Booktalking Colorado - Full Booktalk Record

Booktalking Colorado Full Record:

	Title:	The Iron Ring
	Author:	Alesander, Lloyd
	Date Published:	1997
	Genre:	Fantasy
	Grade Level:	6 - 7
	Booktalker:	Sam Marsh

Booktalk:
Young King Tamar of Sundari has been trained as a warrior, with honor as the paramount virtue in his life. He is manipulated into a game of dice by the more experienced visiting King Jaya, with increasing wagers. While Tamar inexplicably keeps winning, Jaya makes a final wager such that the loser’s life if forfiet to the winner. Jaya, of course, wins. He directs Tamar to go to Jaya’s palace in Mahapura to make good on his debt, places an iron ring on Tamar’s finger as an emblem of Tamar’s pledge, and then disappears. The next morning, when Tamar awakes, no one else remembers anything about King Jaya having visited Sundari, and question Tamar’s remembrance of the encounter. The only evidence Tamar has is the Iron Ring. Nevertheless, Tamar decides that he must travel to Mahapura to maintain his honor. He leaves his army commander, Darshan, in charge of Sundari in his absence. His elderly teacher Rajaswami, insists on accompanying him on his journey to the mysterious kingdom and King Jaya. On the way, the two find themselves involved in various strange encounters which lead to them acquiring myrid companions. First there is Hashkat, the tricky and devious but strangely loyal Monkey King who has been caught trying to steal a gem from Shesha the naga, or serpent, while he is sleeping. To free Hashkat, Tamar must wrestle with Shesha and then be judged by his father Naga Raja. Naga Raja gives Tamar a ruby as a token of his goodwill. Upon his release, Hashkat becomes a reluctant, yet unforced member of the group. Next, Tamar meets Mirri, the beautiful gopi (milk-maid) with whom he finds himself falling in love with. Due to his mission, however, Tamar feels he must not become entangled with her and attempts to leave in the middle of the night without her knowledge. This, however, proves impossible as the gopi is as resourceful as she is beautiful, and she becomes another part of the entourage. The next to join the crew is the grumpy and disheveled eagle Garuda; who has failed in a quest to recover a ruby for his master. Although he did recover the ruby, his wings were singed and his wits addled by the ring of fire that protected it. While returning on his mission, he was mocked by another bird and dropped the gem from his beak when he responded. Unable to recover the gem, he has hid in the forest ever since in shame. When Tamar returns the ruby (it turns out to be the one he received from Naga Raja) to Garuda, the bird joins the group with the agreement that Tama will hold the gem until they reach Garuda’s master—the King Jaya. Once again, the friends set out, only to be accosted by four warriors set on destroying them. Although looking for someone named Ashwara, the leader, Kana, insults Mirri. Tamar defends her honor and challenges the man. Ignoring the warriors code of attacking one at a time, all four set upon Tamar. The outlook is bleak until an unknown warrior, who turns out to be Ashwara himself, enters the fray and drives off the offendors. Ashwara, the rightful King of Ranapura tells a story of betrayal by his kinsman, Lord Nahusha who has taken the kingdom by treachery and is seeking to slay Ashwara and his brothers. For his help in defeating Kana and his helpers, Tamar pledges to help Ashwara regain his crown with his own blade as well as those of his kingdom if the need arises. Ashwara departs in friendship. Adi-Kavi, a huge, heavy set suta, (man who decries for a king), who has been living as a visitor in an ant hill, becomes the next to join the crew. He is followed by Little Akka, the monkey, and Arvati, the elephant who are rescued from Nahusha. Then, Soma-Nandi, the tiger is rescued from a tiger pit and joins the band in gratitude while her wounds heal. The troupe then encounters Jamba-Van, a bear, who is a hermit. After spending a relaxing interlude at his ashrama,or hermitage, they part as friends. However, just as they are preparing to depart, Ashwara’s two brothers ride in with the news that Ashwara is requesting the help of Tamar and his people in his battle with Nahusha who proves to be totally without honor. This leads to a series of events where Tamar must deal with becoming a chandala (lowest, most despised and degraded outcast), and where his beliefs are sorely tested along with his friendships and his honor. In the end, Tamar must deal with Nahusha and the nebulous King Jaya.