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Bombay Fever
In the bestselling tradition of Richard Preston’s now-classic medical thriller The Hot Zone and reminiscent of the blockbuster films Outbreak and Contagion , a fast-paced, page-turning thriller set in India about a deadly disease and the heroic efforts to contain the plague before it’s too late…
In the courtyard of a Hindu temple in Switzerland, a woman collapses in the arms of a visiting Indian journalist, her body reduced to a puddle of blood. Never before has anyone seen anything like this. Three months later, all over Mumbai, men, women and children are ravaged by a disease that begins with initially mild symptoms—that swiftly progress until an ultimately gruesome death. Who will it hit next? And where did it come from?
As the rogue microbe wreaks its bloody havoc—striking rich and poor, young and old—chaos ensues. Thousands try to flee the city, including the most powerful man in the country. Can this deadly plague be stopped? After all, all that stands between the city and apocalypse is a ragged team of doctors, civil servants, and scientists. But their intervention may be too little, too late.
Suspenseful and gripping from the first page to the last, Bombay Fever is a meticulously researched novel—too plausible to ignore and too chilling to put down—from one of India’s most talented writers.
In the courtyard of a Hindu temple in Switzerland, a woman collapses in the arms of a visiting Indian journalist, her body reduced to a puddle of blood. Never before has anyone seen anything like this. Three months later, all over Mumbai, men, women and children are ravaged by a disease that begins with initially mild symptoms—that swiftly progress until an ultimately gruesome death. Who will it hit next? And where did it come from?
As the rogue microbe wreaks its bloody havoc—striking rich and poor, young and old—chaos ensues. Thousands try to flee the city, including the most powerful man in the country. Can this deadly plague be stopped? After all, all that stands between the city and apocalypse is a ragged team of doctors, civil servants, and scientists. But their intervention may be too little, too late.
Suspenseful and gripping from the first page to the last, Bombay Fever is a meticulously researched novel—too plausible to ignore and too chilling to put down—from one of India’s most talented writers.
371 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2017
16 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Sidin Vadukut
7 books283 followersSidin Vadukut is a journalist, columnist and blogger. He has an engineering degree from NIT Trichy and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
In a career spanning around a decade he has made automotive parts, developed online trading platforms, almost set up a retailing company and had a sizeable portion of a tree fall on his head. He is currently an editor with the Mint business newspaper.
Sidin lives in New Delhi with his wife, two PlayStations, four laptops and a desktop computer. He blogs at http://www.whatay.com.
Twitter: twitter.com/sidin
In a career spanning around a decade he has made automotive parts, developed online trading platforms, almost set up a retailing company and had a sizeable portion of a tree fall on his head. He is currently an editor with the Mint business newspaper.
Sidin lives in New Delhi with his wife, two PlayStations, four laptops and a desktop computer. He blogs at http://www.whatay.com.
Twitter: twitter.com/sidin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
June 6, 2020
Probably, little did the author know that his tale of pandemic would come true so soon, and here we are.
I have been following Sidin from his blogging days, and must admit, I had had quite a few chuckles from many of his cerebral humours and witty comebacks. Like Jack (the man with all kinds of trades in his résumé), Sidin has not confined himself to one genre. Office humour, history ( loved his Indian Constitution Podcasts), crime fiction and now, a fast paced medical thriller.
Got this book in the last Flipkart sale at the price of Masala Dosa, instead of the cover price that of Paneer Butter Masala (author's favourite?) and decided to read now during the real pandemic.
Despite being fast paced and quick read types, too many characters made me lose interest too soon and couldn't force myself to complete the book. But, must commend the writer to venture out of his comfort zone to try something that is not in abundance in Indian English Books section.
I have been following Sidin from his blogging days, and must admit, I had had quite a few chuckles from many of his cerebral humours and witty comebacks. Like Jack (the man with all kinds of trades in his résumé), Sidin has not confined himself to one genre. Office humour, history ( loved his Indian Constitution Podcasts), crime fiction and now, a fast paced medical thriller.
Got this book in the last Flipkart sale at the price of Masala Dosa, instead of the cover price that of Paneer Butter Masala (author's favourite?) and decided to read now during the real pandemic.
Despite being fast paced and quick read types, too many characters made me lose interest too soon and couldn't force myself to complete the book. But, must commend the writer to venture out of his comfort zone to try something that is not in abundance in Indian English Books section.
August 17, 2017
Fast paced medical thriller based in India, and specifically in Bombay, with some related sociological implications and political repercussions thrown in. It's good for a casual read, nothing to wow you, but it's good to see more Indian authors experimenting with genres and breaking the mould to venture out of the same old stuff.
While the pace is quick, there are a few areas the book falters. Character development is strictly so-so, you aren't really invested in what happens to the characters. Also, there is a missed opportunity for the use of a lot of description (and graphic) description to showcase the extent and the affect of the disease, but it seems to be rather repetitive and doesn't quite paint an evocative enough picture.
One big pet peeve of mine is when Indian authors, in an attempt to be tongue-in-cheek or to make things relatable and without naming brands, use derived and modified ones from real life ones. So the name of an online, less-than-dependable-journalistic rag is "Buzzwire", the prime minister (who is described as a person who in real life would never make it in Indian politics) is named Phadnavis, and a couple other anachronisms which come across as less funny and kinda cringy.
A dash of socio-political dialogue and twists keeps things interesting making it a quick read.
While the pace is quick, there are a few areas the book falters. Character development is strictly so-so, you aren't really invested in what happens to the characters. Also, there is a missed opportunity for the use of a lot of description (and graphic) description to showcase the extent and the affect of the disease, but it seems to be rather repetitive and doesn't quite paint an evocative enough picture.
One big pet peeve of mine is when Indian authors, in an attempt to be tongue-in-cheek or to make things relatable and without naming brands, use derived and modified ones from real life ones. So the name of an online, less-than-dependable-journalistic rag is "Buzzwire", the prime minister (who is described as a person who in real life would never make it in Indian politics) is named Phadnavis, and a couple other anachronisms which come across as less funny and kinda cringy.
