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The Eleventh Indian
The Boko haram terror group aspires to establish a caliphate in Africa and 20, 000 innocents have already paid with their lives. Rohan, a young Indian merchantman, unaware of this devilish intent, joins an oil tanker bound for Nigeria. Confronted with a brutal piracy planned by the terrorists, can Rohan survive the ensuing suicidal oceanic voyage and the hellish torture by the vicious mafia? Hundreds of miles away, the Boko haram leader is equally unaware of a sinister conspiracy taking shape against him. Can he emerge unscathed? Their lives stand treacherously intertwined amidst a convoluted mix of ambition and greed. Will they survive the African roulette?.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 20, 2019
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 2, 2019
Every once a while comes a book that makes you sit up and take notice. This book is one such book. Though it is not very long, it remains true to its main purpose of telling story of the main protagonist without embellishing it with many additional plots. The book is about the travails of an Indian merchant navy sailor who was hijacked off the coast of Nigeria and what he went through during that time. Must read.
August 29, 2022
I was recommended this book by my school friend who is now in the navy and I am glad that I took his recommendation.
The Eleventh Indian by Gautam Marwh is a real life thriller, rescue mission that beats any fiction novel The plot and the pace of the book is good though there is a backstory but that doesn't affect or slow down the pace in any way. There are no overdramatics but a simple and a powerful narrative that tells the story of a merchant nave ship that the pirates attacked and its rescue and also the rescue of 2 crew (an Indian - the 11th Indian and a pakistani) later that were taken away by a fringe group when pirate group had didderences and split up. The ordeal of these 2 crew and their rescue forms the major part of the story.
The book is as good as (though I found it much more) any popular international fiction action novel and nowhere feels this is ya newbie and and not a professional author.
I recommend it as a must read for everyone.
The Eleventh Indian by Gautam Marwh is a real life thriller, rescue mission that beats any fiction novel The plot and the pace of the book is good though there is a backstory but that doesn't affect or slow down the pace in any way. There are no overdramatics but a simple and a powerful narrative that tells the story of a merchant nave ship that the pirates attacked and its rescue and also the rescue of 2 crew (an Indian - the 11th Indian and a pakistani) later that were taken away by a fringe group when pirate group had didderences and split up. The ordeal of these 2 crew and their rescue forms the major part of the story.
The book is as good as (though I found it much more) any popular international fiction action novel and nowhere feels this is ya newbie and and not a professional author.
I recommend it as a must read for everyone.
August 25, 2019
Before I read “The Eleventh Indian” I thought piracy existed in another century and was romanticized in movies and books. Thanks to Gautam, now I know that the evil exists, that the victims are common people like us, our brothers and sons, and that the perpetrators are not tattooed goons with ponytails, wearing eye-patches, but emaciated men wearing rubber slippers.
The book is such a visual depiction of the piracy and the abduction of Indian merchant navy sailors that the reader almost sees the saga unfold in front of his/her eyes. Through Gautam’s words, I know the main characters, Rohan and Siddiqui, and I can feel their fears, their pain, and their dilemma.
Funnily enough, Rohan is an Indian and Siddiqui is a Pakistani. The story shows that despite hailing from rival countries, they help and bolster each other, like only brothers would.
I wanted to clap my hands in joy when Rohan and Siddiqui escaped from the pirates but then they landed in the clutches of the mafia and that’s when I couldn’t stop turning the pages, rooting for their freedom after each sentence.
The torture they endured sends chills down my back but the author also shows glimpses of moments where they joked with each other and made fun of the captors. That gives the reader a breather and makes them love the characters even more.
Rohan's freedom, after more than a month, is a culmination of efforts by many parties and stakeholders, the most important one being the Indian government. Thanks, Gautam, for giving us one more reason to be proud of our country, for the assurance that my country will stand by me and rescue me if needed. I salute the resilience and mettle of Rohan, the eleventh Indian, and ask every Indian to read the book.
The book is such a visual depiction of the piracy and the abduction of Indian merchant navy sailors that the reader almost sees the saga unfold in front of his/her eyes. Through Gautam’s words, I know the main characters, Rohan and Siddiqui, and I can feel their fears, their pain, and their dilemma.
Funnily enough, Rohan is an Indian and Siddiqui is a Pakistani. The story shows that despite hailing from rival countries, they help and bolster each other, like only brothers would.
I wanted to clap my hands in joy when Rohan and Siddiqui escaped from the pirates but then they landed in the clutches of the mafia and that’s when I couldn’t stop turning the pages, rooting for their freedom after each sentence.
The torture they endured sends chills down my back but the author also shows glimpses of moments where they joked with each other and made fun of the captors. That gives the reader a breather and makes them love the characters even more.
Rohan's freedom, after more than a month, is a culmination of efforts by many parties and stakeholders, the most important one being the Indian government. Thanks, Gautam, for giving us one more reason to be proud of our country, for the assurance that my country will stand by me and rescue me if needed. I salute the resilience and mettle of Rohan, the eleventh Indian, and ask every Indian to read the book.
March 22, 2020
This book is an excellent read. I have read stories about kidnapping and hijacking in the past but have never read one which involves pirates in the seas. Hence when I saw this title, I immediately grabbed it. Who else could explain this better than Commodre Gautam Marwaha?
Though this story is a fiction, it is based on a thrilling account of a real-life rescue mission and man, I must admit that I had a great time reading this novel. It captured the essence of the tension that prevailed during the event by making the characters speak to you.
A happy merchant navy guy whose uncle gets falsely implicated in a case in the Indian Air Force decides to leave the country to overcome the loss and immediately accepts to sail in Laximus. He was destined to face his fate along with his other crew members wherein they get attacked by pirates. When things were going as planned, they get a jolt from the Nigerian Navy.
Did they got rescued by the Navy?
While I was searching for this answer, things take a different turn wherein Mafia too gets involved. Now you might ask who were these guys and how did they get involved?
Pick your copy to read the first and account of this thriller which will make you understand that life of a merchant navy is not a rosy as you might think and various steps involved in negotiations in order to free the captured crew.
Though this story is a fiction, it is based on a thrilling account of a real-life rescue mission and man, I must admit that I had a great time reading this novel. It captured the essence of the tension that prevailed during the event by making the characters speak to you.
A happy merchant navy guy whose uncle gets falsely implicated in a case in the Indian Air Force decides to leave the country to overcome the loss and immediately accepts to sail in Laximus. He was destined to face his fate along with his other crew members wherein they get attacked by pirates. When things were going as planned, they get a jolt from the Nigerian Navy.
Did they got rescued by the Navy?
While I was searching for this answer, things take a different turn wherein Mafia too gets involved. Now you might ask who were these guys and how did they get involved?
Pick your copy to read the first and account of this thriller which will make you understand that life of a merchant navy is not a rosy as you might think and various steps involved in negotiations in order to free the captured crew.
September 7, 2019
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-you-well
Ten fathoms deep on the road to hell
This book yanks you out from the medieval ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ mold where Captain Jack Sparrows escapades after hoisting the Jolly Rogers on the Black Pearl are romanticized. This book is a gripping suspense tale about Rohan, a seafarer whose ship gets pirated. It is an in your face kind of thriller which shows the brutal dark side of piracy. One can relate immensely to Rohan the protagonist of the story and his fears and hopes throughout the exciting narrative. No, there are no car chases and romantic leads, but somehow Gautam easily keeps the reader captivated for hours on end. What he does offer is good storytelling, an exciting story, engaging characters and unexpected twists.
I'm a really sensory kinda person. I love the nitty-gritty bits, the times when Gautam makes you feel everything. You can’t go wrong with this one. What surprised me was that this is Gautam’s first foray into writing. Five stars and a must buy.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-you-well
Ten fathoms deep on the road to hell
This book yanks you out from the medieval ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ mold where Captain Jack Sparrows escapades after hoisting the Jolly Rogers on the Black Pearl are romanticized. This book is a gripping suspense tale about Rohan, a seafarer whose ship gets pirated. It is an in your face kind of thriller which shows the brutal dark side of piracy. One can relate immensely to Rohan the protagonist of the story and his fears and hopes throughout the exciting narrative. No, there are no car chases and romantic leads, but somehow Gautam easily keeps the reader captivated for hours on end. What he does offer is good storytelling, an exciting story, engaging characters and unexpected twists.
I'm a really sensory kinda person. I love the nitty-gritty bits, the times when Gautam makes you feel everything. You can’t go wrong with this one. What surprised me was that this is Gautam’s first foray into writing. Five stars and a must buy.
August 25, 2019
'After all, how much can be there in a piracy story? Some hapless sailors at gunpoint, some robbery or ransom negotiation, followed by an escape and chase sequence.' This was the expectation with which I started this book and it got straight to the point. The piracy unfolds in the first few pages itself. And I wondered how it can hold up all the way to its length of nearly 300 pages.
But this pivotal incident gets surrounded by so much drama, scheming, and repercussions that the story really surpassed all expectations. This piracy is just a part of a larger game, with higher stakes. Officials and relatives go to extreme lengths to facilitate the safe return of the sailors, but a motley host of villains, each more uncaring and sinister than the previous, makes this look like an impossible task. The courage, composure, and resourcefulness shown by the sailors during this crisis exemplifies human spirit at its best.
This is a page turner that leaves a heavy dose of inspiration as aftertaste.
But this pivotal incident gets surrounded by so much drama, scheming, and repercussions that the story really surpassed all expectations. This piracy is just a part of a larger game, with higher stakes. Officials and relatives go to extreme lengths to facilitate the safe return of the sailors, but a motley host of villains, each more uncaring and sinister than the previous, makes this look like an impossible task. The courage, composure, and resourcefulness shown by the sailors during this crisis exemplifies human spirit at its best.
This is a page turner that leaves a heavy dose of inspiration as aftertaste.
December 26, 2020
One of the best parts of this thrilling ride of a novel is the fact that it is based on a true story.
The Eleventh Indian by Gautam Marwaha is based on the story of merchant navy sailor Rohan Ruparelia, who was kidnapped in 2016.
Rohan is aboard a ship called the MT Laximus, an oil tanker headed for Nigeria, when it gets attacked by pirates.
What follows from there, are a series of harrowing events that push Rohan and his fellow sailor, Siddiqui, to their limits.
Intertwined in all of this the internal politics of the Boko Haram, and a complex web that includes mafia leaders and other criminal minds.
It is a page turner, and at the same time a story of human survival. It gives one hope that in the most dire of circumstances, it is often the spirit that carries us through. And that is such a powerful idea.
I first heard about this on a Facebook live event, and I’m so so happy I finally picked it up! It is a well-written and very interesting book. Highly recommend it :)
The Eleventh Indian by Gautam Marwaha is based on the story of merchant navy sailor Rohan Ruparelia, who was kidnapped in 2016.
Rohan is aboard a ship called the MT Laximus, an oil tanker headed for Nigeria, when it gets attacked by pirates.
What follows from there, are a series of harrowing events that push Rohan and his fellow sailor, Siddiqui, to their limits.
Intertwined in all of this the internal politics of the Boko Haram, and a complex web that includes mafia leaders and other criminal minds.
It is a page turner, and at the same time a story of human survival. It gives one hope that in the most dire of circumstances, it is often the spirit that carries us through. And that is such a powerful idea.
I first heard about this on a Facebook live event, and I’m so so happy I finally picked it up! It is a well-written and very interesting book. Highly recommend it :)
November 22, 2022
" SHIP is a SHE " ❤️
A book that sails you through the ordeals of real life piracy of a merchant navy ship having eleven Indians onboard accompanied by nationals of other countries.
The book is a roller coaster ride of emotions that keep you gripped throughout. A book you can't keep down as it takes you through the grim life-threatening cirmumstances protagonist Rohan Ruparelia is trapped in.
A brilliant writing by Gautam Marwaha.
Year 2022 as a surprise and a shock further, began for me with a news that flashed killing of a merchant navy officer and then I got to know about many killings , pirates attacking merchant navy ships in Nigeria and a lot more everyday happening around the merchant navy.
And this book hence grabbed my attention !!
A must read for everyone who feels deeply about the agony of officers being captivated, murdered , who go missing.
A book that sails you through the ordeals of real life piracy of a merchant navy ship having eleven Indians onboard accompanied by nationals of other countries.
The book is a roller coaster ride of emotions that keep you gripped throughout. A book you can't keep down as it takes you through the grim life-threatening cirmumstances protagonist Rohan Ruparelia is trapped in.
A brilliant writing by Gautam Marwaha.
Year 2022 as a surprise and a shock further, began for me with a news that flashed killing of a merchant navy officer and then I got to know about many killings , pirates attacking merchant navy ships in Nigeria and a lot more everyday happening around the merchant navy.
And this book hence grabbed my attention !!
A must read for everyone who feels deeply about the agony of officers being captivated, murdered , who go missing.
August 17, 2019
A superb depiction of valour and thrill summed up in 284 pages, The Eleventh Indian is a remarkable story of how one can survive even in the toughest of conditions. This is a fascinating story about an ordinary seaman who gets caught between pirates and the mafia. The book is full of unexpected twists and turns and keeps one glued to the story at all times. Sometimes authors tend to romanticise real-life events but this book keeps the focus on the right elements and maintains the balance between emotions and facts. Really appreciate the courage of Rohan and the entire crew and kudos to Gautam for bringing their story alive for us with such a wonderful narrative.
June 19, 2020
A gripping story coupled with a no-nonsense writing style aptly conveys the crude reality and the thinly veiled disbelieve of the protagonist finding himself in situations that people only hear about but never imagine themselves to a part of. Based on a true story.
March 29, 2020
A gripping thriller about a sea voyage, pirates, and the indomitable human spirit.
An apt read in these times of Corona crisis!
An apt read in these times of Corona crisis!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews