(Published in The Times of India, December 20 2018)

One of the finest young historians of India, Manu S. Pillai presents a racy narrative of the Deccan that traces the lives of forgotten kings and warriors. A charming and contemporary history book, ‘Rebel Sultans’ is anything but boring. It is a thrilling account that effectively brings “the Deccan to the centre of our attention”, and through engaging prose and extensive footnotes, Pillai takes us through peculiar and interesting kings and warriors from the age of Alauddin Khilji to Shivaji. Packed with dramatic characters from history, Pillai unravels a forgotten chapter in our medieval past, in the process establishing Deccan as an important place in history that needs our focus.