Sons of Darkness, Gourav Mohanty's debut novel, reimagines the Mahābhārata as a grimdark fantasy with gripping battle scenes and gasp-worthy plot twists.
The prologue introduces the Daevas, a god-like race, and Muchuk Und, the human who served as their warlord and learned their use of Elemental magic. Ten thousand years later, Krishna, a cowherd who became leader of Mathura through shrewd calculations, is losing a war to Magadh. When the Magadhan emperor's daughter dies and a cease-fire is negotiated, Krishna has one year to plan Mathura's salvation. Meanwhile, Hastina hears rumors that the sons of Kunti, wife to the king's deceased older brother, are conspiring to take back what they see as their rightful throne. Other characters include Karna, a lower-caste Resht whom Prince Duryodhan of Hastinapur had befriended; Masha, an interpreter of prophesies, including one about the Son of Darkness; Nala, a student at the warriors' university; Kalyavan, a Greek warlord; and several queens, princes, princesses, advisors, and warlords. Tension builds leading up to Princess Draupadi's swayamvar and then explodes with violent conflicts on multiple fronts, setting the stage for the rise of the Son of Darkness and the return of the Daevas.
Mohanty tells this epic story through alternating perspectives, with characters who come alive and with intrigue as complex as A Game of Thrones, which inspires Mohanty's writing. None of the characters is entirely hero or villain in a world of corruption, greed, and violence. Readers will be captivated until the very last page and eagerly await the second installment. --Dainy Bernstein, postdoc in children's literature, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign