Rate this book

The Forest Of Stories (2000)

by Ashok K. Banker(Favorite Author)

3.74 of 5 Votes: 2

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

series

Mahabharata Series

review 1: I had read the author's Ramayana series many years ago and quite enjoyed his fresh take on it. I just finished Govinda, Book 1 in Krishna Udayasankar's The Aryavarta Chronicles where she gives a fresh spin to this immortal myth, just as Banker had done with the Ramayana, although she takes much more creative licence than he did. Reading Govinda made me want to revisit the original story and refresh my memory because let's face it - most of us when we refer to the Mahabharata are referring to only that part of it that is etched indelibly in our memories - the family feud, the Great War, Krishna, Kurukshetra. But this epic is so much more! And that's what I wanted to refresh...the creation of the world, the ancient rishis, the Snake sacrifice, the story of Parashuram...all f... moreascinating and yet their details only vaguely remembered. This is truly a Forest of Stories...as I read I meandered along with the narrative, flowing from one rishi's story to another here, from one king to another there, and often from a sage to a king to another sage with a few Gods and demons thrown in for good measure! I've enjoyed my travels through these forests as one enjoys revisiting a favourite destination - it feels comfortably familiar and yet there's always something new that keeps the magic alive :) Have already begun the second book - The Seeds of War.
review 2: Indian mythology lovers, a must-read book!!Ashok Banker is truly an epic story-teller. Most of us have read different versions of Mahabharatha such as Rajaji's version and Kamala Subramanian 's version. But this book had something different to offer. Mind you, there is hardly fictional descriptions rather than the substance itself, however the way he flits across stories is amazing. We have read about the battefield Hastinapura in itself, but hardly about the history of the place in itself. The reverence conveyed in the book towards a work such as Mahabharatha somewhere emphasizes the underlying meaning that Mahabharatha is not another story but the answer for many questions. The most lovable bit was the reference to additional listeners to the story-teller everytime he recounts a tale.For Indian mythology lovers, this is a must read!! less

Download links for: The Forest of Stories

Advertising