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Indic Chronicles
Legend Of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India
A Forgotten Hero. An Unforgettable Battle.
India, 1025 AD.
Repeated attacks by Mahmud of Ghazni and his barbaric Turkic hordes have weakened India’s northern regions. The invaders lay waste to vast swathes of the subcontinent—plundering, killing, raping, pillaging. Many of the old Indian kingdoms, tired and divided, fall to them. Those who do fight, battle with old codes of chivalry, and are unable to stop the savage Turkic army which repeatedly breaks all rules to win. Then the Turks raid and destroy one of the holiest temples in the land: the magnificent Lord Shiva temple at Somnath.
At this most desperate of times, a warrior rises to defend the nation.
King Suheldev.
The ruler of a small kingdom, he sees what must be done for his motherland, and is willing to sacrifice his all for it.
A fierce rebel. A charismatic leader. An inclusive patriot.
Read this blockbuster epic adventure of courage and heroism, a fictional tale based on true events, that recounts the story of that lionhearted warrior and the magnificent Battle of Bahraich.
India, 1025 AD.
Repeated attacks by Mahmud of Ghazni and his barbaric Turkic hordes have weakened India’s northern regions. The invaders lay waste to vast swathes of the subcontinent—plundering, killing, raping, pillaging. Many of the old Indian kingdoms, tired and divided, fall to them. Those who do fight, battle with old codes of chivalry, and are unable to stop the savage Turkic army which repeatedly breaks all rules to win. Then the Turks raid and destroy one of the holiest temples in the land: the magnificent Lord Shiva temple at Somnath.
At this most desperate of times, a warrior rises to defend the nation.
King Suheldev.
The ruler of a small kingdom, he sees what must be done for his motherland, and is willing to sacrifice his all for it.
A fierce rebel. A charismatic leader. An inclusive patriot.
Read this blockbuster epic adventure of courage and heroism, a fictional tale based on true events, that recounts the story of that lionhearted warrior and the magnificent Battle of Bahraich.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2020
728 people are currently reading
3558 people want to read
About the author
Amish Tripathi
29 books7,782 followersAmish is an IIM (Kolkata) educated, banker turned award-winning author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions.
His 7 books have sold over 5 million copies and been translated into 19 Indian & international languages. His Shiva Trilogy is the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history while his Ram Chandra Series is the second fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history.
In 2019, Amish was appointed to a diplomatic role as Director , The Nehru Centre in London, India's premier cultural centre abroad.
His 7 books have sold over 5 million copies and been translated into 19 Indian & international languages. His Shiva Trilogy is the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history while his Ram Chandra Series is the second fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history.
In 2019, Amish was appointed to a diplomatic role as Director , The Nehru Centre in London, India's premier cultural centre abroad.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 638 reviews
August 17, 2023
2 stars
Amish and me - we have a love hate relationship. I love when he releases his books (two years after the given date) and hate the book by the time it ends. Come to think of it, there isn't a single book after The Immortals of Meluha that I've actually loved.
Legend of Suheldev was no exception. I'm truly embarrassed to admit that I knew nothing of a Suheldev before this book and he's supposed to be an Indian hero or something.
I'm keeping this review very short and simple. Points where I liked the book and where I hated it.
Why I hated it ?
Reason#1 - Logic. Yep! That's it. Whatever Amish thought to achieve by writing this book is completely lost in the propaganda it tried to promote. It was messy - the story, with a lot of loopholes glaring at me throughout the book - a) Who the fuck was Ashvaghosh? Why did we create a suspense about his identity, when there was nada about him in the rest of the story?
b) Where did Toshani come from?
c) I lost the reason why she actually 'refused' to marry Suheldev? If anyone got it right, please explain or better yet, leave it at it's pathetic state.
d) Do you actually want me to believe that people of that era were perfectly normal with the LGBT display? To take mum on the topic by Amish was definitely a negative in my book.
Negative 1 star!
Reason #2 - The propaganda itself. You see, when you plan on writing a story, this outrageous and bold, you must be prepared for hurting the feelings of few of the blocs of society. Hell! I'm an Indian myself and I'm stillfuming not excited about this! I know he's a great storyteller, Amish. But this was taking shit to another level.
I'm partial to revealing stuff in my review because I don't want to spoil it for others but you'll know when you're reading it!
Negative 1 star!
Reason #3- Repetition. If you read my reviews on regular, you must know that I hate these. In all the three book series of Amish, there is a running similarity.
Hero is a castaway guy hell bent on improving the society and relieving it of it's evils - Shiva withSomras and Vikarma system, Ram with the Caste system and Suheldev with the turkic invaders and the Caste system as well. Heroine is no wallflower and is adept in the art of warfare. Few loyal sidekicks, an explanation of myth with scientific basis, blah, blah and oh! a fierce battle in a battleground with millions of people where the story climaxes!
Phew! Did I get it right? Anyway, Don't like those so,negative 1 star!
What I loved?
Frankly, nothing. But I did like some of the parts of the story.
First being, Amish's impeccable writing style and narrative. He successfully proves again that he's not a teller but a show- er. This book is a complete page turner.
Second would be the characters - Suheldev, Abdul, Gowardhan, Salar Masud and so.
So, 2 stars it is and i'm being generous!
Amish and me - we have a love hate relationship. I love when he releases his books (two years after the given date) and hate the book by the time it ends. Come to think of it, there isn't a single book after The Immortals of Meluha that I've actually loved.
Legend of Suheldev was no exception. I'm truly embarrassed to admit that I knew nothing of a Suheldev before this book and he's supposed to be an Indian hero or something.
I'm keeping this review very short and simple. Points where I liked the book and where I hated it.
Why I hated it ?
Reason#1 - Logic. Yep! That's it. Whatever Amish thought to achieve by writing this book is completely lost in the propaganda it tried to promote. It was messy - the story, with a lot of loopholes glaring at me throughout the book - a) Who the fuck was Ashvaghosh? Why did we create a suspense about his identity, when there was nada about him in the rest of the story?
b) Where did Toshani come from?
c) I lost the reason why she actually 'refused' to marry Suheldev? If anyone got it right, please explain or better yet, leave it at it's pathetic state.
d) Do you actually want me to believe that people of that era were perfectly normal with the LGBT display? To take mum on the topic by Amish was definitely a negative in my book.
Negative 1 star!
Reason #2 - The propaganda itself. You see, when you plan on writing a story, this outrageous and bold, you must be prepared for hurting the feelings of few of the blocs of society. Hell! I'm an Indian myself and I'm still
I'm partial to revealing stuff in my review because I don't want to spoil it for others but you'll know when you're reading it!
Negative 1 star!
Reason #3- Repetition. If you read my reviews on regular, you must know that I hate these. In all the three book series of Amish, there is a running similarity.
Hero is a castaway guy hell bent on improving the society and relieving it of it's evils - Shiva withSomras and Vikarma system, Ram with the Caste system and Suheldev with the turkic invaders and the Caste system as well. Heroine is no wallflower and is adept in the art of warfare. Few loyal sidekicks, an explanation of myth with scientific basis, blah, blah and oh! a fierce battle in a battleground with millions of people where the story climaxes!
Phew! Did I get it right? Anyway, Don't like those so,negative 1 star!
What I loved?
Frankly, nothing. But I did like some of the parts of the story.
First being, Amish's impeccable writing style and narrative. He successfully proves again that he's not a teller but a show- er. This book is a complete page turner.
Second would be the characters - Suheldev, Abdul, Gowardhan, Salar Masud and so.
So, 2 stars it is and i'm being generous!
June 25, 2020
Om Namah Amish- I bow to you for this brilliant effort
There has been a systematic effort by a section of Indian historians and intelligentsia to destroy the Indian morale and pride of being Indian. This they have been trying by highlighting how India has always been divided, attacked and losing to foreign powers. This carefully planned onslaught on Indian pride has been sharpened after independence. These people have tried to dismiss and write off oral traditions and written material as fragments of imagination. On top of it, sustained narratives on the caste, region and religion-based politics, even when at times none exist, has ensured that stories of Indian valour do not find place in popular imagination. Amish makes a powerful statement when he writes- “Those civilizations (Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Mediterranean) died out because the civilised stopped caring about their own civilisations”. The book is a brilliant effort by Amish to bring to forefront life and times of a brave king whose valour, leadership, foresight and battle worthiness ensured that India was freed from savage Turks and that the country was not invaded by Turks for more than a century. By emphasizing on Indian values of dharma and desh prem, he takes history out of the clutches of select few, hell bent on destroying the country, and presents it to young Indians in a manner that is heroic, graphic and fast paced so that they start loving their country more. And most importantly they get over narrow considerations of caste and religion and truly understand Indian ethos. While Amish ends the novel with Om Namah Shivaya, I would like to say Om Namah Amish for this brilliant effort.
Without giving away any spoiler and just to prime up the reader, I have compiled a short narrative of Raja Suheldev based on Abd-ur-Rahman Chishti’s Mirat-i-Masudi.
