Nectar on the Seven Hills - The Pure Seed

PANKAJ GIRI

An Epic Fusion of Indian Mythology

Author: Prabhu Ram

Publisher: Om Books International

Nectar on the Seven Hills is an Indian fantasy novel chronicling the strange experiences of three children—Magadh, Yukti, and Rudra—as they find themselves lost in the forests of the Eastern Ghats near the famous Seshachalam Hills in Tirupati.

The first couple of chapters are set in China, and it is a slow, bland beginning. However, things start getting interesting from the third chapter, when we are introduced to the child protagonists. After that, the novel gains pace and is gripping till the end.

Magadh is the main protagonist, and he is an intriguing character. Initially, I found him to be a bit unlikable, but he grew on me as the book progressed, and by the end, I found myself rooting for him. Yukti and Rudra are also interesting characters and play vital roles in the book. Their friendship is well-developed, but I feel that something was missing in their bond that prevented me from being fully invested in them, and that made the emotional punches less impactful. But since there are more books in the series, the bond will only grow stronger in time and perhaps lead to more emotionally intense moments.

The author, Mr. Ram, has incorporated the supernatural and mythological elements in the story with appreciable expertise. His research and knowledge are thorough, and the world-building is exceptional. The descriptions are vivid and brilliant, making everything come alive, as if you are right there in the scene.

The language is lucid with the occasional peppering of luscious wordplay. However, I did find a few grammatical and punctuation errors here and there.

The battle sequences are also well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the book, I felt as if I were watching a movie. It was a riveting journey.

However, and I couldn’t help notice this: the entire premise felt a bit unrealistic. I know all of it is happening deep within the jungle devoid of human presence, but the sheer magnitude of the events—blue beams flashing towards the sky and illuminating the entire forest, hillocks moving, huge eagles flying in the sky, mammoths and massive owls fighting—render it difficult to believe that the rest of the world (including their parents who were searching for them right at the edge of the forest) would be blinded and unaffected by these extreme happenings. I know one could argue that other fantasy novels also have similar settings and extensive battles, but they are more believable as they occur in a different realm. However, this can be fixed in the next book if Mr. Ram works on this feedback.

Nevertheless, the ending is interesting, setting up the story nicely for the next book in the trilogy. I will look forward to it. Overall, Nectar on the Seven Hills is a unique, engrossing, well-written fantasy novel if you can suspend disbelief to a certain extent.

4 stars from my side.