Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

AgniBaan : Guardians of the Fire Chamber

Rate this book
535 CE

A young warrior sails from Egypt to a secret destination in India, carrying a mysterious package from the Great Pyramid. He guards a secret for which wars have been fought, for which men have staged the most ruthless massacres.

But the forces of darkness are not far behind.

Present day

The favorite for the US Presidential election is assassinated. Nuclear submarines are destroyed. An Indian army convoy faces a deadly border attack. And a terrible fate awaits Delhi, as the city hurtles towards a long night of destruction.

Yet, this is just the beginning.

As the trail of the AgniBaan races from desolate lakes to dense jungles, from lost cities to hidden temples, from the US election campaign to bloodthirsty underground duels, it is clear that an ancient prophecy is coming true.

Empires will fall. Darkness will prevail Hell's fury shall be unleashed

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2021

52 people are currently reading
110 people want to read

About the author

S. Venkatesh

12 books39 followers
S.Venkatesh is an author, speaker, entrepreneur and investor. His books AGNIBAAN and KAALKOOT have both been Amazon #1 bestsellers, and have received acclaim for their combination of conspiracy, history and suspense. KAALKOOT has been optioned for screen adaptation.

As a private equity investor, business leader and Board member, Venkatesh has helped businesses scale up, innovate and grow. He held leadership positions across Asia with JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Macquarie, and continues to be an avid investor.

Venkatesh has been keenly interested in Eastern philosophy and mysticism right from his college days at IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta. He is passionate about self-discovery and the power of stories to inspire and transform.

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
201 (48%)
4 stars
156 (37%)
3 stars
46 (11%)
2 stars
7 (1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
Profile Image for Shruti.
106 reviews573 followers
September 20, 2021
The Shiva Trilogy meets Dan Brown

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Agnibaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber is an exciting thriller with a mythological twist to it. Starting in the year 535 CE in Egypt and ending in modern day India, the story revolves around the legend of the Agnibaan - a mystical object that helps keep or restore order in the universe. The Guardians are a group tasked to protect the Agnibaan with their life. In opposition to them is The Dark Order, a cult known to cause disruption and devastation who want to steal the Agnibaan for their corrupt schemes.

Through this story, we understand how this war between The Guardians and The Dark Order has been waged for over thousands of years, across different countries until we finally reach modern day India - the place where the Agnibaan rests and also where a conspiracy is brewing to finally steal it for The Dark Order. Enter our main characters, Dhruv, ex member of the “Shauryas” a secret, elite section of the Indian Army tasked to deal with highly dangerous and sensitive missions and Megha, a researcher at Delhi Institute of Historical Research who accidentally stumble upon the last Guardian of the Agnibaan and get swept into the conspiracy. It is now up to them to find the hidden location of the Agnibaan and protect it from the evil powers who are trying to gain access to it.

What I liked about this book is how the author has seamlessly combined ancient Egyptian and Hindu mythology with modern day science and politics. This juxtaposition of ancient mysticism and modern day technology made for a very interesting backdrop to the story. Through this juxtaposition, the author has also explored the age old question of what one should rely on - science or spirituality? Or rather logic vs faith. And the even more interesting part the author has brought out through the story is how interconnected they can be and the wonders that can happen when you accept both.

The story in itself was quite engaging. It was interesting to see the main characters work with each other to piece together this thousand year old puzzle and solve the mystery. I liked how we got to see both Dhruv and Megha shine in their respective fields, how they both added to the story rather than the female character being the token love interest for the male character.

Another thing to commend is the immense attention to detail and the research that went behind bringing in all the elements of mythology, politics and scientific facts together.

However, there were times where this attention to detail did affect the pacing of the book. There were moments of info-dumping that interrupted the thrilling portions and cut the pace slightly. Also, the explanations of these elements were sometimes over simplified or over explained and did get repetitive at times. This repetition was also seen with some of the language used and certain expressions that appeared in the book. The book would have definitely benefited with a sharp editor who might have also caught a couple of instances of grammatical errors in the prose.

But in the end, where Agnibaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber does really shine is in its endearing characters and its interesting plot full of mysticism, ancient history, terrorist attacks, assassinations and political schemes that will keep you guessing as to what will happen next right till the end!

Profile Image for Vishnu Chevli.
650 reviews602 followers
August 15, 2021
The first book of S Venkatesh Was Kaalkoot, which was a nice read. Except for the end, I enjoyed the book and finished in 2-3 sittings. So I had higher hopes with "AgniBaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber". And I am glad that the author has surpassed all expectations. It wouldn't be an exaggeration if I say Venkatesh has outperformed twice or thrice than Kaalkoot.

The book is written in two parallels. One around 535 CE when around 15-20 months earth atmosphere was covered with dust due to multiple reasons and proved very stressing period for civilizations over the world. And the second parallel is written after the Covid situation where political chaos is going on throughout the world due to multiple reasons. In between this chaos in both parallels we have two strong protagonists as well as two strong antagonists to give us company till we reach the last page.

