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"Harappa...a mix of history, mythology and fantasy...Th…more
Yes Madu. The book is a historical/mythological fantasy. To quote a recent review of Harappa -"Harappa...a mix of history, mythology and fantasy...The story has the visual effect of a screenplay." - Asian Age
Hope you enjoy it! :-) (less)
Community Reviews
I have never left a book unfinished, but trust me! this book threatened to break that streak . Even the introduction was a big disappointment. It was a huge dump of information th
There is a visible trend of mythological/historical fiction in India after the success of Shiva Trilogy. Generally, I try to avoid this genre but somehow this book caught my eye and I liked the overview provided and then the higher ratings (on amazon as well as goodreads) and my love for Varanasi forced me to read this.I have never left a book unfinished, but trust me! this book threatened to break that streak . Even the introduction was a big disappointment. It was a huge dump of information that could have been managed in a much better way. In fact when I started the actual story I realized that the introduction wasn't even required. The main story doesn't start after the intro as I expected, instead the introduction is a major spoiler for the plot of the whole novel. So if any of my fellow readers are going to read this book (though I would advise you strictly against this) please stay away from the intro.
The prologue is probably the best part of the book and I won't deny that it's quite fascinating. But then again it would have been much better and mysterious had the intro not spoilt all the mystery. The initial few chapters discouraged me enough to quit, but somehow I managed to get on with the rest of the book. As I expected I found the broad concept to be good but the execution fell flat. I don't like the writing style at all. It could not be more plainer and there were more than a few annoying elements throughout the book. I mean, for god's sake, we understood from the intro itself that the protagonist and his ancestors were demigods but the "Half Human, Half God" phrase was repeated for what seems like a million times, probably more. The conversations between Vidyut-Damini, Vidyut-Naina were more like english translation of any hindi soap opera's dialogues; and what the hell that "yaa" was all about in practically their each and every sentence. These are only a few exapmles from a lot of such points.
The forced attempt to keep the mystery alive by interupting the back story a number of times was laughable, especially when it was almost given away in the introduction. I would have digested it even then had the back story been revealed with the related current events one-by-one. On the contrary it is actually being recited by an individual which should not take much of a time, definitly not 3-4 days. I am unable to fathom how the reader is supposed to accept the way the story is being explained with the aspects mentioned for so long and still leave it incomplete.
Anyway I will not go into more details as I have other better books to read and review, but I'll definitely say that it's a good plot wasted. Not more than 1.5 Star
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You may read the full review here Harappa: Curse
Being a mythology and history lover, when this book offered to me for an honest review I was quite delighted. The blurb and book cover is something which will catch your attention instantly. In the past, I have read several such books, but have never read anything related to Harappa civilization which already makes me curious to read this book. To my surprise, this book left no stone unturned to meet my expectation. Let's see what this book offers.You may read the full review here Harappa: Curse of the Blood River by Vineet Bajpai- Book review
Plot summary:
The book starts with an intrigue Introduction which shows the different era and places conspiring something. The one thing is common in between them is the link of 'Harappa'.
Further, this book moves to the present narrating a story of Vidyut, who is in his early 30's. Vidyut is a most eligible bachelor, who is a jack of all. A successful businessman, Vidyut has a great reputation in the business world and has some great contacts. He lives with the love of his life Damini, a journalist. Vidyut has an enchanting aura which stands him out from the others.
One day Vidyut receives a call summoning him to Varanasi. He has left Varanasi long ago and now his great-grandfather is on the deathbed and wants to meet him.
On the other hand, there is a group of assassinations, who are planning to kill Vidyut. Unaware of all these conspiracies, Vidyut reaches to Varanasi.
With this story, this book runs a parallel story of 1700 BCE, Harappa civilization. This civilization is reputed for its justice, perfect rules and regulations. The devta of this civilization is Vivasvan Shashtri, a glorious man with profound knowledge. The citizens of Harappa worship him like a god. He lives with his wife Sanjna and son Manu.
Presently, Vidyut reaches to Mattha and meets his great-grandfather. What he hears from him is something which astonished Vidyut.
In the past, Vivasvan Shashtri is going to adorn with the designation of 'Astharishi' and soon he would be the lead person of Harappa. There are some people who are not happy with this and they spread conspiracies which ultimately led the destruction of Harappa.
Parallel narrated, this book takes you to two different eras which are interlinked to each other. These past stories are the base of present and it is wrapped by various mysteries through which Vidyut and his well-wishers have to fight and win for the mankind.
In between, you will meet various characters which help to shape the story in an interesting way.
Writing style:
This is the strongest aspect of this book; the author has used reader-friendly language and narrated this book with utmost ease. You can finish this book in one sitting or two sittings maximum.
My perception:
This book comes with a strong story, plot, and subplots. The seamless writing skill of the author is really captivating which doesn't make readers confuse even after having such a wider plot. All the characters are very well developed. Not a single moment comes in the book when you feel bored or distract. The author has well-researched this book and the way he has created Harappa and its civilization is something worth to read. I also loved the backdrop narration of Varanasi. This book is going to be a series so, this book ends on an interesting note which already made me curious to read next book. In the hindsight, with strong characters, plots and writing skill this book is a great read which will magically transport you to the untold era. A must read for the mythological and historical lovers.
