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The Coming of Kalki
From Poulomi Sanyal, the engineer turned author of “Colour Me Confounded”, comes a genre-bending, gripping science fiction thriller, replete with original scientific concepts and steeped in mythology.
In modern-day USA, an ordinary girl, Zoya Carter is on her way to University when a bizarre incident changes her life forever.
Barely escaping a terrorist bombing by reading a stranger’s thoughts, Zoya learns that she is a mutant born to an ancient prophecy. There are others with supernatural abilities like herself—being hunted by the Aifra, who seek to subjugate mankind. Zoya must join the mutants in a war of the ages to stop the Aifra. But the mutants are few in number and the odds are against them. All they have are cryptic clues left behind by the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and Indians and the prehistoric ruins of the fabled lands of Faiyum and Dwarka. A mysterious prophecy is uttered—a riddle they must decipher. It speaks of the birth of a Golden Age and a deliverer of the ages—the Kalki. But where is Kalki? Racing against time, the mutants must undertake the seat-gripping adventure of using science to understand the secrets of the ancients and use this knowledge to defeat the Aifra. Or else humanity will perish.
In modern-day USA, an ordinary girl, Zoya Carter is on her way to University when a bizarre incident changes her life forever.
Barely escaping a terrorist bombing by reading a stranger’s thoughts, Zoya learns that she is a mutant born to an ancient prophecy. There are others with supernatural abilities like herself—being hunted by the Aifra, who seek to subjugate mankind. Zoya must join the mutants in a war of the ages to stop the Aifra. But the mutants are few in number and the odds are against them. All they have are cryptic clues left behind by the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and Indians and the prehistoric ruins of the fabled lands of Faiyum and Dwarka. A mysterious prophecy is uttered—a riddle they must decipher. It speaks of the birth of a Golden Age and a deliverer of the ages—the Kalki. But where is Kalki? Racing against time, the mutants must undertake the seat-gripping adventure of using science to understand the secrets of the ancients and use this knowledge to defeat the Aifra. Or else humanity will perish.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2019
5 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Poulomi Sanyal
7 books14 followersMany years ago, there was a little girl who had prose and verse and dreams to share with the world around her. But something was missing; a platform. At age 12, she published her own children's magazine, "Hello Kids", featuring articles and poetry, jokes and puzzles, all created by herself and her contemporaries. Alas, her hard work had only found a meagre audience amongst friends and family.
Who on earth wanted to invest in literature created by a bunch of children?
Today she is an Engineering Professional with a Master's Degree from a reputed Canadian University but her childhood voice, once restrained, still yearns for expression. To give this voice an expression, at long last come Poulomi's poetry, short stories, and novels. They come in search of and providing fulfilment to her true personality; that of a poet, artist and author.
Who on earth wanted to invest in literature created by a bunch of children?
Today she is an Engineering Professional with a Master's Degree from a reputed Canadian University but her childhood voice, once restrained, still yearns for expression. To give this voice an expression, at long last come Poulomi's poetry, short stories, and novels. They come in search of and providing fulfilment to her true personality; that of a poet, artist and author.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 1, 2019
Epic science fiction of startling originality. A good read for fans of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, or readers looking for speculative fiction with the hard science roots of Michael Crichton. I highly recommend this striking and dynamic novel.
May 12, 2020
This second book by the author Poulomi Sanyal is of a different genre from the first one. Although it is in the realm of science fiction, its uniqueness lies in the skilful blending of the essence of some prophecies and allegorical hints indicated in some scriptures and legends of three ancient civilizations viz. Indian, Mayan and Egyptian with plausible rational explanations of the happenings on the basis of modern and futuristic scientific knowledge. It is pertinent to mention here that the author of the book holds a Master’s degree in Engineering. She has brilliantly crafted the plot of the book based on extensively researched materials. The plot has its actions spread over a vast expanse of geographical locations around the earth including among them the ancient Indian city, Dwarka, and the legendary Red Pyramid in the Fayum region of Egypt.
The story depicts the eternal clash between the GOOD and the EVIL and humanity's everlasting yearning for the former to win over the latter. The GOOD here is personified by a number of specially-abled people called Hekameses. They are distinguished by having neurons, in a section of their brains called the Hippocampus, which had undergone genetic mutations due to geomagnetic occurrences during their birth. This transformation endows them with highly advanced cognitive faculties. In some situations they can voluntarily activate their super sensory abilities, even to read other people’s thoughts, while far apart from each other, and if needed, tinkering with others' thoughts to their advantage.
