Book Number: 11Book Title: The GameWorld Trilogy Book One: Simoqin Prophecies
Author: Samit Basu
Publisher: MArch 15th 2006 by Penquin Books, India
Category: Fiction - fantasy, adventure, science fiction
Binding: Paperback, 512 Pages
Date of completion: 27rd December, 2008.
Short description / Book summary (www.goodreads.com): The Simoqin Prophecies marks the debut of an assured new voice. Written with consummate ease and brimming with wit and allusion, it is at once classic sff and subtle spoof, featuring scantily clad centauresses, flying carpets, pink trolls, belly dancers and homicidal rabbits. Monty Python meets the Ramayana, Alice in Wonderland meets The Lord of the Rings and Robin Hood meets The Arabian Nights in this novel - a breathtaking ride through a world peopled by different races and cultures from mythology and history.
The Prophecies foretell the reawakening of the terrible rakshas Danh-Gem, and the arrival of a hero to face him. But heroes do not appear magically out of nowhere: they have to be found and trained. And sometimes the makers of prophecies don't know everything they need to know...
As the day of Danh-Gem's rising draws closer and the chosen hero is sent on a quest, another young man learns of terrible things he must do in secret and the difficult choices he must make in order to save the world from the rakshas.
Drawn from a variety of sources ranging from Greek and Indian epics to spy novels, fairy tales to superhero comics, The Simoqin Prophecies is a compelling tale, marked by meticulous plotting and artful storytelling - a pageturner sure to grip you from start to finish.
My Thoughts: Number of times forced people to buy this book - many, Accomplishments of solved puns and related activities about book - 7/10, Day dreams about Samit Basu's witty storytelling - 3, Need to start on second book - severe, Rating - wait for it...
Everybody should have a copy of this brilliant brilliant book. I believe the Simoqin Prophecies and the books to follow in the trilogy is India's first ever science fiction and fantasy novels. It's unbelievable how easily Basu writes this witty and hilarious collage of a book, that draws from popular mythology and childhood favorites across the globe.
This book will be read and re-read just to cross check on whether i didnt miss out any of Basu's puns that kept me in tears on many instances through the book. The complex characters and plot kept me enchanted enough to take the effort to actually try and solve the mystery of the book by drawing complex charts and crossing out that which didnt fit. I wont tell you what the mystery is, go read the book.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant fantasy staple diet! My obsession and thirst for a great Fantasy/adventure has been quenched. It makes me proud to know that this book is so much closer to home and I can relate to it so easily. HAHA! to all you Harry Potter lovers! What i love most about the book, and im saying this because I feel that fantasy should not borderline on being 'real', is that the author is constantly reminding you that fantasy is unreal. I also love the spoofed characters - Rabin, Hihuspix, Hex men..
Read it!
Characters: Kirin, Maya, Aswin, The Silver Dagger, Danh-Gem
My rating of the book: ****1/2
Next read: His Dark MAterials Book Two: The Subtle Knife - Philip Pullman
My rating of the book: ****1/2
Next read: His Dark MAterials Book Two: The Subtle Knife - Philip Pullman
Fireproof - RajKamal Jha
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