Book Review: Urnabhih by Sumedha Verma Ojha

What if James Bond was a woman and worked for one of the greatest empires of the Ancient World instead of Her Majesty?

Probably not a question anyone has ever asked and I don't think the author Sumedha V Ojha had that on her mind either. But it is the best way in which I can summarize the heady, unputdownable page-turner that is Urnabhih. 

There is a plot in itself, full of stratagem, maneuverings and enough twist and turns to give George R R Martin himself a run for his money.

There are the characters, authentic, human, relatable and the setting, so articulately described that I can scarcely imagine how the upcoming TV adaptation will do it justice.

And finally there is the killer fact that the glorious and progressive world described in this book is not pure fantasy but a real time and place in history, bustling with technology and culture. Having spoken to the author, I understand that this book was merely a means to bring her years of research on ancient India to life but clearly she has discovered a knack for telling a kick-ass story on the way.

Move over ancient Rome and Greece. The world may just have found the next setting for historical movies and TV shows. Ridley Scott, Frank Miller, are you listening?