MUDMEN - The Quest For Humanity

by Shitij Sharma

What if you thought you could play a better god than God?

Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before. It all starts with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is ravaged by a great storm. There is an artifact in his possession which gives him power over all else, but that artifact is stolen by the very creatures that he gave birth to in his frustration – these creatures are what we come to know as the Mudmen.

Excerpt -

And for the first time in days he dreamt. He was climbing up a hill. It was the dead of the night and moonlight was his only guide to what lay ahead. His short legs carried him up the hill at a far slower pace than he had expected to cover.
Wait! What had he expected to cover?
All of a sudden the ground beneath his feet began to shake and a grumbling sound emanated from the top of the hill. It was almost as if the great giant that rests beneath the earth had finally decided to move and he was standing directly over him.
Why were there no trees on the hill? Why was the ground so barren?
He saw a light at the top, an orange glow that seemed to be taking on a more solid form as each second passed by and every step he took brought him closer to it. It was almost as if the night sky was on fire.
Oh no. This was not a hill. It was a volcano, one that was about to spew forth molten lava and rocks.
He fell down as the earth beneath his feet shook even more violently. A black cloud of smoke blocked out the moon but he could see the world around him a lot clearer now in the light of the fire that rained from the skies above. He turned around, willing himself to run away but his feet would not obey him. And then he remembered that he had to get to the top of the volcano no matter what happened, for what waited for him at the top was the only thing that mattered.

The first book of the series will be available for purchase on 1st February, 2017.
Click on the following link to read the book - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N28AVAP

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2017

About the author

Shitij Sharma is a nineteen year old budding author from India. He is the author of the book - THE GIRL FROM ROSTOV.

'This world was a strange place to live in. It was disorderly and chaotic. Therefore, we had to find our way through this labyrinth of human emotions and actions to arrive at a place where there was some resemblance to order, order in the form of disorderly governments and a moral compass that does not always point north.'

He currently resides in New Delhi, India. He spends most of his time writing his second novel which he hopes to complete before this year is out.

THE GIRL FROM ROSTOV is a crime thriller/love story, but more importantly it is also a story of loss and the range of human emotions that a person goes through following it. The orphaned niece of a Russian gangster/international spy and arms dealer must find out who killed her uncle and why. She teams up with the son of a millionaire who has his own set of demons from the past.
* A couple of chapters in the beginning of the book are situated in Russia while most of the other scenes take place in India.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

MUDMEN was a very intriguing, atmospheric read. It was such an interesting take on the idea of a sort of Creator or God. The descriptions were so lovely and engaging. This was definitely a story with strong writing. The different elements actually weaved together really well even with the short length of the novel/novella.

My biggest complaint is the piece lacked a vital sense of direction, I'm sure because it was difficult to fit a developed plot into such a short space. Rather, the focus was on creating a much more setting-driven story that built the foundation for a unique world.

The length worked really well, though, towards certain aspects of the success of the story; it was really beneficial for my reading experience to sit down and swallow (figuratively, of course) this all in one sitting. I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I felt connected to the characters, especially since so few of them are actually named.

Overall, I found this story unlike anything I'd read before. Its narration felt a bit like a storybook, but much darker. I'd encourage lovers of fantasy to give it a try!

***I was provided with a free copy of this ebook by the author in exchange for an honest review

***This review is also posted on Amazon and my blog

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

What if you thought you could play a petter god than God?
Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before. It all starts with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is raved by a great storm. There is an artifact in his possession which gives him power over all else, but that artifact is stolen by the very creatures that he gave birth to in his frustration – these creatures are what we come to know as the Mudmen.

This book was short and felt more like a novella than a novel. If I am being honest I struggled to understand this book. The author want to keep you intrigued by not giving a lot of details but if left me very confused. There was so much going on that I had a hard time keeping up. The story seemed to end out of nowhere. I am sure he wants to hook and hope that you will buy his next book for me it just left me confused. Other people who have read this have enjoyed it but I just couldn't grasp it.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I rate this book a 2 out of 5 stars.

[Katherine Philbrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Mudmen: The Quest for Humanity is a sci-fi novella and the first book in the Mudmen triology by Shitij Sharma. Normally, I start a review by explaining the plot of the book, but this Mudmen book is so different in so many ways. You need to experience the plot for yourself to fully understand and appreciate this story, so instead, I will just give you the words from the author himself: “Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before. It all starts with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is ravaged by a great storm. There is an artifact in his possession which gives him power over all else, but that artifact is stolen by the very creatures that he gave birth to in his frustration – these creatures are what we come to know as the Mudmen.”

Mudmen: The Quest for Humanity is breathtaking. It is an experience that you can’t get out of your head. The concept alone is super interesting but when you really start to get into it you realize that the words spun by this author are what make this story so scary and beautiful at the same time. My favorite part about this novella are the descriptions, especially in the beginning, about nature and how it relates to the Earth and to God. These descriptions are so well-written and gorgeous and I loved the way nature came into play throughout the whole story. My other favorite component of this story are the mudmen creatures for they are brilliant, in that they are great characters to get to know. The way they interact with the tiny man can feel almost life-like at times, as if you were standing right there beside them watching the story unfold. My only complaint is that knowing the purpose of all of the characters could be confusing at times since there was a lot going on. I was begging for more of that knowledge by the end of the story, but knowing there are two more installments to this series is able to hold me over.

Overall, I think every person should take the time to read this book. It is powerful. I had the pleasure of reading Sharma’s first novel, The Girl from Rostov, and although they are two very different genres I can already see improvement in his writing. He is a very talented storyteller and has this way of sucking you into his world without you even knowing it. His writing flows very smoothly and he does a good job of adding just the right amount of description versus dialogue. He does not spell out everything for the writer, meaning that he creates this idea but allows just enough room for the reader to think and philosophize about what is going on, and even think about what is going on Earth in this day and age. If you are looking for a quick, intense read that makes you think, than I suggest you read this book immediately. It teaches you lots of things in a small amount of time but most importantly, it allows you to think about your role in this life as a mere human being.

[Rita Kroon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mudmen - the Quest for Humanity by Shitij Sharma is fantasy. It is the first book of the Mudmen trilogy.

The story opens with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is ravaged by a great storm. He is redesigning the new world to replace the old world that was destroyed. He has stacks and stacks of papers of plans neatly piled on his desk. In a fit of rage, he burned an entire stack of papers. Somewhere an entire galaxy went up in smoke. He has an artifact, a quill, which gives him power over all else, but the artifact is stolen by the very creatures he gave birth to. These creatures are known as the Mudmen. - creatures that look like, and walk like men except without eyes, ears, nose or mouth.

Although Sharma uses his imagination in some very creative ways, the tale lacks a story line, has no arc, and is confusing as to who the protagonist is, his objective, and if he accomplishes his goal. The story switches to the Mudmen whose purpose is to claim their humanity. The leader Mudmen stole the little man's diary in order to know the purpose behind their creation - the truth about themselves. The little man needs to get the stolen quill back for that is the source of his powers.

Sharma introduces several new characters late in the story which do not move the story forward, so I wonder, what was their purpose? In the final chapter, the little man finds a note from the Mudmen accusing him of making men into monsters and back into men again. The story has a weak ending.

Sharma uses some great imagery, and the reader will be able to visualize the scenes. I think there is potential in this story, but it needs to be more fully developed.

I give The Mudmen a 3-star rating.

Review by Rita Kroon, author of "Letters from the Past" and "Kiss Your Mommy Goodbye

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

The question 'What if you thought you could play a better god than God?' begins the synopsis of Mudmen: The Quest for Humanity, and easily draws the reader in to an extremely creative, imaginative world. Whether one actually believes in a god or not, this question poses an intriguing idea, which is exactly what Shitij Sharma explores throughout his book.

There was a lot to pack into such a short book, but I think Sharma managed this feat with a talented hand.
Something that really stood out for me and that I particularly loved was how this book read almost like a classic fairy tale in the sense that it was engrossing and ever so whimsical. However, there were ever-present darker aspects that lurked around the edges of every scene and page, which added a great deal of depth and intrigue to the story overall.

I find it difficult to describe the plot itself without going into too much detail, and I feel that this story is best read without too much knowledge beforehand of its contents. There didn't actually seem to be an overly apparent storyline to follow, but Sharma's vivid storytelling was enough to keep me engaged. I felt that this story had a lot of potential that was developed quite as fully as it could have been, but this is an area that I feel could be addressed in subsequent novels.

Along with the fantastic elements, Mudmen is also largely characterized by philosophical undertones that are occasionally hard to grasp, but overall fascinating. I found there to be a lot going on in this short novel, which did occasionally make it hard to follow. The Mudmen creatures themselves were one of the most interesting aspects of the book, and I enjoyed seeing how they interacted with one another and the world around them.

Overall, I am giving Mudmen four stars! I was extremely impressed with the depth and concept of this story, and seeing as Sharma is still only nineteen years old, I think it's safe to say that we can expect many more great works from him!

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘He was safe, for he wielded the power to create, to change the form of matter as he desired.’

Indian author Shitij Sharma made an impressive debut at age 19 years with THE GIRL FROM ROSTOV. Not only a young writer but also a young philosopher, Shitij shares his view of the universe – ‘This world was a strange place to live in. It was disorderly and chaotic. Therefore, we had to find our way through this labyrinth of human emotions and actions to arrive at a place where there was some resemblance to order, order in the form of disorderly governments and a moral compass that does not always point north.' He lives in New Delhi, India and is committed to writing as a career.

Shitij describes this first installment in his MUDMEN TRIOLOGY as an overview – ‘Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before. It all starts with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is ravaged by a great storm. There is an artifact in his possession which gives him power over all else but that artifact is stolen by the very creatures that he gave birth to in his frustration – these creatures are what we come to know as the Mudmen.’

The novel is short, actually a novella, a fact that is in its favor in that it can comfortable read in one sitting, not only intensifying the effect of the concept the story conveys, but also because it allows the ideas to sink in completely developed, prepping the reader for the next volume in the series.
Shitij’s compelling writing suggests not only his fertile imagination but also a growing polish in this prose – ‘When the great storm finally subsided there was nothing left but a little man and his cottage filled with sheets of paper. On these sheets were words and symbols decipherable only to the man who had scribbled them. It was an ancient script, one that had been lost through the passage of time. It was the language of the men before men, the Ancients whose footprints on this earth had faded long before the little man was born. And then the sun no longer shone and there was only darkness; because the sun no longer existed and in its absence stood a gaping hole that swallowed the entire Universe. And yet nothing disturbed the little man’s creations. His world was safe for as long as he wished it to be so and there was not yet any reason for him to wish otherwise. It was then, when the world had been completely swallowed by darkness, that the words and the symbols on these pages began to glow in every colour imaginable. The little man continued to write by the glow which they provided. Then little by little these words and symbols began to float off the paper and into the sky, encompassing everything under God’s eye. Then the sun began to shine once again, brighter than it had ever shone before. The orange ball of fire erupted once more, turning everything that had earlier been swallowed by the abyss into a pile of cosmic ash. Fish once again swam in oceans, the water so clear that you could peer into the bottom of these very oceans and see for yourself all the way to the sea bed and all the life that rested there. Trees, that had been mere saplings a few moments ago, began to grow taller than ever and sprouted fruit, sweeter and juicier than any that had existed on this earth before. New forms of life began to walk the earth, with brains and skulls and limbs of all shapes and sizes.’

This degree of blending philosophy with fantasy is further proof that this young lad is likely to become a respected member of the genre of writing addicting books. As said before, the angst of youth as written by a youth is refreshing and bodes well for a solid career in literature.

[Betwixt the Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if you thought you could play a better god than God?

Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before. It all starts with a half-crazed dwarf scribbling furiously on a piece of paper while the world outside his little cottage is ravaged by a great storm. There is an artifact in his possession which gives him power over all else, but that artifact is stolen by the very creatures that he gave birth to in his frustration – these creatures are what we come to know as the Mudmen.

Rating: 3/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: intriguing, entertaining premise; I was a bit confused on some of the key aspects; definite feel of an "oral narrative"; this felt a little unfinished; I didn't feel a sense of connection with the characters or the story

Huge thanks to Shitij Sharma for sending me a free galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

I have to admit, penguins--I was SUPER intrigued by the premise of this book. I thought there was perhaps a bit of something akin to Terry Pratchett happening here, and I was so excited for that. The idea of Mudmen, and of starting anew after the "cleansing" of the world, seemed like it might be right up my alley.

Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the execution in the end. As intrigued as I was by the premise and the stories being woven throughout, I felt at times that I was missing key pieces of information. I wasn't able to "picture" what was happening--the scenery felt flat, the characters didn't stand out or set themselves apart. There was something here, and I was intrigued...but I never really got the answers I wanted, either. I felt like I was thrown into the middle of a story that I should already have known the beginning of, instead of being taken on a journey.

"The sun aches to hold the moon in its arms. It's a pity that they are seldom seen together but for some early winter mornings," he murmured, remembering a similar morning in another life, a far different time.

I was also unable to form any sort of connection to the characters or the adventure. There is quite a bit happening in this book, but I feel perhaps the timing of things was a bit off--instead of being able to take my time getting to know the characters and their quirks, figuring out where they were or what their goals were... I was thrust into the middle of a race to the finish. It felt rushed, in other words--instead of feeling as if I had all the information I needed for such a journey, I was left a bit confused and uncertain of what had just happened.

