BATTLE OF PALANADU: AN EPIC OF LOYALTY AND BETRAYAL (Lions of Palanadu) by Madhu Latha S
My take on the book:
Balachandra was presumed abducted/dead as a child by his parents Brahma Naidu and Lalithamba until they met him as a twenty-year-old. King Malideva is eagerly waiting to get back his share of the kingdom from his elder brother King Nalagama but Narasinga cannot let go of his final opportunity to grab the throne; Nagamma Devi has been waiting to avenge Brahma Naidu all her life. When diplomacy fails and misunderstandings take hold, the Battle of Palanadu happens; how Balachandra’s destiny is tied to this epic battle forms the rest of the story.
This is the second part after the Lions of Palanadu book and begins where the first part ended, the moment when Brahma Naidu and his wife encountered their estranged son Balachandra. While the previous book already hinted at the inevitable Palanadu war, the reader will be intrigued to know what led to it, who fought against whom and the devastating final outcome.
The narrative begins with the backstory of how Balachandra, the only son of Brahma Naidu, went missing as an infant; the child who was born after years of waiting and desperate prayers by his parents. The initial chapters are centered around Balachandra, the prophecy he was born with, how and why he went missing, his marriage to Manchala, his life with the courtesan Sabai. It is also interesting to read about the role he plays in the battle.
The first book revolved more around Brahma Naidu, who takes a back seat in this part, as his son emerges as the central figure. Nagamma Devi continues to be the character that drives the story with her sharpness and ability to twist facts in her favor. This part also narrates the backstory of Brahma Naidu’s childhood and his initial conflict with Nagamma Devi though from her perspective. The actual battle and the events leading up to it are well narrated by the author.
I wish some of the sections were better edited as few parts have repeated dialogues and emotions dragging the pace. Also, there is no dedicated recap of the first book or mention of the earlier events by the author. This results in the reader picking this part standalone miss on the context from the first part. Hence, anyone reading this part needs to first read book one to understand the entire story.
I liked the ending of the book with the introduction of the new character Pratap Rudra and hopefully there are more books in this series to continue this story. A story of pride and honour, Battle of Palanadu is a must read for fans of historical fiction.
My rating:
4/5.