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The Breaking of the Sankalpa
The world is dying. And no one knows how to save it.
Dharmamoor is slowly unraveling. The temples grow cold. The harvests shrink. The songs of the ancient rishis fade to whispers. The cosmic order itself, the Sankalpa, is breaking, and with it, reality fractures.
In the heart of this dying world, five ordinary young people awaken to an extraordinary truth. They are the chosen ones. Not by destiny, but by something far deeper. They alone can find the five Sankalpa-Ratnas. The crystallized keystones of creation, scattered across the world and hidden in places of power. If they can gather them, if they can forge a new Sankalpa, they might save Dharmamoor from oblivion.
But they are not alone in their quest.
Arrayed against them are forces of corruption and ambition. The Tvarita-Margi, warriors bound to the void itself. The Chhaya-Sangh, assassins who move like shadows. And worst of all, Shunya, the ancient emptiness that feeds on the world's decay, whispering promises of power to those desperate enough to listen.
As the five heroes journey through a landscape twisted by corruption, they discover that the true battle is not against external enemies, but against the darkness within themselves. Each must confront their own fears, their own desires, their own capacity for destruction. And each must learn that saving the world might require the ultimate sacrifice.
A sweeping epic of cosmic mythology and intimate human struggle, The Breaking of the Sankalpa weaves Sanskrit philosophy with high fantasy adventure, exploring what it means to choose between personal desire and collective salvation.
Dharmamoor is slowly unraveling. The temples grow cold. The harvests shrink. The songs of the ancient rishis fade to whispers. The cosmic order itself, the Sankalpa, is breaking, and with it, reality fractures.
In the heart of this dying world, five ordinary young people awaken to an extraordinary truth. They are the chosen ones. Not by destiny, but by something far deeper. They alone can find the five Sankalpa-Ratnas. The crystallized keystones of creation, scattered across the world and hidden in places of power. If they can gather them, if they can forge a new Sankalpa, they might save Dharmamoor from oblivion.
But they are not alone in their quest.
Arrayed against them are forces of corruption and ambition. The Tvarita-Margi, warriors bound to the void itself. The Chhaya-Sangh, assassins who move like shadows. And worst of all, Shunya, the ancient emptiness that feeds on the world's decay, whispering promises of power to those desperate enough to listen.
As the five heroes journey through a landscape twisted by corruption, they discover that the true battle is not against external enemies, but against the darkness within themselves. Each must confront their own fears, their own desires, their own capacity for destruction. And each must learn that saving the world might require the ultimate sacrifice.
A sweeping epic of cosmic mythology and intimate human struggle, The Breaking of the Sankalpa weaves Sanskrit philosophy with high fantasy adventure, exploring what it means to choose between personal desire and collective salvation.
- GenresFantasy
655 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2026
About the author
Kunal Yadav
2 books40 followersI grew up in India, moving between different cities, which gave me a window into the many ways people live and think. Books were always my refuge. I read everything I could get my hands on as a kid, but somewhere along the way, fantasy became my language. There's something about the worlds Tolkien, Martin, and Jordan created that made me understand what I wanted to say.
Living in different parts of India also meant growing up around its philosophies. Not as doctrines to follow, but as ways of seeing the world. I've observed how concepts like dharma and karma shape how people understand their lives and choices. That understanding has quietly found its way into my writing.
Now, from the UK, I'm working on a fantasy series that tries to weave together the epic scope I learned from my literary heroes with the philosophical questions I've carried from my childhood. It's an attempt to tell stories that matter. Stories about choice, consequence, and what it means to forge meaning in a breaking world.
Living in different parts of India also meant growing up around its philosophies. Not as doctrines to follow, but as ways of seeing the world. I've observed how concepts like dharma and karma shape how people understand their lives and choices. That understanding has quietly found its way into my writing.
Now, from the UK, I'm working on a fantasy series that tries to weave together the epic scope I learned from my literary heroes with the philosophical questions I've carried from my childhood. It's an attempt to tell stories that matter. Stories about choice, consequence, and what it means to forge meaning in a breaking world.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 7, 2026
If you love character driven high fantasy stories like The Wheel of Time, you will enjoy this one! It follows a group of seemingly ordinary chosen ones that must battle against a rising darkness and a whole world on the brink! It is more than a tale of good vs evil, it also deeply captures the struggle within where each person must confront their own darkness. All while strongly rooted on Indian cosmology concepts and spiritual abstractions.
It takes a while to get into the story since it’s descriptive and there are also a lot of terms inspired by Indian culture and philosophy, which can feel a little overwhelming at first but I think it also makes the world feel really unique.I believe some type of glossary could be very useful. The characters are not only battling with darkness around them, the Asura, which is consuming the world, but also within, which I find very interesting as well! I love stories with prophecy and chosen ones and this one has 5 characters:
“From the Earth, a warriors strength shall rise,
From the light, a scholars wisdom shall guide,
From the flame, a priests faith shall be tested,
From the throne, a rulers will shall be tested,
and from the shadows, a killers hand shall decide”
It takes a while to get into the story since it’s descriptive and there are also a lot of terms inspired by Indian culture and philosophy, which can feel a little overwhelming at first but I think it also makes the world feel really unique.I believe some type of glossary could be very useful. The characters are not only battling with darkness around them, the Asura, which is consuming the world, but also within, which I find very interesting as well! I love stories with prophecy and chosen ones and this one has 5 characters:
“From the Earth, a warriors strength shall rise,
From the light, a scholars wisdom shall guide,
From the flame, a priests faith shall be tested,
From the throne, a rulers will shall be tested,
and from the shadows, a killers hand shall decide”
April 23, 2026
A warrior, a scholar, a priest, an assassin and a princess walk into a bar......
Ok, not really. They walk into a library. These five become the defenders of the world. They must find the 5 stones that will prevent the world from collapsing. But first, they each must train in their disciplines. Earth, air, fire, water and void will all be important if they are to succeed.
This book is not my usual vein of fantasy. It was all right, but not great in my opinion. The very familiar themes of earth, air, fire and water are reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fifth Element, and others. In all honesty, the only real issue I have with the plot of the book is the timeline. How long does it take for them to find each other, how long do they train, how long do they travel between various places? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? I would have liked to see some semblance of time brought into the storyline.
Ok, not really. They walk into a library. These five become the defenders of the world. They must find the 5 stones that will prevent the world from collapsing. But first, they each must train in their disciplines. Earth, air, fire, water and void will all be important if they are to succeed.
This book is not my usual vein of fantasy. It was all right, but not great in my opinion. The very familiar themes of earth, air, fire and water are reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fifth Element, and others. In all honesty, the only real issue I have with the plot of the book is the timeline. How long does it take for them to find each other, how long do they train, how long do they travel between various places? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? I would have liked to see some semblance of time brought into the storyline.
April 12, 2026
I would really like to give the book four and a half stars because it was beautifully written with descriptions that were almost poetic that could make the reader not only feel the inner struggles of the characters and actually picture the world that they walked through but also feel the hate and contempt of their enemies. It is also the best edited book I've read in some time containing very few mistakes. All that kept me from giving it five stars is probably more of a pet peeve of my own and not really any downfall of the author. That being a little too much of repetitive information for my liking and total enjoyment of the book.
March 30, 2026
This book pulled me based on the cover art and I’m so glad it did. This epic fantasy character depth structure and the unique journey I didn’t think I could get into is what made this so interesting. The corruption and unique descriptions. I am pleased I won this book and it’s very very good step out of your comfort and try it.
March 31, 2026
I am super excited to get to read this book after winning it on Amazon giveaway!
May 2, 2026
So so good!
March 29, 2026
The Breaking of the Sankalpa immediately pulled me in with its unique atmosphere and strong sense of place. The world feels deeply inspired and carefully crafted, blending elements of mythology and philosophy with a classic epic fantasy structure.
What stood out to me most was the tone of the story. It has a calm but powerful narrative voice, building tension slowly rather than relying on constant action. The journey of Arjun feels meaningful from the very beginning, and there’s a clear sense that something much bigger is unfolding beneath the surface.
The writing style is descriptive and immersive, with vivid imagery and a steady flow that makes it easy to stay engaged. I especially enjoyed how the story balances personal moments with the larger, looming threat in the world.
Overall, this is a strong and promising start to a larger series. If you enjoy fantasy with depth, atmosphere, and a more thoughtful pace, this book is definitely worth picking up.
What stood out to me most was the tone of the story. It has a calm but powerful narrative voice, building tension slowly rather than relying on constant action. The journey of Arjun feels meaningful from the very beginning, and there’s a clear sense that something much bigger is unfolding beneath the surface.
The writing style is descriptive and immersive, with vivid imagery and a steady flow that makes it easy to stay engaged. I especially enjoyed how the story balances personal moments with the larger, looming threat in the world.
Overall, this is a strong and promising start to a larger series. If you enjoy fantasy with depth, atmosphere, and a more thoughtful pace, this book is definitely worth picking up.
March 30, 2026
A broad sweeping fantasy epic with cosmic implications within the backdrop of Sanskrit lore begins with Dharmamoor wilting and falling into decay with the emergence of Visamvad corrupting the land. But it is not just the land, it also the people whose minds twist towards a void. Old prophecies reveal that five heroes are to emerge to mend the fabric of reality, the Sankalpa. A warrior, a priest, a scholar, a royal, and assassin form an unlikely bond to fulfill the prophecy.
It is a beautifully written tale that takes on an almost lyrical quality. The heroes quest leads them each to find not only new powers, but more importantly an inner strength worthy of the task. Concepts of defeating self-doubt echo through the pages.
It is an absolutely wonderful fantasy epic that I would highly recommend. And for bonus points, you’ll never guess the ending.
It is a beautifully written tale that takes on an almost lyrical quality. The heroes quest leads them each to find not only new powers, but more importantly an inner strength worthy of the task. Concepts of defeating self-doubt echo through the pages.
It is an absolutely wonderful fantasy epic that I would highly recommend. And for bonus points, you’ll never guess the ending.
February 11, 2026
Being an early reader I am pleasantly surprised with how well this book has turned out to be. If you are looking for a typical fantasy story of dragons or romance this is not it. This is centred on character depth, applying philosophy but still keeping the adventure and emotions going. Its not short and i read it over many days but super happy with it. Now waiting for the second book in the series soon hopefully
July 19, 2026
I’m so glad I picked this up. The world was incredibly immersive, and I loved that it drew from Indian mythology because it made everything feel fresh. It took me a bit to settle into the terminology, but after that I flew through it. It just missed five stars for me, but I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
June 7, 2026
Like every book, now, I give it 100 pages to rope me in, or not.
This one just was not for me.
Too many word to try to sound out in my head, try to make sense, try to figure out how they would be pronounced.
Just, again, not for me.
This one just was not for me.
Too many word to try to sound out in my head, try to make sense, try to figure out how they would be pronounced.
Just, again, not for me.
June 9, 2026
An engaging fantasy epic. It probably could have been a bit shorter, but overall I enjoyed it and really liked all the lead characters. Looking forward to reading book 2!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews