Slayer of Kamsa: Book 1 of The Krishna Coriolis
Here’s the final front cover of the mass market paperback edition of SLAYER OF KAMSA: Book 1 of The Krishna Coriolis, published in September by HarperCollins India under their Harper imprint. I really love what designer-illustrator Pinaki De has done with the colours and texturing and graphics. Initially, I was concerned that there were too many elements and colours but once he changed the colour scheme and added the layers of texture, all my doubts vanished. Now, I love this cover! It’s now officially my favourite cover of all my books and their various editions – and when you consider that there are over one hundred editions of over a dozen books, that’s a LOT of covers.
This is the cover flat (the full cover including the back, spine and front laid out flat) – the text blurbs have yet to be added on the back cover as well as the spine text, publisher logos, ISBNs, etc. The book is scheduled to go to press in mid-August so I hope to receive my copies by end-August or first week September, probably just a day or three before you start seeing them pop up in your neighbourhood bookstore. Less than a month now to the start of my long-awaited Krishna Coriolis series! It’s been in the writing stage since 2004 and as you know by now, it tells the life story of Krishna while also overlapping with some incidents of the Mahabharata. In fact, the Harivamsa of Vyasa which provides us with most biographical information about Krishna is a part of the Vyasa Mahabharata itself. When I realized back in 2004-05 that my Mba retelling was growing too huge to fit into one series, I decided to follow in the footsteps of the great Krishna-Dweipayana Vyasa and split the Krishna story into a separate series. And here it is now.
Excerpts will start around mid-August, probably 16th August, to whet your appetite for the book’s release in September. Mark your calendars and keep in touch!
Hi Ratnadip,
Thanks for the payment – the email was only for those who hadn’t paid yet. Once you’ve paid and filled out the Payment Confirmation form, you don’t need to do anything further. Your copy will reach you next week.
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
This is in response to the mail I received from AKB BOOKS [akb.readerswrite@gmail.com] reminding me to make the payment for Slayer of Kamsa: Book 1 of the Krishna Coriolis. I have made the payment (Rs. 250.00) long back on the 4th of this month (October) from my CITIBANK savings account in Bangalore.
Waiting eagerly to start the journey of Krishna Coriolis.
Sincerely,
- Ratnadip -
Hi Sukhjit,
Thank you for your kind words.
This is a simple enough decision to make: You have to look at it from this point of view – do you want to be one of those who supports the writing of the series, or one who enjoys the fruits after the series is written?
The early buyers of my Ramayana series, those who bought it one book at a time and waited as the rest were published, they are responsible for the publication of the whole series – had they not supported me, the series would have ended much before six books, incomplete. In fact, today, the Ramayana Series sells better than five years ago when it was first published! This is because readers like yourself know that all six books are available.
On the other hand, my Krishna Series and Mba Series have been complete and lying with me for almost seven years now. It was only after publishers saw the entire Ramayana Series was selling well and continuing to sell well that they agreed to bring out my next series. In the case of another series which began with Gods of War, while it did quite well, not enough people bought the first book so the rest of the series will take much, much longer to publish now.
So do you want to support the publication and make sure the series is published? If so, then definitely buy it as each book comes out! That way, you’ll ensure that not only the next book but other books by me are also published.
I’m a reader of several series too, and while waiting for the next part can be difficult at times, I personally take satisfaction in knowing that I’ve been reading that series over so many years and supporting its publication. Interestingly, there is a section in the Mahabharata that addresses this very quandrary and emphasizes the virtues of reading from the very beginning!
Finally, of course, the decision is entirely your’s.
Ashok
Hi, Ashok.
i had read a few translations of ramayana before latching onto your 6 volumes.
it makes for truly breathless reading and i was lucky to start reading it after all 6 vols were released.
i am in a quandry – there must be many more like me out there – to read the whole together or bit by 8 bits ?
Just finished reading KoA the whole night
It was one amazing ride and loved every part of it. I have several questions I would like to ask, or rather discuss with you and other readers alike; this the best place?
Also, after finishing the book, I stumbled upon my name in the foreword! Well, thanks and I’m at loss of words to be associated, however minutely with the series! Rather embarrassed too, to read a book whose author gives me the undeserved mention four years after it was published but well, stuff happens.
I remember seeing one of your books, at a stall in the book fair this year, dogears is the name that I recall. Can I get the other two books from them? Or point me to a source where I can get the AKB editions as you said, or when will the mass market edition come out?
Btw I have had my second copy PoA “stolen with consent” from my bookself again
Would be back real soon, need some sleep right now.
Nope, yaar, I never stopped talking – just as I never stop talking here either!
The fans just lost interest and those that remained as well as the new ones that kept coming were more interested in discussing Hollywood movies, and other assorted topics, most having absolutely nothing to do with anything of the slightest relevance to India, Epics, my work, or related matters! The more intelligent readers seemed to move on to other things, it happens.
Glad you like the blog. I like this cover too! Though I can’t take credit for it. It’s entirely Pinaki De’s talent, design and illustrative skills. Terrific job, I agree!
Thanks for pointing out that error – will correct it soon.
Enjoy KoA! I loved writing those battle sequences. But wait till you read my Mahabharata – those are truly epic battle scenes and sequences. Man oh man!
Ashok
You sure got some good memory cells there and yes, I did enjoy BoR and my namesake’s character. The forums, I remember now, weren’t discontinued but you stopped talking to your fans in there, so we guys lost interest, right?
The blog’s nice and I have it bookmarked. Two more in the Ramayana series sounds like icing on the cake to me and this cover is neat, I always thought the covers of the Ramayana series lacked somewhere, you’ve more than made up for them with this one!
BTW the request a book now page has Sons of Sita listed as the seventh book in the series but the cover I see on the right hand side says Vengeance of Ravana as the seventh one. I guess you need to correct that.
I’m onto KoA today!
Viveak,
Just a few more days. Am in the thick of final edits on a book. Need time to reformat the chapters for online posting. Will start the excerpts on Monday 16th for sure.
Ashok
its 12 august…preview of the book please…now now now
Hi Angad,
Of course I remember you! I even remember what you look like because of the profile pic you’d uploaded somewhere, either on Yahoo or Gmail. I have this problem of an exceptionally good memory. I also remember telling you that you would enjoy reading more about Angad in BoR and KoA, and now that you’re finally reading BoR you can see for yourself. Thank you for your very kind words.
The forums weren’t discontinued at all. In fact, they’re still very much up – you can see them at http://forums.epicindia.com – readers lost interest in them and stopped visiting much and it got boring, and other people began trying to misuse them to hawk their own products and services. Spam gets in everywhere, like sand! So I put them on the backburner. I find this blog to be working the best, simple, direct, from me to readers like you.
I think you’ll find now that the Ramayana Series has some major competition – my own Krishna Coriolis series. And since you’ve only read upto AoH, you have four more books to go in the Ramayana Series itself (there are eight books now, not six) and eight books coming up soon on Krishna! Do check out SLAYER OF KAMSA next month and let me know how you like it. You can also request a signed copy by visiting the Request a Book Page.
Stay in touch! Read on!
Ashok
Hi Ashok sir,
I am an old fan who just stumbled upon well thumbed copy of Armies of Hanuman a week ago that brought me back to it. I just lost my way waiting for the fifth book and never got back them, partly because I wanted to read the whole series together and the first one was always lent out to someone or the other as one of the closest ones to my heart. I read vertigo and gods of war in between but, the Ramayana series beats them hands down. I remember talking to you years ago on the forums (that probably got scraped after some controversy, I also lost touch simultanously; college and stuff… still remember you thought Angad Talwar was not my real name but a handle on the forums
) and just wanted to drop in saying hello.
But this is reminding you that words you write are still close to my heart, probably because of the Ramayana series, your art of presenting mythology in this excellent excellent form, a bit of a lot of things and more.. I can’t really put into words.
Now, after years, I went out and bought all the books again (save Armies of Hanuman that was still with me) and will be starting onto Bridge of Rama just right now!
Jai Shri Ram
Hi Sesh,
Thank you for the kind words – and the high praise!
I’ve never published any ebook versions of any of my work before – apart from some online sharing (which were free to read and intended to be a means of getting reader response on early drafts mostly), and a few early books (in the 90s) which were only published online. The reason is that publishers usually control all rights and in India, ebooks and ereaders haven’t caught on in a big enough way to warrant them releasing ebook versions.
There’s also a major concern about piracy in my case since all my books are not published worldwide, so if one territory releases the ebook, then that would infringe on the rights of other publishers in other territories – e.g. my Indian publisher releases the ebook here and US and UK publishers (to name just two) get upset because they feel their rights are being infringed. So it only works if a major US/UK/global publisher releases the ebooks, which hasn’t happened yet.
So to answer your question, I’m sorry but no, there are no plans to bring out any of my works in ebook format. It’s one of those (many) things over which an author has no control and very little say.
Thanks again for writing in! Read on!
Ashok
Hello Ashok,
I absolutely love your retelling of the Ramayana. And I am already looking forward to the Krishna Coriolis. I attribute my re-awakening of love of books to your Ramayana series!
I searched your blog and see that you are no stranger to publishing ebooks. I was wondering if there are plans to bring out the Ramayana series (and later the Krishna Coriolis) as ebooks?
By the way the Krishna Coriolis cover looks very good. It would make a good e-reader cover too!
Regards,
Sesh
Hi Abhishek,
Thank you! Glad you like the cover. I can’t wait to get the books in my hands too.
The Vikram Vetal stories were an integral part of my growing up – they were among the stories I discovered on my own (as against those told or ‘spoon-fed’ to me) and I LOVED THEM (and still do). Even now I have two copies of the book (different editions, minor variations in translation) beside me and it’s one of my favourite rereads.
There are three editions I would recommend:
1. Vikram and the Vampire translated by Richard F. Burton
2. Five and Twenty Tales of the Genie by Sivadasa translated by Chandra Rajan
3. Tales from the Kathasaritsagara translated by Arshia Sattar
The second one is my favourite since it’s more accurate, Indian and comprehensive. There are any number of retellings but these are the three most authentic versions I would suggest.
And to answer your question, yes of course I have my own retelling in the works – I have actually been working on it for the past 12 years! It’s one of the most difficult parts of my Epic India Library because I want to write it as a single novel, but it’s so episodic (and repetitive) in nature. I’ve written about it often on this blog and earlier on previous online forums over the past decade or so, and many readers who’ve been in touch with me are quite familiar with it by now.
My version was titled VETAAL: THE FIRST VAMPIRE but that title may change eventually. I hope to finish it in the next three or four years and it’s a fat, 1000+ page horror-fantasy-action-adventure epic that retells the entire Vikram aur Vetaal story as well as my own additions interwoven throughout. Wish me luck!
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
Love the cover!! Awesome! Can’t wait to get the books in my hands
Anyway, today morning, while brushing my teeth, I suddenly remembered Vikram/Vetaal stories and had a great urge to write to you to ask if you are planning to write the above stories too in your epic cycle?
Also, if you know any good books for reading Vikram/Vetaal stories, suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you for your answer (in advance, since I know you will reply
you are amazing )
Regards,
Abhishek