HYDERABAD: Krishnarjun Bhattacharya, a graduate in Film and Video Communication from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, has published his debut novel, ‘Tantrics of Old’. The author, who is currently working on the sequel, titled ‘Horsemen of Old’, shares his top five reads with City Express
Dune by Frank Herbert
Dune seemed strange when I first experienced it; on the surface it might seem like well written science fiction, but the it seems to keep adding more subtext every time I read it. The politics of relationships, geography and power, the importance of appearances and love and betrayal, moving away and coming back, prophecies and destiny -- an epic loved and I daresay, worshipped by innumerable followers. It is a deep, deep book, yet there is an honesty in the narrative when the author gives things away -- with an incredulously casual air which change the way you read the book. It’s also got vivid fantasy elements, cinematic action sequences, and a court conspiracy to rival ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’.
Chander Pahar
(Mountains of the Moon)
by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
A haunting adventure of a young Bengali boy in deep, unforgiving Africa, painting the Dark Continent in a most endearing, romantic and horrifying shade, immortal in my opinion. This is something of a predecessor to Dirk Pitt and Indiana Jones without the annoying Hollywood restrictions. It is honest to itself and the protagonist, and has one of the most mysterious antagonists in Literature, the enigmatic and deadly Bunyip. Please ignore the film completely.
A Wizard of Earthsea
by Ursula Le Guin
Ursula Le Guin writes beautifully, her prose poetry in its simplicity, her concepts of magic endearing and exciting in their wisdom. If fantasy was ever written with the experiences of a full life lived, this is it, and it shows in the details. A learned old wizard of Earthsea, for example, would be more concerned with feeding his livestock and building a wooden floor for the unforgiving winter, rather than battling dark lords who no one needs. The entire series is magical, and deserves the time we refuse books these days. And as a wise man once said, people do tend to forget that a school of magic existed in Earthsea long before a c
Ostatnie zyczenie(The Last Wish) by Andrzej Sapkowski
A Polish writer and a Polish book, I must confess having read the popular translation. ‘The Last Wish’ is a brilliant take on fantasy, and features Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher, as its protagonist-a well loved character more famous for the Witcher video games that the book inspired. The games are excellent but I assure you-the book holds its own. It is dark, quite so, with rape, incest and other themes that might be frowned upon in this country, but Sapkowski writes without anything holding him back-he writes with an enviable ease, never describing more than necessary, always saying more with silence than words. The best bit is, though, how he makes appearance so deceptive. The politics of a situation often change dramatically, and one can draw lines to living, breathing life.
Ertain boy with a scar on his head was born.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
A genius writing and visualising, a prophet predicting, Jules Verne was an essential part of my growing years and never ceases to amaze. This is by far my dearest Verne novel, and too holy to even attempt to describe, really-so I’ll leave this with three words. Nautilus. Captain Nemo.