During the sack of Somnath temple in 1026 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni was accompanied by his 11-year-old nephew Saiyyad Salar Masud. Masud was the son of Sitr-i-Mu’alla, Mahmud’s sister. After the death of Mahmud Ghazni, Masud invaded India in May 1031 CE. His first victory was against Raja Mahipal Tomar of Delhi, followed by victory against Raja Hari Dutt of Meerut who surrendered and accepted Islam. After these two quick wins Masud marched to Kannauj whose ruler Ajitpal not only meekly surrendered but also allowed Masud to use Kannauj as a military base for the further Islamic conquest in the Awadh and Eastern part of today’s UP. The kingdom of Shravasti was ruled during this time by Raja Suheldev He was the son of Mangal Dhwaj and disciple of Balak Rishi whose ashram was located in Bahraich. The regions of Lakhimpur, Sitapur, Lucknow, Barabanki, Unnao, Faizabad, Bahraich, Shravasti and Gonda were ruled by a confederacy of 21 Pasi & Bhar chieftains under Raja Suheldev. They were 1) Rai Saheb 2) Arjun 3) Bhaggan 4) Rai Raib 5) Gang 6) Makran 7) Shankar 8) Karan 9) Birbal 10) Jaipal 11) Shripal 12) Harpal 13) Harkaran 14) Harkhu 15) Narhar 16) Bhaalar 17) Judhari 18) Narayana 19) Dal 20) Narsingh 21) Kalyana.
In 1033 CE after a triumphant march though Meerut, Kannuaj & Malihabad, Masud arrived in Satrikh, a town in the Barabanki district. Using Satrikh as his base, Masud sent his armies to conquer the neighbouring areas. Miyya Rajab and Salar Saifuddin attacked Bahraich. The chieftains of confederacy under leadership of Suheldev besieged the army near the river Bhakla, a tributary to river Rapti. A desperate appeal from Saifuddin bought Masud for the final showdown to Bahraich on 13-14 June. 1034 CE.
In the ensuing battle Salar Miyya Rajab was killed. His tomb exists today at Shahpur Jot Yusuf village, 3 km east of Bahraich and is locally known as ‘Hathila Pir’. Salar Masud was either beheaded by the Raja Suheldev or died due to an arrow piercing his throat. He died under a Mahua tree near the sacred Suryakund of the Ashram of Rishi Balak. According to one version, Raja Suheldev was killed in the battle. According to another version Suheldev survived and ruled benevolently for many years.
Ghaznavid army was completely destroyed which halted the Islamic conquest of India for about a century. The Islamic invasions later resumed more than a century later in 1175 CE with the Muhammad of Ghor invading India and the establishment of Delhi sultanate
There has been a systematic effort by a section of Indian historians and intelligentsia to destroy the Indian morale and pride of being Indian. This they have been trying by highlighting how India has always been divided, attacked and losing to foreign powers. This carefully planned onslaught on Indian pride has been sharpened after independence. These people have tried to dismiss and write off oral traditions and written material as fragments of imagination. On top of it, sustained narratives on the caste, region and religion-based politics, even when at times none exist, has ensured that stories of Indian valour do not find place in popular imagination. Amish makes a powerful statement when he writes- “Those civilizations (Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Mediterranean) died out because the civilised stopped caring about their own civilisations”. The book is a brilliant effort by Amish to bring to forefront life and times of a brave king whose valour, leadership, foresight and battle worthiness ensured that India was freed from savage Turks and that the country was not invaded by Turks for more than a century. By emphasizing on Indian values of dharma and desh prem, he takes history out of the clutches of select few, hell bent on destroying the country, and presents it to young Indians in a manner that is heroic, graphic and fast paced so that they start loving their country more. And most importantly they get over narrow considerations of caste and religion and truly understand Indian ethos. While Amish ends the novel with Om Namah Shivaya, I would like to say Om Namah Amish for this brilliant effort.
Without giving away any spoiler and just to prime up the reader, I have compiled a short narrative of Raja Suheldev based on Abd-ur-Rahman Chishti’s Mirat-i-Masudi.
During the sack of Somnath temple in 1026 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni was accompanied by his 11-year-old nephew Saiyyad Salar Masud. Masud was the son of Sitr-i-Mu’alla, Mahmud’s sister. After the death of Mahmud Ghazni, Masud invaded India in May 1031 CE. His first victory was against Raja Mahipal Tomar of Delhi, followed by victory against Raja Hari Dutt of Meerut who surrendered and accepted Islam. After these two quick wins Masud marched to Kannauj whose ruler Ajitpal not only meekly surrendered but also allowed Masud to use Kannauj as a military base for the further Islamic conquest in the Awadh and Eastern part of today’s UP. The kingdom of Shravasti was ruled during this time by Raja Suheldev He was the son of Mangal Dhwaj and disciple of Balak Rishi whose ashram was located in Bahraich. The regions of Lakhimpur, Sitapur, Lucknow, Barabanki, Unnao, Faizabad, Bahraich, Shravasti and Gonda were ruled by a confederacy of 21 Pasi & Bhar chieftains under Raja Suheldev. They were 1) Rai Saheb 2) Arjun 3) Bhaggan 4) Rai Raib 5) Gang 6) Makran 7) Shankar 8) Karan 9) Birbal 10) Jaipal 11) Shripal 12) Harpal 13) Harkaran 14) Harkhu 15) Narhar 16) Bhaalar 17) Judhari 18) Narayana 19) Dal 20) Narsingh 21) Kalyana.
In 1033 CE after a triumphant march though Meerut, Kannuaj & Malihabad, Masud arrived in Satrikh, a town in the Barabanki district. Using Satrikh as his base, Masud sent his armies to conquer the neighbouring areas. Miyya Rajab and Salar Saifuddin attacked Bahraich. The chieftains of confederacy under leadership of Suheldev besieged the army near the river Bhakla, a tributary to river Rapti. A desperate appeal from Saifuddin bought Masud for the final showdown to Bahraich on 13-14 June. 1034 CE.
In the ensuing battle Salar Miyya Rajab was killed. His tomb exists today at Shahpur Jot Yusuf village, 3 km east of Bahraich and is locally known as ‘Hathila Pir’. Salar Masud was either beheaded by the Raja Suheldev or died due to an arrow piercing his throat. He died under a Mahua tree near the sacred Suryakund of the Ashram of Rishi Balak. According to one version, Raja Suheldev was killed in the battle. According to another version Suheldev survived and ruled benevolently for many years.
Ghaznavid army was completely destroyed which halted the Islamic conquest of India for about a century. The Islamic invasions later resumed more than a century later in 1175 CE with the Muhammad of Ghor invading India and the establishment of Delhi sultanate
June 23, 2020
What a load of bullshit! Never expected Amish to write this banal, done-to-death story - a foreign invader attacks ancient India, a warrior rises above all, unites the divided kingdoms and takes him head on, with an unecessary love story thrown in. We have seen and read some version of this story played out innumerable times. We didn't need one more. To give you a recent example, I felt like I was reading a novelization of the movie 'Tanhaji'.
The monotonous plot aside, the writing is too childish to engage you. Amish's writing was already overtly simplistic when he started out with Shiva Trilogy. The level of richness and flair of the language dumbed down even further in Ramchandra Series. Here though, it is watered down to the point of absurdity. A first-grader could have written way better English than this.
The thing that annoyed me most was modern references. If the book is set around 1030 AD, how can the characters allude to quotes by Mahatma Gandhi? ('If they strike you on left cheek, offer them your right one', 'An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind', etc.) And I kid you not, I even spotted a line directly copied and pasted from the recent Hrithik Roshan's flick 'Super 30'! (When you are firing an arrow, you don't have to fire at where the target is,you have to fire at where the target will be when the arrow lands'.)
I have always been his fan since his first book came out and I will continue to read his books. But if this downward trend continues further for a book or two, I will abandon his books completely.
P.S. I will strongly advise to ignore this book and save your time and money, but for those who still want to read the book, please be informed that the cover and title of the book have been changed. Goodreads has not yet updated it. The book is now called 'Suheldev - The King Who Saved India'.
The monotonous plot aside, the writing is too childish to engage you. Amish's writing was already overtly simplistic when he started out with Shiva Trilogy. The level of richness and flair of the language dumbed down even further in Ramchandra Series. Here though, it is watered down to the point of absurdity. A first-grader could have written way better English than this.
The thing that annoyed me most was modern references. If the book is set around 1030 AD, how can the characters allude to quotes by Mahatma Gandhi? ('If they strike you on left cheek, offer them your right one', 'An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind', etc.) And I kid you not, I even spotted a line directly copied and pasted from the recent Hrithik Roshan's flick 'Super 30'! (When you are firing an arrow, you don't have to fire at where the target is,you have to fire at where the target will be when the arrow lands'.)
I have always been his fan since his first book came out and I will continue to read his books. But if this downward trend continues further for a book or two, I will abandon his books completely.
P.S. I will strongly advise to ignore this book and save your time and money, but for those who still want to read the book, please be informed that the cover and title of the book have been changed. Goodreads has not yet updated it. The book is now called 'Suheldev - The King Who Saved India'.
