Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
A vengeful Hiranyakashyap seeks to destroy Indra's kingdom, but he's haunted by his son Prahlad's decision to oppose him. Narasimha is on a quest to find Prahlad but, on his way, he comes across an old friend and an ancient poison that threatens to derail his plans. A furious Holika hunts for her nephew, only to discover painful details about his childhood that make her rethink her actions.

Will Hiranyakashyap be able to defeat Indra? Can Holika forget her rage against her nephew? And will Narasimha find Prahlad and fulfil his destiny?

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2020

24 people are currently reading
449 people want to read

About the author

Kevin Missal

36 books512 followers
Kevin Missal wrote his first book at the age of 14, and at 22, the St Stephens graduate was a bestselling author with the first two books in his Kalki series which were runaway successes. Kevin loves fantasy fiction and has always been a fan of mythology. His books have been featured in publications like the Sunday Guardian, The New Indian Express and Millennium Post. He lives in Gurugram and he can be contacted at Kevin.s.missal@gmail.com.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
130 (30%)
4 stars
162 (37%)
3 stars
114 (26%)
2 stars
23 (5%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 98 reviews
Profile Image for Sherwell Anil.
84 reviews6 followers
March 13, 2022
Disappointment. Utter disappointment.
What an unworthy sequel to the mighty Narasimha.
What a waste of time.
An absolute fiasco.
Massive let down.
Skip. Skip. Skip.
Kevin Missal should have spend more time on the this series, especially after giving something as excellent as Narasimha.
Hopeless story.
Everything rushed to the worst ending I've ever read for a 2nd book in the series.
....
Pheww.
Done.
Not waiting for Prahlad. I'm done with this series.
Profile Image for Sumit.
175 reviews23 followers
July 23, 2020
“I think one becomes an avatar by their deeds. And the deeds cannot be once in a lifetime; they must be consistent. Any person can claim to be good by doing one good deed but it takes much more to be a great person by consistently doing the right thing. And it's tough because nothing is easier than doing the wrong thing.



‘‘I knew it! It was never about Kayadhu -- she was just a front to conquer all. You are just a raving madman! What has happened to you? Do you think you are a conqueror?’’

A vengeful Hiranyakashyap seeks to destroy Indra's kingdom, but he's haunted by his son Prahlad's decision to oppose him and wants to change his mind. Narasimha is on a quest to find Prahlad but, on his way, he comes across an old friend and an ancient poison that threatens to derail his plans. A furious Holika hunts for her nephew, only to discover painful details about his childhood that make her rethink her actions. Chenchen accompanied Parvati in her quest to find her son Andhak to fulfill an old prophecy but to help her she had to first confront her own past. All of their paths bring them to one place - Kashyapuri where the final confrontation between Narasimha and Hiranyakashyap is going to happen.

🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:

🦁The title of the book is apt and I have no words to describe how beautiful this cover looks.

🦁Kevin's writing is simple, the language used is lucid and the pacing of the book is fast with full of plot twists -- some of them seem unreasonable to me. However, there are several typing errors in the book which could have been easily avoided with a proper edit.

🦁Many new characters were introduced like Kimpurusha, Maitrikas, Namuchi, Nirti, Bharadvaj, Suparna, etc. but they were not explored well. The old characters like Prahlad, Hiranyakashap, Holika, Parvati, Chenchen are developed but it felt sudden or unconvincing.

🦁Attention is not given on the world-building of Illavarti. A map given at the end of the book is not updated. Nothing is known about how this ancient poison's works?/ how Brahmastra automatically repair itself?/ how somalata cure every wounds and disease?/ who is adharma in this era?

🦁The ending of the book felt written hastily. Certain things I feel like implausible like how come Matrikas suddenly became so dump, but I liked how Kevin introduce a twist in the last line of this book.

Overall Hiranyakashyap was a-ok read for me. I recommend every child and mythology nerd to read it

𝓜𝔂 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰:⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for Avani ✨.
1,895 reviews445 followers
August 11, 2020
Hiranyakashyap is the second book in the Narasimha trilogy. This book focuses on characters - Narasimha, Hiranyakashyap, Holika, Chenchen, Andhaka and Prahlad. This book was more moving and more action packed than the first one.

I would suggest you all to read both the book together to see how the story moves. No doubt we see flashback and important pre-cap in this book to keep the memory fresh, but the world building is beautiful in this book.

A vengeful Hiranyakashyap seeks to take revenge against the Indra, and wishes to destroy the kingdom. But he has his own son Prahlad, in his way since he wishes to change his father's mind. On the other side we see Chenchen and Parvati to find her son to fulfill an old prophecy.

Overall, it was a promising sequel to the trilogy. And I cannot wait for the conclusion book to arrive. The way the author has ended this book truly made me read more of the author's work. Kevin Misaal has surely achieved a high place in mythological fiction books.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Parijat.
280 reviews15 followers
November 3, 2020
When it comes to mythological retellings I become very picky. Being a hardcore mythology fan I tend to become unhappy with most of the writings in the genre. However, what Kevin has done with the book, made me completely awestruck and speechless.  It is needless to say that Kevin Missal has become one of the big names in Indian literature nowadays. It seems that his writing becomes more powerful with each passing day.  Hiranyakashyap is by far one of the best mythological fictions that I have come across.

Book 2 in the Narasimha trilogy begins one month after where book 1 left us. Hiranyakashyap is more powerful now as he has his ‘special armor’ in his possession. Prahlad is rescued by the Vishnusena. Narasimha is in search of Prahlad to honor the wish of Anurad. With so much hatred going on everywhere what is stored in the fate of Hiranyakashyap, Prahlad, and Narasimha?

When I read Narasimha last year (you can check out my review on my page), I had a few complaints about the book. The first one being that the women characters were not given proper importance. Kevin has not only given importance to the characters but also has been successful to establish a connection with them that was much needed. Be it Chenchen, Dhriti, or aunt Holika, we feel for them. The sharp writing and sincere description have designed the plot like a blockbuster Bollywood movie.  The change in the narration makes the book fast-moving and compelling. Each of the chapters is left with a twist and readers are going to enjoy them very much.  The best part of the book is that it has tried to play with our emotional quotients and create a dilemma in our minds. As I have mentioned in the review of book 1 also, I was unable to pick a side in the story.

I cannot wait to get book 3 in my hand now. Book 2 has raised my expectation to a higher level.  I hope that Kevin will not disappoint us and make us wait for a longer time. I will suggest all my friends read the book and enjoy the thrill.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Motivationaldailythoughts.
1,091 reviews33 followers
August 10, 2020
Title - Hiranya Kashyap : The
Narsimha Trilogy Book2
Author - Kevin Missal
Publisher - Harper Collins
Genre - Mythology
Pages - 239
Format - Paperback
.
.
This book is the second part of the Narsimha Trilogy. The story begins from where the first part ends. Hiranyakashyap wants to demolish Indra's empire but due to his son, Prahlad's opposition he back up with his plan. Narsimha is in search of Prahlad to save him whereas Prahlad finds the secrets from Dhriti.
Read the book to know more about the story.
.
.
Review -
The cover of the book is aptly designed and very fascinate. The title of the book is totally apt.
The plot of the story is captivating, tantalizing and adventurous. It is a perfect blend of mythology, history, kingdoms, war etc.
I liked the 1st part more than this one.
The language used is simple and lucid. Characters are well developed like Hiranyakashyap, Holika and Prahlad but Narsimha's character is not so well developed as it expected form the author.
The flow of the book is slow paced and seems to be dragged somewhat at few places.
Awaiting it's last part.
Overall, a nice read.
.
.
Rating - 3.5/5
.
.
I recommend this book to all mythology lovers.
Profile Image for Aditi Roy.
347 reviews9 followers
August 11, 2020
It's one of the most unique and thought-provoking mythological series out there. We explore the world of Hiranyakasyap, Narasimha and Holika in the second book of Narasimha Trilogy that makes you dive deep into your psyche, making you introspect and ask questions that you know you won't have the answers to, until you get the third book of this series.

With a blend of thriller and fantasy genres this book is a sharp mythological drama, completed with an interesting storyline, using multiple perspectives and right amount of action bordering violence but never excessive. However, its plot overshadowed by several subplots, will most certainly make you look at the story in a different way.

Language is moderate, subtle and rich in good vocabulary. Author's writing style is compelling and impeccable . In fact, narration is also good and effective.

A must read for any mythology lover. Kevin Missal made a permanent spot on reader's wish lists, so much so that it's difficult to skip any of his books.
Profile Image for Krishne Tanneerbavi.
184 reviews12 followers
August 8, 2020
'𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢,' 𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙙𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙. '𝙄'𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣, 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚...'

'𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣,' 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙖𝙬. '𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚,  𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩?'

𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙙𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢. '𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩?'

𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙚𝙙. '𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨, 𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙙𝙖. 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩.'
- 𝙆𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙡 (𝙃𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙮𝙖𝙥, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙝𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮, 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 2)

The book picks up right where it left off in Narasimha (the Narasimha trilogy, book 1). [Spoilers for book 1] Hiranyakashyap has managed to survive through the three trials and obtained the Brahmastra. He has also learnt that his wife was infect killed by Indra but through Narasimha. Holika kills Prahlad by drowning him in water.  At the very end, it is revealed that Andhaka is still live.

I have read all of Kevin's books. The world is familiar and well constructed. This book was a little disappointing than the first book in the series. It is shorter than usual and maybe could have been combined with the third book in the series. I think the Kalki series worked better because there is no fixed story for Kalki in mythology and the world was introduced as the story went on.

I really liked how the famous boon by Brahma was explained in this world and the story of Holika and the story of Holi. I'm really curious what's next in book 3 because the story of Narasimha as we know it has kind of ended. There is the conflict of Dharma and Adharma but there wasn't a huge cliff hanger like book 1.

The narration is good and the language is easy. Holika and Andhaka are my favourite characters from the series. I wish they were explored more in this book. Holika did have a character development which was great. I really wanted more of Andhaka and what is going on his mind.

You should definitely read this if you've read Narasimha. Otherwise, I would suggest Kalki series first.
Profile Image for Ipshita Das.
264 reviews17 followers
November 4, 2020
Hiranyakashyap

It's a mythological tale and the second part of it's series. Hiranyakashyap is all set to his journey with his new found power to defeat Indra and destroy his Kingdom. On the other hand his own son Prahlad stood against him, he tried to influence his son but nothing changed the determination of this young soul. Narashima is also on a quest to find Prahlad and protect him, and founds an old friend on the way which led to an ancient poison. A confusing and frustrated Holika tries harming Prahlad but fails. This book is all about revenge, vengeance, spiritual power, faith in god, wars and many more elements. Full on adventure and thrilling experience for the readers.


The author has put a summary of the first book in the series here in the story which makes it easier to understand. Though I haven't read any of his works before and this is my first one I quite enjoyed reading this one and definitely looking forward to read more of his works. The language was lucid and clear. The narration was fast paced and the storyline was engaging. The cover and the title totally apt for it. I will definitely recommend this to mytho lovers.
Profile Image for noorthebookworm .
792 reviews21 followers
August 16, 2020
"Embrace yourself, your destiny and what you are made for"..

This Yug's Avatar is destined to be from the Tribe of The Simbhas.
-----------
🙋🏻‍♀️Welcome to another Mythological fiction indulgence by me‼️

It's a book by "The" Kevin Missal guys, published by @harpercollinsindia


🔥Book 2
The Narasimha Triology
HIRANYAKASHAP.

This 264 page, 53 chapters read, full of action & drama, came out in July, this year‼️

#️⃣3 in Religious & Spiritual Fiction
&
#️⃣20 in Myths, Legends & Saga
On AMAZON Charts‼️
-----------
🦁THE MAHAAVATAR TRIOLOGY

Book 1 NARASIMHA
Acc.to the author, this book was all about building up the scene, re-imagining the 4th avatar of Lord Vishnu.

BOOK 2 HIRANYAKASHAP
It carries the characters & their lives forward & injects extreme pace into the story.
------------
Recommendation: Read Book 1.

Book 2 can be read as a STANDALONE too, though it took me sometime to get around the storyline.
Though the author has provided a SUMMARY of Book 1, for better understanding.
------------
The book begins with an introduction to the TRIBES; the Devas, Asuras, Danavs, Simhas..

Followed by a summary- the story so far..

And a prologue..

Finally we get 53 chapters of non-stop action‼️

And yes, we get a MAP too!
------------
#qotd Do you like reading Mytho- fiction❓
#qotd Can we avoid our destiny❓

💕I have always found Mythology very enchanting & mesmerizing..
#qotd What do you feel abt it❓
----------
This book is about;
* the revenge of HIRANYAKASHAP, who is one of the descendants from Brahma & heir to the invincible armour.
Will he be able to undergo the 3 trials of Brahma & defeat the Devas❓

* HOLIKA, who again has vengeance, but with her own nephew, Prahlad, younger son of Hiranyakashap.
Will she be successful ❓

* of a Simha, a NARASIMHA, who wants to avoid his destiny until he finally realises, the hard way, that he cannot evade it.
Will he readily accept his destiny❓

* This book IS ALL ABOUT EMOTIONS - love, fraternal, parental, greed for power, ego, fulfillment of duties & responsibilities, loss, revenge, vengeance and being in tandem & accepting your destiny.
-------------

The book ends on a cliffhanger, an open ending giving way to BOOK 3 of the trilogy, PRAHLAD.

