Kavithri, Aman J. Bedi
Kavithri, Aman J. Bedi
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Kavithri
Shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards

Author: Aman J. Bedi

Narrator: Aasiya Shah

Unabridged: 14 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Gollancz

Published: 05/16/2024


Synopsis

FINALIST FOR BEST FANTASY NOVEL IN THE AUREALIS AWARDS
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ALDISS AWARD

'Kavithri is gripping, raw and outrageous Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy with brutal world and compassionate main character' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

***

Meet Kavithri. Outcast. Underdog. Survivor.

Kavi is a Taemu. Her people, once feared berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, are the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits crushed. Their swords broken. Their history erased.

But Kavi has a dream and a plan. She will do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy, face the Jinn within its walls, and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness.

Except power and knowledge come at a cost, and the world no longer needs a Taemu who can fight. So they will break her. Beat her down to her knees. And make her bleed.

But if blood is what they want, Kavi will give them blood. She will give them violence. She will show them a berserker's fury.

And she will make them remember her name.

An no-holds-barred progression fantasy and empowering South Asian epic - featuring necromancers, djinn and visceral action sequences. An underdog story like no other, Kavithri is perfect for fans of Fonda Lee, Tamsyn Muir and John Gwynne.

***

'A richly detailed, darkly gritty world' Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bone Eaters

'[A] grim and relentless exploration of colonialism, power, resistance and courage' Samit Basu

'Seamlessly packs South Asian lore and progression fantasy into a relentless rollercoaster' Gourav Mohanty

'Raw and relentless... I personally enjoyed [it] so much because of the parallels and similarities of this world to my culture, but also because of the characterization of the tour-de-force that is Kavithri' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I appreciated the rich Indian inspired world that has accurate depiction of poverty, oppression, raw portraits of colonialism and caste system . . . a diverse, powerful and engaging reading experience' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'An explosive story about a character fighting against a stacked deck; you will cheer for her' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'If you like your action gritty and frenetic, and your world expansive and colorful, a narrative that takes no prisoners, a story about oppression and colonialism but also about hope and redemption, then look no further' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Insanely gritty, page turner, Kavi is what Hollywood female led movies should be based on' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'It was not predictable in any sense and kept me so gripped I could not put it down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

About Aman J. Bedi

Aman J. Bedi is the critically acclaimed author of the Ghosts of Ethuran series - Kavithri and City of Jackals. He was born in Mysore, India, grew up in Vizag, studied in Bangalore, completed a PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Canterbury, and now lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. His writing draws from modern Indian history and is influenced by writers and artists like David Gemmell, Samit Basu, Takehiko Inoue and Kentaro Miura. His debut novel, Kavithri, was a finalist for the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy novel, and was shortlisted for the Aldiss Award.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Petrik on July 03, 2024

ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review. Imagine an engaging Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy debut reminiscent of The Poppy War with an empathetic heroine with a rein on her wrath. That’s Kavithri. Since I posted the cover reveal of Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi at the end......more

Goodreads review by Rosh ~catching up slowly~ on October 28, 2024

In a Nutshell: An epic dark fantasy in a South Asian setting. Intriguing lead character. Great fantastical elements. Complex world hierarchy. Too gruesome, especially in the final quarter. First of a planned trilogy. A good start to the series if you can handle the brutality. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~......more

Goodreads review by Kealyn on November 21, 2024

Kavithri (Ghosts of Ethuran, #1) by Aman J. Bedi 5/5 stars I just don't know where to begin. This book is such a rollercoaster and I absolutely loved it from start to finish. This book reads like a series with all the different elements that are implemented into this story. A story that isn't spread o......more

Goodreads review by Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ on May 10, 2024

The Poppy War meets The Combat Codes in this underdog, heart wrenching, pounding book. Kavi is a Taemu, a people hunted, killed, and hated for their role in the war. For their berserk rage and power. To find her lost family, she must enter the elite mage academy where the Jinn will test her and the......more

Goodreads review by Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) on July 20, 2024

3.5 Stars I love reading non-European inspired fantasy so the setup of this one immediately grabbed my attention. As expected, I enjoyed those less familiar elements but ultimately I felt the story played with the same tropes, just with a different backdrop. My biggest challenge was the writing style.......more


Quotes

Kavithri is majestic: a pacy, visceral tale . . . powered by a heroine with lashings of charm and grit in equal measure. Captivating, exhilarating, funny and brutal, this book will be massive, and deservedly so David Wragg, author of The Black Hawks

The worldbuilding and character work is absolutely stunning, and it keeps a joyous tone even when it goes to some very dark places. Steampunk Desi fantasy meets Neon Genesis Evangelion Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

A vivid and brutal world leaps off the page Matthew Ward, author of Legacy of Ash

An exhilarating ride through a vivid and violent world, Kavithri is simultaneously brutal, triumphant, and astounding. I absolutely loved it! Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

With Kavithri, Aman J. Bedi presents a striking examination of class, caste, and colonialism by way of wondrously creative magic and an underdog you can't help but root for J.T. Greathouse, British Fantasy Award-nominated author

Aman has created such a richly detailed, darkly gritty world, and Kavi is such a compelling, sharp, and original heroine. Kavithri is dark academia, but with a raw and bloodied edge to it Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters

An impressive debut in every sense - this grim and relentless exploration of colonialism, power, resistance and courage will leave readers shaken Samit Basu, author of The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport

A masterfully detailed epic adventure in a lush, vibrant setting K.S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-yaro

Kavithri isn't your cozy bedtime story - it's a brutal journey of a berserker, a journey that seamlessly packs South Asian lore and progression fantasy into a relentless rollercoaster Gourav Mohanty, author of Sons of Darkness

Magic, science fiction and Indian culture mingle freely in Aman J. Bedi's ambitious debut novel SFX