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Three
A hero sets sail.
An island is found.
A nation is born.
Early thirteenth century CE. The Srivijaya Empire, considered to be one of the world's greatest maritime forces, has been abruptly left powerless in a swift political exchange.
With nothing but a meaningless crown, a once-lauded navy and the will to keep alive the name of Srivijaya against the endless onslaughts of old enemies and ambitious neighbours, Emperor Prabhu Dharmasena and his kin leave behind their island realm to traverse the seas, desperate and homeless.
Among those who sail with him is the Emperor's youngest son, Nila Utama, for whom loyalty and honour have ceased to have meaning since he saw his father forsake their beloved land. Now, all that is left to do is survive...
...or so Nila thinks, till a voyage across turbulent seas brings him to a fishing village, where the headstrong prince, so far insistent on keeping to the shadows, is forced to step up to his responsibility, face his old demons and discover what it truly means to be a king.
Based on the founding legend of the island of Singapore, also known as Singapura or the Lion City, 3 is an engrossing tale - told in an exquisitely rich voice - of love, self-realization and adventure on the high seas.
An island is found.
A nation is born.
Early thirteenth century CE. The Srivijaya Empire, considered to be one of the world's greatest maritime forces, has been abruptly left powerless in a swift political exchange.
With nothing but a meaningless crown, a once-lauded navy and the will to keep alive the name of Srivijaya against the endless onslaughts of old enemies and ambitious neighbours, Emperor Prabhu Dharmasena and his kin leave behind their island realm to traverse the seas, desperate and homeless.
Among those who sail with him is the Emperor's youngest son, Nila Utama, for whom loyalty and honour have ceased to have meaning since he saw his father forsake their beloved land. Now, all that is left to do is survive...
...or so Nila thinks, till a voyage across turbulent seas brings him to a fishing village, where the headstrong prince, so far insistent on keeping to the shadows, is forced to step up to his responsibility, face his old demons and discover what it truly means to be a king.
Based on the founding legend of the island of Singapore, also known as Singapura or the Lion City, 3 is an engrossing tale - told in an exquisitely rich voice - of love, self-realization and adventure on the high seas.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
292 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
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119 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 24, 2015
In an interview with DNA, Krishna Udayasankar talks about the term mythohistory, which to her is a way of understanding the social and moral fabric we live in. Having read her works, I read more into that and interpret that The Aryavarta Chronicles and 3 are a way of understanding some of the prominent mythologies of our times. Her latest novel, 3, is based on the founding myth of Singapore.
An interesting point about Singapore's name is that lions have never been indigenous to that area. How then do we have the myth of a Sang Nila Uttama, who is said to have seen a lion on the island before establishing the trading center of Singhapura?
When historical fiction deals with myths it faces an interesting task. The writer's job involves looking for the plausible truths behind established motifs, and weaving the myth into reality. In 3, Krishna Udayasankar imagines the world from Sang Nila Uttama's point of view and speculates on what the truth behind Singapore's founding myth could look like. And she does it with her proven abilities as a writer of deep characters and vivid worldbuilding.
Like in her previous works, female characters and worldviews get adequate space in the plot, despite the fact that the world she writes about is undeniably male-dominated.
I am tempted here to reveal the spoiler- how does the writer weave the founding myth into her plot? But therein lies the true beauty of 3, and the book is worth it simply for the spin Krishna Udayasankar throws on it. Along the way we get a fascinating account of the maritime kingdoms of ancient Sumatra, Yava and Cina, which only enhance the historical fiction credibility of 3.
An interesting point about Singapore's name is that lions have never been indigenous to that area. How then do we have the myth of a Sang Nila Uttama, who is said to have seen a lion on the island before establishing the trading center of Singhapura?
When historical fiction deals with myths it faces an interesting task. The writer's job involves looking for the plausible truths behind established motifs, and weaving the myth into reality. In 3, Krishna Udayasankar imagines the world from Sang Nila Uttama's point of view and speculates on what the truth behind Singapore's founding myth could look like. And she does it with her proven abilities as a writer of deep characters and vivid worldbuilding.
Like in her previous works, female characters and worldviews get adequate space in the plot, despite the fact that the world she writes about is undeniably male-dominated.
I am tempted here to reveal the spoiler- how does the writer weave the founding myth into her plot? But therein lies the true beauty of 3, and the book is worth it simply for the spin Krishna Udayasankar throws on it. Along the way we get a fascinating account of the maritime kingdoms of ancient Sumatra, Yava and Cina, which only enhance the historical fiction credibility of 3.
January 15, 2018
What is important as a lesson in life is to see that things change. Those who live in times of change go through a grind. They see, experience and become a part of a battle between the dogmas of the past and the uncertainty and the new ways of the future. They are caught in between and they have to endure what the people of the past didn't have to. They have to find answers to questions whose answers are not in the past but in the future.
Sang Nila Utama, the founder of Singapura, is one such man. At a time when the old ideas of kingdoms and dominions are changing, he is forced to ask a question "What it means to be a king?" The man has immense potential and is born in the ruling class, yet he doesn't wish to be a king because he has no idea what it means to be a king. He subdues pirates, protects a land from disintegration, enchants it's people and rulers alike with his leadership, marries the daughter of the queen and yet he does not wish to be the king because he has no idea what it means to be a king.
And he finds his answer in conversation with a simple fisherman who speaks on behalf of his people. The man tells him that he is a king because of his people and explains to him in very simple words about why his people are not subservient to the king and do not wish to pay taxes. He says "If you kust rule, give us a life worth living. Then we will talk of protecting it." In his zealous defence of freedom he says "Our end is inevitable and so is our way of life. The only thing to do now is to stand up for ourselves and go down fighting." And spoken like a ruler.
It is this conversation that hits home with Sang Nila Utama and for the first time a King is born who wants to build and not conquer. The present Singapore is built on these premises. And the land becomes a treasured trading point for all the countries in and around and they swear their allegiances or loyalties to their King, notniurbof fear but out of the need to preserve what has been built.
Krishna Udayashankar, you are a master story teller. Those scenes you have created with your knowledge of history and your deep understanding of strategy and using your creative verse, will forever ring in my ears as lessons learnt. I owe the pleasure of reading to you and those who write with verve and passion.
Sang Nila Utama, the founder of Singapura, is one such man. At a time when the old ideas of kingdoms and dominions are changing, he is forced to ask a question "What it means to be a king?" The man has immense potential and is born in the ruling class, yet he doesn't wish to be a king because he has no idea what it means to be a king. He subdues pirates, protects a land from disintegration, enchants it's people and rulers alike with his leadership, marries the daughter of the queen and yet he does not wish to be the king because he has no idea what it means to be a king.
And he finds his answer in conversation with a simple fisherman who speaks on behalf of his people. The man tells him that he is a king because of his people and explains to him in very simple words about why his people are not subservient to the king and do not wish to pay taxes. He says "If you kust rule, give us a life worth living. Then we will talk of protecting it." In his zealous defence of freedom he says "Our end is inevitable and so is our way of life. The only thing to do now is to stand up for ourselves and go down fighting." And spoken like a ruler.
It is this conversation that hits home with Sang Nila Utama and for the first time a King is born who wants to build and not conquer. The present Singapore is built on these premises. And the land becomes a treasured trading point for all the countries in and around and they swear their allegiances or loyalties to their King, notniurbof fear but out of the need to preserve what has been built.
Krishna Udayashankar, you are a master story teller. Those scenes you have created with your knowledge of history and your deep understanding of strategy and using your creative verse, will forever ring in my ears as lessons learnt. I owe the pleasure of reading to you and those who write with verve and passion.
September 2, 2018
I won this book in a blog giveaway sometime last year in conjunction with #singlit. Figured I should read it now, or it would languish in my bookshelf for another year and a half at least.
Three is the story of the founding of Singapore out of the ashes of the Srivijaya empire--or, at least, the story of its founder of legend, Sang Nila Utama. It tries to pose as a grand epic; the saga of how Nila was ousted with his family from Palembang as a young boy and how he grew into his life as the king of Tumasik, which he renames Singapura because of the lion that shapes his dreams. And the framework of it, the background of the novel, is... yet the novel itself... isn't.
I couldn't quite get into it. There's nothing wrong with the prose. It's not the stilted, oddly academic "historical fiction" that's commonplace here. No--the language is lovely, almost ephemeral, like a dream.
What's not to like about that? It's haunting, it draws you in. And that's just a random paragraph my eyes fell on when I opened the book.
But it's waffly. Nila is a dreamer whose life is driven by the past, his fears, and indecision, and it makes for a story that goes in circles, especially when it's written from his point of view. Again, there's that first-person present-tense POV that comes to bug me--it's harder to like a story when you're reading it through the viewpoint of a person you don't resonate with in any way.
Udayasankar hints at many things but never says anything outright. It feels very Asian, to not say what you mean in hopes of saving face. Emperor Prabu Dharmasena only reveals his feelings when whispering in the night to a son he thinks is asleep. Nila's interactions with his brothers and sisters, and even the Majapahit emperor he considers his best friend, are couched in political terms. They cannot say what they really mean. They circle around issues, using metaphors, never getting to the meat of it. And that irritates me. Which is maybe hypocritical but it is what it is.
If there is a driving question in this novel, it's the question "what does it mean to be king?" that plagues Nila from the start of the novel when he is 17 to its very end when he has to face Majapahit in what might result in war. Through the three parts this book is divided into (Palembang | Bintan | Tumasik), Nila wavers back and forth, rejecting his heritage, his kingship because he doesn't know what it's supposed to mean to him. He seems to lack ambition, always pulling back into the shadows, unable to live fully in any calling--even if it's to be the sea warrior in his blood. Maybe that's why I can't stand him, because I personally cannot stand unambitious, overly waffly men. (Make up your mind! It doesn't matter if you fail, just make up your mind!--maybe this is why I am still single, but that is a digression, ha.) The only two things Nila seems to be sure of is his love of his wife, Sri Vani, and the fact that the seas are what matter. Even then, he needs to be prodded to ask for her hand, needs to be goaded before he will fight for the seas that matter to him.
Still, if you're looking for a novel that:
a) has adventure on the high seas (pirates! sea battles! swashbuckling stuff!)
b) has royal family drama (political marriages! barely veiled threats! deposed kings!)
c) is centred in Southeast Asia (the fall of Srivijaya! the strength of Majapahit! the ascendancy of Singapura!)
d) is historical fiction
I suppose this is for you. (Assuming you like waffly first person present POVs)
Three is the story of the founding of Singapore out of the ashes of the Srivijaya empire--or, at least, the story of its founder of legend, Sang Nila Utama. It tries to pose as a grand epic; the saga of how Nila was ousted with his family from Palembang as a young boy and how he grew into his life as the king of Tumasik, which he renames Singapura because of the lion that shapes his dreams. And the framework of it, the background of the novel, is... yet the novel itself... isn't.
I couldn't quite get into it. There's nothing wrong with the prose. It's not the stilted, oddly academic "historical fiction" that's commonplace here. No--the language is lovely, almost ephemeral, like a dream.
I sleep. I dream. The children are still laughing, and there is still song. A ship appears on the horizon of placid seas. By the time it reaches shore, a storm is raging. Men, monsters with red eyes and drooling maws, emerge in droves from its dark hull. The children continue to play right till the monster-men trample them underfoot, their young bodies squelching into a morass of blood and meat.
What's not to like about that? It's haunting, it draws you in. And that's just a random paragraph my eyes fell on when I opened the book.
But it's waffly. Nila is a dreamer whose life is driven by the past, his fears, and indecision, and it makes for a story that goes in circles, especially when it's written from his point of view. Again, there's that first-person present-tense POV that comes to bug me--it's harder to like a story when you're reading it through the viewpoint of a person you don't resonate with in any way.
Udayasankar hints at many things but never says anything outright. It feels very Asian, to not say what you mean in hopes of saving face. Emperor Prabu Dharmasena only reveals his feelings when whispering in the night to a son he thinks is asleep. Nila's interactions with his brothers and sisters, and even the Majapahit emperor he considers his best friend, are couched in political terms. They cannot say what they really mean. They circle around issues, using metaphors, never getting to the meat of it. And that irritates me. Which is maybe hypocritical but it is what it is.
