Rahul Mitra

When we hear about PataliPutra, Magadha and ancient times, we mostly think about the tales of Chanakya and Chandragupta and eventually Samrat Ashoka. And when added reference of Alexander (aka Alaxendra or Sikandar), we apply the “theory of deduction“ and comes to the conclusion that it is about Chanakya and Chandragupta only.

The title of this book, thus will make you imagine that.

However, the story explored in this book is quite different as the protagonist is just another boy from Pataliputra.

The Plot:

I will try to avoid other spoilers, but there can be some, so please read ahead with that consent.

Aditya and Ajeet are two inseparable brothers. While they have a difference of opinions, they men the world to each other. Ajeet believes in the rules and is keen on doing the things in right way. And in that, he considers everything followed by society as a way of living, should be followed. And thus he care about who should be befriended as well. Aditya, on the other hand, is happy-go-lucky guy who find caste or color of a person just another attribute. His friends can be from the lower castes, he don’t mind it. And he love horses too.
A farmer, one day lodges a complaint to Indukalpa, the kotwal of the city, about illegal grabbing of his land by some Buddhist monks who started building a monastery there. Known for his no-nonsense approach in such matters, Indukalpa ordered the soldiers to get the land free and hand it over to his rightful owner and allowed them to use force when needed. Ajeet tried to execute the orders in the most composed manner.

The things went worst when a monk was dead during the operation.

Indukalpa was promoted as the chief justice of the kingdom and Ajeet is now the new kotwal of the city. You may believe anything but often the religious places are also buried in politics. The things eventually took some unexpected turns and eventually Ajeet became a scapegoat. He was executed to death and his brother is wanted now!

How Aditya moves forward from this point, who helps them in his journey, how he find his best friends, and much more is explored in the rest of the story.
Views and Reviews:

Rahul Mitra is courageous as an author. Nowadays when there are many authors who write crap in the name of entertainment (and their books became bestsellers too), it is tough to choose a topic where you can add the flavor of imagination to history.

His writing style is good and at places you can compare it with the way Amish have written Shiva Trilogy books. The mixture of modern and ancient times. The book contains some nicely written lines like the following;

---------------
It’s not easy to make one’s living Aditya. Life is tough and one has to put up with a lot of nonsense, swallow humiliation, and stress, from time to time, and work very, very hard. You need to understand this.
---------------
“Hey dev, I am but the dust beneath your feet.”
“Then tell me, how do I bless you, O dust beneath my feet?”
---------------
I know you want revenge, but this is not the time, son. You are not strong enough. First take care of yourself, become something in your right, and then when you have the power and strength you will also get your revenge, if the gods will it so. Till then, be patient – watch and learn, keep your mouth shut, and your eyes and ears open. You’ll do that, won’t you now?
---------------

The bond between the brothers is explored nicely. The true meaning of friendship is at the heart of this book. The way Aditya was helped by Ajeet’s friend after Ajeet’s death will make you believe the famous saying: “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. The journey from a boy to the man Aditya became, was not easy, and was never perfect. This type of exploration of the tale makes it more realistic.
The bond between man and animals is also weaved nicely in the book.

Rahul is good at building scenes and explaining war details, and that will delight you as a reader. His efforts in research arena are quite visible in book throughout. He also acknowledges the support he have received from people associated with him. You should not skip acknowledgement section of the book.

The cover page of the book is simple yet effective.

There are some loose ends in the book through, as reader may want to see Aditya is making Indukalpa pay for his deeds at the end of the book. Also the first chapter of the book and Tanku’s Dhaba chapter could have been written better. At places a space between words are missing, we consider that at proof reading mistake.

Summary:

A historical fiction with a substance, read if you can revisit historical stuffs with open mind.

[Detailed #BookReview at: https://thinkerviews.com/books/english-books/the-boy-from-pataliputra-by-rahul-m... ]… (plus d'informations)

The Boy from Pataliputra has given a perfect start to the trilogy. The story travels with a fictional character with a historical backdrop. I loved the way Rahul Mitra has portrayed the protagonist. The novel is divided into three parts. The first part describes Aditya’s life in Pataliputra. As a carefree man Aditya might seem a little unfit for a protagonist. But, the way the character evolves is the strength of the book.

Though it is a historical fiction the characters in Takshashila and the university itself resembles the present day college life. It is a different approach towards a historical fiction which impressed me a lot. The battle towards the end of the novel is the great add to the finish. The battle actually hypes the expectation for the second book.

Aditya’s inner struggles, his love life, his guru’s advises are the positives that lifts the story. The lucid language helps in the course of reading, especially the battle scenes can reverberate in your ears (The detailing speaks).

Detailed review with Gif: http://www.etale.in/boy-pataliputra-enjoyable-historical-ride-book-review/… (plus d'informations)