The enchantment of the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, is soul stirring and timeless, capable of reviving the thrill of the tale with every fresh presentation of the drama down to the current times and newer audiences. So many creative attempts have been made, using a variety of formats, styles and texts to analyse the story and the characters through the years in novel interpretations but the main source still remains a fountain of joy for authors to re-create the original tale. Salutations to Vyasa for painting such a rich canvas of the Mahabharata from where writers can never tire of highlighting every single square inch of the grand picture, time and again.
Here, the author has successfully selected appropriate sequences, constructing a gripping development of the graduation of the Kuru Princes and the five Pandavas from the Gurukul of Dronacharya, to focus on their excellence in martial arts displayed in Hastinapur at the well-known tournament of the royals. The characters outshine in their maturational timeline as super warriors, yet face jealousy and challenges thrusting them towards the Great War. In age and aspirations, the characters suitably resemble the group of the readers this book is meant for, rather it carries them along in their sojourn through their adventures and war-games. The characters are known, the story is familiar to many, but here, the author has given a modern perspective appealing to the rational mind.