A dash of socio-political dialogue and twists keeps things interesting making it a quick read.
December 7, 2018
I respect authors who experiment out of their comfort zone and Sidin Vadakut has definitely tried his best to create a proper medical thriller! Imagine a dumbed down version of Robin Cook's Outbreak meets Vikas Swarup for drama.
Epidemic in Mumbai of a deadly disease about which noone knows much except that it kills terribly. It is spreading fast and the fatality rates are too high. Panic sets in resulting in more confusion and chaos. The NCDC and SMOs are trying to identify and conquer the disease while politicians are trying to manage panic. There are too many characters for you to pick one and care about to their dead end (literally).
Sidin definitely has done his research (or watched a lot of episodes of House) and the plot line is plausible enough to be scary. Also, the panic reaction, whatsapp forwards and political mileage are realistic in Indian scenario. The Beta Protocol and the Srivatsa program which he has baked in are interesting bit of imaginations.
Should we be judgemental because of the genre comparable with Crichtons and Cooks? Definitely not! The book in itself is a fast read. However, from an author who is known for his funny side, the book is not something to stop and take notice.
Good read in the genre.
Epidemic in Mumbai of a deadly disease about which noone knows much except that it kills terribly. It is spreading fast and the fatality rates are too high. Panic sets in resulting in more confusion and chaos. The NCDC and SMOs are trying to identify and conquer the disease while politicians are trying to manage panic. There are too many characters for you to pick one and care about to their dead end (literally).
Sidin definitely has done his research (or watched a lot of episodes of House) and the plot line is plausible enough to be scary. Also, the panic reaction, whatsapp forwards and political mileage are realistic in Indian scenario. The Beta Protocol and the Srivatsa program which he has baked in are interesting bit of imaginations.
Should we be judgemental because of the genre comparable with Crichtons and Cooks? Definitely not! The book in itself is a fast read. However, from an author who is known for his funny side, the book is not something to stop and take notice.
Good read in the genre.
January 4, 2021
A really good medical thriller about a plague, was hooked on the story from then start. It's interesting, intriguing and intense. Had great fun reading it. Makes me calmer to read medical thrillers and destopian books about diseases that could be worse then the current one
May 1, 2020
Reading a medical thriller during this pandemic time is really interesting. Good pace with detailing of characters and plots makes reading interesting. After reading this, I felt staying home is better during this lockdown period.
August 14, 2017
Sidin is one of my favorite people on the Internet. His tweets are hilarious and his articles are fantastic. However, his journey as a novelist falls victim to the Godfather syndrome: The first work (Dork) towering well ahead of all subsequent ones.
The plot and narration are very similar to the movie Contagion. While the characters in the novel are very shallow, the storyline itself lacks intrigue and most of all: thrill. The 'Beta Protocol' subplot was undercooked and almost unnecessary. The final revelation was predictable and underwhelming and raises more questions than answers.
Full marks to an author trying to diversify into something other than humor, but even Sidin would agree that this one is far from being his magnum opus.
The plot and narration are very similar to the movie Contagion. While the characters in the novel are very shallow, the storyline itself lacks intrigue and most of all: thrill. The 'Beta Protocol' subplot was undercooked and almost unnecessary. The final revelation was predictable and underwhelming and raises more questions than answers.
Full marks to an author trying to diversify into something other than humor, but even Sidin would agree that this one is far from being his magnum opus.
October 26, 2017
Medical thriller is a genre that has not been very familiar for the Indian readers. Medical suspense clubbed with historical fiction calls for a unique, interesting, bestseller. As normal the title 'Bombay Fever' seems, the plot is as complicated, unique and a far cry from the clichés.
A Swiss resident Srilankan girl who is back from her homeland brings with her unrelenting cough that seems to worsen day by day. She collapses in the arms of an Indian journalist Hormazd, and her body simply disintegrates to gore. Unhinged with the bizarre incident, Hormazd flees the spot to reach back India, though with the infection whatsoever he acquired from the girl. On reaching home, he assorts to self medication like many Indians, with a cocktail of antibiotics that temporarily subdues his cough that comes back with unforeseen ferocity which eventually becomes the cause of his demise.
Unbeknownst to himself, he became a brooding ground of mutated resistant variety of bacteria that unleashes an unprecedented chaos in the city of Mumbai. The health care officials, civil servants and politicians alike works towards untangling the mystery behind the strange disease which causes the death of hundreds of Mumbaikars. Thenceforth readers witness a thrilling yet chilling tale of death, science, politics and history.
The book is evidently about an epidemic outbreak but opens door for several genres of literary foray. The common habit of an average Indian of taking self medication and the dangerous consequences is portrayed with conviction. Potential danger that can be caused with this practice is often overlooked but a situation like what mentioned in the book cannot be ignored as fictional. Everything is fictional till it happens but afterwards it is history. Another major topic that the book throws light to is the social media fever that propogates any foolish information and the practice of believing and practicing anything and everything that is shared in social media.
The Beta protocol practice is a topic that left me wondering if it's history or fiction till I read the author interview. The author is indeed well researched and has succeeded in knitting history and fiction so seamlessly that the readers would not be able to distinguish between both.
Much attempt has not been made in character build up. Due to the large number of characters and due to so much happening in the plot, the lack of character craft could be justified bMedical thriller is a genre that has not been very familiar for the Indian readers. Medical suspense clubbed with historical fiction calls for a unique, interesting, bestseller. As normal the title 'Bombay Fever' seems, the plot is as complicated, unique and a far cry from the clichés.
