With a rich array of characters already introduced to, in part through the Baahubali films, this prequel series starts of strong and expands on the open ended mythology that the films left behind to explore. The world-building is sublime and surreal, a far cry from the garish and over the top theatrics employed by the other prequel - The Lost Legends on Amazon Prime.
Set many years before the story we have seen on screen, charting out Sivagami's becoming the headstrong Rajamata of Mahishmathi we have come to know and love, Anand Neelakantan weaves an intricate web through a colourful cast of characters each with their own motivations. We see how the characters we are introduced to in the movies matured from where they were many years ago, and get inside their heads on many an occasion.
One of the biggest qualms everyone has with prequels is the focus on how. You know where the original (in the fictional world, the sequel) starts so there's a huge spoiler always looming. And as far as new characters go, since they don't stay for the start of the story you already know, it doesn't really bode well for them.
This series suffers from the same although Neelakantan is no stranger to retcons and realignment of the story without much explanation and one comes to expect this from him after Asura and Vanara.
BOOK 1: RISE OF SIVAGAMI
Mahishmathi is the golden empire we know from the 2 blockbuster films. The people are happy with Sivagami at the helm, and suffer when Bhallaladeva takes over. The prodigal son, Mahendra Baahubali returns and takes back what is rightfully his. But was it always this way? What went behind building the empire. How did Sivagami become what she is?
Anand Neelkantan pens a powerful start to the story, Before the Beginning with all familiar characters in their humbler origins set to take Mahishmathi by the horn and take it to greater heights. As always, the enemies are twitching their fingers set to destroy and the battlefield is warming up for the war to come.
Anand takes his time setting things in place and drags out the story into a 400+ page manuscript before ending with a cliffhanger not unlike the first film. The 2nd book, Chaturanga came out mid-2020 and retcons a lot of things (understandably so) as told in this which forced me to notch off a star, from this otherwise amazing book. Showcasing his inner GRRM, Anand also kills of some interesting characters before they really had a chance to shine. A little more time could have been spent on them... Coming from a place where I've read all 3 books and don't see much mention of them in the sequels either, save a bit of exposition from newer characters.
BOOK 2: CHATURANGA
The long awaited sequel to Rise of Sivagami, perfectly timed and launched in the pandemic's lockdown seemed to have reinvigorated the interest in many an Indian, for the Bahubali franchise. I rewatched the films (the second one twice in different languages) and started watching The Lost Legends animated series as well after looking at and tempted into buying this book as well as it's predecessor during my long days at home.
Although the 2nd book in the series comes out 3 years after its precursor, and a while after the Bahubali craze died down, this is a much shorter read in comparison. The chessboard was set and the players start moving their pawns and quite nimbly, might I add. Neelkantan drives the story furiously blurring the lines between the clear-cut good and bad characters we had before and shows us many shades of grey. The social commentary is still strong, but takes a back seat to the story here. There are a couple of retcons thrown here and there without much explanation and a few inconsistencies within the book itself which stand out like a sore thumb, but do not fatally damage the experience.
Everyone has matured and learnt since the previous books and character development is faster and the world-building, not so much. It ends with a cliffhanger too but not as strong as the one that preceded it.
A much better written book, by comparison and one that I would say should warrant a revisit and small rewrite of the things that don't add up in the first.
BOOK 3: QUEEN OF MAHISHMATHI
Although the final installment in Sivagami's story suffers from having to tie up loose ends and wind up the story taking it towards the the point you know, the author finds new ways to surprise you quite a bit. The longest of the three, you find twists and turns at every chapter as the game of Chaturanga intensifies and friends and foes, heroes and villains, pawn themselves and change sides quickly felling their enemies in a swoop.
We see old characters returning, new characters shining, new motivations coming out and a huge battle impending. The threat of a natural disaster looms and the history of the empire, built not so much on honor and dharma but more on blood and tears unfolds as the protagonists battle with themselves forced to take strong decisions.
Intense battle sequences carefully drawn out, a dark commentary on society and it's many woes, from the sardonic pompousness of the high and the mighty, coupled with a seething disdain from the downtrodden and the many mindless sheep in between confuses our protagonists and makes them question every move, fighting two battles, one with the enemy attacking the gates, and another with the thoughts within.
Neelakantan meticulously plots out his story and keeps the tempo high till the very end. Although the story drags a little too much at the end, and the pace is all over the place, one might forgive him as, in his defense the expansive universe now contains too many characters and motivations and each of them deserve a satisfying end. It could have done without the amount of 'foreshadowing' thrown in the readers face but I grudgingly admit that they are good Easter eggs to tie up neatly into the films. The retcons of the previous books and even in some situations, the movies are groan inducing and makes me really question if there was no real way the story could have progressed without really messing up the source material.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
When a Universe as expansive as this, traversing 2 Movies, 3 Books, a comic and an Animated TV Series with 5 seasons and running is made, there are bound to be missteps and tying them all together or even addressing them isn't always a first priority, the books can definitely be consumed as a standalone piece of reading as can the movies, but a little continuity and consistency, help no doubt! With long time jumps in between major incidents (some within the same book) and not enough know how of what happened in between, I would have preferred to read it as a pentalogy, but I realize I am gasping for straws here... Intertextuality is strong and I am more excited than ever for the Netflix series to come out. With the amount of action, thrill and politics packed in, this is no doubt India's answer to Game of Thrones!
As a lifelong fan, I salute the creators for this labour of love! Jai Mahishmathi!
One of the biggest qualms everyone has with prequels is the focus on how. You know where the original (in the fictional world, the sequel) starts so there's a huge spoiler always looming. And as far as new characters go, since they don't stay for the start of the story you already know, it doesn't really bode well for them.
This series suffers from the same although Neelakantan is no stranger to retcons and realignment of the story without much explanation and one comes to expect this from him after Asura and Vanara.
BOOK 1: RISE OF SIVAGAMI
Mahishmathi is the golden empire we know from the 2 blockbuster films. The people are happy with Sivagami at the helm, and suffer when Bhallaladeva takes over. The prodigal son, Mahendra Baahubali returns and takes back what is rightfully his. But was it always this way? What went behind building the empire. How did Sivagami become what she is?
Anand Neelkantan pens a powerful start to the story, Before the Beginning with all familiar characters in their humbler origins set to take Mahishmathi by the horn and take it to greater heights. As always, the enemies are twitching their fingers set to destroy and the battlefield is warming up for the war to come.
Anand takes his time setting things in place and drags out the story into a 400+ page manuscript before ending with a cliffhanger not unlike the first film. The 2nd book, Chaturanga came out mid-2020 and retcons a lot of things (understandably so) as told in this which forced me to notch off a star, from this otherwise amazing book. Showcasing his inner GRRM, Anand also kills of some interesting characters before they really had a chance to shine. A little more time could have been spent on them... Coming from a place where I've read all 3 books and don't see much mention of them in the sequels either, save a bit of exposition from newer characters.
BOOK 2: CHATURANGA
The long awaited sequel to Rise of Sivagami, perfectly timed and launched in the pandemic's lockdown seemed to have reinvigorated the interest in many an Indian, for the Bahubali franchise. I rewatched the films (the second one twice in different languages) and started watching The Lost Legends animated series as well after looking at and tempted into buying this book as well as it's predecessor during my long days at home.
Although the 2nd book in the series comes out 3 years after its precursor, and a while after the Bahubali craze died down, this is a much shorter read in comparison. The chessboard was set and the players start moving their pawns and quite nimbly, might I add. Neelkantan drives the story furiously blurring the lines between the clear-cut good and bad characters we had before and shows us many shades of grey. The social commentary is still strong, but takes a back seat to the story here. There are a couple of retcons thrown here and there without much explanation and a few inconsistencies within the book itself which stand out like a sore thumb, but do not fatally damage the experience.
Everyone has matured and learnt since the previous books and character development is faster and the world-building, not so much. It ends with a cliffhanger too but not as strong as the one that preceded it.
A much better written book, by comparison and one that I would say should warrant a revisit and small rewrite of the things that don't add up in the first.
BOOK 3: QUEEN OF MAHISHMATHI
Although the final installment in Sivagami's story suffers from having to tie up loose ends and wind up the story taking it towards the the point you know, the author finds new ways to surprise you quite a bit. The longest of the three, you find twists and turns at every chapter as the game of Chaturanga intensifies and friends and foes, heroes and villains, pawn themselves and change sides quickly felling their enemies in a swoop.
We see old characters returning, new characters shining, new motivations coming out and a huge battle impending. The threat of a natural disaster looms and the history of the empire, built not so much on honor and dharma but more on blood and tears unfolds as the protagonists battle with themselves forced to take strong decisions.
Intense battle sequences carefully drawn out, a dark commentary on society and it's many woes, from the sardonic pompousness of the high and the mighty, coupled with a seething disdain from the downtrodden and the many mindless sheep in between confuses our protagonists and makes them question every move, fighting two battles, one with the enemy attacking the gates, and another with the thoughts within.
Neelakantan meticulously plots out his story and keeps the tempo high till the very end. Although the story drags a little too much at the end, and the pace is all over the place, one might forgive him as, in his defense the expansive universe now contains too many characters and motivations and each of them deserve a satisfying end. It could have done without the amount of 'foreshadowing' thrown in the readers face but I grudgingly admit that they are good Easter eggs to tie up neatly into the films. The retcons of the previous books and even in some situations, the movies are groan inducing and makes me really question if there was no real way the story could have progressed without really messing up the source material.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
When a Universe as expansive as this, traversing 2 Movies, 3 Books, a comic and an Animated TV Series with 5 seasons and running is made, there are bound to be missteps and tying them all together or even addressing them isn't always a first priority, the books can definitely be consumed as a standalone piece of reading as can the movies, but a little continuity and consistency, help no doubt! With long time jumps in between major incidents (some within the same book) and not enough know how of what happened in between, I would have preferred to read it as a pentalogy, but I realize I am gasping for straws here... Intertextuality is strong and I am more excited than ever for the Netflix series to come out. With the amount of action, thrill and politics packed in, this is no doubt India's answer to Game of Thrones!
As a lifelong fan, I salute the creators for this labour of love! Jai Mahishmathi!