Kavithri - by Aman J Bedi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"An action-packed and empowering South Asian fantasy epic. An underdog story like no other. Meet Kavithri. Outcast. Underdog. Survivor. Kavi is a Taemu. Her people, once feared berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, are the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits crushed. Their swords broken. Their history erased. But Kavi has a dream and a plan. She will do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy, face the Jinn within its walls, and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness. Except power and knowledge come at a cost, and the world no longer needs a Taemu who can fight. So they will break her. Beat her down to her knees. And make her bleed. But if blood is what they want, Kavi will give them blood. She will give them violence. She will show them a berserker's fury. And she will make them remember her name"--

Book Synopsis

'It was not predictable in any sense and kept me so gripped I could not put it down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Meet Kavithri. Outcast. Underdog. Survivor.

Kavi is a Taemu. Her people, once feared berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, are the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits crushed. Their swords broken. Their history erased.

But Kavi has a dream and a plan. She will do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy, face the Jinn within its walls, and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness.

Except power and knowledge come at a cost, and the world no longer needs a Taemu who can fight. So they will break her. Beat her down to her knees. And make her bleed.

But if blood is what they want, Kavi will give them blood. She will give them violence. She will show them a berserker's fury.

And she will make them remember her name.

An no-holds-barred progression fantasy and empowering South Asian epic - featuring necromancers, djinn and visceral action sequences. An underdog story like no other, Kavithri is perfect for fans of Fonda Lee, Tamsyn Muir and John Gwynne.

'A richly detailed, darkly gritty world' Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bone Eaters

'[A] grim and relentless exploration of colonialism, power, resistance and courage' Samit Basu

'Seamlessly packs South Asian lore and progression fantasy into a relentless rollercoaster' Gourav Mohanty

'Raw and relentless... I personally enjoyed [it] so much because of the parallels and similarities of this world to my culture, but also because of the characterization of the tour-de-force that is Kavithri' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I appreciated the rich Indian inspired world that has accurate depiction of poverty, oppression, raw portraits of colonialism and caste system . . . a diverse, powerful and engaging reading experience' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'An explosive story about a character fighting against a stacked deck; you will cheer for her' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'If you like your action gritty and frenetic, and your world expansive and colorful, a narrative that takes no prisoners, a story about oppression and colonialism but also about hope and redemption, then look no further' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Kavithri is gripping, raw, and outrageous Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy with brutal world and compassionate main character' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Insanely gritty, page turner, Kavi is what Hollywood female led movies should be based on' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Review Quotes

A great debut novel with captivating development, journey, and satisfying ending--Novel Notions

A very fun action focused fantasy that lovers of pace, action and fighting will delight in--Runalong the Shelves

An excellent debut, an explosive story about a character fighting against a stacked deck--JamReads

I love this book. It creeps up on you in your blind spot and kicks you in the teeth. If you like your fantasy with a side order of gore, this one's for you. Kavi is the sort of heroine you can't help but root for, and the world building is incredible and organically done. The end had me in a chokehold and one more chapter turned into the birds singing outside-now, I'm hanging out for book two--Katharine J. Adams, author of the Thorn Witch series

Magic, science fiction and Indian culture mingle freely in Aman J. Bedi's ambitious debut novel--SFX

Kavithri isn't your cozy bedtime story - it's a brutal journey of a berserker, a journey that seamlessly packs South Asian lore and progression fantasy into a relentless rollercoaster--Gourav Mohanty, author of Sons of Darkness

Kavithri is majestic: a pacy, visceral tale . . . powered by a heroine with lashings of charm and grit in equal measure. Captivating, exhilarating, funny and brutal, this book will be massive, and deservedly so--David Wragg, author of The Black Hawks

A masterfully detailed epic adventure in a lush, vibrant setting--K.S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-yaro

A vivid and brutal world leaps off the page--Matthew Ward, author of Legacy of Ash

Aman has created such a richly detailed, darkly gritty world, and Kavi is such a compelling, sharp, and original heroine. Kavithri is dark academia, but with a raw and bloodied edge to it--Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters

An exhilarating ride through a vivid and violent world, Kavithri is simultaneously brutal, triumphant, and astounding. I absolutely loved it!--Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

An impressive debut in every sense - this grim and relentless exploration of colonialism, power, resistance and courage will leave readers shaken--Samit Basu, author of The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport

The worldbuilding and character work is absolutely stunning, and it keeps a joyous tone even when it goes to some very dark places. Steampunk Desi fantasy meets Neon Genesis Evangelion--Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

With Kavithri, Aman J. Bedi presents a striking examination of class, caste, and colonialism by way of wondrously creative magic and an underdog you can't help but root for--J.T. Greathouse, British Fantasy Award-nominated author

About the Author

Aman J. Bedi was born in Mysore, India. He grew up in Vizag, studied in Bangalore, completed a PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Canterbury, and now lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. His debut novel, Kavithri, was shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards.