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Bharat Series
The Vault of Vishnu
A Pallava prince travels to Cambodia to be crowned king, carrying with him secrets that will be the cause of great wars many centuries later.
A Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful.
A Neolithic tribe fights to preserve their sacred knowledge, oblivious to the war drums on the Indo-China border.
Meanwhile, far away in the temple town of Kanchipuram, a reclusive scientist deciphers ancient texts even as a team of secret agents shadows his every move.
Caught in the storm is a young investigator with a complex past of her own, who must race against time to maintain the balance of power in the new world.
Welcome back to the exciting and shadowy world of Ashwin Sanghi, where myth and history blend into edge-of-the-seat action.
A Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful.
A Neolithic tribe fights to preserve their sacred knowledge, oblivious to the war drums on the Indo-China border.
Meanwhile, far away in the temple town of Kanchipuram, a reclusive scientist deciphers ancient texts even as a team of secret agents shadows his every move.
Caught in the storm is a young investigator with a complex past of her own, who must race against time to maintain the balance of power in the new world.
Welcome back to the exciting and shadowy world of Ashwin Sanghi, where myth and history blend into edge-of-the-seat action.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2020
597 people are currently reading
2154 people want to read
About the author
Ashwin Sanghi
25 books2,732 followersAshwin Sanghi—entrepreneur by day, novelist by night—has all the usual qualifications of an Indian businessman. Schooling at the Cathedral & John Connon School, a B.A. (Economics) from St. Xavier’s College, and an M.B.A. (Finance) from the Yale School of Management. Besides being a businessman, Ashwin manages a parallel career as writer of fiction. Ashwin’s first novel, ‘The Rozabal Line’ was originally self-published in 2007 under his anagram-pseudonym—Shawn Haigins. The book was subsequently published by Westland in 2008 and 2010 in India under his own name and went on to become a national bestseller. ‘Chanakya’s Chant’ is his second novel in the historical-fiction genre. The book has remained on AC Nielsen’s India Bookscan Top-10 for all of 2011. It won the ‘2010 Crossword-Vodafone Popular Choice Award’ in September 2011. UTV has purchased the movie rights to the book and a film based upon the story is expected soon. Dr. Shashi Tharoor released the novel in Mumbai calling it an “enthralling, delightfully-interesting and gripping read with historical research that is impressive.” The Hindustan Times has called it “a cracker of a page-turner.” Ashwin is currently working on his third novel, as yet untitled, that explores business strategies in ancient India. Ashwin is also working towards a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Bangor University in Wales. Ashwin lives in Mumbai with his wife, Anushika, and his eight-year old son, Raghuvir.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 386 reviews
January 28, 2020
Another blockbuster from Ashwin. If his previous novel Keepers of the KalaChakra made Quantum Physics glamorous, then The Vault of Vishnu makes Bio engineering alluring. He serves the novel as a seven course meal to his readers. The Hors d' oeuvre is the Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Hanuman Gayatri mantra. The soup is the map showing Xuanzang's ( or Hsuan-tang) journey. The appetizer is the India-Chinese standoff at Doklam in 2017. The salad is the fictitious meeting at Integrated defence staff HQ. Then off course is the gripping plot narrated in classic Ashwin Sanghi style. For the desert you have the reveal at Chdiambaram temple. The Mignardise is the discussion at Cafe Turtle. Incidentally Cafe Turtle is my favorite book cafe in the country. As with his other novels, you will be hooked from the very first page and plot will have your apt attention till the end. End note: The book will definitely spike interest in Angkor Vat.
February 3, 2020
The Vault of Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi
I loved Sanghi’s other books. But, this is rant (unpopular opinion) of a frustrated fan. So, refrain from reading the review if you love this book.
I have read all previous books in Bharat Series. I loved three of them and liked two of them. So, it comes as a surprise to even me that I decide on only two stars for this book.
Ashwin Sanghi has a template. If you have read his previous works, you will know how it works.
1) Start the story directly with a conflict like murder or war
2) Talk about the conflict for first few chapters and possible reason and person around it for next few chapters. By now, half book will be over.
3) Don’t forget to add some historic interludes relevant to conflict.
4) Every character, irrespective of significance in story, gets an exhaustive background account.
5) When you are short of only few pages to the end of the book, the protagonist lands at clue that sets all the puzzle pieces in place.
6) Most of the times, a character who has been involved figuring out the conflict from start or who was least suspicious among the crowd ends up to be the culprit. Also, don’t underestimate the chance of someone perceived dead coming to life.
7) Lastly, good guys get their HEA.
Though most of the mystery stories have the same template, when it comes from same author for the sixth time, the book becomes very, very predictable.
Speaking of The Vault of Vishnu, firstly the title was justified only with one sentence in the final chapter. I just felt that the title story connectivity lacked.
If you have read Sanghi’s previous books, you can guess the plot twist and bad guys easily. It is very predictable.
Characters never stand out on Sanghi’s book. That is a known fact. It’s all only about the story. However, this book takes the cake for the most uninspiring and boring characters. For me, books are only as strong as their characters. So, this one fails completely where it matters. This irrelevant narration of each and every character’s background and routine is starting to get on my nerves now. Those accounts about them aren’t even intriguing. Can we cut down half chapter dedicated to it to say, two lines? Apart from that, this book also had tons of description about politics and science that seemed a lot overdone. This isn’t a journal, but fiction novel. Can we keep it more precise and interesting ?
One of my favourite things to read in Sanghi’s novels is the interludes of the past. Be it Chanakya’s story or Krishna’s story in his previous books. In this book, though, that interlude was the worst. I found myself skimming all those parts. Most of the paragraph started like ‘I went here’, ‘I reach there’, blah blah. Even small anecdotes of the monk with kings were just meh.
BTW, what was even the point of that monk’s boring story? How did it even contribute to the book? Just to know how he bought one urn to China? Well, just narrating that in a word or two would have served the purpose well.
After enduring all the boring stuff, when I get to the mystery revealing part, what do I get? Part of the big secret is plotline of 2011 tamil movie 7am arivu? I know what Bodhidharma took to China. Thank you very much. Sanjeeevini is real and it helps with healing and strength is probably the most unoriginal thing to come up with for someone who has written couple of wonderful books.
When speaking of all things I disliked in this book, let me also address how so not relatable the dialogues were. Too formal and text book-ish.
Also, sir, can we please not add a romantic angle just for the sake of it? I mean, who cares?
I understand Sanghi has done a lot of research for this book as for all others. I really respect him for his knowledge. But, at the end of the day, when it comes to books, what matters is how was it able to connect with you and hold your interest. It isn’t a research journal to get credits based on hard work alone.
I have high hopes from the man who I consider one of my favorite Indian authors. I wish he gives up this cliché template and give us a book that is really inspiring, mysterious and hell a lot of.
I loved Sanghi’s other books. But, this is rant (unpopular opinion) of a frustrated fan. So, refrain from reading the review if you love this book.
I have read all previous books in Bharat Series. I loved three of them and liked two of them. So, it comes as a surprise to even me that I decide on only two stars for this book.
Ashwin Sanghi has a template. If you have read his previous works, you will know how it works.
1) Start the story directly with a conflict like murder or war
2) Talk about the conflict for first few chapters and possible reason and person around it for next few chapters. By now, half book will be over.
3) Don’t forget to add some historic interludes relevant to conflict.
4) Every character, irrespective of significance in story, gets an exhaustive background account.
5) When you are short of only few pages to the end of the book, the protagonist lands at clue that sets all the puzzle pieces in place.
6) Most of the times, a character who has been involved figuring out the conflict from start or who was least suspicious among the crowd ends up to be the culprit. Also, don’t underestimate the chance of someone perceived dead coming to life.
7) Lastly, good guys get their HEA.
Though most of the mystery stories have the same template, when it comes from same author for the sixth time, the book becomes very, very predictable.
Speaking of The Vault of Vishnu, firstly the title was justified only with one sentence in the final chapter. I just felt that the title story connectivity lacked.
If you have read Sanghi’s previous books, you can guess the plot twist and bad guys easily. It is very predictable.
Characters never stand out on Sanghi’s book. That is a known fact. It’s all only about the story. However, this book takes the cake for the most uninspiring and boring characters. For me, books are only as strong as their characters. So, this one fails completely where it matters. This irrelevant narration of each and every character’s background and routine is starting to get on my nerves now. Those accounts about them aren’t even intriguing. Can we cut down half chapter dedicated to it to say, two lines? Apart from that, this book also had tons of description about politics and science that seemed a lot overdone. This isn’t a journal, but fiction novel. Can we keep it more precise and interesting ?
One of my favourite things to read in Sanghi’s novels is the interludes of the past. Be it Chanakya’s story or Krishna’s story in his previous books. In this book, though, that interlude was the worst. I found myself skimming all those parts. Most of the paragraph started like ‘I went here’, ‘I reach there’, blah blah. Even small anecdotes of the monk with kings were just meh.
BTW, what was even the point of that monk’s boring story? How did it even contribute to the book? Just to know how he bought one urn to China? Well, just narrating that in a word or two would have served the purpose well.
After enduring all the boring stuff, when I get to the mystery revealing part, what do I get? Part of the big secret is plotline of 2011 tamil movie 7am arivu? I know what Bodhidharma took to China. Thank you very much. Sanjeeevini is real and it helps with healing and strength is probably the most unoriginal thing to come up with for someone who has written couple of wonderful books.
When speaking of all things I disliked in this book, let me also address how so not relatable the dialogues were. Too formal and text book-ish.
Also, sir, can we please not add a romantic angle just for the sake of it? I mean, who cares?
I understand Sanghi has done a lot of research for this book as for all others. I really respect him for his knowledge. But, at the end of the day, when it comes to books, what matters is how was it able to connect with you and hold your interest. It isn’t a research journal to get credits based on hard work alone.
I have high hopes from the man who I consider one of my favorite Indian authors. I wish he gives up this cliché template and give us a book that is really inspiring, mysterious and hell a lot of.
March 9, 2020
As usual a perfect mix of history, mythology & thriller. There is a reason why Ashwin is called Indian Dan Brown .
A wonderful read.
Detailed review may follow
A wonderful read.
Detailed review may follow
March 18, 2021
The book is supposed to be a blend of fiction and reality.
I am very critical when it comes to these types of writings, in my opinion these books can be very misleading because these types of books dilute the boundary between fact and fiction. A person without any prior knowledge is prone to get their facts mixed up with the fiction.
The story is built around a Chinese traveler who visited India around 627 CE.
Our protagonist is the daughter of a martyred army hero ,she works at DRDO. She is called in at the CoSC due to recent developments happening between the India and China border. As the story progresses further, her old lover gets introduced (both have left their past behind for good). As she slowly get deep into the investigation, Mind Boggling govt projects which combine ancient and state of the art science found its way to become the main reason due to which recent developments happened at indo-china border.
The build up gets more and more intense as the author throws bits and bits of information out of context until the very end of the story. Just as a good thriller should be. But soon all my expectations from the author resulted in a big let Down. As I reached the climax of the story and read it thoroughly, it felt like I was reading a second class generic thriller movie script.
Only thing that stopped me from not abandoning the book incomplete was the author's art of linkings history to fiction. Whenever I read these types of writings, I also judge them from what they are teaching us from our past. This book gave me a new pair of glasses to view India from.
Be it how grand and prosperous our past culture and empires were. How their influence reached in far distant places. Be it how India's culture/ Buddha's land culture influenced and changed what is now the modern State of China in the past. Be it our religious literature.
On which this book passes in flying colors. Overall the book is above average. Generic love story. Generic second class thriller endings, bad guy loses good guy wins.
But smooth intermixing of history and fiction, Which was the only reason I readed this book and will happily read again.
The three mystic monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. The world has forgotten that there were 4 monkeys, not three, The fourth was who do no evil. I believe that the time has come for us to live by that fourth element.
I am very critical when it comes to these types of writings, in my opinion these books can be very misleading because these types of books dilute the boundary between fact and fiction. A person without any prior knowledge is prone to get their facts mixed up with the fiction.
The story is built around a Chinese traveler who visited India around 627 CE.
Our protagonist is the daughter of a martyred army hero ,she works at DRDO. She is called in at the CoSC due to recent developments happening between the India and China border. As the story progresses further, her old lover gets introduced (both have left their past behind for good). As she slowly get deep into the investigation, Mind Boggling govt projects which combine ancient and state of the art science found its way to become the main reason due to which recent developments happened at indo-china border.
The build up gets more and more intense as the author throws bits and bits of information out of context until the very end of the story. Just as a good thriller should be. But soon all my expectations from the author resulted in a big let Down. As I reached the climax of the story and read it thoroughly, it felt like I was reading a second class generic thriller movie script.
Only thing that stopped me from not abandoning the book incomplete was the author's art of linkings history to fiction. Whenever I read these types of writings, I also judge them from what they are teaching us from our past. This book gave me a new pair of glasses to view India from.
Be it how grand and prosperous our past culture and empires were. How their influence reached in far distant places. Be it how India's culture/ Buddha's land culture influenced and changed what is now the modern State of China in the past. Be it our religious literature.
On which this book passes in flying colors. Overall the book is above average. Generic love story. Generic second class thriller endings, bad guy loses good guy wins.
But smooth intermixing of history and fiction, Which was the only reason I readed this book and will happily read again.
The three mystic monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. The world has forgotten that there were 4 monkeys, not three, The fourth was who do no evil. I believe that the time has come for us to live by that fourth element.
January 27, 2020
Like Keepers of the Kalachakra, The Vault of Vishnu also has anti-gravity: I could not put the book down till it was completed.
As one of the squirrels who contributed some keystones to this Ram Sethu bridge of the author’s imagination, I am in a position to give this review so soon after the book is released.
The descriptions made me feel I was actually at those locations, sensing every little thing. A roller coaster ride of history, mythology, religion, physics and spiritually, facts are clearly explained and extrapolated to create this web which swallows readers. The research done is clear from the number of references. Spanning periods across centuries, countries and continents, this is a great read. Cancel your appointments, shut down your mobile and start this book.
As one of the squirrels who contributed some keystones to this Ram Sethu bridge of the author’s imagination, I am in a position to give this review so soon after the book is released.
The descriptions made me feel I was actually at those locations, sensing every little thing. A roller coaster ride of history, mythology, religion, physics and spiritually, facts are clearly explained and extrapolated to create this web which swallows readers. The research done is clear from the number of references. Spanning periods across centuries, countries and continents, this is a great read. Cancel your appointments, shut down your mobile and start this book.
July 3, 2020
This was book eight out of twenty in 2020.
God, I hated this book as badly as I wanted to like it. I got so excited when I saw that it was titled the Vault of Vishnu because I expected it to be about Sri Anantapadhmanabha Swami's temple. I've been so fascinated with that temple since the past few years and I would have loved learning about it through this book. But, all this book really was is a convoluted snooze fest. It's appalling to me how you can write so many pages of prose and diction without a single point of interest. Ashwin Sanghi's books always turn on a soft spot in me which hardens just as quickly because of how convoluted his plots get. The absolute lack of delineation in the novel bugs me to no end.
Waste of time, to be honest.
God, I hated this book as badly as I wanted to like it. I got so excited when I saw that it was titled the Vault of Vishnu because I expected it to be about Sri Anantapadhmanabha Swami's temple. I've been so fascinated with that temple since the past few years and I would have loved learning about it through this book. But, all this book really was is a convoluted snooze fest. It's appalling to me how you can write so many pages of prose and diction without a single point of interest. Ashwin Sanghi's books always turn on a soft spot in me which hardens just as quickly because of how convoluted his plots get. The absolute lack of delineation in the novel bugs me to no end.
Waste of time, to be honest.
March 4, 2023
Amazing storytelling by the author, this takes us through a journey led by one Buddhist Monk and parallel to modern suspense mixed with warfare and politics.
The book has well-built characters and each has played their part well. The suspense that connected past and present was well expressed and has been very intriguing to me as a reader.
A great blend of myth and history, The Vault of Vishnu kept me hooked on its tale.
The book has well-built characters and each has played their part well. The suspense that connected past and present was well expressed and has been very intriguing to me as a reader.
A great blend of myth and history, The Vault of Vishnu kept me hooked on its tale.
April 1, 2021
This is my third book in the Bharat Series by Ashwin Sanghi. Indic Academy, an Institute for Study of Global Indigenous Knowledge, has gifted this book under its initiative of the 1000 Reviewers Club, which aims to giveaway upto five books each to a thousand participants, in a year, to promote Indic authors and their works.
The story is based on the current India-China boarder issue, their mistrust for each other which stems from a history of boarder incursions, wars and their bid for regional and global supremacy. Running parallel to this there is a second story from sixth century where a Chinese scholar travels to India to learn Buddhism from the great Nalanda University. In contrast to the central story which is the fictional take on the current tense relations between the two nations, the second story shows how once upon a time there was cultural and knowledge exchange happening between these two neighbours, which had the potential to rule the world together.
In his typical writing style, the author has taken threads of history, mythology, fable and folklores; and interwoven them with today’s political reality, international relations, et al to create a story which takes its reader on a roller-coaster ride. The story seamlessly goes back and forth in time to run the two stories together and interlink them.
So, you have multiple characters travelling in different countries and in different time period in search of a knowledge of a mythical herb that will give their army unimaginable power. Add to that a dash of various secret service agencies, a pinch of political posturing, few slices of international intrigues and you get a full package.
You will think that with so much going on the author will drop a ball or two. But that’s the thing about Sanghi’s writing, he juggles them effortlessly and you are hooked.
This book and the series is a great read for YA. It will give them a lot to chew on from the historical and the political perspective in an entertaining way; and set them on a path to inquisitive about things that they may have otherwise found boring.
The story is based on the current India-China boarder issue, their mistrust for each other which stems from a history of boarder incursions, wars and their bid for regional and global supremacy. Running parallel to this there is a second story from sixth century where a Chinese scholar travels to India to learn Buddhism from the great Nalanda University. In contrast to the central story which is the fictional take on the current tense relations between the two nations, the second story shows how once upon a time there was cultural and knowledge exchange happening between these two neighbours, which had the potential to rule the world together.
In his typical writing style, the author has taken threads of history, mythology, fable and folklores; and interwoven them with today’s political reality, international relations, et al to create a story which takes its reader on a roller-coaster ride. The story seamlessly goes back and forth in time to run the two stories together and interlink them.
So, you have multiple characters travelling in different countries and in different time period in search of a knowledge of a mythical herb that will give their army unimaginable power. Add to that a dash of various secret service agencies, a pinch of political posturing, few slices of international intrigues and you get a full package.
You will think that with so much going on the author will drop a ball or two. But that’s the thing about Sanghi’s writing, he juggles them effortlessly and you are hooked.
This book and the series is a great read for YA. It will give them a lot to chew on from the historical and the political perspective in an entertaining way; and set them on a path to inquisitive about things that they may have otherwise found boring.
December 24, 2020
Ashwin Sanghi has a style of writing that is common to all the books that I’ve read where he plays with timelines and weaves a story through it. The Vault of Vishnu is a book that talks about the relationship between India and China over the centuries; how the cultural heritage of both nations have influenced the other. It also points out how both the nations can work wonders when they work together and not against one another. A very interesting book in my opinion. ⚱️ 🗡 🐵
January 31, 2020
Worst ever in his series!!!
July 2, 2024
Love the way Sanghu weaves destinations and history in his stories - https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/the-vau...
October 15, 2023
It was an awesome experience reading this novel.The right blend of Mythology and Science🤙🏼
June 7, 2020
I am reading Ashwin Sanghis book after 4-5 years. He has great imagination and story telling ability. My issue with his books was his way of writing. It wasn't fluid and language was not at par. Just like my reviews.
This book is about a secret potion which was discovered by the alchemists in ancient Bharat which upon consumed in right quantities gave super strength to the consumer. The book is divided in two timelines, just like The Chanakyas chant, where one is that of a Chinese traveler in about 800AD and other is through POV of Pam Khurana in present. Both of them are in search of the magic potion for different reasons.
I liked the concept. There might be a possibility that there's a recipe for such potion hidden in our ancient manuscripts. So the storyline, supporting events, places, characters were quite believable. The author has done a ton of research to write a fiction.
Said so, half the book is travelog. It is an essential part of the story which hasn't been written in engaging manner. Whatever thrill and suspense author manages in the present storyline is lost in the travelog. There is also too much of information bombarded in travelog all at once which becomes difficult to grasp and further slows down the pace of the book.
It's a nice concept, good story, right balance of mythology and fiction but you enjoy only half the book which is set in present storyline. The author has improved his language over the years but is yet to denounce the use of frequent "In facts". Please to take a note if you are reading this review author.
You won't regret reading this but you won't enjoy it fully.
This book is about a secret potion which was discovered by the alchemists in ancient Bharat which upon consumed in right quantities gave super strength to the consumer. The book is divided in two timelines, just like The Chanakyas chant, where one is that of a Chinese traveler in about 800AD and other is through POV of Pam Khurana in present. Both of them are in search of the magic potion for different reasons.
I liked the concept. There might be a possibility that there's a recipe for such potion hidden in our ancient manuscripts. So the storyline, supporting events, places, characters were quite believable. The author has done a ton of research to write a fiction.
Said so, half the book is travelog. It is an essential part of the story which hasn't been written in engaging manner. Whatever thrill and suspense author manages in the present storyline is lost in the travelog. There is also too much of information bombarded in travelog all at once which becomes difficult to grasp and further slows down the pace of the book.
It's a nice concept, good story, right balance of mythology and fiction but you enjoy only half the book which is set in present storyline. The author has improved his language over the years but is yet to denounce the use of frequent "In facts". Please to take a note if you are reading this review author.
You won't regret reading this but you won't enjoy it fully.
March 2, 2021
I will begin with thanking Abhinav Agarwal sir and Indic book club , thanks to whom I have received this book. I have already read three previous books of the author: Chanakya's Chant, The krishna key and The Roaldable Line. Ashwin Sanghi excels at playing with two or more different timelines, one or more backdrop(s) in an ancient era and another set in present time. He has done the same in this book as well. Once you start his book, you have no choice but to finish it. No matter how underwhelmed you are by the end of the book, you won't be bored for sure.The blurb of the book reads: " A Pallava prince travels to Cambodia to be crowned king, carrying with him secrets that will be the cause of great wars many centuries later.
A Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful.
A Neolithic tribe fights to preserve their sacred knowledge, oblivious to the war drums on the Indo-China border.
Meanwhile, far away in the temple town of Kanchipuram, a reclusive scientist deciphers ancient texts even as a team of secret agents shadows his every move.
Caught in the storm is a young investigator with a complex past of her own, who must race against time to maintain the balance of power in the new world."
To be honest, the blurb is much more attention grabbing ( I would have certainly bought the book after reading such an excellent blurb) than the book though the book doesn't exactly disappoint. But I have certainly read better works of Ashwin Sanghi. This book has the typical Ashwin Sanghi writing style that will leave you struggling for breath but without giving away any spoiler(since it is a thriller) it could have been more gripping as a story. You can sure go for it if you are a science fiction lover and thriller lover both. It is engaging in its own way as all of Ashwin Sanghi novels are.
Recommended as a one time read.
A Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful.
A Neolithic tribe fights to preserve their sacred knowledge, oblivious to the war drums on the Indo-China border.
Meanwhile, far away in the temple town of Kanchipuram, a reclusive scientist deciphers ancient texts even as a team of secret agents shadows his every move.
Caught in the storm is a young investigator with a complex past of her own, who must race against time to maintain the balance of power in the new world."
To be honest, the blurb is much more attention grabbing ( I would have certainly bought the book after reading such an excellent blurb) than the book though the book doesn't exactly disappoint. But I have certainly read better works of Ashwin Sanghi. This book has the typical Ashwin Sanghi writing style that will leave you struggling for breath but without giving away any spoiler(since it is a thriller) it could have been more gripping as a story. You can sure go for it if you are a science fiction lover and thriller lover both. It is engaging in its own way as all of Ashwin Sanghi novels are.
Recommended as a one time read.
June 11, 2021
“Everyone is loyal but to whom, or what, varies from time to time.” - 3/5
The Vault of Vishnu is a thriller book which as the Indo-China wars and bio-human engineering as it's motif. There's a lot of tension going on at Doklam which is border between India and China, and India is unable to decipher how Chinese soldiers are having a strength which is unmatchable and there comes our protagonist Pam Khurana who is working for DRDO and has been assigned to find out who are these uncanny fighter on the other side. The story also involves many other subplots like Pam's father sudden disappearance, her love life, journey of an ancient Buddhist monk and history of connection between India and Cambodia. Also the story mainly focuses on combination of mysterious substances that converge superhuman powers in mere beings.
I felt the narration of the book is unnecessarily complex, and user doesn't get any thrill out of it. Neither the characters are not formed soundly nor they have given the due closure at the end of the book, they could have done with lot less characters in the book. It's surely a page turner but not the kind which get you hooked. The storyline idea is great, but does not do enough justice to the title which is being set.
To be honest, it's definitely not one of the best work of Ashwin Sanghi.
The Vault of Vishnu is a thriller book which as the Indo-China wars and bio-human engineering as it's motif. There's a lot of tension going on at Doklam which is border between India and China, and India is unable to decipher how Chinese soldiers are having a strength which is unmatchable and there comes our protagonist Pam Khurana who is working for DRDO and has been assigned to find out who are these uncanny fighter on the other side. The story also involves many other subplots like Pam's father sudden disappearance, her love life, journey of an ancient Buddhist monk and history of connection between India and Cambodia. Also the story mainly focuses on combination of mysterious substances that converge superhuman powers in mere beings.
I felt the narration of the book is unnecessarily complex, and user doesn't get any thrill out of it. Neither the characters are not formed soundly nor they have given the due closure at the end of the book, they could have done with lot less characters in the book. It's surely a page turner but not the kind which get you hooked. The storyline idea is great, but does not do enough justice to the title which is being set.
To be honest, it's definitely not one of the best work of Ashwin Sanghi.
April 8, 2021
Ashwin Sanghi has this uncanny capability to weave mythology into a story line that is very contemporary in its nature. He does that yet again in this fascinating offering that is built around security threat from a hidden potion/concoction that is centuries old and that was likely to fall in enemy's hands. Authors command over the facts relating to historical past is commendable and he manages to keep the reader riveted through taut narration.
February 27, 2021
The Vault of Vishnu - Ashwin Sanghi
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The Vault of Vishnu - Ashwin Sanghi
a Thrilling SPY story - between India & China involving Dokhalam standoff unravels how a Pallava prince travels to Cambodia to be crowned king, carrying with him 3 secret potions.
3 secret potions are nothing but the delicate equilibrium between the creation, sustenance and destruction that keeps the world going...here they are Bramha (creator),Vishnu (nurturer) and Mahesh (destroyer). Interesting connect between Artificial Intelligence, Mythology, History and intrinsic ancient knowledge. How emperors used to seek Power, Strength & Immortality (via majic potion), the same is true for current governments now.
parallel interconnected storylines...
1. a Thrilling SPY story - between India & China involving Dokhalam standoff. How countries make geo-political decision here in India, China & US? Led by a lady officer the plot is nicely paced with a surprising family twist in the end. Angkor Wat Temple and its connect with the Cholla empire and the southern India. From Afghanistan to Cambodia, there is an imprint of Indian empire. The Cholas with their naval supremacy were trading and ruling in south east Asia.
2. Hsuan Tsang/Xuanzang - beautifully traces the travel expedition of Hsuan Tsang from China to Nalanda University (India). What could have been the motive to undertake such an ardous trip? Was it just the knowledge of Buddhism or was there an ulterior motive? He was a Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar, traveler and translator. Was interesting to know the ancient names of cities from China to Tajikistan to Afghanistan to India. Some insight into Sun Tzu - art of war, Chinese history and civilization but would have liked to know about their VALUE system. Shows how India and China are connected via Buddhism and current day situation could be reconciled through history.
Nice anecdotes from history like comparing East India Company to modern day syndicate gangs/smugglers - British exploited both India & China to amass wealth - enslaved India to grow OPIUM, got Chinese addicted to it and bought silk to be sold to Europe
Demolish EGO
- seeking alms by Sadhus/Monks according to Hindu and Buddhism was necessary in order to demolish ones ego
- Hanuman (the Great Monkey God) or the first super hero was a creation of Bramha Vishnu and Mahesh was the most powerful but was devoted Shri Ram
@indictoday @indicBookClub @ashwinsanghi
@indicAcademy
The Vault of Vishnu - Ashwin Sanghi
a Thrilling SPY story - between India & China involving Dokhalam standoff unravels how a Pallava prince travels to Cambodia to be crowned king, carrying with him 3 secret potions.
3 secret potions are nothing but the delicate equilibrium between the creation, sustenance and destruction that keeps the world going...here they are Bramha (creator),Vishnu (nurturer) and Mahesh (destroyer). Interesting connect between Artificial Intelligence, Mythology, History and intrinsic ancient knowledge. How emperors used to seek Power, Strength & Immortality (via majic potion), the same is true for current governments now.
parallel interconnected storylines...
1. a Thrilling SPY story - between India & China involving Dokhalam standoff. How countries make geo-political decision here in India, China & US? Led by a lady officer the plot is nicely paced with a surprising family twist in the end. Angkor Wat Temple and its connect with the Cholla empire and the southern India. From Afghanistan to Cambodia, there is an imprint of Indian empire. The Cholas with their naval supremacy were trading and ruling in south east Asia.
2. Hsuan Tsang/Xuanzang - beautifully traces the travel expedition of Hsuan Tsang from China to Nalanda University (India). What could have been the motive to undertake such an ardous trip? Was it just the knowledge of Buddhism or was there an ulterior motive? He was a Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar, traveler and translator. Was interesting to know the ancient names of cities from China to Tajikistan to Afghanistan to India. Some insight into Sun Tzu - art of war, Chinese history and civilization but would have liked to know about their VALUE system. Shows how India and China are connected via Buddhism and current day situation could be reconciled through history.
Nice anecdotes from history like comparing East India Company to modern day syndicate gangs/smugglers - British exploited both India & China to amass wealth - enslaved India to grow OPIUM, got Chinese addicted to it and bought silk to be sold to Europe
Demolish EGO
- seeking alms by Sadhus/Monks according to Hindu and Buddhism was necessary in order to demolish ones ego
- Hanuman (the Great Monkey God) or the first super hero was a creation of Bramha Vishnu and Mahesh was the most powerful but was devoted Shri Ram
March 7, 2021
3.3 Stars
The Vault of Vishnu is a combination of history, myth, politics, crime, and some science. The blurb shows that the story would progress in dual timelines, if not more. Everything about it sounded fantastic.
The division of chapters and scenes was done well. Keeping track of the events was no issue. But the information dump about every character was annoying, and it messed up my reading pace.
Coming to the ‘thriller’ part, it fell flat. The details about the secret services and hubs were enjoyable, no doubt. But the pacing was wrong. When we really look at it, Pam did very little. She was more of a catalyst while others took the scene into their hands. If that was the author’s intention, then no complaints.
Overall, the book is okayish. It's a one-time read for me.
This review is posted as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club. Thank you, Indic Academy and Indic Book Club, for a review copy of the book.
*********
Read the full review here.
The Vault of Vishnu is a combination of history, myth, politics, crime, and some science. The blurb shows that the story would progress in dual timelines, if not more. Everything about it sounded fantastic.
The division of chapters and scenes was done well. Keeping track of the events was no issue. But the information dump about every character was annoying, and it messed up my reading pace.
Coming to the ‘thriller’ part, it fell flat. The details about the secret services and hubs were enjoyable, no doubt. But the pacing was wrong. When we really look at it, Pam did very little. She was more of a catalyst while others took the scene into their hands. If that was the author’s intention, then no complaints.
Overall, the book is okayish. It's a one-time read for me.
