Tuesday 29 October 2013

Baramulla Bomber

From the book blurb
An Ancient Weapon from the Vedas & Bible
Once Hunted by the Nazis
Powered by the Sound of the Universe

Reborn with the Help of Quantum Physics
Going to be Unleashed onto the World
And Kashmir Holds its Secret

The only way
Multiple intelligence agencies are tracking Mansur Haider, a god-fearing aspiring cricketer from Kashmir. His girlfriend, Aahana Yajurvedi, is trying to locate her missing mountaineering team, which vanished after a mysterious earthquake struck Shaksgam Valley. Investigating Mansur and the Shaksgam Valley incident is Swedish intelligence officer, Adolf Silfverskiold, whose only relationship to God consists of escorting his girlfriend to Church.

To save the world
A dual China-Pakistan battlefront scenario facing the Indian Home Minister, Agastya Rathore, whose ancestors carry a prehistoric secret linked to the stars. He is faced with the challenge of finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir crisis.

Is to challenge one’s faith
Which biblical weapon was tested in Shaksgam valley? Why is Mansur Haider important? Is there a solution to the Kashmir crisis? Can destiny be controlled? Does a cosmic religion exist?


Author
Clark Prasad, alter ego of Suraj Prasad, a pharmacist with a management degree who believes in conspiracy theories, Baramulla Bomber is his first book. He grew up during the cold war days with BBC radio was one of his mysterious companions as a kid, when his father played the news regularly every day. World War II news and documentaries on CIA-KGB tussle kept him engaged that time.

As a kid he wanted to be an archaeologist or an astronaut, but fate had its own road and he got involved with Mr. Carbon akaChemistry. Currently he is a healthcare management consultant, based out of Bengaluru, Planet Earth.

Characters
Mansur Haider is confused and undertain in the beginning. But, his eventual transformation is promising and well established.

Aahana breaks the myth. Beauty can have brains too!  

Others like Adolf Silfverskiold and Agasthya Rathore plays a vital role in pushing the plot towards the end


What I think
The author has asked the reviewers to not to be a spoil sport and give away much about the story. So I will focus more on the narrative style and the plot per se.

I was keen to read the book; more because of the disclaimer in the very beginning itself. It gives an idea about what can be expected. The first few pages, though a little too suffocated with information and a little lagging, builds tension.

The author has done extensive research and the book comes across as I-know-what-I-am-writing kind. The author is well-read and that makes this a very informative read.

This book is Eka, the first book in the series to follow. And I have to admit that it leaves us eager to read the second one. But better editing and less confusing writing would make the second one more gripping.


But...
The narrative is pathetically confusing. The first many pages exasperate us. We feel as if we are blindfolded led through an unknown dark alley who desperately longs for a ray of light and freedom from the clasp.

The History mentioned and the facts given are too suffocating that we lose interest and grip over the plot.

And I couldn’t really understand why so drawings are given. I understand and acknowledge that they are relevant. But an image for every new chapter is too much. That could have been avoided.


Should you read it?
If you enjoy reading science fictions which is suffocated with supporting evidences and which convinces the reader that the book is less a fiction and more facts, then, I bet that you will enjoy this book. I mean Da Vincci Code, Krishna Key types....

Rating
2.5/5

Thank you
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4 comments:

  1. Aah! You didnt like this one! I loved it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a little too confusing...
      I felt so...
      And I had read your review...

      Thanks :)

      Delete
  2. I too liked the book at first, but towards the middle pages, it proved to be a bit boring....i agree with your criticisms too..

    ReplyDelete