Five Fantasy Books Based on Indian Mythology

Anyone well-versed with Indian mythology would agree that many of the stories, folklore and legends are just perfect launching pads for a good fantasy fiction novel.

Many beloved authors in the past have been influenced by Indian culture and it’s vast as well as diverse mythological tales.

However, it is only in recent years that we are now witnessing a number of good fantasy novels being published that are more open about their influences and heavily borrow from some of the legends to build their own fantasy world.

I am giving below five books that are based on Indian mythology that fantasy fiction fans from all across the globe can enjoy reading. While there were many books to choose from, I chose the ones that do not need the reader to already know much about the culture. These are books that explain themselves and you do not lose out much by not knowing about the mythologies in advance.

1) Aru Shah and the End of Time – Pandava Series Book 1 by Roshani Chokshi

A New York Times bestseller, Aru Shah and the End of Time by author Roshani Chokshi is the first book in the Pandava series and is classified as a middle-grade or children’s fantasy book.

Aru Shah, a 12 year old girl accidentally awakens an ancient sleeper demon who in turn must awaken the God of Destruction. Now the only way to save everyone and the world from annihilation is for Aru to find the reincarnations of the legendary Pandava brothers and find her way through the Kingdom of Death.

For those wondering about the Pandavas, they are five brothers, extremely important figures in Hindu Mythology and in fact the protagonists of Mahabharat – one of the most sacred books for Hindu culture.

Readers often compare Aru Shah and the End of Time to the Percy Jackson series which is not surprising considering the two series have the same publisher Rick Riordan.

Overall Aru Shah and the End of Time is a fun adventure that will appeal to all readers who appreciate middle-grade fantasy.

2) Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

Star Daughter by author Shveta Thakrar is a contemporary YA Fantasy novel that has a good blend of Hindu Mythology along with modern fantasy fiction.

Sheetal, our protagonist is the daughter of a star and a mortal human being. When her human father, thanks to her own accidental flare, ends up in the hospital, she has to set out for a quest to the celestial court in the sky to seek help from a complete star.

However, what was supposed to be a quest to save her father turns into a much more momentous task that ends up deciding the next ruling house of the heavens.

3) The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Another YA fantasy from a New York Times bestselling author, The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta is a fast-paced novel filled with action and adventure deriving heavily from Indian Mythological stories.

Kiranmala, a regular sixth grader, turns out to be an interdimensional demon slayer. Of course, Kiranmala does not know this yet and it all starts to unfold with her parents suddenly disappearing and the appearance of a demon who desperately wants to simply eat her up.

This book has it all with prince’s, winged horses, interdimensional travel, lots of magic and intrigue. Of course, the main draw of the book is Kiranmala herself, who is fast discovering her true identity and truth to her parent’s fantastical stories she heard as a child.

4) Third Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book One) by Susan Kaye Quinn

Third Daughter by author Susan Kaye Quinn has been compared more towards Bollywood rather than Indian Mythology. In fact, many readers have claimed the book to be a Bollywood style romance fantasy adventure.

Aniri, the third daughter of Queen of Dharia, is not like her older sisters. This is because she just doesn’t have the same responsibilities or importance of her sisters, whose arranged marriages are chances of grand alliances or new ruling opportunities. She much rather meet with her crush in the forest than have any royal responsibilities.

However, to her surprise, she gets a marriage proposal from a barbarian Prince and refusal could mean war with a very powerful enemy. Aniri decides to accept the proposal in order to spy and ultimately destroy the grand aerial weapon of the kingdom in the north.

This book definitely like Bollywood movies has a lot of action and romance and is simply a fast-paced grand adventure.

5) Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Not to be confused with the Lord of Light in Game of Thrones, this book by author Roger Zelazny is the most serious novel in our list today.

Lord of Light is a historical sci-fi fantasy heavily influenced by Hinduism, especially some of the Gods of Hindu culture.

Although this book was released in 1967, it does still read quite well and was a Hugo and Nebula award winner during its time. Its pace might be slow for some readers but the storyline does have a good amount of depth and complexity.

Bonus

6) Tamastara or The Indian Nights by Tanith Lee

If you do love the books influenced by Indian Mythology, here is a bonus book for you.

Tamastara or The Indian Nights by author Tanith Lee is a collection of short stories based on Indian mythologies, culture and folklore. The stories can be both fantasy or science fiction and is a great starting point as well for those that do not know much about Indian culture.