I relished it & devoured it in a single sitting ‼️( I haven't read book 1 though) & will collect & follow the series NOW‼️
----------
#noorthebookwormreviews
#hiranyakashap
#thenarasimhatrilogy
Profile Image for Sanjay Bordoloi.
17 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2023
While the narrative was fantastic with unpacking the characters gradually....end I feel was a bit abrupt! Nevertheless, relating mythology with logical sequencing of events is Kevin Missal's forte and hats off to that!
Profile Image for Archana A.
738 reviews22 followers
February 10, 2021
Highly recommended. The author has bought about the story very well. It was as good as Narasimha. Something which really caught my eye in book 2 was Prahlad's journal. Also, the climax which describes the death of Hiranyakashyap is also portrayed very well. Eagerly waiting for the release of 'Prahlad' to complete the trilogy.
Profile Image for Chaya Dronamraju.
99 reviews
August 2, 2020
Pretty disappointed with this one. The first of the trilogy was good- Narasimha. This one felt stretched.
And the editing/proofreading of the book is quite bad, especially towards the end.
Have noticed this in most of Kevin Missal's books- it's not proofread properly and it's sad, considering his ideas and writing and pretty good!

239 reviews4 followers
July 13, 2022
The story is good, with nice relation to the original mythological version of it, however it cannot be taken literally as the book is more of author's fiction. This is a good sequel for its first one "Narasimha". Though I am not so impressed with this series as much I was with Kalki but this is good enough for a read.
17 reviews3 followers
March 13, 2022
Disappointed for taking this with huge expectations. The 3 stars are for the couple of good moments.
Profile Image for John  Trident .
831 reviews23 followers
August 23, 2020
Hiranyakashyap was an Asura & king of the daityas from Hinduism. Hiranyakashyap's elder brother, Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha avatar of Lord Vishnu, else the whole world would've come to an end. Angered by this, he decided to gain magical powers by performing a penance to Lord Brahma. This was his revenge against Vishnu. According to legend, Lord Brahma was impressed with his dedication - gave him a boon that made him virtually indestructible. That made him egoistic & started commiting many unspeakable crimes against the innocents. In this state of mind he ordered that only he should be worshipped as God in his kingdom. Now considered himself invincible and started a reign of terror, hurting and killing everyone on earth and conquest of the three lokas.

He's specifically remembered for his boon which made him infamous. He asked that, "let death do not come to me either by man or beast, nor devil, nor god shall cause my death by day or by night with steel or stone or wood, indoors or outdoors, or earth or in sky. Grant me undisputed lordship over the world."

He is subsequently killed by the Narasimha avatara of Lord Vishnu. His tale depicts the futility of desiring power over others & the strength of God's protection over his fully surrendered devotees (in the case of his son Prahlada).

However, to our dismay - there's much distinction between the actual story which happened in eons ago to the one given in the book. There's a lot of dissimilarity in the factual description versus the fictional tale given here. I wish the author didn't change much facts to create a crispy sizzling tale than sticking with the actual reality. That's what makes mythological works more enticing. The truth of what happened eons ago is much more important to me, than adding masala to create a eye-catching story.
To top it all, there're plenty of mistakes & errors I encountered in the novel at many places which made the reading irksome. The author's first series of Kalki trilogy is the best so far & thus, being my favourite out of all his works. However, compared to it's predecessor Naramsimha (Book 1), this sequel is much more dissapointing.

Writing style is good. Narration is beautiful. Language is simple, easy to understand. Synchronisation is missing. Research work is missing. A good one-time read.
Profile Image for Aakanksha Mishra.
235 reviews65 followers
August 16, 2020
Hiranyakashyap: The Narasimha Trilogy (Book- 2)
Author - Kevin Missal
My rating- 3

As a sucker for mythologies, I had to read this book which is the second book in The Narasimha trilogy. I have already read the first book and liked it and since then I was curious about many questions that were left unanswered in the first book. If you haven't read the first book then you might find some spoilers in my review so I suggest that you should read the first book then read the second.

After surviving the three trials, Hiranyakashyap comes into possession of a celestial weapon and armor which makes him invincible. With his newfound power, he is all set to destroy Indra and his kingdom but on the other hand, Prahlad, his son, has joined Vishnusena and is opposing him. He is hell-bent on trying to change his son's mind and make him rejoin his side because the alternative is to kill his only living son. Narasimha is on his way to Kashyapuri to protect Prahlad but on his way, he meets an old friend and he derails from his path when his and his friend's life is endangered from poison and the only antidote is Soma.
The two characters go through major character development in this book I.e. Holika and Chenchen. Holika has a change of heart after reading Prahlad's journal and she begins questioning her judgment and on the other hand, Chenchen, the healer, comes out as a fighter and helps her friend Parvati in her quest to find her son. I think characterization could have been better as I feel that justice has not been done to many characters. If the size of the book were not this small, I believe that characters would be properly developed and the story wouldn't be rushed.

Many new characters were introduced in this book. The language of the book is very simple and lucid. So this book is also recommended for the beginners. The book has 237 pages and can be read in one sitting. Like the previous book, this book also ends with a major cliffhanger and now I can't wait to read the last book in the series. I love the narration and the story. The author has some really nice storytelling skills and I hope that the third book comes with a great story. The twists and turns in the story kept me hooked until the end. It was an interesting read.



Profile Image for Sathya Narayani.
308 reviews1 follower
June 27, 2023
As a sucker for mythologies, I had to read this book which is the second book in The Narasimha trilogy. I have already read the first book and liked it and since then I was curious about many questions that were left unanswered in the first book. If you haven't read the first book then you might find some spoilers in my review so I suggest that you should read the first book then read the second.

After surviving the three trials, Hiranyakashyap comes into possession of a celestial weapon and armor which makes him invincible. With his newfound power, he is all set to destroy Indra and his kingdom but on the other hand, Prahlad, his son, has joined Vishnusena and is opposing him. He is hell-bent on trying to change his son's mind and make him rejoin his side because the alternative is to kill his only living son. Narasimha is on his way to Kashyapuri to protect Prahlad but on his way, he meets an old friend and he derails from his path when his and his friend's life is endangered from poison and the only antidote is Soma.
The two characters go through major character development in this book I.e. Holika and Chenchen. Holika has a change of heart after reading Prahlad's journal and she begins questioning her judgment and on the other hand, Chenchen, the healer, comes out as a fighter and helps her friend Parvati in her quest to find her son. I think characterization could have been better as I feel that justice has not been done to many characters. If the size of the book were not this small, I believe that characters would be properly developed and the story wouldn't be rushed.

Many new characters were introduced in this book. The language of the book is very simple and lucid. So this book is also recommended for the beginners. The book has 237 pages and can be read in one sitting. Like the previous book, this book also ends with a major cliffhanger and now I can't wait to read the last book in the series. I love the narration and the story. The author has some really nice storytelling skills and I hope that the third book comes with a great story. The twists and turns in the story kept me hooked until the end. It was an interesting read.
Profile Image for ReadnMarked.
137 reviews13 followers
August 2, 2020
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 - 𝑯𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒂 𝑲𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒚𝒂𝒑, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒉𝒂 𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒍

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿, 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲. 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁."

I was eagerly waiting for this book after reading the first part and I must say the wait was worth it. The story continues where it left off in the first part with Hiranyakashyap finding a great weapon and Prahlad going behind his father to help the Vishnusena.

"𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲."

The book introduced various new characters like Kimpurusha, Maitrikas, Namuchi, Nirti, Bharadvaj, Suparna, etc and a lot of plot twists which will keep you on the edge and wanting to read more. I loved the character of Holika the most, It showed how a person can be changed with love.

"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻."

The story is quite good. Kevin Missal explained the magical boons of Hiranyakashyap and Holika in very interesting ways. The concept of Dharma and Adharma is portrayed in a new light and the journey of Narasimha from the mountains to Prahalad is full of twists and hardships and the ending will leave you with a question: ‘What next?’ for several days.

"𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲; 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴."

The cover is pretty good, showing the wrath of Hiranyakashyap. The language used is simple and makes it a good and a fast read, though there are some errors towards the end which hinder the smooth reading process. Also, I would like to see more character development in the next part along with a lot of details about the Deva Empire.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝟰/𝟱

Eagerly waiting for the next part.
Profile Image for ASHISH PEETY.
190 reviews3 followers
October 25, 2020
Hiranya Kashyap by Kevin Missal
Book: Hiranya Kashyap
Author: Kevin Missal
Type: Fiction (Mythology)
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5/5 

Kevin Missal has brought the Narasimha Trilogy Hiranya Kashyap by Kevin Missal is the second book in the series of “Narasimha: The Mahavataar Trilogy”. I had read the first book so this read was a healing read. The main benefit of mythology fiction is that you can get the conversations between Garuda and Narasimha, Varuna and Hiranya Kashyap, and so on.

The story is about the efforts of Vishnu Sena to dethrone Hiranya Kashyap in the kingdom who is a symbol of injustice and belongs to Asura. There is so much in this book- Nrriti and Chechen meet, Chenchen and Matrikas meet, Varuna and Hiranya Kashyap Fight,Mystery of Andhaka, execution of Prahlad, simha’s suffering from the infection, and so on. All these make books very interesting, keep the reader hooked to the book. 

Other things I like in this book are:-

1. Language of the book is comfortable but notable.
2. Narration style was remarkable. Different chapters were narrated by different characters which make book more intriguing.
3. Plot was well planned and executed. Nuances of the plot were well managed.
4. Book cover is stunning.
5. Striking scenes between various characters were breath-taking.
6. Title of the book is apt.
7. Characterization was splendid though out the book. All Types of characters were there- from lovely Dhriti to Brave Chenchen, fighting Simha to cleverGaruda, intelligent Hiranya to emotional Holika, and so on.
8. Pace of the story was good.

There were no loose ends in the book nor any hiccups. I do believe that this trilogy is significantly better than any other trilogy I have read so far.

Overall, the book was an awesome read. I really appreciate the author for bringing such a good trilogy to book readers. I loved the story,characters, and plot. I really recommend this book.
Profile Image for Bookscorner.21.
191 reviews8 followers
November 23, 2020
Hiranyakashyap is the second installment in the riveting Narasimha Triology written by Mr. Kevin Misaal. Since the 1st part left many questions unanswered and the suspense in a cliffhanger the second part is here to break it all and take you deeper in this engrossing tale of mystery and revenge. ⁣
The story opens up from where it left off in the first part with Prahlad receiving a letter from his presumably dead cousin Andhaka. Meanwhile after the possession of a celestial weapon Hiranyakashyap is all set to defeat Indra, but finds his own son Prahalad in the way of his victory. On the other hand both Narasimha and Holika are on their seperate ways to find Prahalad, one to save and the other to destroy him. But on their way something happens that makes them question their own deeds and motive. ⁣

- The plot of the story here has been masterfully organised and very well told. - It is fast paced and tightly bound with no open ends. ⁣
- Since the author has provided a brief summary of the 1st part, this one can be read separately but i would suggest against it and would recommend the readers to read first part first in order to enjoy the storyline to the fullest. ⁣
- The characters here have been very well developed too. Though with the introduction of a few new characters, I felt that some of significant (older) ones got neglected and could have been described in a more detailed manner. ⁣
- Vivid descriptions, thrilling adventures, unpredictable ups and downs never let's the story turn boring and keeps us intrigued till the end. ⁣
- The cover of the book looks majestic and title seems totally appropriate wrt the plot. ⁣
- The end of this part once again leaves some questions unanswered and the suspense further in a cliffhanger, which will finally be unveiled in the third and the last part of the trilogy. ⁣
- The writing style of the author is highly commendable here and I will be eagerly waiting for the last part to come out. ⁣
Profile Image for Prince Raj.
518 reviews19 followers
July 5, 2022
This book is the sequel of Narasimha and second part in Narasimha Trilogy, the author has also given a summary of the first book in the beginning of the story and began the story in the same manner it ended in the first part.

I had some expectations from this book but it disappointed me, i was excited to see what happened with the characters and what new author has weaved and believe me it was good but i felt it could be better.

The story has quite an intriguing tale to say but it didn't excite me to read faster as in the beginning the story was going smoothly but in the middle it lacked the gripping suspense and the ending was so so , i hope in the third part the story will be better.

If you are a mythological lover and reader who wants to dive in it just go for it and start reading i hope you like it.

The cover of the book is mind blowing and is catchy to the eye.

Glimpse in a blink

Narasimha is on journey to kashyapuri to find Prahlad and save him from wrath of his own father, as he has promised Anuhrad the brother of prahlad that he will protect him with his life, he is also afraid to becoming an Avatar as lord Shiva has warned him that in this Yuga, the Avatar will bring Chaos so delay it as much you can but now he is afraid something is gonna happen as new challenges and danger is coming in his way.

Hiranyakashyap has found Brahmastra and killed Agni and now he want to end everyone who is against him as he is invincible now with the power of Brahmastra but he can not summon it in evening or nor in the sky, he is angry on his son prahlad because he gone against him joining Vishnu Shena to end his reign.

Prahlad guru had died infront of his eyes and still he couldn't do anything and now he has been sentenced to death and is praying to Lord Vishnu to save him now , Vishnu Shena fought bravely and saved prahlad from the wrath of Holika.

To know more go grab the book and start reading.
Profile Image for Harshita.
422 reviews20 followers
August 13, 2020
HIRANYAKASHYAP: The Narasimha Trilogy Book 2

” Death is not the end but merely a Pause."

Hiranyakashyap is the 2nd book of the Narasimha Trilogy. Hiranyakashyap is one such mythological character with whom we all are familiar. This book is written in an interesting way. The writing style of Kevin Missal is damn amazing. Anyone can easily become a fan of his writing technique.
.
🌷 What The Book Holds:
The book revolves around Hiranyakashyap and his Son Prahlad. Hiranyakashyap hates Lord Vishnu but Prahlad was a big Devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hence Prahlad was always against his father's decision. Later when His father wanted to take revenge from Indra, Prahlad again blocked his father's path. The story continues with a lot of twists and turns which are extremely interesting and enjoyable. Also, we will meet Holika in this book and her story always chills me down.
.
🌷 My Opinion About The Book:
First of all, I strongly recommend every reader to read the 1st book of the series before starting this one. Although there is a summary given but it's way more good to know everything in detail. Coming to the book, I loved the cover of the book. It justifies the story. It's eye catching. The book was an easy read. The writing style was amazing as well as easy. I loved the narration. The book was gripping. I enjoyed it. The character development is done with great care. The negative character of Holika and Positive character of Prahlad is beautifully portrayed by the author. The ending was very amazing and now I'm extremely excited to read the 3rd book of the series.
.
🌷Recommendation:
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Mythology Lovers, this is a treat for you but, remember to read the 1st part before starting this one. The book is gripping, It forced me to read it until it ended. Overwhelmed by the story.
Profile Image for Neer.
123 reviews2 followers
May 14, 2021
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯,𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵?⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Hiranyakashyap has gotten Brahmastra and now looking forward to demolish Indra's kingdom. Narasimha is going towards Kashyapuri in search of Prahlad but gets off track after becoming victim of a deady poison accidentally. With an old friend he begins another journey to find the only antidote of the poison. Holika is determined to destroy her nephew but some shocking revelations are waiting for her. Chenchen along with Parvati is looking for Skanda and in the process she revisits her past. Andhaka has plans of his own.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Pheww!! Lot of things going on there na? Well that's how the second instalment of the Narasimha trilogy (formerly The Mahaavatar Trilogy) spread its roots and grips (hooks) the soil (reader) [Metaphor]. Though Hiranyakashyap is shorter than the previous book, it runs nowhere behind in the ENTERTAINMENT quotient than NARASIMHA.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Hiranyakashyap has been written in Fast-Paced, Action-Packed Narrative ( or shouldI call it the signature Kevin Missal style?). It offers a lot of stuff and emotions to ponder upon. It throws light on some Issues which are relevant in present time too.(or did Kevin placed them deliberately mirroring the present situations?)⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Some new characters joined the journey and some beloved (for me) characters left us for forever.Its always hard to MOVE ON to the next page after knowing that the character we are fond of will no longer be there with us, but still we turn the page because the story has to move forward and so should we.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
I recommend this along with the wait of third and final CHAPTER of the series. Tick. Tick.. Tick...⁣⁣
Profile Image for REHANA.
461 reviews13 followers
August 25, 2020
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸


📚 Book Review


Title : Hiranyakashyap
Author : Kevin Missal
Language : English
Edition : Paperback
Pages : 264


🎭 Indian mythology is the richest part of Indian Culture, which makes us unique in the world. It has been passed from one generation to another. They are the best and are widely spread around the world. The actions which are packed in the Indian mythology are thrilling and unbeatable.

🎭 Hiranyakashyap is a mythological story which is the second book of The Narasimha Trilogy. Narasimha is the first book in this trilogy. For our convenience the author has given a summary of the first book in the beginning. Map is also provided in the book for our better and clear understanding.

🎭 In this story there is a character named Hiranyakashyap who is full of revenge and seeks to destroy Indra's kingdom but he is gained by the thought that Prahlad would oppose him. Somewhere else another character named Narsimha sets on a quest to find Prahlad but he comes across with his old friend and gets engrossed in talking and later on he finds an ancient poison that threatens him to derail his plans. Again somewhere else another character named Holika hunts for her nephew so that she can recollect the painful details for his nephew's childhood that she had done with her.

🎭 I came across many characters while reading the book. The story is full of twist and turns. It is a entertaining and thrilling book which keeps the readers hooked till the end. The cover of the book is a beauty. The title is apt for the book. The book is fast paced. The author writing style is simple and lucid. I will be anxiously waiting for the third book of this trilogy.



🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Profile Image for Dhiraj Sindhi.
Author 3 books11 followers
August 31, 2020
Hiranyakashyap by Kevin Missal is the second book in The Narasimha Trilogy (previously called, The Mahaavatar Trilogy) – the reimagining of the legend Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu; depicts the constant conflicts between the father-son duo where Hiranyakashyap – now an invincible Asura king, is all set to win over anything and everything by the means of violence, war, aggression, and destruction using his military forces and the Brahmastra, while Prahlad with his completely opposite ideology has decided to rid his land of scum and evil using the least violence possible; the book addresses several issues that are very relatable in the modern times such as abusive relationships, resistance, bully parents, types of terrorism, etc and also states the importance of having faith in God; while developing and enhancing the well-established characters, the author introduces new characters also; with these legendary figures and a riveting plot, this adventurous book sets out to create an everlasting impression on readers that of unforgettable outlooks.

I loved how advanced the world of Illavarti has been portrayed. I loved how the book brings to your attention some of the prevailing issues. I find it just and only appropriate of him incorporating these subjects, highly relevant to modern times. Apart from these obvious elements, one thing that stood apart was the revolutionary art.

This artistic movement is as clear as mud for the effect it had on people. The book doesn’t give you time nor the details to savor it or even apprehend this movement. Secondly, the book felt really short for the type of content it holds. (Or maybe because of its fast-paced nature, who knows!)

Read the full review on my blog - https://bit.ly/3bdIYbT
Profile Image for shruti.
287 reviews8 followers
December 14, 2020
Mahavatar is here. 'Hiranyakashyap' by Kevin Missal presents us with the second book of the Narasimha Trilogy. Narasimha, the leader of the Simha tribe, under the rule of King Indra, finds himself at destiny's hand when he is gifted with the power of the Vishnu Avatar of the Yug. But is there a prophecy waiting to unfold? Will he let the prophecy go its way, or can he change it?

I was intrigued and captured by the ongoing nature of the book. I have read the trilogy's first and second book and can't wait to read the third one. I am in love with mythological fiction, and this just strengthened my love, although challenging the storyline I know in multiple ways. I know how the story goes, but I was surprised by the realistic elements the author has devised in addition to the change in the history we had come to know of. It's best to read the book as a series since readers might lose context without the complete narration. The settings created through the writing were majestic, and the emotions kindled just right.

But, the book wasn't perfect. For one, the language seemed too modern for that era, and it continuously pulled me out from the book, like the characters shaking hands instead of namaste, using 'boo hoo' and all. It might be my personal opinion, but the vocabulary could have been more accurate. There were also typo errors, which were noticeable from time to time.

Overall, I feel the setting was amazing and mythological lovers could give this book a try. I'm really excited for the third book; I need to know what's beyond the obvious ending I have known about Narasimha.



For more such detailed books, check out my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystic_tale...
487 reviews18 followers
January 8, 2021
Full review on my blog:
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2021/01/bo...

Hiranyakashyap is the second book in The Narasimha Trilogy; there is a quick recap of what happened in book one so that those who pick the second book have continuity. This book can be read standalone, however, it is always suggested to read the earlier part in a trilogy to understand the character graph better.

Hiranyakashyap is bent on seeking revenge and destroy Indra’s kingdom; Narasimha is searching for Prahlad, so does Holika, but has a change of heart after discovering some past truths about Prahlad’s childhood. Where would destiny take them and how would that shape Prahlad’s future forms rest of the story.

Those who read the first part would know that the story has characters from Indian mythology but only their names are retained and everything else from their character traits to the actual story have been reimagined by the author. While that is the talking point of this trilogy, that can also be a reason for dislike for those who have grown up reading the stories around Narsimha as an avatar of Lod Vishnu. The story thus can be enjoyed only if imagined to be a new one.

The language used is contemporary and not exactly what is found in typical mythological fiction. The cover is well designed and is appealing. This book also has an open ending like the earlier one, keeping the readers guessing about the next part. If you can appreciate the author’s imagination to weave a story around these characters and always wished to read different take of Indian mythology, then you will not regret picking this one; especially if you have already read the first part and curious to read further.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 98 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.