ASTRA: The Quest for Starsong
- Author: Aditya Mukherjee, Arnav Mukherjee
- Genre: Fantasy
- Reading level: 11+ years
- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Puffin (25 May 2019)
- Language: English
BLURB as on Goodreads
The balance of the world is askew.
The winds speak of a terror from the south. Ravana, the Lord of Lanka, is on the march. Seers whisper that he has awakened Starsong, a mythical Astra of the gods. And that he thirsts for this weapon that will make him invincible.
But there is one thing that he hasn’t considered. Up high in the glistening tower of the city of Ulka is a boy, held captive.
Today is the day Varkan, the young prince of Ashmaka will taste freedom. Today is the day he will lay claim to his destiny as the wielder of Starsong. And along the way, perhaps he will change the destiny of the world itself.
A gripping tale of Astras and Astra wielders which will take you along so many empires and kingdoms vying to keep the weapon safe in the hiding because none except celestials could bear it. Ravana who is already in possession of the Pushpak Vimana is all set to find the Astra, the bearer of which could go mad, the Starsong. Varkan, prince of the land of falling stars, is a young boy who is given the charge of keeping the Astra safe. In the journey, he comes across unforeseeable circumstances. Would he be able to save it from going into the hands of Ravana to wreak destruction?
A fast-paced story of a young boy who acquires the power of the notorious Astra forms the backbone of this book. Written in a lucid language and simple tone, the book has moral lessons to be learned behind its plotline. The book highlights the importance of keeping a powerful weapon safe and away from the wrong hands so that its effect isn’t drawn towards the darkness. The story has characters who are young children, namely Varkan and Tara, who fight against the evil powers to bring good to their world. Their indefatigable spirit is worth reading and admiring. The way in which Varkan conquers the voice of the Astra and frees himself is inspiring. That teaches that one must have full control over one’s powers. Also, the character of the elephant Daboo who symbolized the value of loyalty and friendship is amazing. What interested me was the relation of fantasy fiction to the mythological tales we have been listening to since our childhood. Moreover, the simplicity of the language had its own share in letting me wind through the book in a single go. Children would definitely find reading it enjoyable because there is good and evil, monsters, gypsies, sorcerers, magic, and adventure which would keep the young thriller freaks hooked to their seats.
Overall, the book was a nice reading experience for me.
MY RATING: 4/ 5
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