Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1995)
An adventure novel about the ups and downs of the life of Arjun, 14, a Brahman in seventh-century India who is tricked and sold into the army. His rise through the ranks--from lowly foot soldier to the king's elite elephant corps--is a success story that takes up three-quarters of the telling. In the remainder of the book, Arjun achieves another type of success, as a stonecutter, who experiences a Siddhartha-esque spiritual awakening as an artist. Throughout, Arjun devotes himself to finding his lost sister; in the end, he resigns himself to carving her image in a temple wall. A motley narrative is packed with adjectives, proper names, and colorful descriptions, like a dish with every available spice thrown in; it's full of digressions into Indian philosophy, mythology, and religions, cooking, elephants, military strategy, rock-carving techniques, even a detailed explanation of yoga postures. The sprawling plot brings together many figures, but all of them are unfinished--characters without personalities, or personalities without characters. Bosse (The Examination, 1994, etc.) wanders from topic to topic--sometimes investing in Arjun, sometimes using him merely as a lens through which to view his surroundings. For all that, the thematic construction of the novel is skillful and surprisingly tasteful. 1995, Front Street, $15.95. © 1995 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Elizabeth Bush (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December 1995 (Vol. 49, No. 4))
Arjun can make little sense of the tragedies that suddenly strike on his journey across India-his caravan is attacked, most of its members are butchered by bandits, his sister is kidnapped, and he is drugged and sold into the army. Only humility, which comes from acceptance of his karma, puts Arjun on the path to rebuilding his life; with his modest attitude of "I am a soldier, bought and paid for," he attracts the attention of his commanders and rises through the ranks as an elephant handler and mahout, a mounted soldier. When his Brahman pride resurfaces under the acclaim he receives as a warrior, the young man falls at the hand of a jealous rival, and he must once again recreate his life, this time as a stone cutter and carver. Neither the exotic setting of seventh-century India nor the challenging Indian vocabulary (sans glossary) gets in the way of this rousing adventure tale, which rivets its audience with the opening massacre and holds it fast through elephant-breaking and military engagements. The final quarter of the novel takes a slower, reflective turn, as Arjun masters the stonecarvers' craft and examines his religious sentiments. Fans of The Examination (BCCB 10/94) will gladly follow Bosse to his latest venue, and readers seeking a fresh twist in an action novel can come along, too. R--Recommended. (c) Copyright 1995, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1995, Front Street, 244p, $15.95. Grades 6-10.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1995)
This vigorously paced coming-of-age historical novel is set in seventh-century India. Arjun, the eldest son of an impoverished Brahman, is traveling with a caravan when it is attacked. Drugged and sold into the army, Arjun becomes a member of the elephant corps. Detailed descriptions enhance the narrative flow in this readable, fascinating, and informative text that draws the reader into another era and setting. Category: Fiction. 1995, Front, 244pp.. Ages 14 to 18. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.