Still, the premise was intriguing, and I'm interested in the world that Shitij Sharma created for us. While I was confused about some of the finer world-building details, I loved the feel of "oral narrative" that was woven throughout the text, and would be interested in learning more about this world/these characters. I recommend this to lovers of origin stories, oral narratives, and interesting characters. Break out of your shells, penguins, and crack this journey open.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of "Mudmen, The Quest for Humanity," is absolutely correct in saying that this book is like nothing you've ever read before. I was amazed at the lyrical beauty of his words, which you want to read just because they are so compelling and descriptive. And in addition to this mesmerizing quality, you have a philosophical tale that pulls you in and also makes you think. I wasn't sure where this book was going when I first started into it, but with imagination, this book will leave you with feelings that are almost visceral in nature. It is hard to describe with any justice, so I won't go into detail regarding the plot; however, this is a book that must be experienced firsthand. As the first of a planned trilogy, I can't wait to see what the next installments hold. An impressive work by a very talented author.

[Striking 13 · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Come be a part of the journey to push the very boundaries of man’s imagination. Mudmen is a story unlike anything you have ever seen before.”

It’s hard not to take that bold opening as an affront, and to start exhaustively noting down every familiar trope from fantasy and apocalyptic fiction out of spite. Considering one of the major themes of Mudmen is the arrogance of creators, this irony seems to be lost on its young author.

But more self-awareness would only have stifled the artistic vision that powered this run-of-the-mill opus, filled as it is with incongruous imagery that might as well be from the author’s dreams for all the sense it makes. You can’t accuse Shitij Sharma of jumping on the latest trendy bandwagon, unless I’m out of touch and there’s been a surge of stories about bitter dwarfs warping the world to their own hubristic ends. Disappointingly, it looks like the sequels might be treading down the more familiar path of young adult stories about heroic young adults.

What mainly bugged me was the length. If this first part is representative of the whole, the final ‘trilogy’ will only amount to a fairly short novel. I understand that serialising stories is one of the few ways unknown authors can hope to make money out of their passion, but I would have been more impressed if this was more than an extended prologue.

If you’re in the right frame of mind or reading under the influence, Mudmen could be considered a visionary work comparable to the uncompromising films of Jodorowsky or Blake’s prophecies. But that would be a little generous. With his obvious drive, the teenage author’s got a long career ahead of him, and this trilogy is destined to be a curiosity of the early years before he found his voice and created his masterpieces.

This review of Mudmen originally appeared on Striking13.com

[Tavleen Kaur (Travelling Through Words) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic

My Rating: 4.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Mudmen is the second book by author Shitij Sharma. It is a stark contrast from his first book The Girl From Rostov which is a thriller. The story begins when a man wipes out the whole world and creates a new one with a magical quill and creatures called mudmen are born. He hopes to create a better world but some things go wrong and the new creatures created are not what he expected.

The book starts with a man scribbling furiously on a piece of paper with a magical quill while outside his cottage, a great storm is brewing. In the beginning, I couldn’t see at all where the book was going but interesting events were happening. The story is not at all predictable.

The plot was brilliant. It is based on the fantasy of wiping out the existing chaotic world and creating a new better one. A better place to live in and better human beings. There was also the question of whether what the man did was good or not. The philosophical nature of the book on the creation of the world was fascinating and something new for me.

The writing of this book was much better than the author’s first book. It enhanced the book instead of getting in the way. It was very fluid and I could easily get through the book.

The book is short but didn’t feel rushed at all. The pace was perfect and kept me interested throughout. The plot is the best part of the book and the author did a great job with it. I really enjoyed how the story played out. The concept of this book has the potential to become something huge and I’m really interested to see what the author does with it.

The book felt like a fusion of a fairy tale with High Fantasy. It is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a while. The story gets even more interesting with the addition of new characters. The book ends on a cliffhanger. This is the first book in a to-be trilogy so it does leave some loose ends.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it is one of those books that may appeal to readers of all genres and I especially recommend it if you’re looking to read something in one sitting.

[Eric Lahti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of a three book set. Truthfully, it weighs in at 88 pages or so, so novella may be more technically accurate. Not that such triviality is all that important. The important thing to realize is this is just the first third of a longer piece. Truthfully, I would have like to see the whole work released as a single installment, but that's just me. This first third gives us an introduction to the characters and rules of the Mudmen. Presumably, the remainder of the series will fill out the world more. Sharma asks some big questions in book one; let's hope he provides some big answers as the story continues.

Rich in metaphor and deeply layered meaning, Mudmen isn't a story to be undertaken expecting a few gun fights, a car chase, and some steamy sex. This is musings on the nature of being, the nature of the universe, and the nature of humanity.

Read the full review on my blog