An Addictive "Tantra"

Do you believe in Tantra and supernatural forces that you have read about in mythological pieces? Well, even if you don’t, trust me and my words and pick up a copy of TANTRA by Adi to spend a leisurely weekend fighting the evil forces in the comfortable confines of your bedroom. You wouldn’t regret it.

TANTRA by Adi is the latest superhero, oops I mean super-heroine, action/adventure story doing the rounds. What’s more remarkable is that this is an honest attempt to provide the Batman, Superman and Spiderman loving Indians with an Indian Super-heroine who can fight the baddies and charm the goodies with equal aplomb.

Debutant author Adi loves reading fiction since his childhood. However, that didn’t affect his studies as he is a proud degree holder from Stanford University and Harvard University. He nurtured his dreams of writing and published a poetry book and a text book. Adi credited his successes in life to the late night trysts with fictions, and not to the academics he followed in high – school. His desire to pen a novel grew stronger and thus TANTRA took birth.

Needless to say, Adi effortlessly succeeds in transferring his late night reading habits to readers like me. Honestly speaking, it was tough to put down this book after I started it, and like an addict, I kept turning the pages as I lived a few hours of my life through the brilliant plot weaved by the author.

Anu is the protagonist of the plot. She is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian of New York City, protecting its inhabitants from the evil vampires. However, when she encounters a personal tragedy, she flies to India to seek revenge for the loss, and lands in Delhi. Here, she comes across Amit, who is a guardian of this city, and together they walk on the path of eradicating evil. However, Anu soon realizes that the situation is darker, and messier, than she eventually thought. From facing vampires to fighting the power of Tantra, Anu and her companions take us through this riveting battle between good and evil. Who wins eventually, and how? Well, that’s what the book is all about, and I wouldn’t spoil your interest by divulging too much.

You never know what to expect from new authors. Adi scores in this front by bringing to us a potboiler that will definitely cater to the taste of Indian readers. The amalgamation of fantasy, mythology and super-heroism is brilliantly concocted, and you realize how well a plot can be shaped up if the pen is wielded by the right guy. Adi doesn’t disappoint. The action sequences are well sketched. In fact, I had no difficulty visualizing the scenes while reading. It almost felt as if I was watching a movie.

Anu is just another everyday young girl when she is not fighting dark forces. She loves being with friends and enjoys good company. She desires being loved but can’t leave behind the memories of her lover who was brutally killed by the vampires. However, this doesn’t stop her from falling in love again, and as she flows through her internal turmoil, you feel for her, every moment.

Adi brings his protagonist Anu alive to his readers.

There are also several fun sequences in the book. The Dekhan – Dekhai ceremony is one. This would surely make you laugh. Also, the friendly moments shared between Anu and Amit bring a certain degree of amusement in this otherwise acton – packed tale. However, somewhere down the line, you could sense something amiss. I re-read certain chapters, and realized that a bit more attention to the romantic junctures in the story could have made it a perfect action/adventure tale.

Another minor let down is the cover. It displays the protagonist Anu sitting alert on a high rise building, ready to fight against the dark elements. I felt the color scheme was a bit dull, and a brighter layout would surely add magic. However, do not go by the cover. The contents make up for it perfectly.

I surely recommend this book to be read by all, and am eagerly waiting for the sequel. Do pick up a copy and fight alongside Anu, this weekend.

Title: Tantra

Author: Adi

Publisher: Apeejay Stya Publishing

Publication Year: 2013

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

Number of Pages: 344 Pages

My Rating: 4/5

Thank You Blog Adda for providing me with the wonderful opportunity to review this book.

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