The Adversaries

From the floodlit TV studios of Mumbai to the glittering Rajput courts, Vikram, Amanjit, Deepika and Ras must battle the sorcerer-king Ravindra: his power is growing, and so is his evil reach . . . The second in award-winning author David Hair's series The Return of Ravana. Mumbai, 2010: Everyone's talking about Swayamvara Live!, the TV reality show recreating the ages-old custom where young men compete for the hand of a noble bride. In this case, the bride is Bollywood stunner Sunita Ashoka, who is pledged to marry the man who wins the on-screen contest. For Vikram Khandavani, it's a chance to draw out his nemesis Ravindra, the reincarnated sorcerer-king - but he's taking a deadly gamble. Delhi, 1175: King Prithviraj Chauhan is about to storm the swayamvara of the beautiful Sanyogita - but he's not the only one fixated on the bride-to-be: Ravindra-Raj is coming too, and he's riding at the side of a fierce invader. Only Chand Bardai, in another life known as Aram Dhoop, the Poet of Mandore, stands between Ravindra and all the thrones of India. 'David Hair hasn't just broken the mould. He's completely shattered it' - Bibliosanctum on The Pyre