The EVIL is represented here by a secretive organization named Aifra. Initially it was formed with the ostensible aim to destroy the advent of technology, as the Aifra had the belief that technology was responsible for untold human misery. The members of Aifra are highly intelligent and are, rather ironically, technology –driven. In the course of time, their purpose had degenerated into causing terror and mayhem in the world.
The book (pages 322) unfolds how the evil Aifra’s horrendous destructive attempt was made to fail by the concerted and highly risky effort by the Hekameses. The Hekameses could invoke the presence of Kalki, the tenth Avatar (Reincarnation) of the Hindu God Vishnu, The Protector and The Preserver of the Universe, as alluded to in ancient Indian Hindu scriptures and whose existence was also mystically indicated in the Egyptian legend surrounding the Script of Horus found in the Red Pyramid in the Dashur necropolis of the Fayum region of Egypt. They could infer the probable time of the advent of Kalki from their comparative analysis of the concept of ‘Yugas’ (Ages viz. Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali Yugas) as described in the Indian Scriptures with that of the Mayan Calendar.
As planned the Aifra detonated an immensely powerful device high up above the earth’s surface resulting in the spread of a huge electromagnetic pulse with the potential to bring about unforeseen destruction on the earth. The impending cataclysm might be averted by the Hekameses through the formation of a Faraday Radio Frequency (RF) Cage over the earth as a shield which no electromagnetic pulse can penetrate from the outside. It would be highly interesting to go through the plausible scientific explanation extended by the author for the creation of such a RF shield in a simple manner without using much of the scientific and technical jargon. But that would also have to corroborate with the proper unraveling of the old scriptures and its fruitful timely action on the ground. As the story inched towards the final phase the reader would wait with bated breath to know whether the Hekameses were finally able to build that RF shield and made the tenth Avatar, Kalki to appear on the earth to prevent the catastrophe.
The story reads like the script of a thrilling fast-paced action film and the reader would be more than tempted to finish reading the brilliantly written book in one go. The book is a superb blend of mythology, history and science in which imagination and plausibility are finely mixed. It is indeed an amazing experience to read this thought-provoking book. The science fiction setting evokes curiosity as well as a sense of wonder and the reader is encouraged to explore the realm of possibilities in the backdrop of a mythical world.
The story depicts the eternal clash between the GOOD and the EVIL and humanity's everlasting yearning for the former to win over the latter. The GOOD here is personified by a number of specially-abled people called Hekameses. They are distinguished by having neurons, in a section of their brains called the Hippocampus, which had undergone genetic mutations due to geomagnetic occurrences during their birth. This transformation endows them with highly advanced cognitive faculties. In some situations they can voluntarily activate their super sensory abilities, even to read other people’s thoughts, while far apart from each other, and if needed, tinkering with others' thoughts to their advantage.
The EVIL is represented here by a secretive organization named Aifra. Initially it was formed with the ostensible aim to destroy the advent of technology, as the Aifra had the belief that technology was responsible for untold human misery. The members of Aifra are highly intelligent and are, rather ironically, technology –driven. In the course of time, their purpose had degenerated into causing terror and mayhem in the world.
The book (pages 322) unfolds how the evil Aifra’s horrendous destructive attempt was made to fail by the concerted and highly risky effort by the Hekameses. The Hekameses could invoke the presence of Kalki, the tenth Avatar (Reincarnation) of the Hindu God Vishnu, The Protector and The Preserver of the Universe, as alluded to in ancient Indian Hindu scriptures and whose existence was also mystically indicated in the Egyptian legend surrounding the Script of Horus found in the Red Pyramid in the Dashur necropolis of the Fayum region of Egypt. They could infer the probable time of the advent of Kalki from their comparative analysis of the concept of ‘Yugas’ (Ages viz. Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali Yugas) as described in the Indian Scriptures with that of the Mayan Calendar.
As planned the Aifra detonated an immensely powerful device high up above the earth’s surface resulting in the spread of a huge electromagnetic pulse with the potential to bring about unforeseen destruction on the earth. The impending cataclysm might be averted by the Hekameses through the formation of a Faraday Radio Frequency (RF) Cage over the earth as a shield which no electromagnetic pulse can penetrate from the outside. It would be highly interesting to go through the plausible scientific explanation extended by the author for the creation of such a RF shield in a simple manner without using much of the scientific and technical jargon. But that would also have to corroborate with the proper unraveling of the old scriptures and its fruitful timely action on the ground. As the story inched towards the final phase the reader would wait with bated breath to know whether the Hekameses were finally able to build that RF shield and made the tenth Avatar, Kalki to appear on the earth to prevent the catastrophe.
The story reads like the script of a thrilling fast-paced action film and the reader would be more than tempted to finish reading the brilliantly written book in one go. The book is a superb blend of mythology, history and science in which imagination and plausibility are finely mixed. It is indeed an amazing experience to read this thought-provoking book. The science fiction setting evokes curiosity as well as a sense of wonder and the reader is encouraged to explore the realm of possibilities in the backdrop of a mythical world.
May 7, 2019
Author Poulomi Sanyal follows up her literary debut, Colour Me Confounded with a riveting, fast-paced sci-fi thriller in her second novel, The Coming of Kalki.
Taking a page from a comic book style mythology of mutants, reminiscent of Marvel's X-Men, Sanyal transitions it smoothly into modern literature with a more realistic setting and a potpourri of well-researched scriptures and customs of different religions.
At the beginning of the novel, we're introduced to Zoya Carter who's on her way to begin her studies at Stanford University when an unforeseen tragedy plunges her into a new world of mystical prophecies and scriptures.
From there are on, Sanyal takes us around the world introducing the reader to various other characters each following a different path but ultimately coming together for one mission.
Often when characters from different cultural backgrounds come together in a fictional setting, the writing is deteriorated by either cultural appropriation or one overshadowing the other or sometimes, both.
The Coming of Kalki refreshingly avoids such tired clichés.
Sanyal has made sure to give each character an individual identity and well-rounded dimensions which make them easy to root for.
Equally well-balanced are the various elements and homages to each religion alluded to in the story.
The compelling story is combined with various elements of action (bomb blast at an airport, a car chase, etc), and suspense (a murder at the university) that make the book an addictive page-turner.
The most impressive element of the book, in my opinion, was to also give the reader his or her own point of view in such a vivid manner as if everything is unfolding in front of our eyes.
Sanyal intelligently achieves this through the eyes of Zoya, who, much like the reader is like "the new kid on the block" venturing into a new world with several questions.
All in all, Sanyal makes a very impressive follow-up with her second novel and with it, has firmly become the next big author to watch out for in the coming years.
Taking a page from a comic book style mythology of mutants, reminiscent of Marvel's X-Men, Sanyal transitions it smoothly into modern literature with a more realistic setting and a potpourri of well-researched scriptures and customs of different religions.
At the beginning of the novel, we're introduced to Zoya Carter who's on her way to begin her studies at Stanford University when an unforeseen tragedy plunges her into a new world of mystical prophecies and scriptures.
From there are on, Sanyal takes us around the world introducing the reader to various other characters each following a different path but ultimately coming together for one mission.
Often when characters from different cultural backgrounds come together in a fictional setting, the writing is deteriorated by either cultural appropriation or one overshadowing the other or sometimes, both.
The Coming of Kalki refreshingly avoids such tired clichés.
Sanyal has made sure to give each character an individual identity and well-rounded dimensions which make them easy to root for.
Equally well-balanced are the various elements and homages to each religion alluded to in the story.
The compelling story is combined with various elements of action (bomb blast at an airport, a car chase, etc), and suspense (a murder at the university) that make the book an addictive page-turner.
The most impressive element of the book, in my opinion, was to also give the reader his or her own point of view in such a vivid manner as if everything is unfolding in front of our eyes.
Sanyal intelligently achieves this through the eyes of Zoya, who, much like the reader is like "the new kid on the block" venturing into a new world with several questions.
All in all, Sanyal makes a very impressive follow-up with her second novel and with it, has firmly become the next big author to watch out for in the coming years.
July 9, 2019
This is a fantastic science fiction. The idea of thought warriors is just Brilliant. She adopted mythological idea from all over the world, e.g, from Mayan calendar, from Egyptian civilization from Hindu philosophy etc. Being an Engineer her explanation of the technical scientific terms like lasers, missile etc are also easily understandable even by the most novice readers. I feel this totally new idea of coming of Kalki in today's world of unrest is just Brilliant.
I will be eagerly waiting to read the book 2 of this series of thought warriors.
I will be eagerly waiting to read the book 2 of this series of thought warriors.
April 4, 2020
This riveting tale takes you through different countries, civilizations and their ancient histories and legends intermingled with the technological modern world! The way the author has captured the essence of scientific and astrological theories in the story is really amazing and the events so vividly described that sweeps the reader along with the narrative. A great read!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews