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Kali Rising #1
Blood Red Sari
Blood Red Sari is India's first all-women action thriller series that all but replaces estrogen with adrenalin.
Missing social activist Lalima has picked four women to carryout the task she was unable to finish…
Sheila, the owner of an all-women's gym in Kolkata
Nachiketa, an attorney in Delhi who is suing her in-laws
for the violent abuse that left her wheelchair-bound for life
Malayali, a private investigator
and lastly Anita, whose own brothers are out to get her.
Lalima's adversaries use influence and hired killers to track down all those who have been sent incriminating evidence against them, forcing Sheila, Nachiketa, and Anita to battle for survival even as they race against time to understand the import of the documents they have received.
Spanning the murky underbelly of the country's metropolises and the international human trafficking mafia, Blood Red Sari is a pulse-pounding action thriller with a feminist punch.
Long before he became India's favorite epic storyteller, he was the author of the first Indian crime novels in English. With Blood Red Sari, Ashok reinvents the action thriller in a new global all-female avatar.
Missing social activist Lalima has picked four women to carryout the task she was unable to finish…
Sheila, the owner of an all-women's gym in Kolkata
Nachiketa, an attorney in Delhi who is suing her in-laws
for the violent abuse that left her wheelchair-bound for life
Malayali, a private investigator
and lastly Anita, whose own brothers are out to get her.
Lalima's adversaries use influence and hired killers to track down all those who have been sent incriminating evidence against them, forcing Sheila, Nachiketa, and Anita to battle for survival even as they race against time to understand the import of the documents they have received.
Spanning the murky underbelly of the country's metropolises and the international human trafficking mafia, Blood Red Sari is a pulse-pounding action thriller with a feminist punch.
Long before he became India's favorite epic storyteller, he was the author of the first Indian crime novels in English. With Blood Red Sari, Ashok reinvents the action thriller in a new global all-female avatar.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
9 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 8, 2013
I am unworthy of writing this review for, Ashok Banker is a talent that is an institution. He packs the right ingredients, in the right measure to deliver a super word-ride. The book is racy and saucy in the right measure. It builds up at the right places and carries through with momentum. Full review: http://wp.me/p2DEiS-F9
March 21, 2013
The narrative was stilted and extremely boring. The author tries too hard to make his characters strong women and fails miserably simply because he is trying too hard. Somehow, the author is under the misconception that only lesbians and handicapped women doing their own things and having a regular life means they're empowered. He focuses far too much on these traits than the traits that would really show their strength. In this way, Mr. Banker comes off as a highly prejudiced man trying very hard to be the exact opposite.
The book is the first one in a new series and as a result, I didn't expect any resolution of the drama or the entire plot to unfold but I did expect to understand more about the story than the characters' orientation. A shoddily written, extremely voyeuristic, sex scene does absolutely nothing to add to the sleaze of the book and reeks of desperate writing aimed at targeting a select audience.
The book is agonizingly slow. The plot does not develop at all. The only thing you know is that the manilla envelope given to the characters is what is propelling the story forward. By the end of the book, you have as much idea about the story as you did when the book started.
Each chapter comprises of 3 mini-chapters which are written from each of the protagonists' pov. The voice of all these characters is so similar that you could easily mistake one for the other were it not for the repeated mention of their orientation and handicap.
June 27, 2013
There is not a wingle moment in the book when you would want to put it down. A pacy thriller spanning Kerala, Delhi and Kolkata simultaneously, the plot is gruesomely awesome. Hats off to Ashok Banker for the brilliant read.
September 1, 2013
After a very long time, a 'cant put it down' thriller.
Cant wait to read the other parts.
I recommend.
Cant wait to read the other parts.
I recommend.
December 7, 2013
The story that the author tells is about three ladies who (one later comes to know that there is a fourth lady who is alluded to, but never introduced in the book) receive similar packages from a lady in Kerala.
In just a couple of days time the lives of all the three ladies are turned upside down. The gym run by one of them is shutdown by political goons in Kolkatta and an attempt is made on her life.
The second, in Delhi, who has just won a case against her abusive husband and in-laws finds that her office is ransacked, her secretary is raped and killed the pet dog outside her office and her pups are killed and her office is burnt down with her inside it. She finds herself being chased by a blond guy and few others and thanks to the security guard in her office she manages to keep her life. She finds all her friends turning against her overnight and finds that the ruling the court case that she won has been changed against her in the records of the court.
The third returns to her native town Thiruvananthapuram at the behest of her abhorred brothers and finds herself running for her life from her own brothers. She ends up in a zoo where a father comes to her rescue.
All the three are incapable of understanding the contents of the package that they receive, but have somebody interpreting it for them. They are too late to prevent the disaster that is spelled out in the package. The book culminates with the beginning of the execution of the plan which is in their hands.
Possibly the author is planning a second part of the novel as he has managed to save all the three ladies in question and has kept the fourth one in the dark.
A decent read.
In just a couple of days time the lives of all the three ladies are turned upside down. The gym run by one of them is shutdown by political goons in Kolkatta and an attempt is made on her life.
The second, in Delhi, who has just won a case against her abusive husband and in-laws finds that her office is ransacked, her secretary is raped and killed the pet dog outside her office and her pups are killed and her office is burnt down with her inside it. She finds herself being chased by a blond guy and few others and thanks to the security guard in her office she manages to keep her life. She finds all her friends turning against her overnight and finds that the ruling the court case that she won has been changed against her in the records of the court.
The third returns to her native town Thiruvananthapuram at the behest of her abhorred brothers and finds herself running for her life from her own brothers. She ends up in a zoo where a father comes to her rescue.
All the three are incapable of understanding the contents of the package that they receive, but have somebody interpreting it for them. They are too late to prevent the disaster that is spelled out in the package. The book culminates with the beginning of the execution of the plan which is in their hands.
Possibly the author is planning a second part of the novel as he has managed to save all the three ladies in question and has kept the fourth one in the dark.
A decent read.
July 2, 2013
Ashok Banker is one of the best selling authors in India and I so wanted to love this book particularly as it has been touted as a thriller with a feminist punch. It turned out to be a huge disappointment.
Three women in three different cities in India receive a package of documents and their lives are upended. They are on the run and they need to figure out why they are being hunted down by gunmen. In fact there is a fourth woman who is supposed to have received the same package but the author doesn't bother to go into the details in this book, supposedly keeping it for the next book in this trilogy.
What I found particularly annoying is that more than 70% of the book is devoted to figuring out how these women are connected with the contents of the package. And then, suddenly Mr. Banker chooses to dump all the info about the big-bang conspiracy in the last third of the book. Rest assured, this is one series I'm not going to pick up.
Three women in three different cities in India receive a package of documents and their lives are upended. They are on the run and they need to figure out why they are being hunted down by gunmen. In fact there is a fourth woman who is supposed to have received the same package but the author doesn't bother to go into the details in this book, supposedly keeping it for the next book in this trilogy.
What I found particularly annoying is that more than 70% of the book is devoted to figuring out how these women are connected with the contents of the package. And then, suddenly Mr. Banker chooses to dump all the info about the big-bang conspiracy in the last third of the book. Rest assured, this is one series I'm not going to pick up.
March 10, 2015
You can find this review on The Opinions Of A Bookaholic
This book just dragged and dragged and dragged.
It was the most boring book I’ve read this year. You know a book’s bad when you wish it would get over when you’re barely half way through.
That said, I do like ideals the book showcases. These are problems that HAVE to be fixed. But I’d rather just read a newspaper article that 300 extremely slow paced pages.
This book just dragged and dragged and dragged.
It was the most boring book I’ve read this year. You know a book’s bad when you wish it would get over when you’re barely half way through.
That said, I do like ideals the book showcases. These are problems that HAVE to be fixed. But I’d rather just read a newspaper article that 300 extremely slow paced pages.
August 8, 2013
started off at a slow pace but gained momentum nd a lot of speed gradually....the action towards the end of it is breathtaking or rather dz nt give u time to even breathe.....special mention to the details n descriptions....the story writer has definitely made it a point include all sorts of crime against women....but has done it in a beautiful way.....the three women seem to someone from the neighbourhood....i havent finished it yet....but ask my heart-i dnt want it to end at all!
March 5, 2018
I had forgotten about this series until this year I happen to see this book again. And now that am reading the whole set of 4 books ,I realise the first one is brilliant in setting the context and the cast.
October 24, 2024
My hypothesis is that the author had a great idea with noble intentions: a novel with three diverse female protagonists in today’s India that highlighted every single injustice meted out to not just women but people of different ethnicities, social hierarchies, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities. It set out to be a stark reminder that governments have long forgotten their responsibility for protecting their citizenry and instead become the enforcers of corporate and criminal organizations that only concern themselves with making a profit at the expense of everyone else. After all, the beauty of having a docile tax-paying population is that it isn’t going to run out anytime soon.
Based on that alone, I found the opening half of BRS thoroughly engaging. It also helps that the writing is very well done. You can tell that the author has the knack and experience of writing characters, settings, and situations expertly. The emotional depth and backstories of the three protagonists Anita, Nachiketa, and Sheila are superb and made me root for them from the get-go.
This brings me to the second part of my hypothesis: the publisher looked at the draft and said it’s great, BUT let’s make it BETTER! Anyone who’s been in corporate or media strategy will tell you that’s when things start going downhill. By then, it must have become a laundry list of things you could throw in turning this story into something that would appeal to a mostly male audience. You can tell from the Bollywood-esque second half that this book may have been intended for a female audience to say no to typical depictions of women but instead ends up becoming exactly everything that it’s supposed to be against.
The lesson learned here is that I’ll approach male authors writing kicka$$ queer female protagonists with a ton a caution from now on. Also, any author introductions that talk about the millions of copies their previous works sold: sounds rather self-congratulatory and ironic considering the four sequels to BRS were published as ebooks only.
Based on that alone, I found the opening half of BRS thoroughly engaging. It also helps that the writing is very well done. You can tell that the author has the knack and experience of writing characters, settings, and situations expertly. The emotional depth and backstories of the three protagonists Anita, Nachiketa, and Sheila are superb and made me root for them from the get-go.
This brings me to the second part of my hypothesis: the publisher looked at the draft and said it’s great, BUT let’s make it BETTER! Anyone who’s been in corporate or media strategy will tell you that’s when things start going downhill. By then, it must have become a laundry list of things you could throw in turning this story into something that would appeal to a mostly male audience. You can tell from the Bollywood-esque second half that this book may have been intended for a female audience to say no to typical depictions of women but instead ends up becoming exactly everything that it’s supposed to be against.
The lesson learned here is that I’ll approach male authors writing kicka$$ queer female protagonists with a ton a caution from now on. Also, any author introductions that talk about the millions of copies their previous works sold: sounds rather self-congratulatory and ironic considering the four sequels to BRS were published as ebooks only.
July 27, 2020
JUNK
Missing social activist Lalima picked three women to carry out an important task .sheila, a women's gym owner, Nachiketa, a lawyer and Anita, an investigator, all three women gets a Manila envelope and some strange things begin to happen people started attaching them. The reason for the strange incidents is the factor that keeps us on the edge of the seat, the author doesn't reveal it till the last few pages of the book but the details are still vague. the reason is that Lalima found out crucial evidence that proves the relation between human trafficking -terrorism and stockmarket. the story goes on a really nice pace until the last chapters where the whole build-up collapses into nothing. the novel leaves so many questions unanswered and the reader feels totally puzzled.i was very disappointed by the second half of the story and I am strongly against the language the author employed, an awful lot of abusive words against women which makes it very inappropriate for teens and kids. It is one of the worst books I have read this year. the novel is part of a trilogy, its the first book and perhaps this is why the author wasn't clear about certain facts but still the book was a total waste of time. Even if the author meant the book to be vague then he shouldn't have made it so long. And being a Malayali one thing really made my temper flare up , Malayalam words used in the book has no relation to the context or to the sentence,a quick browse in the web is not enough Mr banker for including Malayalam words in your book, Malayalam is one of the complex languages where we have a lot of meanings to even a single word. the mistakes in the books show how irresponsible the author is and how idiotic and useless the editing is.
