Rise of the Red Hand

Probably more of a 3.5 but I'm rounding up.

I am always on the lookout to support more desi authors, but it's very rare that I get to read books by diaspora authors set in South Asia. And finding a genre novel set in and around the subcontinent is a rarity. So, when I first saw the announcement about this book, I can't describe how excited I was.

This was a fascinating but scary look at a future where another world war has taken place resulting in a sort of nuclear winter, climate change has ravaged the rest of the world and now we are left with limited resources which are in the control of the powerful. The technological advances and increased use of algorithms to make life altering decisions also feels very inevitable. But the most relatable aspect of this world was the fact that in any situation, those in power will always strive for more of it and to keep their control over resources ironclad, sacrificing any of the normal citizens in the process in the false name of greater good.

This book was relentless in its pacing and that's the first thing I feel once I finished it. The author throws us right in the middle of the proceedings and we are left to figure out what's happening and who the important players of this story are. But it doesn't take us long to get deeply involved in it. The stakes are really high and it's very easy to sympathize with the underdog characters who are fighting a revolution to ensure their survival despite the odds. Some of the action sequences were painful to read about but excellently written, which left a deep impression on me. But sometimes, it did feel like things happened very conveniently and too fast, especially towards the end where characters were able to fight back with very minor obstacles despite being in dire circumstances. However, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. And the author's liberal use of Hindi/Punjabi words and phrases without going into detailed explanations about them only made me very joyful.

In the end, this was a very interesting sci-fi debut which doesn't shy away from predicting worst case scenarios of our future when resources dwindle and hard choices will have to be made for the sake of the survival of humankind. It's themes are universal and relatable, the characters very easy to like and the ending hopeful & intriguing enough that I'm very excited for the sequel.