The Epic of Kautilya : Born To Be King

by Deepak Thomas

  END OF BOOK ONE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  “Love’s gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.”

  —Rabindranath Tagore

  A book, a story in any form, is hardly the work of one person. To call me an author would be inaccurate. What I am is a scribe, collecting and documenting the stories and ideas around me into a narrative. And I have a lot of people to thank for gifting me these stories.

  Firstly, thanks to my parents: my father for being my hero and the biggest inspiration for all the noble warriors in this book, my mother for being my guardian, my first teacher and the one who cultivated my love of reading.

  Thanks to my brother, Ajay. Having had to move from one city to another throughout my childhood, Ajay was my one constant friend. We discovered the world of comic books and anime together. He was my first audience, listening with rapt attention to all my fantastical tales.

  Thanks to Father Joseph, my uncle and the storyteller who inculcated in me an everlasting love for stories. You are my secret superstar.

  Thanks to my late grandmother. I remember the many Sundays when we would come back from church and sit together to watch B R Chopra’s Mahabharat, the most important influence on this book.

  For a long time, I was convinced in the myth of the lonely writer typing away at his keyboard in a locked room to produce brilliant works of art. So, I never shared any of my work, afraid of letting my babies see the critical gaze of other people. Then one fine day I got over my insecurities and decided to let others in. It was the best decision of my writing life.

  Thank you Saleha for always being there to read whatever mess I sent your way. With the amount of feedback and encouragement you gave, I could put your name as the co-author of this book.

  Thank you Teena for your feedback on the first draft and for bearing with my constant queries. Thank you Priyanka for going through my first attempt at a full-length novel. You may be the only one who ever sees that abomination. Thanks Sara and Ruchir for reading the book and encouraging me.

  A finished book is a team effort and I want to thank all those who made my story into a professional book.

  First of all, thanks to my wonderful editor Anna Bowles. She was the one who pushed me to make a better-rounded story and took the writing to the next level. If you are a new author and looking for guidance I strongly recommend you to find her on Reedsy. (https://reedsy.com/anna-bowles)

  Thanks to my cover designer Ivan Cakic from cakamura designs. He gave my book a better packaging than I could have ever hoped for. Check out his work at 99designs. (https://99designs.com/profiles/cakamura)

  Thank you Allyn Bowker—from Dark Leagues Fantasy Mapping—for the brilliant map which gave this fantasy novel some serious geek cred. Check out her work at www.darkleagues.com

  Thanks also to Rochelle Mensidor, my Layout Designer, for the awesome work on the interior of the book. She is ah-mazing.

  And then there are the people who inspire me. First of all thanks to Brandon Sanderson. I started learning the process of writing from his YouTube lectures and his Mistborn series is a profound influence on my work. Secondly, thanks to Chetan Bhagat and Amish Tripathi, the literary rock stars who paved the way for IIM grads like me to try their hand at writing. Thanks to everyone who has taught me something new or encouraged me with your words.

  My heartfelt thanks to the land where I was born: India. There is unbounded love for you in my heart. Every word I write is in service to you. Thank you for birthing my faith, my culture and my family. You are a monument to the fact that humanity can live as one without borders.

  Finally thank you, my dear reader. By giving me your time you have made the years of hard work worth it. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

  Stick around for the next book!

  Much love,

  Deepak Thomas

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Deepak Thomas graduated in engineering, got an MBA and then made the next logical career move … he started writing fantasy novels.

  His works have unique lore and characters that channel a love for Indian mythology, blockbuster cinema and anime.

  Deepak is currently based in Dubai where his degree from IIM Calcutta helps him coast at his day job and fund his impractical side hustle.

  His hobbies include quizzing, daydreaming and to-do list making. He also loves spending time contemplating deep philosophical questions about war, politics and superhero casting choices.

  To hear more bragging about how awesome his novels are you can check out his website: www.deepakthomaswriter.com and follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @dthomaswrites.