was Mind-blowing.
It definitely a Page Turner and never found an Indian Author could portray a Historical fiction into a Page turner book.
Portrayal of Veera Pandiyan and Malik Kafur from their Childhood was fantastic and the way author linked the 2 Protagonists was Mind-blowing.
February 17, 2022
This book is one of the reasons why I love historical fiction. Incredibly well-researched story.
I got chills while reading the final few pages. Highly recommended 🥰
I got chills while reading the final few pages. Highly recommended 🥰
October 27, 2015
I think, historical fiction comes in 2 flavours. One driven by the setting and narrated by/thru laymen, and the other by the story and historical figures. This book belongs to the latter category and was a historical thriller set in late 13th-early 14th century India. The 2 central characters 'Malik Kafur' serving Alauddin Khilji and 'Veera Pandya', the king of Madurai have roughly equal and alternating halves devoted to them and the novel builds towards the first sacking of Madurai by Kafur. The pace is good, the twists are good, the battle scenes were well thought out and u never feel the author has lost it.
In this age of SM, this gem of a book has not been publicised and the author is not on twitter/ facebook. Came to know solely by a tweet from Amish Tripathi (Shiva trilogy). If there r any Tamilianss here they may identify the style with Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan and others maybe with Conn Iggulden's Conqueror/Emperor series. Recommended read.
In this age of SM, this gem of a book has not been publicised and the author is not on twitter/ facebook. Came to know solely by a tweet from Amish Tripathi (Shiva trilogy). If there r any Tamilianss here they may identify the style with Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan and others maybe with Conn Iggulden's Conqueror/Emperor series. Recommended read.
December 25, 2013
I chanced upon this book in Goodreads and thought that I would give it a try. I was not disappointed.
Gods, Kings and Slaves: The siege of Madurai is a wonderful historical novel that will suck you right into the story. The story is told from the perspective of two protagonists; Veera, the illegitimate son of a Pandya King and a young boy named Ram Chand, whose amazing destiny will take him to dizzying heights.
Veera Pandyan is the bastard son of the Crown Prince of Pandya Kingdom, yet he enjoys the recognition and the privileges that his father showers on him. The story begins with his father’s, the crown prince’s wedding and the anticipation of his downfall from favor. Ironically that doesn’t happen. The Crown Prince treats Veera’s mother and her son with respect and honour and ensures that Veera gets a good education despite his lowly birth.
Things become complicated when a legitimate son is born to the King. Sundara, the second son is born to the Chola Princess and the Queen and everybody expects him to ascend the throne. And the rivalry between the two brothers begins. As they grow, they are sent to a gurukulam to learn kingly conduct, politics, economy and to undergo military training. The sibling rivalry worsens between the two, despite living together in the spartan gurukulam.
In a parallel world, the author chronicles the trials and tribulations of Ram Chand. Born in an ordinary Bania family, Ram Chand would have gone on to become a portly bania with a well-stocked shop, wife and children of his own. But that was not to be. His amazing destiny makes him fall in love with Chaula, a harem girl in the Rana’s household. Charmed by her innocence, Ram Chand elopes with her, thus sealing his fate. Captured and beaten by the Rana’s soldiers, his fate hangs in balance as they decide on a fitting punishment. The Rana decides to castrate him and sell him as a eunuch in the slave market.
The resultant scene is the only problem that I had with this book. It was eerily reminiscent of Wilbur Smith’s popular novel, The River God, where Taita is neutered by his Lord’s General, even as his lover sits watching.
This deed seals his fate and he is sent to be sold as a eunuch in the slave market. At the market, Ram Chand catches the eye of a rich Arab merchant who buys him for 1000 dinars thus earning the name, ‘Mallik Kafir hazar dinari’.
Juxtaposing both these characters in parallel scenes, R. Venkatesh brings out the stark difference between their upbringing and their unpredictable life.
In Madurai, things come to a head, when both the brothers fall in love with Princess Sunanda and Veera is sent to Sri Lanka to cool off his ardor. And in Gujarat, Malik Kafur, becomes the head eunuch of the Arab’s harem and the steward of his master. From this point on, his career will soar to great heights. Caught in the middle of a Mohammeddan attack, Malik is soon captured by Alladin Khilji’s general and is put once again on harem duty. He soon catches the attention of Alladin Khilji and rises to become his trusted companion.
Veera comes back from Madurai, to see his lover, now the wife of Sundara, his half brother. He also learns that his lover had borne a son through him though everybody believed him to be Sundara’s. Heartbroken and disappointed, he finds balance in life when he meets Radhika, his trusted friend’s lover and gets married to her. Veera’s father who is getting old is forced to decide the next heir and he crowns Veera as the crown Prince. Surprised and shocked by the turn of events, Sundara revolts, setting in process a civil war that would embitter the world of Madurai forever.
Malik and Veera are portrayed beautifully in this novel. Malik’s ruthlessness and Veera’s Hamlet-like procrastination destroys the very fabric of an ancient empire. I loved the narrative style of the author. It pulls the reader right into two alternate worlds; Veera’s and Malik’s.
Plus Points: fantastic narrative, crisp descriptions and dialogues, impeccable research, unforgettable characters
Minus Points: Castration scene of ram chand.
Verdict: A must read for all those who love historical fiction.
Gods, Kings and Slaves: The siege of Madurai is a wonderful historical novel that will suck you right into the story. The story is told from the perspective of two protagonists; Veera, the illegitimate son of a Pandya King and a young boy named Ram Chand, whose amazing destiny will take him to dizzying heights.
Veera Pandyan is the bastard son of the Crown Prince of Pandya Kingdom, yet he enjoys the recognition and the privileges that his father showers on him. The story begins with his father’s, the crown prince’s wedding and the anticipation of his downfall from favor. Ironically that doesn’t happen. The Crown Prince treats Veera’s mother and her son with respect and honour and ensures that Veera gets a good education despite his lowly birth.
Things become complicated when a legitimate son is born to the King. Sundara, the second son is born to the Chola Princess and the Queen and everybody expects him to ascend the throne. And the rivalry between the two brothers begins. As they grow, they are sent to a gurukulam to learn kingly conduct, politics, economy and to undergo military training. The sibling rivalry worsens between the two, despite living together in the spartan gurukulam.
In a parallel world, the author chronicles the trials and tribulations of Ram Chand. Born in an ordinary Bania family, Ram Chand would have gone on to become a portly bania with a well-stocked shop, wife and children of his own. But that was not to be. His amazing destiny makes him fall in love with Chaula, a harem girl in the Rana’s household. Charmed by her innocence, Ram Chand elopes with her, thus sealing his fate. Captured and beaten by the Rana’s soldiers, his fate hangs in balance as they decide on a fitting punishment. The Rana decides to castrate him and sell him as a eunuch in the slave market.
The resultant scene is the only problem that I had with this book. It was eerily reminiscent of Wilbur Smith’s popular novel, The River God, where Taita is neutered by his Lord’s General, even as his lover sits watching.
This deed seals his fate and he is sent to be sold as a eunuch in the slave market. At the market, Ram Chand catches the eye of a rich Arab merchant who buys him for 1000 dinars thus earning the name, ‘Mallik Kafir hazar dinari’.
Juxtaposing both these characters in parallel scenes, R. Venkatesh brings out the stark difference between their upbringing and their unpredictable life.
In Madurai, things come to a head, when both the brothers fall in love with Princess Sunanda and Veera is sent to Sri Lanka to cool off his ardor. And in Gujarat, Malik Kafur, becomes the head eunuch of the Arab’s harem and the steward of his master. From this point on, his career will soar to great heights. Caught in the middle of a Mohammeddan attack, Malik is soon captured by Alladin Khilji’s general and is put once again on harem duty. He soon catches the attention of Alladin Khilji and rises to become his trusted companion.
Veera comes back from Madurai, to see his lover, now the wife of Sundara, his half brother. He also learns that his lover had borne a son through him though everybody believed him to be Sundara’s. Heartbroken and disappointed, he finds balance in life when he meets Radhika, his trusted friend’s lover and gets married to her. Veera’s father who is getting old is forced to decide the next heir and he crowns Veera as the crown Prince. Surprised and shocked by the turn of events, Sundara revolts, setting in process a civil war that would embitter the world of Madurai forever.
Malik and Veera are portrayed beautifully in this novel. Malik’s ruthlessness and Veera’s Hamlet-like procrastination destroys the very fabric of an ancient empire. I loved the narrative style of the author. It pulls the reader right into two alternate worlds; Veera’s and Malik’s.
Plus Points: fantastic narrative, crisp descriptions and dialogues, impeccable research, unforgettable characters
Minus Points: Castration scene of ram chand.
Verdict: A must read for all those who love historical fiction.
September 24, 2015
The key reason for me to touch upon this book was 'Madurai'. Historically Madurai has been associated with Sangam Literature, Meenakshi Amman Temple and the Pandian Dynasty. And this book is about the downfall of the Pandyan dynasty which once had its wings spread across the entire Southern India and Sri Lanka.
The timeline of the story is late 13th and early 14th century. There are two parallel story lines. One revolves around Veera who is the illegitimate son of the ruling Pandian king Kulasekharan Pandian. The story deals with Veera's fight for power with his brother Sundar who is the legitimate son of the king. On the other side, we are taken through the Gujarat Region where an young boy Chand Ram is born with the prediction that he would become the ruler of Hindustan. Chand Ram is castrated when he tries to elope with a slave girl from the king's Harem and later he becomes slave to a Arab tradesman, where he is named Malik. Further he becomes the slave of Allaudin Khilji and later the general of the great ruler.
Malik becomes a great strategist and becomes the key for Khilji to acquire the wealth of temples from South India. Veera becomes king and doesn't expect the sudden strike from Malik along with his brother Sundar. Madurai has been left unprotected as no one expects a strike. Thus ends the mighty Pandyan dynasty.
What impressed me in the book was the vivid writing. Right from the childhood of the princes, the childhood fights, politics of crowning the princes, the strategies of Veera's war in Lanka or Malik's war in Warangal, the deception all make it a great reading. The Human emotions and psychology has been captured wonderfully. When Veera is afraid in the last war, the author would have written how the administrative nature of King's work had depleted the warrior in him. Even at the end when the entire city is destroyed, the brothers would be fighting for the rule. Similarly in Delhi, Khilji would have become a very timid person afraid of the great strategist Malik and would suffer a very bad end.
A great book to read if you are interested in History and wish to know about what happened in India in the 1300s.
The timeline of the story is late 13th and early 14th century. There are two parallel story lines. One revolves around Veera who is the illegitimate son of the ruling Pandian king Kulasekharan Pandian. The story deals with Veera's fight for power with his brother Sundar who is the legitimate son of the king. On the other side, we are taken through the Gujarat Region where an young boy Chand Ram is born with the prediction that he would become the ruler of Hindustan. Chand Ram is castrated when he tries to elope with a slave girl from the king's Harem and later he becomes slave to a Arab tradesman, where he is named Malik. Further he becomes the slave of Allaudin Khilji and later the general of the great ruler.
Malik becomes a great strategist and becomes the key for Khilji to acquire the wealth of temples from South India. Veera becomes king and doesn't expect the sudden strike from Malik along with his brother Sundar. Madurai has been left unprotected as no one expects a strike. Thus ends the mighty Pandyan dynasty.
What impressed me in the book was the vivid writing. Right from the childhood of the princes, the childhood fights, politics of crowning the princes, the strategies of Veera's war in Lanka or Malik's war in Warangal, the deception all make it a great reading. The Human emotions and psychology has been captured wonderfully. When Veera is afraid in the last war, the author would have written how the administrative nature of King's work had depleted the warrior in him. Even at the end when the entire city is destroyed, the brothers would be fighting for the rule. Similarly in Delhi, Khilji would have become a very timid person afraid of the great strategist Malik and would suffer a very bad end.
A great book to read if you are interested in History and wish to know about what happened in India in the 1300s.
September 24, 2017
I personally haven't come across non mythological historical accounts of South India hence this piqued my interest. Whilst it did open me up to names, I felt the book did a better job of painting the invader from the North - Malik Kafur and one of the good reads on him.
Leaving names and meetings aside, the rest is historical fiction - whilst the style of writing doesn't offer too much novelty - you'd expect love, tyranny, back stabbing, loyalty and all those ingredients in any royal court and the author offers it all on a silver platter. What is different in this narration is grayness of all the characters created by summing up their black and white moments versus being gray throughout. Hero turns villain turns hero , the author makes us realise all the characters at the end of the day are humans who become superhumans at moments and similarly supervillians at their weakest.
Overall, a briefer on politics of South India and interesting fictionalised accounts of some of the major players in history around the Khiljis and Mongols in the North and Pandyas and Cholas of the South.
Leaving names and meetings aside, the rest is historical fiction - whilst the style of writing doesn't offer too much novelty - you'd expect love, tyranny, back stabbing, loyalty and all those ingredients in any royal court and the author offers it all on a silver platter. What is different in this narration is grayness of all the characters created by summing up their black and white moments versus being gray throughout. Hero turns villain turns hero , the author makes us realise all the characters at the end of the day are humans who become superhumans at moments and similarly supervillians at their weakest.
Overall, a briefer on politics of South India and interesting fictionalised accounts of some of the major players in history around the Khiljis and Mongols in the North and Pandyas and Cholas of the South.
February 24, 2018
'Gods, Kings & Slaves' by R. Venketsh is set in the reign of the second Sultan of Khilji Dynasty- Allauddin Khilji. The Khiljis, at that time, were eger and relentless in their pursuit of seeing India ruled under their banner. But the book is not completely about Khiljis and their pursuits. It is based on Malik Kafur- one of the two protagonists- an unlucky lover who lost his battle for his first love and was forcefully changed entirely into something else. On the other hand there is Veera Pandyan. The first born son of the king of Pandyan Empire. Though he is first born yet his position as the next king is in doubt because of the relationship of his parents. Veera has faced a stiff rivalry from his half brother Sunder and like Kafur he has also lost his first love. These two men are at constant struggle to make their place in the world and mark the brands of their names in history.
At the initial stage the book seemed a promising one. The one consisting all the royal politics, internal rivalries and other intriguing aspects. But the book has more emphasis on telling the incomplete love stories of both the protagonists while almost neglecting other aspects. The political layers were present in Veera's story by were not completely developed. The parts of book which were worthy of development were very hurriedly written. But when it comes to describe Veera's relationships and Kafur's journey through herems, the discription goes too vivid and stretched.
2 Stars.
At the initial stage the book seemed a promising one. The one consisting all the royal politics, internal rivalries and other intriguing aspects. But the book has more emphasis on telling the incomplete love stories of both the protagonists while almost neglecting other aspects. The political layers were present in Veera's story by were not completely developed. The parts of book which were worthy of development were very hurriedly written. But when it comes to describe Veera's relationships and Kafur's journey through herems, the discription goes too vivid and stretched.
2 Stars.
October 3, 2014
The approach to history in India has been unfortunate. Generally, we avoid taking an investigative approach and abide by the generally accepted "facts" which are taught to us at various points in our lives. "Gods, Kings and Slaves" is based on The Siege of Madurai when Malik Kafur invaded the city in 1311 which was followed by two invasions by the Delhi Sultanate in 1314 and 1323 which shattered the revival of the Pandyan Empire beyond any hope.
The author, R. Venketesh, has done a commendable job with substantial research. He has also maintained a tight grip on the narrative flow by keeping it authentic. The book introduces the reader to a lesser known episode in Indian history. Vivid portrayals of emotions experienced by the main characters and the situations make the book realistic. Honestly, "Gods, Kings and Slaves" is a commendable job for a first time author!
The author, R. Venketesh, has done a commendable job with substantial research. He has also maintained a tight grip on the narrative flow by keeping it authentic. The book introduces the reader to a lesser known episode in Indian history. Vivid portrayals of emotions experienced by the main characters and the situations make the book realistic. Honestly, "Gods, Kings and Slaves" is a commendable job for a first time author!
October 3, 2018
R. Venketesh has given a refreshing blend of fact and fiction in this book, and I still stand confused at where to draw the line between the two. Two charismatic protagonists, a bastard and a eunuch, emerge to power and face the consequences of powerful positions, connections and situations. The city of Madurai is hailed in all its glory and the story has a very poetic feel to it.
As I have limited skills in the vernacular language, I have less exposure to literature based on the rich cultural past. Making do with translations, one would still feel it does not have the impact and nuances of the original language (especially humour). I hope to discover more such Indian historical fiction in English.
As I have limited skills in the vernacular language, I have less exposure to literature based on the rich cultural past. Making do with translations, one would still feel it does not have the impact and nuances of the original language (especially humour). I hope to discover more such Indian historical fiction in English.
February 10, 2014
Brilliant! I cant believe I've started this year by reading two books I could call thus!
Throughout the book I had this exhilarating feeling of being propelled by two parallel forces, building up towards the final clash. The manner in which these two are made to intersect is subtle enough. Vivid portrayal of emotions bring the characters/situations alive making it hard to believe this as the first english novel for the author.
If not for the names of the characters and the locale, its easy for me to see a Jeffrey Archer (and other such accomplished authors I might've not read yet) in there!
Throughout the book I had this exhilarating feeling of being propelled by two parallel forces, building up towards the final clash. The manner in which these two are made to intersect is subtle enough. Vivid portrayal of emotions bring the characters/situations alive making it hard to believe this as the first english novel for the author.
If not for the names of the characters and the locale, its easy for me to see a Jeffrey Archer (and other such accomplished authors I might've not read yet) in there!
June 12, 2016
Took me a little longer than usual to complete this, but enjoyed to the core. Venkatesh sir, had nailed it. Thanks to him for writing this novel, based on Tamil Kingdoms. A book in English about the Tamils is very rare and the author had done justice to it. Expecting more from this author in the similar lines of Ponniyin Selvan.
January 23, 2014
Exceptionally well written. Facts and imagination combined to tell the loss of pandiyan kings.the author has built a beautiful story line.
Wish the book available in tamil ;(
Wish the book available in tamil ;(
October 13, 2014
Great read!
I came across this book on amazon deals and was touch apprehensive. The blurb got me hooked.
