Foreword

Sometime in the early ‘90s, I was introduced to Asvin Srivatsangam, then in his teens. Since I was an illustrator of children’s books and a graphic designer, Asvin showed me pencil drawings he had recently done. Being a fan of comicbooks, Asvin had created and drawn a character called ‘Bherek White,’ for a comic he called ‘The Dynast.’ He had set the story in a future when lions and other felines ruled the world and humans were extinct. He had even drawn a highly-detailed map of that world.

Flash forward to the end of the millennium, after Asvin had become a graphic designer himself and I had become a published writer of three books. He was in Sunnyvale, California and I was in Chennai, India. He asked me to write the script for Dynast, a graphic novel of more than a hundred pages. I told him that I preferred to write novels and offered to write the novel version first. He graciously agreed and paid me handsomely, to boot. Almost everyday we had brainstorming sessions over the phone, and discussions over email, till we finally got the novel in shape. ‘The Rise of Bherek White’ is the first of a series of five books and we have started working on the second already.

We finished the graphic novel much later but that happened to be published first. I still feel that the novel version is superior to the comic version, and this year requested Asvin to have the novel published too. So here it is.

Ashok Rajagopalan

Prologue

Prologue

The lion cub strode back to take a better look at the statue. The marble eyes of the Great Lion returned the gaze. Some illusion of the falling snow on the cold marble caused the statue’s eyes to crinkle in kind amusement and the mouth to smile in benevolence. Just by gazing at this stone representation of their great leader could the citizens of Arthika fill their hearts with peace and contentment, and the cub felt no less joyful. He tried to copy the statue’s expression, crinkling his own eyes and stretching his mouth in an exaggerated smile. His fur stood on end from the strain.

He turned to his playmates sporting on the snow; they had built a snow fort and were involved in pelting one another with hastily rolled snowballs from both sides of its low walls. Still smiling, the cub turned its attention to the old fox on the granite steps of the pedestal. That wrinkled citizen had been reading a book, propping his thin back on the cold stone. Behind and above him were praises carved in honor of the greatest lion of all time. Splattered on his foot were the remnants of a stray snowball.

“Sir? Sorry.”

“I have forgiven you, my son, if there’s anything to forgive.” It was the old fox’s turn to present a smile, and he did that, a toothless copy of the cub’s.

“I, too, have thrown snowballs at the old when I was a cub like you, and not by mistake, unlike you,” the fox cackled merrily.

“How old are you, Sir?”

“Old? I am ancient, hee, hee, hee! I remember the time when the great Bherek was a cub like you. Good crops can be known by their sprouts, as the proverb rightly says.”

“Bherek?” The cub glanced at the statue, “Tell me what you know of him, Sir, please.”

By this time, the cub’s companions had begun to arrive at the foot of the statue, drawn by the promise of a story.

 “It was in the second millennium AM, according to the calendar we had in those days,” began the fox, throwing his book aside.

“AM? What AM?” whispered a bear cub to his friend.

“Something like our RBW, ‘in the Reign of Bherek White,’ I guess.”

“AM is After Man,” said one big bear, who had just come up, “There was a race called humans thousands of years ago. At least, that’s what they say. And nobody knows what they looked like.”

Many adults had joined the gathering by now, and the storyteller, delighted with his large audience, stood up, the better to tell his dramatic story.

“Arthika didn’t know Bherek White then. He was just an orphan boy come to stay with his uncle at the city. The city was not as it is now; it was a time of hatred and unrest, a time of jealousy and greed, a time of all bad things. When Accerbus the Luce, with his evil designs, wanted to make the whole of Arthika his kingdom.

Accerbus was born Mritor Accerbus, a son of an overlord of the land of gray lions. Gray lion like you my son. At first, he was a nice cub, like you, but he chose his companions badly. He grew up into a young lion with a desire to control everybody and a passion to possess everything he saw. He killed his brothers and hastened the death of his father so he could become the overlord. He fought and killed his way through the ranks of his country, and eventually became its ruler. He kept his cold sword warm with the blood of those who opposed him. He then acquired neighbouring lands and became more powerful. His motto was, “Today I own as far as I can see from this hill; tomorrow I will stand on a mountain and look farther.”

The whole of Arthika was in danger of being ruled by this evil beast.

But the gods decided to send one of their own to us, the Great Lion. As an old saying goes, “When beasts descend to the level of men, the gods descend to the level of beasts.”

The old fox continued, completely capturing the minds of his audience.

A figure slipped away from the gathering, an old lion wrapped up in a dark red cloak, and walked off the gardens into the woods beyond. Being with his happy people always made the old lion as happy as them, but today the old fox had brought back memories. Memories of those innocent years when he had not known his destiny, or done anything to change the destiny of the world. When he had been just a simple village boy…

Publisher announcement

Dynast: The Rise of Bherek White to be published by Shatterday comics.
The original choice was Arcana Comics. But their really one-sided contract really put us off. They were unwilling and unrelenting to make any changes.

We can expect the Book 1 to be out by June 2011.

Quality check all done

Ashok Rajagopalan and I (Asvin Srivatsangam) went over 118 pages. It was a tedious process, and took us many weeks. We are now in the process of designing the back cover, title page and few minor details.

In all, WE ARE READY!! :)

What could be Page 74 of the Book

“Alert!” cried Bherek. The signal was passed to the two groups led by Zanny and Brav. “Attack!” he yelled a moment later, and they rushed with him to the gates.
Zirenus was thus subject to an unexpected attack from the rear.

Page 73

Zanny was raring to join the battle but no signal came from Bherek, who, from a high rock at a distance, surveyed the action. The soldiers were restless, and grew more and more impatient with every yell or clang heard. Bherek appeared unperturbed, annoyingly so!

Page 72

Bherek had nothing more to tell his men. His lips tightened and his eyes narrowed in concentration on Valiante Rok, ready for the signal. Zanny and Brav, both positioned with their group according to plan, waited in controlled tension.
Rok thrust his sword skywards.
“With the grace of Sonnarus, ATTACK!”

Bherek practices to be a like a soldier

Bherek sat on the edge of his bed and gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He wanted to join military training but he did not want to upset his aunt, who was his mother now.

“This invitation from the king is opportunity, but sadly, I am not able to take advantage of it. Does Destiny take hold of people and shape them, or do people take it upon themselves to shape the future? How much do the gods allow and how much do mortals contribute?” he asked his reflection. Then he remembered something his father used to say, “If you want a tree, plant a seed. If you want to become a farmer, think like a farmer now. If you want to be a soldier, think, act and behave like a soldier. Start in your mind, and Destiny will listen.”

Bherek rose from the bed and slept that night on the floor, like a soldier.

These are two archetypes

These are two archetypes that are for the Hero embarking on the Journey (Hawks) or against it (Doves). Both debate the pros and cons of the journey . . . Dark Side. The danger of following the Call is that it could lead to the dark side. Doves often are against the Journey, not because of any selfishness, but because of the very real threat involved.

Aunt Prava is the dove, and Uncle Titon Rok is the hawk. Bherek wants to join the army - Aunt Prava opposes it and Uncle Titon supports it.

The hero Bherek too is in dilemma. His fear is exacerbated by the earlier Refusals, Interdictions and Dove and Hawk debates. They speak about the pros and cons.

Old Fox and Bherek White

This is when the old fox bowed at Bherek White

There is always an 'oracle'

On their way to the palace, the group was distracted by the laughs and shouts of a crowd at a street corner. A gathering of lions, foxes, bears and many cubs, around an old fox sitting knitting at the foot of a disfigured statue.
“It’s that mad old fox of the temple of the moon!” said Vivus.
“A soothsayer?” asked Bherek but Vivus shook his head and made a path for his friends through the crowd, till they emerged right in front of the fox.
“Nobody believes him. He has started saying that the great lion has finally come!”
The soothsayer caught sight of the cubs and sprang to his feet.
“The Great Lion has come to see me!” he cried, and started dancing. To Bherek’s embarrassment, the fox bowed before him as low as his old frame permitted.
“Hail, O Emperor White!” he said, and clutched at the embarrassed cub’s arm before Bherek could escape. The fox brought forth a piece of dirty black metal from the recesses of his layers of rags and thrust it into Bherek’s hand. Nobody in the gathering noticed this; everybody had just laughed to see a cub being addressed as emperor.

Interactions of Gadhya Kraft with Shakun

An Ambitious Minister
Atop the tallest tower of the palace, another feline had a lot to brood upon, too. Gadhya Kraft, a thin and long firecat, the minister closest to the king. Her robes were green, and her cloak purple. She looked down upon the city and the wooded hills beyond with unseeing eyes. The woods were cleft in two by the river Swarole, a gleaming sword, its blade red in the twilight, reflecting dark trees and distant hills. Brightflies, butterflies that glow in the dark, thronged the window, a flickering curtain of little stars. The beauty of the scene made no impression on her; she was deep in her own dreams and plans.
“Your Excellency!”
“Shakun! You startled me!”
The cat who entered looked more a fox than a lion. Sneaking in as usual, with minimum noise, Shakun had chosen for himself the darkest corner of the room, next to the niche with the idol of Invinsa, the goddess of victory. The flickering flame of the lamp in the niche just revealed the edges of his hooded form in the shadows. He always dressed in black, and that helped to make him part of the darkness he hid in.
“Your Excellency waits impatiently for the time when you would be Your Majesty?”
Gadhya’s laugh echoed eerily on the stones. Disturbed bats flapped around the small room in all directions.
“Clever!” she said, “Very clever. I hope nobody else senses my secret ambition.”
““Fireflies are symbols of royalty, your excellency. They cover the window, but do not enter. If you were to ask one of those soothsaying foxes, he would say that you are very close to realizing your secret dream.”
“I care a nostril hair for such superstition. Now tell me, you cunning rascal, what should I do to speed up things? What do you propose?”
Shakun bowed. “Have Varumanius disposed off, Your Excellency.”
The firecat froze. The fading twilight had, by now, painted the sky red and the shadows purple. A bat brushed her cheek as it flapped out of the window, tearing a hole in the brightfly curtain. She shuddered.
“No, Shakun,” she said, “No! There’s no need for blood. Yet. He has but a few weak drops left in his aging body. The king will die any day. Issueless.” She turned to stare at Shakun, but he just stood there, silent.
“Issueless,” she continued, looking out of the window, “and I have been with him, all these years, aiding him in keeping his precious city intact, with minimal battles and numerous intrigues.” She clutched the sides of the window with drawn claws.
“I am as a daughter to him!” She turned on her heel and shook her fists at the idol.
“A daughter, O Goddess! But why doesn’t he see that? Why doesn’t the old fool make me the heir?” Her cry echoed off the stones but drew no reply from Invinsa. Or from Shakun. He had slipped out as noiselessly as the bats.
“He gives me power,” she said to the walls, “but he doesn’t grant me heirdom.”
“Heirdom,” echoed the stones, “heirdom!”

Wondercon 2010

Attended Wondercon this weekend, to be precise on April 3. Will post some pictures

Bherek turns 18

Bherek White turns 18 in the graphic novel of Book 1. His birthday was celebrated with a small group of people.

Bherek’s eighteenth birthday was celebrated at Prava’s insistence. Bherek did not like to be the centre of attention, showing off the new clothes Prava had made for him: A bright tunic of red with gold trim, black trousers and a new cloak of blue. She helped Bherek tie the cloak loosely around his neck. It was supposed to be a quiet birthday, with only the family and Bherek’s friends present, but Vivus made noise enough for ten guests.
“Ha, ha, Aunt Prava,” he said, “Bherek can tie the cloak by himself. You treat him like a child and make him blush!”
“There,” said Prava, patting Bherek on the shoulder, “that’s perfect. He’s always my child, Vivus, you brat, and so are you. Now go and finish the cake while I set the dinner table. Coming, husband?”
“Yes, my favourite wife,” said Rok as he followed her to the hall, and was rewarded by a playful slap on the cheek.
“A child?” said Vivus, “Bher bro, you are eighteen and an adult now! You also look it!”
“Hear, hear,” said Zanny while Brav laughed.
“Don’t laugh so heartily, Big Brother,” snickered Vivus, “You look like a married lion with ten cubs!”
Zanny blushed furiously and marched out to the garden, followed by Brav.
“That because you are so tall, Zan” said Brav.
“Let me go and help Aunt with the table,” said Bherek, but Vivus grasped his arm.
“Are you mad? This is your birthday.”
“But…”
“Come outside, let’s tease Zan a bit more.”

Prava had set the table with Rok’s help. Zanny’s mother had also come to help her with the cooking as some guards from the palace, like Thicker and Cabarone, were expected to bring their families to dinner.
“Now where are your palace friends, Titon Dear?” asked Prava, from the hall. Titon peeped out through the kitchen window.
“They will be here soon, Prava, but come here for a moment, will you?”
“What is it?”
“Look.”
Rok had been looking out at Bherek and friends outside. Zanny and Vivus were sitting on the wall, facing the road, while Brav and Bherek were in the garden.
“Hey, look at that one, Zan,” said Vivus.
A pretty spotard passed them on the street, fluttering her eyelashes in their direction, causing Vivus to nearly fall off the wall.
“That can be mine,” said Vivus, “now pick on one your size, Big Bro!”
“They are not fruits in a shop,” said Bherek, “for you to pick and choose. They are people, you know.”
“Ah, I am willing to be picked and chosen by them,” laughed Vivus, “but they don’t do that. They only speak with their eyes, the cunning charmers. What say, Big Bro?”
He poked Zanny’s side with his elbow, and Zanny smiled.
“Join us, Bherek and pick one for yourself,” he said, “Since it’s your birthday, you get to choose first.”
“You go ahead, friends,” laughed Bherek from the garden, “I need many more birthdays for that.”
“Hey, there’s an amazing lioness! She must be new here!” said Vivus.
“No,” said Zanny, “She’s from Riverside. Lives near my home.”

“Well,” said Rok from inside the house, “Our nephew isn’t interested in girls.”
“All in good time, husband of mine,’ replied Prava.

Later, after Rok’s friends had come and gone, Bherek’s friends said their goodbyes at the gate. They discussed their work and what was to become of them at the palace.
“Now that Uncle Titon is a Valiante, we stand greater chance of our strategies being put to practice.” Rok had been recently promoted to Valiante, general of the armed forces of Auris.
“Yes, Bher,” said Brav, “Uncle Rok treats you not like little cub.”
“Since our training is over, can you ask him about us joining the guards?” asked Zanny.
“But no need to hurry,” added Vivus, being with them only for fun and friendship, not to taste real battles!

But the promotion happened soon enough.

India trip

I spent 3 weeks in New Delhi and a week in Chennai.
Flew from SFO to New Delhi and landed in India on Jan 1.
However, when I flew back from SFO, I did that from Chennai.

3 weeks in Delhi could have been better but for the cold weather there. The houses there are not insulated. But then I had a good time with my wife, baby, in-laws, and bro-in-law. We planned to go to Jaipur, but that off the drain owing to cold weather. Most of Northern India was engulfed with fog and cold weather.

Chennai trip was bit too short. Here again it was mostly spent the time with my family - grandma, aunts etc.

Over all a good break!

Getting ready to leave to India

I am packing off my suitcases to fly to India. Will be in India for a month - starting from Jan 1 to Feb 1. Yeah, I will be working for 3 weeks from India.
I should be meeting Ashok while I am in Chennai.

Update on Book 2

Ashok started writing for Book 2 in beginning of 2009. But he had to stop owing to the projects he had. He manage to add a chapter in Oct. We have added a chapter similar to the Book 1, where the old Fox narrates the story. I am sorry I am not going to reveal the details.

The plan is to add 4 chapters a month, and about 4000 words a month. We also plan to have the Book 2 completed by the Aug-Sep 2010.

AVATAR

Watched and enjoyed the visual spectacle called the AVATAR. Though there has been critisim about the story itself, you cannot take anything away from AVATAR the visual treat. I was even more rejoiced when people say that Avatar reminded them of the Dynast. This is a great feeling to be a part of the Dynast and being a creator. It creates a sense of pride. I hope in the near future the Dynast also enjoys a similar success as the Avatar.

Avatar the movie

I watched AVATAR here in AMC Mercado (Santa Clara). It was to watch it on the 3D.
AVATAR was a fantastic movie, a great visual treat. It elements of Hero-cycle, which is closely followed in the Dynast.

Minor Characters

Aunt Prava, wife of Titon Rok. More information can be found here

The Rebel Bear

Shakun: A short lion, a hench-man of Gadhya Kraft

The Graphic Novel update

We have now Pages 28. The pages are wonderfully pencilled. I have asked Seb to do the coloring. He says he has been doing some coloring, but I havent seen them after Page 8.