happiness and food

When I first heard about Kalyug, the cover page was an image file saved in a smart phone and the blurb was shared personally. I do not have many author friends who happen to come from the same college as mine and hence when this book got launched, I was curious to get my hands on it. A little laziness delayed a lot of things but ever since this was delivered home, I haven’t been to put this one down. This book also happens to be the first and only book that I bought and will now share a review. Let me begin by saying that I am glad I put my hard-earned money to good use.

Plot and Positives: Kalyug is a political thriller and has been named after the Operation Kalyug in the story that is the premise of the plot. Following the death of an honest war veteran, the existing government is thrown out of power, and a new one takes its place. The new regime promises a government that will get back things on track for India and on to a new path to success. Amidst politics, struggle for power, conspiracy and safe house attacks, is an author who is a pawn in this political game.

If you are someone who is interested in politics, this is the perfect thriller for you. The book delivers a perfect score on the elements of an action, detailing and the way all the dots are connected to lead to the story. This is Sreeram’s first book and while I was reading it, I can say that no amount of thorough research can match this one. Unlike the modern-day authors, Sreeram seemed to be extremely patient in penning this book down. Whether it is relating to how insensitive media can be at times when they telecast live, or how political decisions impact stock markets or what eligibility criteria should politicians come on board with, the author had ensured that he covers all aspects possible. The way the technology set is up, blast scenes, travel etc. are described is also unique, well researched and commendable. The choice of words strikes a perfect balance between what is a mere detail vs. what’s critical to help the reader visualize the scene and go on an entirely different level of imagination. 

Coming over to language and English, it’s easy to read and exhibits the command over the language. The place where I finally thought I have found a typo was a text message language and relevant to the context. The elements of humor also added a lighter note to the serious story. India wants to know and Mensa membership notes were a couple that were my favorite. Usage of some wonderful quotes added icing to the cake for me.

What could have been better: The story moves across different cities and goes back and forth in time. Personally, I enjoy reading a story that goes forward in time. This was not a deterrent but I had to go check to get to up to date with the past and present. At some places, I wanted the story to move faster and towards the end, I felt it was too fast. This was indeed a wonderful read and I really can’t pin point on any one single thing that did not work out for me. So thumbs up SR!!

Tactical Details: The cover page is creatively done and the font size easy on the eyes. The page and ink quality is superb and pretty much expected from the publishers of such fame.

Overall Verdict: Simple. Straightforward. Honest – 5/5. It’s not a quick read but trust me this is an awesome read.

Book Details:  

Name:  Kalyug

Authors: R. Sreeram

Genre: Thriller/Fiction

Publisher: Westland Ltd.

Publication Year: 2014

Number of pages: 383

Price: 395 INR

My rating: 5/5

New Year, New Possibilities! Thank you Readers for making 2014 such a great year and encouraging me to blog. Your comments, likes, shares and tweets keep me going. I promise to write better!