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Ramayana #7
Vengeance of Ravana
Ravana is dead. The asura threat is ended. At last Rama is on the throne of Ayodhya, seeking only to live in peace with his beloved Sita. But their peace does not last long because evil never dies, it only changes form and shape. An old enemy breaks free of his subterranean prison to convey a shocking message. An army arrives at the gates of Ayodhya, led by a mysterious being bearing a terrible weapon. Is Rama truly following his dharma or being manipulated by a plot masterfully orchestrated by Ravana? This long-awaited seventh volume in Ashok K. Banker's acclaimed Ramayana Series, soon to be followed by the eighth and final volume Sons of Sita, begins an enthralling two-part conclusion to the epic saga.
257 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2011
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778 people want to read
About the author
Ashok K. Banker
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 20, 2012
This is easily the worst book of the series (not counting SoS since I haven't read that yet. After this, I doubt I will). This is also easily the most random story I've ever read. The sensation built up in the beginning fizzles out so badly that I lack the right words to describe it. I should have stopped with King of Ayodhya, I suppose so should have Mr. Banker like he intended to. Now I just have a bad aftertaste.
August 16, 2015
i had thought the Ramayana series was over because I read the author's note in the 6th book where he had said he distinctly did not want to try to justify Rama's abandonment of Sita. When I found out about this book, I was excited and dreading it at once. My fears came out right - the book did not really address the questions and reasoning and attempted to skirt the character development by introducing new plot devices and elements including the Author's theme of vortals and connecting all of his series. It focused way too much on the meta elements and was too much in the author's head - I did not enjoy it and was disappointed. Maybe I built up the writing too much in my head while waiting for this.
August 10, 2013
Probably the weakest book of the entire Ramayana series. it starts of well, the build up is amazing and you just can't wait for the page to turn, but somewhere in the middle the whole story falls apart. it was very disappointing as I have immense respect for Mr bankar as a writer and he attemped to go where no other writer has tried to take this series to.
This is one of the books which had the potential to be something different or path breaking but ends in a whimper.
This is one of the books which had the potential to be something different or path breaking but ends in a whimper.
October 14, 2013
There are times when one feels that Ashok Banker is overeraching himself. I have been a fan of his earlier volumes of the Ramayana. But this one is simply too much of a stretch - at times it feels like science fiction and the paradox of time travel is what he is trying to explain.
Whatever. This book is just one too many. It fails to grip and the over decorative prose drags the narrative down.
I wish he never wrote it. I am now reading 'Sons of Sita' and I hope it turns out better.
Whatever. This book is just one too many. It fails to grip and the over decorative prose drags the narrative down.
I wish he never wrote it. I am now reading 'Sons of Sita' and I hope it turns out better.
October 16, 2012
Before you read this please read Gods of War from the Author to give you an understanding of the twist he make in this part of the great epic...
Can't Wait for Sons Of Sita... Where many more questions would be answered....
Can't Wait for Sons Of Sita... Where many more questions would be answered....
July 25, 2011
The seventh book of the Ramayana series that was never expected. Ashok Banker has his own reasons for writing it, as he mentions in the Foreword. He also uses the section to outline his plans to document the past, present and extrapolated future of India as well as alternate history. I was quite happy when i read this because it seemed a noble endeavor. And then the book started.
I have been a fan of the other books (except for Book 3, which i thought was an unnecessary stretch) in the series and have, in reviews, admired how the author brings characters and the age to life and uses prose in a way that makes you (even) identify with them.
But this book completely failed for me. The plot, if any, doesn't go anywhere. I could've flipped 10 pages and still not missed a thing - except for prose. It's as though the mandate was to describe every occurrence / character/ vista in as many words as possible. Fitting in contemporary phrases like collateral damage and terms like vortal seem terribly forced. It's a vengeance story, but sometimes you wonder who it is directed at!!
If you've been reading the Ramayana series, I guess you'll have to sit through this one too, just to see where it goes, but go in fully prepared for a prose avalanche. The author does seem to be on his own trip - good for him, not so good for readers. Sad.
I have been a fan of the other books (except for Book 3, which i thought was an unnecessary stretch) in the series and have, in reviews, admired how the author brings characters and the age to life and uses prose in a way that makes you (even) identify with them.
But this book completely failed for me. The plot, if any, doesn't go anywhere. I could've flipped 10 pages and still not missed a thing - except for prose. It's as though the mandate was to describe every occurrence / character/ vista in as many words as possible. Fitting in contemporary phrases like collateral damage and terms like vortal seem terribly forced. It's a vengeance story, but sometimes you wonder who it is directed at!!
If you've been reading the Ramayana series, I guess you'll have to sit through this one too, just to see where it goes, but go in fully prepared for a prose avalanche. The author does seem to be on his own trip - good for him, not so good for readers. Sad.
September 24, 2011
Books sometimes become precursors to others yet to follow. According to me, it can serve either of two purposes :
1. Tell a story and in the end keep the door slightly ajar to let the next one in.
2. Lay down the ground for the story next to follow.
The problem with the books in category 2 is that none but the author will know what is going on. This book falls precisely into this category. Ashok Banker gives a detailed foreword which tells us of his plans to link and write a lot of stories in the future. This is one of those first steps for that. Now Mr.Banker, I do not know how,when and why you will write those books but this one was pure blarney !
The first six books of the Ramayana series have been wonderfully written and has been a really imaginative retelling. Here, it begins with a bang and goes to draw a picture reminiscent of Armageddon but still lacks cohesiveness. A lot of plot lines end up going nowhere, characters who until then drove the plot become wallflowers & a lot of theory surrounding alternate realities and all that is thrown your way. I rushed through the entire thing in fact and there is hardly anything retained in my mind.
1. Tell a story and in the end keep the door slightly ajar to let the next one in.
2. Lay down the ground for the story next to follow.
The problem with the books in category 2 is that none but the author will know what is going on. This book falls precisely into this category. Ashok Banker gives a detailed foreword which tells us of his plans to link and write a lot of stories in the future. This is one of those first steps for that. Now Mr.Banker, I do not know how,when and why you will write those books but this one was pure blarney !
The first six books of the Ramayana series have been wonderfully written and has been a really imaginative retelling. Here, it begins with a bang and goes to draw a picture reminiscent of Armageddon but still lacks cohesiveness. A lot of plot lines end up going nowhere, characters who until then drove the plot become wallflowers & a lot of theory surrounding alternate realities and all that is thrown your way. I rushed through the entire thing in fact and there is hardly anything retained in my mind.
August 4, 2017
A thoroughly avoidable book. Apart from being very pedantic and verbose in content, it is also a lot of mumbo-jumbo stuff. Philosophy mixed with mythology. Should be passed over. A very big disappointment.
December 9, 2012
Provides a possible explanation for Sita's banishment. Can someone tell me how faithful is this version (especially this book of the series) to the original?
April 17, 2020
First half of the book is pretty boring, I wondered why did I pick such a bad book.Second half is just amazing.
April 16, 2013
When Sons of Sita came out and was touted to be book 8 of the Ramayana Series, I realised that a book was missing between 6 - King of Ayodhya and Sons of Sita. It took a Google search for me to find the name of this book. This was because the copy of King of Ayodhya did not have this book listed as it was printed before this was even written, in 2010. This is written as an explanation for why I look forward to Sons of Sita in my review of the King of Ayodhya.
This book also begins with a long winded explanation from the author about why he wrote this book after a firm note in the end of book 6. The author admits that I have to read the next book to be fully convinced of his reasoning for writing these last two books in the Ramayana series. Hence, I would not want to be partial at this juncture, on that account. However, I am a bit annoyed that the author suggests to me that I would have to read other books from other series that he had written in order for me to make sense of this book. A series must not rely, in my opinion, on other books and other series. Since, the author did write such a long foreword to the book, he might as well have taken the trouble to hint at things that would help the reader of this series make sense of the book.
This accounts, in part for why I was so fast reading this book, skimming at times. At one point, I have to admit that I was a little confused as what was happening. The thread of the story has to be remembered carefully to grasp what was going on. It helped that I had a relatively calm mind.
Given that this book itself is meant to be a bridge before the series itself ends, I do not want to labour too much on the storyline here. I enjoyed that there were some philosophical inputs in the storyline and the interplay of words almost made me think that I was reading some quantum mechanics textbook, briefly. But, it was very brief. Onwards, to the last book in this series that I shall begin tonight after dinner.
This book also begins with a long winded explanation from the author about why he wrote this book after a firm note in the end of book 6. The author admits that I have to read the next book to be fully convinced of his reasoning for writing these last two books in the Ramayana series. Hence, I would not want to be partial at this juncture, on that account. However, I am a bit annoyed that the author suggests to me that I would have to read other books from other series that he had written in order for me to make sense of this book. A series must not rely, in my opinion, on other books and other series. Since, the author did write such a long foreword to the book, he might as well have taken the trouble to hint at things that would help the reader of this series make sense of the book.
This accounts, in part for why I was so fast reading this book, skimming at times. At one point, I have to admit that I was a little confused as what was happening. The thread of the story has to be remembered carefully to grasp what was going on. It helped that I had a relatively calm mind.
Given that this book itself is meant to be a bridge before the series itself ends, I do not want to labour too much on the storyline here. I enjoyed that there were some philosophical inputs in the storyline and the interplay of words almost made me think that I was reading some quantum mechanics textbook, briefly. But, it was very brief. Onwards, to the last book in this series that I shall begin tonight after dinner.
March 31, 2016
After reading this seventh book in the Ramayana series by Ashok Banker, I was thoroughly disappointed and felt cheated. Although I am yet to read the next installment; Sons of Sita, I feel he should have stopped at book 6. Till that installment the entire series was to a large extent gripping and logical, though at times the drama went overboard. Especially some of the characterizations and scenes seemed to be very Bollywoodish...
To my mind, Vengeance of Ravana seems to be written with the sole purpose of ascribing a reason for Sita's exile. The book seems to be building up to Ravana's revenge from the beginning since it fails to focus on anything else. Not many pages have been dedicated to Rama and Sita's life after coming back to normalcy, which is something I was looking forward to... At the end, the outlandish vengeance plot leaves the reader in a disbelieving state.
I am also having difficulty accepting the divine reasons for Rama sending Sita to an exile. Since Rama has been born as a mortal man, wouldn't it make more sense to ascribe the widely accepted mortal reason for this. He behaved as any mortal man typically behaves in this world....at the first instance any outsider raises a finger on the wife go with the stranger than believing the wife. Why try to create an image of perfection when there is none?
To my mind, Vengeance of Ravana seems to be written with the sole purpose of ascribing a reason for Sita's exile. The book seems to be building up to Ravana's revenge from the beginning since it fails to focus on anything else. Not many pages have been dedicated to Rama and Sita's life after coming back to normalcy, which is something I was looking forward to... At the end, the outlandish vengeance plot leaves the reader in a disbelieving state.
I am also having difficulty accepting the divine reasons for Rama sending Sita to an exile. Since Rama has been born as a mortal man, wouldn't it make more sense to ascribe the widely accepted mortal reason for this. He behaved as any mortal man typically behaves in this world....at the first instance any outsider raises a finger on the wife go with the stranger than believing the wife. Why try to create an image of perfection when there is none?
March 9, 2013
The Ramayana by Ashok Banker has always kept me captivated.
The writing grows on you but now on book 7 its been stretched just that far.
Do not get me wrong, Banker has a great way of penning down the smallest of details but does test one's patience just that bit at time.
The storyline of course is strong.Has Valmiki initiated this part of Ramayana, I am not sure but it is true to Ravana's character of an ingenious evildoer.You are shattered to see evil hold the upper hand here and just then the Deva's step in.......
Excellent read. I personally loved it!
The writing grows on you but now on book 7 its been stretched just that far.
Do not get me wrong, Banker has a great way of penning down the smallest of details but does test one's patience just that bit at time.
The storyline of course is strong.Has Valmiki initiated this part of Ramayana, I am not sure but it is true to Ravana's character of an ingenious evildoer.You are shattered to see evil hold the upper hand here and just then the Deva's step in.......
Excellent read. I personally loved it!
July 16, 2013
Finally done reading with Part 7 of Ashok Banker's Ramayana series. I had started my journey with the last instalment - Sons of Sita, and then gone ahead in a roundabout way reading the other 7. Will have to read Sons of Sita again, as a lot of things will now make sense now.
Many would term this instalment as intriguing, but I found it to be the weakest link in the chain.
I have realised something is that whatever one writes, I probably will never be convinced about the fact that Ram exiled Sita. I am trying my damn best.
Storywise, the book makes for an excellent read.
Many would term this instalment as intriguing, but I found it to be the weakest link in the chain.
I have realised something is that whatever one writes, I probably will never be convinced about the fact that Ram exiled Sita. I am trying my damn best.
Storywise, the book makes for an excellent read.
December 24, 2011
after a long wait i got my hands on this little gem. wonderfully written, it totally took me back into the magical world of Rama. For me the most fascinating thing was that the entire book recounts events that occur within a few hours in a single day. have not read any novels employing this technique. Can't wait for the next part!
March 31, 2012
Unlike the other books in the series this book was painstakingly slow and didn't add to the drama of the previous books.Also Banker had said he never wanted to write about Uttarkaand because he couldnt believe that Rama would banish his wife after having fought a war to bring her back then why this attempt at a book that doesn't measure up to the rest in the series.
December 11, 2012
this is the book in the ramayana series that i liked the least and followed by Sons of Sita. i consider only the first 6 to be the series and 7 & 8 being extra editions that don't really capture the great epic in the unique style Ashok is known for.
March 2, 2012
The novel is good...but not as good as it's prequels.
It confuses you, and well without reading it's sequel, 'The Sons of Sita', many questions will remain unanswered.
It confuses you, and well without reading it's sequel, 'The Sons of Sita', many questions will remain unanswered.
February 17, 2013
i want this book for reading so plz. can you give me ?
February 19, 2013
Very well written....thoroughly imaginative! Enjoyed every twist, every turn!
May 4, 2013
Greatly written and explores strange territories. Makes you jump to the next book as soon as possible!
August 12, 2013
Not up to the mark of King of Ayodhya.
April 6, 2014
It is fascinating... and slightly confusing too...
November 30, 2015
disappointing read...waste of money and time
May 11, 2016
A masterpiece..
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews