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Baahubali: Before the Beginning #3
Queen of Mahishmathi
Sivagami’s missteps have only deepened her determination to fulfil her father’s wish and stop the despicable activities at Gauriparvat. And so she battles on. Unknown to her, however, Maharaja Somadeva’s challengers have begun to close in on the king, and Sivagami finds herself suddenly at a disadvantage. With a player like Somadeva, though, the biggest mistake you can make is to not immediately checkmate and destroy. The game of chaturanga is not quite over.
As Sivagami takes on the kingdom’s enemies, guided by Somadeva, she finds in her own manoeuvres an echo of the man she has always detested. In her journey to becoming the queen of Mahishmathi, Sivagami must choose between love and ambition, principles and deviousness, selflessness and envy. What does she hold on to, what does she let go? A thrilling, breathless read, Queen of Mahishmathi is the third and final book in the Bāhubali: Before the Beginning series.
As Sivagami takes on the kingdom’s enemies, guided by Somadeva, she finds in her own manoeuvres an echo of the man she has always detested. In her journey to becoming the queen of Mahishmathi, Sivagami must choose between love and ambition, principles and deviousness, selflessness and envy. What does she hold on to, what does she let go? A thrilling, breathless read, Queen of Mahishmathi is the third and final book in the Bāhubali: Before the Beginning series.
560 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
49 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Anand Neelakantan
30 books1,750 followersAnand Neelakantan is an Indian author, columnist, screenwriter, and public speaker. He is known for writing mythological fictions and has authored ten books in English and one in Malayalam. He follows the style of telling stories based on the perspective of the antagonists or supporting characters of a larger work. His debut work Asura: Tale of the Vanquished (2012) was based on the Indian epic Ramayana, told from the perspective of Ravana—the first book in his Ramayana series. It was followed by series of books based on characters from Mahabharata and Baahubali. His books have been translated to different languages such as Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali , Gujarati, Assamese, English and Indonesian Bahasa.
Anand's Asura is one of the 100 books to be read in a life time as per Amazon.[1] The book has sold more than half a million copies across the years. Three of his books have been shortlisted for Crossword Book Award during the respective years. He was listed as one among the "100 top celebrities in India" in 2015 and 2017 by Forbes India. Anand also writes a column for The New Indian Express on current affairs and his fortnightly column is called "Acute Angle".
Anand's Asura is one of the 100 books to be read in a life time as per Amazon.[1] The book has sold more than half a million copies across the years. Three of his books have been shortlisted for Crossword Book Award during the respective years. He was listed as one among the "100 top celebrities in India" in 2015 and 2017 by Forbes India. Anand also writes a column for The New Indian Express on current affairs and his fortnightly column is called "Acute Angle".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 3, 2021
#Book Review #1 of #2021
Queen of Mahishmati by @itsanandneel and published by @westland_books is the 3rd and the last book in the prequel series. If you loved the movie Baahubali then you will love this book series too!
👑 The complex games and political intrigue makes this book an excellent read
👑 Anand Neelakanthan deftly weaves so many roles and characters in a very skilled manner.
👑 If you like delving into politics, warfare, history and geography this is a good mix
👑 Appreciate the extremist examples in ruler dharma and it's results
👑 Loved reading the complete back story including this one.
Verdict: Do read the whole series including this one!
Queen of Mahishmati by @itsanandneel and published by @westland_books is the 3rd and the last book in the prequel series. If you loved the movie Baahubali then you will love this book series too!
👑 The complex games and political intrigue makes this book an excellent read
👑 Anand Neelakanthan deftly weaves so many roles and characters in a very skilled manner.
👑 If you like delving into politics, warfare, history and geography this is a good mix
👑 Appreciate the extremist examples in ruler dharma and it's results
👑 Loved reading the complete back story including this one.
Verdict: Do read the whole series including this one!
February 15, 2021
After an interesting first book and a very average and stagnant second book, my expectations from the 3rd book were quite low!!!
But this book is just packed with such amazing surprises and Anand has done such intensive story and character development, that I'm in awe of him again.
Just missed a little bit detail to action. I know it's not Anand's forte, but after the movies, there were expectations on that!
Spoiler: The amazing supporting characters...
Nhi choro..padh hi lena!!
#7 of 2021.
January 26, 2021
This is an amazingly written book. There are no heroes or villains but only survivors. You have to go back to the first two books to understand the enormity of Anand Neelakantan story telling sorcery and come back to this book to understand the other two. This book is full of possibilities for contemporary interpretation. What a book!!!
May 9, 2021
Whatever the storyline is, whoever the characters are-what works (and to be looked out for) in an Anand Neelkantan book is, his strong-unabashed socio-political commentary, which is always on point. Never missing the target. Example, this-
"They want rulers to give them a spectacle. They will continue to cheer for you, die for you and hail you as God. Bloody bline devotees; fools....Give them theatre and empty promises about good days to come, and you can steal from their begging bowls."
(hint-hint-wink-wink)
This, and more such, are obviously present in this third and last book of Baahubali prequel series. Queen of Mahishmathi, that takes you to the epic movies once again. However, perhaps the burden of the giant success of movies or (may be) the pressure to finish the story and connect all the dots in this third book itself - this part in the series seems literally hurried. Despite the fact it is 500 something pages long, you feel some characters placed here and there just for the sake of making the storyline suitable to meet the end. He marries her all of a sudden, someone else gets killed just like that, someone re-appears on the scene just like that and so on. Even a major (unscientific idea though) rescue of Mahishmati seems amusingly unbelievable. (Don't get me started about the equivalent to dragons and trojan horse).
But pardoned all crimes, because after all, it all has foundations of huge potboilers of our times. Baahubali franchise. And it delivers all those lip smacking twists, games of thrones (pun intended) and flaming commentary on the present day state of our state. Sivagami surely comes out as a winner throughout the series. Transformation of her from an orphan to Maharani is fabulous. Though Mahadeva is irritating at times, it is side characters like Jeemotha who get more attention and meaty dialogues. The war scenes including this pirate are a treat to read and imagine. Numerous characters and a handful of storylines are weaved and finally, when we get to read those final lines 'Jai Prince Baahubali', it surely gives goosebumps.
All in all, a fine finale to the series, which could have been better if there was yet another book and things in this one would be cut in half with more depth and little slow pace. Still, a powerful ride nonetheless. Waiting for the tv series eagerly.
"They want rulers to give them a spectacle. They will continue to cheer for you, die for you and hail you as God. Bloody bline devotees; fools....Give them theatre and empty promises about good days to come, and you can steal from their begging bowls."
(hint-hint-wink-wink)
This, and more such, are obviously present in this third and last book of Baahubali prequel series. Queen of Mahishmathi, that takes you to the epic movies once again. However, perhaps the burden of the giant success of movies or (may be) the pressure to finish the story and connect all the dots in this third book itself - this part in the series seems literally hurried. Despite the fact it is 500 something pages long, you feel some characters placed here and there just for the sake of making the storyline suitable to meet the end. He marries her all of a sudden, someone else gets killed just like that, someone re-appears on the scene just like that and so on. Even a major (unscientific idea though) rescue of Mahishmati seems amusingly unbelievable. (Don't get me started about the equivalent to dragons and trojan horse).
But pardoned all crimes, because after all, it all has foundations of huge potboilers of our times. Baahubali franchise. And it delivers all those lip smacking twists, games of thrones (pun intended) and flaming commentary on the present day state of our state. Sivagami surely comes out as a winner throughout the series. Transformation of her from an orphan to Maharani is fabulous. Though Mahadeva is irritating at times, it is side characters like Jeemotha who get more attention and meaty dialogues. The war scenes including this pirate are a treat to read and imagine. Numerous characters and a handful of storylines are weaved and finally, when we get to read those final lines 'Jai Prince Baahubali', it surely gives goosebumps.
All in all, a fine finale to the series, which could have been better if there was yet another book and things in this one would be cut in half with more depth and little slow pace. Still, a powerful ride nonetheless. Waiting for the tv series eagerly.
February 9, 2021
Loved the way in which the book has taken the twists and turns.
I am slightly disappointed with one thing. The ending is not exactly in sync with the birth of Amarendra Baahubali in the movie.
I am slightly disappointed with one thing. The ending is not exactly in sync with the birth of Amarendra Baahubali in the movie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2021
"From a distance, he could make out the silhouette of a woman with a trident in her hand, sitting on the stone throne that his father used during Mahamakam. Though the figure look uneasily familiar, he was in denial until he climbed the last step. He was sure the sight of Rudra Bhatta burning in the pyre and Sivagami sitting calmly on the throne would haunt him forever"
'This is Sivagami's justice.' Sivagami paused, allowing her words to sink in
A spectacular finale for this spectacular trilogy. I got to say I was speechless no words can express or describe how I felt after I reached the last page. A well deserve ending.
The starting is a continuation from the second book Chaturanga. This book is divided into 2 parts. I got to say I enjoyed part 1, it had a lot of action and war tactics. While part 2 is overwhelmed with emotion and the battle part was mind blowing. Hats off to Anand for gripping my attention and giving his readers the adrenaline rush and heart beating fast moment.
The plot. It sores up, gradually comes down and there are flat moments and then it sores up again and gives a smooth landing. One thing I realize towards the end Anand's writing style changed, before the chapter ends he leave the reader with a question or a suspense which really grips the reader to know what happen next. I got day some of the lines in this book are thought provoking. It makes the reader reflect on politics and society. I personally had to pause a moment, reflect and continue reading. Characters. I got to say every character in this trilogy contributed and played a strong development. Anand did a great job in introducing them, making the reader engage with them; falling in love, understanding them, hating them and respecting them. He also gave each and every character the end they deserve. Some actually didn't actually deserve such death but to fit in the movie, they had to die in such a way.
The three year of wait was totally worth it. From book 1 Anand maintained the vibe and stuck to the line. A story filled with greed, deception, love, desire, ambition and of course the main theme is revenge. I am now in heavy heart cause I just finished a great book. Thank you author Anand Neelakantan for bringing this alive and bringing Sivagami back to life since the movie franchise ended. Also good news heard that Netflix is gonna make a series from this trilogy.March 16, 2021
Have you ever encountered hairpin bends? Wondered how it would feel to be hanging from a cliff overhanging a gorge deep? If so, you will know what I mean when I say that this book is in every aspect a thriller that will see you on the edge of your seat. While the twists are sharp and sudden, the turns will see your eyes pop out in wonder.
Out on a mission noble, Sivagami the daughter of Bhoomipathi Devaraya who was a genius wrongly coined a traitor, finds herself torn between conflicting emotions, and adopting ways devious to fulfill her goal. The journey a tough one, sees her wade through the murky waters of palace politics with just her wit and determination to guide her. Stumbling, falling, and rising up she continues on the arduous ‘trek’ only to find new and more challenging obstacles block her way. Will she continue on the path she has set out on, or will she buckle under pressure?…Join Sivagami on her action packed journey in Anand Neelakantan’s Queen of Mahishmathi (Baahubali: Before the Beginning Book 3).
While the plot is interesting, the narrative is riveting leaving the reader in me looking forward for more. The imagery drawn up by the author is powerful enough to conjure up the scenes, the actions, and the characters right before one’s eyes. The cast of characters, a good measure, are well-developed and dexterously woven into the story.
Key Takeaways From The Story
Inequality lights the fire of indignation which in turn is a ticking time bomb. If not addressed on time this ticking time bomb will cause havoc untold, havoc from whose ruins it is difficult if not impossible, to salvage the remnants and rebuild life once again.
Never undermine your opponent. Even the ‘weakest link’ on the other side can turn the tide against you if he or she decides.
Loyalty cannot be bought.
Wars are not won by weapons and men alone. Wars are won by wit, determination, and long-term vision which entails provision for dealing with failures and turning the unexpected to one’s favour. To win a war Strategists, Planners, and Executors need to work in tandem
My Favourite Quotes From The Book
“…The power of civilization is not in some obscure sacred texts or in the croaking of priests. It is in the power of knowledge, in the power of science and technology. ……”
“…if you want your country to be truly great, believe in knowledge and not in the accident of birth.”
VERDICT
A wonderful read that will see you sail through page after page without a hitch ( read break).
Out on a mission noble, Sivagami the daughter of Bhoomipathi Devaraya who was a genius wrongly coined a traitor, finds herself torn between conflicting emotions, and adopting ways devious to fulfill her goal. The journey a tough one, sees her wade through the murky waters of palace politics with just her wit and determination to guide her. Stumbling, falling, and rising up she continues on the arduous ‘trek’ only to find new and more challenging obstacles block her way. Will she continue on the path she has set out on, or will she buckle under pressure?…Join Sivagami on her action packed journey in Anand Neelakantan’s Queen of Mahishmathi (Baahubali: Before the Beginning Book 3).
While the plot is interesting, the narrative is riveting leaving the reader in me looking forward for more. The imagery drawn up by the author is powerful enough to conjure up the scenes, the actions, and the characters right before one’s eyes. The cast of characters, a good measure, are well-developed and dexterously woven into the story.
Key Takeaways From The Story
Inequality lights the fire of indignation which in turn is a ticking time bomb. If not addressed on time this ticking time bomb will cause havoc untold, havoc from whose ruins it is difficult if not impossible, to salvage the remnants and rebuild life once again.
Never undermine your opponent. Even the ‘weakest link’ on the other side can turn the tide against you if he or she decides.
Loyalty cannot be bought.
Wars are not won by weapons and men alone. Wars are won by wit, determination, and long-term vision which entails provision for dealing with failures and turning the unexpected to one’s favour. To win a war Strategists, Planners, and Executors need to work in tandem
My Favourite Quotes From The Book
“…The power of civilization is not in some obscure sacred texts or in the croaking of priests. It is in the power of knowledge, in the power of science and technology. ……”
“…if you want your country to be truly great, believe in knowledge and not in the accident of birth.”
VERDICT
A wonderful read that will see you sail through page after page without a hitch ( read break).
February 20, 2021
I loved watching Baahubali and when I heard that there is a prequel trilogy, I had to read them!
The trilogy is full of plots and subplots, which complex and twisted political games which are revelant in modern times too! The books are the perfect base for the movie.
This book helped in shaping a background for all the amazing characters that we saw in the movies. This book is the perfect end to a great trilogy and a beautiful beginning to the movies. To understand this book, you need to read the other two books first and come to this book and have a feeling of completeness.
This book mainly focuses on the bold and beautiful character of Sivgami ,the Queen of Mahismathi- a character that has been brilliantly developed and penned fantastically. If you have watched the movies closely, at sometimes you might predicate the plot but that is expected. The ending left my mouth open and don't waste anytime reading my review, go buy the series! You won't regret it!
The trilogy is full of plots and subplots, which complex and twisted political games which are revelant in modern times too! The books are the perfect base for the movie.
This book helped in shaping a background for all the amazing characters that we saw in the movies. This book is the perfect end to a great trilogy and a beautiful beginning to the movies. To understand this book, you need to read the other two books first and come to this book and have a feeling of completeness.
This book mainly focuses on the bold and beautiful character of Sivgami ,the Queen of Mahismathi- a character that has been brilliantly developed and penned fantastically. If you have watched the movies closely, at sometimes you might predicate the plot but that is expected. The ending left my mouth open and don't waste anytime reading my review, go buy the series! You won't regret it!
February 8, 2021
A fantastic ending to the 'Bahubali Before the Beginning' series spread over 1300 pages. This is more of a review of the series, this series follows orphaned Sivagami in her quest for revenge against the King but the story never surrounds around one person. Trilogy is full of subplots and political games(which are still relevant in todays India) played by each characters. In the end there is no winners and losers and story continues to the original movie series seamlessly. This provides the background for characters like Sivagami, Kattappa and Bijala in the Movie Series and their actions in it.
March 11, 2021
Queen of Mahishmathi By Anand Neelkanthan
Queen of Mahishmathi is a story of love, ambition, power, revenge, and betrayal that keeps the reader captivated throughout.
For all the Bahubali fans, this book is a must-read and a complete page-turner. I have read so many books by Anand, and I'm completely a fan of his writing style, and his way of storytelling is so gripping that you don't want to miss a word or sentence, and with each page you crave for more, to read more until you hit the last page.
I love how he portrayed the character of Sivagami, a strong-headed lady and the most powerful leader in the whole Bahubali series. This book shows her journey to becoming the queen of Mahishmathi, and how she overcomes all the difficulties. As each page unfolds you can find so many new surprises and the last scene, when she sat on her throne with two babies in her arms reminded me of the most iconic scene of the Bahubali movie.
Overall this book is a must-read and recommends to everyone.
Queen of Mahishmathi is a story of love, ambition, power, revenge, and betrayal that keeps the reader captivated throughout.
For all the Bahubali fans, this book is a must-read and a complete page-turner. I have read so many books by Anand, and I'm completely a fan of his writing style, and his way of storytelling is so gripping that you don't want to miss a word or sentence, and with each page you crave for more, to read more until you hit the last page.
I love how he portrayed the character of Sivagami, a strong-headed lady and the most powerful leader in the whole Bahubali series. This book shows her journey to becoming the queen of Mahishmathi, and how she overcomes all the difficulties. As each page unfolds you can find so many new surprises and the last scene, when she sat on her throne with two babies in her arms reminded me of the most iconic scene of the Bahubali movie.
Overall this book is a must-read and recommends to everyone.
May 10, 2021
Fantastic! Anand has masterfully weaved a nexus of stories and substories into this one book and provided enough momentum with well-structured chapters, that it's difficult to put the book down.
This book features multiple groups of people, their stories, and their interactions/clashes with each other. So it's very rich in detail, but the fast pace and the action-oriented narration give a good flow for all these details. They don't overwhelm the reader, rather, they flow past us like rain with wind.
Before I turn more poetic and mess this up, I'll stop. The book is a wonderful ending to the trilogy and the trilogy is a wonderful prequel to the movie. Enjoy!
This book features multiple groups of people, their stories, and their interactions/clashes with each other. So it's very rich in detail, but the fast pace and the action-oriented narration give a good flow for all these details. They don't overwhelm the reader, rather, they flow past us like rain with wind.
Before I turn more poetic and mess this up, I'll stop. The book is a wonderful ending to the trilogy and the trilogy is a wonderful prequel to the movie. Enjoy!
July 27, 2021
Intriguing
I enjoyed this novel more than the other 2 in the series. I was really on edge. He brought the story of Shivagami to live. We could actually feel her emotions as we read the novel.
I enjoyed this novel more than the other 2 in the series. I was really on edge. He brought the story of Shivagami to live. We could actually feel her emotions as we read the novel.
July 23, 2021
What an absolute pleasure it has been to read this and imagine it. Anand neelkanthan has written a perfect prequel to Bahubali - The Beginning.
December 30, 2020
Beautiful
Must read for all the fans of the Baahubali series out there. Amazing end/ beginning to one of India's best ever movies
Must read for all the fans of the Baahubali series out there. Amazing end/ beginning to one of India's best ever movies
April 25, 2021
A brilliant ending to a rather engaging and theatrical storyline, but this book was too rushed. While it may have been a befitting backstory, I felt it could have been elaborated a bit more especially with each of the smaller characters - Ally, Jeemotha, Brihannala, Inkoshi, etc.
Superb stuffing, just lacking the details that a Bahubaali fan would have loved to relish.
Superb stuffing, just lacking the details that a Bahubaali fan would have loved to relish.
March 13, 2021
Wow! I'm out of words! This 3rd book is just fantastic, Mind-blowing!
Beyond expectations!
If you loved the movie BAHUBALI and you're a bookworm then this is the book for you.
I really hope Rajamouli would consider bringing this entire Sivagami Series alive.
The budget to re-create this would not be little but it's going to be 3-4 times huge than the Bahubali movie itself but definitely, it's going to worth it.
While reading this book I could only see Rani Sivagami Devi as Ramya Krishnan. No one else is suited for this role other than her.
=============
So coming back to this book series - The 1st book (Rise of Sivagami) was so captivating and pulled my interest so hard that was so impatient for the 2nd book. I did message the author via Instagram asking for the release of the 2nd book, that how impatient I was!
However, the 2nd book (Chaturanga) was slightly a drawback and it was much smaller in size compare to the first book and was not as exciting as I expected it to be. Well, people say expectations lead to disappointments. So my enthusiasm for the 3rd book was slightly low.
