Book: The Fight of the Asuras

PANKAJ GIRI

Author: Arpita Chakraborty

Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors

The Fight of the Asuras by Arpita Chakraborty primarily revolves around Kalki, the guardian of Eldoria, a fictional land, as he rallies his warriors against the sinister forces of darkness threatening to invade his kingdom. He crosses paths with Chitrangada, a renowned warrior, who assists him in his endeavour.

Ms. Chakraborty immediately immerses the reader into her world with exceptional world-building and elaborate characterization. The pacing is on the slower side, but I found myself invested in both timelines—the current story and the detailed backstory. The link between the timelines is also well-executed towards the climax, bringing the story to an intriguing, anticipatory halt.

The characters are worth rooting for, be it the serious, soft-spoken Kalki or the valiant female warriors, Chitangada and Chhaya. They are admirable, and despite their minor flaws, have their hearts in the right place. The antagonists, Malakar and Satan, are also well-etched, as Ms. Chakraborty doesn’t refrain from fleshing out their feelings and dark desires.

The best parts of the book are its strong female characters and their refreshing portrayal in the Eldorian society. They are never judged for their gender and are readily accepted as physically and mentally strong beings perfectly capable of safeguarding the society. And the female characters themselves are multi-dimensional; they not only radiate strength and embody resilience but are empathetic and vulnerable in equal measure. Yet, they manage to tame their weaknesses and fight valiantly, making them realistic and relatable.

The descriptions are particularly vivid, making it feel as if you are right there in the scene. But sometimes, Ms. Chakraborty tends to go slightly overboard, especially while describing emotional reactions in certain scenes.

The language is marvellous. Ms. Chakraborty possesses an enviable vocabulary and wields it with elan throughout the book. The prose is littered with exceptional wordplay that took my breath away, especially in the beginning. However, as they say, too much of anything is bad. I feel she should have dialled down the wordplay overall, as it hampers readability and makes the prose bloated. Moreover, the wordplay seeps into the dialogues, making them slightly unrealistic, as people don’t generally speak so poetically. Another thing that bothered me was the excessive repetition of emotion; it becomes tiring after a while to see the same emotion being conveyed repeatedly in different ways.

Despite these minor quibbles, The Fight of the Asuras remains a good entry into the ever-expanding landscape of Indian mythological fiction. I look forward to the next book in the series.