My review
It’s been very long since I read a book written by an Indian author. And when I got the opportunity to read this, I took it with great expectations and eagerness.
The story goes like this, the sacred Dravidian Tribe, one of the most ancient tribes living in India, has protected the SanJeewani plant, since the time, when the Gods lived on this earth. The plant has miracle life-saving effect, so with modern life being as it is, the Dravidians decide to pass on their traditional knowledge to be used for greater good in saving the life of every living being. The pharmaceutical companies who promised to do that initially, show their true money grabbing colours later. And to fight them, we have the hero, Arjun whose brain is as sharp as his temper. And the twists in the story occur…
The author, Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala, has taken his experiences as an IP attorney and used it to bring about this legal thriller between the ancient generous ways of the tribe and the modern money-minded pharma companies. His main character, a lawyer for the underdogs, Arjun, is a brilliant, young and blind, yet he does not allow this disability to erode his work, in fact, he uses it to his advantage at some points in the book. Arjun is accompanied by his wife Shreya, an intelligent researcher, paralegal, his assistant Jose and his dog Neo. I loved the camaraderie between these three; they provide relief when the court scenes become tensed.
It is nice when an author understands the Indian mythology and uses this knowledge in his book, giving it a modern twist. Such a book becomes a great amalgamation of the old with the new. The SanJeewani herb with its life saving properties, which every Hindu has read about in the Holy book of Ramayana, is well recapitulated in the prologue. To bring this SanJeewani plant into the story as the crux of the legal fight is a great idea by the author.
The author, Dr. Kalyan, has also delved in extreme detail into the workings of the pharmaceutical companies and their profit only attitude. It is well known how they use underhand techniques to get the product and patent it in their name, and Dr. Kalyan has taken great pains in keeping this story authentic to their ways.
The first courtroom scene in the special IP Court which introduces Arjun is hilarious and the wackiness of the plot brings an instant smile. These pages go on to show Dr. Kalyan’s sardonic and witty humour, with which he has penned his words.
There are some niggles, the book uses a lot of legal terms regarding patents and trademarks and the laws governing them, so it becomes a little difficult to understand those parts. Also the flashback scenes which occur do not have a time line so it is confusing initially when the story goes back and forth.
Being a legal thriller, I expected only courtroom scenes but this book has adventures in the valley, running from danger, hiding in caves, a secret garden, secret passages and tunnels along with snipers and warriors with bows and arrows. This book is the perfect combination of the ancient with modern and at 179 pages, it can be read in a single go in a couple of hours. Well, that’s what I did…
My rating : 3.5 stars
About the Author
Dr. Kalyan is a renowned IP attorney, professor and author from Bangalore, India. He works with BananaIP (BIP) Counsels, a leading IP firm in the country. He also teaches at premier institutions such as IIMB, NLSIU and IIMS.
Book blurb
The Dravidian tribe in the Western Ghats holds the key to ancient knowledge capable of redefining the fundamentals of modern medicine. When an army of Bio Pirates descend on them, the warrior tribe is faced with an adversary that must be taken down at all costs to avoid complete destruction. The last weapon in the Dravidian arsenal is Arjun Mamidi, a young, blind lawyer.
Can Arjun save the Dravidians and their invaluable knowledge from impending doom? Or will the knowledge and the men guarding be lost forever?
Product Details
Publication date : 24th October 2017
Publisher : Self
Language : English
Available on Amazon India and Amazon USA; free on Kindle Unlimited
Legal fight for ancient Ayurveda
49 Responses
Wow, this book sounds fascinating! Thanks for sharing!
Heyyy.. How are you? Yp the book is good, fast paced.
How’s life?
I’m good! Life is slow and chill. I have a meeting with my in laws coming up so I’m a little nervous, but it should go well 🙂 over here there’s been the start of snow so its beautiful and relaxing. You?
I am ok, just the usual routine. Don’t worry… Meeting in laws is daunting but has to be done… And think of something fun to do after the meeting… 😉
Ooh, what a great idea! I haven’t thought much farther as it will be late into the evening and I tend to just fixate upon events… maybe I will play a video game afterwards. Haha, I am a terrible gamer. I couldn’t fight my way out of a paper bag in a game, that’s how terrible I am at their puzzles. Do you game at all?
Video games?? I have heard of them, never played them. I think my hand eye coordination is pathetic. Hahaha. I haven’t even seen anyone playing
Then we would be a matching pair, haha. Many people around where I live were raised with videogames, so adults are expected to have a certain level of skill… Let’s say I don’t have it haha. They are also quite the waste of time though. On another note, thanks for the encouragement with the in laws! Its not my first time meeting them, but I’m not sure that nervousness ever really goes away with in laws. There’s just something about the role that’s… Daunting?
Hahaha… You are with their baby so they would appear daunting… That’s their job.
Everytime I am tensed about something, I plan some fun things for myself afterwards so that there is something to look forward to.
Just be yourself, that’s all you can ever do with in laws. They have got to like you. They have no choice 😉😉
Aww, thanks!
Good luck!
:)!
What is this. I don’t see YouTube
I don’t see YouTube video
I don’t have YouTube
Alpesh I don’t see YouTube video at all. I have shut off YouTube on my phone
💖😋
Thanks
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
Thank you Michael
👍
Thank you Kurian… It’s been a while since I saw you
Yes my favourite blogger
sounds pretty good!
Thanks Jay, yp it’s good and it’s a fast read
now these are the kind of stories which i love the most. nice review by the way
Ayya… This is a very old review… Yes, I got to know the author. He is a great man. I am waiting to see what he writes next.
to day i was just free and so wanted to read some reviews so i had searched reviews given for thrillers and your review for this book was the second one so that was how i found you again.
Hahaha thank you so much. That’s so nice of you
your welcome ,just killing some time reading reviews and trying to find some readers.
Readers for what??
Ahhhh readers for priority. I posted 10 chapters of priority. Good or bad I am writing something and trying to get some feedbacks or suggestions so that I can improve writing. I try to find readers when I find time. Recently from some post I learnt in WordPress we need to find the readers. I mean chase them catch them lol.
Send me first chapter of priority in word format on my email
OK. But there are more dilogues and of course I am trying my best to reduce them, is it OK.
Yes send first chapter
In word format not pdf
Yeah got it.
OK I am in a meeting now, will mail you in an hour OK.
Ok
Word format it is.
Ok
Thank you
😇😇
Chatting with me from your meeting, is it allowed??
yeah it is ,i specially have a habit of sleeping in meetings and so i do something intersting espcially when i am at the meeting sitting at the last.
Hahaha good answer
mail sent
Not received. Sent you fb request
Got it