January 15, 2020
I remember when Rajiv Malhotra requested Amish to write true History. I glad to see Amish has taken this very seriously. We need more such patriotic writing of real History of our land. Specially to defeat the propaganda fake history of invaders and demeaning Bharatiyotto by crroked leftist Historians. Thanks Amish we need more such valiant efforts from you.
July 3, 2020
I don't know what was the involvement of Amish in this book, but it turned out to be a failure on almost every front. The writing team needs writing lessons, or a complete revamp. The story is utterly simplistic where you see every "twist" coming from a mile away. The story has every bollywood cliche you can think of.
The characters are very poorly written, apparently every single human being back then was extremely religious (and when I say extremely religious, I mean that everyone's motivation for doing anything is their religion) or an extreme patriot which again is weird because if the country is divided into multiple kingdoms, why do so many people rally behind India as an entity, and not just their kingdom. Also there is not a single character that is likeable, usually even in bad stories you find some decent characters, but not here.
Coming to the writing, it is pretty bad as well. It is very wooden and straightforward and missing the usual charm. Also, the writing is way too modern; if the story is set in 1000 something AD, at least try to not put in modern terminologies and philosophies.
Overall, it was a chore to get through this book, I did not enjoy reading it even a little.
Another thing that bugs me is character descriptions. Like, we get it, Suheldev is really hot and has "rippling muscles". No need to mention it a hundred times. Another instance of this is when Suheldev witnesses a female character (she has a name but has zero personality so I've already forgotten her name) standing in the rain and he notices that her breasts are bigger than he expected them to be and hence finds her really hot. I get it, breasts are attractive but come on! Did a 15 year old write that?
It is obvious that there are going to be more books following this one so I hope they learn from their many, many mistakes.
The characters are very poorly written, apparently every single human being back then was extremely religious (and when I say extremely religious, I mean that everyone's motivation for doing anything is their religion) or an extreme patriot which again is weird because if the country is divided into multiple kingdoms, why do so many people rally behind India as an entity, and not just their kingdom. Also there is not a single character that is likeable, usually even in bad stories you find some decent characters, but not here.
Coming to the writing, it is pretty bad as well. It is very wooden and straightforward and missing the usual charm. Also, the writing is way too modern; if the story is set in 1000 something AD, at least try to not put in modern terminologies and philosophies.
Overall, it was a chore to get through this book, I did not enjoy reading it even a little.
Another thing that bugs me is character descriptions. Like, we get it, Suheldev is really hot and has "rippling muscles". No need to mention it a hundred times. Another instance of this is when Suheldev witnesses a female character (she has a name but has zero personality so I've already forgotten her name) standing in the rain and he notices that her breasts are bigger than he expected them to be and hence finds her really hot. I get it, breasts are attractive but come on! Did a 15 year old write that?
It is obvious that there are going to be more books following this one so I hope they learn from their many, many mistakes.
June 24, 2020
My review.No story or character spoilers.
Well, Being an ardent fan of amish tripathi I got this newly released Book- Suheldev, The king who saved India as early as I could lay my hands on. Finished it day before yesterday. And here I am to share my views, don't worry I have no spoilers ahead.So coming to the review part of this book.
To all those who have read Amish before, I am hopefully certain that you will find a huge disconnect between Amish Tripathi 's style of writing and the style used in this book. Well that holds true because this book comes from the immortal writers center. But since the head of this project is Amish I won't give him that excuse to entertain.
The books starts off in style.Beggining is promising and the end justifiable, but the central part losses its sheen to bring the much needed suspense and drama . It's more like a pure historical textbook rather than a novelistic fiction. the characters are developed anonymously ,which kind of takes the attention away from the main character in focus-Suheldev. Also, I believe the main character isn't built well, the transitions are missing. It's just so abrupt to notice some qualities erupt suddenly which the character didn't seem to possess. The development of character is a big negative here.
Coming to the presentation of the story.The writers seem to be trying hard to add suspense but everything is just too obvious.
Also , everything keeps jumping here and there and at a certain point I just had to read it because it was Amish afterall. It was like watching the highlights of testmatch , you will know the important facts but that takes away the soul.
The only positive I find is a story not gone waste. Atleast some of us will remember Suheldev.
Overall, highly disappointed.Its just not Amish.
Rating : 1.5/5.
Well, Being an ardent fan of amish tripathi I got this newly released Book- Suheldev, The king who saved India as early as I could lay my hands on. Finished it day before yesterday. And here I am to share my views, don't worry I have no spoilers ahead.So coming to the review part of this book.
To all those who have read Amish before, I am hopefully certain that you will find a huge disconnect between Amish Tripathi 's style of writing and the style used in this book. Well that holds true because this book comes from the immortal writers center. But since the head of this project is Amish I won't give him that excuse to entertain.
The books starts off in style.Beggining is promising and the end justifiable, but the central part losses its sheen to bring the much needed suspense and drama . It's more like a pure historical textbook rather than a novelistic fiction. the characters are developed anonymously ,which kind of takes the attention away from the main character in focus-Suheldev. Also, I believe the main character isn't built well, the transitions are missing. It's just so abrupt to notice some qualities erupt suddenly which the character didn't seem to possess. The development of character is a big negative here.
Coming to the presentation of the story.The writers seem to be trying hard to add suspense but everything is just too obvious.
Also , everything keeps jumping here and there and at a certain point I just had to read it because it was Amish afterall. It was like watching the highlights of testmatch , you will know the important facts but that takes away the soul.
The only positive I find is a story not gone waste. Atleast some of us will remember Suheldev.
Overall, highly disappointed.Its just not Amish.
Rating : 1.5/5.
December 18, 2020
The history of Bharat that we studied during our school days was biased. It is still filled with glorification of Mughals and other Islamic invaders. My Bharat has a rich history which needs to be taught. Children, students and common man should take pride in this history. So when an author like Amish Tripathi writes a book trying to reveal that history, I was excited. I had to read this book.
Within few pages I was utterly disappointed. What was unveiling in the story was a script of a movie in the 70's Bollywood written by Salim-Javed. There's a hero who has a person from minority community as his sidekick or best friend. Who sacrifices for hero while upholding his religion and traitors belong to Hindu community. You mean to say that the warriors of ancient Bharat didn't have the valor to fight the enemy on their own? How can you even think about this? You are writing this book pretending it to be part of history. But this is little history and more fiction. Bollywood did something similar this year with the movie Tanaji where the brave warriors took help of mentally challenged person from minority. This is disgrace to the legacy of our heroes.
There are two things that work in this book. One is the engaging writing. It's difficult to put this book down. Second is the way Suheldev butchers Ghazni and his army to the last man. No survivors. No mercy. This is the way it should be done. But in my honest opinion, you can easily skip this book unless you want to read a script of 70's movie.
Within few pages I was utterly disappointed. What was unveiling in the story was a script of a movie in the 70's Bollywood written by Salim-Javed. There's a hero who has a person from minority community as his sidekick or best friend. Who sacrifices for hero while upholding his religion and traitors belong to Hindu community. You mean to say that the warriors of ancient Bharat didn't have the valor to fight the enemy on their own? How can you even think about this? You are writing this book pretending it to be part of history. But this is little history and more fiction. Bollywood did something similar this year with the movie Tanaji where the brave warriors took help of mentally challenged person from minority. This is disgrace to the legacy of our heroes.
There are two things that work in this book. One is the engaging writing. It's difficult to put this book down. Second is the way Suheldev butchers Ghazni and his army to the last man. No survivors. No mercy. This is the way it should be done. But in my honest opinion, you can easily skip this book unless you want to read a script of 70's movie.
June 29, 2020
A black and white bollywood saga with invading Turks as villains and virtuous Indians as heroes
In true bollywood fashion, there was a muslim character on the Indian side who fought against fellow muslim invaders to defend India, chanted Jai maa bharti and sacrificed to carry the day.
Astonishingly the villain in chief had a twin brother who was used to create suspense and who fought against his brother to save India.
What a steady fall it has been for Amish, from the Shiva trilogy to the Rama series and now this crap.
In true bollywood fashion, there was a muslim character on the Indian side who fought against fellow muslim invaders to defend India, chanted Jai maa bharti and sacrificed to carry the day.
Astonishingly the villain in chief had a twin brother who was used to create suspense and who fought against his brother to save India.
What a steady fall it has been for Amish, from the Shiva trilogy to the Rama series and now this crap.
February 10, 2021
Originally slated to release in 2018 under the Indic Chronicles but cancelled due to some unforeseen circumstances- The Legend Of Suheldev finally released after almost two years, under a new banner - Immortal Writers' Center. Based on the life of the eleventh century king Suheldev and in a time where our was country continuously razed and looted by the Turk invaders the book had every ingredient to make it a good historical fiction. The setting and the first chapter of the book were intriguing enough to raise my hopes high to the level that this one is going to be a good historical fiction novel. So what can go wrong after the first chapter? Maybe some things here and there, right? Let's see.
