Trilogies seem to be making a mark in Indian fiction, and Amish Tripathi’s sequel to The Immortals of Meluha reportedly had 80,000 people pre-ordering the book. The Secret of the Nagas, the second book out of three, is finally in bookstores and selling like hot-cakes. The first book was a national bestseller and was considered an innovative departure from usual writings in the genre. It treated the character of Shiva more like a man of destiny with exceptional powers, than a God. To that extent, the second book carried the burden of expectation — it was no longer about what Amish could do, but whether he could do it better. So far, opinion seems to be divided on that score, with some reviews slamming it for being slower and more concerned with phraseology than the first. However, for the majority of Amish fans, it has not been a disappointment. The first book focused on Shiva as an immigrant to Meluha, who falls in love with Sati. It ended with his close friend, Brahaspati, being killed by a mysterious Naga assassin. Book two picks up where the story left off, portraying Shiva as a man who has come into his own as a leader, married to Sati and on a quest to avenge his friend’s death. New characters, such as Ganesh, Kartik, Kali and Parshuram, are also introduced. The Immortals of Meluha had a tight plot and crisp style of story-telling; it also ended at a definitive point in the narrative that left one anticipating the sequel. By contrast, The Secret of the Nagas sees a slight altering in the writer’s style, with the pace being more languid and more adjectivising in the language. It may perhaps be accused of failing to draw the reader into the action as completely as the first book. However, Amish’s strength lies in a well-structured movement of the story from incident to incident, a skill that is evident in this second book as well. There is no superfluity of characters, as each of those introduced has a significance and continuing role to play. Of course, there is the eternal fascination of the subject matter itself, and The Secret of the Nagas is definitely recommended for those who have even a passing interest in mythological fiction. There is no doubt that once involved in the life and times of Shiva (as depicted by Amish), the third and final book of the trilogy will be as eagerly awaited by readers.