Chanakya's Chant

Very nice book. The characters have been presented in intricate details and the author has run you through the book with fast paced action. The wits of Chanakya and Ganga are beyond imagination. Although too political and sometimes it has gone way overboard. All in all, it was a goodread.

Sometimes you pick up a book that just compels you to write a review; that agitates your mind so much that you know that you need to share the various thoughts and sentiments that it kindles in order to be at peace. This is what happened when I picked up Ashwin Sanghi’s latest offering, Chankaya’s Chant.
Why did I pick up the book from the horde of new releases that pass my table every day? Not sure really apart from the fact that the synopsis on the back cover seemed interesting and different. Also as one of our regulars on the blog pointed out, I do seem to have a soft spot for historical fiction. But Chankya’s Chant is different from the other books in the genre. It is both historical as well as contemporary. For there run show more through the book, two parallel stories – one that is based in current times and another that dates back 2300 years. Taken individually both these stories are complete and do full justice to their own genres. And that is one of the strengths of the book. None of the narratives leave the reader feeling short changed. Both are fact paced, compact and use the language of the era they are situated in. In Chankya’s Chant they come together as two equals, their union sanctified by the (un)holy quest for power that consumes the main protagonists. The reader is left with the distinction impression that when it comes to politics and power play, not much has changed in the last two millenia.
So 2300 years ago when a young boy is forced to flee after his father is insulted and beheaded for protesting against the excesses of a philandering king he pledges revenge. He distances himself from every emotion and relationship and embarks on a single minded quest for power. He chooses a young, eager and promising boy – Chandragupta -to instrumentalize his revenge and to save Bharat from the clutches of the Macedonian conqueror Alexander. And as “ends justify the means” he uses any and every trick conceivable – and mostly inconceivable – to get to his goal. No price is too large, no sacrifice too big and no relationship sacrosanct.There is only one rule in his game- winning. So he willingly sends off the only woman he loves in to the arms of men he detests; forces his protegee to seduce a Macedonian princess; poisons a well used by common people and cattle with white arsenic; plans political assassinations; encourages kingdoms to fight one another, creates religious differences that lead to the murder of many innocents – all in the name of the greater good. Of course, having followed his actions through the book one can’t help wondering if his purported goal of unifying Bharat is simply a guise to hide his all consuming need for revenge and power; to keep his force of “righteous and wronged” would be emperors on his side.
Read complete review @ http://blogs.indiareads.com/views-and-reviews/the-chant-of-power-book-review/ show less

Though the book starts on a period-tale, it proved to be engrossing soon-after. I finished the book in one sitting on a sunday morning in one go (morning 9 am-4pm).

The author Ashwin Sanghi seems to be a learnt man-those kinds who are glued to literature, GK, quizzes, and current-affairs more than an average person. The book imbibes his knowledge-base gathered during his childhood, coupled with the knowledge of intricacies of corporate world. The book is a culmination of putting all the thoughts in form of a story. Though, the style of writing is Indian-like, the author seems to be inspired by robin-cook style of dramatizing scenes of murders and bloodshots ("The arrow shot directly for Philipino skin, and not be stopped by it, it show more pierced further to heart, which caused wail of blood to shoot from his mouth").

Though, at many places, the selection of phrases and idioms are way too predictable, for an Indian audience.
The interleaving of chapters makes it read like two-books in one, though. show less

'A man who opens his mouth too often may end up meeting a tragic end, either from indigestion or execution!' - ironic, but point taken.

Political thriller roller coaster, politely acceptable

A good read.... a bit filmy in-between but worth a read.... nice quotes and witty situations... characterized very well!!!

A gripping political base... a way which politics should go