Turbulence.

So . . so . . . after a long wait, I finally got my hands on Samit Basu's latest offering- Turbulence. And didn't it blow me away, in a manner at least. Since there haven't been many urban-superheroes' themed novels by Indian author, (in fact none I can think off), I was a bit skeptical, deciding to give it a read just because of my love of Samit Basu books. But I have to admit now, this book was something more than just a binding of words with actions and sequences. This was something special, and far-far better than expected.

Basu, the famous writer of the GameWorld trilogy is back with a bang.

With Turbulence, he speaks about very Indian superheroes, ordinary humans who get powers that reflect their deepest longings, innermost desires . . . so everyone on flight BA 142 from London to Delhi is now a superhero, mildly to vastly powered super-humans (some indeed have weirdest powers imaginable)

The story revolves around the main cast, with plenty of sidekicks thrown in. So you have the protagonist, Aman Sen, whose new-found powers enable him to control everything that's on network. Yes, even the internet bends to his will.
There's Tia, a housewife from Assam, who always wanted to do many things and be at many places, so her powers make her a very literal embodiment of MPD. She can split herself into as many Tia's as she wants, and then merge together again, and can acquire every skill a Tia picked up on the way (very useful)
There's Uzma. A lot of reviews liken her to Katrina Kaif. Th similarities are there, I admit. Uzma is a brit-pakistani beauty who wants to make it big in Bollywood. Everyone likes her, and she oozes sexiness. But yet, I didn't find her one bit like her.
Then you have Vir, a former IAF pilot who can now fly.
And finally, you have the two supervillans. Immensely powerful Jai, Vir's former superior in the IAF who is now a one one army, with the old predictable goal of conquering the world. And there's a mysterious character with such remarkable ability to manipulate mob that is would put the Seldon Plan to shame and render his psychohistory useless.

So, Aman, with his rag-tag collection of rouge superheroes is out to beat the bad guys.

That's pretty much about it. The characters are very Indian. I like their Indian-ness. Some, or rather most of their habits can be related to, if you know what I mean. Basu, with this eccentric and interesting collection of cast, weaves together an unputdownable story, with his trademark zany humor and acerbic wit, which catapults him high up, with Jonathan Stroud. (If you have read Bartemeous, you would be knowing what I am talking about)  . . . Blockbuster perfection, electric and a racy page turner.  

I must admit though that after reading the GameWorld trilogy with it's breakneck speed, sharp twists and turns and plot changes, I was left demanding for more. Maybe Samit decides to write a sequel. I don't know. Haven't exactly been following him recently. But it might be a possibility. The ending is pretty much like the last Foundation book ended.

Verdict: A must read. It won't disappoint you. As BEN AARONOVITCH put's it:

"You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp and you will demand a sequel"

Oligarchy.

A cool wind swept through the square, carrying a scent that would change the world. Tension and excitement was palpable in the air. The signs were clear; something would happen today. There were talks of the dark king stepping down. Some said that foreign hands could play their parts. Still others maintained that the king would hold on, the protests would die down, and then would his black hand come down heavily on those who dared oppose him. ‘How could they even dream of toppling him, The Dark King, before whom even the Gods tremble with fear?’

The crowds had started to gather from the morning itself, but it was now that it was reaching a hysteric level. The attendance had been unprecedented today. There was chanting of ‘Go Away Black Heart’ all around the square. Loud banners unfurled in the air, swaying lightly in the breeze. Huge screens had been erected at the four corners, and indeed around the city itself, to intimate every one of the developments. The general atmosphere around the city was more relaxed. No one seemed to remember that the curfew hours had begun, and it was time to retreat into the safety of their respective houses.

But then, there wasn’t really any need to tell them. The last major outbreak of violence had been two days ago, in the downtown area between the anti and pro-king groups. It had left more than a hundred dead, thousand injured, but it was the outcome of the very same incident that had fueled the general anger and contempt for the King to new heights. People had taken to the streets like never before, determined to throw the immortal sorcerer out of the office now.

Around the country, small and powerless conjurers and magicians pledged their support to the cause. They knew they were nothing more than amoebae compared to the King, but then, was David any bigger? They helped to conjure safety shields and manufacture more effective Molotov’s.

Today, the security establishment was conspicuous by its absence. There was no sign of the fearsome Secret Service, or of the regular police. The militia was absent too. There was no response on government help-lines. In short, it looked as if the administrative machinery had been dismantled over-night.

*******

The leader of the mass-movement, Ranhall, led the procession through the entire city, before stopping in the grounds of the historic Fort Independence. The whole complex was lighted by atomic lights. Temporary shelters had peen erected, and there were provisions for eating as well. Somewhere ahead was a small dais on which stood a young, flamboyant boy. He seemed to be speaking something into a loudspeaker, but for some reason, couldn’t be heard. He looked bemused, and signaled the technician to look into the problem.

It had grown late now, the crowd was restless. They had come here expecting some kind of announcement proclaiming the resignation of the Sorcerer-King and a return to a civilian governorship. However, all they had to do here was hear stories about the old king. . The wide-spread corruption, the atrocities, tales of families being torn apart, of disappearing and of killings.

(To be continued.)  

Revolt.

Its been in the news for the longest of times now. In the print media, all over news channel. A topic of debate and discussion within the Political sphere, from the topmost echelons to the lower rungs. Its events have been followed religiously by the industrialists, for the manifold impact it has had and will have in determining the fate of global economy in the months to come. Yeah, you're right. I am indeed talking about the biggest revolution since the fall of the Shah.

(I might be wrong here, but then, I honestly can't recall any 'true' revolution since the Iranian revolution of 1979. Maybe the pro-democracy movement in Nepal would qualify as one, the break-up of USSR in 1991? Not that, of course. There might have been countless little movements in the intervening years, but come on, how many of them actually resulted in the fall of an Iron-fisted autocratic head, eh?)

Yeah, so, the fire, which started in Tunis, before sweeping across the length and breadth of the Arab World, and resulted in the fall of the head of the only stable Arab state had been stoking for long. Its been all said before. I am no expert, thus would not be analyzing the events which led to the revolt, or the after-effects. No no.. 

Instead, I am here just state what i feel.

Hosni Mubarak, (i don't know why, i feel i have a little respect for the despot. it's not exactly that easy to manage a STABLE ARAB NATION, is it? anyway, I respect Napoleon too) could have avoided the situation altogether. Not exactly a nice preposition, being kicked out from the office, is it?

I guess its turning nonsensical now, this blog spot. Might have something to do with this headache i have because of tonsillitis. Would continue next time, with definite idea as to what i should write.  

Update on Alibi

'ALIBI' my most ambitious short-story/project till date, a psychological thriller, still stuck in the first draft section. However, i might restart work on it again, possibly with-in this month. It's exhausting, though shaping up well. I hope it turns out to be worth the effort.