The Evil Days - Arya Narayan - Book Review

                     Most of us, explore new books with the word of mouth or by going through the blurb of a book. One such book I came across recently was this particular work. I read it was an adventure involving Kalki and Einstein. This was really intriguing as it involved both science and mythology which are generally considered to be opposite poles by many. Me being a fan of both mythology and adventure; I had to read this book.

                    The year is 3033 AD and the world is totally different from what we are seeing now. There is no water and the world is almost synthetic or artificial. Bots are a normal part of society and the world is barren if compared with the current world we live in. There is widespread crime, cannibalism, extinction and there are strongholds of developed nations. Kalki, a genius scientist develops a path-breaking new device, Spectra that helps in fighting crime and for human benefits. Meanwhile, the brain of Albert Einstein and many neuroscientists are missing. It is up to Kalki to help the UN find them with the help of his Spectra. But things go for a spin and at one stage the hunter becomes hunted. What happens to Kalki? Will he be able to find the missing brain and scientists, avert a possible catastrophe and save the world? All these questions are answered in the book.

                    The book is gripping in its own style. At first, I did find it very difficult to connect with the book. But then that was because I did not expect it to be science fiction and that caught me unaware. Once I got into the mindset, the read was good and very fast-paced. The prose is simple enough to connect with the audience. There are a lot of things being focussed and brought about well. Subjects like environmental exploitation, the greed of man, exploitation of women which are very relevant in this century are ingrained well into the story. The conversations involving Kalki and Troy and Padmavathi are easily relatable. Mythology and science fiction; both of which are my favorites; have been well blended in the story. The handful of characters are well defined in their own ways. The major focus is given to Kalki and Troy. I felt that the character of Troy could have given more screen space. Even though there is a lot of focus on the character, the same is weak on its own. Initially, multiple happenings in different timelines did confuse and the characters take their own time to develop. I loved the last conversation between Kalki and the spectra of Troy.

                    This is a good read for people who like a quick mystery infused with mythology. I think there is potential for subsequent parts as well for this. A quick, fast-paced, enjoyable read with an odd or rather quirky theme.