I came across this book on amazon deals and was touch apprehensive. The blurb got me hooked.
September 23, 2020
History might well be written by the victors but when it comes to Historical fiction, ah well then the vanquished have a few a lot of things to say as well.
Hindustan of the 1300's was quite a thing, the country was the sum of many kingdoms from Afghanistan to Srilanka, and in the north Delhi Sultanate was taken over by one of the most powerful ruler of its history Alauddin Khilji. The conqueror who was as ruthless as he was cunning, BUT, he's not the Antagonist of this book. He's sidelined, the center stage has been taken by Malik Kaffur, the most powerful eunuch in Indian history. And against him stands the.....the......who?
And that's the tragedy of our nation there are parts of this land which have been completely ignored by our histories. The three crowned kings of Tamilakam “muvendar”, are virtually unknown except in Tamil Nadu by the rest of us, oh their dynasty names are there in our history texts with some pictures of the temples that they built, some of which stand proud to this day, but the story of 'Veera' and 'Sundar' Pandayan, well these are absolutely unknown.
It is a bittersweet thing, reading this book, to treat the story as true or even a near approximation would be foolish, but I couldn't quite help myself comparing the known history with this imagined one. The story of the Pandayan dynasty and court intrigue for the throne was somewhat interesting , but the origin and the rise of 'Malik Kaffur' comparatively was very interesting.
The Author surprised me to be honest, he showed 'Kaffur' to be the chief architect of the sultanate. Khilji comparatively comes across as just a prop, a tad unfair to the devilish lad I think, the sultan did do quite mentionable things, horrible but effective, to rob him thus ahhh well, the villain has to be THE villain I suppose and the author's approximations were well not that far fetched, oh the origin story was quite imaginative indeed though.
The 'heroes' were confusingly portrayed though, the Pandayan king 'Veera' had all our support till the day of reckoning and then for some god knows what reason he suddenly turns craven. Well that was underwhelmingly disappointing. The last quarter of the book was well, mehhh, I understand that history has limitations that can't be stretched, what was was. Even then the vanquished had quite the story in their favor. And our villain an interesting end. Mr.Venketesh's style is simple and enjoyable, his brief additions of the supernatural quite filmy but not off putting, his passion comes out clearly in the book, well done good sir.
It was a good book all in all, it could have been better though. I recommend it to all the history buffs who'd like to meet these host of characters from the past some known worth exploring some unknown worth knowing, isn't that what all the stories are about. And Mr.Venketesh has quite excelled at that with his first book.
Hindustan of the 1300's was quite a thing, the country was the sum of many kingdoms from Afghanistan to Srilanka, and in the north Delhi Sultanate was taken over by one of the most powerful ruler of its history Alauddin Khilji. The conqueror who was as ruthless as he was cunning, BUT, he's not the Antagonist of this book. He's sidelined, the center stage has been taken by Malik Kaffur, the most powerful eunuch in Indian history. And against him stands the.....the......who?
And that's the tragedy of our nation there are parts of this land which have been completely ignored by our histories. The three crowned kings of Tamilakam “muvendar”, are virtually unknown except in Tamil Nadu by the rest of us, oh their dynasty names are there in our history texts with some pictures of the temples that they built, some of which stand proud to this day, but the story of 'Veera' and 'Sundar' Pandayan, well these are absolutely unknown.
It is a bittersweet thing, reading this book, to treat the story as true or even a near approximation would be foolish, but I couldn't quite help myself comparing the known history with this imagined one. The story of the Pandayan dynasty and court intrigue for the throne was somewhat interesting , but the origin and the rise of 'Malik Kaffur' comparatively was very interesting.
The Author surprised me to be honest, he showed 'Kaffur' to be the chief architect of the sultanate. Khilji comparatively comes across as just a prop, a tad unfair to the devilish lad I think, the sultan did do quite mentionable things, horrible but effective, to rob him thus ahhh well, the villain has to be THE villain I suppose and the author's approximations were well not that far fetched, oh the origin story was quite imaginative indeed though.
The 'heroes' were confusingly portrayed though, the Pandayan king 'Veera' had all our support till the day of reckoning and then for some god knows what reason he suddenly turns craven. Well that was underwhelmingly disappointing. The last quarter of the book was well, mehhh, I understand that history has limitations that can't be stretched, what was was. Even then the vanquished had quite the story in their favor. And our villain an interesting end. Mr.Venketesh's style is simple and enjoyable, his brief additions of the supernatural quite filmy but not off putting, his passion comes out clearly in the book, well done good sir.
It was a good book all in all, it could have been better though. I recommend it to all the history buffs who'd like to meet these host of characters from the past some known worth exploring some unknown worth knowing, isn't that what all the stories are about. And Mr.Venketesh has quite excelled at that with his first book.
November 29, 2021
Venketesh’s historical fiction Gods, Kings & Slaves: The Siege of Madurai is his maiden novel in English. This is a fascinating story of the invasion of Madurai, the seat of the Pandyan empire, when it was at the zenith of two hundred years of glory. 14th century history saw Malik Kafur, Alauddin Khilji’s trusted lieutenant, ravage Madurai, and the many Hindu kingdoms stretching the length of India from Delhi. Alternatively stating the happenings in the Pandyan kingdom and the story of Malik Kafur, Venketesh has woven a narrative much like how one would braid a long tress.
The depth of research that must have gone into this story deserves at least 4 stars. Personally, I found Venketesh’s writing style lacking in many aspects, including errors that I was startled to find in print, leaving me to wonder what kind of editing help the author received. This is a 2.5-star effort overall, but I am rounding it up, considering how Venketesh finishes the story with a flourish.
The depth of research that must have gone into this story deserves at least 4 stars. Personally, I found Venketesh’s writing style lacking in many aspects, including errors that I was startled to find in print, leaving me to wonder what kind of editing help the author received. This is a 2.5-star effort overall, but I am rounding it up, considering how Venketesh finishes the story with a flourish.
August 6, 2020
It was very good book. The Book is about how Malik Kafur ,a Delhi Sultanate enunch general under Alauddin Khilji, raided Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple and brought the decline of Pandyan Dynasty. I am basically from Madurai so the story got so much into me.I hope the author writes more novels based on Madurai in future.
December 3, 2020
Great to see a fiction novel on Tamil literature.it was a great read at first i was skeptical about picking it up. But It was too good and the book really made me proud of my ancestors and the history between mughals and the native tamilians. It was a grippy story and the characters are flushed out. Too bad there won't be any other sequel from it. Maybe a prequel from Tamil literature will be nice.
March 24, 2014
I picked up the book "Gods, Kings and Slaves: The siege of Madurai" for reading mainly for the reason that it is a fiction set in the background of medieval South Indian history. While there are many fictional works in Tamil and other Southern languages on this this vast and very interesting subject, I really don't think any notable work of fiction has been written in English around this. This novel deals with two themes that are interlinked. One, the rise of eunuch Malik Kafur from a nameless slave to a ruthless, terrifying commander and usurper and his invasions, loots and raids of South India from Devgiri and Warangal, all the way up to Madurai. Two, the collapse of the wealthy and magnificent Hindu empire of the Pandyas, strife with internal rivalries and poor military preparedness.
The book is not really a literary fiction. It belongs to the genre of Shiva Trilogy or Chetan Bhagat's works in many ways - It is a light read, written in a simple, flat prose and has Masala and "formula" elements aimed at titillating and amusing the reader. But, in content and substance, it is of a different class and stands apart. While I struggled to cross beyond fifty pages of Immortals of Meluha, I could not put down this novel, once I started.
Given that it is his debut novel, I would say R Venkatesh has successfully created a brilliant narrative that is gripping and keeps the reader on the edge till the very end. The final chapters are especially well written and bring out the real shock of what it feels like when something as noble and lofty as the Meenakshi Temple is plundered. The novel touches upon many facets of life - politics, warfare, social mores, love, mystery, moral conflicts etc. While the main incidents and characters have an authentic historical basis, imagination has been sprinkled lavishly to fill the gaps in the story. There are a few wrong, partial or inaccurate depictions too. For instance, temple destruction was part and parcel of the Islamic army's dutiful act everywhere and did not happen in spurious and sudden bursts as the novel tries to portray... It is is not a settled historical fact as to whether Malik Kafur was originally a Hindu eunuch, as the novel depicts, or brought to that state along with his conversion to Islam, like it happened with many defeated and enslaved Hindu males... and then the initial depiction of Thiruvegambarayan, an accomplice of Malik Kafur as a Jain intent upon wrecking revenge on the Hindu Madurai city does not have any basis at all and is a seriously misleading interpretation.
Being a literary reader, I wish the author had created much more deep, detailed and profound narratives of peoples and places. Say, of the Madurai city, it's landscape, its beautiful legends like Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam and its great cultural milieu, instead of very simplistic one line descriptions like the "high towers of Meenakshi temple". But again, I fully understand that this fiction is of a different genre. Even with all the constraints imposed by its form, Gods, Kings & Slaves is an eminently readable book and R Venkatesh comes across as a great storyteller. I wish him good luck to write more novels around similar topics with the interplay of history, legend, art and human emotions.
The book is not really a literary fiction. It belongs to the genre of Shiva Trilogy or Chetan Bhagat's works in many ways - It is a light read, written in a simple, flat prose and has Masala and "formula" elements aimed at titillating and amusing the reader. But, in content and substance, it is of a different class and stands apart. While I struggled to cross beyond fifty pages of Immortals of Meluha, I could not put down this novel, once I started.
Given that it is his debut novel, I would say R Venkatesh has successfully created a brilliant narrative that is gripping and keeps the reader on the edge till the very end. The final chapters are especially well written and bring out the real shock of what it feels like when something as noble and lofty as the Meenakshi Temple is plundered. The novel touches upon many facets of life - politics, warfare, social mores, love, mystery, moral conflicts etc. While the main incidents and characters have an authentic historical basis, imagination has been sprinkled lavishly to fill the gaps in the story. There are a few wrong, partial or inaccurate depictions too. For instance, temple destruction was part and parcel of the Islamic army's dutiful act everywhere and did not happen in spurious and sudden bursts as the novel tries to portray... It is is not a settled historical fact as to whether Malik Kafur was originally a Hindu eunuch, as the novel depicts, or brought to that state along with his conversion to Islam, like it happened with many defeated and enslaved Hindu males... and then the initial depiction of Thiruvegambarayan, an accomplice of Malik Kafur as a Jain intent upon wrecking revenge on the Hindu Madurai city does not have any basis at all and is a seriously misleading interpretation.
Being a literary reader, I wish the author had created much more deep, detailed and profound narratives of peoples and places. Say, of the Madurai city, it's landscape, its beautiful legends like Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam and its great cultural milieu, instead of very simplistic one line descriptions like the "high towers of Meenakshi temple". But again, I fully understand that this fiction is of a different genre. Even with all the constraints imposed by its form, Gods, Kings & Slaves is an eminently readable book and R Venkatesh comes across as a great storyteller. I wish him good luck to write more novels around similar topics with the interplay of history, legend, art and human emotions.
October 31, 2014
The Siege of Madurai is a fascinating tale. Most historical-fiction in english is about the Mughal or post-Mughal-colonial era. It was therefore refreshing to see a well researched book on the last of the Tamil Pandyan kings and a general of the Delhi Sultanate. The author needs to be commended for bucking the general trend and that too for his debut work!
Venketesh weaves an engrossing tale that runs in parallel tracks, alternating each chapter. One track is about Veera Pandyan, the illegitimate son of Kulasekhara Pandyan. The second track is about Chand Ram, the son of a petty trader from Gujarat. Fate intervenes to turn the lives of the protagonists in ways they could themselves not predict and brings them face to face.
The trajectory of the bastard Veera Pandyan as he fights court intrigues and family politics to ascend the throne of Madurai forms one part of the book. The other part chronicles the forced conversion of Chand Ram into a eunuch slave, only to land up in the harem of Alauddin Khilji, where he rises to become the most feared and successful general Malik Kafur forms the other part.
There is very little in history books about Alauddin Khilji, the first Delhi ruler to capture lands as far south as Madurai and lesser still about his illustrious general Malik Kafur, the force behind Khilji's successes. Outside of Tamil Nadu, history books would not even talk of Veera Pandyan or even the Pandyan dynasty. The book pieces together the story of these little known men, men who irrevocably changed the direction of the peninsula's history and that makes it both novel and engrossing.
About the book itself.
The story itself is so fascinating that it carries the reader through. The language is simple and flows smoothly.
The first half of the book is a bit slow and there is a lot of back story about the protagonists. This makes for interesting reading, but could have been sacrificed to keep the narrative crisp. Many of these narratives have the potential to mould the character of the protagonist and one would expect that it would. However, as the story progresses, their traces are hardly felt in the characterisation. The whole story about the romance between Veera and Sunanda is a case in point.
There are some incidents that are etched out in great detail consuming many pages and there are others that are breezed through. One wishes it was the other way round.
The other complaint is the abundance of unnecessary lovemaking scenes. Reading through those passages was like watching a bad bollywood movie where scenes are introduced just to titillate, without adding to the narrative in any way.
The biggest disappointment was in the editing department - there are words and phrases that are out of place and sometimes syntactically incorrect. Some phrases are unnecessarily colloquial whereas there are others that are unnecessarily ornamental. There are also several gaps/errors in narratives that a keen editor could have picked out.
Inspite of these obvious flaws, the book is a good read. And that is because all said and done, the author weaves a pretty engrossing tale. An excellent effort and hope to see more such tales of the little known and not-so-famous historical incidents from the author.
Venketesh weaves an engrossing tale that runs in parallel tracks, alternating each chapter. One track is about Veera Pandyan, the illegitimate son of Kulasekhara Pandyan. The second track is about Chand Ram, the son of a petty trader from Gujarat. Fate intervenes to turn the lives of the protagonists in ways they could themselves not predict and brings them face to face.
The trajectory of the bastard Veera Pandyan as he fights court intrigues and family politics to ascend the throne of Madurai forms one part of the book. The other part chronicles the forced conversion of Chand Ram into a eunuch slave, only to land up in the harem of Alauddin Khilji, where he rises to become the most feared and successful general Malik Kafur forms the other part.
There is very little in history books about Alauddin Khilji, the first Delhi ruler to capture lands as far south as Madurai and lesser still about his illustrious general Malik Kafur, the force behind Khilji's successes. Outside of Tamil Nadu, history books would not even talk of Veera Pandyan or even the Pandyan dynasty. The book pieces together the story of these little known men, men who irrevocably changed the direction of the peninsula's history and that makes it both novel and engrossing.
About the book itself.
The story itself is so fascinating that it carries the reader through. The language is simple and flows smoothly.
The first half of the book is a bit slow and there is a lot of back story about the protagonists. This makes for interesting reading, but could have been sacrificed to keep the narrative crisp. Many of these narratives have the potential to mould the character of the protagonist and one would expect that it would. However, as the story progresses, their traces are hardly felt in the characterisation. The whole story about the romance between Veera and Sunanda is a case in point.
There are some incidents that are etched out in great detail consuming many pages and there are others that are breezed through. One wishes it was the other way round.
The other complaint is the abundance of unnecessary lovemaking scenes. Reading through those passages was like watching a bad bollywood movie where scenes are introduced just to titillate, without adding to the narrative in any way.
The biggest disappointment was in the editing department - there are words and phrases that are out of place and sometimes syntactically incorrect. Some phrases are unnecessarily colloquial whereas there are others that are unnecessarily ornamental. There are also several gaps/errors in narratives that a keen editor could have picked out.
Inspite of these obvious flaws, the book is a good read. And that is because all said and done, the author weaves a pretty engrossing tale. An excellent effort and hope to see more such tales of the little known and not-so-famous historical incidents from the author.
July 24, 2017
The day when I felt sorry for Malik Kafur...
Yes, I felt sorry for such an evil historical character for the first time in my life after reading this book.
"Gods, Kings & Slaves" is one of the best English novels from India that I have read in the recent years.
There are abundant number of historical novels written in English or other regional languages of India. Most of them glorify some king and try to encourage hero worship. But, in this novel all the characters are realistic. They would love, hate, worship, kill, win and lose. They would be audacious as well as fearsome. The characterization of all the characters are very natural. The author is not inclined towards any particular character and tries to exalt or degrade any character.
The story-line is based on some lesser known historical facts (the later Pandyas and the invasion of South India by Malik Kafur). They are lesser known to Tamil Nadu and half of the story is literally unknown to the rest of India. The author is courageous enough to choose a story which is not well introduced to the majority population of this country.
Two parallel stories from two different regions of India make us to feel like reading two captivating stories simultaneously. As most of the details given in this novel match exactly the historical records, it is more like reading the history narrated in an interesting way.
The success of a story is determined on the basis of the reader who would like to put himself/herself on the shoes of the characters that he/she reads about. When Malik Kafur gets betrayed, I feel sorry; when Khilji is going to be murdered, I fear; when Veera Pandyan retreats, I feel like slapping him; when Malik Kafur enters into the temple, I feel like jumping into the scene and face him.
There are two sets of authors when it comes to the historical fiction. The first set of authors simply avoid writing the details of war strategies. The second set of authors write in detail about the battle, which would be too boring for the readers. However, this author gives all the details of the battles, the strategies of the rulers and how the battles were planned in a very gripping way.
The part of Malik Kafur is much interesting than the part of the Pandyas. Some initial chapters of the Pandyan part could have been written much better. The spelling of few Sanskrit terms are different from the way how they are written by the people outside Tamil Nadu. Varna is different from caste; the author calls some of the Varnas as caste in a few places.
I have read all the Tamil novels written by this author. This novel is better than any of his earlier novels. It would be great if he continues to write many such historical novels in similar style in English.
Yes, I felt sorry for such an evil historical character for the first time in my life after reading this book.
"Gods, Kings & Slaves" is one of the best English novels from India that I have read in the recent years.
There are abundant number of historical novels written in English or other regional languages of India. Most of them glorify some king and try to encourage hero worship. But, in this novel all the characters are realistic. They would love, hate, worship, kill, win and lose. They would be audacious as well as fearsome. The characterization of all the characters are very natural. The author is not inclined towards any particular character and tries to exalt or degrade any character.
