Once in a while, an author manages to captivate you so completely that you are drawn into the world they've created without even noticing. You open the pages of the book, and the next thing you know you're on page 100, two hours have passed, and you've no recollection of when you started reading.
What's truly amazing is that you don't even feel like you've been reading. It feels like there is an external voice whispering the story in your ear and the only effort required on your part is to listen. There's no fighting to understand what the author means, or feeling of being spoon-fed information in order to lead you to some inevitable outcome. It's like having your own personal storyteller sitting on your shoulder.
This is the case with the work of Indian author Ashok Banker. The first four books of his adaptation of the Ramayana have all been like that, and book five, Bridge of Rama is no exception.
Bridge Of Rama picks up the story where we left off; Rama's wife Sita has been kidnapped by the King of the Ausras (bestial demon-type creatures) Ravana, and taken back to his island home of Lanka. Rama and his allies, the vanar, an ape-like people, are massing on the shores of the mainland hoping to find a way across the final hurdle of the ocean so they can rescue Sita.
Even when the devoted Hanuman, the vanar to first recognise Rama's inherit greatness, returns at the head of an army of countless number of his own kind, plus an additional army of rksa (bears) the seemingly insurmountable problem of crossing the ocean is before them. After dismissing the idea of building boats to transport them as impractical, they settle on building a bridge.
At first, this too seems an impossible task, until one of the vanar strikes upon a plan that utilizes their major strengths, their willingness, and their numbers. All of a sudden, their goal appears within reach. That is until Rama is visited by the shade of his father, who informs him that if he is not able to rescue his darling within 24 hours it will be too late.
Aside from beings of great strength and courage, the bears also turn out to be repositories of all knowledge. They remember their incarnations, and thus all the events of not only this lifetime, but lifetimes dating back generations. They are therefore able to reveal a secret that the Gods have long kept hidden from Hanuman: that he is actually the illegitimate son of Marut, the god of Wind.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
What a wonderful review! From what I've read of Mr. Banker's posts and comments here on BC, I'd say your review must be right on the money. Now I have another book to add to my "to read" list.
2 - John Spivey
This review certainly makes me want to read the series.