Guess the author kept the best for the grand finale. The 3rd Book (Queen of Mahishmati) was truly a roller coaster ride. You can't predict and so many new characters started popping in. The book was so intense that you just want to know what is next. The Garuda Pakshi was definitely a surprise!
The author did it again by getting your mind to visualize the whole scene of this book as though you're there watching the whole drama.
The ending (pg525-527) will always be in my heart. Goosebumps!
=============
The entire series has taught us that being a woman is not easy but it's worth it.
There's nothing that a woman couldn't do.
This book did its justice to show that women are strong, bold, and capable to handle a country or any situations that throw against them.
=============
I love Anand Neelakantan books because there's so many meaningful quotes
Favorite Quote from this book :
1 . Politics is about mining religion and selling what is holy
2. Take life by its horns, dont cower in fear
3. Evil happens not because there are evil men, but because good people stand by indifferent to the deeds of the evil men
4. I dont think the world is as evil as we all think, Even in the worst of men, there is a seed of goodness. We need to water it with love and nurture it with trust.
5. Be careful what you think, for the world has a way of making your thoughts come true.
6. Concentrate on what is to be done now. The future will take care of itself.
7. There is hope as long as there is life.
8. God will not allow evil to flourish for long.
9. Give some charity and there would always be people to defend you, even if you committed a series of murders.
Beyond expectations!
If you loved the movie BAHUBALI and you're a bookworm then this is the book for you.
I really hope Rajamouli would consider bringing this entire Sivagami Series alive.
The budget to re-create this would not be little but it's going to be 3-4 times huge than the Bahubali movie itself but definitely, it's going to worth it.
While reading this book I could only see Rani Sivagami Devi as Ramya Krishnan. No one else is suited for this role other than her.
=============
So coming back to this book series - The 1st book (Rise of Sivagami) was so captivating and pulled my interest so hard that was so impatient for the 2nd book. I did message the author via Instagram asking for the release of the 2nd book, that how impatient I was!
However, the 2nd book (Chaturanga) was slightly a drawback and it was much smaller in size compare to the first book and was not as exciting as I expected it to be. Well, people say expectations lead to disappointments. So my enthusiasm for the 3rd book was slightly low.
Guess the author kept the best for the grand finale. The 3rd Book (Queen of Mahishmati) was truly a roller coaster ride. You can't predict and so many new characters started popping in. The book was so intense that you just want to know what is next. The Garuda Pakshi was definitely a surprise!
The author did it again by getting your mind to visualize the whole scene of this book as though you're there watching the whole drama.
The ending (pg525-527) will always be in my heart. Goosebumps!
=============
The entire series has taught us that being a woman is not easy but it's worth it.
There's nothing that a woman couldn't do.
This book did its justice to show that women are strong, bold, and capable to handle a country or any situations that throw against them.
=============
I love Anand Neelakantan books because there's so many meaningful quotes
Favorite Quote from this book :
1 . Politics is about mining religion and selling what is holy
2. Take life by its horns, dont cower in fear
3. Evil happens not because there are evil men, but because good people stand by indifferent to the deeds of the evil men
4. I dont think the world is as evil as we all think, Even in the worst of men, there is a seed of goodness. We need to water it with love and nurture it with trust.
5. Be careful what you think, for the world has a way of making your thoughts come true.
6. Concentrate on what is to be done now. The future will take care of itself.
7. There is hope as long as there is life.
8. God will not allow evil to flourish for long.
9. Give some charity and there would always be people to defend you, even if you committed a series of murders.
February 26, 2021
Very catchy story
The story is weaved well. Too many ups and downs, twists and turns and finally comes the tragic end at which Amarendra Bahubali's story begins.
The story is weaved well. Too many ups and downs, twists and turns and finally comes the tragic end at which Amarendra Bahubali's story begins.
June 20, 2021
Must read
Story has lot of mixed characters to fit in as well as closing it to the start of the film which is seen many times.... Entire book keeps you hooked to know what will happen next.... Too good
Story has lot of mixed characters to fit in as well as closing it to the start of the film which is seen many times.... Entire book keeps you hooked to know what will happen next.... Too good
May 17, 2021
Never ever make a movie out of this book plz!
Author Anand Neelakantan have done an amazing job - after reading I feel, is this kind of a storyline that could even be conceived in this modern literary world? You are a genius.. u can't just keep fantasizing story lines and characters, u need that knack of threading them together for a cause, belief, reason.. I can see your personality in many of those "reason"ing.
I was expecting a chapter at the end only to enlist the "dharma" of every character's deeds throughout the story, but post few chapters I realised - hey, u r up against some matured writer. You have done a clever move of explaining the "dharma-karma" side of every evil/good character's deed. It's nice to have it blended.
Btw, one SINCERE request to Bahubali (The Movie) team. Do not even contemplate to make these prequels into movie(s).
The writing genius of Mr.Anand wouldn't be even touched with your collective creative geniusness. The frames that he makes the reader to travel is so damn good that any VFX couldn't give that satisfaction.. Simply loved it. Do not attempt movie(s) out of it.
With the characters and cast in mind from Bahubali movies, the story had become even more personal to read.
Awesome read!
May Amma Gauri's blessings be with you!
Author Anand Neelakantan have done an amazing job - after reading I feel, is this kind of a storyline that could even be conceived in this modern literary world? You are a genius.. u can't just keep fantasizing story lines and characters, u need that knack of threading them together for a cause, belief, reason.. I can see your personality in many of those "reason"ing.
I was expecting a chapter at the end only to enlist the "dharma" of every character's deeds throughout the story, but post few chapters I realised - hey, u r up against some matured writer. You have done a clever move of explaining the "dharma-karma" side of every evil/good character's deed. It's nice to have it blended.
Btw, one SINCERE request to Bahubali (The Movie) team. Do not even contemplate to make these prequels into movie(s).
The writing genius of Mr.Anand wouldn't be even touched with your collective creative geniusness. The frames that he makes the reader to travel is so damn good that any VFX couldn't give that satisfaction.. Simply loved it. Do not attempt movie(s) out of it.
With the characters and cast in mind from Bahubali movies, the story had become even more personal to read.
Awesome read!
May Amma Gauri's blessings be with you!
April 23, 2021
REVIEW
Queen of Mahishmathi is the final book in the Bahubali : Before the beginning trilogy. After a thunderous and spectacular movies, the Bahubali franchise decided to come up with this amazing trilogy which focuses on the kingdom of Mahishmathi before the birth of Bahubali and Bhallaladeva. The first book The Rise of Sivagami released right after the release of the last part of the movie. This book has been celebrated and welcomed well by the readers. The Bahubali fans wasn’t disappointed with the magic Anand Neelakantan had managed to weave around the plot-line of Bahubali movies. After a three long years of wait, the second book in the trilogy Chaturanga got released which was more or less like a buffer book. This book showcased the different shades of all the characters whom the readers had encountered in the first book. This book widen the perspective of the readers and made them have better look on the characters.
Since, the second book took nearly three years to be released, the readers weren’t in a rush to expect for the next book but to everyone’s surprise the author magically decided to publish the third and the final book in the series within the few months of the second book’s release. This just made the Bahubali and Anand Neelakantan’s fans all very excited.
Right after, starting this series, the readers would have encountered a lot of questions and mysteries which were lurking in the dark curtains of the Mahishmathi’s Kingdom. But none of those questions had been answered in the first two parts of the trilogy and that created the hype for the last book. When you pick up this book there will be lots of questions revolving in your head like, why did Sivagami married Bijaladeva despite hating him ? What happened to Sivappa ? What happened to Bijiladeva’s hands, why was it crippled ? What happened to Mahadeva ? and so on. These questions can never let a reader sleep peacefully and they will have no other choice but to read the book immediately and get to decipher everything.
This book had so much dimensions to it. There were lots of issues happening in this book and there were lots of enemies waiting to strike on Mahishmathi and the kingdom couldn’t trust anyone anymore including the members of the royal family themselves. This book was pretty long but it wouldn’t bore you at any point of time.
This book had lots of expeditions taking place, like the one to Gawriparvat mountain, Kadarimandalam, Vaithalikas regions and so on. All those were really engaging, chilling and frigtening. Through this book, you can have a good look in and around Mahishmathi in a greater detail and that was a really good experience. The readers will also get to actually know about lots of clans, their lifestyle, practice and many more,
How the characters in this series developed and flourished to be the character they were destined to be was amazing. The growth arch of these characters were gradually, clean and remarkable. The greatest development among all of them was Mahadeva’s character, how a soft and sweet, poem loving boy who sings beautifully turns into this righteous, well principled, worthy of a king kind of an individual of just mind-blowing-ly amazing. He is undoubtedly the best character of the book. No doubt where Bahubali got all his good qualities from. (PS : It’s not a spoiler, if you do the math right, you will be able find it yourself)
Another remarkable character in this book was Maharaja Somadeva. He was really cunning and seriously a typical politicians who knows how to play safe and at the same time predict the opponent’s next move. There were certain other wonderful characters like Gundu Ramu and Ally. And also several genius evil minds like Jeemootha and Pattaraya whom you cannot stop but admire for their thought process and evil trap plans.
This book was basically filled with so much twists and turns nobody would have expected. The author has cleverly written it because Anand Neelakantan knows where to keep a twist and where not to and he is truly the master of his craft. This part of the series also spoke about the Kalakeya, their dynasty and their language Kiliki, well who doesn’t love the Kalakeya and their language ? Wasn’t it really intriguing to watch them on the movie ? The author had spoke about the rich background and culture of the Kalakeyas and their vanquished civilization and all gave a totally different insight about them.
The parts about Garuda Pakshi was really blood chilling and threatening. This book showcased the valor of little Gunda Ramu and his determination and his loyalty towards his Akka (sister), Sivagami. And there were other minor characters like Karthikeyan, who played minor role but had lots of impact on the reader’s heart. Sivagami’s character was as strong as it can ever be. She was this ambitious woman who always put her goal ahead of anything else and that sometimes felt really ruthless. Kattappa was the same submissive slave, you will get to look a little bit deeper into his personal life and through that you can understand how undeniably loyal he was to the throne. Sivappa’s character took a great toll and that was really disappointing.
The fight and the war sequence has been written very effectively and efficiently. When you are writing a fight or war sequence you have to be really careful, if you’re not very clear about it the readers might end up not understanding a word of what the whole war sequence was about. Anand Neelakantan has a special power to write such sequence with extraordinary clarity that everyone can understand it clearly and visualize on their mind’s eye whatever he has written.
The book was filled with so much of spectacular lines which will affect the readers so much. Anand Neelakantan’s books cannot be read without a pen in your hands because he writes amazing and strong lines which you cannot help but highlighting. Certain satirical characteristics exposed by characters like Jeemootha, Pattaraya, Sivappa and all cannot be ignored and that is the specialty of Anand Neelakantan. He will be prick you where it hurts the most with his words.
This book was at the same time very emotional and deep at many sequences which will make the readers get extremely emotional and very much connected to the plot and the characters at a deeper level.
This book would give a closure to you because it will answer all your questions and if you’re a Bahubali fan it is a must for you. S.S Rajamouli and his team made the movie a super hit and Anand Neelakanta has come up with this befitting prequel trilogy to the Bahubali movies by knitting his words effectively. The vision he had for this series was totally different and new from anything that you would have seen in both the parts of the movie.
MY VIEWS
I’m a super crazy fan of Bahubali. I watch both movies every time I decide to read this trilogy. But the final book in this series actually made me addicted to the movie much more than I had anticipated, that I’m actually been watching both the parts of the movie every other day for the past four months. I feel really sad that the series has come to an end. Every time I watch the movie, I cannot stop myself from being fascinated by the S.S Rajamouli and Anand Neelakantan’s ability to create such a world.
My most favourite character in this book would be Mahadeva, I love how good, well mannered, gentle, poetic, romantic, righteous and principled he was. He is a perfect hero material. A bit of extra focus on him could have been seriously assuaging for readers like me. I was so eager to know who would be Bahubali’s mom and that was quite surprising and I’m never going to tell who is his mom. I loved rebellious character of Sivappa and I thought he was going to be really great and heroic but in this book his character has been completely destroyed and that was quite disheartening.
I was analysing the end of the trilogy and the beginning of Bahubali movie, there was certain mismatch here and there but that’s the liberty the author has taken to make the book more interesting. I hated Bijila a lot, at many point of time I wanted to kill him with my bare hands for his cruelty 😛 He is nothing more than a traitor and I think he deserves to be punished in the cruelest possible way. (okay, that’s the cruel, psychopath in me talking, lol)
After reading this book I had developed this admiration and hate for both Sivagami and Kattappa because these are two heartless people who would do anything to achieve what they thought was right. One is overtly ambitious towards her goal and other is overtly committed to his promise and loyalty. At times it was annoying 😛 (Don’t hate me)
I absolutely loved this book. I can say this book was so much more better than the first two books. I would like to suggest this book / this trilogy to everyone who has watched and loved Bahubali. You should definitely read this book. If you are not reading this, then you are missing out something really great in your life.
My rating for this book would be 4.5 out of 5 stars
Happy Reading Folks!!
~Meenu
Queen of Mahishmathi is the final book in the Bahubali : Before the beginning trilogy. After a thunderous and spectacular movies, the Bahubali franchise decided to come up with this amazing trilogy which focuses on the kingdom of Mahishmathi before the birth of Bahubali and Bhallaladeva. The first book The Rise of Sivagami released right after the release of the last part of the movie. This book has been celebrated and welcomed well by the readers. The Bahubali fans wasn’t disappointed with the magic Anand Neelakantan had managed to weave around the plot-line of Bahubali movies. After a three long years of wait, the second book in the trilogy Chaturanga got released which was more or less like a buffer book. This book showcased the different shades of all the characters whom the readers had encountered in the first book. This book widen the perspective of the readers and made them have better look on the characters.
Since, the second book took nearly three years to be released, the readers weren’t in a rush to expect for the next book but to everyone’s surprise the author magically decided to publish the third and the final book in the series within the few months of the second book’s release. This just made the Bahubali and Anand Neelakantan’s fans all very excited.
Right after, starting this series, the readers would have encountered a lot of questions and mysteries which were lurking in the dark curtains of the Mahishmathi’s Kingdom. But none of those questions had been answered in the first two parts of the trilogy and that created the hype for the last book. When you pick up this book there will be lots of questions revolving in your head like, why did Sivagami married Bijaladeva despite hating him ? What happened to Sivappa ? What happened to Bijiladeva’s hands, why was it crippled ? What happened to Mahadeva ? and so on. These questions can never let a reader sleep peacefully and they will have no other choice but to read the book immediately and get to decipher everything.
This book had so much dimensions to it. There were lots of issues happening in this book and there were lots of enemies waiting to strike on Mahishmathi and the kingdom couldn’t trust anyone anymore including the members of the royal family themselves. This book was pretty long but it wouldn’t bore you at any point of time.
This book had lots of expeditions taking place, like the one to Gawriparvat mountain, Kadarimandalam, Vaithalikas regions and so on. All those were really engaging, chilling and frigtening. Through this book, you can have a good look in and around Mahishmathi in a greater detail and that was a really good experience. The readers will also get to actually know about lots of clans, their lifestyle, practice and many more,
How the characters in this series developed and flourished to be the character they were destined to be was amazing. The growth arch of these characters were gradually, clean and remarkable. The greatest development among all of them was Mahadeva’s character, how a soft and sweet, poem loving boy who sings beautifully turns into this righteous, well principled, worthy of a king kind of an individual of just mind-blowing-ly amazing. He is undoubtedly the best character of the book. No doubt where Bahubali got all his good qualities from. (PS : It’s not a spoiler, if you do the math right, you will be able find it yourself)
Another remarkable character in this book was Maharaja Somadeva. He was really cunning and seriously a typical politicians who knows how to play safe and at the same time predict the opponent’s next move. There were certain other wonderful characters like Gundu Ramu and Ally. And also several genius evil minds like Jeemootha and Pattaraya whom you cannot stop but admire for their thought process and evil trap plans.
This book was basically filled with so much twists and turns nobody would have expected. The author has cleverly written it because Anand Neelakantan knows where to keep a twist and where not to and he is truly the master of his craft. This part of the series also spoke about the Kalakeya, their dynasty and their language Kiliki, well who doesn’t love the Kalakeya and their language ? Wasn’t it really intriguing to watch them on the movie ? The author had spoke about the rich background and culture of the Kalakeyas and their vanquished civilization and all gave a totally different insight about them.
The parts about Garuda Pakshi was really blood chilling and threatening. This book showcased the valor of little Gunda Ramu and his determination and his loyalty towards his Akka (sister), Sivagami. And there were other minor characters like Karthikeyan, who played minor role but had lots of impact on the reader’s heart. Sivagami’s character was as strong as it can ever be. She was this ambitious woman who always put her goal ahead of anything else and that sometimes felt really ruthless. Kattappa was the same submissive slave, you will get to look a little bit deeper into his personal life and through that you can understand how undeniably loyal he was to the throne. Sivappa’s character took a great toll and that was really disappointing.
The fight and the war sequence has been written very effectively and efficiently. When you are writing a fight or war sequence you have to be really careful, if you’re not very clear about it the readers might end up not understanding a word of what the whole war sequence was about. Anand Neelakantan has a special power to write such sequence with extraordinary clarity that everyone can understand it clearly and visualize on their mind’s eye whatever he has written.
The book was filled with so much of spectacular lines which will affect the readers so much. Anand Neelakantan’s books cannot be read without a pen in your hands because he writes amazing and strong lines which you cannot help but highlighting. Certain satirical characteristics exposed by characters like Jeemootha, Pattaraya, Sivappa and all cannot be ignored and that is the specialty of Anand Neelakantan. He will be prick you where it hurts the most with his words.
This book was at the same time very emotional and deep at many sequences which will make the readers get extremely emotional and very much connected to the plot and the characters at a deeper level.
This book would give a closure to you because it will answer all your questions and if you’re a Bahubali fan it is a must for you. S.S Rajamouli and his team made the movie a super hit and Anand Neelakanta has come up with this befitting prequel trilogy to the Bahubali movies by knitting his words effectively. The vision he had for this series was totally different and new from anything that you would have seen in both the parts of the movie.
MY VIEWS
I’m a super crazy fan of Bahubali. I watch both movies every time I decide to read this trilogy. But the final book in this series actually made me addicted to the movie much more than I had anticipated, that I’m actually been watching both the parts of the movie every other day for the past four months. I feel really sad that the series has come to an end. Every time I watch the movie, I cannot stop myself from being fascinated by the S.S Rajamouli and Anand Neelakantan’s ability to create such a world.
My most favourite character in this book would be Mahadeva, I love how good, well mannered, gentle, poetic, romantic, righteous and principled he was. He is a perfect hero material. A bit of extra focus on him could have been seriously assuaging for readers like me. I was so eager to know who would be Bahubali’s mom and that was quite surprising and I’m never going to tell who is his mom. I loved rebellious character of Sivappa and I thought he was going to be really great and heroic but in this book his character has been completely destroyed and that was quite disheartening.
I was analysing the end of the trilogy and the beginning of Bahubali movie, there was certain mismatch here and there but that’s the liberty the author has taken to make the book more interesting. I hated Bijila a lot, at many point of time I wanted to kill him with my bare hands for his cruelty 😛 He is nothing more than a traitor and I think he deserves to be punished in the cruelest possible way. (okay, that’s the cruel, psychopath in me talking, lol)
After reading this book I had developed this admiration and hate for both Sivagami and Kattappa because these are two heartless people who would do anything to achieve what they thought was right. One is overtly ambitious towards her goal and other is overtly committed to his promise and loyalty. At times it was annoying 😛 (Don’t hate me)
I absolutely loved this book. I can say this book was so much more better than the first two books. I would like to suggest this book / this trilogy to everyone who has watched and loved Bahubali. You should definitely read this book. If you are not reading this, then you are missing out something really great in your life.
My rating for this book would be 4.5 out of 5 stars
Happy Reading Folks!!
~Meenu
March 14, 2021
An Epic Epic end to a prequel! Non stop action ! Could actually visualize the characters and the scenes....And that's the reason why I took a pretty long time to finish reading! Kudos Anand, proud to have known you!
March 17, 2021
A trilogy that beautifully unfolds the Pre Amerandra Bahubali era. Spellbound by the rise of Sivagami to rightfully avenge her father's death and become Queen of Mahismathi. Thourougly enjoyed.
February 20, 2021
One of the biggest qualms everyone has with prequels is the focus on HOW. You know where the original (in the fictional world, the sequel) starts so there's a huge spoiler always looming. And as far as new characters go, since they don't stay for the start of the story you already know, it doesn't really bode well for them.
Although the final installment in Sivagami's story suffers from the same problem, the author finds new ways to surprise you quite a bit. The longest of the three, you find twists and turns at every chapter as the game of Chaturanga intensifies and friends and foes, heroes and villains, pawn themselves and change sides quickly felling their enemies in a swoop.
Intense battle sequences carefully drawn out, a dark commentary on society and it's many woes, from the sardonic pompusness of the high and the mighty, coupled with a seething disdain from the downtrodden and the many mindless sheep in between confuses our protagonists and makes them question every move, fighting two battles, one with the enemy attacking the gates, and another with the thoughts within.
Neelkantan meticulously plots out his story and keeps the tempo high till the very end. Although the story drags a little too much at the end, one might forgive him as, in his defense the expansive universe now contains too many characters and motivations and each of them deserve a satisfying end. It could have done without the amount of 'foreshadowing' thrown in the readers face but I grudgingly admit that they are good Easter eggs to tie up neatly into the films. The retcons of the previous books and even in some situations, the movies are groan inducing and makes me really question if there was no real way the story could have progressed without really messing up the source material.
When a Universe as expansive as this, traversing 2 Movies, 3 Books, a comic and an Animated TV Series with 5 seasons and running is made, there are bound to be missteps and tying them all together or even addressing them isn't always a first priority, the books can definitely be consumed as a standalone piece of reading as can the movies, but a little continuity and consistency, help no doubt!
As a lifelong fan, I salute the creators for this labour of love! Jai Mahishmathi!
Although the final installment in Sivagami's story suffers from the same problem, the author finds new ways to surprise you quite a bit. The longest of the three, you find twists and turns at every chapter as the game of Chaturanga intensifies and friends and foes, heroes and villains, pawn themselves and change sides quickly felling their enemies in a swoop.
Intense battle sequences carefully drawn out, a dark commentary on society and it's many woes, from the sardonic pompusness of the high and the mighty, coupled with a seething disdain from the downtrodden and the many mindless sheep in between confuses our protagonists and makes them question every move, fighting two battles, one with the enemy attacking the gates, and another with the thoughts within.
Neelkantan meticulously plots out his story and keeps the tempo high till the very end. Although the story drags a little too much at the end, one might forgive him as, in his defense the expansive universe now contains too many characters and motivations and each of them deserve a satisfying end. It could have done without the amount of 'foreshadowing' thrown in the readers face but I grudgingly admit that they are good Easter eggs to tie up neatly into the films. The retcons of the previous books and even in some situations, the movies are groan inducing and makes me really question if there was no real way the story could have progressed without really messing up the source material.
When a Universe as expansive as this, traversing 2 Movies, 3 Books, a comic and an Animated TV Series with 5 seasons and running is made, there are bound to be missteps and tying them all together or even addressing them isn't always a first priority, the books can definitely be consumed as a standalone piece of reading as can the movies, but a little continuity and consistency, help no doubt!
As a lifelong fan, I salute the creators for this labour of love! Jai Mahishmathi!
February 25, 2021
Mahishi
The river had always been there, flowing silently, beckoning strangers to leave everything and merge with it. Mahishi had seen it all. Kings, queens, men, women. Their never ending games, life, death. The never ending cycle of life.
She was a strange immortal, she mused, not for the first time. Embracing death everyday to kiss the sky. Only to fall and be reborn again in this endless expanse of a body.
She enjoyed watching the puny humans, their misery. All fighting for what? Power, hah! The sweet little figment of imagination everyone was so desperate to gain. Let them play.
But a scent of rotten eggs was in the air. For some time now. She could sense an incoming change. She shuddered, ripples moving across her whole body. It was the nature, the scheming witch, who was playing a parallel game this time. It gave everything and took it back at her choosing.
Will it be the death of her? A final goodbye to the soil and life that she so carefully nurtured?
Amma Gauri, please have mercy! It was as if even the winds were scared for what was coming.
She'll wait for now. That's all she can do, after all. Other than telling stories, of course.
______________________________________
The trilogy has been told from the perspectives of different characters, so I thought it fit to try and gain some perspective from the one who sees it all without judgment, impassive, keeping watch. And there's a reason for that too.
Amidst the multiple themes and plots and characters, it's quite apparent how fascinated Neelakantan is with water. The laughing, playing, flirting waters, ever inviting.
Coming to the book, what this book achieved for me, other than tying all loose ends and wrapping it all back together, is the elevation of cinematic atmosphere in the plot. By the time one finishes the book, they're ready to jump onto the movie duology, thanks to the expert poise with which Anand guides it all.
So hop on the board, scream "Jai Mahismati" and enjoy the ride!
The river had always been there, flowing silently, beckoning strangers to leave everything and merge with it. Mahishi had seen it all. Kings, queens, men, women. Their never ending games, life, death. The never ending cycle of life.
She was a strange immortal, she mused, not for the first time. Embracing death everyday to kiss the sky. Only to fall and be reborn again in this endless expanse of a body.
She enjoyed watching the puny humans, their misery. All fighting for what? Power, hah! The sweet little figment of imagination everyone was so desperate to gain. Let them play.
But a scent of rotten eggs was in the air. For some time now. She could sense an incoming change. She shuddered, ripples moving across her whole body. It was the nature, the scheming witch, who was playing a parallel game this time. It gave everything and took it back at her choosing.
Will it be the death of her? A final goodbye to the soil and life that she so carefully nurtured?
Amma Gauri, please have mercy! It was as if even the winds were scared for what was coming.
She'll wait for now. That's all she can do, after all. Other than telling stories, of course.
______________________________________
The trilogy has been told from the perspectives of different characters, so I thought it fit to try and gain some perspective from the one who sees it all without judgment, impassive, keeping watch. And there's a reason for that too.
Amidst the multiple themes and plots and characters, it's quite apparent how fascinated Neelakantan is with water. The laughing, playing, flirting waters, ever inviting.
Coming to the book, what this book achieved for me, other than tying all loose ends and wrapping it all back together, is the elevation of cinematic atmosphere in the plot. By the time one finishes the book, they're ready to jump onto the movie duology, thanks to the expert poise with which Anand guides it all.
So hop on the board, scream "Jai Mahismati" and enjoy the ride!
February 18, 2021
Book review 💯📖
⭐ My Rating - 4. 7/5⭐
The book " Queen of Mahishmathi" is an amazing trilogy written by Author Anand Neelakantan.
I don't have any words to express about this book. Since most of you would have watched the film Bahubali, this book will be an added advantage to the film. Those who liked the movie should really read this book if you do wanna know the story in depth. This is the 3rd part of the series. This book revolves around the central character Sivagami, the bold and lovely women portrayed and penned very well. Yet I personally love the character Kattappa. Author has described the life and struggles plus the Journey of the main characters in a deep explanation. However you can predict things at times as you have already watched the movie.
What I liked -
⭐ The language used is simple and lucid.
⭐The character development is also impressive.
⭐ The book page length is more than moderate.
⭐The ending is such that the readers wont be able to forget it and also get imaginary scenes with the way of writing.
Overall a great read! Check out this book.
⭐ My Rating - 4. 7/5⭐
The book " Queen of Mahishmathi" is an amazing trilogy written by Author Anand Neelakantan.
I don't have any words to express about this book. Since most of you would have watched the film Bahubali, this book will be an added advantage to the film. Those who liked the movie should really read this book if you do wanna know the story in depth. This is the 3rd part of the series. This book revolves around the central character Sivagami, the bold and lovely women portrayed and penned very well. Yet I personally love the character Kattappa. Author has described the life and struggles plus the Journey of the main characters in a deep explanation. However you can predict things at times as you have already watched the movie.
What I liked -
⭐ The language used is simple and lucid.
⭐The character development is also impressive.
⭐ The book page length is more than moderate.
⭐The ending is such that the readers wont be able to forget it and also get imaginary scenes with the way of writing.
Overall a great read! Check out this book.
July 23, 2021
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 📚
𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢
Gave a great introduction to the world of Mahismathi that we’ve known from the Bahubali franchise. The characters and storyline had so much to offer that it made a great epic fantasy. That got me lost in the pages. I honestly didn’t feel like i was reading words anymore but rather viewing the story visually. Stayed up nights promising to sleep after a chapter until the book finished and it was the next morning.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 3.5/5
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚
This had me expecting a lot which may be the reason why I felt it lacked in conveying a full story like its prequel. It was a quick and short read. The theme was set and the twists had me gaping at the pages. Quite so often I’d shout “no! Not him” hoping that the writer hears me and spares killing a character. Well, it ended on cliffhanger and for a while left me questioning what happens next. Until I read its final book.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 4/5
𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢
Oh my god. This was a roller coaster I truly didn’t expect. The character transformation was a fantastic journey. This one is filled with twists, such that the story completely takes a turn you weren’t expecting. The complex conflicts had me wondering, “How ever will Mahishmathi get past this and become what it was in the beginning of the movie version?” All in all, the ending was satisfactory and felt earned. Gripping plot, engaging storyline, unique characters and the mesmerising world of Bahubali made this such an enthralling read!
- Sana Q
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5/5
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 📚 :
Indian Fantasy, South Asian, Epic, Historical Fiction
𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭?
Fans of Bahubali Series or Historical fiction will enjoy this.
Follow me on my book page on Instagram @sanaaminqureshi.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRoJmnHrO...
𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢
Gave a great introduction to the world of Mahismathi that we’ve known from the Bahubali franchise. The characters and storyline had so much to offer that it made a great epic fantasy. That got me lost in the pages. I honestly didn’t feel like i was reading words anymore but rather viewing the story visually. Stayed up nights promising to sleep after a chapter until the book finished and it was the next morning.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 3.5/5
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚
This had me expecting a lot which may be the reason why I felt it lacked in conveying a full story like its prequel. It was a quick and short read. The theme was set and the twists had me gaping at the pages. Quite so often I’d shout “no! Not him” hoping that the writer hears me and spares killing a character. Well, it ended on cliffhanger and for a while left me questioning what happens next. Until I read its final book.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 4/5
𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢
Oh my god. This was a roller coaster I truly didn’t expect. The character transformation was a fantastic journey. This one is filled with twists, such that the story completely takes a turn you weren’t expecting. The complex conflicts had me wondering, “How ever will Mahishmathi get past this and become what it was in the beginning of the movie version?” All in all, the ending was satisfactory and felt earned. Gripping plot, engaging storyline, unique characters and the mesmerising world of Bahubali made this such an enthralling read!
- Sana Q
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5/5
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 📚 :
Indian Fantasy, South Asian, Epic, Historical Fiction
𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭?
Fans of Bahubali Series or Historical fiction will enjoy this.
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January 7, 2021
Third part of Trilogy of Bahubali series Ananad Neelakantan did fantastic writing. you can not wait another day to finish this book. All character in shown the film by s.s Raja mouly, you go through the depth of this charactore and their history. how they become powerful, how they grew up, how Mahishmathi kingdome flourish, and how their game of throne will played by all officials of Mahishmati and their enemies. If you loved the movie Baahubali then you will love this book series too. you cannot predict the climax while though you know that Shivagami will won. really enjoyed reading all trilogy.
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for More clicke link bellow.
https://cjp017booksworld.wordpress.co...
February 19, 2021
A well written series, and a much deeper and layered story than the movie has to offer. While the movie offers a more of a visual treat, this book takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions, historical fiction and a powerful game of politics. Well constructed story, which will add to the admiration to the movie characters, especially the protagonist Sivagami, and the fierce Kattappa. For me, the third book is the best among the three, and it manages to conclude in a satisfactory manner to the reader providing a great opening or headstart to the story in the movie. Honestly, the storyline in the books is so intense and that I felt the movie diluted the story a bit as it gave priority to visual effects.
March 1, 2022
A book which you simply cannot put down! What an incredible job done by @anandneelkanthan in bringing this epitome of a series to life. Every single character in the book is carved out carefully by the sculptor, each one has its own start and ending to narrate. I was in awe of Ramya's performance (Sivagami devi portrayer) in Bahubali series, and if there is a series ever made on Sivagami Devi - she should portray this larger than life character. A fan of Bahubali series would easily connect the dots and how the story connects at each and every juncture.
The entire trilogy is based on the concept of Karma and the theme should be 'What goes around, comes around'.
Another masterpiece by @Anand!! Great job, sire!
The entire trilogy is based on the concept of Karma and the theme should be 'What goes around, comes around'.
Another masterpiece by @Anand!! Great job, sire!
April 11, 2021
As usual, a very interesting development. All of the situations perfectly fall into place for the character of Sivagami to develop into the Sivagami we all know as depicted in the movie.
The theme of 'karma' is beautifully portrayed. The contrasts of winning and losing are focused on and are well established. It made me question many times: "Is there really good and bad, or just winners and losers."?
Good does win, but this story shows that 'good' need not be so clear-cut. It's a mixture of many good things, and eventually, the number of good deeds outnumber the number of bad deeds for a character or his/her action to be deemed as good, or bad, or both.
The theme of 'karma' is beautifully portrayed. The contrasts of winning and losing are focused on and are well established. It made me question many times: "Is there really good and bad, or just winners and losers."?
Good does win, but this story shows that 'good' need not be so clear-cut. It's a mixture of many good things, and eventually, the number of good deeds outnumber the number of bad deeds for a character or his/her action to be deemed as good, or bad, or both.
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