The Kaurava Empire: The Vengeance of Ashwatthama

Gr 9 Up—The graphic novelization of the Indian myth of Mahabharata continues in this second installment. The Pandavas and Kauravas are in the middle of a civil war set in a high-tech future. This story focuses on Ashwatthama, the son of a great weapons master. His father taught the Pandavas and Kauravas, and his son, Ashwatthama has friends on both sides. When war comes, Ashwatthama is reluctant to choose between the two; however, when a decision must be made, he follows his father into battle against the Pandavas. His father is killed due to deception during battle, and Ashwatthama swears vengeance. His revenge takes him to the edge of humanity. The story is told in one long flashback. The protagonist has been wandering, friendless and alone, for over 1,000 years, searching for peace and forgiveness. He meets the beautiful Governor Aiken and saves her life from a group of marauders. He tells the Governor his story hoping for forgiveness. The illustrations in this work are more powerful than the text. The narrative, at times, edges between being serious and silly. However, because of the lack of graphic novels about non-European mythology, the strengths in this title compensate for its weaknesses.