Interview with Sundar Nathan

What’s your educational and professional background?

I attended Don Bosco, Egmore; the College of Engineering, Guindy; and the University of Texas at Austin to secure higher education.

My professional journey began in Silicon Valley, where I worked as an engineer, a product marketing leader, and an entrepreneur in the software industry.

What motivated you to write ‘The Naraka Cycle’ – Ravan’s Trial?

My passion for storytelling was ignited by the perennially inspiring tales of the Ramayana and Mahabharata shared by my grandmother Namagiri and mother Saroja when I was a child. I wrote my debut novel, Ravan’s Trial, which brings together family dynamics, political intrigue and battle planning to captivate readers across the world. The Naraka Cycle is a nine-book mytho-fantasy series that reimagines the Ramayana in a dark, epic, and thrilling new way. The series explores the rise of Ravan, his rebellion against the celestial Devas, and the clash of ancient civilizations across the mystical world of Naraka.

What are the themes used in your book?

Key Themes & Elements:

• Ravan’s Journey: From a young prince to a legendary warrior and feared emperor.

• Ancient Civilizations: Asuras, Rakshasas, Nagas, Vidyadharas, Kinnaras, and Devas—each with their own magic, culture, and power struggles.

• War & Rebellion: Battles between mortals, gods, and demons that reshape history.

• Myth & Reality: Inspired by Indian mythology but filled with original twists and darker interpretations.

• Politics & Betrayal: Kingdoms, alliances, and betrayals that drive the fate of empires.

Why Read The Naraka Cycle?

• For Fans of Mythology & Fantasy: If you love epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana, or fantasy like The Stormlight Archive and Game of Thrones, this is for you.

• A Fresh Perspective on Ravan: Not just a villain, but a warrior, visionary, and rebel.

• Expansive Worldbuilding: Think massive warships, towering mountain fortresses, jungle kingdoms, and divine palaces.

Any plans on how to release your sequence of books?

Book Release Schedule:

The series is set to release every quarter starting March 2024.

Which of the books are out/released/announced so far?

Books in the Series (So Far Announced)

1. Ravan’s Trial – The beginning of Ravan’s journey.

2. Demons & Their Gods – The battle between the Asuras and celestial forces.

3. Prince of Naraka – Ravan’s rise to power.

How did you go about conducting research for your novel?

I drew from Indian mythology, ancient epics, Hindu scripture such as the Vedas and the Puranas, reference books on the science and technology of ancient India, as well as languages such as Sanskrit as source material for The Naraka Cycle.

Tell me about some of your inspiration sources:

The language of magic in the books is classical Sanskrit. Reading the ancient texts in that ancient language, which I have been studying for a few years, has been a magical experience. Whilst building the world of Naraka, I also looked into ancient Indian statecraft since about 300 BCE, as well as the politics and economics during the time of the Mahajanapadas or ancient republics of India from 600 to 400 BCE.

It was important to me that I used authentic sources and deep research to create a sense of scientific realism for the reader. I’ve shared just a few of the sources and references to create the ecology, art, architecture, military technology, science, and characters in the series on my website:

https://www.sundarnathan.com/inspiration-resources

How long did it take you from idea to execution?

Ten years

Tell us about your writing journey.

I took writing courses with Hollywood script writers at storygrid.com back in 2014 to hone my writing skills. Research started in 2014-2015 and I started world-building and outlining the series in 2016. Writing began in earnest 2016 and the first book ‘Ravan’s Trial’ was released in 2024.

Who are some of your favorite writers?

I love Tolkien, Martin, Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke in the fantasy and science fiction genre. Other writers I admire are Agatha Christie, Michael Crichton, Steven Pressfield, and of course, Rishi Vyasa and Rishi Valmiki.