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I usually never read mythology/fantasy books. This was strongly recommended by Amazon.in, what caught my attention was the blurb. My curiosity was piqued when I saw this book contains a parallel story where we have two heroes/demigod, one from past and one in future, the curse, and a secret behind the fall of the most glorious civilization.
To my utter disappointment, this book didn't deliver what it claimed. The story/secret was pretty much clear in initial few page
*Unpopular opinion ahead*I usually never read mythology/fantasy books. This was strongly recommended by Amazon.in, what caught my attention was the blurb. My curiosity was piqued when I saw this book contains a parallel story where we have two heroes/demigod, one from past and one in future, the curse, and a secret behind the fall of the most glorious civilization.
To my utter disappointment, this book didn't deliver what it claimed. The story/secret was pretty much clear in initial few pages, what followed, later on, was one big exaggeration on how great and perfect all the characters were. To be honest, all the characters were one-dimensional. Mr. Bajpai (author) said his inspiration is Dan Brown and we would find some similarities in his writing, *overestimation much?* even Robert Langdon is flawed! Don't get me started with colloquial dialogues…I don't think we Indian use 'yaa' at the end of every English statement we make, let alone an entrepreneur or a journalist!
It took me close to 40 days to finish this book, only to find it ends with a cliff-hanger. I don't think I can sit through another ordeal of "grandeur" that is our demigods or unnecessary usage of 'half human half god' phrase every other page.
Apart from these shortcomings the writing was actually good, though the execution of the story was bad, the premise of this plot was rather interesting. Could have easily cut short some 100 pages with unrelated information.
We have Harappa! Not the City that must have played a pivotal role in the history of mankind. But this horrid novel which seems to have taken the readers 'by storm' (expression used in too many paid reviews). But that's to be expected. Most of those gushers have compared this work with those penned by Dan Brown (atrocious writing) and Ashwin Sanghi (infod What happens when a decent plot, with enough sprinkling of history and conspiracy theory, gets handled by someone with horrible writing skills?
We have Harappa! Not the City that must have played a pivotal role in the history of mankind. But this horrid novel which seems to have taken the readers 'by storm' (expression used in too many paid reviews). But that's to be expected. Most of those gushers have compared this work with those penned by Dan Brown (atrocious writing) and Ashwin Sanghi (infodumping, sermonising, being formulaic to the point of self-parody). Trouble is, the plot was ideal for a genuine gripping thriller. Had the novel been vacuous in that aspect as well, I could have overlooked it. But such an interesting pseudo-historical plot has been completely trashed by pathetic writing, stereotypical characterisations, and overwriting. Believe me, if someone claims to be half human, half Devta even once, I would keep hitting his/her skull with this book until someone stops me or something happens.
Read history books, preferably 'Political History of Ancient India' and 'The Lost River'. They are more thrilling, informative, and vastly superior in terms of writing.
Not Recommended. ...more
Meet Vidyut, a young and powerful businessman who is a jack of all trades, who lives with the love of his life Damini. His perfect life is disturbed by a call from his great grandfather from Varanasi, who seems to be in his death bed. Vidyut leaves to a place which holds several secrets not only concerning his life but the entire human race. Unbeknownst to him, several events that were set off all over the world once he starts to his journey from Delhi.
We are
Read the full review at Elgee WritesMeet Vidyut, a young and powerful businessman who is a jack of all trades, who lives with the love of his life Damini. His perfect life is disturbed by a call from his great grandfather from Varanasi, who seems to be in his death bed. Vidyut leaves to a place which holds several secrets not only concerning his life but the entire human race. Unbeknownst to him, several events that were set off all over the world once he starts to his journey from Delhi.
We are told of the happenings in the Harappan civilization of the ancient past -the past that sees the effects of treachery and blood thirst. What is the relationship between modern day Vidyut and the fallen civilization? Only one man tell it all, his great grandfather who is running out of time and the strong and treacherous enemies are at bay. Read Harappa - Curse of the Blood River to find out more.
First of the premise is intriguing making us wonder if our school history text books were in fact, nothing but an elaborate ruse? Following the pattern laid by the likes of Dan Brown, Ashwin Sanghi and the new comer Luke Gracias, the story alternates between the past and present and the author does that with quite the flair.
I had known the book was the first of the series of four books, but I had not realized until I came to it, that it ends in a cliffhanger and it doesn't answer many of the questions. This might be disconcerting to some of the readers, including me. There were few scenes in the middle that were clichéd and could have been very well done without.
The rich history and the strong story line related to Harappan civilization is well executed. The author makes us ponder where does the line between mythology and history lie. The dialogues were kinda off-putting especially the modern day's, where no one uses that many slangs (yaa, yaar etc) in real life. And the writing gets kinda repetitive after a while. Yet, none of these reduce the pace set by the author until the very last.
The introduction kinda gave away the entire plot, at least the plot of the first book. And then there is a prologue which piqued the interest but again once we have read the introduction there is very little suspense to keep up. There are a few misgivings how long does it take for a person to narrate a simple tale. But if we do overlook such logical reasoning, I would not be surprised if the Harappa - Curse of the Blood River ends up to be a best seller.
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The story of Harappa ru
I have been seeing this book on the Internet for the last 4 years. I was yearning to read it so badly. We were not able to get our hands on this book series earlier. And if we had bought these books, we might have to postpone reading due to a long list of review requests. Recently we have declined multiple requests as we are being choosy now. So now I am getting enough time for reading. This means I can take long-awaited books, and Harappa is the front runner in the queue.The story of Harappa runs in two parallel. One in current time 2017 and another in 1700 BC (of course in Harappa metropolis). So it would be obvious we will have two protagonists. The protagonist of the current time is Vidyut and Harappa's time is Vivasan Pujari. Both are considered and worshiped as half-human & half god. In 1700 BC when Vivasan was about to become a head priest one of the highest titles of Aryavarta, a sinister plan was being hatched by the wife of Vivasan's brother-in-law's wife. Things became sinister as plan rolled into the action. To add the complexity in the situation river Saraswati (called Maa Saaraa by people of Harappa) was coming to Harappa with never heard of the flood. In recent times, Vidyut a well established digital age entrepreneur got a call from Purohit Ji (a person who had raised Vidyut). Vidyut went to Kashi to meet his dying grandfather Dwarka Shashtri Ji. This incident rolled the dies for a great war. And dark forces came into the action. Read the book to know more.
I am glad I got a chance to read this book. The book has matched my expectations exactly. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Starting from the first page to the last one I kept swiping pages (I was reading on Kindle so - swiping) Writing style is a mix of action, thriller, suspense, drama & fantasy. All these ingredients were mixed with historical facts to make a perfect Indian recipe. Well, I don't mind agreeing with the author's Idea of British propaganda of holding back Indian history, possibilities are high that this might have happened. This has created a bug of curiosity in me to check any literature or documentary available on these controversies or not.
Coming to plot visualization, Vineet has done a fantastic job. He has knitted wonderful characters in both timelines around a plot to grip his readers. As I have read in social media rights for the movie production for this series are sold and maybe Hritik Roshan will play the lead role. I am anticipating that we can see tall, muscular Hritik as Vivasan & Vidyut.
A perfect read for vacation, holiday, work or any free time. Because if you read it while work is going on, you may not be able to concentrate on your work properly. :)
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The Indus valley civilization was one of my favorites and I was glad to read Harappa.
Now coming to the book. The book follows the story of Vidyut Shastri, a young and successful entrepreneur. One day, suddenly, he is summoned to Kashi, by his dying great grandfather, Dwarka Shastri, who is the head of the Dev Rakshasa Matth. He bears a secret that would destroy a
I love reading about historical fiction. When I read the book's blurb, I knew I was going to like the book, and I was not disappointed.The Indus valley civilization was one of my favorites and I was glad to read Harappa.
Now coming to the book. The book follows the story of Vidyut Shastri, a young and successful entrepreneur. One day, suddenly, he is summoned to Kashi, by his dying great grandfather, Dwarka Shastri, who is the head of the Dev Rakshasa Matth. He bears a secret that would destroy all of mankind.
Vidyut belongs to the bloodline of Vivasvan Pujari, who is the 'devta', until an evil conspiracy threatens to destroy him and his family.
A trained assassin of the Maschera Bianca order is after Vidyut. Why? Who is Vidyut? And what is the secret of Vivasvan Pujari? How are Harappa, Paris and Varanasi linked?
It was a very interesting read. As it was the first book in the series, there wasn't much information about the antagonist. The writing is beautiful and keeps the readers hooked till the end. I liked how the Author has kept the chapters short and the time leap from 1700 BCE to 2017 was not boring.
If you love historical fiction, then you will like this book.
Rating 4.5/5
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Got lucky to get a review copy of the book. Totally loved it. This is a very very gripping piece of fiction that ties in historical recordings very well. The modern protagonist 'Vidyut' is too much a dude. Him being so intrinsically tied to his bloodline (ok it may sound like Da Vinci Code!) and the story flowing thereafter is a piece of art.
If you are into fiction and specially historical and contemporary writings, this is
"Truth is stranger than Fiction" - Hard to say while reading this book!Got lucky to get a review copy of the book. Totally loved it. This is a very very gripping piece of fiction that ties in historical recordings very well. The modern protagonist 'Vidyut' is too much a dude. Him being so intrinsically tied to his bloodline (ok it may sound like Da Vinci Code!) and the story flowing thereafter is a piece of art.
If you are into fiction and specially historical and contemporary writings, this is book is highly recommend. For the lack of a better comparison - Vineet Bajpai is the Dan Brown of India.
...more Will read the second part just as soon as possible.
The story is adventuristic, moving with two parallel story. Author had connected current and past stories greatly. Also the connection he made between paris, benaras and Harappa is also looks equally great.
Even though I prefer more thriller novels I'm al
Harappa: curse of the blood river by Vineet Bajpai, is an historical fiction. I had started reading the novel with high expectations after reading many good critic reviews and yes now fully satisfied moreover it's above than what I had expected.The story is adventuristic, moving with two parallel story. Author had connected current and past stories greatly. Also the connection he made between paris, benaras and Harappa is also looks equally great.
Even though I prefer more thriller novels I'm always a fan of histories from the school days itself. History always makes me to go through the past and present differences, origins and much more interesting facts. Also this novel too didn't let that down. So enthralling and lucid with language. Also the fast paced narration holded me till the last page.
I am not feel like revealing this thrill story, I assure you that its not an another boring history. I can give you a hint that story have an squeal and revelation of curse will be there only. I'm so excited to read that now.
Overall, Harappa is a book I like to suggest for all of them because of its simple and breathtaking story. It would be a good read for beginners or those who like to switch the genres.
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Subtitle: Curse Of The Blood River
Author: Vineet Bajpai
Publishers: VB Performance LLP
Publication Date: 9th June 2017
ISBN-13: 9789352685486
Number of Pages: 316
"Listen you who are already dead. Listen you congregation of corpses. Listen you fools. I am half-human, half-God!"
What will happen the day when you are merry with your life and you receive a call suddenly from someone who reminds you of a past that needs you to be present? I'm sure the experinece will astonish you. Harappa is
Title: HarappaSubtitle: Curse Of The Blood River
Author: Vineet Bajpai
Publishers: VB Performance LLP
Publication Date: 9th June 2017
ISBN-13: 9789352685486
Number of Pages: 316
"Listen you who are already dead. Listen you congregation of corpses. Listen you fools. I am half-human, half-God!"
What will happen the day when you are merry with your life and you receive a call suddenly from someone who reminds you of a past that needs you to be present? I'm sure the experinece will astonish you. Harappa is a mytho-fantasy historical thriller that takes the reader back to 18th century. This book has been dedicated to Munisha by the author. The story has been set in three different places or I must say generations (Rome, Banaras and Harappa). The author has given a very brief introduction of the inicidents that are related to the story in the beginning that makes the reader feel connected to the story and also make the reader curious to know what will happen and how the story will start and end. The story starts on a huge note of suspense in which Vidyut receives a call from Purohit Ji while he was sleeping at his home next to his wife Damini. The sudden call at such a peculiar time scares Damini and she gets more afraid due to the weird behaviour of Vidyut after he receives the call. After a lot of suspense he finally reveals that he is half-man and half-god. After the first chapter the story takes the reader to Rome in which Reg is welcomed by Maschera at the airport and he gets a surprise note from Maschera in which he is told to kill a boy Aryan. The story then shifts to the ancient times of 1700 BC when the city of Harappa existed and where activities like exorcism, black magic and many more evil acts took place to kill the last Devta. The story takes a very smooth shift from modern period to ancient period making the reader experience both the generations simultaneously. What was Vidyut's secret that he hid from everyone? Why did he go to Banaras? What was the link between the incidents that took place in Harappa, Rome and Banaras? The book takes the reader to a thrilling historical roller coaster journey in which the curiosity of the reader triumphs and does not allow the reader to leave the book without completing the last chapter of the book. It is very hard to create an ancient atmosphere while narrating the story but the author did it brilliantly. Not only was the cover appealing but the interior layout of the book is appealing as well. There are little images above very chapter like a logo of the chapter that makes it look attractive. Honestly speaking I don't have much interest in reading historical fictions but this book developed my interest in history as it not narrated the historical stories in a boring way but mixed the elements of fiction, mythology and suspense throughout the story which grabs readers attention to the story. The author has done justice to all the characters of the book. There is a perfect balance of characterization throughtout the book. The title befits the theme of the book. I'm very much eager to read the second part of this book. I recommend this book to all the readers who have huge interest in history or mythology and even if the reader has never read any of the two genred before this book is the best one to start with as a beginner. Overall, this book is a chilling and gripping read.
My Ratings:
Title: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Blurb: 3.5/5
Characterization: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing and Presentation: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Buying Link: https://www.amazon.in/Harappa-Curse-B...
...more Vineet Bajpai beats writers like Dan Brown and Ashwin Sanghi hollow! Harappa has raised the bar for historical thriller writing. I have read Vineet's business books in the past, and have learnt a lot from them. I am glad he has written Harappa now. It is simply un-put-down-able.
The story moving between time zones is mind blowing. The characters are profoundly created. I fell in love with Vidyut, the main protagonist of the novel. I have never seen such a characte
HARAPPA: Curse of the Blood RiverVineet Bajpai beats writers like Dan Brown and Ashwin Sanghi hollow! Harappa has raised the bar for historical thriller writing. I have read Vineet's business books in the past, and have learnt a lot from them. I am glad he has written Harappa now. It is simply un-put-down-able.
The story moving between time zones is mind blowing. The characters are profoundly created. I fell in love with Vidyut, the main protagonist of the novel. I have never seen such a character before. The book only keeps getting better and more nail-biting...right to the last page.
Vineet's knowledge and research about Indian history and mythology is stunning. The description of modern-day Kashi and ancient Harappa are superb.
A new star has arrived on the fiction scene.
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Diving straight into the book, I found myself immersed from the first few pages itself. The author has amazing knack for brining you upfront with the story. The story doesn't unravel itself, you keep unravelling with each page. Twists and turns, mixed with a hearty dose of history and ancient Harappa civilisation is all you need. Definitely Dan Brown and Ashwani Sanghi have rubbed up on him. But there is something more raw and nat
So first things first. I loved the storyline. Fast and thrilling.Diving straight into the book, I found myself immersed from the first few pages itself. The author has amazing knack for brining you upfront with the story. The story doesn't unravel itself, you keep unravelling with each page. Twists and turns, mixed with a hearty dose of history and ancient Harappa civilisation is all you need. Definitely Dan Brown and Ashwani Sanghi have rubbed up on him. But there is something more raw and natural in his writing style.
It an out and out thrilling experience.
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The latter also ends up being the biggest let down for this novel. The potential of linking a grand and enigmatic civilization to the modern world, tangled in a web of cover-ups and conspiracy theories is thrilling. It runs in parallel tracks – present day Delhi and Varanasi
This one gets two stars – one for having a character with my name – Markandeya (my dad's surname actually) and one for attempting a Dan Brown-esque historical thriller with the intriguing Harappan civilization as the setting.The latter also ends up being the biggest let down for this novel. The potential of linking a grand and enigmatic civilization to the modern world, tangled in a web of cover-ups and conspiracy theories is thrilling. It runs in parallel tracks – present day Delhi and Varanasi and 1700 BC Harappa with a peek of 16th century Goa. But what Bajpai creates with this material is clichéd and disappointing.
A review of the book states that it has "parts that point towards a Bollywood masala movie"; infact this is a Bollywood masala movie masquerading as a historical thriller. Or, as Bajpai himself lets slip in the book – the hero is like James Bond, complete with his love interest, a femme fatale sidetrack and Oo, there's even Ms Moneypenny!
The characters are cardboard in both eras with little to distinguish them. The heroes – Vidyut and Visvasan Pujari, half men and half god, derive their status through birth. Bajpai extols their virtues in volumes, with Greek god looks – "inferno of talent, skill, spirituality and ambition", well versed in kalaripayattu and swordsmanship, learned in the Vedas and Vedic astrology and capable of deep penance and meditation. Steeped in cloying and suffocating Brahmanism, they expect people to honour them and listen to their words as the gospel truth. But what heroic deeds they do to earn that status is mysteriously left out. The only thing amusing is that the great Vidyut with complete control on his mind and body reaches out for a cigarette when his head starts spinning. Ah, nicotine! Even half-gods can't resist its temptations!
The women are no better – neatly slotted into the love interest, friend with benefits (with her "arrogant yet soulful submission"), the demure and nurturing mother and the misled sex siren. And the Lady Macbeth-esque Priyamvada. "Exceptionally beautiful", she is painted so vile, her "fruitless womb" proffered as a reason her viciousness. It smacks of so much of heart wrenching biases. "It is a woman that is the progenitor of entire creation. Yet it is often a woman that has led to the bloodiest of wars. Man is but a conduit for the will of the woman." surmises Bajpai, and you can roll your eyes in disbelief. Really? There couldn't be any other villain and any other reason?
The novel is racy, fast paced. Bajpai has structured the book well, moving deftly from one era to another, creating suspense. Even his writing shows flashes of brilliance. ("The sages grinned, and the entire universe broke into a smile with them.") Alas, these gems are lost in a sea of verbosity and unnecessary chronology and details like "Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is about 26 kms to the northwest of the main city." or "Touching of the elders' feet is symbolic of deep respect and absolute submission." There are rich details that could've been interesting if they had been threaded into the story instead of pedantically strewn around.
There are creative licenses with historical facts that, well, could have been thought through better. Like Brahminabad in 1700 BC. But these are smaller slips in the bigger scheme of things.
Bajpai tries to touch on a number of aspects – there are allusions to false sexual harassment charges, environment changes causing havoc, the western world's propaganda to belittle the eastern civilization, psychological imperialism. But here also he fails, toeing a puritanical, patriarchal and pro-Aryan line. There's even a part where the independent, modern heroine debates with Purohit-ji on the status of women in the Hindu society, that well doesn't quiet answer the question at all, disintegrating into the much bandied line, "We worship everything we hold dear in a female form." Later, he offers, "Santana dharma…was a glowing way of life. To each his own." Doesn't seem quite like that going by this book.
Writers often offer a way out of their own biases, and Bajpai does too, telling us "…over generations the entire populace is made to believe that the rulers have the moral, historical and cultural right to be the sovereign." I'm going to stay with that one.
***Spoiler Alert*** The worst though is that the books ends with no conclusion, just a "To be a continued" tag. And no, unlike Bahubali, it leaves me with no interest to read Part 2.
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Vidyut, who is half human and half devata, lives in Mumbai with his girlfriend Damini. He has spent a major portion of his life in this metro climbing the ladder of success. Now in his mid-thirties, he was influential, powerful, well settl
Harappa. A lost city which was found a thousand years after it was buried under earth. A civilization that has mystic aura around it which still attracts scholars and archaeologists. This story is about that civilization which was developed thousand years back.Vidyut, who is half human and half devata, lives in Mumbai with his girlfriend Damini. He has spent a major portion of his life in this metro climbing the ladder of success. Now in his mid-thirties, he was influential, powerful, well settled and on top of it, good looking. Everything was going smooth until one phone call from a distant place which used to be his home a couple of decades back.
Kashi, a city which is as old as human civilization, a city of mystics and mysteries. Vidyut has been summoned by his great grandfather, Dwaraka Shashtri. There he unveils the true identity of Vidyut and the prophecy he carries. Stunned by the revelations, Vidyut decides to rise up to the situation while protecting his loved ones.
I found this book well written. Most of the story has Vidyut in it's frames. Characterization is well shaped up which will open up in next book. Most probably. There is Science, there is History and there is also black magic. The best part of the book is the debunking of the Aryan Theory. Its one of the most logical explanation I have ever read.
This one has a sequel which is already released. There is no cliffhanger as such which makes you love this book. Don't skip this.
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The story follows Vidyut, a security tech tycoon, who lives with his girlfriend Damini. But our billionaire extraordinaire ( yes he is a very successful man who has accomplished everything, seems a bit unbelieving at first but wait for it) is actually the last demigod on planet earth.
Yes, the very last half-human-half-god.
A sudden phone call from home in Banaras, where our protagonist hasn't set foot in almost 30 years, wrecks havoc in his life. For the call means only one thing.
About the book:The story follows Vidyut, a security tech tycoon, who lives with his girlfriend Damini. But our billionaire extraordinaire ( yes he is a very successful man who has accomplished everything, seems a bit unbelieving at first but wait for it) is actually the last demigod on planet earth.
Yes, the very last half-human-half-god.
A sudden phone call from home in Banaras, where our protagonist hasn't set foot in almost 30 years, wrecks havoc in his life. For the call means only one thing. It's time to return home. To the Dev-Rakhshasa Math and meet his great-grandfather for the very first time. What awaits Vidyut at the pious city of Kashi is simply out of the world. He
What awaits Vidyut at the pious city of Kashi is simply out of the world. He must return to hear the great prophecy which has been a curse on his bloodline since Harappa fell. A curse which started with his greatest ancestor, Vivasavan Pujari ( yep, he's a demigod too).
Almost parallel to the modern times, we see glimpses of the past in 1700 BC Harappa or Brahminabad. We see the great Vivasavan and his attempts to save his sacred city from the clutches of evil tantric forces, exorcisms, treachery and ultimately Sara Maa ( can't reveal!).
Alongside these two timelines, there are snippets of present time Paris which tells us about ANOTHER evil force who is hell-bent on killing Vidyut, the prophesied Devta.
Verdict:
I loved it! This book was a total chase for me. Un-put-downable! I won't lie but I was a bit skeptic about reading it at first. Apart from being a new writer, I just didn't find the appeal behind this half-human-half-god persona. But I am glad I did read this! Not only was it a wonderful story, but it had very new concepts regarding the whole Harappan civilization and its destruction. I am a huge history buff. Although a few things were a bit farfetched and to an extent imagined too, I liked the way Vineet Bajpai spun the plot. Although I am thankful that someone has at-least attempted to write about our Indian history, away from myths, its a great irony that the book is about a half-god.
Now about the shifting timelines. A great effort. Fantastic even. I can only imagine how much the author had to work to adjust the two stories to align with each other. As you read, you will realize that you have not one, but two protagonists ( and a handful of minor characters who sometimes take up the center stage).
Vineet has given ample space and text to create the visuals. The effect is magical. the detailing given to any particular setting is amazing. I love books who don't tell, but rather show. But a downside to this artistic imagery is when it becomes over-explaining. When I am on the cusp of my seat, dying to know why something has happened, I would very much like to get straight to the point. Without much description. Yes, its the eye for detail, the flair for descriptive words, but sometimes it is a bit too much. Moreover, I was not prepared for the style of language that the author has used. It was a welcome distraction from the usual western style, but a bit too... simple? A bit more effort ( just a bit) would be really nice. I understand the author is not from literature background and hence such writing is acceptable for a newcomer. All I am trying to say is that simple writing can sometimes sound too flat.
But in all, I loved the book. I enjoyed it! Immensely so that when I was telling the story to one of my friends, they joked saying it could be a new Bollywood series. And why not? I would love to see this getting adapted into a TV series. It would be pretty entertaining that's for sure. Vineet Bajpai shows promise to deliver a great plot. Which is why I will be waiting patiently for the next book in the series- Pralay: The Great Deluge!
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Vidyut Shastri is the protagonist of the story and is quite the chosen one. He excels in just about everything he does and has the aura of otherworldly-ness about him. In the beginning I felt a little annoyed by the fact that the author shows our hero as being pretty much perfect but as the truth about Vidyut is explained throughout the story, his personality and perfection starts to make sense. I liked how as the story progresses, Vidyut like any other character makes mistakes a
CHARACTERSVidyut Shastri is the protagonist of the story and is quite the chosen one. He excels in just about everything he does and has the aura of otherworldly-ness about him. In the beginning I felt a little annoyed by the fact that the author shows our hero as being pretty much perfect but as the truth about Vidyut is explained throughout the story, his personality and perfection starts to make sense. I liked how as the story progresses, Vidyut like any other character makes mistakes and learns from them.
Truth be told, it's the characters in 1700 BCE, Harappa who intrigued me more than Vidyut. I can't say much about them without giving anything away but they definitely were complex three dimensional characters caught in a turbulent plot.
I also enjoyed all the secondary characters immensely. It was interesting to learn about them and the relationships they share with each other. Also the author has quite a wonderful way of introducing some important characters that I loved!
PLOT
There are two plots in this story. One that happens in the present with Vidyut and the people around him and another that takes place in 1700, BCE in the flourishing land of Harappa where unbeknownst to the people, there rises a dark force. While the plot running in the present had me interested and intrigued, it was the plot taking place thousands of years ago that was the star of the book for me. I absolutely can't wait for book 2 so I can know what else happened all those years ago that has brought the Vidyut and the world to the current situation.
There were plenty of plot twists throughout the book that caught me by surprise almost every time.
WRITING
I enjoyed the writing and the descriptions of the historical places we come across. Like I said before, the author has quite an interesting way of introducing some character that I very much enjoyed. He also draws parallels between the two plot which was done wonderfully.