If there is a driving question in this novel, it's the question "what does it mean to be king?" that plagues Nila from the start of the novel when he is 17 to its very end when he has to face Majapahit in what might result in war. Through the three parts this book is divided into (Palembang | Bintan | Tumasik), Nila wavers back and forth, rejecting his heritage, his kingship because he doesn't know what it's supposed to mean to him. He seems to lack ambition, always pulling back into the shadows, unable to live fully in any calling--even if it's to be the sea warrior in his blood. Maybe that's why I can't stand him, because I personally cannot stand unambitious, overly waffly men. (Make up your mind! It doesn't matter if you fail, just make up your mind!--maybe this is why I am still single, but that is a digression, ha.) The only two things Nila seems to be sure of is his love of his wife, Sri Vani, and the fact that the seas are what matter. Even then, he needs to be prodded to ask for her hand, needs to be goaded before he will fight for the seas that matter to him.
Still, if you're looking for a novel that:
a) has adventure on the high seas (pirates! sea battles! swashbuckling stuff!)
b) has royal family drama (political marriages! barely veiled threats! deposed kings!)
c) is centred in Southeast Asia (the fall of Srivijaya! the strength of Majapahit! the ascendancy of Singapura!)
d) is historical fiction
I suppose this is for you. (Assuming you like waffly first person present POVs)
October 5, 2021
" The Seas are what matter."
The above sentence , first uttered by our protagonist's father Prabhu Dharmasena , is often repeated throughout the book . It's one of the idealogies of a slowly fading Srivijaya empire and also plays a key role in stating to us readers about the importance , nearly domination of the sea over the lives of the characters . Being a city person , I have woefully little knowledge of life beside the sea. But I have read a lot of sea and island related works , most memorable of all being a one act tragedy 'Riders to the sea' . Unlike that play though , the sea in Sang Nila Uttama's story literally changes the course of his life intread of speeding it to ultimate death , from a previous established life to a new , unknown territory . He begins his narration as a bystander , a mere shadow to the rapidly changing world of trade and politics . He asks the true meaning of being a king throughout the 1st half of the book until it comes to him when he lands on the white sands of what is to become the Lion City . Of course like the Majapahit Emperor says at one point in the book , everyone's answer to the same question is different.
All through these swaying waves of conflicts and calm like the Mother Sea herself , the unlikely image of a lion runs free. The lion symbolises more than a mythical device. It is a sign of endurance , a sign of destiny. And that is what Nila grasps in the final part .
This is my take on the book . To be honest , I've known all my life that Singapore was a modern city . I had no idea about its historical background or even the half historical myth surrounding it's foundation. My lack of knowledge is what drew me to Krishna Udayashankar's take on Sri Tri-buana and his journey to take hold of his destiny . To describe my reading experience , it would be best to use sea imagery . The book is divided in three parts. *Palembang* starts on a high tide which recedes to low tide as the story progresses . * Bintan * I found relatively boring ie mostly low tide . *Tumasik* picked up pace as the waves of the storyline reached its highest tide and ends on a high note . The lofty use of language gets in the way of lucid understanding but there is no doubt that the writing is exquisite.
Overall the book is uneven. This is my first Krishna udayashankar while her writing style sometimes proved to be difficult to get through , the writing is ultimately excellent ❤️. I'm going to check out her other works since they are regarded as her best. But I would highly suggest to try this gem too if you want to read historical fiction other than the Nazis or Indian history ( and that's alk I've been reading until now 🙃)
The above sentence , first uttered by our protagonist's father Prabhu Dharmasena , is often repeated throughout the book . It's one of the idealogies of a slowly fading Srivijaya empire and also plays a key role in stating to us readers about the importance , nearly domination of the sea over the lives of the characters . Being a city person , I have woefully little knowledge of life beside the sea. But I have read a lot of sea and island related works , most memorable of all being a one act tragedy 'Riders to the sea' . Unlike that play though , the sea in Sang Nila Uttama's story literally changes the course of his life intread of speeding it to ultimate death , from a previous established life to a new , unknown territory . He begins his narration as a bystander , a mere shadow to the rapidly changing world of trade and politics . He asks the true meaning of being a king throughout the 1st half of the book until it comes to him when he lands on the white sands of what is to become the Lion City . Of course like the Majapahit Emperor says at one point in the book , everyone's answer to the same question is different.
All through these swaying waves of conflicts and calm like the Mother Sea herself , the unlikely image of a lion runs free. The lion symbolises more than a mythical device. It is a sign of endurance , a sign of destiny. And that is what Nila grasps in the final part .
This is my take on the book . To be honest , I've known all my life that Singapore was a modern city . I had no idea about its historical background or even the half historical myth surrounding it's foundation. My lack of knowledge is what drew me to Krishna Udayashankar's take on Sri Tri-buana and his journey to take hold of his destiny . To describe my reading experience , it would be best to use sea imagery . The book is divided in three parts. *Palembang* starts on a high tide which recedes to low tide as the story progresses . * Bintan * I found relatively boring ie mostly low tide . *Tumasik* picked up pace as the waves of the storyline reached its highest tide and ends on a high note . The lofty use of language gets in the way of lucid understanding but there is no doubt that the writing is exquisite.
Overall the book is uneven. This is my first Krishna udayashankar while her writing style sometimes proved to be difficult to get through , the writing is ultimately excellent ❤️. I'm going to check out her other works since they are regarded as her best. But I would highly suggest to try this gem too if you want to read historical fiction other than the Nazis or Indian history ( and that's alk I've been reading until now 🙃)
May 23, 2024
First: 5 extra stars for the book cover coz it totally caught my eye and I didn't even stop to read the title before I picked it up from my library
Second: this is about sang Nila Utama, the first king of Singapore. I don't know if this is a standalone or if there are prequels but I frequently felt I had missed some major part of the story. Nila's famous encounter with the lion was constantly mentioned, how he felt about it, etc, but it was not explained at all. Not in this book anyway.
The writing is lovely but occasionally the sentences were extremely vague and the point made was lost. The object of many sentences got mixed up in their long convoluted journeys . I frequently found myself unable to understand what exactly the protagonist was ruminating over.
I love that Nila was happy but extremely guilty about feeling happy when he was an exiled prince, his character was really beautifully portrayed.
The characters are nicely described and from my humble googling, the author seems to have done justice to the real people who they are based on.
The protagonist introspects a LOT until he stumbles upon Singapore people's lives, the writing felt slightly rambling/ convoluted till that part. After that though, it became really interesting, Nila becomes more focused and consequently the narration feels less like someone who's thoughts are going around in circles. That the author was able to create this effect is a big deal.
Second: this is about sang Nila Utama, the first king of Singapore. I don't know if this is a standalone or if there are prequels but I frequently felt I had missed some major part of the story. Nila's famous encounter with the lion was constantly mentioned, how he felt about it, etc, but it was not explained at all. Not in this book anyway.
The writing is lovely but occasionally the sentences were extremely vague and the point made was lost. The object of many sentences got mixed up in their long convoluted journeys . I frequently found myself unable to understand what exactly the protagonist was ruminating over.
I love that Nila was happy but extremely guilty about feeling happy when he was an exiled prince, his character was really beautifully portrayed.
The characters are nicely described and from my humble googling, the author seems to have done justice to the real people who they are based on.
The protagonist introspects a LOT until he stumbles upon Singapore people's lives, the writing felt slightly rambling/ convoluted till that part. After that though, it became really interesting, Nila becomes more focused and consequently the narration feels less like someone who's thoughts are going around in circles. That the author was able to create this effect is a big deal.
November 4, 2020
“I want to reach out, to touch it, to run my hand over those shores. I want to hear the island’s secrets with my fingers, listen to stories of ages long gone from the old sea that washes against its being.”
Krishna Udayasankar’s 3 crafts a dazzling mythohistory from the legend of Sang Nila Utama, the founder of the Kingdom of Singapura in 1299, wrapping the life of a man around the myth.
She takes the story of the Srivijayan prince Singaporeans are more or less familiar with and stretches it over the course of Nila’s life, beginning with his fateful encounter with a lion as a boy, his rediscovery of Tumasik as an adult, and his eventual knowledge of what kingship means to him. Embellishing myth with history and history with myth, Udayasankar reframes the iconic moments of a well-trodden myth from the perspective of a man on a personal journey rather than that of a contemporary nation-state.
The result is defamiliarizing and fascinating. In particular, her exploration of Nila’s driving question – what does it mean to be a king – successfully twists and reimagines the common motifs I personally associate with the Sang Nila Utama story in surprising and welcome ways. She emplaces these moments within the life of a fully fleshed out character dealing with conquests and a changing world, and so when they finally do arrive, the result is magical.
