ons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty is a brilliantly compelling novel filled with intense characters, heartstopping action and incredible worldbuilding that is sure to be a staple in the fantasy genre.

SOME BALLADS ARE INKED IN BLOOD.

Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Krishna and Satyabhama have put their plans in motion within and beyond the Republic's blood-soaked borders to protect it from annihilation. But they will soon discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever.

They are however not alone in this game.

Mati, Pirate-Princess of Kalinga, has decided to mend her ways to be a good wife. But old habits die hard, especially when one habitually uses murder to settle old scores. Brooding but beautiful Karna hopes to bury his brutal past but finds that destiny is a miser when it comes to giving second chances. The crippled hero-turned-torturer Shakuni limps through the path of daggers that is politics only to find his foes multiply, leaving little time for vengeance.

Their lives are about to become very difficult for a cast of sinister queens, naive kings, pious assassins, and ravenous priests are converging where the Son of Darkness is prophesied to rise, even as forgotten Gods prepare to play their hand.

I'll admit I wasn't familiar with the Indian epic Mahabharata but this retelling features morally grey characters that take part in espionage, betrayal and a looming war that confronts everyone. The multiple points-of-view are handled extremely well and feature some of my favourite fantasy characters that feel distinctly unique and appreciative. There's evidence that Mohanty has taken some previously insignificant characters to a higher level. I went into this with no expectations and I'm genuinely excited for this to go even further.

The worldbuilding in epic fantasy can sometimes be overwhelming and vast, even sometimes familiar but this Ancient Indian setting provides an established world in a not-so-familiar territory that kept me invested in each character’s journey. The pacing felt slow at the start when we get started but once it picked up, it really picked up. This was one of the best prologues that I've ever read and that was a high bar to follow. Mohanty even kept us guessing with each twist and turn.

This was an incredible start to a fantastic take and a series I'm looking forward to continuing.