Torin: The Prophecy of Kawiti

BOOK REVIEW

By Dr. Ankuran Dutta

Torin is a wide-landscape mytho-political fantasy adventure set in a multi-dimensiol universe med Pretvain. It is a saga that unfolds at many levels at the same time: it is a story of four individuals uncovering their destiny, and of massive power struggles between groups seeking control over the lives of mortals; of the search for lost myths to reveal the truth about the past and of the effort to discover their true impact on things in the present; of tions coming to terms with inescapable change, and of powerful immortal beings realising the limitations of their omnipotence. The Prophecy of Kawiti is the first book of the epic fantasy novel Torin written by Writa Bhattacharjee, a Guwahati born writer. It is a complete novel of Writa of over 200,000 words and is the first book in a sixteen part series based in the alterte universe of Pretvain.

When Astoreth and Zavak, brothers turned archenemies, and the most powerful beings ever born, fought and died at each other’s hands despite being immortal, the Guardian of Immortality prophesied their rebirth. With time, they became myths, and the prophecy was forgotten by all except the sumagi.

Five thousand years later, three boys and a girl are born. Amishar, miraculously revived after being stillborn, is spoiled by his father and begins to grow wilful. Arizumel, son of Samion’s dethroned queen, is born under mysterious circumstances and raised in a remote village. Temeron and Avita are switched at birth by a vengeful witch; while Temeron suffers incessant torment and abuse, Avita finds herself a fugitive with an incurable ailment.

Meanwhile, the sumagi hunt for the lost prophecy. Although they find it, it only creates confusion and conflict as its elements are mysterious and mythical even to them. To make matters worse, their leader disappears and they part ways.

Torin is a reincartion mystery that explores themes of identity, good and evil, the worth of merit versus birthright, and the importance and extent of choice that one has in life. It is centred on four individuals: Arizumel, a disinherited seleighe prince who possesses the lost gift for descrying as well as the ability to control water, but who is troubled by questions of identity; Amishar, a human prince with exceptiol skill at arms and the ability to attract powerful supertural followers, but who has a penchant for trouble and bad decisions; Temeron, a kereighe prince uware of his true identity, who is an extraordiry magus with the ability to control fire but has a twisted soul as a result of childhood abuse; and Avita, adoptive sister of the rightful king of Lyisl, an intelligent and brilliant witch who can control earth and air, but is torn between her spiritual link to both Arizumel and Temeron.

All four are connected to the reincartion of Astoreth, the greatest ever hero of Pretvain, and Zavak, the most powerful dark lord ever. But numerous mysteries and questions plague the protagonists as well as those who are drawn into their lives as they grow up amidst a world rife with turbulence and burgeoning evil. Which two are Astoreth and Zavak reborn? What role do the other two play? Why did Astoreth and Zavak die despite being immortal? What happened to all the information and records regarding their lives and the prophecy? Where and why did Mesmen, the leader of the sumagi and one-time companion of Astoreth and Zavak, disappear? What will Astoreth and Zavak do once they embrace their identities? And, will Pretvain survive the return of the two most powerful beings ever to walk the five spheres?