Review by Samyukta Mallick
Hello fellow readers!
I am reviewing a fantastic book! It is ‘Chandragupta Maurya and the Greek Onslaught’, part of the series ‘History Hunters’ by Shruti Garodia and Archana Garodia Gupta.
The book is about 4 friends – The eager Zoya, fearless Noor, timid Ansh and curious Rohan along with their loveable buddy- Elfu the Elephant going on a thrilling adventure of time. They are spiraled back two millennia right in the middle of a battlefield. On their exciting journey, they meet the future emperor, Chandragupta Maurya and his respected and knowledgeable teacher, Chanakya.
The book is a fast read that keeps you on your toes through many twists and turns while making you roll with laughter. When I first saw the book, I expected a History textbook with many facts and information but after reading further I realized that this is much more. The book teaches you not only about the Mauryan Empire but also unravels a lively story about a budding friendship. I definitely enjoyed reading it.
I really enjoyed reading how the author has depicted in a fun way the “cluelessness” of the Mauryan people about the common things we use in the Modern era. For example, when Zoya was using a phone, Chandragupta Maurya’s utter confusion was hilarious to read, or when Ansh begs to go home, the future emperor’s misunderstanding was beyond words!
What I didn’t like about this book was that Elfu the Elephant’s role in the story was short and could have been longer. I would like to see Elfu’s character explored more in the upcoming books in the series.
Another great feature of this book is that at the end of the story it gives you a bonus chapter on the information of the Mauryan Period. This chapter explains the location, languages, wars, opponents, clothes and much more about the Mauryan Army in an engaging and entertaining way.
Other than that, reading this book was a great experience! I would recommend it to the 8-12 age group. If I were to rate this book about of 5, I would rate it a 4.5! Hope you like reading it as much as I did!
Happy reading!