Samsara: Enter the Valley of the Gods ("India's answer to Harry Potter") | Mythological fiction novel
If you've ever wondered what it might feel like to be yanked out of ordinary life and dropped into something far older and stranger than you could imagine, this debut novel from Penguin editor-turned-author Saksham Garg might be exactly what you're looking for. Frequently compared to Harry Potter, it draws just as readily on the rich tradition of Indian mythological fiction, placing it alongside titles like Immortals of Meluha. It would make a wonderful gift for fans of either. The story follows Aman Chandra and ten others, known as the Souls of Samsara, who are abducted from contemporary India and whisked away to a concealed valley deep in the Himalayas. Phones go dead. Smartwatches go blank. Strange blue scars begin to pulse on their arms. What greets them in this hidden place is a world populated by Hindu deities, immortal yogis, and creatures that have no business existing outside of ancient texts. Their purpose, once they arrive, is to master yogic sorcery and ready themselves for a perilous journey that very few survive. The questions pile up quickly. Why must they undertake this quest at all? What is the king of the gods hiding? And what exactly does Aman stand to lose when he's forced into a decision that could reshape the destiny of an entire nation? Garg handles the mythology with obvious care, and the twist ending lands with real force. Gripping, imaginative, and genuinely surprising.
- Author: Saksham Garg
- Publisher: Penguin eBury Press
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- ISBN: 978-0143458289
- Pages: 298 pages