A Swiss resident Srilankan girl who is back from her homeland brings with her unrelenting cough that seems to worsen day by day. She collapses in the arms of an Indian journalist Hormazd, and her body simply disintegrates to gore. Unhinged with the bizarre incident, Hormazd flees the spot to reach back India, though with the infection whatsoever he acquired from the girl. On reaching home, he assorts to self medication like many Indians, with a cocktail of antibiotics that temporarily subdues his cough that comes back with unforeseen ferocity which eventually but the character of Dr. Anil Bansal warranted more detail. Somewhere down the line the repeated detailed account of the meltdown sounded monotonous.
Overall the book is a cliffhanger that the readers would find difficult to let go off their brain.
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
A Swiss resident Srilankan girl who is back from her homeland brings with her unrelenting cough that seems to worsen day by day. She collapses in the arms of an Indian journalist Hormazd, and her body simply disintegrates to gore. Unhinged with the bizarre incident, Hormazd flees the spot to reach back India, though with the infection whatsoever he acquired from the girl. On reaching home, he assorts to self medication like many Indians, with a cocktail of antibiotics that temporarily subdues his cough that comes back with unforeseen ferocity which eventually becomes the cause of his demise.
Unbeknownst to himself, he became a brooding ground of mutated resistant variety of bacteria that unleashes an unprecedented chaos in the city of Mumbai. The health care officials, civil servants and politicians alike works towards untangling the mystery behind the strange disease which causes the death of hundreds of Mumbaikars. Thenceforth readers witness a thrilling yet chilling tale of death, science, politics and history.
The book is evidently about an epidemic outbreak but opens door for several genres of literary foray. The common habit of an average Indian of taking self medication and the dangerous consequences is portrayed with conviction. Potential danger that can be caused with this practice is often overlooked but a situation like what mentioned in the book cannot be ignored as fictional. Everything is fictional till it happens but afterwards it is history. Another major topic that the book throws light to is the social media fever that propogates any foolish information and the practice of believing and practicing anything and everything that is shared in social media.
The Beta protocol practice is a topic that left me wondering if it's history or fiction till I read the author interview. The author is indeed well researched and has succeeded in knitting history and fiction so seamlessly that the readers would not be able to distinguish between both.
Much attempt has not been made in character build up. Due to the large number of characters and due to so much happening in the plot, the lack of character craft could be justified bMedical thriller is a genre that has not been very familiar for the Indian readers. Medical suspense clubbed with historical fiction calls for a unique, interesting, bestseller. As normal the title 'Bombay Fever' seems, the plot is as complicated, unique and a far cry from the clichés.
A Swiss resident Srilankan girl who is back from her homeland brings with her unrelenting cough that seems to worsen day by day. She collapses in the arms of an Indian journalist Hormazd, and her body simply disintegrates to gore. Unhinged with the bizarre incident, Hormazd flees the spot to reach back India, though with the infection whatsoever he acquired from the girl. On reaching home, he assorts to self medication like many Indians, with a cocktail of antibiotics that temporarily subdues his cough that comes back with unforeseen ferocity which eventually but the character of Dr. Anil Bansal warranted more detail. Somewhere down the line the repeated detailed account of the meltdown sounded monotonous.
Overall the book is a cliffhanger that the readers would find difficult to let go off their brain.
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
October 5, 2017
Story Line:
A disease with cough as it’s first symptom is being carried by an Indian journalist all the way from Switzerland to Bombay. Is it going to be a curable disease ? Or is it going to bring down the state to chaos? Will the authorities come up with the cure? Welcome to the days of ” Bombay Fever”.
Book Cover Review:
The book cover itself will reveal some part of the story. Fitting book cover to the title, Bombay Fever.
Book Review:
This is my first medical thriller novel and i am glad that i read this book.
(SPOILER ALERT)
Author has done essential groundwork to write this novel and that was clearly Seen throughout the pages of the book.
Hormazd Patel a journalist visit Geneva where he meets Kanimozhi who has severe cough. Next day Kanimozhi melted just like that in the hands of Patel. From there the story starts to climb the ladder.
Patel being the carrier of the deadly disease reaches Mumbai. He starts to feel sick and eventually his mother gets the symptoms and the outbreak happens which developed as “Bombay Fever” and kills thousands and thousands of people.
* The author didn’t end up the story to Zombie zone.
* The author didn’t emphasis only on thriller but smoothly went through the procedures of medical thriller.
* I liked the way author followed the set of hierarchy to reveal the suspense and the theory behind the Bombay Fever.
Aayush Vajpeyi character was really responsible and added taste to the story. The conversation between Justice Kashyap and Aayush Vajpeyi drew a table of what happens if a chaos outbursts.
The buzz the media and press creates was realistic. The mention about the ” Over the counter medication” could create awareness among the readers.
Overall the book was nice and good medical thriller with the course of action of a disease outbreak with less drama but more with medical facts and reasons.
A) what I Liked: Simple use of language, No emotional drama. There were no deviation from what, the author thought to exhibit.
B) what could have been better: The goverment involvement and scenes could have been elaborated as in action.
Recommendation: Definitely Yes
A disease with cough as it’s first symptom is being carried by an Indian journalist all the way from Switzerland to Bombay. Is it going to be a curable disease ? Or is it going to bring down the state to chaos? Will the authorities come up with the cure? Welcome to the days of ” Bombay Fever”.
Book Cover Review:
The book cover itself will reveal some part of the story. Fitting book cover to the title, Bombay Fever.
Book Review:
This is my first medical thriller novel and i am glad that i read this book.
(SPOILER ALERT)
Author has done essential groundwork to write this novel and that was clearly Seen throughout the pages of the book.
Hormazd Patel a journalist visit Geneva where he meets Kanimozhi who has severe cough. Next day Kanimozhi melted just like that in the hands of Patel. From there the story starts to climb the ladder.
Patel being the carrier of the deadly disease reaches Mumbai. He starts to feel sick and eventually his mother gets the symptoms and the outbreak happens which developed as “Bombay Fever” and kills thousands and thousands of people.
* The author didn’t end up the story to Zombie zone.
* The author didn’t emphasis only on thriller but smoothly went through the procedures of medical thriller.
* I liked the way author followed the set of hierarchy to reveal the suspense and the theory behind the Bombay Fever.
Aayush Vajpeyi character was really responsible and added taste to the story. The conversation between Justice Kashyap and Aayush Vajpeyi drew a table of what happens if a chaos outbursts.
The buzz the media and press creates was realistic. The mention about the ” Over the counter medication” could create awareness among the readers.
Overall the book was nice and good medical thriller with the course of action of a disease outbreak with less drama but more with medical facts and reasons.
A) what I Liked: Simple use of language, No emotional drama. There were no deviation from what, the author thought to exhibit.
B) what could have been better: The goverment involvement and scenes could have been elaborated as in action.
Recommendation: Definitely Yes
December 27, 2018
Medical thrillers, are like disaster movies. They have to be scripted tightly, with right amount of research, characterisation, and plotting. They are extremely difficult to write, believe me. But a well written medical thriller can be hair-risingly good. The book under review, arranged like 'World War Z', turned out to be one such book. And you know the best part of it? There were no villains, only cowards, selfish people, selfless people, and some courageous people overcoming fear and other obstacles to emerge heroes. In the beginning, the plot resembled foreign thrillers, with cloak and dagger stuff being hinted at. But once the setting shifted to India and Indian characters, relentless pacing and desi flavour came together to create an explosive read.
Whole-heartedly recommended.
Whole-heartedly recommended.
August 14, 2017
Finished reading this book in a day. A fast paced story intercut throughout the novel slowly revealing the mystery (initially reminiscent of Nolan's movies). Have been following Sidin since long and was happy to see all the usual suspects of Sidin's life making a mark somewhere during the plot (viz. Arsenal, Le Corbusier, AT Kearney, IIMA, Palakkad, Wayanad leaving his only true love - paneer). Quizzers especially trivia lovers will love this as it tells some of the intriguing medical and histrical trivia of the last century. Beta protocol could have been developed better (maybe a sequel on the cards) Overall a good read!
December 14, 2020
This book could be the first real medical thriller set in India and written for a Indian audience ..That it was written in 2017 . ..2 years before Covid-19 outbreak makes the story appealing ..Essential studies and ground work was done by the author for writing this novel ...He realisticty portrays the buzz social media and press creats in the scenario There are very plausible pieces of technology , political protocols, government programs and a host of other small things that give this book a real edge ....this book portraying an outbreak of a mysterious disease is too close to reality for comfort...
page-turner ..recommended
page-turner ..recommended
February 28, 2018
Smartly plotted, realistically* framed medical thriller with a lot of recognisable characters. The biggest strength of the book is that it makes the situations real enough to make you imagine the doomsday scenarios. And you realise they could all happen. Damn.
* The most unreal part of the book is the scenario where the Indian Prime Minister checks on EPL scores. And is an Arsenal fan. #facepalm
* The most unreal part of the book is the scenario where the Indian Prime Minister checks on EPL scores. And is an Arsenal fan. #facepalm
October 15, 2017
Nothing fast paced about the plot. Have absolutely loved the 'Dork' series by this author. But this attempt at a thriller based in my city falls quite flat. Few cringe-worthy things which ticked me off were:
- Attempts by author to include his real life interests into the story. For e.g. love for Arsenal FC (at least he was realistic by making them lose to Bournemouth), some watch fair at the start, the phrase 'fuck ho gaya', random other hindi phrases, very specific places in Bombay when it was really unnecessary (as if showing off his knowledge of the city), dislike for Tamil people (I daresay it comes out, when a SLan Tamil starts off the epidemic) :P
- Several contrived and unnecessary plot points like the 'Beta protocol', the 'outsider' CM of Maharashtra, Nitin 'Phadnavis' as India PM and so on.
- Slow progress and tame ending which was utterly predictable with no thrill whatsoever.
The one thing which worked for me is the plausibility of the entire thing. This really could happen. A good attempt nevertheless.
- Attempts by author to include his real life interests into the story. For e.g. love for Arsenal FC (at least he was realistic by making them lose to Bournemouth), some watch fair at the start, the phrase 'fuck ho gaya', random other hindi phrases, very specific places in Bombay when it was really unnecessary (as if showing off his knowledge of the city), dislike for Tamil people (I daresay it comes out, when a SLan Tamil starts off the epidemic) :P
- Several contrived and unnecessary plot points like the 'Beta protocol', the 'outsider' CM of Maharashtra, Nitin 'Phadnavis' as India PM and so on.
- Slow progress and tame ending which was utterly predictable with no thrill whatsoever.
The one thing which worked for me is the plausibility of the entire thing. This really could happen. A good attempt nevertheless.
September 30, 2017
Starts on an interesting note. a good mix of fact and fiction. The author has a distinct, contemporary style of narration. You want to reach the end.
However, the story loses the plot along the way. Too many characters and their back grounds and life stories, that don't have a relevance to the actual plot. The last part is a let-downer. Begins with a bang but ends with a whimper.
However, the story loses the plot along the way. Too many characters and their back grounds and life stories, that don't have a relevance to the actual plot. The last part is a let-downer. Begins with a bang but ends with a whimper.
August 14, 2017
A good weekend read.
It was a good weekend read. Interesting premise. Not quite an edge of a seat thriller but it had its moments. I don't know if the sort of nonlinear narrative worked in the favor of or against the book.
It was a good weekend read. Interesting premise. Not quite an edge of a seat thriller but it had its moments. I don't know if the sort of nonlinear narrative worked in the favor of or against the book.
March 14, 2020
In this time of the coronavirus pandemic, this is a scary read :) About a similar pandemic (but with a much more gory and fatal illness) that spreads through Bombay, and the resulting chaos and heroics.
