I have been reading adventure and mystery novels for a while now. This genre is not new to me. However, the modern novels that are being written by modern authors have changed the entire scenario. You can see a lion coming out of a hotel at any moment. Yes, the last part was a metaphor. I mean you can see anything at any moment – links to the past, an alternate version of history as we know, many alterations in the popular mythological stories we know and so on… However, a novel that I recently read, written by Aurijit Ganguli, The Mystery Mountains, defies the conventional gimmicks of contemporary novels (and novelists) and offers an absolute entertainer to the readers… the novel speaks of ancient India that had many universities and many wonderful things happening during the reign of King Bali, the one who was banished to the Pataal Lok by Vamana, the avatar of Vishnu, the Hindu deity. This sets the premise with an introduction to a machine that was used by the human civilisation during the great flood to minimise the impact and accelerate the rehabilitation of human beings. Surprised? That’s what the novel offers… a surprise at the very beginning that sets the pace of the story in modern times – marred by COVID-19 as well.

The novel has a very engaging premise and it begins on a normal note, thereafter. However, once a well-known personality opens up about the role of humans in containing the impact of the great flood mentioned in various scriptures around the world, things go haywire and there’s a lot of talk about it. The result – Mr Torero goes missing… out of the blue! Now our hero and his companion, Lisa, enter the scene and they begin with their expertise (that they exhibited in The Shambala Sutra). Arjun and Lisa begin looking for Mr Torero in the mountains of Peru and there the fun begins for the readers.

It is not only an adventure novel. There is too much into it. The author has put his hard-earned research into the story. You will get details about the antediluvian tribes that were wise, prudent, and scientifically advanced. The author also shares insights into a secret society that’s scattered around the world and the members regarding a secret, the greatest secret of human civilisation on the earth… that sounds way fascinating and the story does compensate for the excitement. You will find the descriptions engaging and compelling.

There are two protagonists you can call the major ones and a few more characters who are important. Miguel and Marcos are the second most important characters after Arjun and Lisa. There are other characters who play their roles and help the plot progress.

The novel is exciting, entertaining and also informative. It has made good use of maps, images, CGI, and descriptions that the author has used to describe the cities, mountain ranges, lakes and nature. Peru can be found in detail in the novel. You can use the novel as an authentic guide to visit Peru – bus ticket fares, information about sites you may visit, trekking routes and so on.

I would commend the author for his research, realism and imagination together. These three make the novel an amazing read for me and I believe for many as well. The Mystery Mountains takes many leaps further and it should be loved by the readers who love the novels by Ashwin Sanghi and Dan Brown. A must-read, if I may rest my case in one short sentence.

You can grab a copy of the novel from Amazon India by clicking the link below:

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Review by Sanjit for NovelsToRead