Title: Sceadu
Author: Prashant Pinge
‘Sceadu’, is a fiction story which is set to be cast in a land of fiction and is about four kids who are on for adventure. This story is a complete fiction and that you won’t get any content related to real life. It’s a complete package of author’s witty mind and humongous imaginative skills. In this book, author tries to connect to old mythology and compiled it into fiction and presented a story which he succeeded in doing so.
As the back cover says:
”All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.
Nine year old Matilda ends up with a century old book through a series of strange coincidences. And disappears. Her brother and cousins are forced to suspend their hostilities and pursue her to Sceadu, a land inside the human shadow. Once there, the reluctant visitors find themselves chased by the vicious Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. However, everything changes with the revelation of an ancient prophecy that foretells the doom of the world they left behind.
With the stakes suddenly raised, the children must now navigate the dangerous terrain, overcome grave challenges, and unlock the secrets of the shadow. But can they do it in time to thwart the plans of the treacherous Hefigans? Or will they succumb to the guile of a ruthless enemy who is equally determined to destroy mankind?
Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.”
The title of the book,’Sceadu’ catches my attention at first, unique and different and anonymous to me, which later when I Google came to know that it means ‘shadow’. On the back cover, golden on black, very enticing, very enriching art work steals my attention and does justice to the story this book holds.
A newfangled concept with which you can tie up with great ease and great comfort. Apparently readers can ally with the story and the characterization and narration makes it very easy to visualize. The story is complete fiction and author’s wit has given it a new shape and new direction. Although it is a complete different story but the way author has narrated it make the fantasy turn into reality for readers. Readers could very well relate to the story and each part of it gives a sense of reality.
Everything is at their appropriate place and plays their respective role very-well and efficiently. Author has provided a proper balance to the story, the much needed balance readers seek for in a book. Some secrets are planned to unveil in the story and the manner in which author has unveils the secrets in the chapters was done at accurate time and in an accurate manner. He very well understands reader’s mind and he unfolds the secrets keeping that in mind.
Writing style has such a flow that reader can easily connect to the story. It is done in such a manner that you don’t need to think of previous words, you could continue in a single flow, from starting to end. The number of characters in the story may create confusion, though they are the need of the story, but their names were difficult to recognize in the beginning.
The only loophole I felt in the book is that the ending could be more energetic and powerful because from the beginning itself author makes the habit of reader to get something delicious at every page, so as he/she proceeds ahead he/she wants to get more from it.
It may be a challenge for novice readers because one needs to be imaginative and for that a strong imagination skills would be required in order to go through this book. But for the one who love fantasy and fiction, a must read book for you. It’s worth your time and is entertaining.
Rating: 4.8/5
Reviewer: Shweta Kesari