Azad: a Flight of Desi Fantasy

by Sanjiv Behera

Azad means "liberated" in a number of South Asian languages despite its Arabic roots. In this case, azad is a collection of six short stories linked by Indian mysticism and a common theme of liberation. A street vendor, a young suburban girl, a pudgy athlete, a rebellious tour guide, a goodhearted rickshaw driver, and an earnest wall-street banker, all find their lives dramatically altered by mysterious forces from the Indian subcontinent, changes that free them from the confines of their unique worlds.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2011

Reviews

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

Book Review: Azad Is a Collection Of Short Stories With Mystical And Magical Realism

Azad a flight of desi fantasy written by Sanjiv Behera is a small book of less than 100 pages comprising of 6 short stories. I got this book autographed by the author under GoodRead's First Read program. All the six stories are uniquely peculiar in terms of imagination carved in them. Reader is taken on a flight full of imagination for each one of them but in a different direction. Sanjiv created these stories for his kids and then decided to get them published as he found them worth sharing with his readers. His cultural mysticism and magical realism has given each story a different blend of colors.

Azad means free. These stories are about liberation or freedom of the lead character of each story from his or her life's confinements. Some invisible, mystical, and supernatural kind of force comes to help them in liberating them from their surroundings or circumstances that are making them bonded labor of life. Finally each of the lead character of their respective story is able to achieve something extraordinary and huge for which he or she was striving for throughout his or her life.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories are absolutely thought-provoking and unlike anything I've ever read. While only one of the six has what one might call a 'truly' happy ending, that just make the stories feel all that more real. There is a element of fantasy in each story which changes the main characters situation but at the end of each story I was left wondering if the changes were for better or worse. The consequences of choices made and actions taken really makes one think. I doubt there are many people who haven't made a wish about something. What if that wish came true, what might the consequences be? Or how would things in your life change if you simply had more self-confidence? Is is magic or something else? These stories would be great for classroom use because there is much to discuss, in addition to choices, there could be discussions on being true to oneself, culture, family relationships, kindness, and obsession. I recommend this book for all those who want a quick, but thought-provoking read.

[Thevinod · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was a collection of tales. All independent from each other but connected at heart. They all endeavored to convey the idea of freedom, liberty. They accomplish these by the means of fantasy escapes. A quick read, an excellent read. A bit of a drag in the first few pages but then i picks up pace. I would have rated it 5 stars but I am a person who loves happy endings. While the endings to the tales in this book were appropriate, they were not just to the characters.

[Tanita Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My complaint is that this was too short. It was -- absolutely lovely. I am always ecstatic when I find a book that is from an indie/small press, and is lovely and professionally turned out in every way. And, the STORIES! Wow.

Here's my review: http://writingya.blogspot.com/2012/02...

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not really into the magic realism, folks.

[Mukta Mohapatra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories each with an underlying theme of liberation. Each character has some sense of feeling trapped in their current lives and they are yearning to be free.