The Loom of Time

Book: The Loom of Time Author: Kalidasa, translated by Chandra Rajan Publisher: Penguin Pages: 343 Format Read: Paperback There are many legends surrounding the great Sanskrit poet and dramatist Kalidasa – from his being a court official of the Emperor Chandra Gupta II, to his being divinely blessed by the Goddess Kali, turning him into…

The Legend of Kuldhara

Book: The Legend of Kuldhara Author: Malathi Ramachandran Publisher: Niyogi Pages: 279 Format Read: Paperback I had heard of Kuldhara before…it is that ghost town in Rajasthan, a forsaken place that is a tourist attraction, and a source of tales. Theories of why the place was abandoned range from gradual migration due to earthquakes, to…

The Snow Spider

Book: The Snow Spider Author: Jenny Nimmo Publisher: Egmont UK Pages: 167 Format Read: Paperback “The Snow Spider” is a children’s book, and a fascinating one at that, weaving elements of Welsh folklore and myth into a fantasy story with a boy and a little silvery spider. For his birthday, Gwyn’s grandmother gifts him five…

Dreams of Distant Shores

Book: Dreams of Distant Shores  Author: Patricia A. McKillip Publisher: Tachyon Pages: 274 Format Read: Paperback I have read Patricia A. McKillip’s novels before, but "Dreams of the Distant Shores" is the first of her short story collections I’ve read. There are seven stories in this collection, some exclusive to the anthology and others reprints.…

The Cilappatikaram (The Tale of an Anklet)

I have always been intrigued by the ancient Tamil epic Cilappatikaram. Hard not to be, really – there has always been something mystical, and magical, about this epic, something that revealed itself in glimmering shades of wonder through its verses.