Will this book read different to people unfamiliar with the myth? I can’t say. The writing is a bit flat at times, but the sheer intrigue of the tapestry Udayasankar weaves with these familiar myths was a great pull, and I personally loved how she engaged with Nila’s life upon finding Singapore. Even though the spectre of contemporary knowledge and the events to come sometime loom too heavily over the diegesis of the novel, it remains a solid read, and a great gateway to learning more of Singapore’s ancient history.
Krishna Udayasankar’s 3 crafts a dazzling mythohistory from the legend of Sang Nila Utama, the founder of the Kingdom of Singapura in 1299, wrapping the life of a man around the myth.
She takes the story of the Srivijayan prince Singaporeans are more or less familiar with and stretches it over the course of Nila’s life, beginning with his fateful encounter with a lion as a boy, his rediscovery of Tumasik as an adult, and his eventual knowledge of what kingship means to him. Embellishing myth with history and history with myth, Udayasankar reframes the iconic moments of a well-trodden myth from the perspective of a man on a personal journey rather than that of a contemporary nation-state.
The result is defamiliarizing and fascinating. In particular, her exploration of Nila’s driving question – what does it mean to be a king – successfully twists and reimagines the common motifs I personally associate with the Sang Nila Utama story in surprising and welcome ways. She emplaces these moments within the life of a fully fleshed out character dealing with conquests and a changing world, and so when they finally do arrive, the result is magical.
Will this book read different to people unfamiliar with the myth? I can’t say. The writing is a bit flat at times, but the sheer intrigue of the tapestry Udayasankar weaves with these familiar myths was a great pull, and I personally loved how she engaged with Nila’s life upon finding Singapore. Even though the spectre of contemporary knowledge and the events to come sometime loom too heavily over the diegesis of the novel, it remains a solid read, and a great gateway to learning more of Singapore’s ancient history.
August 30, 2018
After the trilogy on Mahabharata Krishna Udayasankar comes again with a unknown mythology which tells about the now famous trade centre Singapore. Name Singapore came because the protagonist in this book has a unforgotten history of a lion which is also known as Singha and that constitutes singha's city or Singapore. This book is about a prince named sangh Nila utama who is son ok prabhu dharmasena king of Palembang. Nila who is unambitious and denies to be a king has a question all his life that is what makes you a king? He finds the answer in a unknown island tumasik which is later became to be known as singapura. About the story in the beginning it takes off at a very good speed but in the journey inbetween it loses its charm and again in the end of the journey it picks up the speed. The title of the book 3 is for the king of three world heaven, Earth and underground. Overall it's a ok Goodread... 😊
January 19, 2018
I picked this book up mainly due to the attractive cover and it has not disappointed me. This book is about the founding of modern day Singapore which was known as Singapura in ancient times. The author's command over the language is wonderful and I really loved the way the story was narrated through the eyes of the main protagonist,Sang Nila Utama. This book is fascinating and we get to delve into the ancient world of maritime kingdoms,trade routes and politics. The characters of the book are deep but mostly male dominated. The descriptions are vivid along with wonderful story telling and prose. Overall,an enthralling and enjoyable read.
September 2, 2024
2.5⭐️
The cover was captivating..... the stark white background with the thick, black brushstrokes.
The concept of the origin story of Singapore, the historical 13th century setting was fascinating when the book first came to my notice. I was somewhat familiar with Singapore's founding story so finding a book that delved into it more deeply was exciting. This combined with the fact that I have really loved all of Krishna Udayasankar's other books made Three a definite choice for me to read. But sadly, this is the first or Ms Udayasankar's books that didn't live up to my expectations.
I'm not sure why. But it could be that Sang Nila Utama's character did not endear himself to me. He seemed to be living mostly in his head with many ephemeral thoughts that didn't quite coalesce into sense for me
Unfortunately, I was unable to connect with this story and so, this book just didn't work for me.
The cover was captivating..... the stark white background with the thick, black brushstrokes.
