Great fantasy books set in India?

jrlewis · 02-14-2011, 04:09 PM

I'm trying to expand my horizons and I'm really interested in the history and cultures of India.

Can anyone recommend fiction (particularly genre fiction like fantasy) set in India, or by Indian authors?

ardeegee · 02-14-2011, 05:42 PM

River of Gods and Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald.

Penforhire · 02-14-2011, 05:50 PM

Song of Kali by Dan Simmons. Classified as horror, IIRC, but it felt more like fantasy to me.

ATDrake · 02-14-2011, 05:52 PM

I read and enjoyed Ian MacDonald's Vishnu at the Cat Circus novella which was nominated for last year's Hugo Award. It's set in an interesting future India and apparently it's part of some sort of series which consists of one novel and a short story collection. Here's Ansible's review of the lot, which apparently has had multiple Hugo noms over the years.

I've also bought but not yet read Dan Simmons' Song of Kali, which is said to be a horror fantasy classic. Simmons' other work is highly spoken of elsewhere in Reading Recs and this particular novel won a World Fantasy Award and is available in DRM-free MultiFormat via Fictionwise, which currently has a 55% off coupon in the Deals forum.

If you like murder mysteries, there's Canadian author Don Hauka's Jinnah series, which is Indo-Canadian but travels back and forth. I haven't actually read the books myself, but I enjoyed the CBC's televised adaptations and they had pretty good plots and interesting characters, in my opinion.

(If you don't mind film recs, Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta does excellent work.)

Hope this helps.

AndrewH · 02-14-2011, 06:28 PM

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Only a third of the book takes place in India.

ardeegee · 02-14-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

I read and enjoyed Ian MacDonald's Vishnu at the Cat Circus novella which was nominated for last year's Hugo Award. It's set in an interesting future India and apparently it's part of some sort of series which consists of one novel and a short story collection.

I think I saw a reference to that somewhere.

Oh-- it was 2 posts above yours.

ardeegee · 02-14-2011, 09:35 PM

Something else that crossed my mind-- I came across a couple of hundred issues of a magazine called Chandamama in a torrent. Also viewable on the official web site:

http://www.chandamama.com/archive/storyArchive.htm

ATDrake · 02-14-2011, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I think I saw a reference to that somewhere.

Oh-- it was 2 posts above yours.

Sorry, I kind of type slowly and new replies sometimes pop up while I'm doing so.

gollu · 02-15-2011, 05:56 AM

Lord of Light comes to mind, though it may be somewhat a stretch. But it's a great book

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_Light

caleb72 · 02-15-2011, 09:14 AM

I second River of Gods. Really enjoyed that book - haven't read the next one though.

Regards
Caleb

housepeople · 02-15-2011, 03:41 PM

The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga
A very interesting story told in a very appealing way.

jrlewis · 02-15-2011, 06:58 PM

Thanks for all the great suggestions, I appreciate it!

jaxx6166 · 02-22-2011, 07:15 PM

Just read about THIS one that recently came out. I want to get it, but my list is getting way too big.

jrlewis · 02-23-2011, 08:21 PM

That's looks pretty good too, I think I'll add it to my list.

02-14-2011, 04:09 PM	#1
jrlewis SF/F Author Posts: 160 Karma: 349656 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: Adobe Digital Editions	Great fantasy books set in India? I'm trying to expand my horizons and I'm really interested in the history and cultures of India. Can anyone recommend fiction (particularly genre fiction like fantasy) set in India, or by Indian authors?

02-15-2011, 06:58 PM	#12
jrlewis SF/F Author Posts: 160 Karma: 349656 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: Adobe Digital Editions	Thanks for all the great suggestions, I appreciate it! Last edited by jrlewis; 09-16-2012 at 01:17 PM.

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02-14-2011, 05:42 PM	#2
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	River of Gods and Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald.

02-14-2011, 05:50 PM	#3
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Song of Kali by Dan Simmons. Classified as horror, IIRC, but it felt more like fantasy to me.

02-14-2011, 05:52 PM	#4
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	I read and enjoyed Ian MacDonald's Vishnu at the Cat Circus novella which was nominated for last year's Hugo Award. It's set in an interesting future India and apparently it's part of some sort of series which consists of one novel and a short story collection. Here's Ansible's review of the lot, which apparently has had multiple Hugo noms over the years. I've also bought but not yet read Dan Simmons' Song of Kali, which is said to be a horror fantasy classic. Simmons' other work is highly spoken of elsewhere in Reading Recs and this particular novel won a World Fantasy Award and is available in DRM-free MultiFormat via Fictionwise, which currently has a 55% off coupon in the Deals forum. If you like murder mysteries, there's Canadian author Don Hauka's Jinnah series, which is Indo-Canadian but travels back and forth. I haven't actually read the books myself, but I enjoyed the CBC's televised adaptations and they had pretty good plots and interesting characters, in my opinion. (If you don't mind film recs, Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta does excellent work.) Hope this helps.

02-14-2011, 06:28 PM	#5
AndrewH Fanatic Posts: 553 Karma: 1234566 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver, WA Device: Sony PRS-T1, & Kobo Mini	Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Only a third of the book takes place in India.

02-14-2011, 09:35 PM	#7
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Something else that crossed my mind-- I came across a couple of hundred issues of a magazine called Chandamama in a torrent. Also viewable on the official web site: http://www.chandamama.com/archive/storyArchive.htm

02-15-2011, 05:56 AM	#9
gollu Unsullied Posts: 249 Karma: 759693 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Israel Device: Kindle 2i	Lord of Light comes to mind, though it may be somewhat a stretch. But it's a great book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_Light

02-15-2011, 09:14 AM	#10
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	I second River of Gods. Really enjoyed that book - haven't read the next one though. Regards Caleb

02-15-2011, 03:41 PM	#11
housepeople Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 18 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: kindle	The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga A very interesting story told in a very appealing way.

02-22-2011, 07:15 PM	#13
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	Just read about THIS one that recently came out. I want to get it, but my list is getting way too big.

02-23-2011, 08:21 PM	#14
jrlewis SF/F Author Posts: 160 Karma: 349656 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: Adobe Digital Editions	That's looks pretty good too, I think I'll add it to my list.

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