Book excerpt: A thrilling tale of swashbuckling adventure! When sixteen-year-old Sadashiv is forced to leave his village, he has no idea that he will shortly become part of a legendary band of soldiers, united under the most inspiring Maratha ruler of all time - Shivaji. As Shivaji and his men fight for the independence of their land from the invading rulers of more powerful kingdoms, Sadashiv learns how to fight against overwhelming odds for a leader who inspires love and trust.