Book excerpt: Ramayan, a blend of “Lord Of The Rings” and “Star Wars,” and one of India’s oldest epics, longer than the Odyssey and Iliad combined, is a momentous story from start to finish. The hero, Prince Ram, heir to the throne of Kosala, loses his crown, then his wife, and is flung headlong into action packed adventure where he must battle against evil, gain wisdom and use mystical weapons in a final showdown with the most ruthless demon in the universe. This is a fresh, dramatic version of Ramayan aimed at English-speaking readers in the West.