R
Raghu Srinivasan
Raghu Srinivasan is the author of The Avatari. He writes fiction that explores complex characters and imaginative settings.
The Avatari
Synopsis
The Avatari is the debut adventure thriller by Raghu Srinivasan, a serving officer in the Indian Army. It follows retired British soldier Henry Ashton, who is pulled into a globe-spanning quest for the legendary hidden kingdom of Shambhala after a Laotian monk seeks his help protecting an ancient secret.
Set largely in 1986, the novel moves from Yorkshire to the deserts of Ladakh and the mountains of Afghanistan during the Soviet war, blending Himalayan legend, treasure-hunt intrigue, and geopolitical tension. Srinivasan draws on real experience of high-altitude and jungle terrain to ground the action.
The book pairs a classic quest structure with a memorable ensemble of characters. It appeals to readers of adventure thrillers in the vein of treasure-hunt and lost-world fiction.
Genres
Characters
Henry AshtonProtagonist
A retired British Army officer pulled into a search for an ancient secret at the behest of a Laotian monk.
Durga BahadurSupporting
A retired Gurkha sergeant and steadfast companion on the quest.
Susan HamiltonSupporting
A high-strung Oxford mathematician with her own obsession with Shambhala.
Peter RadiganSupporting
An American mercenary on the CIA's wanted list who joins the expedition.
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