The story-line is based on some lesser known historical facts (the later Pandyas and the invasion of South India by Malik Kafur). They are lesser known to Tamil Nadu and half of the story is literally unknown to the rest of India. The author is courageous enough to choose a story which is not well introduced to the majority population of this country.
Two parallel stories from two different regions of India make us to feel like reading two captivating stories simultaneously. As most of the details given in this novel match exactly the historical records, it is more like reading the history narrated in an interesting way.
The success of a story is determined on the basis of the reader who would like to put himself/herself on the shoes of the characters that he/she reads about. When Malik Kafur gets betrayed, I feel sorry; when Khilji is going to be murdered, I fear; when Veera Pandyan retreats, I feel like slapping him; when Malik Kafur enters into the temple, I feel like jumping into the scene and face him.
There are two sets of authors when it comes to the historical fiction. The first set of authors simply avoid writing the details of war strategies. The second set of authors write in detail about the battle, which would be too boring for the readers. However, this author gives all the details of the battles, the strategies of the rulers and how the battles were planned in a very gripping way.
The part of Malik Kafur is much interesting than the part of the Pandyas. Some initial chapters of the Pandyan part could have been written much better. The spelling of few Sanskrit terms are different from the way how they are written by the people outside Tamil Nadu. Varna is different from caste; the author calls some of the Varnas as caste in a few places.
I have read all the Tamil novels written by this author. This novel is better than any of his earlier novels. It would be great if he continues to write many such historical novels in similar style in English.
Read
November 4, 2015 For about 20 centuries, starting from 6BCE to 14 AD, the southern part of India had been ruled by four major dynasties - Chozhas, Pandyas, Cheras, Pallavas. The earliest know historical records are about the establishment of Pandya dynasty around 6BCE. Historical timelines suggest that though only one dynasty was at its zenith at any given time, the other dynasties always managed to prevail and come back to power through this time period.
Kalki's Sivakamiyin Sabatham(original Tamil, English Translation by Nandini Vijayaraghavan available) traces the zenith of Pallava Dynasty till up to 9th century AD.
Kalki's Parthiban Kanavu(original Tamil, English Translation by Nirupama Raghavan available) is set in the cusp of Pallava decline and the rise of the Chozhas.
Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan(original Tamil, English Translation by C.V.Karthik available) and Gokul Seshadri's Cherar Kottai(Tamil) set in the 9th - 12th century period.
Gods, Kings and Slaves by R.Venkatesh is a wonderful follow up of the ascend of Pandya dynasty right after the decline of Chozhas till up to 1314AD when the Khiljis annihilate most of India. In terms of historical records, for most parts of India, the period between 1250 - 1350 AD seems to be blank, because the only thing that seems to have happened is invasion and loot. There have been few records of the atrocities meted out by the Delhi Sultanate in the travel records of Ibn Battuta and in the poems of Queen Gangamma. It is interesting that even after such repeated plundering for over hundred years, India had enough for the British to come and loot!
GK&S spins around a bastard prince, Veera, though well deserving has to fight at every single turn to claim the throne because he is the son of the King's concubine.
And a random local baniya's son, Ram from Gujarat. At one point, Ram is punished with castration, singled out as an eunuch, but manages to rise against all odds, to be the most feared invader in India, playing a major part in the destruction of Madurai(Pandya dynasty).
The initial 75 pages were a bit monotonous to me and it felt like reading a slightly spiced up Wiki page. But the pace picks up after that. Though the transformation of Ram from a bubbly teen to shrewd trader, to the most powerful general in Hindustan, right after his castration is slightly Bollywoodish, especially because there was no indication of his business acumen in his earlier life.
Kalki's Sivakamiyin Sabatham(original Tamil, English Translation by Nandini Vijayaraghavan available) traces the zenith of Pallava Dynasty till up to 9th century AD.
Kalki's Parthiban Kanavu(original Tamil, English Translation by Nirupama Raghavan available) is set in the cusp of Pallava decline and the rise of the Chozhas.
Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan(original Tamil, English Translation by C.V.Karthik available) and Gokul Seshadri's Cherar Kottai(Tamil) set in the 9th - 12th century period.
Gods, Kings and Slaves by R.Venkatesh is a wonderful follow up of the ascend of Pandya dynasty right after the decline of Chozhas till up to 1314AD when the Khiljis annihilate most of India. In terms of historical records, for most parts of India, the period between 1250 - 1350 AD seems to be blank, because the only thing that seems to have happened is invasion and loot. There have been few records of the atrocities meted out by the Delhi Sultanate in the travel records of Ibn Battuta and in the poems of Queen Gangamma. It is interesting that even after such repeated plundering for over hundred years, India had enough for the British to come and loot!
GK&S spins around a bastard prince, Veera, though well deserving has to fight at every single turn to claim the throne because he is the son of the King's concubine.
And a random local baniya's son, Ram from Gujarat. At one point, Ram is punished with castration, singled out as an eunuch, but manages to rise against all odds, to be the most feared invader in India, playing a major part in the destruction of Madurai(Pandya dynasty).
The initial 75 pages were a bit monotonous to me and it felt like reading a slightly spiced up Wiki page. But the pace picks up after that. Though the transformation of Ram from a bubbly teen to shrewd trader, to the most powerful general in Hindustan, right after his castration is slightly Bollywoodish, especially because there was no indication of his business acumen in his earlier life.
December 29, 2014
"Gods, Kings and Slaves: The Siege of Madurai" is a novel about the sack of Madurai by Malik Kafur, a general in Allaudin Khilji's army. It is also a story of how the Pandyan royalty squandered away the largest empire of its time owing to the rivalry between the siblings for the throne of pearls. The novel narrates the life of Veera Pandya, the illegitimate son of the Pandyan Prince Kulashekaran and that of Chand Ram, a son of a Hindu Bania who grows up to become the powerful and feared Malik Kafur, a general in the Delhi Sultanate army. While Veera's main aim in life was best his half brother Sundar in order to succeed his father as the King of the Pandyan empire, Chand Ram's had to suffer castration for falling in love with a girl from his ruler's harem which drives him to take revenge against the entire establishment including his former religion.
