Shivaji Sawant does not reduce Aurangzeb to a caricature of Muslim tyranny. Instead, he presents the aging Mughal emperor as a tragic figure in his own right: a deeply religious, miserly, suspicious man who has traded human affection for political survival.

(translating to "Lion Cub") is a landmark historical novel by renowned Marathi author Shivaji Sawant

★★★★★ (5/5) Recommended for: Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom , Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy , or readers of Marathi Bakhar . Where to find it: Available in Marathi (Mehta Publishing House) and English (Pan Macmillan India).