The Descendants

AUTHOR: Lakesh Maheshwari & Ashish Kavi
PUBLISHED ON: 4 February 2024
GENRE: Science Fiction
RATING: 4 Stars
BOOK 1 OF THE TRILOGY
SUMMARY:
The Descendants took me on a splendid journey as we navigated between the past and the present. The journey on such an expedition inevitably begins with finding something that shouldn’t be found. When Jay finds an element, his curiosity gets the better of him, rather than caution. And so he dives deeper into the research of the element. Slowly, he uncovers the hidden history of his family which unknowingly takes him back up to Mahabharata.
As the power of the stone grows and the urge to use it for the greater good, there is always greed looming around. As we navigate back and forth from past to present and back to past, it is inevitable how greed has always been present. But we slowly undercover the secrets, understand the motives and let the grief flow through.
MY THOUGHTS:
I think I am extremely fortunate to read this book. There are some books that you can find when you need them. There are two reasons for that. One: I enjoyed that this was a short read despite being a sci-fi book. I could easily squeeze it into my busy (hectic) schedule. Yes, it’s a short book. But it doesn’t mean it is not a good book. I read books like this for my breakfast. (I am sorry, I had to make this reference).
Now, coming back to The Descendants by Lakesh Maheshwari & Ashish Kavi. The Descendants is a book that proves how there are always two plots. One is what they tell us and one is what you have to pick up and understand. This book reminded me again what it feels like to explore the unsaid again and again. I won’t lie, overall, this book wasn’t the strongest yet. There are two more books, so I am not worried. But I am so invested that I can’t wait to read the next books.
The most promising part of the story. I love the concept. I enjoyed how the story navigated. More than anything, I enjoyed how strong and inviting the first chapter was. Reading so many books, I have at times made my peace with the fact that at times the first chapters aren’t as good as the book. But that’s not the case here. The first chapter was warm, inviting, strong, gave insight into the characters, and most importantly, made you want to know more. I love how so many emotions are beautifully talked about. Greed, brotherhood, grief. And to add all the strong points, I am a sucker for prophecy and seeing the similarities between past and present.
There is a distinct similarity as we draw parallels between Mahabharata and the present world. Be it Dhananjay, Karan, Kaka and so on. While the similarities make joining the dotes easier, I would have also loved it if there was a little more mystery.
The small problem? This was a good book but somehow not the best. Maybe, because it’s the first book and a lot is there to unfold. This small issue is why it’s a 4-star and not a 5.
I would recommend this book to people who like a quick read, a book with a good story and a knack for philosophy.
This book was provided by Blogchatter.
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You can read the review for Varaha’s Vengeance here.
Nice review
Thank you so much.