Reader questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Start here for answers about The Naraka Cycle and Ravan's Trial, Young Readers Edition.
What is The Naraka Cycle?
The Naraka Cycle is Sundar Nathan's Indian-mythology fantasy adventure series. Book One, Ravan's Trial, follows a fifteen-year-old prince through the Trial of Seven Days in the dangerous jungle of Naraka.
What age is the Young Readers Edition for?
Ravan's Trial, Young Readers Edition, is written for ages 10 to 13, roughly grades 5 to 8. The site offers a free sample and classroom resources so families and teachers can explore it before reading the whole book.
Do I need to know the Ramayana first?
You can start with the free Prologue and Chapter 1 to meet this story's world and characters. The site also provides a character guide, a glossary with pronunciations and a Myth vs. Story page explaining connections to traditional tellings.
How is it different from the Ramayana?
Ravan's Trial gives familiar names new roles and new destinies rather than simply retelling the Ramayana. Its Ravan is a fifteen-year-old Asuran crown prince whose people live under the conquering Devas, and Naraka is a living realm of jungles, peaks, steppes and deserts.
Who is Ravan in this story?
Ravan is the fifteen-year-old crown prince of Asurapura. He must survive seven days alone in the Aranya, where he rescues a hungry baby simurgh named Sharabha and begins to learn what responsibility for others means.
Is it scary or appropriate for kids?
The Young Readers Edition is intended for ages 10 to 13 and includes jungle danger, fighting, a conquering empire and slavery in a secret mine. The teachers' guide describes these events as told without graphic detail; families can read the free sample to judge the tone for their own readers.
Who wrote The Naraka Cycle?
Sundar Nathan wrote The Naraka Cycle. He grew up in India hearing Ramayana and Mahabharata stories from his grandmother Namagiri and his mother Saroja, became an engineer in Silicon Valley, and now does product marketing while writing more adventures in the series.
Where can I buy Ravan's Trial?
The original edition is available on Amazon through the original-edition link on this site. The Young Readers Edition is coming soon; sign up for book news to hear when it goes on sale.
Is there a Book Two?
Sundar Nathan is writing more adventures in The Naraka Cycle. The Book Two page offers an email alert for the title, cover and launch-day announcement.
Can Sundar visit my school or library?
Teachers and librarians can request an author visit in person or by video using the form on the Teachers page. Share details about your group and preferred timeframe, and Sundar will reply about availability.