My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars
Publisher - HachetteGenre - Historical Fiction
Publishing year - 2022
Language - English
ISBN - 978-93-91028-10-7
Pages - 336
Book Review -
The Crown of Vijayanagara is the second book in the Krishna Deva Raya series, penned by Abhijeeth Hiliyana. The first part, The Boy Who Would be King, ends with the Tuluva family usurping the throne, and Vira's untimely death makes Krishna the Vijayanagara's sovereign.
The story continues with the power shift and how Krishna Deva Raya, with the help of Prime Minister Timmarusu and other trusted ministers, fought internal and external enemies to bring peace to the realm. But not everyone shows their true colors, especially in front of a monarch, and that one person is Ramaraya.
Krishna's popularity and fame influenced him; he wanted the same love and loyalty. So, he followed Krishna's footsteps and quickly rose through the ranks. He soon became the apple of the eye for most, but for the Prime Minister, he was someone who couldn't be trusted. Their conflicts and problems were perceptible in the book, leading to drastic and unfortunate circumstances.
Many great kingdoms' rise and fall transpired because of internal disputes, which was a vital part of this story. But the two things I liked the most were Tenali Ramakrishna's stories and the dilemma Krishna Deva Raya faced when he wanted to secure his son's future.
He was considered God by his subjects, but he was a mere human who made mistakes and, for the very first time, put his wishes first and the realm's second. He loved his family, and reading about their exchanges was fulfilling. Like the first book, it has excellent war strategies and action sequences.
The story has political drama, internal quarrels, and external problems, with a trace of humor and brilliance of Tenali Rama. I also found the answer to my query left unanswered in the first book, but I hoped it would be better if it were brief instead of short.
Overall, it is a fast-paced, plot-driven story; reading the second is a must if you like the first part. I hope Abhijeeth Hiliyana soon publishes the last book in the series because I can't wait to read it. If you want to know more about Krishna Deva Raya and the Vijayanagara Empire, pick this series ASAP. I recommend it.
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