ALA Booklist (Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

A devoted soldier of Jansa, Kunal swears by duty and control. Esha, a wily vigilante known as the Viper, is a member of a Dharkan rebel group whose goal is to take down the usurper king of Jansa arting with Kunal's uncle, the brutal General Hotha. On opposite sides of a strained relationship between warring countries, Kunal and Esha are well aware of whom their enemies are, until the events of one dire night throw them together. Kunal is set on the Viper's trail, and the two are locked in a game of pursuit across a land weakened by the shattering of an old bond. Teerdhala's debut, immersed in Indian fantasy, features two compelling protagonists who must question their loyalties and decide what they're willing to sacrifice for the chance at a new future. Fast-paced action and a budding romance between emotionally layered characters make this a promising start to a gripping new series.

Kirkus Reviews

In an alternate ancient India, a rebel assassin and a reluctant soldier find forbidden love while they battle to save their lands from war and disaster.Dharka and Jansa were once twin countries, bound by the blood magic of demigods and blessed with a celestial river. But the younger brother of the Dharkan king broke that bond when he murdered the Jansan queen and took over Jansa in a coup. Now, the Southern Lands teeter on the brink of catastrophic drought in a fragile cease-fire. Kunal, the nephew of the ruthless Jansan Gen. Hotha, has just been promoted to the elite Senap Guard, feared and despised for their cruelty. But Kunal would rather make art than kill innocents. And why is he so drawn to Esha, a Dharkan rebel? Esha is the Viper, the masterful but merciless assassin who is driven by her need to avenge the usurper king's murder of her family. But what she longs for is a normal life and lasting love. Esha leads Kunal on a wild chase across borders where they discover secret plots, old bonds, and new perspectives. Debut author Teerdhala's prose can be convoluted and often purple. Still, the push-pull romance between the main characters and their struggle to define their own identities move the story forward.First in a trilogy, this lush blend of folklore, fantasy, and romance is a welcome antidote to South Asian stereotypes of toxic men and repressed women. (Fantasy. 13-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

A young warrior chases an assassin through jungles, towns, and wastelands in this vibrantly imagined South Indian-inspired trilogy opener by debut author Teerdhala. Esha, 17, the mythical Viper of Dharka, is sent to kill Gen. Setu Hotha of the kingdom of Jansa, while his nephew Kunal, 18, is one of four soldiers tasked with finding the mysterious Viper. The general is eliminated before Esha can strike-by someone who seeks to frame her-and she flees the Red Fort hoping to discover who seeks to blame her and why. Although Kunal catches Esha on several occasions, she continues to outsmart the softhearted soldier, and they gradually reveal close-held secrets and dreams to each other as their grudging respect for one another grows into something more. Everything is set against the backdrop of an ongoing drought in Jansa caused by the withdrawal of the gods- favor following the violent coup and usurpation of the Queen of Jansa 10 years ago. Alongside context-building descriptions of Indian food and dress, Teerdhala adds plenty of surprises to her finely limned characters to produce a lush fantasy. Ages 13-up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency. (Apr.)