A FAST-PACED THRILLER SET IN THE TIMES OF EMPEROR ASHOKA.It is a time of violence as well as calm. Men of peace are spreading the message of the Buddha even as monks are being tortured in the dungeons of Pataliputra. In Magadha, all talk is about the impending war against Kalinga. While King Ashoka plots the movements of his ships and cavalry, Queen Asandhimitra broods over the growing unrest in the kingdom. There is only one man they can both trust to take them through this period of uncertainty and looming danger: the enigmatically named Brahmin, skilful spymaster and custodian of Magadha’s best-kept secrets. Lush with historical detail and unforgettable characters, The Brahmin is an intricately plotted novel that seeks to recreate a near-mythical period in India’s past.Ravi Shankar Etteth is the best-selling author of several novels, including Tiger by the River, Killing Time in Delhi and Brahmin Returns. A journalist and political cartoonist with several decades of experience, he is currently with the New Indian Express in Delhi.