Missing social activist Lalima picked three women to carry out an important task .sheila, a women's gym owner, Nachiketa, a lawyer and Anita, an investigator, all three women gets a Manila envelope and some strange things begin to happen people started attaching them. The reason for the strange incidents is the factor that keeps us on the edge of the seat, the author doesn't reveal it till the last few pages of the book but the details are still vague. the reason is that Lalima found out crucial evidence that proves the relation between human trafficking -terrorism and stockmarket. the story goes on a really nice pace until the last chapters where the whole build-up collapses into nothing. the novel leaves so many questions unanswered and the reader feels totally puzzled.i was very disappointed by the second half of the story and I am strongly against the language the author employed, an awful lot of abusive words against women which makes it very inappropriate for teens and kids. It is one of the worst books I have read this year. the novel is part of a trilogy, its the first book and perhaps this is why the author wasn't clear about certain facts but still the book was a total waste of time. Even if the author meant the book to be vague then he shouldn't have made it so long. And being a Malayali one thing really made my temper flare up , Malayalam words used in the book has no relation to the context or to the sentence,a quick browse in the web is not enough Mr banker for including Malayalam words in your book, Malayalam is one of the complex languages where we have a lot of meanings to even a single word. the mistakes in the books show how irresponsible the author is and how idiotic and useless the editing is.
June 28, 2018
When I was searching for books to read in the library last week, I happened to come across this book with the title 'Blood Red Sari' written by Ashok Banker. The name Ashok Banker sounded vaguely familiar and I pulled the book out of the shelf and read the blurb. The book definitely sounded very promising as the blurb informed me that all the three protagonists were independent single women with strong characters and one of them was a lesbian. Being a vocal feminist and a strong supporter of gay rights I got the book issued along with two other books.
It was four days later that I began reading it. The book started off on a promising note with an interesting prologue and progressed smoothly. The first few chapters definitely livened up my mood. The story revolves around documents in a yellow envelope that have been dispatched to each one of the three protagonists by a murdered social activist just before her death.
The first few chapters introduce us to the protagonists who are definitely very interesting people. There is Anita who had grown up with the murdered woman and was also her lover during their formative years. Anita had been abused severely by her brothers (read raped) with the active encouragement of her mother when they find out she is a lesbian.
Read the rest of the review here.
It was four days later that I began reading it. The book started off on a promising note with an interesting prologue and progressed smoothly. The first few chapters definitely livened up my mood. The story revolves around documents in a yellow envelope that have been dispatched to each one of the three protagonists by a murdered social activist just before her death.
The first few chapters introduce us to the protagonists who are definitely very interesting people. There is Anita who had grown up with the murdered woman and was also her lover during their formative years. Anita had been abused severely by her brothers (read raped) with the active encouragement of her mother when they find out she is a lesbian.
Read the rest of the review here.
May 22, 2017
The first and foremost thing you should know about this book is it is part of a series and the plot is not revealed completely in the first book. So if you are reading just to know where the plot goes, you are in for a nasty surprise. The ending is abrupt, sort of like a 'to-be-continued' cliffhanger in our soaps. I almost registered a complaint in amazon that my ebook is incomplete (to justify my paranoia, this is my first ebook from amazon) before some sense kicked in and searched about it.
The narration was similar to that of 'Vertigo' except that, different perspectives narrate different parallel stories, which is difficult to keep track initially. The characters are slightly.. okay, somewhat stereotypical. There was no antagonist in this part, just a few goons, chamchas if I may, trying to kill the protagonists. The blurb of next book mentions the introduction of two more protagonists. The author is planning on combining the strengths of all protagonists and make them fight a worthy opponent, but a glimpse of him/her would have pacified some of the irked readers.
On the whole, it seemed that the author eked out the plot with the help of verbose descriptions (sometimes, a little too much for my liking), but as the saying goes, that's where the devil lies!! It's a good, pacy read, but if you wish closure, you better pick it up after all books are out.
The narration was similar to that of 'Vertigo' except that, different perspectives narrate different parallel stories, which is difficult to keep track initially. The characters are slightly.. okay, somewhat stereotypical. There was no antagonist in this part, just a few goons, chamchas if I may, trying to kill the protagonists. The blurb of next book mentions the introduction of two more protagonists. The author is planning on combining the strengths of all protagonists and make them fight a worthy opponent, but a glimpse of him/her would have pacified some of the irked readers.
On the whole, it seemed that the author eked out the plot with the help of verbose descriptions (sometimes, a little too much for my liking), but as the saying goes, that's where the devil lies!! It's a good, pacy read, but if you wish closure, you better pick it up after all books are out.
December 30, 2017
I don't think I've given a lower rating for any book I've read so far. I would have given it 0 stars if I could. That should, in a nutshell, explain how I felt about this book. A terribly slow and sluggish novel, with a wafer-thin plot about a manila envelope and how three women try to discover the meaning of it's contents, disguised within the authors failed attempt to make the narrative thrilling.
Right from the first page, one gets the impression that the aim of the book was to eventually make it a movie. Unnecessary descriptions, too much emphasis on the handicap of one of the central character, and purposeless chase scenes, make the book an inescapable drag.
Any book positioned as the first in a series, still needs to standout as a solitary novel. All this book does is to set things up for future novels, and by the time the "reveal" is made, it made me wish I hadn't read this book in the first place.
I think it's safe to say I won't be reading it's sequels.
Right from the first page, one gets the impression that the aim of the book was to eventually make it a movie. Unnecessary descriptions, too much emphasis on the handicap of one of the central character, and purposeless chase scenes, make the book an inescapable drag.
Any book positioned as the first in a series, still needs to standout as a solitary novel. All this book does is to set things up for future novels, and by the time the "reveal" is made, it made me wish I hadn't read this book in the first place.
I think it's safe to say I won't be reading it's sequels.
October 6, 2020
After seeing the author's books in my local library for years, I finally succumbed to reading one. And my older self knew what was right. This is the first of a 4 part series - a thing that I didn't know, so don't expect any conclusion. The narrative is more like a Hollywood movie written as set of incidents by a 10 year old - there are these impossible-to-stop female protagonists (one of them in a wheelchair) who defy all odds to ensure truth triumphs. Most of the issues - torture from in-laws, lesbian, feminism are stereotyped. Generally the so called thrillers pullup socks around last 10%, this one just meanders. Will certainly not read the other parts in series nor the author
May 29, 2017
Ashok Banker would do well to sort out the genre to which this book belongs: is it crime, a novel of ideas, an epic of modern types like Joyce's Ulysses or simply a mismatch of all the above with disastrous consequences.
Coming to this book after Abir Mukherjee's A Rising Man, Tarquin Hall's The Case of the Missing Servant and of course the classic The Mask of Dimitrios made me want to send Banker to a Creative Writing School ASAP. Life is short and books are many, one should not waste time on Kali Rising!
Coming to this book after Abir Mukherjee's A Rising Man, Tarquin Hall's The Case of the Missing Servant and of course the classic The Mask of Dimitrios made me want to send Banker to a Creative Writing School ASAP. Life is short and books are many, one should not waste time on Kali Rising!
December 6, 2018
Fast paced, unputdownable, also bit unbelievable.
July 9, 2023
Oh my god !! I'm still shaking from the last 40 pages and definitely can't WAIT to read the sequels.
July 29, 2017
iam redit et
(Translation: Now returns Justice)
-Virgil
This is how the book Blood Red Sari by Ashok Banker starts, being the first in the Kali Rising series. What follows is a power packed story of tremendously courageous women who fight to save themselves from an unknown villain.
To give a brief introduction about the book, it’s a story of four women (technically, three since I am assuming the fourth one will come into the picture in the book next in the series) whose lives change when they receive a mysterious parcel containing documents that they can’t make head or tail of, at first. Their lives change when they are pursued because of the documents that threaten to damn a powerful business entity involved in trafficking of humans through NGOs.
Some good quotes from the book:
“…because you didn’t simply replace one social system or religion with another, you just layered it on top of the old one, layer after layer after layer, until bits and parts of the older layers peeked out through the new and it all made up the whole.”
“Come on, bitch. Man up,’ she said, then snorted a burst of laughter, spraying mucus from her running nose. Her eyes and nose and throat were all running because of the pain and because she was literally weeping with the pain. She had laughed because of the incongruity of her being a woman telling herself to ‘man’ up. ‘Woman up, bitch,’ she corrected herself. That sounded better. Toughness wasn’t an exclusive male privilege.
If women can have babies without epidurals, I can fucking walk on a broken foot.”
On the whole, I really liked this book. I am looking forward to reading more books in the series. This also encourages me to check out more books by Ashok Banker. For a change, it’s a book by an Indian author which is not about women having stereotypical roles or professions.
More book reviews, author interviews and other cool stuff about books on Books and a lot more.
(Translation: Now returns Justice)
-Virgil
This is how the book Blood Red Sari by Ashok Banker starts, being the first in the Kali Rising series. What follows is a power packed story of tremendously courageous women who fight to save themselves from an unknown villain.
To give a brief introduction about the book, it’s a story of four women (technically, three since I am assuming the fourth one will come into the picture in the book next in the series) whose lives change when they receive a mysterious parcel containing documents that they can’t make head or tail of, at first. Their lives change when they are pursued because of the documents that threaten to damn a powerful business entity involved in trafficking of humans through NGOs.
Some good quotes from the book:
“…because you didn’t simply replace one social system or religion with another, you just layered it on top of the old one, layer after layer after layer, until bits and parts of the older layers peeked out through the new and it all made up the whole.”
“Come on, bitch. Man up,’ she said, then snorted a burst of laughter, spraying mucus from her running nose. Her eyes and nose and throat were all running because of the pain and because she was literally weeping with the pain. She had laughed because of the incongruity of her being a woman telling herself to ‘man’ up. ‘Woman up, bitch,’ she corrected herself. That sounded better. Toughness wasn’t an exclusive male privilege.
If women can have babies without epidurals, I can fucking walk on a broken foot.”
On the whole, I really liked this book. I am looking forward to reading more books in the series. This also encourages me to check out more books by Ashok Banker. For a change, it’s a book by an Indian author which is not about women having stereotypical roles or professions.
More book reviews, author interviews and other cool stuff about books on Books and a lot more.
July 28, 2014
Novel ends with with various characters speaking about an International 'Network' that pervades the entire fabric of the world, from NGOs to money laundering to legitimate businesses to the stock market to human trafficking to drugs to terrorism... last of which it uses to play the stock market which it floods with ill gotten moneys. Then it goes on to add that its members are so varied, at every echelon of the society that its impossible to identify the 'culprit', its as if the system itself is running the 'Network'.
The novel portrays how this 'Network' uses family members/ friends to hurt/ kill/ damage/ destroy the businesses or careers of those who either 'seem to be a threat' or do not join the insidious 'Network'. Ashok Banker draws a bleak and scary scenario; hopeless and dark. That resonates. This 'Network' seems to have infinite reach, power and money supply; fulfilling the 'wishes' of its supplicants- people suddenly get flushed with money/ dirty power, never bothering about its origin and becoming a soulless/ nasty/ bloodless puppet in the process.
Its a racy thriller. Keeps your attention all the time. I had read 'Vertigo' earlier- the book shakes you up. This isnt a 'Vertigo' (Thank God!). Its more like a book written halfway through. There are 3 tracks in the book, each has a woman protagonist- Nachiketa, Sheila and Anita. 2 Women are physically strong and modeled after Hollywoodish/ Bollywoodish heroes. Nachiketa is wheel chair bound, but strong mentally. Book is going nicely, when Ashok Banker or his Publisher/ Editor decided they needed the book! And, suddenly you get a half baked explanation about whatever was going on and the book ends! You almost feel cheated. There isn't any build up to the climax. Its supposed to be one of four. So, then you have to go buy 3 more.
Enjoyed the book before Banker decided to abruptly end. Not sure if the book isnt written aiming for a Bollywood/ Hollywood movie deal. But, whatever, its a perfect fit for a lazy afternoon when one has nothing better to do!
The novel portrays how this 'Network' uses family members/ friends to hurt/ kill/ damage/ destroy the businesses or careers of those who either 'seem to be a threat' or do not join the insidious 'Network'. Ashok Banker draws a bleak and scary scenario; hopeless and dark. That resonates. This 'Network' seems to have infinite reach, power and money supply; fulfilling the 'wishes' of its supplicants- people suddenly get flushed with money/ dirty power, never bothering about its origin and becoming a soulless/ nasty/ bloodless puppet in the process.
Its a racy thriller. Keeps your attention all the time. I had read 'Vertigo' earlier- the book shakes you up. This isnt a 'Vertigo' (Thank God!). Its more like a book written halfway through. There are 3 tracks in the book, each has a woman protagonist- Nachiketa, Sheila and Anita. 2 Women are physically strong and modeled after Hollywoodish/ Bollywoodish heroes. Nachiketa is wheel chair bound, but strong mentally. Book is going nicely, when Ashok Banker or his Publisher/ Editor decided they needed the book! And, suddenly you get a half baked explanation about whatever was going on and the book ends! You almost feel cheated. There isn't any build up to the climax. Its supposed to be one of four. So, then you have to go buy 3 more.
Enjoyed the book before Banker decided to abruptly end. Not sure if the book isnt written aiming for a Bollywood/ Hollywood movie deal. But, whatever, its a perfect fit for a lazy afternoon when one has nothing better to do!
September 11, 2025
I wasn’t expecting Blood Red Sari to hit me the way it did — it turned out to be one of those reads that’s part thriller, part feminist punch, and wholly unputdownable. From the moment the story begins, with three very different women awakened into danger by mysterious envelopes, I was hooked.
The three protagonists—Nachiketa, Sheila Ray, and Anita—are flawed, brave, scarred, and resilient. Each has a past that could have crushed her, yet each still stands, still fights. I loved how their lives, which seem so separate, come into collision through the intrigue, unsettlement, and urgency following Lalima’s death. The stakes grow quickly, the threats feel real, and there’s a sense of breathless momentum that carries you forward.
Ashok Banker’s pacing is excellent. The plot moves fast (sometimes almost too fast), there’s violence and betrayal, there are moments of fear, of adrenaline, of sorrow. But there are also moments of strength, solidarity, vulnerability, and hope. The feminist angle is not tacked on — it pulses through the story: in who the women are, what they endure, and how they respond.
On the downside, the ending feels abrupt. It’s clearly designed to lead into the next book of the Kali Rising series, which is fine — but I craved more resolution in this one. Some plot threads are left dangling; some explanations feel promised but not yet delivered. For readers who want a fully satisfying conclusion in one book, that may be frustrating.
Still, despite its loose ends, Blood Red Sari is powerful. It’s a story of women who refuse to be victims even when everything is stacked against them. It’s a thriller with heart, with edge, and with purpose.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
The three protagonists—Nachiketa, Sheila Ray, and Anita—are flawed, brave, scarred, and resilient. Each has a past that could have crushed her, yet each still stands, still fights. I loved how their lives, which seem so separate, come into collision through the intrigue, unsettlement, and urgency following Lalima’s death. The stakes grow quickly, the threats feel real, and there’s a sense of breathless momentum that carries you forward.
Ashok Banker’s pacing is excellent. The plot moves fast (sometimes almost too fast), there’s violence and betrayal, there are moments of fear, of adrenaline, of sorrow. But there are also moments of strength, solidarity, vulnerability, and hope. The feminist angle is not tacked on — it pulses through the story: in who the women are, what they endure, and how they respond.
On the downside, the ending feels abrupt. It’s clearly designed to lead into the next book of the Kali Rising series, which is fine — but I craved more resolution in this one. Some plot threads are left dangling; some explanations feel promised but not yet delivered. For readers who want a fully satisfying conclusion in one book, that may be frustrating.
Still, despite its loose ends, Blood Red Sari is powerful. It’s a story of women who refuse to be victims even when everything is stacked against them. It’s a thriller with heart, with edge, and with purpose.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
April 18, 2014
Ashok Banker is known for writing epic mythology series whereas Blood Red Sari is the first of the action thriller series Kali Rising. So when I started reading it, I tried to do so with an open mind, free from any pre-conceived notion or perception which is a bit demanding when one is familiar with few of the writer's previous works.
The opening chapter is divided into three parts with each one introducing the main characters - Anita, a private detective from Thiruvananthapuram, Nachiketa, a lawyer from New Delhi, and Sheila, a gym instructor-cum-owner from Kolkata. This format continues throughout the book with three stories moving parallel with every succeeding chapter. All the three women receive an envelope each from a social activist Lalima and since then their lives turn upside down. The women, while recovering from their huge losses and battling for their survival, discover that the envelopes contain evidences against the international human trafficking mafia and the masterminds behind it can and will go to any length to destroy it. Killing and terrorising is but a part of this global criminal outfit with intentions now deeper than just human trafficking.
An absolute action-packed page turner complete with strong characters and a riveting plot that thrills and chills with a surprisingly abrupt ending which leaves the reader yearning for more. Only it is not the end, but the beginning of Kali Rising.
The opening chapter is divided into three parts with each one introducing the main characters - Anita, a private detective from Thiruvananthapuram, Nachiketa, a lawyer from New Delhi, and Sheila, a gym instructor-cum-owner from Kolkata. This format continues throughout the book with three stories moving parallel with every succeeding chapter. All the three women receive an envelope each from a social activist Lalima and since then their lives turn upside down. The women, while recovering from their huge losses and battling for their survival, discover that the envelopes contain evidences against the international human trafficking mafia and the masterminds behind it can and will go to any length to destroy it. Killing and terrorising is but a part of this global criminal outfit with intentions now deeper than just human trafficking.
An absolute action-packed page turner complete with strong characters and a riveting plot that thrills and chills with a surprisingly abrupt ending which leaves the reader yearning for more. Only it is not the end, but the beginning of Kali Rising.
November 12, 2013
This was a book that I picked up against all my instincts. I hadn't ever enjoyed the author's mythological books, which everybody else seems to love, so I thought I should give it just one more go.
Three women in different parts of India receive a mysterious package, which seems to bring with it trouble, and lots of it. Lalima, a social worker gets killed and she sends a mysterious package to four people. For some reason, the fourth person never gets mentioned after that, possibly to come in the other parts of the trilogy. In the beginning, I enjoyed it, and was waiting to figure out where the story would go, but somewhere down the line, it all unraveled. The book ended so abruptly, that it felt totally incomplete. While I understand that this part of a trilogy, I wish it had been treated better. The characters all felt two dimensional, none of them felt real. A book that I wished I had heeded my instincts and never picked up.
Three women in different parts of India receive a mysterious package, which seems to bring with it trouble, and lots of it. Lalima, a social worker gets killed and she sends a mysterious package to four people. For some reason, the fourth person never gets mentioned after that, possibly to come in the other parts of the trilogy. In the beginning, I enjoyed it, and was waiting to figure out where the story would go, but somewhere down the line, it all unraveled. The book ended so abruptly, that it felt totally incomplete. While I understand that this part of a trilogy, I wish it had been treated better. The characters all felt two dimensional, none of them felt real. A book that I wished I had heeded my instincts and never picked up.
December 27, 2013
I felt cheated. Or is it my mistake??? No where did i know that this is just the first book of a trilogy. I was in for a rude shock when i was not able to find any further pages after the last. Would have had some warning if it was a physical book instead. Very disappointed....the only reason i kept reading was to see where the plot is headed....characters weren't great. Ashok Banker just banks on the back-stories to add 'character' to the characters, which eventually means that only those women are strong that have been through unspeakable abuse in the hands of men. Others are, well, just not women, they might as well be bitches! Just another movie screenplay..probably starring Vidya Balan.
May 8, 2013
Picked up the book reading such great reviews, not just about this book, but also about the author's previous works. This is one of the worst books I've laid my hands on. The plot is bad, the characters are loosely scripted, and the worst is the unnecessary use (show-off) of other indian languages. Being a malayali, I assure the author that all malayalam dialogues written in the book make little or no sense. That was such a put off as well. Research should have been more accurate atleast for the readers' benefit. All in all, a total waste of time! (that one star I am willing to give, is for the intense cover photo of the book. No further!)
November 30, 2014
I've always loved AKB's books so I went in this one looking forward to being wowed. But it barely gets a 'meets expectations'.
My first reaction on reading this was that this is barely 25% of a book and I was dead on. It's a part of a series of 4 books. Will I pick up the others? Not very sure.
Trying too hard to make things out of nothing, me thinks. Maybe a better editor could help? Or release it as a 1000 page book and be done with it.
My first reaction on reading this was that this is barely 25% of a book and I was dead on. It's a part of a series of 4 books. Will I pick up the others? Not very sure.
Trying too hard to make things out of nothing, me thinks. Maybe a better editor could help? Or release it as a 1000 page book and be done with it.
November 4, 2013
The book took of really well. but towards the mid of the book the book started to tell a story abt the three protagonists more than talking about the plot. it was disheartening to see the characters and story disconnect towards the inconclusive end. i will have to read the next book to understand the lost plot of the first.
August 3, 2015
There are a very few books (from the many i have read in a lifetime) that talk about or narrate the story from a woman’s perspective or say a woman with a strong personality, that is not overpowering or in the face but is a strong influencer through the personality. ‘Blood Red Sari’ has....http://bit.ly/aksrev8
December 27, 2013
This is a good enough thriller set against an Indian background with women protagonist. It is fast paced and entertaining. This book is on par with any James Patterson or Sydney Sheldon. A big thumbs up for Ashok Banker.
July 22, 2013
Utterly random ending. I did not like the book at all.
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