Nandi’s Charge by Arun Krishnan - Book Review

Series: Battle of Vathapi #1 (Trilogy) 

Publication Date: 16th November 2023 (Second Edition)

Genre: Indian Historical Fiction 

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: A fast-paced entertainer with twists and action 

7th Century, Bharat 

Narasimhavarman I, the young Pallava king, promises his dying father to avenge the humiliation by the Chalukyas during the Battle of Pullalur in 618. He also promises to complete the construction of the temples along the shore and in Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). 

With the king busy with the construction, the army commander-in-chief and general take the responsibility to set things in motion for revenge. Three trusted and efficient soldiers embark on three journeys, facing a multitude of challenges, finding allies, and making enemies. They have the same aim – to weaken the Chalukya allies before the epic Battle of Vatapi. 

This is easier said than done. What happens as the three soldiers travel across the lands, through enemy territories, and tackle the Pandyas, Gangas, and Lankan forces? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters. 

My Thoughts: 

I added the book to my TBR when a couple of Indic friends rated it 5 stars. Now, I got the opportunity to read the second edition, and I'm happy to say that the wait was worth it. 

Nandi’s Charge is the first installment that sets the stage for the Battle of Vatapi. However, the book doesn’t take much time to launch into action. It is packed with action, suspense, intrigue, treachery, politics, and valor. 

I appreciate the list of characters and the detailed maps in the introduction. They make it easy to go back and confirm the details. The prologue leads to the current scenario and gets the ball rolling. 

Multiple tracks and many subplots are running in parallel. This can be overwhelming, but stay patient and go with the flow (high fantasy readers will find it easy to follow the narrative even though this doesn’t have fantasy elements). 

Elango, Muthuvel, and Kanan are the three soldiers with different personalities, making it easy to track who is who. This also allows space to create a detailed character arc without compromising the task at hand. 

Given the context, the book is male-dominated. However, two young ladies, Sangamitra and Indumati, make their presence felt. They start as damsels in distress but become something more. Among other characters, Sadaiyan stands out the best. How can I not like that lad? 

The book balances show and tell, ensuring a steady pace and strong imagery. I love scenes detailing the construction of temples. (Hindu) Temple architecture is mesmerizing and my favorite topic. The kings built amazing temples and developed them as the centers for arts and education. Reading (and writing) about sculptors chiseling a rock to carve a murti brings me immense happiness. 

The book also brings a balance between good and bad, right and wrong. There are good and bad humans, who when they become soldiers, do things that represent their character rather than their leaders or kings. I like how things are presented and left to the reader to decide. No preaching. 

There are Tamil words (with footnotes) that add authenticity to the dialogue. Of course, the writing feels modern at times (the author talks about this), but the writing gives ‘Indian’ vibes, unlike some Indian books that feel like they belong to medieval Europe (you know if you know).

There is some gore (can’t escape it considering the premise) but it is limited and to the point. Descriptions are not stretched beyond what’s necessary for the plot. 

After reading over 500 pages, this one ends with a cliffhanger, which is expected. I hear book #2 will be published in Feb 2024. Needless to say, I’m excited. 

To summarize, Nandi’s Charge is a fast, detailed, twisty, and entertaining story set in 7th-century India with real and fictional characters. I liked it more than I thought I would, so rounding it up to five stars! 

And oh, do read the author’s note at the beginning. 

Thank you, Blogchatter, author Arun Krishnan, and publisher HarperCollins India, for a copy of the book. This review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

You can buy the paperback of the Nandi’s Charge: Battle of Vathapi Book 1 on Amazon. 

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P.S: Despite the font size, this book is best read in the physical format.