Rating: 
Summary: Great fantasy interesting history
Review: I approached this book with some skepticism thinking it would be a long and painful sale of religious stories. I was happy to find that it is first and foremost a great story of warriors, demons and saints. There is little or no religious push in this book it is told in the spirit of Lord of the Rings (even though it was conceived a long time ago).
I enjoyed it so much that I went out to buy the second book only to find its publication in the US was delayed. I ordered it from Amazon.co.uk and got a reasonable price and had the second and third books in my hands in less than a week.
I hope the US publisher gets their act together or Amazon adds foreign books to its US offering. After this I am looking to buy more books from other Amazon stores internationally.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous! Except for the skin color bias
Review: I can't express in words how thrilled I am that someone is finally writing an exciting, novelized version of the Ramayana. Furthermore, I am an even bigger fan of the Mahabharata, and I am eagerly looking forward to Banker writing that as well. I am sure that when this is all finished some years from now, Ashok Banker will have written two of the greatest series in literary history.With that said, there is one thing that bothered me. Banker describes many characters by their skin color, usually immediately the first time they are mentioned. Yet the only exception is Rama (he is indeed described as being dark, but on page 150, and only once). Yet Banker has no problem repeatedly describing villains as being dark and the good guys as being fair skinned. One option would be to simply neglect skin color. But, if Banker insists on describing skin color so often, at least he should be consistent: Ravana is immediately stated to have skin the color of "dark honey" the first time he appears, whereas Rama's dark skin is not mentioned until pg 150.
Every single beautiful woman is depicted as being fair, without a single beautiful woman depicted as dark. If, in the next book, Sita is described to be blond and blue eyed, or have red hair and green eyes, I will puke. I am especially concerned for the Mahabharata. I hope Banker understands that Krishna, Arjuna, and Draupadi are explicitly described as being very dark. "Krishna" is a term that means "black", and Krisha is an alternative name of Arjuna and Draupadi. Furthermore, Duryodhona and Shakuni are NOT described as being especially dark. That's correct, Mr. Banker, it is okay for the good guys to be darker than the bad guys. The heroes in the Ramayana and Mahabharata are darker in skin color than the villians-- these epics are NOT like Lord of the Rings in that regard.
Rating: 
Summary: an American reader's reaction
Review: I couldn't really get in to this book. The pacing is off at the beginning, I think, and the first 6 chapters were all set-up. Possibly more. It seems to me that the opening of a book is not something a reader should have to "get through" in order to enjoy the rest. As a famous author once said - if your characters are thin, they're thin *now*; if your plot is weak, it's weak *now*. Nothing in the next chapter or section is going to fix that. After reading several of the reviews here, I can see this book has started some heated discussions. Can't imagine what has been going on in actual book discussions and message boards, yikes! But let me say that when I picked up this book I was never in any doubt as to what it was - a piece of fiction based on an ancient Indian tale. From the jacket description (which a person should read no matter what it may say on the front cover - if you only go by what's on the front cover when deciding to buy a book, you're going to be dissapointed a lot) I gleaned that this was going to be a fantasy story, somewhat like LOTR, but probably closer to the kinds of fairy tale and myth retellings where the larger than life characters are givien full treatment, fleshed out, and made three-dimensional. So, on that front, I wasn't really dissapointed. I could see that happenening as I read. I wasn't expecting a poetic translation of the Ramayana in English. The problem, for me, came in having to slog through the endless character introductions and the slow crawl to the main story. You know.. the plot. This endless introduction of characters may have been seen as necessary for people who know the original Ramayana - to show them how the author intended to portray them in this book. I suppose that's fine. If I knew the original work, or if this were based on some epic I was more familiar with, I might have sat still for something like this. Because that aspect would have interested me. But, being a reader who does not know this story already, I just found it rather tedious. If I am not the audience for the book, that's okay, too. But I got the impression that the author wanted to reach a wider audience of not only people familiar with the epic but also fantasy readers in general. If so, then I don't think the book succeeds. Perhaps I am just too impatient, though. There are too many characters introduced in the first 8 chapters or so. Too many and too few I care about. I could have cared about the Prince from the opening scene more if he hadn't dissapeared right away. I don't *know* any of these people, and that is essential to caring about them, I think. There is just too much telling. As to the prose - well, it's kind of stiff. I wondered, though, if that wasn't a cultural thing. Or a translation thing. Or maybe the author just doesn't have an ear for poetry. As I said, I wasn't expecting a poem, but the world itself seemed to call out for a poetic sensibility. Prose that flows like water. This prose does not. Had I gone further, I might have been able to really get in to this book. But I have a rule about novels. I only give the author 6 - 10 chapters to hook me. If I am not hooked by then, I stop. Mainly because I have so many books I want to read that I can't waste time with the ones that don't really wow me.
Rating: 
Summary: A re-telling of one of the oldest stories
Review: I don't consider myself to be a religous but rather a spritual person. Being from both Roman Catholic and Hindu background, I appreciate both religions. This book is just a retelling of an old story. But the story in itself has value as it is closely linked with Hinduism, telling the story of their Gods. This is by no means a 'Fantasy' for Hindus. If it is, then you might as well class the Bible as a great work of Fiction/Fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: Rama comes "home" to a royal welcome
Review: I found this on the author's website, epicindia.com under the heading Breaking News... DELHI GIVES RAMA A ROYAL WELCOME
The launch of Prince of Ayodhya in Delhi was a resounding success! Not only was the book already riding the bestseller lists in all city bookstores, but the media and glitterati turned out in droves for the launch event at India Habitat Centre on 7th October 2003. Every city newspaper featured profiles of the author and reviews of the book, some, like the country's largest selling newspaper Hindustan Times, running three separate articles and reviews within the space of a week! You'll probably find links to most of the articles on the web. Look out especially for the Delhi editions of Indian Express, Asian Age, The Statesman, Jansatta, and Times of India. Television coverage included a live interview on the 10 p.m. primetime news with Barkha Dutt on NDTV 24x7, DD News, Zee News, Sahara Samay, and others. Post-launch, city bookstores reported sell-outs, with Penguin having to re-order twice as many copies as earlier from the UK publisher Time Warner Books. According to a source at Time Warner, sales in India had already crossed 11,000 copies on the eve of the launch--before the publicity blitz began! In a country where 2,000 copies is considered a bestseller, and 5,000 copies a blockbuster, you can imagine how great that must be! According to Delhi bookstores, people are already clamouring for the next book in the series, Siege of Mithila. Although available in the UK already, it will take a couple of months to get to India officially, although we're told that copies are already finding their way into India through other channels. Meanwhile, the Crossword chain continues to report excellent sales, with individual bookstores countrywide reporting Prince of Ayodhya in their Top Ten Bestselling books. Stores we've heard from include Full Circle, Teksons, Landmark, Book Mark, Bahri Sons and several others in New Delhi, Landmark in Chennai, Oxford in Kolkata, Crossword and Strand and all other major stores in Mumbai, and several others. As of now, Ashok has invitations to visit the following cities to promote the book: Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, as well as the inaugurations of three new major bookstores in Mumbai, including an 18,000 sq. ft. new megastore in the heart of South Mumbai which is said to be the largest in the city. But don't hold your breath: Ashok's notorious dislike for publicity and natural reclusiveness may keep him away from some or even all of these events. Finally, as Ashok himself reminds us, writers should be read, not seen or heard. If you have any views for or against Ashok touring these (or any other cities), go to the Feedback page and tell us what you think and feel. To read about Ashok's thoughts on the Delhi (and Mumbai) launches, check out the Blog page. He also hopes to post a few thoughts and ruminations on his detour to Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Mathura and Vrindavan. INDIA SINGS RAMAYANA'S PRAISES
The praises are piling up. Adding to the copious compliments from around the world, Indian critics are now hailing the new Prince of Indian Fiction...Rama! To see what they're saying, click on the toolbar link to Ramayana (above), then click on the UK cover image, and then scroll down to read a sampling of these ecstatic compliments. Not only the media, but several prominent religious and political leaders have also met with Ashok, mainly in Delhi, and expressed their delight that this great epic is finally being retold for a world audience. And with the undisputed bestseller status and critical acclaim being showered on the book, even the naysayers seem to be changing their tune--with several newspapers openly altering their earlier opinions and adding their own praises to the flower-shower. For instance, Hindustan Times, India's largest selling newspaper, ran three separate articles on Prince of Ayodhya: a cautiously complimentary review, a straightforward profile of Ashok, and finally, a wildly enthusiastic review. (Two reviews of the same book in a newspaper? Sound strange to you? It does to us, but hey, as long as they're saying good things, who's complaining!) As the old saying goes, everyone salutes the rising sun. Jai Shree Ram!
Rating: 
Summary: Really a shame for the whole hindu religion !!!!
Review: I jus want to ask a simple question to the author of the book. can he dare to write similar fictious storey about the jesus or allah or buddha ?
i am sorry if i am hurting the sentiments of the people here,but this doubt keep on arising to me ..as i went through this article.
i am waiting for a reply from MR.Banker.
Rating:
Summary: Fun to read!
Review: I loved this book! This imaginative retelling of the Ramayana was hard to put down. Whether you are interested in Indian mythology or just want to read a great story, I highly recommend Prince of Ayodhya.
Rating:
Summary: I'll wait for the translation
Review: I started this book with eager anticipation. The concept of retelling Indian mythology in a fantasy epic is, simply, fantastic. Unfortunately, Mr. Banker is not the man to do it. He has the phenomenomally annoying habit of including at least one Indian word in every sentence, forcing the reader to constantly turn to the dictionary in the back in order to understand what he is talking about, and thereby completely disrupting ANY flow to the story! Please do not mistake me for someone who is too lazy to work at a text that is not in modern English. I am willing to work hard on say, Shakespeare, in order to enjoy the beauty of his writing. But this is supposed to be a fantasy, not Shakespeare! I do understand that certain Indian words or concepts (like Dharma) are not easily translated. These words should not only be left in the original language, they provide a color and authenticity to the story. But when he uses the Indian words for simple things (like brother, raincloud, or donkey), he veers into the territory of the pretentious. I slogged through about 100 pages of this story, because the plot did seem interesting, but I finally put it down in sheer exasperation. Don't waste your time on this one - wait for the English translation.
Rating:
Summary: The first fantasy tale ever composed
Review: In India, where my family comes from originally, the Ramayan is called adi-kavya. This means 'first poem'. The first parts of the story take place in the great city of ayodhya and is very realistic. The second half of the story is in the forest where Ram and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmann are living in exile and many fantastic things happen. So the Ramayan was actually the first fantasy story ever written. It's easy for Westerners to call it 'epic fantasy' andtalk about Tolkein as if he invented the whole genre, but infact it was first created in India because in thos etimes such wonderful and magical things truly happened as we believe. Ashok Kumar Banker has done a great thing by rewriting the story in his book Prince of Ayodhya. I think there are some more parts to come because his first book only tells the story of Ram's life upto his fight with demoness Tataka and training under the guru Vishwamitra. It is actually a small and very short part of the early story but mr Banker makes it seem so exciting and vivid. HIs writing is very detailed and tells you all about life in ancient Arya-varta (which later was called Bharat-varsha, not India which is a corruption given by Britishers during their rule). He tells you about the clothes tey wore, way the yspoke, lived, everything. it is exciting to read the story told in so much good detail. One point about some other reviews I was reading here: Someone said Rajaji's version was the best. I like Rajaji's version very much, but Rajaji wrote in Tamil in weekly parts for a Tamil children's magazine. so his Ramayan is very childish and simple. Even the more advanced versions like Arshia Sattar say clearly it is 'abridged'. I always wanted to read the full version, like the 'director's cut' in movies. But I have never found any such version until now. Prince of ayodhya is a very good way to read about ancient life in the great land we now call India, and to know the life-story of a very great legend called Ram, who is a god to all of us now but when he lived he was a man who had to suffer many difficulties and problems but still he perseverred and overcome them agasint all odds...that's why he's called by Tulsidas inhis Awadhi version Maryada Purshottum Ram. I recommend this book very much, giving it full 5 stars, and I cannot wait for Mr Banker to publish the second and other parts quickly. I also like other Indian authors like Jhumpa Lahiri (even though she says she is American not Indian) and Rohinton Mistry and Amitav Ghosh. But Ashok Kumar Banker is the first Indian writer I have read who writes in such an exciting and entertainnig style. I am sure his book will be read happily by every Indian everywhere, and maybe by other readers who love good fantasy also.
Rating:
Summary: Buy the UK editions instead--not this awful American one!
Review: It's well known by now that because of racial prejudice and cultural bias, the US editors and publishers of this series have deliberately ignored these books even though they control the rights in this country. What else do you expect in a time when the US is invading other nations and suppressing freedom only because their religion and culture is different and non-Christian. Why else do you think the series is such a huge success among Indian and culturally liberal readers in the USA as well as the rest of the world, and still the publishers won't bring out the rest of the books?
Support free expression and cultural freedom and buy the UK editions of this book as well as the rest of the series: You can get them at Amazon.co.uk. They have Prince of Ayodhya, Siege of Mithila and Demons of Chitrakut and the fourth and fifth volumes are available for pre-order.
An Amazon Reader
Proud to be Indian
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