The concept of the origin story of Singapore, the historical 13th century setting was fascinating when the book first came to my notice. I was somewhat familiar with Singapore's founding story so finding a book that delved into it more deeply was exciting. This combined with the fact that I have really loved all of Krishna Udayasankar's other books made Three a definite choice for me to read. But sadly, this is the first or Ms Udayasankar's books that didn't live up to my expectations.
I'm not sure why. But it could be that Sang Nila Utama's character did not endear himself to me. He seemed to be living mostly in his head with many ephemeral thoughts that didn't quite coalesce into sense for me
Unfortunately, I was unable to connect with this story and so, this book just didn't work for me.
August 28, 2018
I tried really hard but all in vain. Just can't connect to the story. Nothing moving and only words. I felt like standing on a ships dock and words are flying all over. Yes, that too, fancy words for which I have to keep referring Kindles dictionary.
All of these feelings at 73% !!!
And then I left it unfinished.
I really liked her Aryavarta and was looking forward to this.
All of these feelings at 73% !!!
And then I left it unfinished.
I really liked her Aryavarta and was looking forward to this.
February 20, 2021
A gripping story where the author describes the rule of Hindu kings and the creation of SE Asia. The fictional tale moves at a rapid pace where not only the rule and power of the Vijaya kingdom is diminished but also how Singapore is created. An unputdownable book
October 28, 2016
History, add some legends and folk tales, and some unexplored tales from Indian stories. Pour some fiction of Krishna Udayasankar into it. And you would find this novella type novel to be mesmerizing.
Placing itself in the timelines of the early thirteenth century, during Chinese Song Dynasty's rule, this is the legend of the prt city Singapore, with a host of exhilarating characters thronging from the author's pen.
Divided into 3 units and further classified into 26 chapters, the tale gives us the story of a innocent and timid prince/son and his tale of becoming a legend called : Sang Nila Utama.
The number THREE plays a huge role throughout the tale, in almost every ways. Be its structure, or the geographical area it locates itself into, or the stages of life we see of its protagonist, or the tale itself.
Starting from a palace boy, cradled with love from his mother, dotted by his sister, indifferent from his brother, and having a unique attachment to his father, the main character almost looks like a lost but capable character. In the first unit itself, we see his emergence and change in characters. all due to the hands of his fate and his grandfather.
The second unit lets us a peek into his ambitions as well as his limitations and pitfalls he is bound to compromise with. The final one shows us more the historic man, the south east asia know of. How he changed, and what he changed in that part of the world in a lifetime.
Other characters are sketched well, though they get a limited timespace within the pages. I felt the absence of strong female characters in this one, as compared to the earlier works of the author like Aryavarta Chronicles, except for Vani.
The prose is classic Udayasankar as usual. Lyrical and illustrious with a click of poetry in it.
Next on to, Immortals :)
This book is a good one. Recommended Read!
Placing itself in the timelines of the early thirteenth century, during Chinese Song Dynasty's rule, this is the legend of the prt city Singapore, with a host of exhilarating characters thronging from the author's pen.
Divided into 3 units and further classified into 26 chapters, the tale gives us the story of a innocent and timid prince/son and his tale of becoming a legend called : Sang Nila Utama.
The number THREE plays a huge role throughout the tale, in almost every ways. Be its structure, or the geographical area it locates itself into, or the stages of life we see of its protagonist, or the tale itself.
Starting from a palace boy, cradled with love from his mother, dotted by his sister, indifferent from his brother, and having a unique attachment to his father, the main character almost looks like a lost but capable character. In the first unit itself, we see his emergence and change in characters. all due to the hands of his fate and his grandfather.
The second unit lets us a peek into his ambitions as well as his limitations and pitfalls he is bound to compromise with. The final one shows us more the historic man, the south east asia know of. How he changed, and what he changed in that part of the world in a lifetime.
Other characters are sketched well, though they get a limited timespace within the pages. I felt the absence of strong female characters in this one, as compared to the earlier works of the author like Aryavarta Chronicles, except for Vani.
The prose is classic Udayasankar as usual. Lyrical and illustrious with a click of poetry in it.
Next on to, Immortals :)
This book is a good one. Recommended Read!
November 26, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I picked up this book by chance (Thanks to the attractive cover). The author's command over the language is admirable. Loved the characterisation of Nila and the beautiful way in which the author had expressed the thought process of the character.
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