February 17, 2018
God bok, interesting plot! Author begins well but loses the plot in middle,He seems to be confused between politicalthriller and medical thriller
March 28, 2020
Very topical !!! Bombay Fever is the stuff of nightmares, especially in these COVID-19 times
November 5, 2017
TITLE : " MEDICAL THRILLER LACED WITH SOCIOPOLITICAL INSIGHTS"
After the humour filled dork series Sidin Vadukut has changed genres and written this book which is not exactly a medical thriller because it is highlighting a lot of details about Indian political scenarios, journalism and loop holes in the Indian medical system. His narrative is fast paced and gripping in most parts except where he goes into details of Indian politics. In the parts in which he is highlighting politics and the healthcare system it starts to feel like a satire of sorts rather than a typical medical thriller. He has created a deadly disease which is not just spreading fast but is killing faster as well. His description of the disease and it's manifestations both inside the body and externally visible features are very immaculate. Despite being a doctor upon pondering that this disease could reach India, the mere thought sent shivers down my spine. So I congratulate the author for creating a unique disease manifestation type in quite a convincing manner.
What I found mediocre was the description of the healthcare teams perhaps because the author is sitting in U.K. and did not do ground research in India about measures taken in swine flu or dengue epidemics now. His sole reference point is the plague of Surat and I must say Mr.Vadukut Indian healthcare has evolved after that and Indian doctors are very industrious even in USA. Yes we lack in lot of areas in health care and infrastructure but look at the sheer population Indian doctors are dealing with. Over the counter drugs is a major issue in India and big pharma and the government has a role to play there and not the unsuspecting consumer or the doctor oppressed by the system. Does the author realise that it takes weeks to get a specialist appointment in the United States of America whereas Indian doctors deal with ever increasing load of patients as soon as possible. The author depicts several hundreds of deaths yet does not highlight doctors efforts in a big way. Lack of medical insurance and mandatory annual physician check-ups is another bane of Indian medicine but instead he highlights illegal nursing homes in certain areas of the city.
His book makes passing remarks on sensational journalism and creates the fancy Indian opinion and mentions the unscrupulous "buzzfeed" disguised as " buzzwire." Then he has dabbled cautiously into the world of politics by showing the backstabbing nature of Indian politicians as if everywhere else in the world politics is a fair game. He fabricates honest politicians and honest officers in a sea of pompous dishonest ones. Using the name of Arvind Kejriwal directly was a clever ploy to sneak in some reality. Going into the past of Indian political history to create a safety system for Indian leadership felt like an addition done after watching "white house down" in between the book after being bored of the gory pathological details of the disease. The book would have been better without stepping into an imaginary past for safeguarding the Indian premier and if it would have featured some main lovable character catching the disease the reader's emotions would have been engaged. Here one is terrified of the disease because it's spread internationally thanks to world-wide instant flights is depicted impeccably but one does not feel sorrow and the angst associated with death of some relatable character. When you wake up and read the newspaper about some disease affecting 100 folks faraway is how the disease has been dealt with in terms of death.
I read this book in a single sitting because I wanted to know how the microbe is spreading and intricacies of the disease where taking me back to my MBBS days remembering all the viral and bacterial epidemics I had read . The background of the story or its plot makes it "un-put-downable". So I would rate the book as 4/5 for it's fast paced plot but 2/5 for emotional quotient and 3/5 overall for unnecessarily stepping nay just peeking into several bylanes like politics, journalism, problems of healthcare along the path of solving his first medical thriller of sorts.
August 26, 2017
Genre hopping is unusual for Indian authors. Sidin Vadukut however has done exactly that and he has done it with aplomb. From a humor trilogy to a medical thriller with a history book in between - the man deserves a salute. Bombay Fever, incidentally, has flavors of all three sprinkled in the story telling, though the dominant narrative is that of a dark and fast paced depiction of a grisly epidemic. Moving back and forth in time, locations and sub-plots the novel tells of a gruesome story of a killer disease ripping a city apart, much like what one expects from a Robin Cook
The book is almost purpose-fitted to a movie script (and I hope they make one out of this) and does a bit of disservice in developing the characters (there are quite a few, incidentally. At times one feels a bit too many). The book has heroes who live to save the world, heroes who die while saving others and innocent bystanders who get dragged into the vortex of the virus (it's a bacteria actually, but I am in the mood for alliterations) and die violent deaths. Unfortunately, we are not made to get under the skin of Hormazd Patel or Ratnakar Joshi - we do not get that massive golf balls when they die gruesome deaths. We do not know much about Nishtha Sharma, so we cannot really take sides with her decisions and feel her joy or her sorrow or fear or her anger
Crisis unfolding in a city readers are familiar with leaves an opportunity for the author to weave the city into the fabric of the story - make it a part of the cast. Almost like bloody embedding Google Maps into the storyline. Nothing demonstrated this better in the way Kolkata became a character, and not just the venue, in the movie "Kahaani". Mumbai offered ample opportunities but Sidin chose to not explore those possibilities deeply. We don't feel like we had been to Cursow Baug just the other day and saala today ... look what has swept through it
The book is a real page-turner, just the way a thriller should be. No where does one feel this is Sidin's first attempt at this genre. I hope Sidin makes this into a trilogy (and lands a movie deal for this book before the second one is out!) of thrillers, each of a different genre
Oh yes, one last thing (Sidin, if you are reading this) - Ayush I thought went against the grain of his family and skipped medical school. So why does he at the debrief mention he went to a medical school? Lying under oath ho jayega man - usko Cellular Jail mein hi daal dega yaar ...
The book is almost purpose-fitted to a movie script (and I hope they make one out of this) and does a bit of disservice in developing the characters (there are quite a few, incidentally. At times one feels a bit too many). The book has heroes who live to save the world, heroes who die while saving others and innocent bystanders who get dragged into the vortex of the virus (it's a bacteria actually, but I am in the mood for alliterations) and die violent deaths. Unfortunately, we are not made to get under the skin of Hormazd Patel or Ratnakar Joshi - we do not get that massive golf balls when they die gruesome deaths. We do not know much about Nishtha Sharma, so we cannot really take sides with her decisions and feel her joy or her sorrow or fear or her anger
Crisis unfolding in a city readers are familiar with leaves an opportunity for the author to weave the city into the fabric of the story - make it a part of the cast. Almost like bloody embedding Google Maps into the storyline. Nothing demonstrated this better in the way Kolkata became a character, and not just the venue, in the movie "Kahaani". Mumbai offered ample opportunities but Sidin chose to not explore those possibilities deeply. We don't feel like we had been to Cursow Baug just the other day and saala today ... look what has swept through it
The book is a real page-turner, just the way a thriller should be. No where does one feel this is Sidin's first attempt at this genre. I hope Sidin makes this into a trilogy (and lands a movie deal for this book before the second one is out!) of thrillers, each of a different genre
Oh yes, one last thing (Sidin, if you are reading this) - Ayush I thought went against the grain of his family and skipped medical school. So why does he at the debrief mention he went to a medical school? Lying under oath ho jayega man - usko Cellular Jail mein hi daal dega yaar ...
August 19, 2017
The first books that I read of Sidin's were ones from the Dork series. They were very well written and had a very peculiar style of comedy which was fun to read. Bombay fever shows a very different style of story telling. One that is both unique and enjoyable and such transitions are rare. Bombay fever is a high-paced story which compels you to read through pages after pages (sometimes re-read pages) to keep up with the multiple events happening throughout the book with multiple characters. Sidin has managed to put in an incredible amount of research and yet keep the language incredibly simple. The story was so captivating that you just can't keep yourself from stopping reading it and the suspense is pretty much hidden until the very end where you finally manage to find some sort of satisfaction. Although the ending of the book is not I was looking for it is still a good measure above other mystery stories.
The book is mostly in a serious tone (probably because it's about a mass disease outbreak) but contains some bits and pieces of humor every now and then. The book hits the right spots and the right time and at the same time makes you wonder what about what would happen if such a scenario were to take place in real life. Scary!!! Adding to the scary scene is the graphic description of the meltdown.
The only thing I found a bit annoying was the length of the chapters. Instead of clustering the story into 50 long chapters it would have perhaps helped to increase the number of chapters while keeping the length of each chapter small. For people like me who decide to take a break when the chapter ends it would sure be a welcome move. While there are many characters in the story some seem to take a backseat too early only to be brought back towards the very end which makes one wonder whether these characters were actually needed in the story.
A good weekend read. Might not be a full fledged suspense novel but the book has its moments. And definitely a very good piece considering Thriller's is a new area for Sidin.
The book is mostly in a serious tone (probably because it's about a mass disease outbreak) but contains some bits and pieces of humor every now and then. The book hits the right spots and the right time and at the same time makes you wonder what about what would happen if such a scenario were to take place in real life. Scary!!! Adding to the scary scene is the graphic description of the meltdown.
The only thing I found a bit annoying was the length of the chapters. Instead of clustering the story into 50 long chapters it would have perhaps helped to increase the number of chapters while keeping the length of each chapter small. For people like me who decide to take a break when the chapter ends it would sure be a welcome move. While there are many characters in the story some seem to take a backseat too early only to be brought back towards the very end which makes one wonder whether these characters were actually needed in the story.
A good weekend read. Might not be a full fledged suspense novel but the book has its moments. And definitely a very good piece considering Thriller's is a new area for Sidin.
December 4, 2017
A mysterious fever breaks out in Mumbai and soon starts killing people mercilessly. The sanitation conditions, the crowded slums and the sultry Mumbai weather do not help to arrest the disease. Very soon, the city is locked down. The Prime Minister, who was in Mumbai during the outbreak, has gone missing. In spite of the lock-down, people are dying in New Delhi, Pune and other places. A patient even dies in the Parliament House. The health workers have absolutely no clue what to do.
This turned out to be a surprisingly good read. The problem with contagion thrillers is that pretty much everything has been explored and written. It is hard to try new things. The same stock characters are around, the same unassuming hero(s), the same stupid mistakes by ordinary people, the same widespread panic. In fact, the only unique thing that seem to differ from thriller to thriller is the origin and/or nature of the bacteria/virus.
"Bombay Fever" has all these regular features expected out of a medical contagion thriller. But Sidin somehow makes it work by infusing many side elements such as the political backdrop, the locations (mostly in Mumbai) and by deftly handling multiple storylines. There are several main characters, but none of them get a preferential treatment, so you really don't know who will save the day. Sidin gives most of his characters a bit of a backstory, humanizing them for us readers, but refrains from delving into sub-plots. There are very plausible pieces of technology (viz., the MultiSampler), political protocols, government programs and a host of other small things that give this book a menacingly real edge. Along the way, the author injects some good pieces of science and history trivia as the plot moves. And all this well within 300 pages.
Quite a page-turner, and very unexpected from the author of the "Dork" series.
This turned out to be a surprisingly good read. The problem with contagion thrillers is that pretty much everything has been explored and written. It is hard to try new things. The same stock characters are around, the same unassuming hero(s), the same stupid mistakes by ordinary people, the same widespread panic. In fact, the only unique thing that seem to differ from thriller to thriller is the origin and/or nature of the bacteria/virus.
"Bombay Fever" has all these regular features expected out of a medical contagion thriller. But Sidin somehow makes it work by infusing many side elements such as the political backdrop, the locations (mostly in Mumbai) and by deftly handling multiple storylines. There are several main characters, but none of them get a preferential treatment, so you really don't know who will save the day. Sidin gives most of his characters a bit of a backstory, humanizing them for us readers, but refrains from delving into sub-plots. There are very plausible pieces of technology (viz., the MultiSampler), political protocols, government programs and a host of other small things that give this book a menacingly real edge. Along the way, the author injects some good pieces of science and history trivia as the plot moves. And all this well within 300 pages.
Quite a page-turner, and very unexpected from the author of the "Dork" series.
