The Conqueror – Book 1.

An Epic by Aditya Iyengar.

Written based on the naval expeditions of Cholas who conquered the kingdoms up to the Archipelago of Indonesia in 1025 AD, Aditya Iyengar gives us a vivid picture of the Chola’s Political,Economical and Social conditions that prevailed.

Begins when the Kingdom of Sri Vijaya is attacked by the Chola troops eventually getting defeated by them and the emperor is taken prisoner and his family flees.Hereon the story narration is from the Captured King and his daughter as each of them have different paths ahead.

The captured king sets sail to the Tamil city of Thanjavur whereas his daughter presuming her father dead seeking revenge runs into the forest seeking alliance with neighbouring alliances to avenge the cholas.

In Tanjore, the city is getting prepared for the unveiling of their King Rajendra Chola’s new capital Gangai Konda Cholapuram who has three sons who are in line to the throne and this fact well used by the author to create a sense of Fear in readers is  exquisite as you eventually fall in love with each of the three sons.

These plots are merged in a exquisite way until the book is completed with numerous ideas making the end less predictable is why this is a must read one.

Important Aspects of the book making it a must read :

• Merging of the plots into one single storyline is amazing.
• The Narration is Exemplar.
• The Sumptuous character sketches  and narration is a stand out fact.
• Book written in the Perspective of War prisoners of the Chola kingdom ie, The Emperor and his Daughter makes us understand both the positive and negative nature of the Cholas.
• Shifting of the character narration is precise that makes u read the next chapter automatically.
• Trove of facts and knowledge about Ancient India makes us sit with Awe!

Cons would be of the flashbacks or the past storyline’s  given by the author as the narration was perfect without these stories and I personally felt the princess story line less intriguing.

Reasons to read this book was nothing but a few points I came across as fun facts.

• Rajendran Chola had a capital city built knows as GangaiKonda Cholapuram having a reservoir with the Ganges water as he expanded his kingdom up to River Ganga.
• The Cholas naval force was the best naval fleet in the world with their trade spanning across the globe which was recognised and praised all around the world in 1025 AD.
• The relation of the largest Hindu temple in the world , The ANGKOR-WAT in Cambodia has connections with the Cholas.
• The water management system and the administration is something we people need to always look upto to the chola empire for solutions.

The Scenario in 1025 AD..

Heads up,Grin with Pride.