The Lord and Master of Gujarat

Book excerpt: The kingdom of Patan is under attack from the army of Avanti. People have fled their villages to seek refuge in the city. Amidst the mounting panic, the arrival of Kaak, a young warrior from Laat, sets in motion a frantic chain of events. The Lord and Master of Gujarat is set four years after The Glory of Patan, and unfolds at dizzying speed, abounding in conspiracies, heroism and romance. From the spectacular rise of Siddhraj Jaysinh to the intrigues surrounding the consolidation of Gujarat, from the growing romance between Kaak and Manjari to the escalating tension between Munjal Mehta and Kirtidev over the future of the kingdom, this is an epic novel in the grand tradition of Alexandre Dumas. Arguably K.M. Munshi's best-known work, it deftly weaves state politics and battles with personal trials and tribulations into one glorious tapestry.