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Totsakan: The Demon King and the Hermit's Riddle
Catt and Rawin disappear while on a school visit to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and find themselves in a bewildering world of deadly demons and cunning monkeys.
They become caught up in a long and bloody war between the demon hordes and Prince Ram’s monkey army, struggling to tell good from evil. Catt draws on her almost superpower martial arts skills while Rawin uses his nerdy intelligence to plot their way out of what for lesser beings would mean certain death.
The Demon King, angered that two 14-year-olds keep getting in his way and escaping capture, knows there is only one solution – he has to kill them before they kill him .
Catt and Rawin discover to their horror that the Demon King imperils not only the world they have been trapped in, but their own world too. There is only one way left for them to fulfill their destiny.
They become caught up in a long and bloody war between the demon hordes and Prince Ram’s monkey army, struggling to tell good from evil. Catt draws on her almost superpower martial arts skills while Rawin uses his nerdy intelligence to plot their way out of what for lesser beings would mean certain death.
The Demon King, angered that two 14-year-olds keep getting in his way and escaping capture, knows there is only one solution – he has to kill them before they kill him .
Catt and Rawin discover to their horror that the Demon King imperils not only the world they have been trapped in, but their own world too. There is only one way left for them to fulfill their destiny.
290 pages, Paperback
Published August 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 25, 2024
This book was very cool. I had just been to the grand palace when I started reading it so it put the story into great perspective. It shows good and evil and what it means to be both. The last section was a bit dramatic as Totsaken was riding in a Tuk Tuk in Bangkok but it was still an interesting read.
January 26, 2026
This book is written for teenagers. The story is a blend of the Ramayana and the lives of two kids from Bangkok. During a school trip to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the children Catt and Rawin, are pulled into the universe of the Ramayana. Some local Thai deities are also woven into the story.
Because the story and most of the characters come from the Ramayana, it may be difficult for some readers to understand the flow of the plot or the nature and behavior of the original characters. Their personalities have been slightly modified to make sense in the modern world, which I believe is one of the strongest aspects of the book. For example, when Hanuman burns Lanka, Catt cries over the deaths of many innocent demons. Similarly, Rawin questions the war itself, arguing that it is fought over a woman (Sida or Sita) and the pride of two powerful kings, while countless civilians die for no reason. These powerful observations encourage young readers to think critically, even about mythological stories.
Each character is shown with both good and bad sides, emphasizing that humans and gods alike have the capacity to do good or evil. What matters is the willpower to choose the right path or to restrain oneself from doing harm.
In the story, Ravan (Totsakan) disappears from the city of Bangkok and returns to the Ramayana universe. No one seems to have killed him, yet his funeral is said to have taken place there, leaving behind a sense of mystery.
Because the story and most of the characters come from the Ramayana, it may be difficult for some readers to understand the flow of the plot or the nature and behavior of the original characters. Their personalities have been slightly modified to make sense in the modern world, which I believe is one of the strongest aspects of the book. For example, when Hanuman burns Lanka, Catt cries over the deaths of many innocent demons. Similarly, Rawin questions the war itself, arguing that it is fought over a woman (Sida or Sita) and the pride of two powerful kings, while countless civilians die for no reason. These powerful observations encourage young readers to think critically, even about mythological stories.
Each character is shown with both good and bad sides, emphasizing that humans and gods alike have the capacity to do good or evil. What matters is the willpower to choose the right path or to restrain oneself from doing harm.
In the story, Ravan (Totsakan) disappears from the city of Bangkok and returns to the Ramayana universe. No one seems to have killed him, yet his funeral is said to have taken place there, leaving behind a sense of mystery.
April 8, 2025
I grabbed this book, excited to see a Thai focused children's book in English. As an English teacher here in Thailand I immediately wanted to see if I could use this as a novel study for my students, which I am now developing. I hope my students will enjoy it as it certainly inspired me to read more about the Ramakien!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews