Krishna (Krishnankutty) Sudhir is
a physician, cardiologist and educator. Born in Chennai, India, he has
lived and worked in three countries, including India, Australia, and the
United States. He is currently based in California’s Bay Area, where he
is a senior executive in the medical device industry.
In
his academic career, he has taught undergraduate and postgraduate
students at major Australian and American universities. He is passionate
about educating the general public on health and medicine, and has
authored several TED-Ed videos in the health care field. Sudhir has
traveled extensively across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America,
and is deeply interested in cultures, languages, and cuisines across the
globe. He enjoys watching movies, listening to music, reading detective
novels, and cooking Indian food. While well-published in the medical
field as the author of over 180 publications, the Prince of Typgar
series is his first foray into the world of fiction.
Congratulations on your latest novel, Prince of Typgar: Nujran and the
Corpse in the Quadrangle! Tell us what the book is about.
This is the second in the Prince of Typgar series, a sequel to Nujran
and the Monks of Meirar. The series is set in an alternate universe, an
earth-like planet Syzegis in a distant galaxy. At the end of the first
book, we leave Nujran as a teenager who has traveled with his teacher,
Amsibh, experiencing romance, conflict, friendship, betrayal, and loss.
We begin the second book on the campus of the University of Western
Foalinaarc, where a body has just been discovered. Who is this girl, and
why is she dead? Could it be linked to the mysterious illness sweeping
across campus, affecting most of the teaching community? Why does Amsibh
come to the school, and what does he need to protect Nujran from?
Through what twist of fate is Nujran reunited with his old friends, the
Monks of Meirar? And why does Nujran end up being a captive again?
Nujran and the Corpse in the Quadrangle picks up where your last
book, Nujran and the Monks of Meirar, left off, but it can also work as a
stand-alone. Why did you decide to return to Nujran’s story and what
will fans of your first novel be most excited by?
I felt there was more of Nujran’s story that needed to be told,
and I wanted to have readers go along with him on all of his new
adventures as he begins college. In this book, there’s drama in plenty
with fugitives on the run, turbulence on the university campus, fresh
intrigue, a new romance, a strange kidnapping, an escape from prison,
and a rescue mission where things don’t quite go as planned. In short,
this sequel is another fast-paced adventure that will hold readers
spellbound!
What makes your books stand out from other young adult fantasy novels?
The most unique aspect is that this book is written from an
Indian-American voice, that pulls from stories of kings, queens and
princes in Indian mythology to create modern fantasy fiction. There are
not many YA novels that originate from Indian thinking and tradition, so
I was happy to bring that to readers. Plus, it’s set on another planet
in a distant galaxy, with elements of not just sci-fi and fantasy but
also magical realism, making it a captivating blend of multiple young
adult genres. An alternate universe, with multi-ethnic characters, many
with unusual abilities, will likely attract fans of the Marvel and DC
entertainment films and comic books. Plus, I hope young readers from
Indian and other immigrant backgrounds who don’t see their culture
widely represented in YA novels will enjoy that aspect as well.
Why did you decide to feature multi-ethnic culture and Indian mythology in your novels?
We are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic country, but we don’t have
enough minority voices in literature. As an Indian-American writer, I
bring a unique perspective to storytelling, drawing from my love of
Indian mythology, the Arabian Nights and other epic literature in the
diversity space. I am honored to be able to bring these to young readers
of all cultures, and I hope they can not only enjoy the stories, but
learn something about other cultures – or even their own – along the
way.
You are a cardiologist and a professor – what made you want to write YA novels?
The ideas for the books came from multiple directions. Raising two boys
(who are now almost 26 and 24), I read a lot of young adult fiction. We
perused the Harry Potter novels together, a delightful shared
experience. When they were younger, I learned to spin a lot of yarns,
mainly as bedtime stories. And going further back in time, there was my
own childhood and early adult fascination with the Indian
epics—magnificent tales of princes and warriors woven into stories.
With your medical and teaching career, in addition to being a parent, when do you find the time to write?
I love this question because it has a fun answer! Before COVID, I
traveled often for my job. The entire first novel in the Prince of
Typgar series was written on United Airlines airplanes. Most of Nujran
and the Corpse in the Quadrangle was as well, before quarantine kept me
home for the tail end of the process. The cabin of an airplane is an
unusual, but perfect place to lose yourself in a new universe through
writing!
What’s next for you? Will you be writing another book in the Prince of Typgar series, or something fresh?
The series is planned as a trilogy, so there’s one more novel after
this one. That final one will be the culmination of the story. Nujran’s
adventures will continue, you can be sure there will be more intrigue
and conflict, and hopefully my readers will stay with me through the end
of the series.
Giveaway
(Enter via the form below)
Smith Publicity are offering an eBook giveaway of the first two books in the trilogy
Prince of Typgar: Nujran and the Monks of Meirar
Set on the planet
Syzegis, in a distant galaxy, Nujran is the spoiled pre-teen son of King
Rababi and Queen Roone in the kingdom of Typgar. Enter Maestro Amsibh, a
gifted teacher with extraordinary qualities, and the prince’s
transformation begins.
But, why does he have to leave his sheltered
life at the palace and his gorgeous friend Zaarica, with the maestro
and two bodyguards? Who are the mysterious Monks of Meirar, and what
strange powers do they possess? What motivates Hoanan, the villainous
politician, who wants to unseat the king and usurp the throne? And
amidst all the turbulence in Typgar, can Nujran find his way back home?
With numerous plot twists and turns, the reader will be transported on a
fast-paced adventure with our young prince, where he encounters romance
and conflict, friendship and betrayal, while building strength and
character through his experiences in the real world.
Prince of Typgar: Nujran and the Corpse in the Quadrangle
This is the second in the Prince of Typgar series, the much-anticipated
sequel to Nujran and the Monks of Meirar. At the end of the first book,
we left Nujran as a teenager who has learned much through his journeys
alongside his teacher Amsibh. He experienced romance, conflict,
friendship, betrayal, and loss. He grew up along the way.
We begin
the second book on the sprawling campus of the prestigious University of
Western Foalinaarc, where a body has just been discovered. Who is this
girl, and why is she dead? Could it be linked to the mysterious illness
sweeping the campus and plaguing the teaching community? Why does Amsibh
come to the school, and what does he need to protect Nujran from?
Through what twist of fate is Nujran reunited with his old friends, the
Monks of Meirar? And why does Nujran end up being a captive again?
The stakes are higher than ever before, with fugitives on the run,
turbulence on the university campus, a new romance, a bizarre
kidnapping, a perilous escape from prison, and a rescue mission where
things don’t quite go as planned. Corpse in the Quadrangle is another
fast-paced adventure that will hold young readers spellbound!
This giveaway is now closed and the winner was ..... Karen S
