Saturday, May 25, 2019

The Peshwa – War of the Deceivers by Author Ram Sivasankaran (Book Review)
















Title – The Peshwa – War of the Deceivers
Author – Ram Sivasankaran
Genre – Fiction
Publisher – Westlandbooks
No of pages – 467

This book is available at Amazon Flipkart Crossword & Snapdeal






Main characters – Bajirao Peshwa, Aadil Shah, Anamik, Rasool, Bangash, Nizaam Ul Mulk, Mastani, Hari

Other Characters – Kashibai, Shripat, Maharaja Chhatrasal, Bhani, and many 

The Blurb

Seven years have passed since Peshwa Bajirao Bhat annihilated the Nizam’s armies at Fort Mandu. The two forces have been engaged in attacks and skirmishes ever since. Acting on the advice of his right-hand man, the mysterious Anaamik Dabhade, the Peshwa now sets about laying a trap to truly ensnare the Mughals, and break their might.

The Empire, of course, has methods of its own. And Nizam Ul Mulk is itching for an opportunity to exact revenge of the formidable Bajirao. With assassins, saboteurs, and criminals infiltrating the Maratha lands, the Mughal Empire scores as many victories in the night as the Peshwa does during the day.
Meanwhile, in the far reaches of the country, set ablaze by the never-ending conflict between these major powers, a Sikh warlord, a Rajput king, and a Bundela princess find themselves increasingly tangled up in the endgame that will determine the very course of history. It is a battle of wits and skill, and the greatest deceiver of them all will prevail.

The Review

If you have read the first installment of the Peshwa series by Ram Sivasankaran, I am damn sure your hopes were high as soon as the second book came out. And voila! What a masterpiece again by Ram Sivasankaran who has killed it with astonishing writing skills. Here’s what I felt while reading this book (at the same time, I am extremely sorry to write this review with extreme delay)

The story continues 7 years later in which Peshwa has defeated Nizam’s armies at Fort Mandu. Peshwa’s several victories have made him extremely popular among his armies as well as his people. By this time, he has proven his capability and invincibility as a soldier and true Maratha patriot. Apparently, everything seems alright in his state on the surface. However, scorpions have already begun their tactics by going underground in the form of riots, fire, and accidents in small villages. Peshwa knew it was scorpions who were trying to spread terror among common people. However, he did not know what to do. On the other hand, all his servicemen suspect Anamik (commonly known as Cobra) behind all this ruckus. Throughout the book, you will realize the real identity of Cobra is intact only to reveal at the end of a few pages of the novel.

This novel is all about unraveling the journey of twisted fates and intriguing mysteries. The author has left no stone unturned to weave this novel by blending with historical facts and his mind-blowing imagination. With his simple yet impactful writing skills, Ram Sivasankaran has created a masterpiece for sure. There are several reasons why should you read this novel:

Solely for entertainment    

If seeing a love story of Bajirao Mastani wasn’t enough for you and has always been curious about Peshwa dynasty, then you should read ‘The Peshwa – War of the Deceivers’.     It is an unputdownable book that you will regret if you don’t read it. The author has peppered the plot with a lot of interesting mysteries and has portrayed all characters so well- you can a whole plot in your mind. No, I am not boasting. I really could imagine each scene while I was reading this book. Bajirao’s intensity for his folks and mind-boggling tactics to win lands has left an indelible mark in our Marathi history. The author simply makes you swoon over this novel by his solid art of depiction when he portrays characters or action-packed sequences.

At one point, the story becomes intensely interesting that you won’t even want to go to the loo or take a popcorn break. It is like watching a movie on Netflix or something where you have an option to pause but you don’t want to. The chapter number 27 titled, ‘No Ghosts but the Ones We Made’ is extremely spellbinding as if you’re seated in a multiplex and a very mysterious scene is happening right in front of your eyes.

Mysteries after mysteries

Don’t we enjoy a mysterious sequence that seems never-ending and grip-tightening? We love the thrill. It’s that novel that will keep your bind with mysteries after mysteries. The identity of the younger brother of Bajiroa Peshwa, Chimaji Appa Bhat, doesn’t get unfold until you reach to the epilogue of this book. Then again, you have an exciting episode titled ‘The Second Son’ wherein the planning and plotting between Venkoji, Maharaja of Tanjavur and Pandit Kashiraj and many other revelations followed by their conversations will excite you further.

Characters

A true writer knows how characters play an important role in story building. The author wins full marks in depicting each character as you could imagine each role getting developed in front of your eyes. Be it Rasool, Aadil, Mastani, Bajirao or Chimaji, you’ll enjoy a surreal ride of these historical characters. In school days, we all know how history used to be a boring subject but turn a few historical pages into fiction and you’ll want to read more of it.

The Book cover and the title

The book cover and the title both are apt given the story theme. The author’s name is enough that you’ll pick up and read this book.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best historical fictions that I’ve ever written and I absolutely recommend this book to all of you.

About the author


The author Ram Sivasankaran, was born in Madras, India, but has spent most of his life abroad – largely in the Middle East and the United States of America.
Ram makes his debut with a historical novel, The Peshwa (The Lion & the Stallion), portrays the timeless character, Bajirao Bhat, Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy.

To know more about the author, visit https://twitter.com/ramsivasankaran


Missed reading the review of The Peshwa: The Lion & the Stallion, click here: First Part of The Peshwa 

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