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Ashoka: Satrap of Taxila
He can battle any enemy—except his own family Ashoka has been dispatched to accompany his brother Sushim to Taxila. But when he sees the brutality and disrespect to Mauryavansh by the Pashtun rebels, he cannot stay silent. His sword is as quick as his temper, and the result is swift and bloody justice. Taxila is saved—but the Emperor is furious. Emperor Bindusara, egged on by his favorite queen, Noor Khorasan, becomes convinced that Ashoka’s show of initiative is an act of treason. Even the wise words of nonagenarian Kautilya, emerging from retirement, fall on deaf ears. Queen Khorasan’s well-mounted plot to control the empire sweeps up everyone who opposes her. Suddenly, Ashoka is forced to choose between his mother’s life and his own. What will the young prince do? India’s epic storyteller brings alive the battles, brutality, lust and politics of ancient India in vivid detail with thrilling action, and no-holds-barred storytelling. Relive the extraordinary life story of India’s greatest emperor as a young man in Satrap of Taxila .
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2017
40 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Ashok K. Banker
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 21, 2017
Books of history teach us that King Ashoka fought the famous war of Kalinga, was alarmed at the bloodshed caused and became a Buddhist and built the stupas. We grew up with Ashoka Vriksha, Ashoka Chakra, Ashoka Stambha, and other legends of his. I often wondered how was it that a man who fought so vehemently and cruelly in the war of Kalinga could transforming this peace loving creature. It took Ashok Banker to write this series to answer my question. Ashoka, son of Bindusara, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, the King of Kings, the Chakravarthy had always been a just and a good man. War and not peace was what he was forced into.
Ashok Banker brilliantly lays the foundation for this very conclusion. Both war and peace are a part of Ashoka. Take for instance the brutal manner in which he quells the Pashtun rebellion but yet brings peace to the land of Afghana. Take for instance the brutal way in which he kills the lioness to protect Sushim, yet takes one of her cubs under his wing and nurtures it as a debt to the lioness. And by placing these events in the correct order Banker answers the one question that had plagued me since years. One less question to bother with.
Noor Khorasan is another character to recon with. Brilliant, Beautiful, Merciless, Lustful, she comes across as a chess player who moves with the kind of precision and forcefulness leaving the enemy rather helpless. You know her next move. You can't do anything to prevent it or avoid it. You have to take it lying down, grudgingly. No choice. Quite a powerful portrayal. What is appalling to me is the sexual debauchery within the palace. Well, I reserve my thoughts her for the fear that I might actually give away the story and spoil it.
"Why do we come here? To pay for the sins of our past." Acharya Kautilyas last words and his proclamation of the future brought tears to my eyes. Rani Subhadrangi's valor and Noor Khorasan's treatment of her made me seethe with vengeance. The end of this book seemed like the end of Ashoka. All pawns in place and the Queen is about to move in to checkmate. Again, I want to say more but the fact that it would give the story away is making me stop.
Brilliantly written. Looking forward for the third book in the series. I am going to read the whole series. And you?
Ashok Banker brilliantly lays the foundation for this very conclusion. Both war and peace are a part of Ashoka. Take for instance the brutal manner in which he quells the Pashtun rebellion but yet brings peace to the land of Afghana. Take for instance the brutal way in which he kills the lioness to protect Sushim, yet takes one of her cubs under his wing and nurtures it as a debt to the lioness. And by placing these events in the correct order Banker answers the one question that had plagued me since years. One less question to bother with.
Noor Khorasan is another character to recon with. Brilliant, Beautiful, Merciless, Lustful, she comes across as a chess player who moves with the kind of precision and forcefulness leaving the enemy rather helpless. You know her next move. You can't do anything to prevent it or avoid it. You have to take it lying down, grudgingly. No choice. Quite a powerful portrayal. What is appalling to me is the sexual debauchery within the palace. Well, I reserve my thoughts her for the fear that I might actually give away the story and spoil it.
"Why do we come here? To pay for the sins of our past." Acharya Kautilyas last words and his proclamation of the future brought tears to my eyes. Rani Subhadrangi's valor and Noor Khorasan's treatment of her made me seethe with vengeance. The end of this book seemed like the end of Ashoka. All pawns in place and the Queen is about to move in to checkmate. Again, I want to say more but the fact that it would give the story away is making me stop.
Brilliantly written. Looking forward for the third book in the series. I am going to read the whole series. And you?
December 9, 2017
Fast Paced Read
The story line is fast and keeps you hooked. Short story helps for a quick read during busy week days
The story line is fast and keeps you hooked. Short story helps for a quick read during busy week days
October 13, 2020
My first Ashok .k Banker book ( https://www.ashokkbanker.com )
Ancient Taxila was an important city of Ancient India,It's as a city goes back to c. 1000 BCE..By 317 BCE, the Greek satraps left by Alexander were driven out,and Taxila came under the control of Chandragupta Maurya, who turned Taxila into a regional capital. His advisor, Kautilya/Chanakya, was said to have taught at Taxila's university .Under the reign of Ashoka, Chandragupta's grandson, the city was made a great seat of Buddhist learning, though the city was home to a minor rebellion during this time. (wiki )
The rebellion during the rule of Bidhusara's time is the back ground ot this story .This novel looks at the political forces ranged against Ashoka’s claim to being the heir to the throne as the eldest grandson of the glorified Chandragupta Maurya ..A fictionalized account of what life in that era was probabaly like based on known archeological facts ... this book ends in a cliffhanger ...has to read the rest of the series ,,,,
For a up-to-date book on the subject read Ashoka in Ancient India
recommended
Ancient Taxila was an important city of Ancient India,It's as a city goes back to c. 1000 BCE..By 317 BCE, the Greek satraps left by Alexander were driven out,and Taxila came under the control of Chandragupta Maurya, who turned Taxila into a regional capital. His advisor, Kautilya/Chanakya, was said to have taught at Taxila's university .Under the reign of Ashoka, Chandragupta's grandson, the city was made a great seat of Buddhist learning, though the city was home to a minor rebellion during this time. (wiki )
The rebellion during the rule of Bidhusara's time is the back ground ot this story .This novel looks at the political forces ranged against Ashoka’s claim to being the heir to the throne as the eldest grandson of the glorified Chandragupta Maurya ..A fictionalized account of what life in that era was probabaly like based on known archeological facts ... this book ends in a cliffhanger ...has to read the rest of the series ,,,,
For a up-to-date book on the subject read Ashoka in Ancient India
recommended
August 9, 2019
Wow. Simply wow. Everything is going downhill. Although this book deals more with other characters than Ashoka after the war in Taxila, I've no qualms. I wish the book was longer with more content about others and Ashoka as well. Ashoka's arc seems too short and missing something.
Like I mentioned in the review of the first book, the erotic scenes are too detailed. Especially in this book, they are very graphic. The author gets creative in describing the gonads. The only downside is the readers might get diverted from the main plot. Maybe the author wants to show us how ensnared Bindhusara was in Noor's trap. The author could have done a better job in conveying the passage of time in this book. It gets confusing at points.
That climax.. awesome cliffhanger. I wish I had started reading this series after all three books were released! :'( I can't wait for the third one. Sadly, I might forget some of the plot or how I felt about the series by the time the third one comes out. The epilogue was gruesome.
I'm surprised that this book has so few readers/reviews on Goodreads. Hope that doesn't reflect the actual readership of this series.
Like I mentioned in the review of the first book, the erotic scenes are too detailed. Especially in this book, they are very graphic. The author gets creative in describing the gonads. The only downside is the readers might get diverted from the main plot. Maybe the author wants to show us how ensnared Bindhusara was in Noor's trap. The author could have done a better job in conveying the passage of time in this book. It gets confusing at points.
That climax.. awesome cliffhanger. I wish I had started reading this series after all three books were released! :'( I can't wait for the third one. Sadly, I might forget some of the plot or how I felt about the series by the time the third one comes out. The epilogue was gruesome.
I'm surprised that this book has so few readers/reviews on Goodreads. Hope that doesn't reflect the actual readership of this series.
January 18, 2022
The plot is amazing and in continuation to the first part. I am sure it will make a better story than bahubali if SS Rajamouli adds his usual magic. Highly recommended to anyone seeking to know the man and his times more deeply. Waiting for the third part in mid “22.
September 4, 2017
The saga continues, ever interesting - now the wait for the third book!
October 16, 2018
Slower than the prequel. Quick read and left me wanting for me.
February 12, 2019
Second part
The second part doesn't disappoint. Well researched, and well written. The author had painted the times very well.
Highly recommended.
The second part doesn't disappoint. Well researched, and well written. The author had painted the times very well.
Highly recommended.
October 30, 2019
Nice book.. Very well written.. Crisp story telling.. Recommended for all indian history lovers
February 13, 2020
Intriguing and keeps you turning the pages even though its history!
January 16, 2022
2022 #10. Ashok banker does not disappoint in his gripping version of how Ashoka's story might have unfolded. Looking forward to the next one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2023
Did not even realise when the book reached its end! Good thing that i had the third part ready on my Kindle.....
March 26, 2019
Nice description of luxury, politics, lust, violence and valour in the era of Maurya vansh. Though this book doesn't go much in depth of life and personality of king Ashoka. And sometimes it may feel like it's full of narration that seems out of context. Though it has effectively shown the dirty side of the kingdom.
August 27, 2023
I rated it a three not because it's bad as in "bad fiction" no matter how it's written by someone who doesn't write well. Ashok indeed does write VERY WELL, but from whose perspective? A Hindutva perspective, a leftist perspective, a Christian looking in from the outside perspective?
I don't know... I've read about Ashok's checkered family past, which is interracial and intercultural. I believe that he turned against his Hindū father's family because of their treatment towards his European mother (whatever that entailed), and he is heavily influenced by his European grandmother, if I'm not mistaken. This is a great way for the White Man to influence the Narrative, by having a Bhāratīya write something under his or her direction, ESPECIALLY if the writer considers the White Man as a mentor.
It disturbs me that such a person is a prolific author of Indian/Hindū fiction, a critical category for Hindūs preparing their minds for eventual war with the West, which no doubt is going to happen. I had already bought a lot of his books in a big batch to read because I was looking for anything of a fiction genre to add to the rebuilding of the Indic narrative in my mind after being away from Bhārat for thousands of years (I have just over 8% Indian ancestry, blended in with Native American ancestry from my paternal grandmother), and I am white American born otherwise). My mistake was chasing after it in a hurry and not checking the author's past and and political alignment.
I would have preferred an author who comes from a solid, fully-integrated Hindū family background, one which recognizes the existential threat our Breaking India enemies represent to us.
I am also disturbed by his graphic rendition of sex between the King, one of his Queens, and her mistress. I think that the descriptions in such a hallowed part of history is influenced by the Christian starvation for sex, since Christians can't have it in a totally-abandoned shameless fashion, especially if the man is circumsized and thusly desensitized through constant rubbing against underwear/pants. He chases after the fully-mind-blown experience that he can never have like an uncut man can have.
In essence, my question is this - if India had to fight a world war to save itself, its history, its cultures, its languages, its spiritual treasure, which uniform would Banker be willing to put on, Indian military or some European/American military? Where does his loyalty lie? I can't figure out where he stands with my limited understanding of his background.
I don't know... I've read about Ashok's checkered family past, which is interracial and intercultural. I believe that he turned against his Hindū father's family because of their treatment towards his European mother (whatever that entailed), and he is heavily influenced by his European grandmother, if I'm not mistaken. This is a great way for the White Man to influence the Narrative, by having a Bhāratīya write something under his or her direction, ESPECIALLY if the writer considers the White Man as a mentor.
It disturbs me that such a person is a prolific author of Indian/Hindū fiction, a critical category for Hindūs preparing their minds for eventual war with the West, which no doubt is going to happen. I had already bought a lot of his books in a big batch to read because I was looking for anything of a fiction genre to add to the rebuilding of the Indic narrative in my mind after being away from Bhārat for thousands of years (I have just over 8% Indian ancestry, blended in with Native American ancestry from my paternal grandmother), and I am white American born otherwise). My mistake was chasing after it in a hurry and not checking the author's past and and political alignment.
I would have preferred an author who comes from a solid, fully-integrated Hindū family background, one which recognizes the existential threat our Breaking India enemies represent to us.
I am also disturbed by his graphic rendition of sex between the King, one of his Queens, and her mistress. I think that the descriptions in such a hallowed part of history is influenced by the Christian starvation for sex, since Christians can't have it in a totally-abandoned shameless fashion, especially if the man is circumsized and thusly desensitized through constant rubbing against underwear/pants. He chases after the fully-mind-blown experience that he can never have like an uncut man can have.
In essence, my question is this - if India had to fight a world war to save itself, its history, its cultures, its languages, its spiritual treasure, which uniform would Banker be willing to put on, Indian military or some European/American military? Where does his loyalty lie? I can't figure out where he stands with my limited understanding of his background.
April 30, 2021
Nvu
The big one in my area of the site we are working with the university of the site and I found the information
The big one in my area of the site we are working with the university of the site and I found the information
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews