Lakshadweep Adventure

VikramAditya #1

by Deepak Dalal

Far out in the Arabian Sea, where the waters plunge many thousands of metres to the ocean floor, lie a chain of bewitchingly beautiful coral atolls – the Lakshadweep Islands. Their lagoons have crystal-clear water and their reefs are deep and shrouded in mystery. Vikram and Aditya discover the secrets of the reefs by diving in their midst. But, when they stumble on to a devious kidnapping plot, their idyllic holiday suddenly turns into a desperate struggle for survival. Driven to the high seas in the face of a terrible storm, their fate hangs on the skills of a young islander.

A breathtaking adventure tale of scubadiving, sharks, windsurfing, survival, sea turtles and sabotage; set in one of the most beautiful locales of India

Genres: Adventure, Indian Literature

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Deepak Dalal chucked up a career as a chemical engineer to write stories for children. He lives currently in Pune with his wife, two daughters and several dogs and cats. He enjoys wildlife, nature and the outdoors. The Sahyadri Hills of Pune are a short journey from his home. When not at his desk writing, he is either trekking their slopes or cycling their valleys.

Reviews

[Gorab · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been picking books randomly based on their cover or title without checking the blurb or ratings.
This was one of them.

Somehow thought it would be a travelogue or non-fictional work on Lakshadweep islands which is a dream vacation spot for my family.

My bad. Turns out to be a kidnapping mystery with some chase sequences involving teen boys. Quite a decent read for kids, with its simple English and a thriller (obvious!) plot. Didn't work out for me. Sorry for the ratings... totally my mistake of judging by the cover, but that's how it felt.

[Raji · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my Lakshadweep read for my #ReadingIndia challenge.

Lakshadweep Adventure proved to be unexpectedly delightful. This is the type of fiction I hope young adults in India read and enjoy. It offers the kind of adventure young people will delight in (I was also invested in figuring out just how the young protagonists of the story would get out of the tight spot they found themselves in) and it provides interesting information on Lakshadweep. The book is a mini travelogue in that sense; there’s plenty about windsurfing, diving, corals, lagoons, turtles and more. And given how little I know about the place, I am now itching to get there.

The book is exactly what the blurb promises: an adventure featuring young boys. It’s a quick read. It’s well-written, especially considering some of the poor writing and editing I have encountered this past year. I also liked the characterisation, where there are both the restless and the calm and each have their strengths and weaknesses that can be useful and destructive at different times. I think that is the kind of spectrum young adults should be exposed to, rather than plain good and bad which is rather unreal. So, I’d definitely recommend it for young adults. And apparently, it’s part of a series set in very interesting locations across India: Ranthambore, Ladakh, etc.

I also like the fact that unlike popular cinema in India these days, no community is vilified by the acts of one individual. Instead, the book is about adolescent friendships that seem to be stronger than seemingly adult vices like greed and mindless violence.

[Vineeth Kartha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent adventure story. I think this story might be more interesting for teenagers. However the description of the island and the marine life is what attracted me the most.

[Dlmrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-

[Deepan Maitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My joy in reading children’s fiction or middle-grade books comes from the fact that how the book effortlessly succeeds to mould the story into a narrative from a child’s innocent perspective. Books for children are warm, very comforting and will never let you go bored.

Deepak Dalal, in each and every one of his books gives us a geographical adventure. His Vikram-Aditya series follows two young friends Vikram and Aditya visiting scenic natural locations, and wherever they go, a new adventure greets them. The author knows what to put in his book that will make children remain hooked to the pages. He includes this all-consuming, indomitable thrill of going on a vacation…even the excitement of travel. From snow-capped mountains of Ladakh to coral-encrusted waters of the Lakshadweep, he weaves one adventurous tale after another in such striking natural domains.

‘Lakshadweep adventure’ and ‘Snow Leopard adventure’ have a spark and agility in the way they’ve been written. The stories are fast, frolicking and gripping to the core. Paced with action, edges of suspense of impending doom and with a wide range of unforeseen turn of events, this series can be quoted as an example of how children’s thriller fiction should be written.

It is beautiful how Deepak Dalal chooses to make his writing geographical and also tries to make it not only a fun story to read, but also an educational discourse to cherish. His characters are young and instinctive, but he chooses to show the readers that the love for nature and a certain level of compassion for the flora and fauna of our earth can go a long way. He touches upon environmental issues, locational travel hazards, interesting facts and anecdotes—making his stories a delight for young readers to devour.

I’m sure that when a child starts to read this book, he or she would be flipping each page with a renewed energy that comes from expecting something unexpected, and also with a deep awareness about the state of nature in and around the world.

Thanks Penguin India for the copy.

[Swetha Amit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lakshadweep Adventure chronicles the adventure of two boys-Vikram and Aditya who are holidaying in Lakshadweep islands. These are a group of bewitching coral atolls situated in the Arabian sea. While discovering the enchanting underwater world and its many mysteries, things take a turn when these boys stumble upon a devious kidnapping plan. What follows suit is a series of action packed adventures that involves shipwrecks, navigating in turbulent seas, stormy weather, marooned on an island, braving dangerous criminals and gunshots.

One thing that stands out in this book is the ability of the author to transport readers to a different world. His descriptions of the colourful corals, reefs, lagoons, and trivia about the species of the underwater world, make it interesting and informative. It almost makes nature a character by itself. Simultaneously, he weaves an action packed narrative about the escapades of the boys in tumultuous conditions. The author also manages to explain the nuances of water sports like scuba diving and windsurfing.

The book is fast paced and pulsating which can be read in one sitting. Being a diver and having visited these beautiful islands back in 2009, this book particularly struck a chord with me, The mesmerizing world of coral, reefs, turtles and hermit crabs is a part of our ecosystem. It's wonderful to read such books that give a glimpse into a parallel world that coexists with humans

[Shally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read any book by Deepak Dalal before, until I got a chance to get these for myself, because of the catchy covers they bring. And I was amazed by the content in it, such detailed narration of the journey of two youngsters, Vikram and Aditya, full of adventures, fun, challenges and much more. Journey through these breathtaking islands with a tale of scuba diving and sabotage, set in one of India's most splendid destinations, Lakshadweep.

Since kids too love reading series, because they connect to the characters quickly and enjoy seeing them play different roles, I think this entire Vikram Aditya series is perfect for kids of 13 years and above.

[Ananth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A teen adventure book, maybe comparable to Nancy drew, hardy boys but set in india and present time.

While the plot is not too complex, the descriptions of exotic nature and ease of reading helps a lot. Imagine Ruskin bond description of nature mixed with Enid blytons teen adventure works. This is a part of a series called Vikram Aditya series. Vikram n Aditya childhood friends find themselves marooned on an island just 100 ft wide nestled in corals. What started as a fun island vacation quickly morphed into life n death experience.

[Bookashbutterfly · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Lakshadweep
📖 𝐛𝐲 Deepak Dalal
🔖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fiction
🔖 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Far out in the Arabian Sea, where the waters plunge many thousands of metres to the ocean floor, lie a chain of bewitchingly beautiful coral atolls – the Lakshadweep Islands. Their lagoons have crystal-clear water and their reefs are deep and shrouded in mystery. Vikram and Aditya discover the secrets of the reefs by diving in their midst. But, when they stumble on to a devious kidnapping plot, their idyllic holiday suddenly turns into a desperate struggle for survival. Driven to the high seas in the face of a terrible storm, their fate hangs on the skills of a young islander.

🔖𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔖𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 📚A breathtaking adventure tale of scubadiving, sharks, windsurfing, survival, sea turtles and sabotage; set in one of the most beautiful locales of India ✨
Why should you read this book? It's fast paced, easy breezy read with brilliant twists, suitable for beginners and teens! 🌸 The beautiful description of several adventurous encounters between Aditya, Vikram, Faisal, Shaukat are literally chills ✨ Also the gorgeous Cover!🌸💐 beautiful beyond words ✨❤️ 🦋

[P M · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lakshadweep Adventure was a fantastic start to the Vikram and Aditya stories. It starts of with an interesting beginning to Vikram's holiday, as he goes to the Lakshadweep islands to join his friend Aditya on his school holiday. He goes to Kadmat island and has a great time, until his holiday is ruined by a big affair, including the government and military affairs. He discovers layers upon layers in a big conspiracy and in the end reveals it all and ends with a great holiday. It is a truly great book that I recommend to any readers out there.

[Adithya Dushyanth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I not discover these books earlier?

Great story, great characters and so well-written. The importance given to the locale was great too, it felt like I was in Lakshadweep.
Now that I've discovered there are more of these books, I can't wait to pick up the adventures of Vikram and Aditya in Ladakh and Ranthambore.

5 stars.

[Ketan Parte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved the book and characters. The author has described every event and setting so precisely that one feels like he's present there. The plot has superb twists and bold moves by teens. Loved it!

[Dhiraj Vinzar · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is really great book...
you feel really a part of novel