Readerswrite2012 (closed)
Hi. I’m Ashok.
Ashok Banker, 2012, Bangalore
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Hello sir ,
Long time back a friend gifted me “gods of war” and i loved it. then lost track of your books and again this year some one sent me the forest of stories .. Oh god ! am so so hooked .. can i know if the second book is available in paperback ? Intend to finish all your books now that i have begun on the mythology books …
Hello Nimue,
Thank you for your kind words. Glad you liked GoW and tFoS so much. No, The Seeds of War (Mba#2) is not yet in print. While I only offer a series for publication when I’ve finished writing it, there’s always a long gap before it appears in print. You’ll find more info here: http://www.akbebooks.com/about/about-akb-ebooks/ And you should also take a look at the home page of AKB eBOOKS: http://www.akbebooks.com to know how many of my books have yet to be released in print editions. Mythology is only a part of what I write, by the way. Whatever you decide, I wish you Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Mr. Banker,
I recently received the Krishna Coriolis books you sent me, and I was so addicted to the series that less than 24 hours after starting ‘Slayer of Kamsa’, I am near the end of ‘Dance of Govinda’. It is an honor to be receiving signed copies from a renowned author such as yourself. Also, I think too that it is a very intriguing co-incidence that Janmashtemi is the very day on which I received the books. To be truthful, I am even more fascinated with the Krishna Coriolis series than the RS! I actually left a still incomplete read of ‘Demons Of Chitrakut’ to continue with the Krishna Coriolis!
Again, thanks a lot for the books!
Sincerely,
Your Youngest Fan,
Vishwesh Desai
Dear Vishwesh,
You’re most welcome! This is the very reason I sent you the KC books – I was sure you would enjoy them even more than my RS. What’s more, you are now the first and only person in India to have copies of the print editions of Books 4 and 5, which only reach bookstores in end-August. The KC Series is intended for younger readers and because I wrote it after I finished my RS in 2004, I was able to use a different style and technique which I personally feel makes it a superior read. I think you’ll find as you continue reading (especially by the time you reach Book 5) that it is a much faster-paced and more action-packed retelling. My reward is in your wonderful words of appreciation. Please enjoy the books and do keep in touch anytime. Until then, to use my motto: “Happy Reading!”
Ashok
Dear Mr. Banker,
I’m Vishwesh Desai (age 11) and I’m sure I am your youngest fan! I’m Indian and thus know all the myths and legends of our culture, so when I compare your works with the others, yours are much much better! The detail, the descriptions, and story itself surpasses all other collections, maybe equaled only by Valmiki’s own. My mom’s also a big fan of your works, and says that it is a testament to your skill with words that I, who am purely a fan of Greek and Egyptian mythology, and don’t read Indian mythology at all, am addicted to the Ramayana series. I’m near the end of Demons Of Chitrakut, and feel that the fact that Ram is exiled to the Dandak forest without the Maha-Mantras Bal and Atibal was expressed in such a manner that you feel, hai hai, ye kya ho gaya?!! Also, your description of the Asuras and their vile acts actually made me understand that these creatures cannot be allowed to live!! It is sooo unlike the typical Ramayana, which makes you think, HUH, rakshasas, I bet my baby brother can beat them off, and Rama killed Tataka and Ravana, to kya hooaa?!!
Also, since I can’t come to you in Mumbai to get it, can I please have your autograph or an email from you?
Sincerely, Your Youngest Fan, Vishwesh Desai
Grade 6, The Riverside School,
Ahmedabad.
Dear Vishwesh,
Thank you for your very kind words. Yes, you are one of my youngest readers. Most of my readers tend to be older (like your mother or even your grandmother) but once in a while a younger person like yourself picks up my books and reads them and enjoys them. The youngest I’ve heard from was 9 when she first began reading my work in 2002 – an American school student – and she’s around 19 now and still a fan, she says! I’m glad you enjoyed my first three RS books so much – am sure you’ll enjoy the rest even more!
And after that you have a treat in store: my Krishna Coriolis Series is a faster, even more fun read for younger readers because the hero is young for most of the story and you would thoroughly enjoy it, I’m sure.
Since you’re so clearly an exception and since I’m so impressed by your age and intelligence – you are clearly better read and better at writing than most readers twice or thrice your age – I would like to offer you a special gift which I only rarely offer to a few special readers. If you’ll send me your address, I will be happy to send you a signed copy of one or two of my books, complimentary. You can post your address and a telephone number here and I’ll copy it and edit it out without posting it publicly. I’ll courier the books to you within a day or two and they will be with you next week.
Thank you again for your very kind and encouraging words. It is so wonderful to see a reader so smart and well-read. I look forward to sending you the signed copies and giving you more hours of happy reading!
Ashok
Dear Mr. Banker,
Thank you sooooo much for your offer. I am absolutely thrilled to be receiving signed copies of your books.
My contact details are:
[Edited out for privacy]
Once again, thanks a lot!
Sincerely,
Vishwesh
P.S. I already have the first three books in the Ramayana series and the first one in the Mahabharata series.
Dear Vishwesh,
It’s my pleasure to share my work with a genuinely appreciative reader like yourself. In fact, when I visit schools to talk about my work, I make it a point never to sell a single copy: I gift away free signed copies to every student who wants one. I believe in the great words of Rabindranath Tagore: ‘Where knowledge is free…’ Where else, if not in the hearts and minds of youth.
Thanks for letting me know which books you already have. I plan to send you copies of all the Krishna Coriolis Series that I have with me, which happen to be Books 2, 3, 4 and 5. (You will be the first to receive copies of Books 4 and 5 which officially reach bookstores in end-August.) I wish I had Book 1 to send you but it was first published over two years ago and all my copies are long since given away. So I will be sending you a copy of Book 1 via an online store which means that it will be couriered directly to you and therefore won’t be signed. But I promise to sign it anytime we meet in future, or to replace it with a signed copy when I have one. This is all my choice and my pleasure, so don’t feel obligated. Just enjoy reading them!
Have noted your address and your mom’s mobile number. Will courier the books in a day or two. It’s a coincidence that this Friday is Krishna Janmashtami, or then again, perhaps it’s no coincidence at all. I am sure you will find yourself enjoying the KC series even more than my RS. Let me know when you get the books next week!
Ashok
hey ashok,
time flies!
I am now associate professor at Goa Institute of management teaching Innovation and Ad. communication.!!
Yeah! It was logical!
We are having our Annual SAMRIDDHI business symposium on the 17th of August
and i would like to invite you as one of the speakers at the symp.
We are expecting business students from all over the country apart from the 480 of our own.
The topic is The Business of Innovation. Your literary achievements are clearly proof of that.
So you would so inspire and motivate a new generation to “see” what others miss!
Of course we will pick up your flight and hotel tabs.
The Governor of Goa and Alyque Padamsee are among some of the other guests.
Hope you will decide to make it.
We live on campus on a 50 acre plot in the midst of the sayadri hillls.
We have to shoo clouds out of our flat sometimes!
But hey, they can be quite cuddly too!
be well
Cedric Serpes
Hi Cedric,
Great to hear from you. Congratulations on the ‘logical’ move. Happy for you.
I appreciate the invitation and the kind words. But it would be quite impossible for me to make it as I already have a prior commitment here in Mumbai – at St. Xavier’s College. I’ve already committed to Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas and accepted the honor of being Chief Guest at the Honors Convocation Ceremony for their graduate program.
Your campus and job sound great. Wish you the very best with it.
All good wishes,
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
I am writing to you for the first time, being a recent reader of your book. I came across your Ramayan Series sometime in April’12 and had picked it up out of sheer curiosity. And since then have read all 7 books of the series and have loved every word of them!!
I have been hunting high and low for ‘Sons of Sita’, on the net, in bookstores, in libraries but with no success!!
Please help me out, where can I get a copy??
Have also read Vertigo,Forest of Stories, 3 books of the Krishan Series also, but again not able to proceed further, which is extremely frustrating.
Request urgent help here !!!
Dear Prashant,
Nice to hear from you and thank you for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the books so much.
This is the most common kind of comment/feedback/query I receive. I sympathize whole-heartedly with you. Let me assure you that any delay is not on my part: I only offer a series for publication once I’ve finished writing it. Why then does it take so long? Excellent question. To answer it, I had to start my own ebook publishing venture. You can find it here: http://www.akbebooks.com and you can find your question answered in greater detail on this particular page: http://www.akbebooks.com/about/about-akb-ebooks/
As for Sons of Sita in particular, it was written in 2004 but (as I mentioned in my Afterword to KoA and also the Introduction to VoR) I chose not to offer it for publication until 2009. Since then, it has been lying unpublished with my previous publishers Penguin India – which is one of the many reasons why I’m no longer publishing with them. I hope to see it finally released in print by another publisher soon but can’t say when or who until those details are finalized. As of now, akbebooks.com is the only way to get it and dozens of other books by me awaiting (or lacking) print editions.
Stay in touch and wish you Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
Tahnks for the prompt revert. Ihave been going thu some of the older comments and realise that there a lot of readers like me who are thirsting for more of your books.
, and maybe reflects some of the financial turmoil in Europe.
The stance of Penguin is really sad
It is upto us readers to make publishers realise that your books are appreciated and will be bestsellers if they reach a bigger audience by being published. I sincerely hope to see all your books in print soon!!
Like some of the other readers, i too prefer holding a book in my hand, especially the good ones!!Even though i read e-books but I prefer to own the hard copy of books which I consider worth preserving and your books are definitely in that category. I plan to add these to my collection for my children to read in future!!
Going through the earlier posts, I have also realised that perhaps the best way of supporting you is to subscribe to your e-books. I would definitely be doing that at the earliest oppurtunity, even though I have already read a lot of your books.
PS: I came accross a post where you offered a reader ‘SoS’ e-book for free, is that offer still available ??!!
PPS: while reading RS i thought that this could be made into a great movie series !!! what do u say??
Dear Prashant,
I feel the same way as you (or any other reader), I’m sure: I’ve just ordered a whole bunch of print books, hardcover and paperback, even though I already have the ebook editions on my Kindle. My policy is to try out a new series or author in ebook and if I really like him/her or the book, I then buy all his/her work in print. But often I’ll buy the ebook simply because of the convenience and speed: It used to take 3-4 days for me to get a brand-new hardcover just published in the US to be delivered via courier from Amazon (I’m a book addict, you see, and with a sizable budget for book buying). Now, with ebooks, I get it within a few seconds the very day (hour) it’s published and then later I order a paperback just for my collection. As I like to say, I’m not bookist, I read books for the content, not the packaging!
Yes, subscribing to ebooks helps make sure that the series are available years ahead of print publication – it’s definitely a major means of supporting me, no doubt, but since I do extremely well in print editions, ebooks actually help you, the reader, even more than me. The reason is that you get to read the books sooner. As an author, I get paid even if the publisher takes years to publish, you see. And as you’ll see on the website, even if you’ve read most of the the books already, there are dozens more you can’t possibly have read, and won’t be able to read in print for many years yet. So most definitely, do consider subscribing.
That particular free ebook offer is always open, especially for appreciative readers like yourself. It would also serve as a ‘sample’ for you. Am having SoS sent to your email ID. The AKB eBOOKS Support Team will assist you with any queries you have but my simple suggestion would be to download the appropriate Amazon Kindle app from Amazon.com and use it to read the file you’re being sent.
Stay in touch, and wish you Happy Reading!
Ashok
Hi Ashok
Just signed up to your Twitter feed and rediscovered your website, having previously been your FB friend. I was sad to read the correspondence between the journalist and yourself, but admire your stance towards him as you clearly have been cast as an outsider by the media, despite such productivity and sensitivity in your work. I bought Prince of Ayodhya in Delhi a few years ago, never actually believing I would read it (I thought I didn’t like “that” type of book!), however it was one of the best books I have read and now, finally, I’ve got round to ordering the next five on amazon today. I’m a solid book fan rather than eBooks, but think your e subscription is a great idea.
Keep up your amazing work – are you still posting your photos?
Best regards, Catherine
Hi Catherine,
Just replied to your kind tweet on Twitter. I tend to shut down early (and start early) but saw your comment and had to reply. Thank you for your kind words and support. I don’t think the print books are available on Amazon and if they are, they wouldn’t be the final (uncut) editions which are ebook-only now. The Indian editions would be the next best option, if you’re in India.
Not sure what you mean by photos – I do post a few on Twitter from time to time. Recently I had to migrate from a personal profile on FB to a public page and haven’t had time to re-post my pics on FB. I also have a Tumblr at ashokkbanker.tumblr.com for things that catch my eye but by and large, I prefer to communicate one-on-one (like this) rather than do the typical author website/book tour/promo thing as most authors do. It’s probably why I’m less media exposed than most authors but it’s also why I’m much more reader-approachable. Keep in touch and ask me anything. Most of all, Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Mr. Ashok Banker, I am T R Gopalakrishnan, editor in charge, The Week magazine, based in Cochin. This msg is only to thank yu for the great story telling of the ramayana, krishna and the ongoing MBA series. I cam across your books in the reverse order yu recommend, first the forest of stories, which I got by review, read and got totally hooked. Which only sunk in deeper as I read the Krishna series and the entire ramayana, including the two future history and the dasarajna. I am really looking forward to the next in the MBA series. These are all stories we have heard as children. But your books have really brought them to life. My congratulations and admiration in your conceptualising the epic India library.
I visit Mumbai often on work. Wonder if I could meet yu next time I am there. Not for an interview but just a chat and an opportunity to congratulate and thank yu personally. with regards. TRG
Dear Mr Gopalakrishnan,
Thank you for your email and for your kind words. They are hugely appreciated. I am truly happy you read and enjoyed my books and found such satisfaction in the experience. You’re very kind to have taken the time and effort to write to tell me your response.
However, as far as meeting personally, it would not be possible. It was an uphill task getting Indian publishers to even read my first attempts at mythology and from the very outset the Indian media, in particular the Indian English-language news media–which includes but is not limited to publications such as The Week, India Today, Outlook and similar publications–were either overtly hostile and dismissive of my efforts or completely ignored me for a long time. The Week once chose to feature me on its cover as a young novelist, back in the mid-1990s. But once my mythological retellings began, it chose to shun me completely for a decade. I was even told by one senior Week journalist, who shall remain unnamed, that they were under instructions not to even mention my name or my books.
I have no idea why I was shunned and ignored thus. Some used the excuse that it was because I was “North Indian” – I am an Anglo-Indian of British-Sri Lankan parentage, so am not sure how that makes me North Indian. Others because I am “Hindu” – I come from an Anglo-Indian Christian parentage and upbringing, and have never followed any religion or been associated with caste (my birth certificate says “Indian” in the place of Religion/Caste and I am not permitted to vote or hold a passport because I cannot provide the requisite religion/caste details in the mandatory forms – I also am not included in any Census for the same reason, as “Indian” is not recognized as a legitimate identity in this country. And yet, the media labelled me a “Hindu” and a “North Indian” and sought to blacklist me and my books for a great many years – information which I have received from numerous journalists who told me they were readers of my work but could not write about me for these reasons. I am also persona non grata at all literary events in the country and told that I can never be considered for any literary awards. These are only some of the restrictions imposed upon me, presumably as penalty for writing these apparently “Hindu” works. The fact that I am not a Hindu does not seem to matter.
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that I have great appreciation for your reading and enjoying my books but great distrust of your profession and the people in the media who influence public opinion through such publications. I hope you continue enjoying my works and wish you the very best personally.
Kind regards
Ashok
Dear Mr Ashok Banker,
Your msg is hot of the press news to me. I have lived in Cochin these past 30 years and been editor in charge of The Week for 22 years. I can assure yu that I have not issued any such directive. In fact, we have done many “Hindu” cover stories like Krishna, Shankaracharya and most recently on Shiva. So I guess I am in for some sleepless nights trying to figure this one out.
Not being even near the delhi/mumbia literary-media circles, shock and shame are my only reactions to what yu have said. Having read all your mythology, itihasa and two of the future history books (I am just getting started on your mumbai noir series) I am surprised at the reaction of the literary establishment. I remember the cover story yu mention. For myself, though I had not read any of your books earlier, I have always believed that yu are a respected author. I literally stumbled across your forest of stories and having read that, got hooked on the Itihasa, Ramayana (am baffled by ROR, book seven, despite having read it thrice) and Krishna series. That the response of the literary and media establishment has been so hostile to these books is baffling. Though, as time, people and circumstances change, I am sure this body of your work will get the recognition it deserves.
For me these books have been a great read and I eagerly look forward to the next books in the Krishna and MBA series, which I guess will begin to overlap somewhat now. Perhaps we will meet after my retirement, which is not long away, when I will no longer be a media person.
With regards.
TRG
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your response. I believe you when you say you had no part in this pogrom of collective bias – however, such a bias did and does exist and I know it because even reviewers have written in their published reviews that they received great criticism from colleagues for praising my work (this was in 2003 with regard to Prince of Ayodhya, the first book of the RS). Subsequently, the eloquent silence in the press about my work speaks for itself: I have read articles in The Week which mention the current resurgence in mythological retellings but completely bypass my name and works – the same applies to almost every publication with two notable exceptions, The Hindustan Times and The Hindu. The latter in particular has championed my work like nobody else has, I have no idea why. So have numerous Chennai and Bangalore based publications – a large number of my readership is based in the South of the country. But the Delhi brahmins have studiously tried their best to dismiss me outright. It’s only the sustained success of the books that has enabled me to overcome this brahminical bias and find success. Now, of course, thanks to readers accepting the work, and the recognition it has received from readers in India as well as worldwide, it is another story. Now, rarely a day goes by without some publication or TV channel calling me for an interview, requests to preside as chief guest, and similar contacts – with the rare exception such as The Week being notable of course. In fact, I can honestly say that The Week’s studious refusal to acknowledge my work has marked the magazine’s bias rather than affected me in any way – I know many readers who wonder why I am not featured in the magazine nor my work reviewed consistently. Even you say that you read a review copy of The Forest of Stories but I have no record of The Week every reviewing the book.
I wish you well but I’m sure you’ll agree that in my opinion, there is something amiss here and even if you claim not to be aware of the bias, it nonetheless exists. Thank you and all best. I consider this correspondence closed.
Best regards
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
Its a pleasure to e-meet you….and I sincerely apologise for the tardy response. We are currently working out session topics and issues to be discussed at the Forum and I wanted to speak with you when our plans had firmed up a bit….but we are still in discussions with our partners and have a few more rounds of meetings lined up before a tentative agenda takes shape.
To give you a little background…In its 4th year now, The Forum has become a hub of India’s most influential social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, philanthropists, investors, academics, government and media representatives who meet under a big tent to collectively advance the agenda of social entrepreneurship in the country. Built on a strong partnership model we are honored to have some of the world’s leading organizations and Institutes working with us. In the past few years, The Acumen Fund, Accenture, EdelGive Foundation, Elevar Equity, FSG Social Impact Consultants, Impact Investment Partners, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Intellecap, the Centre for Emerging Markets Solutions (CEMS) at the Indian School of Business, The Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Fuqua School of Business Duke University, Dasra and The Practice have partnered with us.
With the aim of pushing forward the agenda of building an ‘eco-system’ supportive of social entrepreneurship in India, the Forum seeks to promote strategies and solutions that address key barriers to scale and allow for acceleration of innovative social change models. The Forum has attracted some of the sharpest minds in the country and we have been privileged to have Dr. Nachiket Mor, President ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, Manish Sabharwal, Chairman and Co-founder Teamlease , Ajit Rangnekar, Dean, Indian School of Business, Dr. Vikram Akula, Founder and Chairperson SKS Microfinance, Prof Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Professor of Corporate Strategy & Jamuna Raghvan Chair, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Nagesh Kukunoor, Director, Script Writer and Actor, Harish Hande, Magsaysay awardee and M .D. Selco India, Mathew Nash, MD CASE at Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Prof. James Tooley, Author of “The Beautiful Tree”, Deep Joshi, Magsaysay awardee and Co-founder Pradan to name a few, address and interact with the delegates.
The Forum will be held at the Indian School of Business, Hyderbad on the 7th and 8th of December. Please do block these dates in your calendar. I will get back to you with more information once the agenda takes a more concrete shape.
Best,
Payal
______________________
Payal Randhawa
Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation
Khemka House
11, Community Center, Saket
N.Delhi – 110017
Ph – +91-11-46034809
http://www.khemkafoundation.org
Dear Payal,
Thank you for the information. Based on your description and details, I would have to politely decline your kind invitation. Thank you and wish you all the best,
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
In the first or second week of June, I had asked for correction of the epub version of Murder & Champagne ebook which had overlapping lines.Even though I did not get a response on this page,( My query subsequently disappeared from this page) the revised version was uploaded in the akbebooks site. Thanks for updated version of the book.
Since my query went unanswered, I believe the technical issues need to be written to akbebooks.I would request you to kindly indicate the link or email or forum to which such issues need to be sent to.
Thanks
Sreenath
Dear Sreenath,
Thanks for your comment. I didn’t see your earlier comment and can’t find it in the spam folder so it probably went straight to spam and got deleted routinely, not sure why. The correction of M&C was not a response to your comment, however, the first uploaded version was incorrectly formatted and was replaced almost immediately afterwards – AKB eBOOKS keeps updating and replacing ebooks as new editions are ready. Right now, we will be updating the ebooks of KC#4 and 5, to give you an example. It’s our endeavor to keep updating and improving constantly.
Yes, the technical issues do need to be addressed to akbebooks, not me – as the large bold font message says above. You can email any feedback to support AT akb ebooks DOT com or feedback AT akb ebooks DOT com. You can also leave your comments or suggestions on the forums as many members do.
Happy Reading!
Ashok
Hi! Ashok,
Hope you are well.
How can i find which books of the Krishna series and the MBA series are out in print ?
I already have the first two books of Krishna series, Slayer of Kamsa and Dance of Govinda – are their further books in print ?
And in MBA series any more in print after Forest of stories ?
Thanks
Pankaj
Hi Pankaj,
Unfortunately, there is no one place to find out which books in different series are in print as they are brought out by different publishers. Even I am reluctant to post a page listing them all as print books are frequently out of print, publishers are slow to reprint, some titles unavailable in some locations, out of stock in bookstores, and so on.
But I can confirm that the first three books of Krishna Coriolis are in print – Slayer of Kamsa, Dance of Govinda and Flute of Vrindavan – and have been available since last year. Two more books in the series will be released before 2012 end.
In Mba Series, The Forest of Stories is the only one in print so far. The Seeds of War will be released by this year end hopefully.
Of course, the ebook editions remain far ahead and now the majority of my work is ebook only at present. Print editions may or may not come out for all my work in time, or may take years.
Either way, Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Mr. Banker
I read ‘Prince of Ayodhya’ and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I did find certain events confusing (maybe someone has already mentioned these to you), for example on page 371 the text states “…Indra,leader of the devas, as well as Kartikeya and Ganesha, senapatis of the armies of devas,…” and then on page 375 “But Parvati was mindful of their need, and bore Siva a young son, Kartikeya. It was Kartikeya who went forth to put an end to the scourge of Tataka” and on page 376 “…union would yield another equally illustrious son, the mighty Ganesha”.
Since both, Kartikeya and Ganesha were born after the union of Shiva and Parvati, they could not have been senapatis fighting alongside Indra before their birth. Also if Kartikeya put an end to the scourge of Tataka, who is the Tataka in chapter twenty-one starting on page 465…is this a different ‘yakshi’?
Would greatly appreciate if you could clarify…this is not meant as a criticism just something that perturbed me a bit…massively enjoyed the read nevertheless. Best wishes and keep it up. Am currently visiting from Australia and would have loved to meet you but may only be here till the 1st week of July. BTW my contact no. here is 9765 200 748 in case you wish to get in touch.
Kind regards….shashidhar
Dear Shashidhar,
Thank you for your comments. Yes, this ‘contradiction’ is inherent in not only this chronology but in almost all Hindu puranas which offer at least two contradictory versions (often several) of each story. In this case, however, you’re presuming that’s the chronology whereas it’s not presented in the book in the manner you describe. Do reread the relevant passages and you’ll see that Kartikeya and Ganesh are first born and only then join Indra in the battles! As for Tataka, yes, there are at least two (many more in fact) asuras of that name referred to in contradictory accounts, but in this case, the history of the Tataka in question is clearly described. Do reread the passages carefully and it will all make sense.
Meeting is not possible but I do appreciate your kind invitation. I wish you happy reading and a safe journey back.
Ashok
quick Q – if the entire KC series has been submitted to publishers in 2011 (and i understand that they take a while to print publish the books), shouldn’t book 7&8 of KC be ready on the eBook version? or is getting the eBook version a separate process?
anyway, any pointers on when book 7 & 8 of KC are likely out in eBooks?
thanks
Hey Anand,
I’ll answer this one even though it’s actually a question best posed to akbebooks.com, not to me personally. Just this once:
Quick Answer: The last books were submitted in 2011, but the earlier ones were submitted in 2009 when the series was actually completed (2004-2009). As of now, they have Book 4 in editing for publication sometime this year.
AKB eBOOKS functions independently, using its own editors, etc, and as of now, Books 7 and 8 of KC are in the editorial queue. Based on the current backlog (23 ebooks awaiting editing/proofing/formatting etc) they will be added to the website by August or September latest. Right after Mba#3. By this year-end there will be a total of 50 ebooks available on akbebooks.com.
I’m also specifying the akbebooks.com website because these will NOT be available on Amazon or elsewhere – apart from a handful of titles, most AKB eBOOKS will only be available to website subscribers. This is mainly due to Amazon’s new taxation/fee structure, late payments, and high charges. We’re able to earn more selling 50 ebooks (1 Year Subscription) for $49 than selling the same 50 ebooks on Amazon at $10 each, can you believe that? That’s because most of the $500 would go to Amazon or the new US Tax Deductions they are claiming.
So in case you haven’t subscribed yet, you should consider doing it.
Ashok
thanks Ashok.
I am a happy First reader with annual subscriptions at akb ebooks and i look forward to the rest of KCs and MBAs. reason i had posted the Qs was that i vaguely remember the KC7 to have had an initial release date of April/May but now i see a lot more title releases being scheduled to go than i remember seeing at the beginning of the year. all good!
Can’t wait to see how you handle Abhimanyu’s demise, Karna’s final days and ofcourse Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna.
Anand
Hey Anand,
Of course you are! My bad.
Yes, instead of releasing all the books in any one series in a row, it seemed more sensible to alternate releases. But KC6 and 7 are in the pipeline, not to worry.
Just to correct you though: the incidents you’re referring to are part of the Mba Series, not KC. KC still has a major amount of Krishna’s own adventures left in 6 and 7 – in fact they’re the most action-packed ‘dark’ fantastical books in the entire series. Terrific stuff but nothing to do with the Kuru-Pandava storyline apart from occasional references.
Ashok
got it.
have, with supreme self-control, resisted the urge to start on MBA until i finish the KCs.
thanks.
Anand
Dear Mr. Banker,
I am writing from Cochin, Kerala. Am a huge fan of your writing. So if my friend. I guess you could say that she’s crazier about your books than I ever have been. Um… we run an organization that promotes reading. Under which we run http://www.ReadersWeb.com
I have a request. I would like to gift her a meeting with you. Before I say anything else, I would like to know if you encourage such things…
Thank you for your time,
Casey.
(Fingers and toes crossed.)
Dear Casey,
Am still managing to log in so saw your comment here (and on the AKB eBOOKS Facebook Page. Thank you for the very kind words. Your website is lovely. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.
I don’t have a policy about meeting – in fact, I’m probably the most accessible author around. But since you’ve mentioned Kerala, that would pose a problem. I’m based in Mumbai. Could you give me some more details? Is your friend based in Kochi or Mumbai, what do you mean exactly by ‘gift her a meeting’ and most of all, it might actually be better to wait for me to do a reading or talk where I could meet her (or both of you). I will admit that I get more requests to meet than are practical to say yes too – so generally I try to steer them into my next or nearest event, whenever that may be.
You really should uncross those fingers and toes now – I’m worried about you’re going to walk, or even type!
Ashok
Hi,
Awesome!
If you give a go ahead to a date sometime, we’ll come to Mumbai.
Obv, want this to be a surprise for her. Don’t know if it’d be too much to ask, but an evening with you would be great. In Mumbai of course. We’ll get there somehow.
Casey.
———
Hi Casey,
I can’t commit to meeting in person, only because I get far too many requests, enough that I would be meeting readers/people all day long if I agreed. As for making an exception, it’s impossible to justify meeting one reader and not others.
But I do hope you can make it for my next book event, wherever and whenever that might happen. (I’ll admit they’re infrequent but at least that’s a chance to meet me in person if you wish.) And even if we don’t meet, do keep in touch and I wish you both Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Mr. Banker
I have read through some of the comments here, and just wanted to confirm something: Is the print edition of ‘Sons of Sita’ never going to come out? I’m not too comfortable with reading e-books, and hence have been waiting for the print edition for long now. I have the entire Ramayana series in print and would have loved to complete the set.
Regards
Swagat Sinha
Dear Swagat,
The AKB eBOOKS initiative was not meant to be an alternative to print books, it was the only way for me to release a number of books that were written and lying unpublished for years. This short note will explain further. Sons of Sita was completed in 2005 and the publisher chose not to release it – even the earlier books were released years after completion. In fact, since I am no longer publishing with Penguin, they have put the earlier Ramayana Series books out of print and the first seven books will no longer be available in the market.
But there’s good news!
I have now reached an arrangement to finally release Sons of Sita in a print edition. You’ll be glad to hear that and yes, you will be able to finally complete the set – though the format will be different from the earlier books at least readers like yourself will be able to hold it in your hands and read the very fitting conclusion to the series.
As for my other books, many of which are pending publication since 2005 or even longer, I’m afraid that most of them will be ebook-only at present. As I said, this is not my choice (or your and other readers’ choice) simply the way publishing works today. I’m lucky that so many of my books are published in print and sell so very well at least, such as my Krishna Coriolis and Mahabharata Series which are all bestsellers.
Ashok
Hey Ashok
How’s it going? Good I hope.. I seem to have this on and off conversations with you periodically about your books and what not.. Before I get into my actual query, have a bit of a gripe with you again about your facebook account… Again you seem to have un-friended me *stabs heart in depression* on facebook. Ahh i’m just kidding, i seem to go off this facebook sabbaticals so nothing out of place
Anyways boring topics aside, i really want to get myself reading books again. However i cant seem to get around to kick starting things again. Well just got myself an iphone *stares at bank statment in further depression* and want to start reading your books on them. So before i go and procure a yearly account. I wanted to know the following
1. If i go and take an account with you, i will have to physically download the books on my pc and be able to transfer it to my ibook and read it.. correct? Please confirm
2. I also plan to take an ipad in the near future, so wanted to know those same downloaded files can be transferred to the ipad and read (don’t worry, i don’t plan to share it with my neighbors) or is it that that i will have to buy another account for doing it)
3. Are these books (the ones i download) going to be for life (if i say don’t use the account after year) or is it that these book have a e-shelf life?
4. How many books are you expecting to release within the next one year?
5. Do you accept cards on the website?
Do let me know
Regards
Edgar Theodore
Hey Edgar,
I have no idea what’s going on with the Facebook thingie – as you know, I’ve accepted your friend request at least thrice that I recall. I did wonder how come you never interact or post or even click like on my posts there – from what you say about your ‘sabbaticals’ maybe that has something to do with it? Anyway, you know you can always reach me so many other ways – Twitter, here, etc.
Your questions on the AKB eBOOKS website can all be answered if you visit the website. If you have any further queries, do email the website email ID (mentioned clearly on the front page there) and they’ll be happy to answer and guide you further.
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
Downloaded and finished the Ten Kings over the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed ever page of it. Good to see some of the lesser known stories in Indian history/mythology come to life with so much detail.
Regards,
Rahul
Thank you, Rahul, sorry for the late response. The edition of TEN KINGS is being updated to include some minor typo-corrections as well as an Introduction by me – you’ll get the AKB eBOOKS Newsletter informing you when the new edition is online. Keep reading and thanks for your support!
Ashok
Hey Ashok,
Have you managed to come out with the SoS print copy yet? I had paid for a copy (last Jan I think), but you had some problems printing it.
If not, is it possible for me to use the amount for some other book?
Regards,
Sandeep
Hi Sandeep,
From your comment, I’m assuming that you missed all the many emails over the past two years (it was three years ago, in 2009 that SoS was to come out in print) as well as the new website, ebooks, etc! At the end of 2010, I offered all those who had pre-ordered SoS 2 copies of Slayer of Kamsa instead, or a refund. Almost everyone took the SoK copies instead, with a few never replying – like yourself. I no longer offer print copies or signed print copies of my books – too complicated, too many courier/delivery hassles. It’s all ebooks only now. So if you’ll give me your online account details, I’ll transfer the refund to you asap. (I’ll edit them out so they don’t get posted here of course, not to worry.) AKB eBOOKS doesn’t sell individual ebooks so I can’t offer you an ebook in exchange either but you’re due a refund and will get it.
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
Thanks for the reply and sorry for the delay in my replying. I did get your emails, but I kept on hoping that some day you might print SoS
Is it possible that if I order a few ebooks, the money can be adjusted there, and I’ll pay the balance?
I saw some of your Krishna books in Crossword and so I thought you were back to printing, and hence the question.
Hi Sandeep,
Let me try to clear up your confusion.
Print editions are published by my publishers – HarperCollins India bring out the Krishna Coriolis Series, Westland brings out the Mahabharata Series. That hasn’t changed. AKB eBOOKS is an ebook-only bookstore which is owned by me and doesn’t bring out any print editions at all. The limited signed edition of SoS was an experiment that didn’t work out.
Take a look at akbebooks.com – we only offer 1 Year Website Subscriptions. Not sure what you mean by ‘a few ebooks’ but if you want the payment for SoS adjusted against a subscription, sure that’s definitely doable.
Whatever you decide, do keep in touch and wish you many many hours of Happy Reading!
Ashok
Hi Ashok – I hope this message find you well. We last exchanged words a few months back, regarding the books for my two sons Arjun and Yash. You mentioned you were close to having a solution in place, but did not hear back anything since.
Hoping you have some good news for me!
Kind Regards
Mitul
Hi Mitul,
Yes, of course I remember. You’ve been most patient and understanding. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to return your payment as I don’t seem to be able to get past certain difficulties I’ve had in printing and getting the copies to you. Please let me know how I can send you back the money and the amount I would owe you.
Ashok
My son Arjun was critically ill over the last 2 months mnth with encephalitis, he is doing better now, but he certainly lived up to his name! I was really hoping this would be something I would have been able to give him.
Please don’t worry about the money, after over 2 years, I don’t even recall how much it was I sent you! If you do find a way, I’ll be waiting, if not do not worry.
Regards
Mitul.
Mitul,
I’m truly sorry to hear about your son. So glad to hear he’s doing better. I don’t recall the amount either. I’ll still owe you the money or the books though I no longer feel certain of being able to print them. I’m afraid that the vagaries of the publisher (in this case Penguin) have compelled me resign myself to the books only being available in ebook. If and when that situation changes, I will make sure the first copies are reserved for Arjun and Yash. May they both be well and stay well.
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
Just finished reading the “Forest of Stories” – first part of the MBA series. I am a Sikh and this book gave me a remarkable insight into the origins of the Mahabharata and humankind. Congratulations on this great effort – I look forward to reading the second part of the MBA series.
Since reading the book, I have had queries in my mind which are not directly related but you might have the answers given the deep research that you do -
1. Having explained how the world/universe or the being came into existence including the Devas, Rakshasas etc, i have been wondering how and when did the other religions such as Islam and Christianity came into being – if the origins of the world and of mankind have been documented ( and referred to in the Forest of Stories), where did these branch out?
2. Have you come across any reference to the current Yug – Kalayuga – and while we get to experience its nature and characteristics, is there still existence of the Devas, Rakshasas etc in human form even in this Yuga?
3. Is there any prescription for leading life in the Kalayuga – are there still people who possess the “daivi” shaktis through penance etc which find so much mention in the Yugas gone by
warm Regards,
Amandeep
Dear Amandeep,
Thank you for the very kind words. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the second book even more – and as you can imagine, the story only gets better with each passing book as the ‘main story’ only starts with the Pandavas being born at the end of the third book and when the conflict with their cousins begins.
Your questions are fascinating. I’m sorry to say I have no answers for you. Perhaps such questions are essentially unanswerable. And perhaps, as the greatest philosophers say, it’s our job to ask the questions, not answer them: just asking the questions is enough.
Happy Reading!
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
First of all, congratulations on your writing. I’m an admirer of your work. I have just begun reading the Krishna Coriolis series and have finished the first 3 books.
I understand that the 4th book in this series Lord of Mathura is available as an eBook. I’m wondering if a hard copy has been published already or if not, when it is scheduled to be published? I’m looking forward to buying the book when it hits the stands.
Thanks for your response
Ramya
Hi Ramya,
Thank you for the kind words. Glad you enjoy the books so much and took the time and effort to write in! It’s always appreciated.
All 8 books in the KC Series were submitted to the publisher over the past few years, with the last being submitted in 2011. I do know they are trying their best to bring out the rest of the series as quickly as possible but as of now I don’t have any concrete publication dates to offer. There’s usually a gap of anywhere from 3 to 12 years between my completing a book or series and it’s eventual publication. That’s the main reason why I started offering ebooks via my own website: http://www.akbebooks.com At present, the first 6 books in the KC Series are available there and the last 2 will be available there in the next few months. Buying the ebooks actually helps support my writing directly (buying a print book supports the publisher, retailers and distributors as well, but only 10% of that money actually goes to the author) and it’s thanks to AKB eBOOKS that I’ve been able to go ahead with several books and series that publishers were either slow or non-enthusiastic about at first.
Whatever way you choose to read my work, I wish you Happy Reading!
Ashok
Dear Ashok Ji,
Greetings from Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram.
I want to invite you to write a book on some unique content which we will provide to you and which have not been published before regarding our ashram and His Holiness Asharam Bapuji.
Following is a brief about us:
1) For the last 45 years the effulgent spiritual wealth of India, His Holiness Asharamji (endearingly called ‘Bapu’) has been travelling across the length and breadth of India imparting spiritual knowledge to awaken the masses.
2) More than 390 Ashrams, 1400 “Shri Yog Vedanta SEVA Samities” in India and Abroad which are doing self-less Altruistic activities under guidance of Asharamji Bapu.
3) Millions of followers world-wide.
4) Till now we have published 370 books in 12 languages.
5) More than 20 Lac subscribers of Rishi Prasad (spiritual monthly publication),for more information visit
6) Views of Dignitaries about Pujya Asharamji Bapu:
7) Views of some international people about Bapuji:
8) Official website of Our organisation: http://ashram.org (website gets around 2 million page views every month and 72% of user-base is from age group 15-35 )
9) Life-Sketch Documentary made by DOORDARSHAN – for example : part-1
10) Books and Publications on AMAZON , for example :
11) Dedicated 24 hours Internet Channel named “Mangalmay” .
12) 10 Satellite channels show Bapuji’s satsang every day.
13) In year 2011 Pujya Bapuji did 210 satsang programs.
Please let me know how can we move forward.
You can contact me on [numbers and web links edited out as per policy].
Looking forward for a long relationship.
–
Best Wishes !!
Krishnapal Singh
“If you attach your MIND to anything except GOD, you must WEEP in the end” : His Holiness Asharamji Bapu.
Dear Krishnapal Ji,
Thank you for your message and for the detailed briefing.
I would have to decline your kind offer as I do not take on commissioned assignments of any kind, regardless of the fee, the content or the medium. I only work on my own books and my Epic India Library is a Lifetime Writing Plan which will most likely require the rest of my limited life span to complete if I am to do justice to it. Therefore I must respectfully turn down all offers and proposals without further discussion.
Thank you and wish you all the best,
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
I had subscribed to Future History, Mumbai Noir, Mahabharatha & Krishna series last year and used to get the ebooks on mail.
I was trying to access the Mumbai Noir & Future History sections on the akbebooks website after logging in. I could not get access to the books and could not get access to Murder & Champagne; Ten Dead admen, Bombay times, Flesh Songs.
When I tried the Future History link . I got a message :”Available exclusively to AKB eBOOKS Website Subscribers.”
