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Karna: Victory in Death

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Unwanted by his mother, snubbed by his blood-brothers and ridiculed by all, this is the story of the unsung hero of the Mahabharata. The graphic novel traces the life-journey of this brave and noble man who became victim to the twists of fate. Loyal to a fault, Karna's blind devotion to the wicked prince Duryodhana, the one man who accepts him as a friend, leads him to side with the Kauravas and fight against his own brothers in the Battle of Kurukshetra.

164 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2017

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Rik Hoskin

84 books5 followers

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5 stars
23 (41%)
4 stars
19 (33%)
3 stars
10 (17%)
2 stars
4 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Srivinay Salian.
Author 4 books6 followers
April 24, 2017
Rekindled the joys of reading a graphic novel, for me.

I bought this graphic novel on a friend’s reference. I must say, I have been off graphic novels for a long time. I used to be a great fan of Mandrake ~ the Magician. For years, I could not indulge in comics.

But am glad, I picked this one up. For starters, with any mythological story there’s always a challenge, since the story is already known. And the best one could do is present it in an interesting way.

That’s where this book scores. The author has added interesting flavor to the narrative. On the other hand, the work of the artist, is awe-inspiring. In many of the frames, I felt like I was staring at a hero as in movies. The picture had come alive.

But the key inspiring factor for me, was the weaving of a story that made Karna a Hero, the reader would root for. Truly, the credit goes to the author for such a beautiful portrayal of a - ”flawed hero”. Yet, for me, Karna seemed more of a “doomed hero” then a flawed one.

Of course, the story has nothing new to offer, but the narrative surely does. As far as an experience of reading a graphic novel is concerned, this is a definite pick.
Profile Image for Disha Rs.
62 reviews1 follower
December 30, 2017
“So perhaps Karna was a hero...?
One trapped in a villain’s story.”
Profile Image for Abhishek Vipul Thakkar.
Author 16 books24 followers
April 25, 2019
He took the wrong side but he was loyal to the only one who truly valued him i.e. Duryodhana. Almost everyone criticized him because he was from a lower caste but Karna was a matchless warrior with unparalleled skill set. Nobody could match his prowess. Not even Arjuna. He respected Lord Krishna even when he did not agree with Him. He wasn't faultless. He should have questioned Duryodhana's motives but he was loyal to his best friend. Karna - the son of Sun God took offense quickly but he was kind and charitable too. The choice he made was the most difficult one. Gita may have been told to Arjuna because of his humility and moral vision but Karna was the most riveting character in the battle of Mahabharata who won the respect of everyone entailing the ones who despised him.

This graphic novel retells the story of Karna in a stimulating way. The illustrations are splendid but some of them could have been better. Apart from a few grammatical errors, the novel was impressive due to its rich illustrations.
Karna's story bequeaths us strength and conviction. He inspires us with his determination to succeed despite the obstacles which impede his progress. His indomitable will to fight against fate to overcome the odds invigorates us and rejuvenated my spirit.

Karna is an unforgettable character in the epic Mahabharata and his story is cherished not only by humans but also demigods themselves.

I give this graphic novel 3.5 stars out of 5.
1 review
March 30, 2020
This is really well crafted book, elaborating all the consequences which karna was put into.
He was the most brave soldier, better than arjun. He was a true warrior and perfect example of Friend and a generous king. He gave away his body armour to krishna before the war as donation.
I adore him the most in the whole mahabharta.
15 reviews1 follower
April 23, 2021
Very shallow, lackluster interpretation of one of the greatest anti-hero. Graphics are top quality, script is not. Disappointing!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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