Atricle by Neeraja Murthy for TheHindu.com
The book ‘The Pearl of Immortality’ blends magic with adventure and is the first one in the seven-part series by Nishi Chandermun
Strange worlds with ancient powers exist in Nishi Singh’s debut book The Pearl of Immortality. Known by her pen name Nishi Chandermun, the law graduate-turned writer sets a narrative involving magic and adventure and transporting readers into realms of fantasy. The book follows the story of Xerxes, a 15-year old boy from 18th century Persia, who gets magically teleported to the fictional planet Ishtar in the Alpha Centauri star system. “In a world so different from Earth, a world dominated by the light and dark forces of magic, Xerxes learns of his new identity as a Dragon Rider and gets catapulted into a succession of perilous magical ventures,” says Nishi, adding the book is the first of her ambitious seven-part The Sands of Time series.
While the works of Enid Blyton shaped her world as a child, the Hardy Boys series evoked a passion for adventure. “It greatly plays out in my work,” she says, adding, “I quite favour the current Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks, which also blends adventure into fantasy, very much like my own work.”
Born and raised in Durban in South Africa, Nishi informs her paternal grandfather Mahadeo who hailed from Muhammadabad, Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh and his wife Gendia had come to Natal in South Africa in 1892, to work as indentured Indian labourers for a period of five years. She hopes to visit India sometime. “A trip to this wonderful land is definitely on my agenda. I consider it important for one to connect to one’s beginnings and I really look forward to connecting to the homeland of my great ancestors.” Over email, she shares the inspiration and challenges in writing The Pearl of Immortality.