In the second chapter I found a Greek God, with rippling biceps, well chiseled chest and perfect abs wresting with an overweight wrestler and taking a win over him by using his wits. The women present at the wrestling arena ogle at the Greek God's perfect figure as the Greek God celebrate his victory. But moments (or some hilariously stupid lines) later it is reveled that it is Suheldev- the man on whom the novel is based. Oh my God! what a surprise, no one expected this entry. The entire sequence is so badly written that it felt like I am reading screenplay of a daily soap. I don't understand why it is important- oh pardon me for my blasphemy- not important but COMPULSORY for the protagonist to have rippling biceps and perfect abs to show how fit the protagonist is?
This was only the first instance of many from the book which made this book a dumping ground for the loads of every possible cliché.
After initial chapters due to some stupid reason Suheldev self impose an exile and roam around like a bandit to eradicate the Turk camps from India. First of all I think it is very and I mean VERY stupid angle to be given to Suheldev. Might be Amish forgot that he is writing another series based on Ram and he need not to make Suheldev Ram (or a bad mix of Ram and Robinhood) and give Indians versus Turks angle a Ramayan touch. Secondly being a vigilante the identity of Suheldev should have been a very secret one but you will find many characters popping up in every chapter who know about the "dreaded" (can't stop to laugh while writing "dreaded") Bandit-Prince. There are many Kings who are allies to Mahmud Gaznavi but none of them- not a single one gets to know about the Bandit-Prince yet somehow the stories of exploits of the Bandit-Prince reaches to Mahmud Gaznavi himself. If Gaznavi knew about Suheldev and he had allies in India why didn't he ordered his allies to attack the kingdom of Shravasti to pull out Suheldev? Why? I tried to ask myself. My brain replied, "Are you looking for logic here? You fool." In same way Suheldev know many things about many people and when a character asks him that how does he know about these things he just smiles. Not a single character has even a bit of depth.
When I first read about Suheldev I read that he was the king who united the Indian Kings against the so called unbeatable armies of Mahmud Gaznavi and in a battle in Bahrich he razed the forces of Gaznavi led by Gaznavi's nephew Salar Masud. I am not an expert of Indian history but I still think that there must have been some political intrigue the mammoth task of uniting the Indian kings. And to be honest I expected that political intigue from the book. But what the book has given is a bunch of undercooked characters who somehow are tormented by the Turks and join the crusade of the Bandit-Prince (at least till the twelfth chapter because after that my mind completely rebelled against the torcher I was giving to it by reading this book.)
The other thing which was rivalling the bad character development of Suheldev was the development and portrayal of the Muslim characters on Suheldev's side. In every chapter there is a Muslim character who is trying to prove that he is the brave and more importantly loyal son of Mother India. I again dared to ask- "logic?" and my mind laughed out loud at me.
For me Amish is the man who has given me- and I am very well sure- to many like me a new perspective on the mythical gods, he is the man who tried to quench the thirst to know the reasons and logics behind the "unquestionable" concepts of Hinduism. He is the man who made the ancient Indian philosophies so accessable and interesting. I never expected a book like "The Legend Of Suheldev" from this man.
In the second chapter I found a Greek God, with rippling biceps, well chiseled chest and perfect abs wresting with an overweight wrestler and taking a win over him by using his wits. The women present at the wrestling arena ogle at the Greek God's perfect figure as the Greek God celebrate his victory. But moments (or some hilariously stupid lines) later it is reveled that it is Suheldev- the man on whom the novel is based. Oh my God! what a surprise, no one expected this entry. The entire sequence is so badly written that it felt like I am reading screenplay of a daily soap. I don't understand why it is important- oh pardon me for my blasphemy- not important but COMPULSORY for the protagonist to have rippling biceps and perfect abs to show how fit the protagonist is?
This was only the first instance of many from the book which made this book a dumping ground for the loads of every possible cliché.
After initial chapters due to some stupid reason Suheldev self impose an exile and roam around like a bandit to eradicate the Turk camps from India. First of all I think it is very and I mean VERY stupid angle to be given to Suheldev. Might be Amish forgot that he is writing another series based on Ram and he need not to make Suheldev Ram (or a bad mix of Ram and Robinhood) and give Indians versus Turks angle a Ramayan touch. Secondly being a vigilante the identity of Suheldev should have been a very secret one but you will find many characters popping up in every chapter who know about the "dreaded" (can't stop to laugh while writing "dreaded") Bandit-Prince. There are many Kings who are allies to Mahmud Gaznavi but none of them- not a single one gets to know about the Bandit-Prince yet somehow the stories of exploits of the Bandit-Prince reaches to Mahmud Gaznavi himself. If Gaznavi knew about Suheldev and he had allies in India why didn't he ordered his allies to attack the kingdom of Shravasti to pull out Suheldev? Why? I tried to ask myself. My brain replied, "Are you looking for logic here? You fool." In same way Suheldev know many things about many people and when a character asks him that how does he know about these things he just smiles. Not a single character has even a bit of depth.
When I first read about Suheldev I read that he was the king who united the Indian Kings against the so called unbeatable armies of Mahmud Gaznavi and in a battle in Bahrich he razed the forces of Gaznavi led by Gaznavi's nephew Salar Masud. I am not an expert of Indian history but I still think that there must have been some political intrigue the mammoth task of uniting the Indian kings. And to be honest I expected that political intigue from the book. But what the book has given is a bunch of undercooked characters who somehow are tormented by the Turks and join the crusade of the Bandit-Prince (at least till the twelfth chapter because after that my mind completely rebelled against the torcher I was giving to it by reading this book.)
The other thing which was rivalling the bad character development of Suheldev was the development and portrayal of the Muslim characters on Suheldev's side. In every chapter there is a Muslim character who is trying to prove that he is the brave and more importantly loyal son of Mother India. I again dared to ask- "logic?" and my mind laughed out loud at me.
For me Amish is the man who has given me- and I am very well sure- to many like me a new perspective on the mythical gods, he is the man who tried to quench the thirst to know the reasons and logics behind the "unquestionable" concepts of Hinduism. He is the man who made the ancient Indian philosophies so accessable and interesting. I never expected a book like "The Legend Of Suheldev" from this man.
May 27, 2019
Illogical Narrative and Propaganda
January 25, 2021
Reminds me of those lame Hindi movies.
Avoid it.
Instead spend money on other amazing books.
Avoid it.
Instead spend money on other amazing books.
July 3, 2020
"There are no atheists on a battlefield. Some prayed for victory, some for honour and some to simply live through the day and see their loved ones again."
The first impression of Suheldev after reading a few pages was like -
This book is a collaboration of Amish and a team of writers of Immortal Writers' Centre. These writers have done most of the research and have written the first draft as well. Amish had brought his storytelling skills to this unique consortium.
The plot and story line are quite simple. Moreover, the book has decent pace as compared to the contemporary fiction published in India. The transition from one scene to another could have been smoother. Additionally, the characters could have had more depth because apart from Suheldev, I do not see any investment done by the team in any other character. Furthermore, some amount of philosophy is a bit cliched. E.g. turning the other cheek when you get slapped on one by Mahatma Gandhi is used.
Now, I will come to the best part of the philosophy of this book.
"The strength of the Islam of the Turks is that it is socially inclusive, but its weakness is that it is theologically intolerant. On the other hand, the Hinduism of us Indians is theologically inclusive and liberal, while socially we are intolerant."
Syncretism. The co-existence of being social and theologically inclusive. Just like Sufi culture of India.
The book captures the beauty of syncretism when the battle cries like Har Har Mahadev and Allahu Akbar comes from the Indians fighting against the Ghazni Army.
The commentary on the caste system is absolutely brilliant. We, Indians, have been manipulated, divided and brutally oppressed earlier by invaders (by turning us towards our own countrymen) and later by politicians (by using us as a vote bank.)Our forefathers are themselves to blame for this.
Nevertheless, it is a relatively better book in recent times. Hopefully, it will inspire people to read more.
Suheldev on a stamp
The first impression of Suheldev after reading a few pages was like -
This book is a collaboration of Amish and a team of writers of Immortal Writers' Centre. These writers have done most of the research and have written the first draft as well. Amish had brought his storytelling skills to this unique consortium.
The plot and story line are quite simple. Moreover, the book has decent pace as compared to the contemporary fiction published in India. The transition from one scene to another could have been smoother. Additionally, the characters could have had more depth because apart from Suheldev, I do not see any investment done by the team in any other character. Furthermore, some amount of philosophy is a bit cliched. E.g. turning the other cheek when you get slapped on one by Mahatma Gandhi is used.
Now, I will come to the best part of the philosophy of this book.
"The strength of the Islam of the Turks is that it is socially inclusive, but its weakness is that it is theologically intolerant. On the other hand, the Hinduism of us Indians is theologically inclusive and liberal, while socially we are intolerant."
Syncretism. The co-existence of being social and theologically inclusive. Just like Sufi culture of India.
The book captures the beauty of syncretism when the battle cries like Har Har Mahadev and Allahu Akbar comes from the Indians fighting against the Ghazni Army.
The commentary on the caste system is absolutely brilliant. We, Indians, have been manipulated, divided and brutally oppressed earlier by invaders (by turning us towards our own countrymen) and later by politicians (by using us as a vote bank.)
Nevertheless, it is a relatively better book in recent times. Hopefully, it will inspire people to read more.
Suheldev on a stamp
July 3, 2021
Disappointing
I was little hesitant in picking up this book as I never liked Amish Tripathi's writings. I had read roughly hundred pages of "Immortals of Meluha" and gave up because I realized that his stories are not just fiction but far-fetched non-sensical fiction.
But I thought this book would be different as Maharaja Suheldev is a historical figure so Amish would be more factual and less fictional but I was horribly wrong.
This book is like a "historical" bollywood movie script, lost twin brothers one good - one evil, events so dramatically bizarre that spins your head around and the secularism qutiyapa was just utterly nauseating.
I wanted to give just 1 star but decided on 2 stars only because the writing style is very gripping (somewhat childish but entertaining never the less) otherwise everything else is just disappointing.
I was little hesitant in picking up this book as I never liked Amish Tripathi's writings. I had read roughly hundred pages of "Immortals of Meluha" and gave up because I realized that his stories are not just fiction but far-fetched non-sensical fiction.
But I thought this book would be different as Maharaja Suheldev is a historical figure so Amish would be more factual and less fictional but I was horribly wrong.
This book is like a "historical" bollywood movie script, lost twin brothers one good - one evil, events so dramatically bizarre that spins your head around and the secularism qutiyapa was just utterly nauseating.
I wanted to give just 1 star but decided on 2 stars only because the writing style is very gripping (somewhat childish but entertaining never the less) otherwise everything else is just disappointing.
January 20, 2022
What a disappointment. Unnecessary agenda driven and extreme ‘secularization’ of the story. You cannot exaggerate history to this extent even if the book is supposed to be fiction. Also this is not written by Amish Tripathi, which is clearly evident throughout the book.
July 16, 2020
Legend of Suheldev: King Who Saved India by Amish Tripathi released last month and I was in a great hurry to buy the book because I was very impressed with his previous two series.
This book has a different approach to writing as explained below.
It’s mentioned on the cover as well as in the foreword that this book is the collective result of ‘The Immortal Writers’ Centre’. So basically here the author explains the concept and the entire story to his team, who research and write the first draft over which he then works on. I like the honesty with which this fact has been declared, but I feel this book is nowhere close to his previous works and is a major let down. It’s a classic example of “Too many cooks spoil the Broth”.
The story is based in 1025 AD where the Turks have been raiding and plundering Northern India. Due to all the infighting within the country, many kingdoms fall while many submit to the barbaric Turks and accept them as overlords.
Suheldev of Shravasti, then a young Prince starts a guerrilla revolution to secretively combat the Turks, after they have defiled the asuspicious Somnath temple.
After the death of his father, Suheldev becomes the King and forms an alliance with other Indian Kings to bring down the fierce Turkic Army of Central Asia. This story is about the chivalrous, brave and patriotic King Suheldev as he saves Mother India from invaders.
I felt the writing style wasn’t effective enough, the language used somehow did not resonate with the era. There are certain dialogues with words like “ I don’t give a shit” which I feel does not make sense to the era in which the book is set, and then there are certain dialogues that are straight out of Bollywood. I must be honest and say certain scenes in this book scream ‘filmy’ and some scenes are so like this in Bahubali. Also, I felt the book just rambles on and I feel it could have been much shorter. Maybe the intent of the book was resonate with the masses and be a blockbuster and commercial success, but somehow did not work for me.
Would I recommend this book? No! I feel this book has just ruined the author for me.
This book has a different approach to writing as explained below.
It’s mentioned on the cover as well as in the foreword that this book is the collective result of ‘The Immortal Writers’ Centre’. So basically here the author explains the concept and the entire story to his team, who research and write the first draft over which he then works on. I like the honesty with which this fact has been declared, but I feel this book is nowhere close to his previous works and is a major let down. It’s a classic example of “Too many cooks spoil the Broth”.
The story is based in 1025 AD where the Turks have been raiding and plundering Northern India. Due to all the infighting within the country, many kingdoms fall while many submit to the barbaric Turks and accept them as overlords.
Suheldev of Shravasti, then a young Prince starts a guerrilla revolution to secretively combat the Turks, after they have defiled the asuspicious Somnath temple.
After the death of his father, Suheldev becomes the King and forms an alliance with other Indian Kings to bring down the fierce Turkic Army of Central Asia. This story is about the chivalrous, brave and patriotic King Suheldev as he saves Mother India from invaders.
I felt the writing style wasn’t effective enough, the language used somehow did not resonate with the era. There are certain dialogues with words like “ I don’t give a shit” which I feel does not make sense to the era in which the book is set, and then there are certain dialogues that are straight out of Bollywood. I must be honest and say certain scenes in this book scream ‘filmy’ and some scenes are so like this in Bahubali. Also, I felt the book just rambles on and I feel it could have been much shorter. Maybe the intent of the book was resonate with the masses and be a blockbuster and commercial success, but somehow did not work for me.
Would I recommend this book? No! I feel this book has just ruined the author for me.
June 27, 2020
This book is a saga of an Indian ruler of a small kingdom Shravasti named Suheldev who fought against Turks.
Suheldev sacrificed everything for motherland,broke barriers of caste,religion,gender and formed an army with a single motto to defeat Turks and save motherland India and it's rich culture. The foundation of the army was love for motherland.
Suheldev was a fierce rebel,charismatic leader and an inclusive patriot.
Characters are built parallely and introduced to the main storyline at the right time. There are several suspenses that will keep your breath on hold and make u read further and further till suspense is revealed.
I found the battle scenes beautifully written by elaboration of every minute details so that you can see them infront of the eyes.
Book touches various issue that still prevail and divide the society like casteism,religion,cultural beliefs and gender inequality.
This book sends two strong message-
1.Any foreign power will be able to control and rule us till we are divided by religion,caste and gender.
2.All religion and love are inferior infront of devotion and love for the motherland.
A must read for all.
Suheldev sacrificed everything for motherland,broke barriers of caste,religion,gender and formed an army with a single motto to defeat Turks and save motherland India and it's rich culture. The foundation of the army was love for motherland.
Suheldev was a fierce rebel,charismatic leader and an inclusive patriot.
Characters are built parallely and introduced to the main storyline at the right time. There are several suspenses that will keep your breath on hold and make u read further and further till suspense is revealed.
I found the battle scenes beautifully written by elaboration of every minute details so that you can see them infront of the eyes.
Book touches various issue that still prevail and divide the society like casteism,religion,cultural beliefs and gender inequality.
This book sends two strong message-
1.Any foreign power will be able to control and rule us till we are divided by religion,caste and gender.
2.All religion and love are inferior infront of devotion and love for the motherland.
A must read for all.
June 26, 2020
After reading a bunch of mythological/historical fiction from various newbies I was on the verge of giving up on this genre altogether until I chanced upon this book.
No one writes historical fiction like Amish and this is his best book after the "secret of the nagas".
Somewhere along these 10 years I felt we had lost that enthusiastic writer who introduced me to the world of Shiva through "immortals of meluha " to the business of writing , but I am glad after having read this book, albeit from one of his newly founded wirters guild.
I am also glad that this book was not turned into s triology or a series as it was very easy to do so, the sheer pace of narration is the usp of this book and it would have been lost if an attempt was made to turn it into a series.
Having said that the characters in the book could have been dwelled a little deeper, but no complaints.
No one writes historical fiction like Amish and this is his best book after the "secret of the nagas".
Somewhere along these 10 years I felt we had lost that enthusiastic writer who introduced me to the world of Shiva through "immortals of meluha " to the business of writing , but I am glad after having read this book, albeit from one of his newly founded wirters guild.
I am also glad that this book was not turned into s triology or a series as it was very easy to do so, the sheer pace of narration is the usp of this book and it would have been lost if an attempt was made to turn it into a series.
Having said that the characters in the book could have been dwelled a little deeper, but no complaints.
August 2, 2020
2.5/5
Pretty average book with so many loose ends for a standalone book..
Pretty average book with so many loose ends for a standalone book..
August 27, 2020
Book Review: Legend of Suheldev
Author: Amish Tripathi & The Immortal Writers’ Centre
“Darkness does not win because it is strong. It wins because the lamps stop fighting.”
Before we get on with the review let me start by stating that this book was not written exclusively by Amish Tripathi. According to the forward provided by him, in his own words, “I cannot write faster than a book every one-and-a-half to two years. And at that pace, I will die before I write down all the story ideas that Lord Shiva has already blessed me with. Hence, the idea of a Writers’ Centre. It was a suggestion from my team, and it made eminent sense to me. I work with a team of writers, to whom I relate the complete story, and the research material to be read. They then write the first draft, which I then work upon. So the genesis of the story and the final writing is done by me, while the team writes the first draft.” Amish Tripathi is one of the famous Indian author who had penned the successful Shiva Trilogy and the Ram Chandra Series.
“ahimsa parmo dharma. That non-violence is the greatest dharma. But they also say dharma hinsa thathaiv cha.’ Violence that protects dharma is justified.”
The plot of the story revolves around Suheldev, the prince of Shravasti who is the unforgotten hero that saved India against the formidable invading Turks. It is 11th Century, Mahmud of Ghazni and his barbaric Turkic hordes had started to invade India from the northern region. The invaders caused mayhem in the name of war, plundering, killing, raping and pillaging. Against the savage Turks, the old codes of chivalry were in vain. While the entire Indian lands and kingdoms lie divided in the name of caste, the invading army took advantage of it. But the moment they crossed a line by destroying a Shiva temple in Somnath, a warrior rose to defend the entire nation bringing together people irrespective of caste, creed and religion to fight against the enemy of India.
“Becoming a leader is not about being able to fight or argue or make speeches. It’s actually about realising what must be done for the greater good. And doing it, regardless of the personal costs …”
Amish has written, like his other novels, a fictitious tale which was based on true events recounting the story of the lionhearted warrior and the Battle of Bahraich. With such a plot nothing could go wrong. A convincing narrative and we get hold of ourselves a bestseller. But there seems to be too many hurdles. Let’s talk about the negatives first. ‘Legend of Suheldev’ would have been a fine read, provided if a reader is reading Amish’s books for the first time. Unfortunately that may not be the case for many. One can easily draw massive comparisons of the narrative to that of his Shiva Trilogy and Ram Chandra Series. The style of narrative seems kind of stale after six books. The plot is of 11th Century and keeping that in mind a reader can’t just have a modern way of narration, even the direct quotes from the characters seemed like people reenacting the scenes in 21st century with 21st century’s tone. Secondly, the central character, Suheldev, almost disappears from the narrative halfway through the book. I agree that an author needs to give equal importance to all its characters. But when you start off a book with such a strong buildup of a character, you need to maintain that till the end, also provided the title of the book is the central character. Anyone loves a little mystery infused in a plot. We all enjoyed a little mystery in the Shiva Trilogy, well to be honest it seemed fresh at that time. With ‘Legend of Suheldev’ the mystery quotient is so depressingly low that every little twist can be predicted pages and pages before. I agree historical fiction and history essays have a very thin line separating them, if you aren’t careful then your fiction book can read like a monotonous essay.
Let’s get to the good part. The good thing is that someone is actually writing about forgotten heroes and their sacrifices and their stories deserves to be read by all. At this age courage and sacrifice has lost its meaning and such stories of the past can very well educate the chaotic minds of people now a days. The author(s) have maintain a very impressive tone throughout the book about the integrity of Indians irrespective of individual faith, beliefs and religion, something that has been missing from the common masses from quite some time. On literary level this book could have done wonders with a set of good writers.
“Come to India as devotees, and our motherland will open her heart for you. Dare to come as invaders, and we will burn every single one of you.”
Legend of Suheldev is still a must read not because it’s an Amish book but because of the underlying tale of the true events. From a literary point of view it’s passable.
A two and a half stars for Legend of Suheldev.
★★½
https://thefictionfreak.blogspot.com/...
Author: Amish Tripathi & The Immortal Writers’ Centre
“Darkness does not win because it is strong. It wins because the lamps stop fighting.”
Before we get on with the review let me start by stating that this book was not written exclusively by Amish Tripathi. According to the forward provided by him, in his own words, “I cannot write faster than a book every one-and-a-half to two years. And at that pace, I will die before I write down all the story ideas that Lord Shiva has already blessed me with. Hence, the idea of a Writers’ Centre. It was a suggestion from my team, and it made eminent sense to me. I work with a team of writers, to whom I relate the complete story, and the research material to be read. They then write the first draft, which I then work upon. So the genesis of the story and the final writing is done by me, while the team writes the first draft.” Amish Tripathi is one of the famous Indian author who had penned the successful Shiva Trilogy and the Ram Chandra Series.
“ahimsa parmo dharma. That non-violence is the greatest dharma. But they also say dharma hinsa thathaiv cha.’ Violence that protects dharma is justified.”
The plot of the story revolves around Suheldev, the prince of Shravasti who is the unforgotten hero that saved India against the formidable invading Turks. It is 11th Century, Mahmud of Ghazni and his barbaric Turkic hordes had started to invade India from the northern region. The invaders caused mayhem in the name of war, plundering, killing, raping and pillaging. Against the savage Turks, the old codes of chivalry were in vain. While the entire Indian lands and kingdoms lie divided in the name of caste, the invading army took advantage of it. But the moment they crossed a line by destroying a Shiva temple in Somnath, a warrior rose to defend the entire nation bringing together people irrespective of caste, creed and religion to fight against the enemy of India.
“Becoming a leader is not about being able to fight or argue or make speeches. It’s actually about realising what must be done for the greater good. And doing it, regardless of the personal costs …”
Amish has written, like his other novels, a fictitious tale which was based on true events recounting the story of the lionhearted warrior and the Battle of Bahraich. With such a plot nothing could go wrong. A convincing narrative and we get hold of ourselves a bestseller. But there seems to be too many hurdles. Let’s talk about the negatives first. ‘Legend of Suheldev’ would have been a fine read, provided if a reader is reading Amish’s books for the first time. Unfortunately that may not be the case for many. One can easily draw massive comparisons of the narrative to that of his Shiva Trilogy and Ram Chandra Series. The style of narrative seems kind of stale after six books. The plot is of 11th Century and keeping that in mind a reader can’t just have a modern way of narration, even the direct quotes from the characters seemed like people reenacting the scenes in 21st century with 21st century’s tone. Secondly, the central character, Suheldev, almost disappears from the narrative halfway through the book. I agree that an author needs to give equal importance to all its characters. But when you start off a book with such a strong buildup of a character, you need to maintain that till the end, also provided the title of the book is the central character. Anyone loves a little mystery infused in a plot. We all enjoyed a little mystery in the Shiva Trilogy, well to be honest it seemed fresh at that time. With ‘Legend of Suheldev’ the mystery quotient is so depressingly low that every little twist can be predicted pages and pages before. I agree historical fiction and history essays have a very thin line separating them, if you aren’t careful then your fiction book can read like a monotonous essay.
Let’s get to the good part. The good thing is that someone is actually writing about forgotten heroes and their sacrifices and their stories deserves to be read by all. At this age courage and sacrifice has lost its meaning and such stories of the past can very well educate the chaotic minds of people now a days. The author(s) have maintain a very impressive tone throughout the book about the integrity of Indians irrespective of individual faith, beliefs and religion, something that has been missing from the common masses from quite some time. On literary level this book could have done wonders with a set of good writers.
“Come to India as devotees, and our motherland will open her heart for you. Dare to come as invaders, and we will burn every single one of you.”
Legend of Suheldev is still a must read not because it’s an Amish book but because of the underlying tale of the true events. From a literary point of view it’s passable.
A two and a half stars for Legend of Suheldev.
★★½
https://thefictionfreak.blogspot.com/...
July 31, 2021
This was an epic one!
It starts off with the destruction of Somnath temple by the Turks and then when his elder bro falls, its upto Suheldev to rise up and save his motherland from Mahmud of Ghazni. We follow his adventures and him silently taking down the Turks and finally we follow different members of his crew from Govardhan to the Buddhists to Aslan and later Toshni. And whatever is going on with the main villain Salar Maqsud and his conquest dreams. Plus the trials and tribulations and a great curve with Salar Maqsud and Aslan and that was like a bollywood twist which I loved and finally the big battle and maybe a victory?
This was such a good one and highlights an important figure in Indian history who helped save his motherland from the invaders and united people of different caste and creed. I like how the author includes people of different religious beliefs and shows "dharma" and what it should be and I loved he various philosophical and theological things he says here plus the ending was so good and fills you with pride about being an Indian and reminds you of your responsibility to the motherland plus the fight sequences were so well written and quite easy to follow. Easily one of my favorite books I have read over the past year!
It starts off with the destruction of Somnath temple by the Turks and then when his elder bro falls, its upto Suheldev to rise up and save his motherland from Mahmud of Ghazni. We follow his adventures and him silently taking down the Turks and finally we follow different members of his crew from Govardhan to the Buddhists to Aslan and later Toshni. And whatever is going on with the main villain Salar Maqsud and his conquest dreams. Plus the trials and tribulations and a great curve with Salar Maqsud and Aslan and that was like a bollywood twist which I loved and finally the big battle and maybe a victory?
This was such a good one and highlights an important figure in Indian history who helped save his motherland from the invaders and united people of different caste and creed. I like how the author includes people of different religious beliefs and shows "dharma" and what it should be and I loved he various philosophical and theological things he says here plus the ending was so good and fills you with pride about being an Indian and reminds you of your responsibility to the motherland plus the fight sequences were so well written and quite easy to follow. Easily one of my favorite books I have read over the past year!
January 1, 2021
I would have gone for two stars but the writing style for this book covered up for another one. Amish tried a lot to pacify the hatred that this book could have swelled due to its direct outrage against the "Turkic Muslims", so one star for that.
There are quite a few reasons why I disliked this book and I'll state a few of them.
#1 There were chapters that tried to deal with the theology of Islam and to be honest, it messed up! The book tried to divide Islam into different factions and deliberately adorned Indian Muslim's with liberal thoughts etc.
#2 Abdul(Suheldev's sidekick) has been put in the story to convey the turmoil and guilt that the Indian Muslim's would feel when their loyalty is questioned, but on one hand when Abdul says a very correct statement that " faith is a garb that is used", he does actions that so no justice to his belief.
#3 The other disturbing portion of the book was the love of SALAR MAQSUD & KERIM. If one shall look into Islam, they will know that homosexuality is not at all accepted( nor is it acceptable in the Roman Catholic belief or even Hinduism), but the author has presented it as a very common thing among Muslims as he also mentioned the Mahmud Of Ghazni having a lover, Asad. In my opinion, Amish cannot acquit himself of this fallacy.
#4 The author has dedicated a chapter for the SUFIS which is, in a way, placing a seed in the mind of people from other religions (even atheists) that it is the only right path and all the other Muslims are misled. Dear reader, this is another fallacy.
#5 There is also a point in Chapter 20 when Kashinath( Suheldev's guru) says "In fact, in Hinduism, we have no problem with having Goddesses too, something that cannot be allowed in the Islam of the Turks.’ This is WRONG. Islam never considers God as being a male or a female. The oneness of God is of primary importance in the Quran and Islam. In Qur'an, Allah is most often referred to with the pronouns Hu or Huwa, and although these are commonly translated as ;him', they can also be translated gender-neutrally, as 'them.' This is also true of the feminine equivalent, Hiya. Qur'an 112:3–4 states: "He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him [Them]."
This statement also implies that Islam belittles women which is not at all correct
In Islam, women are given their due respect and status. Yet another fallacy!
#6 As for the story, the author also did not clear up the clouds surrounding Ashvaghosh's past. He created a suspense around him and then left him so.
#7 The author has a habit of using outrageous numbers when it comes to soldiers. He easily mentions five thousand or ten thousand soldiers to be present at a battlefield that can take up less than that number of people on its ground.
But the book has also proved not to be a piffle, giving away an amazing account of history. Here are the reasons why it impressed me.
#1. Suheldev's character is very, very strong as a leader. He had a brain for tactics that came out handy to him during the war. Neither too good, nor too harsh, he has the correct proportion of wisdom, good looks and with that makes him live up to the title of " SAVIOUR OF INDIA".
#2. TOSHANI is yet another strong character that impressed me. She is beautiful yet very dangerous. Her thoughts about marrying Suheldev were also wise( though confusing) .
#3. The story's turn on who Aslan actually is shocked me. He was always put under the blades of distrust and he turned out to be something quite different. The book deserved a star for this.
#4. Among its various fallacies, the book had given a good account through Abdul to justify Islam being a peaceful religion. He was quite right when he said that the TURKIC people are power thirsty people rather than being what real Muslim's should be.
Hope you enjoyed this!
There are quite a few reasons why I disliked this book and I'll state a few of them.
#1 There were chapters that tried to deal with the theology of Islam and to be honest, it messed up! The book tried to divide Islam into different factions and deliberately adorned Indian Muslim's with liberal thoughts etc.
#2 Abdul(Suheldev's sidekick) has been put in the story to convey the turmoil and guilt that the Indian Muslim's would feel when their loyalty is questioned, but on one hand when Abdul says a very correct statement that " faith is a garb that is used", he does actions that so no justice to his belief.
#3 The other disturbing portion of the book was the love of SALAR MAQSUD & KERIM. If one shall look into Islam, they will know that homosexuality is not at all accepted( nor is it acceptable in the Roman Catholic belief or even Hinduism), but the author has presented it as a very common thing among Muslims as he also mentioned the Mahmud Of Ghazni having a lover, Asad. In my opinion, Amish cannot acquit himself of this fallacy.
#4 The author has dedicated a chapter for the SUFIS which is, in a way, placing a seed in the mind of people from other religions (even atheists) that it is the only right path and all the other Muslims are misled. Dear reader, this is another fallacy.
#5 There is also a point in Chapter 20 when Kashinath( Suheldev's guru) says "In fact, in Hinduism, we have no problem with having Goddesses too, something that cannot be allowed in the Islam of the Turks.’ This is WRONG. Islam never considers God as being a male or a female. The oneness of God is of primary importance in the Quran and Islam. In Qur'an, Allah is most often referred to with the pronouns Hu or Huwa, and although these are commonly translated as ;him', they can also be translated gender-neutrally, as 'them.' This is also true of the feminine equivalent, Hiya. Qur'an 112:3–4 states: "He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him [Them]."
This statement also implies that Islam belittles women which is not at all correct
In Islam, women are given their due respect and status. Yet another fallacy!
#6 As for the story, the author also did not clear up the clouds surrounding Ashvaghosh's past. He created a suspense around him and then left him so.
#7 The author has a habit of using outrageous numbers when it comes to soldiers. He easily mentions five thousand or ten thousand soldiers to be present at a battlefield that can take up less than that number of people on its ground.
But the book has also proved not to be a piffle, giving away an amazing account of history. Here are the reasons why it impressed me.
#1. Suheldev's character is very, very strong as a leader. He had a brain for tactics that came out handy to him during the war. Neither too good, nor too harsh, he has the correct proportion of wisdom, good looks and with that makes him live up to the title of " SAVIOUR OF INDIA".
#2. TOSHANI is yet another strong character that impressed me. She is beautiful yet very dangerous. Her thoughts about marrying Suheldev were also wise( though confusing) .
#3. The story's turn on who Aslan actually is shocked me. He was always put under the blades of distrust and he turned out to be something quite different. The book deserved a star for this.
#4. Among its various fallacies, the book had given a good account through Abdul to justify Islam being a peaceful religion. He was quite right when he said that the TURKIC people are power thirsty people rather than being what real Muslim's should be.
Hope you enjoyed this!
June 30, 2020
The Release of this Book, came as a surprise for me because Raavan has released just a few months back and another book was not expected so soon... But, the Surprise is always delightful when it comes from your favourite author...
So, I ordered the book in the first hour of its release and started reading it as soon as it reached me...and then I came to Know that Amish has written this book in co ordination with Writers centre...
The Genre of the Book is Historical-Fiction, and it is a story of King Suheldev, of his efforts to bring together a divided nation for the Sake of the beloved nation, to fight against the barbarian Turks under the leadership of Salar Maqsud...
Now, the idea behind bringing this book is really good, the story is good, there are good twists and good fight sequences... and that is the thing it is "Good" not "Great".
As for me I rate the book on the basis of Joy i feel on reading a book, so this book definately entertained me, the war scenes were good to read and the feel of reading about a hero's story was great too... so although it was not a 5 star read, but i can not give it less than 4/5.
The other Characters of Toshani, Govardhan, Abdul, Ashwaghosh, Sanghmani are good too and they are all great warriors playing great part in the story,
My final Conclusion is That this book is a good read and you will like it, just that the mythological fiction books have been so high that it is just a bit below that but yes, enjoyable...
There is a slight Hint given at the end of the Book on the Next Book in the Indic Chronicles series, and that is expected to be a really exciting one too...
Stories like these Do need to come out, because there have been a lot of Indian Warrior Kings and Queens Who have been erased from the memories of common peoples of India, and they deserve their stories to be told and we should read and Cherish them and if possible adapt some of their Qualities...
So Kudos to the Author for deciding to bring these stories in Public View, and Now Let's Wait for the Next Book in this Series as well as in Ramchandra Series...
Happy Reading...
So, I ordered the book in the first hour of its release and started reading it as soon as it reached me...and then I came to Know that Amish has written this book in co ordination with Writers centre...
The Genre of the Book is Historical-Fiction, and it is a story of King Suheldev, of his efforts to bring together a divided nation for the Sake of the beloved nation, to fight against the barbarian Turks under the leadership of Salar Maqsud...
Now, the idea behind bringing this book is really good, the story is good, there are good twists and good fight sequences... and that is the thing it is "Good" not "Great".
As for me I rate the book on the basis of Joy i feel on reading a book, so this book definately entertained me, the war scenes were good to read and the feel of reading about a hero's story was great too... so although it was not a 5 star read, but i can not give it less than 4/5.
The other Characters of Toshani, Govardhan, Abdul, Ashwaghosh, Sanghmani are good too and they are all great warriors playing great part in the story,
My final Conclusion is That this book is a good read and you will like it, just that the mythological fiction books have been so high that it is just a bit below that but yes, enjoyable...
There is a slight Hint given at the end of the Book on the Next Book in the Indic Chronicles series, and that is expected to be a really exciting one too...
Stories like these Do need to come out, because there have been a lot of Indian Warrior Kings and Queens Who have been erased from the memories of common peoples of India, and they deserve their stories to be told and we should read and Cherish them and if possible adapt some of their Qualities...
So Kudos to the Author for deciding to bring these stories in Public View, and Now Let's Wait for the Next Book in this Series as well as in Ramchandra Series...
Happy Reading...
June 17, 2020
Finished reading the book 2 days back.
It's great. For a moment i thought it was foolish to reveal the identity of a key person in the beginning itself. But boy i was surprised with the way it turned out at the end.
A good read. There's very little if amishji's philosophical touch but it more than makes up for it by adding concepts of patriotism, humanity & more.
Be assured, that the follow up for the book may come out as story on chola kings. It's mentioned as another of story for another author. Typical amishji's style.
When the book release was pushed the first time due to opposition of some people, i had cursed myself for not being in time to read the sample at least in time.
But i kept looking, eyes open, following everything that was possible on Google on YouTube on immortals group. It paid off when i first discovered the book cover through good reads. & Then the bumper Bonanza when the same effort allowed me to purchase the book from my wishlist directly.
You can learn about how it happened in my YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/ln-caPeQmvg
Did anyone else read the book or I'm the only lucky person. Let me know.
Happy reading.
It's great. For a moment i thought it was foolish to reveal the identity of a key person in the beginning itself. But boy i was surprised with the way it turned out at the end.
A good read. There's very little if amishji's philosophical touch but it more than makes up for it by adding concepts of patriotism, humanity & more.
Be assured, that the follow up for the book may come out as story on chola kings. It's mentioned as another of story for another author. Typical amishji's style.
When the book release was pushed the first time due to opposition of some people, i had cursed myself for not being in time to read the sample at least in time.
But i kept looking, eyes open, following everything that was possible on Google on YouTube on immortals group. It paid off when i first discovered the book cover through good reads. & Then the bumper Bonanza when the same effort allowed me to purchase the book from my wishlist directly.
You can learn about how it happened in my YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/ln-caPeQmvg
Did anyone else read the book or I'm the only lucky person. Let me know.
Happy reading.
June 25, 2020
First disappointment from Amish. Not sure if it's because he's stepped away from his core strength or is it because it is diluted by the Immortan Writers' Centre. Although the premise had great promise, the plot was lost big time.
The narrative was clever in the beginning but went the cliché Bollywood potboiler way very soon.
Characterizations were quite intriguing but lost steam mid0way. None of the characters, including the lead character really had any depth as in his other books. And the main twist was just lazy and very poorly written.
Very few points in Chapters 20, 21 & 22 are well conveyed.
I request Amish to stick to his strength and not give in to any pressure.
Especially Fan base pressure. It's the worst to buckle under.
The narrative was clever in the beginning but went the cliché Bollywood potboiler way very soon.
Characterizations were quite intriguing but lost steam mid0way. None of the characters, including the lead character really had any depth as in his other books. And the main twist was just lazy and very poorly written.
Very few points in Chapters 20, 21 & 22 are well conveyed.
I request Amish to stick to his strength and not give in to any pressure.
Especially Fan base pressure. It's the worst to buckle under.
June 30, 2020
Every Indian should read this book.
A well written book By Amish. This book is based on story of King Suheldev who saved mother India from barbaric invaders of Turks not only one time but also many times and fought a direct war with Turk army in Bahraich and won the war with less casualties then Turk army.
From this book you will also get lot of knowledge and in this book unity between Indians is a also a main topic for writer because due to this reason many foreign invaders attacked India and ruled for many decades.
A well written book By Amish. This book is based on story of King Suheldev who saved mother India from barbaric invaders of Turks not only one time but also many times and fought a direct war with Turk army in Bahraich and won the war with less casualties then Turk army.
From this book you will also get lot of knowledge and in this book unity between Indians is a also a main topic for writer because due to this reason many foreign invaders attacked India and ruled for many decades.
July 5, 2020
King Suheldev's story was very captivating and had immense scope to become an "epic", but in my honest opinion, the whole "Immortal Writers' Centre" initiative by Amish destroyed the first 200 pages of the book. What was churned out was shoddy, poorly written and felt like amateurish propaganda. It never felt like an "Amish" book to me. The last 100 odd pages of nail-biting action and satisfying war scenes saved it from being a total disaster and warrants the 2nd star. King Suheldev thankfully came out of the book as a legendary character who could just have been explored better.
April 9, 2021
Amish knows India!!
Story of True leader who united Indians against foreign invaders. My heart is filled with patriotism after reading this amazing book!!...
Story of True leader who united Indians against foreign invaders. My heart is filled with patriotism after reading this amazing book!!...
October 19, 2020
This book was largely disappointing to read. I have read other books by Amish Tripathi and greatly enjoyed them. Before the book, Amish explained that he has too many stories in his head and heart to write them all. So he has hired other writers to help him write all of these stories. He would be heavily involved in the writing process and this was one of the books...and it showed.
The main problem with the book was the simplistic characters, either good or evil. There was no nuance or complication with any character in the book. The Turks were evil, pure evil, committing incredibly terrible atrocities, and bloodthirsty. They had no redeeming values at all. To cap it off, the leader of the Turkic armies was a homosexual, as if this added to his evil character trait. This addition added nothing to the story or character but was just thrown in. Also, the good characters, the Hindus, were always good. Suheldev never had a negative character trait. He was the perfect hero. Also, he never lost a battle or fight in the entire book. He began with small battles and won every single one. He faced no read adversity in the book or story.
The story reminded me of the comparison between the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In the Mahabharata, characters are incredibly complex like real life and the come to life throughout the story. In the Ramayana, the characters are more one-dimensional, either good or evil.
Unfortunately, a story with one-dimensional characters is not relatable to real life and so this story was not engaging. The one potential for a complex character, a close companion of the main character who was betraying him, was ruined as it was revealed that the betrayer was an evil twin. When an author has to resort to an evil twin to retain the goodness and evilness of their characters, that is a poor story.
It was a quick read, but highly disappointing given Amish Tripathi's other works.
The main problem with the book was the simplistic characters, either good or evil. There was no nuance or complication with any character in the book. The Turks were evil, pure evil, committing incredibly terrible atrocities, and bloodthirsty. They had no redeeming values at all. To cap it off, the leader of the Turkic armies was a homosexual, as if this added to his evil character trait. This addition added nothing to the story or character but was just thrown in. Also, the good characters, the Hindus, were always good. Suheldev never had a negative character trait. He was the perfect hero. Also, he never lost a battle or fight in the entire book. He began with small battles and won every single one. He faced no read adversity in the book or story.
The story reminded me of the comparison between the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In the Mahabharata, characters are incredibly complex like real life and the come to life throughout the story. In the Ramayana, the characters are more one-dimensional, either good or evil.
Unfortunately, a story with one-dimensional characters is not relatable to real life and so this story was not engaging. The one potential for a complex character, a close companion of the main character who was betraying him, was ruined as it was revealed that the betrayer was an evil twin. When an author has to resort to an evil twin to retain the goodness and evilness of their characters, that is a poor story.
It was a quick read, but highly disappointing given Amish Tripathi's other works.
August 24, 2021
Amish Tripathi kindly mentions in the preface that the book is the combined effort of a team of writers, that has worked on this book to prepare a draft for him, to go through and polish. I request you to hold on to this little detail for it will soon be relevant to this review here. I must admit, I had high hopes when I picked up this book, but on reading it, it appears exactly what the author so carefully cautions us of in the preface and expects the readers to not pick up on. It feels that it has been written by different people, with different styles and the shifts in the narration are glaringly obvious.
It appeared to me that the plot meandered from one point to another. There are characters who have incredible and significant backstories with secrets attached to their presence in places where they aren't supposed to be, but these secrets are neither revealed nor addressed but are seemingly forgotten as if one writer had wanted to take the story in one direction while the other disagreed with it; (not different from how disjointed Last Jedi and the Rise of Skywalker were). The lack of payoff is very bothersome, to say the least!
Amish tries really hard to shape the plot so that it suits the sensibilities of his readers and reconcile the book with the contemporary realities of the worship of Salar Masud being venerated as a martyr in present-day Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. In service of this when final the twist in the story did, emerge, it felt stale and repetitive.
Amish's work in the past has been marked by careful and loved re-imaginings of what could have been India's past. I have come to expect his work to be crisp, all plot points tied up and secure, with attention to intricate details - all of this, unfortunately, was missing from the story of Suheldev.
It appeared to me that the plot meandered from one point to another. There are characters who have incredible and significant backstories with secrets attached to their presence in places where they aren't supposed to be, but these secrets are neither revealed nor addressed but are seemingly forgotten as if one writer had wanted to take the story in one direction while the other disagreed with it; (not different from how disjointed Last Jedi and the Rise of Skywalker were). The lack of payoff is very bothersome, to say the least!
Amish tries really hard to shape the plot so that it suits the sensibilities of his readers and reconcile the book with the contemporary realities of the worship of Salar Masud being venerated as a martyr in present-day Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. In service of this when final the twist in the story did, emerge, it felt stale and repetitive.
Amish's work in the past has been marked by careful and loved re-imaginings of what could have been India's past. I have come to expect his work to be crisp, all plot points tied up and secure, with attention to intricate details - all of this, unfortunately, was missing from the story of Suheldev.
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