Book excerpt: SEVENTH-CENTURY INDIA. A GRIM STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL UNFOLDS. WILL THE PALLAVAS BRAVE THE CHALUKYA FURY, OR BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE RELENTLESS TIDE OF HISTORY? After months of setting their plan in motion, three gallant Pallava captains march forward, driven by King Narasimhavaraman's vow to avenge their clan's honour. In response, the indomitable Chalukya King Pulikeshi launches a fierce counterattack, aided by his brother, Kubja Vishnuvardhana. Backed by their powerful allies, the Chalukyas spare no effort in their attempts to decimate the Pallava army, ambushing the enemy on both land and sea. The very survival of the Pallavas hangs in the balance. Can they withstand the unbridled force unleashed by the resurgent Chalukyas or will they succumb to the overwhelming might of their adversaries? Can they rally their defences before all is lost? The second volume of the adrenaline-fueled saga that began with Nandi's Charge, unfolds in riveting detail in Varaha's Vengeance, taking readers on a thrilling journey through one of the most exciting periods of Indian history.