1A

Any thoughts on the attempted coup on Ashoka, or on Ashoka’s actions?

This is a new one on me; I had never heard of Ashoka or the Mauryan Empire, (I've just had to google to check if he was even a real historical figure - apparently he was...).

Ashoka was lucky to survive the coup. He was a hair's breadth away from losing his life. The bigger the leader, the bigger the fear regarding true loyalties must be.
Ashoka was ready to embrace Buddhism, but not at the expense of letting that scoundrel live. Probably wise thinking on Ashoka's part.

He was lucky that his brother, Vit, came along to help him or he would be a goner.

He was a very lucky man. Perhaps the empire was luckier still. I can't imagine what life would have been like under Kathar. I'm like >2 Sergeirocks:...I had to see if he was real and he was. I don't know how real the rest is but Clive Cussler usually sticks to historical facts in his books.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ashoka

I thought that prologue was interesting and was obviously setting up the "future owners" of the scrolls to be our bad guys. Typical dispute between a peaceful leadership and a warrior dictatorship

I thought the prologue was setting us up for a modern day version of the same story.

>2 Sergeirocks: I agree, somebody I have not heard of either.

Certainly sounds as if a lot of life was lost during the War! An see how it could change someone’s point of view. Not surprised that he caused one more death.