Is there any change in the subscription type I had enrolled or anything I am missing?
Thanks
Sreenath
Dear Sreenath,
Thanks for the inquiry. Like a handful of other AKB eBOOKS Subscribers, you seem to have missed all our email updates over the past several months (since last October). We moved from email to website-only last November. Due to inactivity, your account was automatically locked by the system. We’ve unlocked it now and you should be able to access the full website freely and read or download all available ebooks. As mentioned in one of the previous email updates, all Mba Series subscribers were automatically upgraded to First Readers. You can find out more by visiting the First Readers page on the AKB eBOOKS website. Wish you many hours of Happy Reading!
PS: In future, if you have any issues with the website, do drop a line to the support email given there and it will be dealt with. AKB eBOOKS is an independent website not handled solely by me.
Ashok
Dear Ashok,
I think I did not communicate correctly. I have been accessing the ebooks site regularly. I am even aware of the upgrade to first readers.
I just wanted to know if the following books were available on the site
1.Murder & Champagne;
2.Ten Dead admen,
3.Bombay times,
4.Flesh Songs.
My earlier subscription details were as follows
Subscription: 1 Year akbebook member Subscription Status: Active
Subscription Expiry: Until Cancelled
Now this has been changed to the following
Subscription: 1 Year Website Subscription
Subscription Status: active
Subscription Expiry: November 24, 2012.
I would request you to revert my membership status to earlier one itself.
Thanks
Sreenath
Dear Sreenath,
The upgrade to 1 Year Website Subscription was an attempt by AKB eBOOKS to give you greater access. But at your request I have asked the AKB eBOOKS Team to downgrade you back to your earlier status.
The website menus and features have changed recently: All available ebooks on the website are now displayed in the front page carousel and mentioned as New Release, coming soon, etc. If an ebook is not displayed, it’s not available.
As I’m not personally in charge of all aspects, I’d request you once more to kindly contact support@akbebooks.com with further service queries. This Readerswrite page is meant for feedback on my books! Besides, the team at AKB eBOOKS is better placed to help you with these technical queries.
Ashok
Hi
Would be nice to know when the part 4, 5 and 6 of Krishna Coriolis will hit the stores… Could not get an update on this from anywhere… Tnx…
Regards
Deepak
Hi Deepak,
All 8 parts of KC were completed and submitted to the publisher over the past three years – the last was submitted over a year ago (and written almost four years earlier). I do know they are working on editing Books 4 and 5 right now so hopefully they should be out within this year itself.
If you wish, you can consider subscribing to my website and reading the ebooks. Books 4, 5 and 6 have been up for months and Books 7 and 8 will be released in the next three months. (PS: You can subscribe if you wish at http://www.akbebooks.com) Whatever your choice, I wish you Happy Reading!
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
In the Forest of Stories, on page 108/235 (first/second page of Chapter Four), there seems to be a mismatch. It is first stated that the offerings at the new moon are for the devas and those at the full moon for the ancestors. A couple of lines below, the text says that on the day of the new moon the ancestors, and the day of the full moon the devas eat through the sacred ghee that is offered.
Is this an oversight? I think I caught a couple more as well in The Seeds of War. Is there any email where I can report them?
Also, waiting eagerly for the next ebook of the MBA – hope I get to read it soon (almost through with The Seeds of War). Can’t wait for the tale to proceed further.
Thanks,
Rishabh
Hi Rishabh,
Thanks for pointing out those errors. Will pass them on to the Westland editors to correct in future editions.
There was a legal hitch holding up release of the further volumes in the Mba Series. It’s been sorted out now but the paperwork is taking its own sweet time coming. As of now, I wish I could tell you exactly when The Children of Midnight will be out but the only practical thing to say is “soon”. Meanwhile, if you’re a subscriber to the website, there are plenty of other new AKB eBOOKS being released constantly, at about the rate of one every week. Happy Reading!
Ashok
PS: Due to copyright restrictions and the same legal (copyright-related hassle) hitch, all titles in the Mba and other series will not be available on Mahabharata to all readers – it will depend on which country you’re logging in from as Amazon detects IP addresses and changes product pages and pricing accordingly. So I wouldn’t count on getting all your AKB eBOOKS via Amazon or anywhere else, unfortunately. I only have control over http://www.akbebooks.com
Thanks for your response Ashok. No worries about Amazon – I am a subscriber to akbebooks, so will look forward to the next in the MBA series being posted there, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Regards,
Rishabh
Ashok,
Isn’t Angad son of Bali ? In your ramayana series, Angad is described as the son of Sugreeva. Or am I mistaken?
Regards,
Ashok
Hi Ashok,
Angad was the son of Vali. But when Vali went away and did not return for years, Vali’s brother Sugreeva took over Vali’s wife and son, and by law, they became his wife and son. (There was no concept of ‘step’ or ‘foster’ son or daughter or wife or anything in those days.) Then Vali returned and reclaimed his right to the kingdom, his wife and his son. But because it was Sugreeva who brought up Angad, Angad regarded Sugreeva as his rightful father and supported Sugreeva’s claim to the throne.
In those days, things were literal. A brother’s son was your son. E.g. Shrutakirti and Mandavi were Sita’s cousins yet we know them as her sisters. Similarly, Sita herself was adopted yet she was considered Janak’s daughter. So was Krishna considered to be Drupad’s daughter, hence named Draupadi. Bharat, Shatrugan, Rama and Lakshman were all considered brothers even though they had three different mothers, and they were all considered Dasaratha’s legal sons and heirs even though it was Rysarynga who performed the fertility ‘ritual’ which resulted in their birth. Similarly, Vyasa was the biological father of Dritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura but Dritarashtra and Pandu were nonetheless considered sons of Vichitravirya and Chitrangada while Vidura, being born of the maid, had no claim to the throne. And so it went.
Once a man accepted another’s child as his son or daughter, he became his son or daughter, period. There was no grey area in those days. Hope that clarifies your doubt?
Ashok