Falguni's Blog: The Secret of God's Son by Usha Narayanan (Book Tour)

Author Interview:

1) Top 3 things readers should know about Pradyumna

Though he is the son of god, Pradyumna is as mortal as we are and must overcome his weaknesses if he wishes to attain his goal. As he journeys from the asura palace to Dwaraka and then to Yamaloka, Kailasa and Vaikunta, he discovers more about himself, inspiring us too to elevate ourselves. He evolves painfully and gradually into an ideal husband, father, son and leader of his people.

Second, Pradyumna is Kama, the god of love reborn on earth. His life and his love for his warrior queen Maya make these books as much a romance as a thriller or myth. We see how Maya acts as a galvanizing force that inspires him to achieve his goals. In a world soaked in blood and evil, Pradyumna brings hope that love can vanquish evil and even transcend death.

Third, Pradyumna is set off in contrast to his half brother Samba. Though both are sons of Krishna, they choose their own paths, the former towards the gods and the latter towards the demons. While Pradyumna struggles to overcome his base impulses, Samba revels in them. Their lives shine a light on dharma and karma and offer us a simple philosophy that we can live by.

2) Which is your favourite scene in the book and why? Please give a short excerpt.

It is very difficult to choose just one scene as the whole book was written with fierce passion and conviction. Finally, I chose the scene given below where a mortal takes on the fiercest of gods in order to save his people, disregarding the price he may have to pay:

The choleric Shiva neared Pradyumna, his eyes blazing, the emerald serpents on his body hissing at the foolish mortal who stood before them. The warrior wondered if he should run, escape to his own world. But where could he hide from the god of gods? Even if Shiva let him flee, would he be able to live with himself after he had failed so miserably? Did he want to be known as the leader who could not lead, the redeemer who could not redeem his people?

Do all your actions as a sacrifice for the greater good, said Krishna’s voice in his head.

He saw Shiva raise his trident.

Fear nothing, fight for dharma and you will conquer, the voice said again.

Pradyumna crushed the fear that threatened to overwhelm his mind. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he lifted his head and raised his voice in challenge. ‘I will not give up,’ he declared, his face set in grim resolve. ‘I will stay the course even if you threaten me with your trident, mighty god.’

3) What is your inspiration behind this series?

I have always liked the name Pradyumna and chose the name Vir Pradyumna for the hero of my first book, ‘The Madras Mangler’. Then I chanced upon Krishna’s son Pradyumna, unknown to me until then. I delved into our epics looking for more information on him. His life is tumultuous, his separation from his beloved Rati in a previous life is tragic. And as I researched his past lives, I was fascinated by his many exploits and misadventures. After assimilating all that I could find about him, I gave my imagination free rein to build upon the few facts that were available. My journey took me from musty libraries to the sacred shores of Somnath and the magical temples of Pancha Dwaraka, the five cities associated with Krishna. The canvas was so immense and inspiring that ultimately it took not one but two books to tell it all!

4) Give readers a short synopsis of this series. Are there more books to come in the series?

‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’ begins with the story of Vama, the pampered prince in an asura court who is unaware that he is Krishna’s son, snatched from his cradle at birth. We follow him as he evolves from being a reluctant warrior to the mighty Pradyumna who takes on demons and his own half brother Samba to perpetuate his father’s teachings and his memory. Finally comes his battle with the deathless Kali demon, master of the last yuga and the personification of evil. On this battle hinges the fate of humanity.

There are many fascinating characters in these two books and perhaps I could take my inspiration further and continue this series. I will await feedback from my readers and reviewers before deciding.

5) You are a writer who writes in multiple genres. Which is your favourite genre and why?

Even as a reader, I range far and wide. I like thrillers written by Lee Child, Joseph Finder, Gillian Flynn and Stieg Larsson. I am fascinated by prolific romance writers like Georgette Heyer, Danielle Steele and Nora Roberts. I browse avidly through Cassandra Clare and Brian Weiss as well. The different genres appeal to different instincts. A thriller keeps my brain cells fizzing while a romcom pushes my emotional buttons. A myth, perhaps my favourite, makes me delve deep within and also soar high to unravel the secrets of life and death.

However, having escaped the danger of being stereotyped, I hope to continue exploring varied genres!

About the Book:

Blurb

‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’

With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga.

It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.

Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm?

In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity!

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About the author

USHA NARAYANAN

Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015.

When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com

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Media mentions

Praise for Pradyumna: Son of Krishna:

“Usha Narayanan has taken a quantum leap . . . to the outright spine-tingling narrative from the leaves of a time before. This book is Indian writing coming of age" Femina

"Like the best of our mythological tales, this too, is a multilayered one . . .There is valour, there is cowardice, there is glory, there is shame, there is sex, lies and deception" The Hindu

"This engrossing tale takes readers on a mythological saga" Times of India

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