The Scion of Ikshvaku. By:Amish Tripati

Time spent reading: 11hrs.36 minutes

The following in my understanding of the book. Weather I should publish my opinion or not is debatable, but it is my right even though my opinion might be wrong.

Why I picked the book

I liked reading the first trilogy by Amish and was waiting for a rather long time in anticipation of this new series from the time it was announce. I did not pick it up as soon as it landed on the book stalls though…I waited till it was on sale before I got my hands on a copy. In the mean while I avoided all discussion with friends and family about the book and put in blockers on my browsers to avoid any spoilers from reaching me.

"I would like to look at him holistically and completely. Practically all Indians love and respect him for what is known as 'Rama Rajya', but I wonder how many people would have actually thought through what 'Rama Rajya' is. That is the thing I want to write about and how he built that society... Through Lord Ram, we might learn that it is cool to follow rules. And that is something I think modern Indians might need to learn." - Amish

Short Summary

Amish Tripati is back with yet another trilogy, this time with another favorite deity of the masses, “Lord Ram’. The 1st book of the Trilogy, ‘Scion of Ikshvaku’ is a narrative of the introduction of the main characters that make the ‘Ramayana’. Like the Shiva trilogy, Amish uses popular mythological stories and commonly know facts to create a strong and compelling narrative.

The story follows the two-princess o Ayodha, fathered by Kind Dashratha and two separate mothers. The story of how he protagonist, whoso s hated by his father as considered unlucky by most people around him from the he is born to how he gets back in the good graces of his father by being true honesty brave and loving despite being loathed for no fault of his own.

Throughout the story he characters are introduced in a very intelligent and gradual manner, they all have a strong backstory. You as a reader are never left wondering as o what relates the characters to the story. The story end in a cliffhanger with the antagonist on top and I am excited to read the next chapter.

My take

I am not angry at anyone; I do not fault then for anyway they may have willingly or un willingly treated me”. “I live my life by what I perceive to the right thing to do” – I personally live by this theory. I can relate to this statement.

The story of ‘Lord Rama’ unlike ‘Shiva’ is a very well know tale and it took me some considerable time to set my mind and get into the story, but once I convinced my mind to take it as a just a story of two princess and not the popular story of Ramayana as I know it I found the story to be fascinating and interesting.

It also shows the bad effects of being stubborn in one’s understanding of the truth and how belief that my God is true one God and every other God is false ad his followers should be terminated for their own betterment.