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THE LOCKDOWN CITY
About the BookWhen the walls of your city become your prison, how do you fight back?
Alex Mehta, a scientist at DRDO, has only one to conquer the world like Alexander the Great. With a single command, he brought the city of Hyderabad under his rule. Specially designed drones surveyed every nook and corner of the city. Everyone lay unconscious, apart from Alex and his AI-controlled army. Towering poles with fences encircled the city, forming an electronic mesh that surrounded and protected the city. It was a complete lockdown. There is no entry or exit.
Anvesh, a student, was trapped inside his own home. Outside, AI drones circled relentlessly, armed and programmed to shoot any human on sight. One step beyond the door, and he would be dead. Hiding wouldn’t be enough. If he wanted to survive, he had to disappear. He had to become a shadow.
Can Anvesh outsmart the drones, slip through the surveillance net, and stop the city from falling into the hands of a mad scientist? Every move is watched. Every breath counted. One wrong step and it’s over.
The Lockdown City is a high-stakes science fiction thriller that explores ambition, technology, and the fragility of human freedom in the face of absolute control.
About the AuthorUpender Reddy Gundepally is currently working as a Senior Software Engineer at Planon Software Service Pvt. Ltd. He enjoys playing badminton and watching movies. He made his debut as an author with the novel Midnight on the Highway. The Lockdown City is his second novel.
Alex Mehta, a scientist at DRDO, has only one to conquer the world like Alexander the Great. With a single command, he brought the city of Hyderabad under his rule. Specially designed drones surveyed every nook and corner of the city. Everyone lay unconscious, apart from Alex and his AI-controlled army. Towering poles with fences encircled the city, forming an electronic mesh that surrounded and protected the city. It was a complete lockdown. There is no entry or exit.
Anvesh, a student, was trapped inside his own home. Outside, AI drones circled relentlessly, armed and programmed to shoot any human on sight. One step beyond the door, and he would be dead. Hiding wouldn’t be enough. If he wanted to survive, he had to disappear. He had to become a shadow.
Can Anvesh outsmart the drones, slip through the surveillance net, and stop the city from falling into the hands of a mad scientist? Every move is watched. Every breath counted. One wrong step and it’s over.
The Lockdown City is a high-stakes science fiction thriller that explores ambition, technology, and the fragility of human freedom in the face of absolute control.
About the AuthorUpender Reddy Gundepally is currently working as a Senior Software Engineer at Planon Software Service Pvt. Ltd. He enjoys playing badminton and watching movies. He made his debut as an author with the novel Midnight on the Highway. The Lockdown City is his second novel.
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 31, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 18, 2026
It had been aeons since I last picked up a science fiction novel, and this book swept me away with its action-packed thriller.
Imagine a world where there is no robot invasion yet humans behave like robots because brain chips control their minds. Alex, a neurosurgeon at DRDO, conducts clandestine experiments, exploiting projects developed by students and scientists to further his ambition to conquer the world, much as Alexander the Great.
Meanwhile, Anvesh, Pragati, Atharv, and their team develop a drone project intended to aid the defence forces. Just when their hard work proves successful, Alex hijacks their innovation for his sinister mission. At the same time, police officer Ajay Simha investigates a case of doctor kidnappings and the murder of Seshadri(one of Alex’s experimental subjects) gradually uncovering a far more dangerous conspiracy.
As Alex skillfully eliminates every threat to his plan, he manages to lock down the city, though not for long. Atharv works from within DRDO to stop the catastrophe, while Anvesh and Pragati strategise from the outside. What follows is a gripping race against time.
The narrative is highly innovative and thoroughly engaging. At first, I expected it to be a heavy read, but the alternating chapters between past and present kept the momentum alive. The story balances moments of subtle humour with action, making it difficult to put down.
By the end, I couldn’t help but imagine how thrilling this would be as a web series or even a graphic novel. While a few mysteries are likely to be resolved in the sequel, several intriguing questions remain unanswered, leaving readers eagerly anticipating what comes next. The author ingeniously takes the reader to a different world altogether. The title first gave me all captivity vibes but it hits different once you submerge in the story. It’s a rare gem blending biology with modern robotics and technology.
If you love sci-fi adventures packed with suspense and action, don’t miss this one.
Thank you for the copy!
May 1, 2026
rating - 3.75⭐️
review - I went into The Lockdown City by Upender Reddy Gundepally not expecting to be this hooked, but wow—the core idea is seriously gripping.
What stood out to me the most is how relevant the plot feels right now. With how fast technology—especially AI—is evolving, this story hits a little too close to reality. It really makes you think: yes, advancement is great, but not at the cost of losing our sense of self or handing over control of humanity to something that can be manipulated at the click of a button. The whole concept of a chip in every human brain and it falling into the wrong hands? Genuinely unsettling.
That said, I did struggle a bit while reading. The multiple timelines and shifting perspectives got confusing at times. There were moments I had to flip back and reread because I couldn’t immediately place where I was in the story. Same with some characters—like Karthik. He appears early on, disappears, and then shows up again later, and for a second I genuinely thought he was someone new. It took me a bit to reconnect the dots.
But honestly, despite that confusion, the idea and the overall story still worked for me. It’s one of those books where the concept is so strong that you stay invested even when the structure feels a little messy.
Also… I’m still not over Anvesh. That really stayed with me.
I’m definitely curious about where the next book is going to go and how all of this will unfold, especially with the kind of world the author has set up. If the execution becomes a bit tighter, this series has the potential to be something really impactful.
review - I went into The Lockdown City by Upender Reddy Gundepally not expecting to be this hooked, but wow—the core idea is seriously gripping.
What stood out to me the most is how relevant the plot feels right now. With how fast technology—especially AI—is evolving, this story hits a little too close to reality. It really makes you think: yes, advancement is great, but not at the cost of losing our sense of self or handing over control of humanity to something that can be manipulated at the click of a button. The whole concept of a chip in every human brain and it falling into the wrong hands? Genuinely unsettling.
That said, I did struggle a bit while reading. The multiple timelines and shifting perspectives got confusing at times. There were moments I had to flip back and reread because I couldn’t immediately place where I was in the story. Same with some characters—like Karthik. He appears early on, disappears, and then shows up again later, and for a second I genuinely thought he was someone new. It took me a bit to reconnect the dots.
But honestly, despite that confusion, the idea and the overall story still worked for me. It’s one of those books where the concept is so strong that you stay invested even when the structure feels a little messy.
Also… I’m still not over Anvesh. That really stayed with me.
I’m definitely curious about where the next book is going to go and how all of this will unfold, especially with the kind of world the author has set up. If the execution becomes a bit tighter, this series has the potential to be something really impactful.
March 3, 2026
I'd call this book dangerous- not for its violence, but for how real it feels. Blending science fiction with psychological tension, it explores how technology can turn terrifyingly human. Set in Hyderabad, it's bold, imaginative, and disturbingly believable- a story that makes you question how far we'd go in the name of progress. If you enjoy thought-provoking sci-fi thrillers, this one's a must read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews