Review of Anshul Dupare’s Ashok and the Nine unknown
- Title – Ashok and the Nine unknown
- Author – Anshul Dupare
- Format – Paperback [Also available as e-Book]
- Print lenght – 224 pages
- Publishers – Rupa Publications India (20 November 2018)
- Price- INR 295/-
You know what, the best revenge will be watching you failing to achieve your dreams. Do what you can, Ashok. The game has just begun!
Ashok wandered amidst the corpses, helplessly, looking like a dead man walking among the dead. The wailing of people who had lost their loved ones on the battlefield cut into his soul and it was then that he heard a cry for help.
As realization of the devastation of war seeped in, Ashok decided to dedicate his life towards the betterment of society and try his best to prevent any destruction of life. Realizing he could not do so single-handedly, Ashok created a secret society comprising nine chosen members, who were known as the ‘Nine Unknown’, to help preserve knowledge that, in the wrong hands, could be used to destroy humanity.
Little did Ashok know that the safekeeping of such knowledge had a high price to it; that shadows walk amidst us and that sometimes our actions unspool unimaginable consequences.
The first of two volumes, this book has the power to transform your idea of reality!
We have read so much on Samrat Ashok in our school days but it is the title of the book piqued my interest!
The book starts with Ashok looking at the battlefield in which he won the Kalinga war! There is death and heart piercing wailing all around. He soon realizes the mistake he had made and repents for his action.
Each place he turns to he sees nothing but corpses, mutilated bodies and the wailing of people who have lost their kith and kin the war!
Victory does not seem sweet for Ashok after experiencing such scenes in the battlefield!
He immediately vows to never fight a war again in his lifetime and to work for the betterment of the people in his kingdom.
Amartya who loses his hands, eyes and his family in the war begins hating Ashok with all his heart and he would rather die than accepting Ashok as his King. He curses Ashok before falling into a river and that curse is what comes back to him in the later part of the story!
He returns to his palace and creates a secret society with 9 men who have been hand picked after careful observation. They comes the king’s 9 unknown.
What happens to Amartya, Ashok, and the 9 unknown is what is told in the first part of this series.
There are 13 chapters in this book, each with a place and year.
There is a map of the silk route, image of the sphinx, north mid evening sky – a way travelers used to find their way in those days,The bedouin dessert dweller sketch.
What I liked about this book is that it has history, a thrilling story line that also has fantasy / supernatural element and a good amount of mystery in it.
Some parts of the book are gory and a bit creepy but not the ‘scary creepy’ kind. I guess that part is also needed to take the plot in the direction the author has thought about.
There is also black magic,dragons, ghosts and spirits, the Lord of Death among other human characters!
Not only is Ashok’s kingdom mentioned in this book, you also get to read about the ancient and lost Greek civilization – Atlantis and also about Egypt and the Sphinx!
The language is simple and easy to follow. The story flows well but at places the description got a bit lengthy.
Last but not the least, loved the bright yellow cover of the book .It does depict the King and the nine unknown but maybe the image could have been better.
The book leaves us in a cliffhanger and that makes it all the more eager to read the sequel.
Hope to read more about the 9 unknown in the next part of this series.
A definite YES! A historical thriller laced with fantasy. Now looking forward to the read the second part of this book!
Anshul Dupare likes to explore novel ideas and unexplored avenues through his writing. Originally from Nagpur, he was brought up in Madhya Pradesh and has spent most of his life in different parts of India.
An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa and Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), creative writing has been his hobby for a long time and he also writes poetry.
He is an avid traveller, a voracious reader and is fond of chess and basketball.
He currently resides in Dallas, USA.
I received a copy of this book through BOOK GENIE REVIEW PROGRAM