Book Review: The Guardians of Karma

"The Guardians of Karma" is a complex yet relishing blend of mythology and science fiction from an era where inhabitants on Earth were technologically and spiritually more advanced than what we are today. Many "myths" we thought were myths are supported with proper scientific explanation. Every marvel mentioned in the book is explained scientifically in detail to portray a picture of realism even in pre-historic times.

Judging a book by its cover - Unique combination of mythology and technology is clearly depicted in the book cover. You can see an advanced military machinery targeting what seems to be an ancient yet developed place.

Who should read this book - 
1. Mythology book readers
2. Science fiction book lovers

3. Readers who admire / get a kick by experiencing a well researched subject

What's the story like - The book starts with two Bheeshma monks (Acharya Parashu and Hara) on a secret mission. They come across a damsel in distress (Dev Lok princess - Uma) and rescue her from the clutches of Vetals (robots dumped after unsuccessful experimentation from Daityan empire). After reaching Dev Lok, they soon realize the bigger picture and a bigger problem - rising sea levels disrupting the life in Dev Lok and Daityan Empire. Dev Lok is relatively better off as they have used technologies that support nature. Daityan, meanwhile, have gone all out to utilize technology to satisfy their material needs and hence are now suffering. The only way for Daityans to come out of this crisis is by declaring war against Dev Lok and claiming new fertile land to survive. Daityan know they have a better chance of winning since they are technologically advanced compared to Dev Lok. The only people who can help Dev Lok against Daityans are the two Bheesma monks, especially Hara, who are in a mission of their own. Will Hara succeed in fulfilling his karma? If yes, then how? What other complications await him and the impending war between Dev Lok and Daityans form the crux of the story.

How's the writing - The book has two parallels - the story and queries related to spirituality - both in equal measure. Also, the author has described cities like Amaravati and Atalantpuri in complete detail that we literally start visualizing the fictional cities. Spirituality is also described in detail. Various means of achieving karma, identifying karma are explained through Acharya Parashu. Readers looking for spiritual enlightenment will find this book far satisfying as it attempts to answer the questions we have been chasing all along. However, readers more concerned about the story-line will prefer to skip some paragraphs / pages simply to concentrate on the story at hand. Mythological books require a lot of research and the author has done complete justice in this department. The first half of the book was almost error-free, though I can't say the same about the second half. The treacherous plan of a Daityan leader, Mahishasur, could have been the turning point in the book. To my utter surprise, this angle was completely ignored in the climax.

So, what do I think - This book was a definite page turner for me. I personally enjoy mythological books that include science as part of their novel - something that Indian authors should explore more. The audience of this book is not restricted to youth but can also target readers with 30-45 age group as they can relate to mythology more than youths. Youths meanwhile can focus more on the scientific / technology marvels described here.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5