The Savage Fortress

Alejandro - The Savage Fortress is a book about a boy named Ash Mistry. He and his sister, Lucky, are visiting Varanasi, India. They stay with their Uncle Vik and Aunt Anita. Just as Ash is sure he’s ready to leave Varanasi, he discovers an arrowhead. It is no ordinary arrowhead though. It is a Khali-aastra. Lord Savage Alexander is looking for that aastra to open iron gates. Savage hunts Ash and Lucky down. Savage wants the aastra to revive Ravana, an evil king in legend. That is exactly what Savage does. Ash died; but the god, Khali, revives him. Now he IS the Khali-aastra. Luckily, Ash kills Ravana. He works with a Rakshasa girl named Parvati. After Ravana dies, everything goes back to normal. Ash’s dad finds him and takes him back to London. But now, Ash wants to stay in Varanasi, he doesn’t want to leave. I think The Savage Fortress is a very good book. It has many descriptive details in the book. I like the setting. I also like how the story was plotted. This is what I like about this book. I could make this book better in many ways. I would change the part where Savage sends his evil Rakshasa to hunt down Ash and Lucky. To make the story more exciting, I would put Ash and Lucky get into one of Savage’s traps. This is one way I would change the story.

September 1, 2012
This fantasy riffs on events from the Ramayana--the takeoff point for a knock-down, drag-out adventure that draws a 13-year-old into the unfinished business of the Indian gods. A Londoner visiting his uncle and aunt in India, Ash Mistry's first mistake is picking up an ancient gold arrowhead that involves him and his younger sister Lucky in business left from India's legendary past; his second mistake is refusing to surrender the ancient weapon to the (very obvious) villain, Alexander Savage, and his rakshashas (demons). As is often true in fantasy quests, characters appear and disappear after helping or hindering the hero. The narrative arc is carried forward at first by the direct unfolding of Ash's discovery and Savage's hunt for the arrowhead. In addition, there are flashbacks that key readers in to Rama's story. These provide vital information in a highly palatable way but also take some liberties with the original legend. A rousing and breathtaking climax supports the tied-up threads of the ending. Nonstop action and likable teen characters will attract fans of fantasy quests such as the Percy Jackson books and the saga of Nicholas Flamel. There are hints that Ash may have unfinished business with India and its gods--let's hope so. (Fantasy. 11-14)

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Starred review from January 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-On vacation in India with his aunt, uncle, and younger sister, pudgy Ash Mistry can't wait to get back home to his video games and London friends. But when his uncle is offered a million pounds to assist mysterious Lord Savage with translations from an archaeological find, Ash becomes embroiled in an overwhelming and deadly real-life battle. He realizes that Lord Savage is not an ordinary mortal and that his minions are rakshasas (demons). Determined to save his uncle, Ash unwittingly betrays himself and becomes the rakshasas's target. When he falls into a collapsing pit, he discovers a golden arrowhead-the aastra (weapon) of the ancient goddess Kali. With a splinter of it lodged in his thumb, Ash is able to channel Kali's power. But it is not enough to save his uncle and aunt, and, when they are killed, he sets out to save his sister-and the world-from Ravana, the all-powerful demon king, and his gruesome forces of evil. Chadda weaves Hindu mythology into an engrossing story of a shy, overweight gamer who becomes transformed into one of his own comic-book superheroes. Plot-driven, fast paced, exciting, and sometimes terrifying, The Savage Fortress is the ideal next step for readers who loved Rick Riordan's books about the Olympian heroes and Anthony Horowitz's "Gatekeepers" series (Scholastic). Vivid descriptions of contemporary India and flashbacks to the mythological battles of Rama and Ravana enrich this tale of a nerd's metamorphosis. Make time for this novel, because it is very hard to put down.-Jane Barrer, United Nations International School, New York City

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