October 23, 2017
Sidin Vadukut is, at the outset, a marketing genius. His social media posts have made him popular and likeable, so obviously while sifting through the airport bookstore's limited selection, one would pick up a copy of Bombay Fever.
Throughout the book you can catch glimpses of the author's love for coffee, Arsenal FC, journalism and research. I haven't read any other Sidin book to do a comparison, but I felt it falls short of a Robin Cook thriller: more like an urban legend waiting to happen.
The author certainly has a good premise and some great ideas but whoever's decision it was to pack it into a mere 1000 words, was a disastrous one. Sure, people have short attention spans and may not like to stay with a long book, it would have certainly been worth a try to do the story, subplots and characters, some justice. A communicable disease spreading fast through one of India's most populous cities is certainly a fascinating subject but the limited time devoted to each character simply does not make them pathetic enough for the reader to care. I really just wanted to see what the microbe causing it was in the end, because the oft repeated death symptoms didn't invoke any sympathy from me after the first 3 times their description was repeated.
I would definitely read another Sidin: he seems like the good sort and is definitely readable. But another extended version of this book would not be unwelcome.
Throughout the book you can catch glimpses of the author's love for coffee, Arsenal FC, journalism and research. I haven't read any other Sidin book to do a comparison, but I felt it falls short of a Robin Cook thriller: more like an urban legend waiting to happen.
The author certainly has a good premise and some great ideas but whoever's decision it was to pack it into a mere 1000 words, was a disastrous one. Sure, people have short attention spans and may not like to stay with a long book, it would have certainly been worth a try to do the story, subplots and characters, some justice. A communicable disease spreading fast through one of India's most populous cities is certainly a fascinating subject but the limited time devoted to each character simply does not make them pathetic enough for the reader to care. I really just wanted to see what the microbe causing it was in the end, because the oft repeated death symptoms didn't invoke any sympathy from me after the first 3 times their description was repeated.
I would definitely read another Sidin: he seems like the good sort and is definitely readable. But another extended version of this book would not be unwelcome.
August 15, 2017
Wow is the word. A fast paced thriller with thought-provoking ideas. Such combination is rare. I absolutely loved this book.
First half was suspenseful, sprinkled with horror (gory details, yeah). In the second half, the tone shifted to social commentary. I liked this part even more as it put together epidemic and ills of new media (basically two epidemics!). There were parts where I paused for a moment to reflect. But it didn't feel that these ideas were fully explored. They were teased, like a tweet versus a blog. For example, the bit about delayed government response which got over in a couple of dialogues. Also I felt a lack of emotional connect with the characters. The story is packed with characters but they don't stay with you for long (both literally and figuratively).
As I read the book, I kept thinking about Camus's The Plague. The Plague took its time to establish characters, their lives, laments and ideologies. And when things happened to them, it felt more personal. Also, its underlying themes had a lot of depth. I feel that longer length would certainly have helped Bombay Fever.
But this shouldn't hold anyone back from reading the book. It's a satisfying read with a story that moves at breakneck speed. Plus anyone vaguely familiar with Indian twitter scene will love the nudges and winks. Go for it!
First half was suspenseful, sprinkled with horror (gory details, yeah). In the second half, the tone shifted to social commentary. I liked this part even more as it put together epidemic and ills of new media (basically two epidemics!). There were parts where I paused for a moment to reflect. But it didn't feel that these ideas were fully explored. They were teased, like a tweet versus a blog. For example, the bit about delayed government response which got over in a couple of dialogues. Also I felt a lack of emotional connect with the characters. The story is packed with characters but they don't stay with you for long (both literally and figuratively).
As I read the book, I kept thinking about Camus's The Plague. The Plague took its time to establish characters, their lives, laments and ideologies. And when things happened to them, it felt more personal. Also, its underlying themes had a lot of depth. I feel that longer length would certainly have helped Bombay Fever.
But this shouldn't hold anyone back from reading the book. It's a satisfying read with a story that moves at breakneck speed. Plus anyone vaguely familiar with Indian twitter scene will love the nudges and winks. Go for it!
March 1, 2018
After the Dork Trilogy I was surprised when a book from Sidin had a cover with a "medical thriller" written over it. Sidin has the capability to switch to any genre at will and the amount of research he puts in to the work definitely shows.
Bombay Fever is a niftly written thriller that I hope is made into a slick bollywood movie one day. The parallel narration style held me by the hook and the Justice commission sub-plot was gripping. Sidin also does a good explaining what a "plague like disease" means and trust me it is a very difficult task to make someone like me understand "medical terms".
In sharp contrast to his previous novels this one is full of people and characters. While Sidin has expressed clearly in the epilogue that he favoured this approach as it suited a thriller I still feel some characters could have been edited out to give the novel a much more slick feel. The story only starts to feel gripping after the outbreak so wasting 30-40% of the book to the before outbreak seemed stretchy to me.
The Beta protocol is fascinating and Sidin does a fine job of helping us imagine what such a thing would look like if it ever happened.
Finally I look forward to more novels of all genres from Sidin.
Bombay Fever is a niftly written thriller that I hope is made into a slick bollywood movie one day. The parallel narration style held me by the hook and the Justice commission sub-plot was gripping. Sidin also does a good explaining what a "plague like disease" means and trust me it is a very difficult task to make someone like me understand "medical terms".
In sharp contrast to his previous novels this one is full of people and characters. While Sidin has expressed clearly in the epilogue that he favoured this approach as it suited a thriller I still feel some characters could have been edited out to give the novel a much more slick feel. The story only starts to feel gripping after the outbreak so wasting 30-40% of the book to the before outbreak seemed stretchy to me.
The Beta protocol is fascinating and Sidin does a fine job of helping us imagine what such a thing would look like if it ever happened.
Finally I look forward to more novels of all genres from Sidin.
September 24, 2017
I'd found the Dork series very funny, having read them at a time when I was still preparing for my CAT entrance exams and contemplating a career in Management Consulting. I then read through Sidin's blog and followed him on twitter.
So I wanted to check out this new book by Sidin, which was publicized as a fast paced medical thriller based in India, and specifically in Bombay. The book is good for a casual read, no situation or line in the book ekes out a "wow" factor. While the pace is quick, there are a few areas the book falters. Character development is strictly so-so and you aren't really invested in what happens to the characters but the author explains why this is so in a interview published as an appendange after the story ends and his reasoning is worthy - there was no point making this a 1000 page novel. While the book revolves around the subject of epidemics, there is a missed opportunity to actually describe the disease in a more graphical way as the author keeps repeating the same description over and over and over again, even when presenting it from the sufferer/ bystander/ 3rd persons pov.
So I wanted to check out this new book by Sidin, which was publicized as a fast paced medical thriller based in India, and specifically in Bombay. The book is good for a casual read, no situation or line in the book ekes out a "wow" factor. While the pace is quick, there are a few areas the book falters. Character development is strictly so-so and you aren't really invested in what happens to the characters but the author explains why this is so in a interview published as an appendange after the story ends and his reasoning is worthy - there was no point making this a 1000 page novel. While the book revolves around the subject of epidemics, there is a missed opportunity to actually describe the disease in a more graphical way as the author keeps repeating the same description over and over and over again, even when presenting it from the sufferer/ bystander/ 3rd persons pov.
January 23, 2018
It’s my first time reading a medical thriller book so I’d give the author credit for writing one while ensuring that it didn’t read like a science textbook. Having said that, I may have missed the point because I was waiting for some terrorist organization to take responsibility for the epidemic or something along those lines as this book’s genre is thriller. It started off exceedingly well. I finished the first few chapters in less than an hour and I was traveling from Mumbai at that point. I remember cringing when someone coughed at the airport; the chapters were so impactful! Somewhere in the middle of the book it started getting repetitive, especially, the death of the victims. There were a lot of characters in this book but I guess in a way they were significant to the plot so I won’t complain about that. I have never reading anything like this book before and the research was thorough. However, I expected a bit more toward the end and I didn’t get that, hence, I’m a bit disappointed. It’s still worth a read though.
September 3, 2017
Medical thrillers are many, and if you have read a few you will know that these books come with terminology and references to things that are beyond a layman’s understanding, at least mine. Somehow, Sidin Vadukut has managed to not bring such heavy jargon into Bombay Fever. In fact, Vadukut has managed to keep the language plain and simple, yet managed to make people squirm squeamishly.
The amount of research that has gone into this book is another plus for Bombay Fever. Even Indira Gandhi features in the book, and we are given a glimpse into the workings of intelligence agencies and the inner workings of the government at times. Even the medical and biological research is impressive. Insight into past outbreaks that have caused deaths, how organisms and diseases work, these are well researched and very well written in Bombay Fever.
For the full review, visit Frost At Midnite
The amount of research that has gone into this book is another plus for Bombay Fever. Even Indira Gandhi features in the book, and we are given a glimpse into the workings of intelligence agencies and the inner workings of the government at times. Even the medical and biological research is impressive. Insight into past outbreaks that have caused deaths, how organisms and diseases work, these are well researched and very well written in Bombay Fever.
For the full review, visit Frost At Midnite
September 17, 2017
This exceeded my expectations!
I like Sidin. His tweets, sense of humor, Mint columns and more specifically The Sceptical Patriot book. I naturally wanted to read how his new book would have been. Something to read during my long commutes to work. Book was such a page turner, I ended up reading through the day and completed it by evening.
A medical thriller based on Bombay. Sidin mark jokes, a certain Indian government conspiracy and a bloody epidemic comes together in this Book. Story moves ahead at a great pace and more gets unfolded with each chapter. There is no one hero but a bunch of ordinary people doing their tasks diligently and thereby rescuing the city in under 10 days. Book does well to indirectly explain medical nuances as a form an interview. A little more details of the characters and about the disease in general would have made it a 5star for me.
Definite recommendation for anyone who likes fast paced thrillers!
I like Sidin. His tweets, sense of humor, Mint columns and more specifically The Sceptical Patriot book. I naturally wanted to read how his new book would have been. Something to read during my long commutes to work. Book was such a page turner, I ended up reading through the day and completed it by evening.
A medical thriller based on Bombay. Sidin mark jokes, a certain Indian government conspiracy and a bloody epidemic comes together in this Book. Story moves ahead at a great pace and more gets unfolded with each chapter. There is no one hero but a bunch of ordinary people doing their tasks diligently and thereby rescuing the city in under 10 days. Book does well to indirectly explain medical nuances as a form an interview. A little more details of the characters and about the disease in general would have made it a 5star for me.
Definite recommendation for anyone who likes fast paced thrillers!
February 27, 2018
I have followed Sidin on Twitter for the longest time now and followed his articles in Sunday Mint, very well versed with his love for Raveena Tandon and intensity with regards to Paneer. Somehow, never put my hands on reading The Dork Series (it is on my list). Bombay Fever therefore is my first experience on Sidin as the author.
Bombay Fever is a crafty thriller which stays intently focussed around the Disease. It is difficult to include fictionalised characters of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister in today’s social media friendly times without caricaturing them. Sidin has weaved them pretty neatly avoiding any controversial positions of ideology and sticking to the disease.
Also, the book focusses on the plot completely without spending much time on the establishment of multiplying characters and also not becoming a medicine journal with too many technical jargons and processes.
I personally liked the racy plot and the execution of the story. I recommend reading it.
Bombay Fever is a crafty thriller which stays intently focussed around the Disease. It is difficult to include fictionalised characters of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister in today’s social media friendly times without caricaturing them. Sidin has weaved them pretty neatly avoiding any controversial positions of ideology and sticking to the disease.
Also, the book focusses on the plot completely without spending much time on the establishment of multiplying characters and also not becoming a medicine journal with too many technical jargons and processes.
I personally liked the racy plot and the execution of the story. I recommend reading it.
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