The plot is extremely interesting which is what kept me coming back several times having decided to abandon the book several times due to poor narration. However, the plot is historical and my interest in it might very well be due to my ignorance since I am not aware of the history of the Tamil Kingdoms, especially the Pandyas and about the atrocities committed by the invading Delhi Sultanate army on the South Indian Hindu Kingdoms . That should say a lot about the sorry state of History studies in Indian schools. Coming back to the book, apart from the plot everything is a dampener. The characters, especially that of Veera's uncle Vikram Pandyan are poorly sketched and show the kind of inconsistency that cannot be explained away by attributing to their "human" nature. Typicaly a good author creates an environment that will let the reader enjoy the particular mood for a sustained period of time. In this book however the moods change abruptly within a couple of sentences. The maxim "Show; Don't tell" is rarely adhered to which makes it very difficult for a reader to get involved in the story.
I rate this book 1/5 only for the plot. It is probably better to read a good history book instead.
The plot is extremely interesting which is what kept me coming back several times having decided to abandon the book several times due to poor narration. However, the plot is historical and my interest in it might very well be due to my ignorance since I am not aware of the history of the Tamil Kingdoms, especially the Pandyas and about the atrocities committed by the invading Delhi Sultanate army on the South Indian Hindu Kingdoms . That should say a lot about the sorry state of History studies in Indian schools. Coming back to the book, apart from the plot everything is a dampener. The characters, especially that of Veera's uncle Vikram Pandyan are poorly sketched and show the kind of inconsistency that cannot be explained away by attributing to their "human" nature. Typicaly a good author creates an environment that will let the reader enjoy the particular mood for a sustained period of time. In this book however the moods change abruptly within a couple of sentences. The maxim "Show; Don't tell" is rarely adhered to which makes it very difficult for a reader to get involved in the story.
I rate this book 1/5 only for the plot. It is probably better to read a good history book instead.
May 10, 2016
I devour history books,I know most people would look at it boringly but I simply cant put them down once I begin. I was introduced to history through Kalki's magnum opus "Ponniyan Selvan" which is probably the best book I have ever read and the only book I reread thrice.Now lets begin with the title of this book "Gods,Kings and Salve,the siege of Madurai" and the Book cover,I only wish the design and graphics would do justice to this great debut novel by R. Venketesh. This book is a breath of fresh air about South Indian History which has long been ignored by authors. The wearisome battle speeches are absent, the action is strong, and we have two interesting main characters and a very interesting plot and a lot of my unanswered questions about Malik Kafur given logical answers.
This book has two main characters and very chapter alternates between these two characters until they finally meet, the book is certainly not a cliff-hanger kind which actually makes it easier to read in multiple sittings. However, R. Venketesh does such a masterful job of character development, that I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.I got a really different perspective of Malik Kafur whom I earlier considered as only a killing machine and destroyer of beautiful temples in South India.You step into any temple maintained by ASI and you can still see the extend of damage done by Kafur's army.Now what did I miss in this book,the plot is excellent but what i missed was the humor with such a interesting plot the author could have used a appropriately different language tone for each character's background and the book is written as such to finally bring both the characters to meet.
This book is most probably the only book for non-Tamil readers to discover the beauty & complex nature of life in the southern tip of Indian sub-continent and Madurai.Hope more will follow with the success of this book.
This book has two main characters and very chapter alternates between these two characters until they finally meet, the book is certainly not a cliff-hanger kind which actually makes it easier to read in multiple sittings. However, R. Venketesh does such a masterful job of character development, that I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.I got a really different perspective of Malik Kafur whom I earlier considered as only a killing machine and destroyer of beautiful temples in South India.You step into any temple maintained by ASI and you can still see the extend of damage done by Kafur's army.Now what did I miss in this book,the plot is excellent but what i missed was the humor with such a interesting plot the author could have used a appropriately different language tone for each character's background and the book is written as such to finally bring both the characters to meet.
This book is most probably the only book for non-Tamil readers to discover the beauty & complex nature of life in the southern tip of Indian sub-continent and Madurai.Hope more will follow with the success of this book.
May 16, 2014
This is a tremendous historical fiction which I would want my students to read as a history teacher. There has been an unfortunate approach towards studying history in our country, we avoid taking an investigative approach but rather 'accepted' 'facts' are doled out to the students who have to read a story and remember the events making the study of history more of study of prose rather than investigating the past.
The Author has done a commendable job in terms of research and to remain faithful and authentic in the narration. I wish I had read this book as a child or a teenager, it would have answered the burning questions within me that were we a nation of cowards whom any invader would loot, enslave, rape, plunder and rule as per his whim? why did we not fight back?
The book answers these questions accurately and without bias. We did fight back, though it was difficult to understand this new foe, his strategies and objectives. It was a clash of civilizations for the invader not a clash of kingdoms or empires.
As soon as we realized we fought back and fought back against enormous odds. And it's that effort to rise against all odds and not submit or give in.
This is the beginning of the story of the spirit of the Indian people, their fight to regain their self respect and reclaim the glory of their culture, their willingness to sacrifice anything in this cause.
Looking forward to more historical fictions from Mr. R. Venketesh to make the learning of medieval age of India more meaningful for my students.
Regards,
AAshish Dhakhaan
The Author has done a commendable job in terms of research and to remain faithful and authentic in the narration. I wish I had read this book as a child or a teenager, it would have answered the burning questions within me that were we a nation of cowards whom any invader would loot, enslave, rape, plunder and rule as per his whim? why did we not fight back?
The book answers these questions accurately and without bias. We did fight back, though it was difficult to understand this new foe, his strategies and objectives. It was a clash of civilizations for the invader not a clash of kingdoms or empires.
As soon as we realized we fought back and fought back against enormous odds. And it's that effort to rise against all odds and not submit or give in.
This is the beginning of the story of the spirit of the Indian people, their fight to regain their self respect and reclaim the glory of their culture, their willingness to sacrifice anything in this cause.
Looking forward to more historical fictions from Mr. R. Venketesh to make the learning of medieval age of India more meaningful for my students.
Regards,
AAshish Dhakhaan
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