The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey

by Deepak Kripal

Sidelined by man, animals turned to demons.
Plundered by humans of their habitats, animals take a drastic step when they decide to send a team of a cat named as Katy and a dog named as Dug, to an invisible island known, as the Island of 'Five Hundred Graves'. The island becomes visible only for a short time on the night of the full moon. Legend has it that the island is inhabited by the demons. Katy and Dug are supposed to negotiate a deal with the demons, convincing them to allow the animals inhabit the island. Majority of the animal community believe that tinkering with the other world could bring their wrath to the animals. The team is sent to the island nevertheless. But, can a deal with the dead be materialized? Are there really demons on the island? is there any conspiracy involved? Will Katy and Dug be able to negotiate, or will survival remain their only question in the deadly island?

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

Book Review: The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal: Mission Impossible

The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal is a debut fiction/ thriller from this young author who is just 29 and has a good beginning of a new journey as a writer. It is a story about animals, sensible ones, who can talk, listen and understand each other. The theme of story is - Sidelined by Man, Animals turned to Demons.

The story of The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal is about two lead characters - Katy the cat and Dug the dog. Katy is a secret agent of a well known agency UA - united animals having a wide network of intelligence. Katy is sent on a mission having two main purposes. First she has to make Dug agree to accompany her. And second, both of them have to travel to a distant island which remains invisible all the time except during the night of the full moon. The invisible island is called Island of 'Five Hundred Graves'. Katy is a well trained multi talented commando who has undergone extensive and toughest kind of training to become one of the most admired agent of her agency UA. Dug also boasts of having lot of talents and qualities to match Katy's.

Both Katy and Dug do not gel well in the beginning but even the two dislike each other, they are forced to go to this special mission of finding out the invisible island and get the complete report about it. The invisible island is known to be under the control of demons. The main mission of Katy and Dug in The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal is to finalize a deal with demons so that animals be allowed to become habitat of this invisible island. Most of the team members of UA feel that this mission is nothing but a death trap for Katy and whosoever accompanies her there on that mission as the amount of risk in this journey and destination is tremendously high.

There is a heart touching story that Dug narrates Katy on their way to the invisible island while they are travelling by a boat through turbulent sea. There are many secrets that get revealed as the story moves ahead. What makes Katy soften her stand towards Dug is interesting to know in this mysterious fiction thriller. The purpose told to Katy for this specific mission is a misleading one where the UA chief has some other purpose behind this whole gamut. And the thrill goes to its peak the moment Dug and Katy put their first step on the invisible island. Overall The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal is quite interesting to read.

[Asit Chaurasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey is a novel by the fresh writer Deepak Kripal is published by Frog Books. The cover page of the book is not very attractive but the font given to it is good.
Well coming straight to the story. This is the story of two animal species. Katy (cat) and Dug (dog) meet at Pantheon, a beautiful forest town located on the tropical margins of the equator. The way the author has developed the story is something difficult but written beautifully.
This is the story about animals and how they express their feelings along the journey. The suspense is there from the beginning in each and every chapter. There are few new terms in the book which is very new and interesting. Katy, Billy, and Dug are the main characters in this book. Their conversation in book is described perfectly and you will enjoy the most. This book shows very good message of how to be a leader, how to overcome fear, how and when to control your emotions, team work, intellectual mind and most important thing how to move on when you are facing trouble and danger at every stage. There are some philosophical quotes and talks which has wonderful meaning out of it. It also describe about humans and their behaviour towards animals. All the characters in the book have a journey which is almost impossible but they made it possible to The Devil's gate: An impossible journey.
All over this book is quite interesting and you will enjoy reading this.
Limitations:
I find the story is bit complicated, Some words are difficult to understand as readers hardly use dictionary while reading novels. Starting could have been more interesting and as we go on reading some of them will find it boring but I WOULD SAY THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE READING. The cover page is not very attractive.
Well this is first attempt of the author and he has not disappointed me. Great attempt and great work by him. The urge to reach the climax kept me hooked all the time. I would give 3*/5.
My best wishes to the author for his future books and I would love to read it.
Thank you :)

[Kiran Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will not be an exaggeration to say that this story/novel is the first of its kind in the context of Indian Fiction Scenery which is laced with usual love stories set in college campuses. I was excited about the book when I got to know about the through an online review, but once I started reading it, it was like I was taken to some other world which was not even remotely close to how I have come to know it. The way in which the author has executed the brilliant plot which he had at his disposal is just brilliant. This book is a testament of supremely imaginative and innovative imagination of the author which is highly commendable, to say the least. The plot, the characters, the characterization, the dialogues, the narration, the quotes, the climax and the overall message and impact, everything is so original and so perfect that you have a delicious treat at your hands. Read it in one go if you want to enjoy this delicious recipe of supreme imagination to its fullest. Excuse the editors for some proof-reading errors, and apart from that, this one will be an experience to savour. This one is made from classic stuff. Get it!



A MUST READ FOR ALL.

[Dhwani Swadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review here: http://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/20...

Being in close contact with a cat and a dog everyday, I found this book extremely entertaining, I could actually visualize Katy and Dug!

When the writing style of the author is quite refreshing and the story line is not run of the mill, you get a great book!

Though the book’s good from the beginning, I enjoyed the last few chapters, the twists that kept on coming were quite unexpected.

The story has great conversations, the sprinklings of witty one liners were the best!

I loved the character of the Dog, Dug..he was so adorable! And so much like my own Labrador Scooby.. <3

Also, while reading, I kept hoping that this be made into a movie, it would be so great to have this story be reflected on the big screen…!

[Jiten Upadhyay (Team ThinkerViews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: We highly recommend this book.
Rating: We would like to go with 4 to 4.5 stars for the book (out of 5).
[Original detailed review is available at: http://thinkerviews.com/books/devils-... ]


After a long time we found something original in fantasy fiction book genre which is appealing to the children and adults alike. The Devil's Gate: An Unexpected Journey:1 - is the debut novel of Deepak Kripal who happens to be a doctor by profession. He is however very popular on internet for his writing as well.

The book starts with something unconventional. The main characters of the book are a cat, a dog and others! You however never feel that this is a story which you are not liking. Some wonderfully written dialogs are put in the mouth of main characters like:

1. Bravery without sword is like slavery without lord. (Page: 56)
2. There is nothing bad in being optimistic, as long as don’t lose the touch with reality. (Page: 40)
3. I am not God because I am powerful. It is because of my kindness that I am God. (Page: 242)
...

The book ends in a way that it keeps open the possibility of the second part of it. This is a thoughtful decision by the writer. The explanations of fantasy world are written pretty well. Several fights, the love-hate relationship between the cat and the dog is explored well too. The lion is also there an so does an owl. There is a mysterious island which can be approached at a specific time only. Don't be surprised if the book reminds you of Narnia series (or for that matter even Hobbit and Harry Potter series in some scenes).

The writing style of the author makes the book reading a smooth journey. The book slows down around the first part of the second half, but it is rather well gripping. After a long we did read which is full of imagination and something different than conventional books (which are either focused on crime or romance). Seeing the animals as the hero, having nature as one of the key point, having some fantastic punchlines included in the narrative; makes the book a must read.

[Anunay Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I have very few things to say about this that's positive; all I can say is that the initial parts are good, and Deepak Kripal's prose building capacity in certain moments is quite astounding. But that's pretty much where the positives end because the rest is messy as hell. The plot keeps getting ridiculous with time, and the last two chapters are so unbelievably stupid that you can't even call it ridiculous, it's just lazy. If you want to know how not to use Deus Ex Machina in your plot, this book should be your primary example. This book's creativity begins and ends with showing the lead characters as animals, as the rest that follow is extremely substandard stuff.
This is a story about a group of creatures (animals and demons) who go on an adventure, and in such stories you're supposed to root for the characters you're following. But due to its opaque writing, characters never register with you, and you feel a sense of distance with them. Character development here is almost nil as every member in the team is given a quirk, and they are restricted by the rigid writing to revolve around those quirks, thus robbing them of the growth they need to show. Therefore you never feel their sense of camaraderie, and remain distant to them despite them facing hurdles of danger.
And how can I forget the pathetic prologue that's there precisely to drain any iota bits of emotions you might have felt along this cumbersome journey with such wooden characters. What's even more frustrating is the frequent philosophical dialogues forced into the happenings, which more often than not, serves no purpose other than patting itself on the back about how clever it is. So overall I would suggest you to not bother with this book. There are far better books in this world to read rather than wasting your time in this tale that is even worse than its cover design. This truly was an almost impossible journey to finish this book, especially after those atrocious final chapters.

[Aayesha Hakim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devil's Gate: An Impossible Journey by Deepak Kripal is quite interesting to read. I loved the sense of humour he has put in the book, the situations, the twists, and the characters are spot on!

This book is a masterpiece of writing. Writer not only carries you along the journey of his imaginary creatures but in between gives you the feel of a different world nobody would like to go in, but you just cannot stop unveiling the truth.

The plot of the story is so different and refreshing that after a few pages, one feels a sort of addiction to the story and you just can't stop after that. The mystery unravels beautifully and the shock climax is just icing on the cake.

When I started reading the book, I was wondering why a cat and a dog is chosen as the protagonists. But the questions are also answered in the second half of the book. Weird though it may sound, ‘The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey’ is relevant.

It takes courage to write on concepts and notions which rarely catch the fancy of other writers. Even if one does choose to settle down to an ‘unheard-of’ theme, it takes even more courage to put it into words and deliver to the readers, exactly what it had intended to deliver in the first place. In that regard, the effort and the skill of this debut author must be applauded generously, for indeed, he has made a point and has successfully made the readers see, what he had intended them to see.

Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...

[Ila Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey
By Deepak Kripal
Review By Ila Garg

The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey is a novel by the debutant writer Deepak Kripal is published by Frog Books (an imprint of Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd). The paper and print quality show that it is a publication house that we should keep an eye on. The book has an apt cover, however it could have been slightly better than this. The font used for the title of the book could have been modified too. The title is tempting though.

The author, Deepak Kripal is a doctor by profession and a writer by choice. He believes in dreams, and tries to live one day at a time. A known name in the blogosphere, he loves to blog. Writing a book was always in his mind. This is his literary debut.

The blurb reads as, ‘SIDELINED BY MAN, ANIMALS TURNED TO DEMONS.
Plundered by humans of their habitats, animals take a drastic step when they decide to send a team of a cat named as Katy and a dog named as Dug, to an invisible island known, as the Island of ‘Five Hundred Graves’. The island becomes visible only for a short time on the night of the full moon.
Legend has it that the island is inhabited by the demons. Katy and Dug are supposed to negotiate a deal with the demons, convincing them to allow the animals inhabit the island. Majority of the animal community believe that tinkering with the other world could bring their wrath to the animals. The team is sent to the island nevertheless.
But can a deal with the dead be materialized?
Are there really demons on the island? Is there any conspiracy involved?
Will Katy and Dug be able to negotiate, or will survival remain their only question in the deadly island?’
Initial impressions of the book from the title, cover, and the tagline - "An Impossible Journey", on me were that it’s gonna be yet another horror story. And yes it is a horror fiction, but an unusual one.

This is the story of two animal species. Katy (cat) and Dug (dog) meet at Pantheon, a beautiful forest town located on the tropical margins of the equator. The way the author has developed the story is indeed something to look out for.

This story is about how the animals turned into demons when side-lined by men. Indeed, a compelling story with an unusual aura. The suspense is well built from the very beginning when the characters are just introduced. Gradually it is revealed to the readers that Katy and Dug are actually animals. I loved the author’s innovation as he continued to take the story further by coining several different terms like UA (United Animals), B.M.S. (Bachelor in Multiple Skills), UAIL (United Animals Intelligence Institute), etc.
Characters of Katy, Billy, Cheeku, and Dug are exceptionally adorable. It’s fun to read their conversations which have been given human touch by the author.

As simple as it seems, the story doesn’t go straight. It complicates with every page. It’s almost like one day all animals woke up and decided that, since humans are not listening to us, we should talk to the demons to let us co-habit with them. It’s fun to even imagine a situation like that, but this is what is actually happening in The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey.

It’s an interesting thought with endless opportunities to explore, and the author hasn’t much disappointed the readers. What happens after animals take this initiative of visiting the Devil and try to get help from the dead to let them have a habitat of their own makes the base of the story.

Quoting lines from the book - “Devil’s Gate, as the name suggests, is a gate that you have to open to enter the central part of the island.”

The book is undoubtedly a nice read.

‘Yay’ Factors: The story line, narrative, personification of animals, a completely different theme, unusual revelations, title, names of the characters, and coining of terms.

‘Nay’ Factors: The cover, starting could have been more appealing, chapters somehow get too boring as the story builds up. I almost forced myself to read few pages which I realized could have been omitted.

The 248 page book is a perfect quick read (provided you read intelligently, skip few pages here and there). I mainly loved the book because of the plot. The urge to reach the climax, kept me hooked all the time. The language and pace is comfortable for all the readers. A satisfactory work for a debut writer! Best wishes for future writings.

Rating: 3/5

[Pankaj Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey’ is a superb entry of Deepak Kripal into the world of writers. Before discussing the book, I must congratulate and admit my admiration for the author for such a fine piece of writing. In particular, I felt that the author has written dialogues very well. This book is a buzzing world of animals, their mischiefs, envies, anxieties, fears, wishes and wishful thoughts. The book has all the ingredients of a commercial animation movie, both in the maturity of the comic vision and in the writer’s artistic sophistication shown in the treatment of his theme.

The story is about Katy (the cat) and Dug (the dog) who are sent to an invisible island. This island becomes visible for a very short time on the night of the full moon and is believed to be inhabited by the demons. Katy and Dug are supposed to convince the demons to allow the animals inhabit this island as their natural habitats are plundered by humans. However, majority of animal community believe that interfering with the other world could bring devastation to the animal world. Katy and Dug stumble upon Billy (the owl) who also joins them on their adventurous journey.

Talking about the characters, the author has allowed his characters to express themselves by their activities. It is important to note here that characterisation, setting, story and style are related to each other if one wants to create an artistic unity. The author of this novel can be appreciated for creating such artistic unity in this novel. There is an unmistakable freshness of approach and insight in the presentation of some of the characters. Katy and Dug are unquestionably mature products of author’s art. They are viewed with a quick eye to the comic – a ridiculing yet affectionate glance which certainly lights up the hearts of the readers. The chemistry between these two is well portrayed. The dialogues between Katy and Dug were funny and amusing, and quite often brings smile on your face. Then there is Billy, a misguided philosopher. His entry in the story not only adds a certain charm but also helps the story to grow further. In addition, there are monsters and demons (lots of them). Most importantly, the characters and situations that lend themselves to comic treatment are the very stuff of author’s art.

Then I do feel there are areas which the author could have improved upon. I think the book cover could have been much better. Likewise, the font used for the title of the book could have been adjusted according to the background. I enjoyed the first part of the novel more than the end. I felt the climax was a bit rushed up and wrapped abruptly. One feels that it is just done to reduce the pages in the novel. This is definitely one of those books that you want to finish in a single sitting. It’s all there – great characters, a tight plot, pretty good writing and also the promise of a sequel. However, you are left with a sense of dissatisfaction once you are done and you feel that there was much more that could have been there.

However, being the first published book of the author, it is definitely a very good start. The plot certainly enthrals the readers and this is a book you will quote from. Let’s finish this review by looking on some of the quotes. And, keep in mind that these are just few examples.

“When others develop an aversion for your version, you are probably going in the right direction.” (p.55)

“Bravery without sword is like slavery without lord.” (p. 56)

“Bravery is like literature, if you want to make it sell, you gotta phrase it well.” (p. 57)

“When failure becomes inevitable, it is only then honour comes into the picture.” (p. 57)

(Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review)

Read more on
http://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2014/05...

[Subramanyam K.V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many of us remember the Panchatantra or the stories from Aesop’s fables ? Remember the pure joy we experienced in our childhood listening to them. It was not just fun listening/reading those tales, we all learnt a lot of lessons from those (at least we were supposed to :-) ) didn’t we ? Now imagine this, imagine a situation where a person writes not just short story but a full fledged novel using animals as a central theme and also tries to teach his readers a lesson or two about living. Imagine a story where animals feel threatened by the social animals and prefer negotiating with demons for a place to live. Well that’s the world the author Deepak Kripal wants us to visit.

Katy, a female cat loses her mom early in her life, while the shock jolts her, she decides to fight with the oddities of her life , she fights the troubles and soon reaches to a revered position in ilk. Her fame reaches far and wide and reaches to such long frontiers that one fine day a very secret group sends their envoy to her and asks her to take up a mission. What was the decision of Katy in this case? How did this effect the happy go lucky Dug and the philosopher Owl. Did they take up the trip to the forbidden island? What surprises awaited them there? How did the demons respond? Were there only demons or some other creatures that were ready to pounce on these hapless animals? Was this mission a legal one ? Read the book to have the answers to all these questions.

I loved the way the story was told, initially I did feel that there was a drag initially , but then the pace of the story really picks up and one would really enjoy it as one reaches the middle of the book. I am a fan of great conversations in the books and this one has a lot to offer for people like me. The way Katy, Dug and the owl exchange ideas was awesome. The quotes and quick and witty responses (particularly from Katy :-) ) made me enjoy and learn a few things. Awesome job by Deepak. One more thing I really liked was the way the author tried to portray that evil tries to control not just people but the elements that make life. Again, awesome philosophy that comes in tale where only animals are involved. I also loved the way the author only makes references to humans but never has a human in the book, the plot must have been a well thought out one. The English was good and is one that suits the readers from the subcontinent.

Coming to the points which I felt could have been improved, I felt there was an initial snag and it takes sometime before the story takes off, the second, I felt the book had awefully less space devoted for the story at the UA HQ. A little more story about the animal association could have been great. That apart no big complaints.

Taking an offbeat subject for a novel is a double edged sword, on one front it is your promise or say ticket for glory, on the other it’s a huge risk, any small error and any small disconnect with the audience can potentially rob you off all the reward and make the book boring to its readers. On that front one has to accept that Deepak Kripal has indeed succeeded in his wonderful experiment. He has narrated the story brilliantly and made the book a refreshingly good read.

Do read the book, it indeed is a nice one.

[Abhilash Ruhela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fiction thriller is always an interesting read and it become more catchy if it has fantasy as its flavour. Deepak Kripal who has written his first full-fledged novel- "The Devil's Gate" also adding a tagline to it "An Impossible Journey" does wonderfully well in narrating a story that is full of fantasies, fictionalized characters and page-turning twists and turns. Book starts quite slowly and with a very boring conversation between Katy( a cat) and Dug(a dog). But as the secrets start getting revealed and disclosed, the story starts taking upon you. Considering the kind of book every debut author in India is trying these days, Deepak Kripal has come up with something very new and interesting. For this effort and newness itself, he gets a star from me.

While reading the book, you will feel as if you are watching an animated movie with your 3D glasses on. This book has every potential to be made into such a movie that can be good visually and with a perfect plot that could also interest adults in watching it too. The language used by Deepak Kripal touches that toughness for which you will have to refer dictionary more than usual which is sort of disadvantage but still he has strong hold on his narrating skills because of the power of language that he possesses. His imagination is lucid and larger-than-world which makes his book look as if you are holding an extra-ordinary theoretical version in your hand. The twists and turns that keeps coming every now and then keeps the book's essence and presence felt.

I was surprised to find the perfectly described characterization of the animals. It's not easy to portray animal's nature and attitude but the author does it easily here. Out of all the parts, I loved the one where all the three friends gets stuck on a bridge while they know that ghosts-sort-of-creatures are sleeping below the bridge under water. That is one action-packed scene. I also adored all the philosophical lessons being given by Billy in form of her father's words. The book won another 1 star from me for those philosophical descriptions. There are many unnatural scenes in the book that shall make you believe in Deepak Kripal's version of fantasy world.

There are certain drawbacks too; first one being a very bad designing of the cover page which will affect in the sale of the book. It could have been brighter, solid and attractive. Instead its bore and dull. Hope the 2nd edition sees the change. The action scenes against devils and monster becomes repetitive after a point of time and you wish to reach the end as soon as possible. Also the book is stretched by 40-50 pages. It could have been easily finished in 200-210 pages. The over-description irritates you sometimes. Also, I felt that climax little underwhelming, but by a very short margin. Else, this book has something new in it and it can definitely be read once. I give it 3.5 out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

[Aseem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A doctor by profession and a writer by passion, “The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey” is Deepak Kripal’s first novel. Though he is already a known name in the blogosphere, he was waiting for the right story to debut with. Does it work? Let’s check it out.

The blurb goes like this -

Plundered by humans of their habitats, animals take a drastic step when they decide to send a team of a cat named as Katy and a dog named as Dug, to an invisible island known, as the Island of ‘Five Hundred Graves’. The island becomes visible only for a short time on the night of the full moon.

Legend has it that the island is inhabited by the demons. Katy and Dug are supposed to negotiate a deal with the demons, convincing them to allow the animals to inhabit the island. Majority of the animal community believe that tinkering with the other world could bring their wrath to the animals. The team is sent to the island nevertheless.

But can a deal with the dead be materialized?

Are there really demons on the island? Is there any conspiracy involved?

Will Katy and Dug be able to negotiate, or will survival remain their only question in the deadly island.

First things first, the cover page design could have been done better. The font of the text and the quality of the pages is maintained perfectly throughout the book.

At the outset, the book has a very unique concept which is pretty unheard of in the Indian literary industry these days. When we think of animals depicted in books, we think of Panchatantra, Aesop’s Fables etc. Deepak has beautifully depicted a story of how animals are in grave danger due to plundering and destruction of their habitats by humans. So true these days, isn’t it? Since they cannot stay in their habitat, they need to move out as quickly as possible. And then begins the adventure to the island of “Five Hundred Graves”.

Deepak should be applauded for a well crafted imaginative plot which takes the reader on an adrenaline filled reading experience. The narrative is structured quite well and the story moves at a good pace throughout. There are some interesting phrases like “Bravery without sword is like slavery without lord”, “Tragedy of yesterday is the joke of tomorrow etc. which take the story forward.

Deepak has portrayed the concept of teamwork, coordination and the ability to fight against all odds really well in the context of the story. The conversations between the animals and the entire descriptions seem quite life like.

The negatives?

Better editing could have taken the reading experience up by several notches. There are also certain parts where the sequences are pretty long drawn out that it feels like there is quite some repetition.

All in all, if you are one for fantasy novels, this is for you.

http://transitionofthoughts.com/2014/...

[Purnendu Chatterjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the name & the cover:
The Devil’s Gate is an important part of the book or I would rather say important part of the journey, so I must say the name is appropriate. And the tagline also perfectly indicates the journey readers are going to make while reading the book along with two protagonists, Katy and Dug.
At a glance the cover looks weird, but it is the beauty of the cover. It fits perfectly with the story and the name. The gate on the cover for the name and the black effect and the smoke for the unusual story-line.

On the narrating style:
The narrating style is good and keeps the authors glued till the very last page. The author has very efficiently chosen his words which helps to keep the thrill alive. The way the author has scripted those one-liners, will definitely tickle the funny bones of the readers. I love the names of the characters, a cat is Katy, dog is Dug, rat is Rees. The whole book is like an animations movie playing before the reader's eyes.

On the story-line:
When we say, this story is a work of fiction, we definitely mean something like this story. The main characters of this story are a speaking cat and a dog named Katy and Dug. As soon as they reached the invisible island and Billy, an owl joins their team, the story starts to pick its speed. The whole book is a roller coaster ride, which the readers are going to enjoy from the core of their heart. This story have the elements to make the readers laugh, cry and bit the nail in suspicion. By the voice of his characters, the author has stated a wonderful message to his readers, which leaves the readers admiring the author’s imagination skills. I felt some scenes are bit stretched and sometime the philosophies the author presented by the Character Billy seems to lessen the flow of the book.

+ Point: The unusual story line and the thrilling journey is definitely something to watch out for.

-Point: Few dragged philosophical lectures dropped the regular speed.

Final Words:
This is a wonderful work of fiction divided in the fourteen beautiful characters which will take the readers to a thrilling journey. The outcome of the author’s brilliant imagination.

For more reviews visit: www.timidfingers.blogspot.in

[Suyash Karangutkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s my review on The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey. The cover page of the book speaks it up, informing the readers about the genre of the book. The book introduces two important characters, Dug and Caty, in the beginning. Guess what? They are not humans; they are animals. Yes, talking animals. There is an organization called UA (United Animals) who send Dug and Caty for a secret mission. The organization itself arranges everything out there for both of them to travel to an island which becomes visible only for 10 minutes, that too on a full moon night. Coming across several difficulties, they reach their destination – The Island of Five Hundred Graves. Once they step into the island they meet Billy an owl and then begin their journey to negotiate the demons on the island– the task for which they’ve been sent.

This is a very unique novel with a story that you must have never read. I think it is a very good medium to highlight the cruelty of humans towards animals. The characters in the book are personified which give a fascinating effect to the story. The concept of the book too is really, really different from all the other novels of the genre. The journey on this island brings you across image who guides them, child demon, monsters, mosquito monsters, etc. The book takes you through an explicit and an incredible journey, a journey that you will love to go through.

Over-all: The title of the book is good. The narration of the story, plots and the names of the characters are perfect and interesting. Editorially the book is strong. Drawbacks: The cover of the book is not that interesting as the story is. The cover could have been a bit better. A few dialogues in the story are slightly boring. Apart from these, no other drawbacks in the book, no grammatical or spelling error and the book proceeds perfectly fine, entertaining and thrilling a reader till the end.

Categorizing it as a must-read novel, I would like to rate The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey with 4.5/5. Good lucks to Deepak and hope he comes up with more such interesting books!

[Kritikal Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supreme imagination just transcended all limits. The whole idea of fiction just acquired a whole new dimension. This is helluva unique piece of fiction, and considering the story and plot, it is so refreshingly different from most of the contemporary novels.
The unraveling mystery, the tricky plot, the unpredictable story line, these are just a part of the treat that the novel is. Faintly reminiscent of Orwell's Animal Farm, this story is sure to exceed your expectations and beyond.
One, it keeps you hooked till the end, and even in the end it keeps you on tenterhooks.
the story traces the journey of a cat and a dog, who overcome their initial hostility towards each other, and are later joined by an owl, and then a couple other creatures. The theme has an eerie feel to it, and the descriptions have the precision of classics. The book is not just peppered with witty dialogues and monologues but rather these are the stuff the novel is made of. Katy's initial hostility is so real and well-crafted and manifests in her interactions, that is something that makes you begin the novel, its continued presence in the plot makes it interesting and then it keeps you engrossed.
This is perhaps the best way to give the message, and the author has done a commendable job of bringing some insightful discussions to the table, in a way that is simultaneously thought-provoking and humorous.
Depending upon how long you savour each detail, it finishes in reasonable time, all the more reason to read it by seizing a few moments from your busy day.
The book is replete with instances of brave exhibition of leadership qualities, or team work for the larger cause.
Then, if you are a fiction lover, it has everything you might crave for. If you are a fan of reality, it shows reality too, in a way that it gets imprinted in your mind as you read, in the most satirical way possible.
I believe that the expressions used, and the read rest of the review

[Suyash Karangutkar]

Here’s my review on The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey. The cover page of the book speaks it up, informing the readers about the genre of the book. The book introduces two important characters, Dug and Caty, in the beginning. Guess what? They are not humans; they are animals. Yes, talking animals. There is an organization called UA (United Animals) who send Dug and Caty for a secret mission. The organization itself arranges everything out there for both of them to travel to an island which becomes visible only for 10 minutes, that too on a full moon night. Coming across several difficulties, they reach their destination – The Island of Five Hundred Graves. Once they step into the island they meet Billy an owl and then begin their journey to negotiate the demons on the island– the task for which they’ve been sent.

This is a very unique novel with a story that you must have never read. I think it is a very good medium to highlight the cruelty of humans towards animals. The characters in the book are personified which give a fascinating effect to the story. The concept of the book too is really, really different from all the other novels of the genre. The journey on this island brings you across image who guides them, child demon, monsters, mosquito monsters, etc. The book takes you through an explicit and an incredible journey, a journey that you will love to go through.

Over-all: The title of the book is good. The narration of the story, plots and the names of the characters are perfect and interesting. Editorially the book is strong. Drawbacks: The cover of the book is not that interesting as the story is. The cover could have been a bit better. A few dialogues in the story are slightly boring. Apart from these, no other drawbacks in the book, no grammatical or spelling error and the book proceeds perfectly fine, entertaining and thrilling a reader till the end.

Categorizing it as a must-read novel, I would like to rate The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey with 4.5/5. Good lucks to Deepak and hope he comes up with more such interesting books!

[Swathi Shenoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is about Katy, the cat and Dug, the dog travelling to a mysterious island to negotiate with the demons. But there is much more to the story than just negotiating with the demons. The island is full of demons fighting to possess a living body, monsters who are designed to kill and mysteries that will demand Katy and her team to display extreme courage, even if it means risking their lives or even death! Will they be able to cross all these hurdles and succeed in their mission?

When I read the blurb, I developed an instant interest in the book as supernatural stories have always been my cup of tea. But I was fairly disappointed, for the first few chapters didn't quite hold my interest. The plot kind of seemed to drag on with too much explanation. And the ending is something that leaves you puzzled. There is no conclusion; only a mystery that hangs in the air even after you finish the novel.

But after the first few chapters, the book became interesting again as the adventures of Katy and Dug begin in the Island of 'Five Hundred Graves'. Once you get over your initial shock of the highly developed intelligence of these animals, you will start enjoying the book to some extent. The plot gets interesting from here. The imagination of the author to think beyond the ordinary is something I liked a lot. Also his ability in providing minor details about this unseen land is also quite appreciable.

There were many quotes which I liked and here are few of them:

Playing with danger is a child's play. Real game starts when the danger starts playing with you.
When others develop an aversion to your version, you are probably going in the right direction.
Bravery without sword is like slavery without lord.
Even the smallest creature can cause your downfall if you are driven by power and arrogance rather than by your mind and heart.
All in all, the book was OK with a subtle message about how human ways have forced animals to take the extreme step! I will suggest this book for those who love mild super natural stories, most probably for teens!

[Hari · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://hariverma14.blogspot.in/2014/0...

“Playing with danger is a child’s play .Real game starts when the danger starts playing with you.”
Browsing through internet, I found this book luckily. I say luckily, not coincidentally ,for it was good to read something different from an Indian author . While most of the young authors are still stuck at urban love stories, sex , bollywood masala ,this one is fresh .
Animals revolting humans as they have become tyrant, selfish, Doesn’t that sound like Geroge Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ ? Actually it’s not at all like Animal Farm.
A cat and dog ventures into a secret mission to find an invisible island ,to negotiate a deal with demons. Along the journey ,they face many challenges, and make new friends.
Concept of the book is, it’s USP. Story is gripping ,and author knows how to play with language .
Concept is very new .Author is successful at keeping a secret ,a secret, till the last page . Character development is appreciable, and depiction of places, horrid creatures are good. There are few more things to enjoy ,but adding them in review would be a spoiler .
However, the book is not without the flaws . There are many absolutely unnecessary sentences. For instance , line 1 says something and line 2 repeats it . I would have enjoyed the book more ,if author chose to write in simple English ,rather than GRE level worlds. Those who say it can qualify as children ‘s book, I disagree . There are too many heavy words ,and deep philosophy in the book to comprehend. Not every child’s play.
Overall great effort , and different concept . My rating 3.5

[Priyaanka Batra Harjai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bow! Bow! Bow! (Read it as Wow! Wow! Wow!)

The Devil’s Gate – An Impossible journey by Deepak Kripal is a beautiful story about animals – particularly a cat, named Katy and a dog, named Dug and their fellow mates, whom they meet during their journey. A journey set out for finding new abode for the whole animal fraternity.

This story is about their journey to that island and unlocking the ‘mighty gate’ – The Devil’s Gate; behind which is the answer, they have been searching for. It’s about their experience of visiting the lifeless island and finding the key to unlock the devil’s gate.

The author has chosen an innovative form of storytelling, which is an amalgamation of simple language, lucid explanations, out-of-box thinking, enriching developments and thought-provoking questions that will jitter you, deep-down your souls, with minimal efforts. Not limiting to this, there are several light-hearted but eye-opening incidents that will urge you to reconsider your purpose of living. His is a smart, intelligent and educated approach towards story-telling which touches every single chord of life.

For dog’s sake! Please read this book. ;)

An emotional, painful but hopeful sci-fi helping us to reconsider the purpose of our own existence.

A MUST READ

Source: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...

[Shinde · Rating 2 out of 5]

Taskforce: A cat, a dog, an owl, a baby skeleton and a 5000 year old rat (Reminded me of the mix-match and mismatched cast of Wizard of Oz).

Task: To free a deadly island from a battalion of demons, monsters and witches.

Underlying message: Inner demons (Fear/Prejudice/Hesitation) are worse than fictional demons. Humans are more destructive than demons. Humans, stop encroaching upon the animal world.

Target audience: Children, I guess. In spite of the demons and devils all over, there is nothing macabre enough. Also, in true Enid Blyton style, *SPOILER none of our five-member team dies. *

Pluses: a} Some deep thoughts:

1. Not showing quietness is difficult. You are required to talk a lot to do that.

Full review on http://sweetyshinde.wordpress.com/201...

[Ravi Shankar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, we have a book that is "different" in truest sense. I was so excited when I came to know about the plot of the book which is so unique. And the author truly captures the promise of the incredible plot that he has at his disposal with some terrific imagination, intricate webbing of mystery and some heart warming writing. Another special feature of the book is tremendous use of idioms and phrases which are full of wisdom and thought provoking without really going in the preaching mode. The concept of Devil's Gate has been created masterfully and is really interesting. And the climax is totally and shockingly unexpected!

Pace is taut, writing is crisp and characterization is beautiful. Overall, a perfect read for adventure and thriller lovers. Get your hands on this cracking story!

[RITU MAHESHWARI · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devil's Gate by Deepak Kripal is an out and out adventurous novel. I am refraining myself about writing more about the book because lesser you know about the plot, the more you will enjoy reading it. I will highly recommend the book if you are looking forward to read some adventurous book. The plot of the books, various characters which comes in the course, dangers which they face, twist were all out of the box. The Devil's Gate gives a welcome break from the regular love stories and romantic novels.

Read The Full Review Here

[Writersmelon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the story has animals and demons as its central characters, the main focus is on the fight of good against evil. The book also makes one realize that though good will ultimately prevail over evil, it is impossible to eradicate evil from its root. The only option left is for one to differentiate between the two and choose the right one.

The language is simple, engaging and lucid. The narrative is fast paced and flows freely and smoothly. One can visualize the scenes as the story progresses. The length of the story is just right.

Read the full review: http://www.writersmelon.com/2014/08/b...

[Ujval Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novel’s starting is too slow and end is too sudden. I am giving it to 3 out of 5 because I feel, author could have written better than this. I am recommending this book to those who are interested in animal fiction stories. More On

[Vikrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally a welcome break from usual love techie love stories. This book will stretch the fibers of your imagination to its wildest and never seen before limits. The plot, characters, twists, landscape, situations; everything is out of the box. Simply Mind blowing. Unmissable!

[Anu Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

USP of this book is its extremely unique plot which supplemented by refreshingly innovative imagination has given way to a fascinating & epic tale.. A story that stay with you for long time, and you will never really forget the characters.. Just STUNNING!

[Dhruv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a story that will stay with you for long time. The plot is a stand out, and the mystery is totally awesome. Full marks to the author for bringing innovation to fiction scene in India which is full of usual love stories & rebooted mythology. Get this one!

[Parul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very refreshing and unique story in terms of plot, treatment and thought. Characters are super-adorable, mystery is unbreakable and climax is shocking. Overall, a very fine read with 6 hours of unadulterated entertainment.

[Tapan Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have my exams in few days and my friend me this book and told me that you will love this and I didn’t have controlled on myself and started reading and you won’t believe I completed this book in one stroke with tears in my eyes. Thank you author 

[Manish Mahtre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter of this book has something interesting into it which kept me tighten with it. Description of character, places, situations, danger taking place at every stage and fighting with that situations is written beautifully.