The book belongs to the league that of Dan Brown from foreign authors and Ashwin Sanghi from Indian authors. The book shows the depth of research done by Venkatesh. Not just cultural analysis but the author has given vivid details about India's and Egypt's geopolitical situations. He has taken support of numerology and astronomy of ancient times to give us added interest. The book easily glues you to the story, because every place in the book you will get a good combination of fiction with facts. I liked the story and this time I found the ending better planned and written than Kaalkoot. The pace of the story is apt for fast reading, you can read this 350-page story in less than 4 sittings for sure.

Overall a 4.5 out of 5 for this book. And I am putting it in one of the best read of the year and must-read thrillers written in the last decade by Indian authors.
Profile Image for Priya Shrinath.
381 reviews17 followers
October 1, 2021
Agnibaan by Venkatesh is a wonderful rollercoaster of a book that is quite possibly the best one I had read in this genre - political/mythological Indian Fiction in a long time.

Agnibaan grips you right from the first page where the Oracle of Tanis in Egypt is killed and the Dark Order is searching for the Fire Arrow and would stop at nothing. It's the duty of Aphotep, the order of Gaurdians to preserve the mighty object that could be the world's most powerful weapon when fallen into wrong hands. Aphotep has to travel around the world in order to get the object to safety, to protect it for eons to come and away from the Evil.


Present day - Several Attacks, military and political hit the world from everywhere and the powerful nations US, India, China and likes start defending and offending themselves. But a dark force is in action and their motive if HUGE. MASSIVE and will stop at nothing but destruction.

Apocalypse is about to happen and there are two people who are fighting, deciphering what they can do to obstruct it, just by a fraction. Dhruv and Megha make an unlikely pair and they're both brilliant when working together to save the world.

So many tracks, so many things happening at once. Think of D Day, 2012 and other dystopian movies. This book would make a terrific Netflix series with so much action and adrenaline gripping throughout.
Profile Image for thebookwormcritic.
197 reviews15 followers
September 22, 2021
BOOK REVIEW 💫

Book - AGNIBAAN
Author - @authorsvenkatesh
Format - Paperback
Genre - Thriller
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review :

In association with @kharidobechobooks
Do checkout for more book reviews and recommendations .

👹 Agnibaan - Guardians of the Fire chamber , is my first novel by the author and I am super thrilled to say it's an absolutely amazing thriller but with a mythological twist to it .
👹Set in 535 CE Egypt and ends with today's India . AGNIBAAN - a mystical object which is set to keep the universe in order .
The Guardians , are those who are appointed to protect it .
👹 When there is something to keep universe running perfectly , there definitely has to be something to work against it , that is The Dark Order .
👹An interesting war between the Guardians and The Dark Order , starting from ancient Egypt to Modern India .
The Agnibaan located in India now , but plans to steal it by The Dark Order is brewing . The protagonist of the book , Dhruv is on the mission to find the Agnibaan ,and protect it .
👹 I would say , the author has different style of writing and the way the plot undergoes twists and turn from mythological to thriller suspense is just stunning .
👹 A definite read for all the Thriller lovers .
Profile Image for The Bookish Elf.
2,872 reviews447 followers
September 16, 2021
Humans are greedy by nature since their inception and their desire for controlling others make them more ruthless. S Venkatesh makes this human trait the focus of his latest historical thriller, AgniBaan. Built around two interwoven stories, one from the 535 CE and one present day, the book is set in Egypt, US and India. Author S Venkatesh mixes a decent understanding of folklore and history and came up with a great conspiracy in this fast paced quest for the AgniBaan.

The story opens in 535 CE. With a mysterious package from the Great Pyramid in Egypt, a young warrior plies the blue seas toward a secret destination in India. Secrets he harbors have motivated men for wars, to organize the worst massacres. Unbeknownst to young warrior, there are others on the trail, people willing to kill to acquire what they believe he possesses.

In present days, an assassin takes out Peter Decker, the American Presidential frontrunner, during his visit to India. In India, an army convoy is attacked by militants along the border. And now Delhi's fate is grim, as it hurtles towards a long night of destruction. It is evident that an ancient prophecy is coming to pass as the AgniBaan trails from desolate lakes to dense jungles, from lost cities to hidden temples, from US election campaigns to blood-thirsty underground fights. As the story progresses, it becomes a game of "who do you trust?", with plenty of actions, twists, and other perils.

S Venkatesh writes detail-oriented, history heavy action-adventure. It took me a bit to get used to his writing style, but I have to say it really worked for me. I found the history aspects quite interesting and intriguing. He takes some history, puts in a plot, covers it with detail, and keeps the action going. I loved Dhruv, one of the two main characters of this story, who is a serious brainiac with innate detective instincts. Megha, another protagonist in the story, is a strong and pivotal character in this novel. Both Dhruv and Megha really carry the show. One of the things I really liked about the author's writing in this story is occasionally he puts in a chapter taking us back to the 535 CE and the warrior whom we met in the prologue.

The story is well-paced, the plot twists and turns engagingly. There were no stopping and thinking moments from opening to shutting the book. The characters are sufficiently motivated to propel the action to its conclusion. I liked how S Venkatesh allowed the two principal characters to examine their situation during the course of the story, questioning and scrutinizing their relationship. I really appreciate all the research that went into this book. All the geographical and theological knowledge sprinkled throughout the story makes this book more engaging. It is really interesting to see how story hopped from the US to India to ancient Egypt and always at just the right moment that your appetite was wetted ready for you to return to the previous place and set of characters.

AgniBaan by S Venkatesh is essentially exactly what I've been looking for: a smart historical action-adventure-thriller with interesting characters, involving ancient mysteries and conspiracy theory. Author S Venkatesh doesn't let his readers down when it comes to things blowing up, characters in serious jeopardy, and violent, gruesome deaths. If you're up for a novel about secret societies guarding ancient mysteries or you're a fan of Dan Brown's books, then AgniBaan by S. Venkatesh should do the trick.
Profile Image for Darshayita Thakur.
231 reviews25 followers
August 28, 2021
The story starts in 535 CE in the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are two groups set up against each other, The Dark Order of Apep and The Order of The Guardians. Both factions are after a secret object that has remained protected for centuries, Minew Satey, the Fire Arrow.

Cut to present-day North India, where two seemingly unrelated attacks take place at the same time. At the same time, a game is afoot in The United States. The mishaps just don’t seem to end. Is this what The Oracle of Tanis had predicted centuries ago?

“The Ma’at has been disturbed,
An evil mist Shall shroud the skies,
Empires will fall, Darkness will prevail,
Hell’s fury shall be unleashed.”

The author does a good job of keeping the readers engaged from the get-go. Each event has some repercussions and in turn, sets forward another set of events. The plot keeps its pace and does not disappoint. Oracles, Ancient Egypt, possible humanoids, and much more make this book a page-turner.

Profile Image for Siddhant Kataria.
72 reviews2 followers
October 1, 2021
The story begins with the acolytes of the Dark Order of Apep digging for a secret of foremost value hiding beneath the Great pyramids of Giza, Egypt, in 535CE. They have been defeated by the Lightning Warrior, Aphotep, who is supposed to be the successor of the guardians. The guardians- Qurators have been protecting the secret inside the walls of the Fire Chamber for centuries, but now human greed is acquainted with this secret. Aphotep carries that secret to The Oracle of Tanis, the spiritual guide for the guardians, to know about its future.

The story progresses to the present world, where someone possesses the clue to the location of the secret. The secret is a Fire Arrow, known as Agnibaan(India) and Minew Satey(Egypt).

For more details,

http://b00kscom.blogspot.com/2021/10/...

The story accentuates the cultural similarities of ancient Egypt and India. The author discusses the drastic climate change, if ignored, will cost this humankind with irremediable effects. The readers are enthralled by the different plots working parallel to lead the story to the climax. This book is a work of excellent research with every detail benefitting the plot. All the intimidating topics- political, mythological, historical, and advanced technology contribute to the plot. The author’s imagination takes the readers with angst and excitement. It is definitely a page-turner. I did find a few amateur sentence formatting errors that could have been avoided, but they existed in one or two chapters in the beginning. Those errors seem to be an amateur style, a way to exhilarate readers and fascinate their journey. The writing style except for those errors is intriguing. I wouldn’t be surprised if some proficient directors put their hands on this masterpiece. In the words of The Oracle of Tanis,

‘Empires will fall, Darkness will prevail,
Hell’s fury shall be unleashed.’

Also, I do recommend this book to my friends abroad waiting to read a thriller by an Indian author. Do grab your copy as soon as possible.
For detailed review, tap the link below:

http://b00kscom.blogspot.com/2021/10/...
Profile Image for Simran.
45 reviews12 followers
October 11, 2021
✨BOOK REVIEW ✨
"We might be separated by thousands of miles of hundreds of years but deep within, we are all same. And we experience the same emotions"~ AGNIBAAN (@authorsvenkatesh )

First of all a big thank you to the author @authorsvenkatesh for giving me the review copy.
🔥This story is about the Agnibaan (Fire arrow), which was guarded by the Guardians of Fire Chamber. Dhruv Ralhan, an ex-army agent got to know about the Fire Arrow and tried to be at the site with Megha, a historian, so that the members of Dark Order couldn't get to the site to take the Fire Arrow and become the destructors.
🔥That fire arrow was kept as a secret by a young Egyptian warrior Aphotep. It was placed that in the forests of India in the past times of 535 CE.
US president's rule was at stake after the wars with the other countries. And Delhi was facing a terrible fate, this all destruction around the world was caused by the disturbance of fire arrow.

🔥Whoever was behind the Fire Arrow must be exposed in front of the world during the darkest times.
But who was it and what does it want? You must read the story and find that out.

#qotd What's your favourite thriller book?

🔥The story is very gripping and you'd find the characters very interesting as well as the entry of the each character is so perfectly blended which makes the story more worthy of time.
A perfect thriller mystery with lots of twists and turns. You'll be engaged wholeheartedly while reading this book because the author know how to keep the readers fully engaged with the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it kept me intrigued in the story.

🔥Well written story and highly recommended.
Fast paced and the language is little scientific and a mix of history words but not that difficult, easy to understand.
Profile Image for Sahiba Rani.
11 reviews5 followers
October 11, 2021
This book is a great combination of historical fiction, thriller, and mythologies and has a deep message for mankind.

The novella is set in 535 CE and ended in present day India and USA. The story revolves around a Fire Arrow (Agnibaan) that needs to be protected from the dark orders who want to get hold of it.

535 CE: Aphotep and Merti are the guardians of the fire chamber. Their main purpose is to guide the secret kept in the fire chamber of the great pyramid. To preserve the fire arrow Aphotep sails from Egypt to India secretly. while Merti and the villagers stayed back as they had no real escape route from the forces of Dark Order of Apep.

Present Day: Peter Decker, who is a big hope for the world and potential future president of the United States assassinated in India followed by an array of mishaps. But this is just the beginning. A lot more destruction is yet to happen. Dhruv and Megha get to know the reason behind all the mishaps. They began their quest for Agnibaan (the fire arrow) to protect it from the dark order of Apep, but will they be able to find the Agnibaan and protect it from The Dark Orders? or will their quest for Agnibaan will lead them into some major trouble?

I loved the way the author graciously bridges between the past and the present in the story without affecting the thrills and mysteries as the story dives deeper and deeper. Each plot the author mentioned or described was way more thrilling than the previous one and it just kept me hooked into the book. The twists and turns are not over dramatic or over exaggerated. The author has made the plot more realistic and engaging for the readers. I highly recommend this book to all the history lovers as the story unfolds many histories of ancient Egypt and India. 

My Rating: 4/5
1,073 reviews17 followers
September 23, 2021
• Book Review•

Book:- Agnibaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber
Author:- S.Venkatesh
Format:- Kindle
Rating:- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Agnibaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber authored by S.Venkatesh is super exciting, thriller with mythological touch-up.

The story reflects how the evil' force is capable to destroy the natural force. But, the hero always saves the nature!

The storyline revolves around the year 535 CE in Egypt. Then there's a shift to the modern day India, reflecting the past in a marvellous manner.

Agnibaan is a type of mystical object that's believed to maintain the order in the universe. The Guardians are a group of people who's duty is to protect the Agnibaan with their life.

The Dark Order, villian in the storyline aims to cause disruption to the Agnibaan. Their main goal is to destroy the nature and it's power.

But, the story here ends with a happy note. The guardians of the Fire Chamber are successful to protect the Agnibaan from evil' eyes.

The plot, the characters, the ancient history, terrorist attacks, assassinations and political schemes highlighted in the book kept me hooked to the storyline till the end!

The story can be summarised as :- Thousands of years ago, war amidst The Guardians and The Dark Order has been waged through. But, the protagonist Dhruv, a dedicated member of the “Shauryas” a secret section of the Indian Army and Megha , a researcher at Delhi Institute of Historical Research are able to face the obstacles. They are the two protagonists and the last Guardian of the Agnibaan.

The author must be praised for combining ancient Egyptian Hindu mythology with modern day science and politics. Overall, the book is quite engaging, highly recommend for readers who love to dive deep into fiction.

Thank You.
Happy Reading 📚
Profile Image for Khushi Rungta.
226 reviews5 followers
September 25, 2021
There are some novels which have your undivided attention, just like S Venkatesh’s Agnibaan. A classic thriller fiction covering multiple time zones and geographical locations, this book is a must for all Dan Brown and Amish lovers.
The story starts from Egypt in the year 535CE jumps several centuries and continues in the modern day India. Agnibaan- the fire arrow- the main subject of the book is something to be heavily protected as it keeps the universe in order.
Aphotep the warrior sails from Egypt to an unknown destination in India carrying with himself the reason for which many massacres and wars have happened. However, as in most cases, the antagonists- The Dark Order don’t seem to rest back too and chase the Guardians.
Parallelly the present day India seems to be filled with political chaos. The US President gets assassinated while visiting India, a militant war breaks out in North East India and a disastrous future awaits Delhi, as the city moves towards devastation.

The cover is so amazingly designed that even though I was not well, I could not stop myself from reading this book. Historical fiction is my favourite genre, and I was very anxious as to how this would turn about. But this kept me glued to the pages, causing me to hear scolding too, but all of it was definitely worth it.
The writing style, the research, the facts, everything was impeccable. Plus to be set in North East India, having a female protagonist, keeping in tunes with the political aspects, made the novel a lot more intriguing.
Profile Image for Hepzibah Becca Jael.
689 reviews9 followers
September 20, 2021
Agnibaan
S. Venkatesh

Embarking on the year 535 CE and the Present day India, US, and Africa, the author has infused mythology and prehistory and presented to us in a silver platter. He showcases human trait of greediness and power to control portraying the ruthless beasts that lives within.

The Fire Chamber has been opened and the Fire Arrow must be saved and preserved at any cost, sacrifices have to be made and running from the bad guys is the only way for the Guardians to protect it for now. Aphotep is the Guardian now and he seperates his team and journeys to India crossing oceans to protect the Agnibaan. Present day life goes on but Dhuruv and Megha find themselves in the middle of things that they have no understanding of. As the world awaits it's favourite President Peter Decker to be the winner of the election, he is assassinated and another possible contender escapes by the thread! India's border is attacked and the changing climatic conditions prove that the balance has been disturbed and the fact that the ancient prophecy is coming true!!

Now it all lies in the question "Whom to trust?!" With all that they've found the Dark Order wants it too and that makes trust even more challenging and the twists even more twisted and the word peril has a whole new meaning now!

The Author has written a fast paced thriller which is detailed in its descriptions and packed with action and adventure all the while following a pattern of the historic prophecy! What I found myself more fascinated was the history part of it all, the author transports us to the past and the present with his words alone! And his characters make you feel like you're experiencing all of it first hand! I personally loved how the author portrayed Dhuruv and Megha because they are worthy MC's who lead the story with their peculiarity.
Profile Image for Readwithmadhu.
507 reviews23 followers
November 14, 2021
If we believe that mythology generally is there to address and provide insight in to our origins, then mythology thrillers are the ones to be seen to tarnish those very origins to inaugurate and introduce the foundations of emotional disturbance.

‘AgniBaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber’ by S Venkatesh is a nail biting thriller with a bout of our mythology, where in we see that the narrative which is resolutely drawn of its creative potential is from the vast realm of the legends, even if the action is firmly rooted in the contemporary scenario as the book continues to progress.

Coming to the story, we are introduced to the Guardians, who are tasked with protecting the Agnibaan. It is said that with great power comes great responsibility, which is exactly what happens with the Guardians. To do their job, they have to be completely dedicated and any misstep or mistake would result in high risk.

In this archetype, we see that the author has very brilliantly tapped other abstractions as well, making it a unique experience for all the readers as it takes us back in to the amorphous sphere of elemental instincts and imaginary beginnings, but at the same time, it is also seen to rely on convoluted impulses of our characters too.

The suspense through out the book was on a high, however, especially during the last few chapters, we as a readers are rooted to find out about what is coming next in the story, or what next turn of events we will be seeing. Hence I am going to give this book FIVE AGNIBAAN STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for Awditi.
36 reviews2 followers
December 2, 2021
In the 535 CE, an Egyptian guardian of the Ma’at sets out on a journey to hide a powerful weapon that can forever change the world as we know. But there's also evil working against him, one who call themselves the Dark Order. The battle continues centuries later, as people try to find that source of power known as ‘AgniBaan’. When an ex-secret agent and archaeologist find themselves roped into this mytholog battle, they are faced with mortal danger; a man that goes by the name of devil, ultramodern weaponry that threatens the life of every Delhi denizen and the chief of Dark Order himself.

I love mystery thriller books more than any genre. And to top it off with mythology, I was excited to read this book. The carefully planned mystery and prophecies with intriguing characters and apocalypse threatening to begin was so beautifully done, I was in awe. The POVs shift between India, the US and Africa kept the tension in the book palpable. The scientific explanation of the mythological stories and the modern technology used by the world was so intricately done, I want to applaud the author for the research.

A perfect read for a mystery/thriller lover!
Profile Image for Agirlwithherbooks.
319 reviews15 followers
February 20, 2022
Looking for your next fantasy thriller then cast your eyes upon this book 'Agnibaan' by S. Venkatesh
An intricate storyline,a strong glistening cast of strong characters lDhruv, Meghna Neha, Piyush, dosed with political intrigue and an epic quest to possess Agnibaan the ultimate mythical weapon and protect it from Evil Dark Order of Apep.
As the trail of the AgniBaan races from desolate lakes to dense jungles, from lost cities to hidden temples, from the US election campaign to bloodthirsty underground duels, it is clear that an ancient prophecy is coming true.

Empires will fall. Darkness will prevail Hell's fury shall be unleashed

The author has created an effortless, the enchanting read that is rich, rewarding and completely enthralling. Imbued with the rich of narration, i devoured the book. What stood out for me the alternative narrative as the story goes back and forth between different tine frames, i was entranced till the end., plus the Egyptian legends dosed with Indian , it was nothing short of brilliant.
And that ending OMG! Mind blowing!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars for this effortless reading the experience.
Profile Image for Vrushali Mhatre.
80 reviews
October 4, 2021
I loved the title as "Agnibaan: Gaurdians of the fire chamber" and one can say its a perfect fit based on the storyline. This book will take you forward and backward in time from present day to 535 CE. Despite this author did well to engage reader's with suspense. It's a perfect blend of ancient mythology and mystery.

The locations described from ancient time and their correlation in present is significant. Specially the symbols, cryptography, sign language used for encryption of the secrecy of Agnibaan and then the way main characters decrypt them are quite good. One cannot expect the twist in the story for the relation of Agnibaan from history to current day politics.

Storyline was gripping and the use of verses which relates the situation from time to time throughout the story gives chill.

Below are few of my fav quotes from the book-

⚡Empires will fall. Darkness will prevail Hell’s fury shall be unleashed.

⚡When the forces of evil come together, the forces of good must come together too.
Profile Image for Shreya Mehta.
272 reviews18 followers
September 15, 2021
What would I call this story? A thriller? A mythology with present times involved? A political thriller? I don't know. Maybe, it's mix of all of these. But I was totally gripped with just few pages in.

The main characters, Dhruv and Megha, met in a crisis situation amongst the gunfires. But soon their purpose became common when Dhruv got to know about what the world was gonna face if proper actions aren't taken. They were searching for Agnibaan which was placed at a secured place fifteen centuries ago. And the place was mentioned as a riddle in a temple in Lonar. The author has repeated it at proper scenes to remind the reader so that one can follow easily.

The location of Agnibaan was described as a riddle by Aphotep, member of the guardians, centuries ago. Megha and Dhruv solved it intelligently. And I was so happy at that moment when they finally found that name of place. I needed to take a breath at that moment. Wow! I would appreciate author for those riddles. They had such a deep meaning.

I got to know few physics terms like HTS means High Temperature Superconductor and EMP means Electro Magnetic Pulse. This is so huge if you google it!

I was on the edge of my seat thoroughly and couldn't wait to finish it. However, I am not much satisfied with the ending. Comparing to the flow and twists in the story, I was hoping for something big at the climax. Anyway, it was a memorable and hatke (different) read I would say.

I just LOVED the story thoroughly. I am very impressed with the narration of past and present times. The author gave in just what was required at that time keeping the reader hooked and intrigued. I finished it in just a day because I couldn't put it down.

The writing style was truly amazing. The characters were strongly developed. The narration was fast paced. I loved the action packed scenes. I could imagine everything easily. If you are facing reading slump or you like action packed thrillers, this book will definitely blow your mind! DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED!
50 reviews
September 15, 2021
#bookreview
Agnibaan - S. Venkatesh

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

Agnibaan is a Mythology - Fantasy crossover. The story revolves around a sacred, powerful object called Agnibaan which dates back to 535 CE. Cut to present time it's post - pandemic era. A series of attacks has been carried on India, US president has been assassinated, Nuclear submarines are destroyed suspicions are on China, but the truth is something else.

On top of that there are dark forces are after Agnibaan, and Dhruv & Megha are only people aware about it. So it's race against time between the good & the bad who will get there first ? How are these events related ? What is this Agnibaan ? And most importantly who are these dark forces ? Well, to know all this read the book, and get your answers ?

Review:

Firstly I would like to mention though being a Mythology - Fantasy book it's really fast paced & quick. However, being all that the author makes sure that no stone is left unturned.

Content wise the book is fulfilling there was never a time I felt that the story is incomplete or it was too rushed. It was just perfect !! I think S. Venkatesh is one of those authors who can speak volumes in few words.

I also liked the fact that the book had alternate chapters of the past & present time which fulfilled the purpose of giving the readers a brief about Agnibaan's history, and also kept on them on the edge with the ongoing chase, and suspense.

The book wasn't very character driven. It doesn't goes too much in the depth of characters emotions or feelings it's to the point which actually worked fitted well for this. Given the fact how fast paced & short it was.

Honestly, as a reader I loved the respresentation of modern, brave & courageous women in it. It rightly deceipts that not only men, but women too can save the world if shown faith & given a chance to.

To be honest I cannot find any fault in the book it's crisp & concise and definitely recommended for people who want to dive into the Mythology or Fantasy genre, but doesn't wants to read a long book or a book series.
301 reviews7 followers
September 13, 2021
✍You probably get the impression from the title of the book that it is a thriller or a mystery novel. There is a timeline in this work that spans the years 535CE to the present day. In this tale, there are two groups of people: guardians who kept the secret in the fire chambers of enormous pyramids and dark group (villains) who are attempting to obtain the secret.

✍'The Fire Arrow' is at the centre of the story ( Agnibaan). That must be replaced from Egypt because the dark group (villains) are attempting to obtain it. And the guards, whose sole mission was to protect the secret stored in the great pyramid's fire chamber.As a result, Aphotep, a member of the guardians, races to India with a delicate gift containing the secret, while Aphotep, a member of the dark forces, closely follows his trail.

✍There are several characters in this tale, and Megha and Dhruv are two of them. Megha works as a historian at the Delhi Institute of Historical Research, and Dhruv is a member of the 'Shuryas,' and they both work to defend the 'Agnibaan.' You can see adventures, thrills, and learn about the ancient history of 'Agnibaan' in this tale.

✍The author's writing style is highly praised since once you begin reading the work, you will be engrossed in it without being bored because there are numerous twists that entice the reader to go on to find out what happens next. Author also does an excellent job of connecting the two universes.

✍If you're curious as to why 'Agnibaan' is so vital that so many people want to defend it and so many terrible things want to take it, read on. 'Agnibaan,' what's in it? And what does 'Agnibaan' mean? If you want to know all of the answers, you should read it since I enjoyed it. If you enjoy adventure and suspense, you should absolutely read it.

✍To be honest, I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but after reading this, my opinion has changed. I really like the author's narrating style,and his explanation power is very simple and easy to understand. As a result, I recommend that you read this book.
Profile Image for Chirag Malik.
159 reviews13 followers
September 15, 2021
“The universe works through a deeper logic which seems like magic to the untrained eye.”

Storyline:

The back story

The story is something out of the apocalyptic movie, it all starts thousands of years ago in 535 CE at the great pyramid of Giza in Egypt where the secret package i.e the fire arrow is hidden. Aphotep is the last guardian of the fire arrow trying to protect it from falling in the hands of the dark order of apep. Because if that happens the order of the universe will be disturbed & nature will unleash its fury on mankind.

Present time:

Dhruv, an honest, middle-aged officer of an elite group in the army is having a tough time in his life because he is being laid off by the army. Megha, an elegant & passionate historian with a photographic memory. Their paths meet as they found themselves locating the fire arrow to save humanity. But the dark order had other things planned out for them & for all of humanity.

My thoughts:

I was truly amazed by the narration of this book because a lot of stories were going on in parallel & the author wanted to give an aerial view of the story to the readers. And I’ve got to say he has accomplished that with perfection. The narration is flawless.

The second thing that caught my attention multiple times was the meticulous amount of research that goes behind writing such books because I couldn’t found any loose ends in the story. Everything was described wonderfully & at the right time.

Lastly, I liked how fast-paced this book was along with a lot of twists & turns which kept me hooked the entire time.

Final Opinion:

If you are interested in reading Sci-fi, mythology, thrillers then it has got all the three elements and you’ll find it difficult to put this book down.
Profile Image for Addy.
136 reviews5 followers
June 8, 2022
Continuing with my new found fascination for trying multi genre thrillers by Indian authors, I think I've found another one worth reading. Amalgamating the elements of Geography, science and legends into two parallel narratives - the ancient one in Egypt and the modern one in India, the author has delivered a crisp, pacy thriller which gets most things right.

I did feel that the ancient narrative lacked some depth but the overall length of the book is appropriate for majority of the readers.

The doomsday destruction scenes were quite chilling and very realistic. The climax was satisfying as well with science & realism preferred over fantasy/supernatural. Overall, a great read. 4/5
Profile Image for Motivationaldailythoughts.
1,091 reviews33 followers
September 15, 2021
Title - Agnibaan (guardians of the fire chamber)
Author - S. Venkatesh
Publisher - Treeshades Books
Genre - thriller mystery
Pages - 336
Format - paperback

The story of 'Agnibaan' by S. Venkatesh revolves around a fire arrow (agnibaan) which need to be shifted from Egypt to India because the Dark order wants to get hold of it. The story sets up in 535 CE and ends in the present time. The place of story setting is ancient Egypt. At that time there two orders existed -

1. The order of the Guardians (protagonists)
2. The Dark order of Apep(antagonists)
Aphotep, a member of the order of the guardian comes to India with a package having secret.
And in the present day assassination of US presidential candidate takes place.
What happens next?

Read the book to know about it.

The cover of the book is aptly designed and eye catchy. The title of the book is relevant to the content. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and thrilling. It is a perfect blend of mystery, thrill, adventure, action, past and present with lots of twist and turns. The author has perfectly woven the incidents of two eras and good and evil forces. The story also has the touch of science and mythology as it carries us across time and space.

The language used is simple and lucid. Characters are well developed and described by the author. Equal importance has been given to male and female protagonists. The flow of the book is well paced. Hats off to the author for his research work.

Overall, a captivating read.

Rating - 4.8/5

I recommend this book to all.
Profile Image for Sid Sharma.
316 reviews7 followers
September 20, 2021
This suspense thriller book has a lot to offer and keep the readers engaged till the last page of the book. The story moves around a fire arrow that has to be repositioned from Egypt as some dark forces want to seize it.
The story of the book shifts from the ancient society of Egypt to present-day India. If a person has an interest in geopolitics, then it would be a treat for them. It talks about the world’s biggest power-nations, America and China, as well.
No doubt, the author has to be praised for intermingling two different worlds in a story so flawlessly. The story is so interested that it has hooked me like anything. The way the author has narrated the story is just so outstanding.
There are many characters in the story to remember, but they play their roles as the story progresses. The cover of the book looks so intriguing. Also, the title is apt to the story.
It is a well-paced book that has a lot of thrill, adventure, murders, crimes, mythology and what not!
A Must Read.
Strongly Recommended.
Profile Image for Sayani.
357 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2021
ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ꜰᴀʟʟ. ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴘʀᴇᴠᴀɪʟ. ʜᴇʟʟ'ꜱ ꜰᴜʀʏ ꜱʜᴀʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴜɴʟᴇᴀꜱʜᴇᴅ.

 ~𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰~

An Indian Army convoy faces a deadly border attack and a terrible fate awaits Delhi as the city hurdles towards a long night of destruction. On the other hand  The favourite US presidential candidate is assassinated and nuclear submarines are being destroyed. Is there a bigger scenario of doom and destruction that awaits for the mortal world.

 "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢'𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘥
𝘈𝘯 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴"

✷𝐀𝐆𝐍𝐈𝐁𝐀𝐀𝐍:✷
  ᴳᵘᵃʳᵈⁱᵃⁿˢ ᴼᶠ ᵀʰᵉ ᶠⁱʳᵉ ᶜʰᵃᵐᵇᵉʳˢ
-𝐛𝐲 𝐒.𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐡

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰~

✷The story starts in 535 CE in the Great Pyramid of Giza giving us a intriguing aura of ages old folklore, history and along with comes the aura of suspense and mystery.

✷A young warrior sails from Egypt to a secret destination in India, carrying a mysterious package from the Great Pyramid. He guards a secret for which wars have been fought, for which men have staged the most ruthless massacres. The forces pf darkness are not far behind
Is it some ancient prophecy coming true? Read this amazing story to know.

✷This book has everything that I love to read Suspense, thrill and aura of myths and age old legends. The story articulately connects between the two timelines; The 365 CE and Present Days , the transition between the two time period is very well defined. The blend of Egyptian Myth and Science fiction provides an intriguing aspects to the story. The characters and the plot is is well developed. Glimpses of bygone ages with present days being a fast paced thriller this book keeps the readers hooked till the Last pages.

✷The writing style was exquisiteexquisite and suspense brewing up makes this book a page turner, inspite of being a book with 300+ pages I finished it in one sitting as the narrative and intriguing story line kept me glued till the last page. Recommended to everyone who loves to read a gripping suspense story with aura of mystery.

--𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠--
4.5🌟
260 reviews1 follower
September 19, 2021
Incredibly Thrilling Experience!

So this review is going to be all over the place because that is how much excited the book has left me.
A book with action packed mystery with a gist of history, sorry I won't be doing any spoilers for this one, because it deserves your attention!
Shaurya- an almost out of service guilt ridden secret agent.
Megha-an intellectual historian who wears her heart on her sleeve
Neha- A PhD holder in physics working at a nuclear power plant
Merti - A warrior best then the rest left to defend all that is left.
Aphotep- the last hope of the world in 535 CE
A tale of sacrifice, bravery, these characters are interlinked, history will repeat! When men's cup is full of greed,
Hell's fury will be unleashed.
A sci-fi thriller for the science people who keep searching for logic in everything by a man of science who has given us enough logic here! It's amazing how this book hits home, right from the locations to the career I pursue.
Deeply engaging! And unputdownable!
Profile Image for Kunthavi.
10 reviews
May 14, 2024
The writing style could have been better. Many repetitions, some places could be crisper, but the gripping plot makes it unputdownable. Tho I guessed the villain & the plot early on, I was cruising thru the pages. Brilliant thriller
Profile Image for Amit Gandhi.
93 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2021
The author has written the book after doing a great amount of research, it can be seen.. Very engaging plot.. Must read thriller!
Profile Image for Saloni Gupta.
276 reviews8 followers
September 14, 2021
3.75/5
If I had to describe my experience with this book in one word it would simply be AWESOME.
The book was so well researched, the entire story was actually constructed around real climate change incidents that has happened in the time period mentioned in the book, I was in the awe of the facts mentioned this precisely.
The book started like those spicy action films that we all are guilty of watching again and again and still never get tired of, watching, Seriously the build up was created from the very first chapter itself and it felt so interesting to keep turning the pages and to get to know the entire mystery.
The characters in this book were so refreshing for me to read they just felt so real, so good to read.
And the mega reveal left me in a complete disbelief I was so not ready for it 😬😬😬😬
When I started reading in the initial few chapters I was completely sure this might be my next 5 ⭐️ read and the story was really good no complaining there but my only problems was that the climax was kind of rushed, there was a pretty nice build-up for it but the climax was just too rushed I felt.
Will I re read this book- yes
Will I recommend this book- definitely.
4 reviews
November 27, 2021
After Harry Potter this book attracted me more and I enjoyed reading it.
The book is awesome, there is lots of twist and turn which make the story more thrill and suspicious.
The shift between timeline is just awesome, because it change your way of thinking, from 535CE to present day, from Egypt to India.
The story is very unpredictable there is continuity in the story.
I always like to watch thriller and suspense program but reading was not attract me that much but after reading this book my way of thinking changed.
Profile Image for Kitabi Keeda.
625 reviews70 followers
September 19, 2021
The first impression of the book that is the cover, name and the blurb, definitely creates an intrigue into the readers mind. As the story unfolds, it will take you to a nerve-racking ride between timelines and plots. Fast paced and racy, captivating the reader from the very first page. The story holds an impressive cast of characters. Both the antagonists and the protagonists are well shaped. Language is neat and simple. An action packed book and a perfect read for the weekend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.