This review is posted as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club. Thank you, Indic Academy and Indic Book Club, for a review copy of the book.
*********
Read the full review here.
March 19, 2020
Week 12 Book 5
The Vault of Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi
Rating: 3/5
After a long time I finished a book in a few days.
TVOV is your usual Sanghi, with lots of history, mythology and politics. This book revolves around India's political and cultural relations with its neighbours, especially China.
The book touches upon genetic engineering and faintly reminds me of Chromosome 6 by Robin Cook.
Although it's an interesting concept and fast paced, loose ends and shallow characters make it less enjoyable. Also, there just buildup till chapter 80 and then suddenly all information released to clarify everything. Too little too late too convenient.
I didn't enjoy it as much as his previous books, but it's definitely worth a reading due to the things he talks about. Seems like a decently well researched book that fascinates a reader!
The Vault of Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi
Rating: 3/5
After a long time I finished a book in a few days.
TVOV is your usual Sanghi, with lots of history, mythology and politics. This book revolves around India's political and cultural relations with its neighbours, especially China.
The book touches upon genetic engineering and faintly reminds me of Chromosome 6 by Robin Cook.
Although it's an interesting concept and fast paced, loose ends and shallow characters make it less enjoyable. Also, there just buildup till chapter 80 and then suddenly all information released to clarify everything. Too little too late too convenient.
I didn't enjoy it as much as his previous books, but it's definitely worth a reading due to the things he talks about. Seems like a decently well researched book that fascinates a reader!
April 2, 2020
This was my first book from the author and I was intrigued by its overview. However, it could not amaze me with its content to match my initial expectations.
The story begins with the real life encounter of Indian and Chinese armed forces at the Doklam plateau in 2017, and an element of fiction is introduced by including superhuman like creatures in the chinese side.
The narrative then follows several timelines, running parallelly, which later merge to have a common ending. The story and suspence created are nice but excessive use of chinese words while describing the monk's journey break the flow of reading. I also found the book bit stretched at places. However, the character of the protagonist, Pam Khurana, is well written.
The story begins with the real life encounter of Indian and Chinese armed forces at the Doklam plateau in 2017, and an element of fiction is introduced by including superhuman like creatures in the chinese side.
The narrative then follows several timelines, running parallelly, which later merge to have a common ending. The story and suspence created are nice but excessive use of chinese words while describing the monk's journey break the flow of reading. I also found the book bit stretched at places. However, the character of the protagonist, Pam Khurana, is well written.
March 22, 2020
It's a fast-paced book, however, the preamble seems to be never-ending. Almost 70% of the book passes, and you don't get into the actual story at all. Apart from it, I felt, overall, The Vault of the Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi is an interesting read. As usual, Sanghi has done good research on the topic, especially the part on Xuanzang. I felt it would have been good if the Writer could have stressed a bit more on the Angkor Wat portion and the Pallava dynasty.
I would score the book 2.5 out of an overall 5.
I would score the book 2.5 out of an overall 5.
March 27, 2020
Before reading “The Vault of Vishnu”, I had read 4 books of Ashwin Sanghi and I have considered him as the best writer in India who writes only after researching and verifying a lot. Unfortunately, I had missed few of his books in between but during this lockdown phase, I committed myself to read his latest release in the “Bharat Series” named “The Vault of Vishnu” which is published by Westland in about 315 pages. This book again brings for you multiple plots like all the books of Ashwin and makes you create the whole chart with connecting arrows for yourself to be able to remember the characters and their relationships and roles later on in the story. I believe, I end up making the similar kind of connecting diagrams at my end while reading Ashwin Sanghi’s books the way he must be creating while drafting the story. Haha!
Ashwin Sanghi’s writing style remains to be top-notch even here. The narration is soft-paced which shall ensure that you don’t get lost more often regarding which plot or era you are currently reading about. I like how the author has chosen regular words to describe this over-the-top story without making it sound richer by adding unnecessary English words for which readers have to run behind the dictionary.
The book is a mixture of a lot many things such as Politics, India-China relationship, ancient China tales, Indian culture, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Spirituality, Mythology, Religion, Action, Murder, Love, Family, History, Temples etc. There are basically two plots running simultaneously- One is about the journey of Xuanzang from 627 to 645 CE whereas another one is about the India-China relationship in the current scenario where Paramjit Khurana is the protagonist who is trying to connect the dots to reach to a conclusion to a lot many things including her father’s murder case.
I must say that the book carries a lot of information and knowledge that you could get only while reading fiction stories as none of us are going to go into historical books to know about such minute details. Similarly, how Sanghi connects the mythology with history and current scenario makes you get up and read the book little more seriously in the 2nd half. The climax is a fine finish to this story.
I have never rated any of the 4 books that I have read of Ashwin Sanghi’s below 4.5 stars out of 5 as he never disappointed the reader in me but this time I just got disappointed with few things. I felt that the book is written in a very slow-paced manner which this story didn’t deserve. You start getting bored after a while as nothing great happens in either of the two plots and there’s not enough twists and turns to keep you awake. Similarly, the characters aren’t introduced very well due to which you are unable to empathize with them most of the times. Even the climax is not very actionable which is not what I was expecting after such a long story. The book could have been easily 60-80 pages less than what it is and that would have made the story crisper and tight. This time it felt as if we are reading a script of a web-series and not a novel – may be if author had that in his mind while writing the book.
Except these few points, still, for the kind of research author has made for this book- and the connection author makes between history and mythology, this book is worth reading- just that it is not of the standard Ashwin Sanghi has created for himself in all these years. I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
Thanks.
WRITING BUDDHA
Ashwin Sanghi’s writing style remains to be top-notch even here. The narration is soft-paced which shall ensure that you don’t get lost more often regarding which plot or era you are currently reading about. I like how the author has chosen regular words to describe this over-the-top story without making it sound richer by adding unnecessary English words for which readers have to run behind the dictionary.
The book is a mixture of a lot many things such as Politics, India-China relationship, ancient China tales, Indian culture, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Spirituality, Mythology, Religion, Action, Murder, Love, Family, History, Temples etc. There are basically two plots running simultaneously- One is about the journey of Xuanzang from 627 to 645 CE whereas another one is about the India-China relationship in the current scenario where Paramjit Khurana is the protagonist who is trying to connect the dots to reach to a conclusion to a lot many things including her father’s murder case.
I must say that the book carries a lot of information and knowledge that you could get only while reading fiction stories as none of us are going to go into historical books to know about such minute details. Similarly, how Sanghi connects the mythology with history and current scenario makes you get up and read the book little more seriously in the 2nd half. The climax is a fine finish to this story.
I have never rated any of the 4 books that I have read of Ashwin Sanghi’s below 4.5 stars out of 5 as he never disappointed the reader in me but this time I just got disappointed with few things. I felt that the book is written in a very slow-paced manner which this story didn’t deserve. You start getting bored after a while as nothing great happens in either of the two plots and there’s not enough twists and turns to keep you awake. Similarly, the characters aren’t introduced very well due to which you are unable to empathize with them most of the times. Even the climax is not very actionable which is not what I was expecting after such a long story. The book could have been easily 60-80 pages less than what it is and that would have made the story crisper and tight. This time it felt as if we are reading a script of a web-series and not a novel – may be if author had that in his mind while writing the book.
Except these few points, still, for the kind of research author has made for this book- and the connection author makes between history and mythology, this book is worth reading- just that it is not of the standard Ashwin Sanghi has created for himself in all these years. I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
Thanks.
WRITING BUDDHA
July 31, 2020
"The three Confucian monkeys that saw no evil, heard no evil and spoke no evil. Think about it. True power comes from following the code of the three monkeys. And in India, we have always considered the rhesus species to be sacred."
In 7th century, Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful and will be the cause of great wars many centuries later.
In the present day, Paramjit Khurana, an investigator having a complex family past was appointed to find out the secret behind the superhuman power of the Chinese soldiers who massacred the Indian soldiers in Doklam valley.
Pam's investigation will lead her to Kanchipuram where Dr. Rao a reclusive scientist gives her ancient texts to decipher which will reveal the secret location of a hidden treasure of the Pallava dynasty which is connected to Angkor Wat.
But unknown to all of them, the Chinese are also after that treasure. They had their moles everywhere in the world who are keeping an eye on Pam. Will Pam able to save India by finding out the treasure before the Chinese?
🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:
🏺Although the cover is eye-catching, neither the cover nor the title appropriately justifies the story, bcoz it was not about the Vault but what contains inside it. So it doesn't make any sense with the story.
🏺I liked how the entire story is divided into small chapters which makes it easy to read fast. But each chapter contains tons of information which make the pacing plodding, the narration dragging and the readers overwhelmed with knowledge.
🏺Mr. Sanghi had perfectly blend history, myth, and suspense to craft this story, but up to 75% of the book I don't have a clue what's going on, and thereafter all the incoherent pieces gradually come in place and make the story meaningful.
🏺The main 2 characters: Pam, the protagonist felt as dumb as the local police and Xuanzang's narrative felt like a travel log. Other characters just come and go before you can have a connection with them. A long description of their background and daily routine makes you bore.
🏺Mr. Sanghi had done immense research work and that too on diverse fields which are reflected in each page of this book. A detailed map, a glossary, and a bibliography is given in the book which further highlights his research.
🏺The climax of the book felt faint and charmless since I was expecting to read an action-packed ending. However, there is a happy family reunion at the end which will be surprising for the reader.
🏺Overall, The Vault of Vishnu is not as exciting as I had thought it would have been. Read it if you like suspense thriller with a touch of mythology and history.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐
In 7th century, Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk in ancient China treks south to India, searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle that could make his emperor all-powerful and will be the cause of great wars many centuries later.
In the present day, Paramjit Khurana, an investigator having a complex family past was appointed to find out the secret behind the superhuman power of the Chinese soldiers who massacred the Indian soldiers in Doklam valley.
Pam's investigation will lead her to Kanchipuram where Dr. Rao a reclusive scientist gives her ancient texts to decipher which will reveal the secret location of a hidden treasure of the Pallava dynasty which is connected to Angkor Wat.
But unknown to all of them, the Chinese are also after that treasure. They had their moles everywhere in the world who are keeping an eye on Pam. Will Pam able to save India by finding out the treasure before the Chinese?
🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:
🏺Although the cover is eye-catching, neither the cover nor the title appropriately justifies the story, bcoz it was not about the Vault but what contains inside it. So it doesn't make any sense with the story.
🏺I liked how the entire story is divided into small chapters which makes it easy to read fast. But each chapter contains tons of information which make the pacing plodding, the narration dragging and the readers overwhelmed with knowledge.
🏺Mr. Sanghi had perfectly blend history, myth, and suspense to craft this story, but up to 75% of the book I don't have a clue what's going on, and thereafter all the incoherent pieces gradually come in place and make the story meaningful.
🏺The main 2 characters: Pam, the protagonist felt as dumb as the local police and Xuanzang's narrative felt like a travel log. Other characters just come and go before you can have a connection with them. A long description of their background and daily routine makes you bore.
🏺Mr. Sanghi had done immense research work and that too on diverse fields which are reflected in each page of this book. A detailed map, a glossary, and a bibliography is given in the book which further highlights his research.
🏺The climax of the book felt faint and charmless since I was expecting to read an action-packed ending. However, there is a happy family reunion at the end which will be surprising for the reader.
🏺Overall, The Vault of Vishnu is not as exciting as I had thought it would have been. Read it if you like suspense thriller with a touch of mythology and history.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐
March 4, 2021
Vault of Vishnu
Author : Ashwin Sanghi
Published by : Westland Books
Thanks to Indic book Club for providing a Review Copy.
I'm afraid I might sound a lot like a film critic , but the first half of this book was plain boring. If it weren't a review copy , I probably wouldn't have continued after the first 100 pages. But we'll talk about that later.
The author takes us to Indo-China relationships over the ages. Book has parallel narratives from the times of Xuan Zang’s travel to India and current times when there are military operations across the borders of the two countries(Honestly , this part of the story was the reason i didn't abandon the book in the first half because I'm genuinely interested in the book Journey to the West). The author carefully weaves the ancient links of the Pallava kingdom in South India and Cambodia to China through a modern-day story.
The plot is disintegrated in the beginning when all the characters are introduced. The plot is really slow paced until then . When the two timelines with the difference of 1000 years sort of start connecting , that's where the story picks pace. And once it does , man the boredom is worth it.
It is evident that the author has done a ton of research and deserves praises for that.
Overall , I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who is PATIENT enough to read it.
Author : Ashwin Sanghi
Published by : Westland Books
Thanks to Indic book Club for providing a Review Copy.
I'm afraid I might sound a lot like a film critic , but the first half of this book was plain boring. If it weren't a review copy , I probably wouldn't have continued after the first 100 pages. But we'll talk about that later.
The author takes us to Indo-China relationships over the ages. Book has parallel narratives from the times of Xuan Zang’s travel to India and current times when there are military operations across the borders of the two countries(Honestly , this part of the story was the reason i didn't abandon the book in the first half because I'm genuinely interested in the book Journey to the West). The author carefully weaves the ancient links of the Pallava kingdom in South India and Cambodia to China through a modern-day story.
The plot is disintegrated in the beginning when all the characters are introduced. The plot is really slow paced until then . When the two timelines with the difference of 1000 years sort of start connecting , that's where the story picks pace. And once it does , man the boredom is worth it.
It is evident that the author has done a ton of research and deserves praises for that.
Overall , I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who is PATIENT enough to read it.
November 21, 2020
This is another thriller from the author of krishna key. This book is mainly about 3 urns brahma(creater) , vishnu(preserver) and mahesha(destroyer).
This book starts with Chinese attacking india in doklam and the investigation starts from there. To head or lead the investigation Pam khurana daughter of the late Raj Khurana. There is another story that runs parallel to this is the journey of Xuanzang's journey who wanted to become di san sou chaun. He is the third person to take urn from India to china after Faxian and Bodhidharma.
Chinese are in search of third urn which is vishnu urn whereas India tries to stop that in present day. In present day Indians are fighting to not provide the urn whereas in the old age when India's pallava king provides the urn to china.
This book is full of suspense and you will not know who is the enemy. Overall i would say it is a good Goodread... 🙂
This book starts with Chinese attacking india in doklam and the investigation starts from there. To head or lead the investigation Pam khurana daughter of the late Raj Khurana. There is another story that runs parallel to this is the journey of Xuanzang's journey who wanted to become di san sou chaun. He is the third person to take urn from India to china after Faxian and Bodhidharma.
Chinese are in search of third urn which is vishnu urn whereas India tries to stop that in present day. In present day Indians are fighting to not provide the urn whereas in the old age when India's pallava king provides the urn to china.
This book is full of suspense and you will not know who is the enemy. Overall i would say it is a good Goodread... 🙂
April 14, 2021
There are three secrets, one belonging to Brahma, the other belonging to Shiva and the third belonging to Vishnu.
The Dokhlam attack on India by the Chinese seems to indicate that the Chinese soldiers seem to display some special capabilities which puzzles the Indian Army intelligence. They institute a committee to look into it and give a the key responsibility to a lady who is an ex IAF officer presently working with DRDO. She has lost her father during the IPKF operation.
As she starts investigating she starts falling back on a few of her contacts. She has to dig up some old contacts of her father to aid in her investigation.
The trail leads to two Urns in Shaolin temple. One was brought by Huein Tsang and the other was presented to the Chinese by King Bodhivarma.
In the meantime China seems to have a problem on their hand as many of their young soldiers are dying a painful death. The second in command in China is driving the scientists to finish a humanoid project which is expected to yield super strong robots to be inducted into the army. He also has a few to Angkor Wat to hunt for some Urns.
The author links the old history of Huein Tsang's travel to the Pallava kings of the yore and the latest attack at Doklam.
Read the book for some surprise endings.
A decent read.
The Dokhlam attack on India by the Chinese seems to indicate that the Chinese soldiers seem to display some special capabilities which puzzles the Indian Army intelligence. They institute a committee to look into it and give a the key responsibility to a lady who is an ex IAF officer presently working with DRDO. She has lost her father during the IPKF operation.
As she starts investigating she starts falling back on a few of her contacts. She has to dig up some old contacts of her father to aid in her investigation.
The trail leads to two Urns in Shaolin temple. One was brought by Huein Tsang and the other was presented to the Chinese by King Bodhivarma.
In the meantime China seems to have a problem on their hand as many of their young soldiers are dying a painful death. The second in command in China is driving the scientists to finish a humanoid project which is expected to yield super strong robots to be inducted into the army. He also has a few to Angkor Wat to hunt for some Urns.
The author links the old history of Huein Tsang's travel to the Pallava kings of the yore and the latest attack at Doklam.
Read the book for some surprise endings.
A decent read.
August 10, 2023
Hooter: A race against time to solve a mystery with part mythological precedent part political.
The SEO of writing books seems to be the primary driver here - a mix of political intrigue, a mythological backdrop and a hidden treasure with the protagonist having to court adventure out of compulsion and you seem to have industrialised the formula to run a series. There is nothing new the book offers , neither are the characters sketched out too well to keep you connected.
A parallel story of a Buddhist monk talking about his journey in historical India and China with parallels in today's world as both neighbours fight it out in the race of armed supremacy and a hidden clue to potent powers steeped in mythology. That is the mix of it all , shaken well to give you the premise of the Vault of Vishnu.
The SEO of writing books seems to be the primary driver here - a mix of political intrigue, a mythological backdrop and a hidden treasure with the protagonist having to court adventure out of compulsion and you seem to have industrialised the formula to run a series. There is nothing new the book offers , neither are the characters sketched out too well to keep you connected.
A parallel story of a Buddhist monk talking about his journey in historical India and China with parallels in today's world as both neighbours fight it out in the race of armed supremacy and a hidden clue to potent powers steeped in mythology. That is the mix of it all , shaken well to give you the premise of the Vault of Vishnu.
April 15, 2020
This guy is one of my favourite authors. The amount of research he has done for his books are mind blowing. The way he spins connections between the past and the present is awesome. His fast paced story line is engaging and keeps us hooked to the book!
But this book is by far his worst work. There is nothing that connects the book to its name! The webs were far fetched. The story lacked continuity and the book had too much cheesy and cinemalike instances!!
So, if you guys expect another Krishnas Key or Chanakya's Chant, you are in for a disappointment!
But this book is by far his worst work. There is nothing that connects the book to its name! The webs were far fetched. The story lacked continuity and the book had too much cheesy and cinemalike instances!!
So, if you guys expect another Krishnas Key or Chanakya's Chant, you are in for a disappointment!
August 31, 2020
First of all, I am a big fan of Ashwin Sanghi. Have read all his previous books and enjoyed each of it (except The Rozabal Line).
However, I was not entirely happy with The Vault of Vishnu. While the author’s research was commendable, this was not exciting as his previous works.
My biggest complain is that the story of ancient Chinese monk doesn’t quite fit into the whole thing. It certainly didn’t require so many chapters dedicated to it.
However, I was not entirely happy with The Vault of Vishnu. While the author’s research was commendable, this was not exciting as his previous works.
My biggest complain is that the story of ancient Chinese monk doesn’t quite fit into the whole thing. It certainly didn’t require so many chapters dedicated to it.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 386 reviews