"This duel was not between equals"
That being said, I wasn't a fan of the dialogue and the info dumps at a few points. In the very beginning, the dialogue between Vidyut and Damini felt unnatural and contrived but thankfully I didn't feel so about the dialogues in the rest of the book. Also I would have enjoyed learning all about the history of Harappa through the plot itself or in parts as at times when the characters talked about it, it felt a lot like info dumping. While it was very interesting to learn about the timeline between 1700 BCE and 2017 as the author imagines it, I would have preferred to learn it all slowly as the story progressed.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK
- The plot
- The mythological references
- The parallelisation between the two stories
- The secondary characters
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
- The info dumping at some parts
CONCLUSION
A wonderful mythological thriller with a whole new take on the long lost Harappan civilisation. It's a book with all aspects of a thriller – mystery, drama, romance and violence. Looking forward to the sequel so I can see where the story goes!
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The use of Hinglish ( combination of Hindi and English) is worst.
There are very few instances where story starts picking up but the way the whole things is narrated is very irritating. Every character is awesomely beautiful and powerful. Yet you wi
Horrible book. Pathetic and very amateurish way of writing. You will be in a big disappointment if you have read any of the book of Amish on methodological fiction because that will create an expectation which this book not be able to fulfil even 5%.The use of Hinglish ( combination of Hindi and English) is worst.
There are very few instances where story starts picking up but the way the whole things is narrated is very irritating. Every character is awesomely beautiful and powerful. Yet you will get bore waiting for them to show their so called super human power and an above average person will kick the ass of this super human. Even B grade Hindi movies have a better plot and screenplay.
Please don't waste time reading this nonsense. I can't even dare to read the next book of this sequel.
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I would certainly recommend this to all who enjoy this particular genre. ...more
Characters
The protagonist in the part of the story set in 2017 is Vidyut Shastri, a young entrepreneur and most importantly the last devta-half human, half god. Skilled in several forms of martial arts, courageous and always emanating a divine aura, Vidyut is portrayed as the perfect embodiment of a true devta. His g
I rarely read mythological books from Indian authors. And hence I was really sceptical about reading Harappa: curse of the blood river. But the book really surpassed my expectations.Characters
The protagonist in the part of the story set in 2017 is Vidyut Shastri, a young entrepreneur and most importantly the last devta-half human, half god. Skilled in several forms of martial arts, courageous and always emanating a divine aura, Vidyut is portrayed as the perfect embodiment of a true devta. His grandfather, the only blood relative left for him, Dwarka Shastri is an all knowing Brahmin priest who was worshipped as well as dreaded by the whole of Kashi. There are numerous other characters in this time period that have also been well portrayed by the writer, like Vamini-Vidyut's girlfriend; Bala- his most trusted friend and the gorgeously fearsome Naina-his childhood friend that he was meeting after decades.
In the time period set in 1700 BCE, Visvasan Pujari is the protagonist. The then believed to be the last devta, he is hailed as the Surya of Harappa. A grandmaster of ancient scriptures, mantras, hymns and one of the authors of the Vedas, he was waiting to be announced as the chief priest of Harappa. Sanjna, his wife, is an embodiment of love and compassion, and so is his son Manu. In stark contrast is Priyamvada, wife to Visvasan Pujari's closest friend Pundit Chandradhar, who is the perfect example of the pure evil that lurks inside a gorgeous woman.
On the whole, I loved how each character was precisely portrayed by Bajpai and how due importance was given to each character.

Story
The story unfolds alternatively through two different time periods- the present 2017 and 1700 BCE. The ancient time period talks about the life of the Harappans and in particular that of Vivasvan Pujari. It tells how the devta's life crumbles down in a matter of few days, followed by that of the Harappans due to certain dark forces at hand, and eventually the wipe out of the entire city of Harappa.
Thousands of years later in 2017, Vidyut is suddenly summoned to his ancestral city-Banaras. His dying grandfather unfolds the greatest untruths of mankind part by part, as well as the story of Vivasvan Pujari, his family and the people of his city. The visibly baffled Vidyut's life is suddenly under threat.
As the story unfolds, numerous questions arise. What leads to the fall of the mighty Indus Valley? What relates Vidyut to Vivasvan? Why are lethal assassins after Vidyut's life? What was the ancient curse that changed the course of mankind?
Writing
The author has done an amazing job in hooking the reader to the story. The alternative switch over between two time periods is successfully portrayed, causing the least amount of confusion to the readers. Bajpai's writing takes the reader through ancient history in a most engaging manner.
Conclusion
It isn't always that an Indian author brings forth a successful mythological novel. With a brilliant narrative, Harappa: curse of the blood river is a well portrayed fictional account on the city of Harappa and the reasons that lead to its destruction.
There aren't a lot of twists and turns in the book, except something towards the very end. And for the very reason, it gets a bit monotonous. The book ends on a cliffhanger, with many questions left unanswered, which, hopefully, will be answered in the second book. And I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book! I'd really recommend this book to lovers of mythology.
PS: "This Book Review/Interview is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program and Book Promotions" To know more, log on to http://thereaderscosmos.blogspot.in/
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The story describes the events that take place in four different timelines and 4 different locations - 1 If you love mythological and historical-fantasy books, this is definitely right up your alley. This book is the first in a series of books written by Vineet Bajpai. In the first line of acknowledgements, the author thanks his closest companions - books. You will realise how true that is when you read the book. The book is thoroughly researched, brilliantly written with well-crafted characters.
The story describes the events that take place in four different timelines and 4 different locations - 1856 AD Barrackpore, 1578 AD Portugal, 1700 BCE Harappa, and 2017 New Delhi. Chapters mostly shuttles back and forth between Harappa, 1700 BCE, and the present day Banaras.
The book follows the story of Vidyut Shastri, the protagonist, a young entrepreneur from Delhi. He gets a summon from his 108 year-old great grandfather who is now in deathbed. He goes to Kashi(Banaras) and learns the secret of a prehistoric curse. A curse that can plague mankind towards its own extinction. His presence in Banaras has put his life in harm's way. People want him dead.
The author then takes us to 1700 BCE, Harappa. We follow the story of Vivasvan Pujari. Hailed as the Surya(Sun) of Harappa, he was a divine phenomenon. He was the last devta ever to be born on planet Earth. Occult practices, betrayal, love, revenge leads to the destruction of the greatest civilization.
We know that a certain European institution that fears the worst sends an assassin to kill. But we aren't sure about what they are trying to hide. Since it is part of a series not much information is given about the antagonist. We will have to wait for the next book to find out. (I'm dying to find out more!!!)
Each chapter is short, and the narration is gripping. The author has described Banaras so beautifully that you will definitely want to visit the place at least once in your lifetime. Vidyut's conversation with his great grandfather were enlightening. The way he explains things doesn't bore you. We get to learn a lot about Hindu religion, Indus Valley Civilisation, Harappa, etc. Few quotes were really an eye-opener. Like,
"In Sanatana and Hindu dharma, women represent the Goddess Herself. And the Goddess bows to no one. We bow to Her".
You will want to know more about all that's mentioned in the book.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. If you're looking for a quick, easy, historical fiction, then definitely pick this one. I'm eagerly waiting for the second book. I recommend this book to everyone.
My Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I was never a great fan of history during my school days. I remember reading about Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The mere name of this book brought all those memories back.
Harappa is the kind of book you would pick up to read when you have ample of free time. You wouldn't want to hurry to finish reading it. You will want to consume each and every word of the book to understand the story better.
The story is set in two eras - the present day and 1700 BCE. The transition between the two has been Review-
I was never a great fan of history during my school days. I remember reading about Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The mere name of this book brought all those memories back.
Harappa is the kind of book you would pick up to read when you have ample of free time. You wouldn't want to hurry to finish reading it. You will want to consume each and every word of the book to understand the story better.
The story is set in two eras - the present day and 1700 BCE. The transition between the two has been brought out quite well. However, there are few instances where the reader might get confused with the story. The story is being narrated in third person. The language and the narration style keeps you hooked on to the story. The events (past as well as the present) have been developed well. But there are a few instances where in you tend to forget what has happened in the previous chapters. The author has ended the chapters at exact point of time. And what is more surprising is that the chapters from both the past and the present era end with a similar event. The author has sketched all the characters well. He introduces the character's behavior little by little and that's the beauty of the characters. The depth of the characters and their feelings are depicted well. The language is easy to understand. I loved the way the author narrated the story.
This book is an amazing read. The author has done a commendable job. I am eagerly waiting for the next book.
I rate:
Cover: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Overall, I rate this book with 4/5 stars.
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- Good writing style
- Vocabulary used by the Author is good
- Doesn't allow the reader to get bored
- The shifting of the times (past and present) is a good idea used by the Author
I can agree that I'm pretty excited to read the next book in the series... But dear-whoever-picks-the-book-to-read, keep the next book ready ;)
You wouldn't want to wait to read it... You would want to continue reading it like it was joined to te first book.
The book's a good read which will be enjoyed :)
Let me sum it up:- Good writing style
- Vocabulary used by the Author is good
- Doesn't allow the reader to get bored
- The shifting of the times (past and present) is a good idea used by the Author
I can agree that I'm pretty excited to read the next book in the series... But dear-whoever-picks-the-book-to-read, keep the next book ready ;)
You wouldn't want to wait to read it... You would want to continue reading it like it was joined to te first book.
The book's a good read which will be enjoyed :)
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Eagerly waiting for the second book. If anyone can let me know when is it scheduled for launch, it will of great help.
The narration of modern-day Kashi and ancient Harappa are just really awesome.
Looking forward to the most exciting thriller on the Indus Valley Civilization. The Saga.... The secret of Harappa's curse, and the Secret of end of Humankind....
Too excited to read.
:)
Looking forward to the most exciting thriller on the Indus Valley Civilization. The Saga.... The secret of Harappa's curse, and the Secret of end of Humankind....
Too excited to read.
:)
...moreHe has led the global top-ten advertising agency TBWA as its India CEO. This made him perhaps the youngest ever CEO of a multinational advertising network in the country.
He has won se
Vineet is a first-generation entrepreneur. At age 22 he started his company Magnon from a small shed. Today Magnon is among the largest digital agencies in the subcontinent, and part of the Fortune 500 Omnicom Group.He has led the global top-ten advertising agency TBWA as its India CEO. This made him perhaps the youngest ever CEO of a multinational advertising network in the country.
He has won several entrepreneurship and corporate excellence awards, including the Entrepreneur of the Year 2016. He was recently listed among the 100 Most Influential People in India's Digital Ecosystem.
Vineet's second company talentrack is disrupting the media, entertainment & creative industry in India. It is the fastest-growing online hiring and networking platform for the sector.
He has written three bestselling management & inspirational books – Build From Scratch, The Street to the Highway and The 30 Something CEO.
He is an avid swimmer, a gaming enthusiast, a bonfire guitarist and a road-trip junkie. He is 39.
...moreOther books in the series
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