In The Tiger at Midnight, first in a same-name trilogy by Swati Teerdhala, Esha, known as the Viper, sneaks into the Blood Fort, a major Jansan stronghold, and assassinates the feared General Hotha. Several elite soldiers are tasked with tracking down the Viper and returning the assassin for punishment. The reward is being named Commander of the Blood Fort. Kunal is one of the soldiers sent out to track Esha down, and he’s more motivated than most- General Hotha was his uncle. Turned loose on his own, Kunal begins to see a different side to his country. Strife and poverty rule. The land withers, thanks to the slaughter of the Samyad ruling line. As he and Esha take turns capturing one another and escaping, Kunal realises he must decide which is more important– loyalty to the usurper ruler, or loyalty to his country and its people.
I adored this world, with its wealth of influence from Indian mythology (and Chinese, if I’m not too mistaken). The history of the two warring countries, with ruling lineages literally founded by deities, captured my imagination. A male Himyad from Dharka, and a female Samyad from Jansa are required to partake in a ritual to charge the magic that keeps the land healthy. With no Samyad female, the ritual can’t be carried out, and the land and people suffer for it. This also reminded me of Celtic myths of the Fisher King, and the health of the land literally linked to the rulership.
The verbal sniping between Kunal and Esha added an element of humour to the story. Neither Kunal or Esha seem like bad people. They’ve both been sheltered from life in different ways, and now they must reevaluate everything they thought they knew. For one of them, a surprising secret lies in their past and decides to rear its head at an inopportune time. I don’t want to give it away, but I do hope it’s explained more in the next book. I’m very curious because it seemed to come out of nowhere, and the unique gifts that accompany said secret don’t seem to serve a useful purpose at the moment. I hope that changes because it’s cool!
Recommended for those who enjoy YA fantasy, fantasy, and books influenced by Indian mythology.
***Many thanks to the authors/ publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed via JBN Tours.
