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Deadly Shadows
ONLY ONE MAN STANDS BETWEEN INDIA AND ITS ANNIHILATION. When a series of deadly attacks carried out by a mysterious weapon strike remote parts of India, it takes the country to the edge of panic and chaos. To make matters worse, the government and its intelligence agencies fear that these attacks are building to something truly catastrophic – a final strike that would bring India to its knees and spell the end of its sovereignty. As the clock runs down, Adit Ohri, an elite operative of the 53 SAG, a strike force buried deep inside the nation's military infrastructure, is assigned to chase down a lead from his past and find those behind the attacks. But even as the needle of suspicion points towards India's traditional enemies, the mission leads Adit on a trail of smoke screens and deceit, until he finds the final shocking truth.
308 pages, Paperback
Published December 20, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 4, 2020
All through the country, tiny villages are disappearing leaving no trace of habitation. The government is in disarray and investigations are leading nowhere. Adit Ohri, a hardworking, celebrated and focussed member of the 53 SAG is called to solve this mystery alongside Alia Tanwar, a fiesty analyst who knows how to make her mark in a job dominated mainly by men.
'Deadly Shadows' is an action-packed thriller, with an In-depth detail in all kinds of military procedures. The author leaves no information hidden and the plot reeks of a greater conspiracy. The story is delivered quite well, with the usual ups and downs of a typical military story. There is sexual tension between the characters that has been handled well. But somewhere along the line, the plot fails to impress and starts getting tedious.
This is a book you'll like if you loved 'Uri' (not for Vicky Kaushal, but for the actual story) or enjoyed Calling Sehmat. However, the execution could have been different. There are a lot of cliches that could have been easily avoided.
'Deadly Shadows' is an action-packed thriller, with an In-depth detail in all kinds of military procedures. The author leaves no information hidden and the plot reeks of a greater conspiracy. The story is delivered quite well, with the usual ups and downs of a typical military story. There is sexual tension between the characters that has been handled well. But somewhere along the line, the plot fails to impress and starts getting tedious.
This is a book you'll like if you loved 'Uri' (not for Vicky Kaushal, but for the actual story) or enjoyed Calling Sehmat. However, the execution could have been different. There are a lot of cliches that could have been easily avoided.
April 6, 2020
| Book Review | Deadly Shadows.
•
I rarely indulge in books that revolve around military or police task force because most of them fail to keep me engaged in the plot. Deadly Shadows is one such book that immediately strikes you as a very complex one. The plot, the cover and even the title manages to create the desired effect on the readers. As much as I wanted to enjoy this novel, it somehow failed to appeal to me. However, this book will surely be appreciated by ardent action lovers.
•
Strange things are happening in the country while the government is trying to manage the situation as best as they can. Groups of people and small villages disappear without a trace, leaving others dumbfounded. When the presence of a superior weapon is found from the places of disappearence, they are worried about the involvement of a much bigger enemy. Adit Ohri, a brilliant operative of 53 SAG (Special Action Group) is then called in to solve the mystery and find the culprit. Having lost his father at a very young age, Adit follows the footsteps of his father and goes ahead to become one of the best agents of the country. He is then asked to work with Alia Tanwar who works with National Technical Research Organisation in decoding the crime.
•
What initially starts off as a simple case, soon escalates into something much more sinister. As Adit tackles the enemies, he uncovers the involvement of bigger parties. There's even a significant twist at the end which added a nice touch to the story. Apart from adding multiple action references, Adit's character has been portrayed quite well. But there were also few obvious flaws. The continuous description of the Prime Minister in every chapter that he was involved in, made it a bit monotonous. It came as no surprise that Alia was shown as a spectacularly gorgeous woman and not a nerd, instantly impressing Adit. It sounded a bit clichéd and unnecessary. There were also many characters which might tend to confuse readers who are trying this genre for the first time. This book had a lot of potential but lacked a bit of proper execution. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy this genre.
•
Rating - 3.4/5.
•
I rarely indulge in books that revolve around military or police task force because most of them fail to keep me engaged in the plot. Deadly Shadows is one such book that immediately strikes you as a very complex one. The plot, the cover and even the title manages to create the desired effect on the readers. As much as I wanted to enjoy this novel, it somehow failed to appeal to me. However, this book will surely be appreciated by ardent action lovers.
•
Strange things are happening in the country while the government is trying to manage the situation as best as they can. Groups of people and small villages disappear without a trace, leaving others dumbfounded. When the presence of a superior weapon is found from the places of disappearence, they are worried about the involvement of a much bigger enemy. Adit Ohri, a brilliant operative of 53 SAG (Special Action Group) is then called in to solve the mystery and find the culprit. Having lost his father at a very young age, Adit follows the footsteps of his father and goes ahead to become one of the best agents of the country. He is then asked to work with Alia Tanwar who works with National Technical Research Organisation in decoding the crime.
•
What initially starts off as a simple case, soon escalates into something much more sinister. As Adit tackles the enemies, he uncovers the involvement of bigger parties. There's even a significant twist at the end which added a nice touch to the story. Apart from adding multiple action references, Adit's character has been portrayed quite well. But there were also few obvious flaws. The continuous description of the Prime Minister in every chapter that he was involved in, made it a bit monotonous. It came as no surprise that Alia was shown as a spectacularly gorgeous woman and not a nerd, instantly impressing Adit. It sounded a bit clichéd and unnecessary. There were also many characters which might tend to confuse readers who are trying this genre for the first time. This book had a lot of potential but lacked a bit of proper execution. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy this genre.
•
Rating - 3.4/5.
May 27, 2020
4.5/5
A weapon which can wipe out the entire area or a village without leaving any substance or clue or residual at all sounds like a scene from a Sci Fi movie but in reality it is the exact thing which is happening in some parts of India. To make matters worse this is only the tip of the iceberg because soon this weapon will bring India to its knees and can change the future of the whole nation for the worst.
Adit Ohri has just completed a mission and after only 4 hours of sleep he has called for another. He is the best candidate for finding and destroying this weapon. He is the last hope for the survival of India. But will he be able to carry out this mission without getting his emotions overwhelms him?
Review –
This is one of the best Indian suspense thriller I have ever read. The writing and the pace of the story is crisp, strong and with perfect twist & turns. It maintains the graph and keeps you gripped to the story throughout the book.
There is no over the top heroic action or cliché characters. Even the mysterious weapon is logically explained without getting it too complicated. Though I don’t know much about chemicals but for an amateur like me it totally worked and I thought it is plausible.
My only concern for this book is the emotional content. I could not emotionally connect with Adit Ohri. I could feel his patriotism but other than that nothing. I understand it is a thriller book so why I am talking about emotional connect for that you have to read this book.
I am amazed if this is the author’s debut book then what he will do in next. I am definitely looking forward to his next book. Also this is a perfect script for a bollywood patriotic movie just in case if any director or producer is reading this.
A weapon which can wipe out the entire area or a village without leaving any substance or clue or residual at all sounds like a scene from a Sci Fi movie but in reality it is the exact thing which is happening in some parts of India. To make matters worse this is only the tip of the iceberg because soon this weapon will bring India to its knees and can change the future of the whole nation for the worst.
Adit Ohri has just completed a mission and after only 4 hours of sleep he has called for another. He is the best candidate for finding and destroying this weapon. He is the last hope for the survival of India. But will he be able to carry out this mission without getting his emotions overwhelms him?
Review –
This is one of the best Indian suspense thriller I have ever read. The writing and the pace of the story is crisp, strong and with perfect twist & turns. It maintains the graph and keeps you gripped to the story throughout the book.
There is no over the top heroic action or cliché characters. Even the mysterious weapon is logically explained without getting it too complicated. Though I don’t know much about chemicals but for an amateur like me it totally worked and I thought it is plausible.
My only concern for this book is the emotional content. I could not emotionally connect with Adit Ohri. I could feel his patriotism but other than that nothing. I understand it is a thriller book so why I am talking about emotional connect for that you have to read this book.
I am amazed if this is the author’s debut book then what he will do in next. I am definitely looking forward to his next book. Also this is a perfect script for a bollywood patriotic movie just in case if any director or producer is reading this.
March 26, 2020
Deadly shadows
A beautiful book in action and thriller genre.
This book is full of action twists and turns and race against time while there is a series of attacks take place in India. Everyone is in panic. The country is at the edge of chaos.
Our protagonist Adit ohri is an operative of secret strick force. He has a task to find behind the people of these massive attacks.
The mystery in the ending is awesome. A definitely worth to read. This book is full of mystery and attacks.
The plot builds up really well kudos to the author. As we move ahead in the story you will realize its not a simple game or minor attack, the game is at a whole different level.
The narration is really good and up to the point. The language is easy and lucid.
The ending literally blows your mind.
The only drawback is a pace is a little slow.
A beautiful book in action and thriller genre.
This book is full of action twists and turns and race against time while there is a series of attacks take place in India. Everyone is in panic. The country is at the edge of chaos.
Our protagonist Adit ohri is an operative of secret strick force. He has a task to find behind the people of these massive attacks.
The mystery in the ending is awesome. A definitely worth to read. This book is full of mystery and attacks.
The plot builds up really well kudos to the author. As we move ahead in the story you will realize its not a simple game or minor attack, the game is at a whole different level.
The narration is really good and up to the point. The language is easy and lucid.
The ending literally blows your mind.
The only drawback is a pace is a little slow.
April 27, 2020
I like books that are inspired by true events and the fact that Deadly Shadows was one such book is what piqued my interest in the first place. The plot was quite gripping with the mysterious death of a group of people, the mass murder of the politicians and a fatal weapon that threatens the security of our nation. Adit Ohri, an operative of the 53 SAG (Special Action Group) was assigned to find out the fugitives behind both the heinous crime.
I liked the author's writing style and all the information peppered especially about the NSG, Special Action Group (SAG) and how it works. The secret operation of finding Iqbal Hanif completely kept me hooked and glued to the pages. It was so vividly described and well-executed. The author had maintained the suspense element equally throughout the book. I couldn't be able to guess who was behind those deadly attacks and the question of 'why he had done it' didn't let me put down the book.
The only thing I don't like was the excessive praise over the character Romesh Desai who played the role of an Indian Prime Minister in this book. Actually, it was kinda annoying and has deflected me from the ongoing discussion. Apart from that, it's a good read. If you like spy thrillers, then you will like this book too.
*Thanks to Bloomsbury India for the review copy*
I liked the author's writing style and all the information peppered especially about the NSG, Special Action Group (SAG) and how it works. The secret operation of finding Iqbal Hanif completely kept me hooked and glued to the pages. It was so vividly described and well-executed. The author had maintained the suspense element equally throughout the book. I couldn't be able to guess who was behind those deadly attacks and the question of 'why he had done it' didn't let me put down the book.
The only thing I don't like was the excessive praise over the character Romesh Desai who played the role of an Indian Prime Minister in this book. Actually, it was kinda annoying and has deflected me from the ongoing discussion. Apart from that, it's a good read. If you like spy thrillers, then you will like this book too.
*Thanks to Bloomsbury India for the review copy*
September 4, 2020
Definitely a must-read!
Here are three things I loved about Deadly Shadows -
1. Superbly descriptive. I have read dozens of books by Indian authors, and none of them close to the fluidity of scenes and crispness of the language that Rajinder uses in this book.
2. The action scenes are amazingly written, and make the reader into a fly on the wall observing the action live. This is one rare quality found in top-notch thriller writers only.
3. The limited number of characters to execute the whole book makes it easy for the reader to keep a track of things, and not get lost in the "Who was that again?" circle.
-----------------------
Feedback for next book (eagerly awaited) -
1. Repetitive praise of one respected character (PM in this novel). It was understood who the character was modeled after - describing the character again in every scene he was involved in was not adding much information.
2. The final sucker punch in the plot was unpredictable. Kudos to that! However, the reveal lacked that Woah! factor.
3. The stereotypes that inadvertently crept in the protagonist's narration - the gender-based cliches for the female character, or the racially-based cliches for the Punjabi character were unnecessary and not really in tune with the protagonist character's mindset.
Here are three things I loved about Deadly Shadows -
1. Superbly descriptive. I have read dozens of books by Indian authors, and none of them close to the fluidity of scenes and crispness of the language that Rajinder uses in this book.
2. The action scenes are amazingly written, and make the reader into a fly on the wall observing the action live. This is one rare quality found in top-notch thriller writers only.
3. The limited number of characters to execute the whole book makes it easy for the reader to keep a track of things, and not get lost in the "Who was that again?" circle.
-----------------------
Feedback for next book (eagerly awaited) -
1. Repetitive praise of one respected character (PM in this novel). It was understood who the character was modeled after - describing the character again in every scene he was involved in was not adding much information.
2. The final sucker punch in the plot was unpredictable. Kudos to that! However, the reveal lacked that Woah! factor.
3. The stereotypes that inadvertently crept in the protagonist's narration - the gender-based cliches for the female character, or the racially-based cliches for the Punjabi character were unnecessary and not really in tune with the protagonist character's mindset.
February 5, 2020
When a series of deadly attacks fall upon remote sites of the country, they completely wipe out the population,like nobody and nothing was ever there and the government in unable to know how and what happened.
So they plan to show this situation as ‘relocation/migration’ to avoid the chaos the situation may cause & meanwhile form a team with the mission to figure out what has happened and how to stop it.
As the story moves forward the characters and readers both realise that this is not just a minor attack and it could lead to a serious catastrophe. Was this an inside job? Or some outside terrorist organisation?
I must say that the story kept me hooked and guessing till the end,
I could genuinely see this story as a ‘Uri’ styled Bollywood movie. The plot is filled with adventures, twist and turns. Good looking and righteous leads and Army setting. If you have loved ‘Calling Sehmat’ , this book might be right into your alley. Check out my blog for a much more detailed review
So they plan to show this situation as ‘relocation/migration’ to avoid the chaos the situation may cause & meanwhile form a team with the mission to figure out what has happened and how to stop it.
As the story moves forward the characters and readers both realise that this is not just a minor attack and it could lead to a serious catastrophe. Was this an inside job? Or some outside terrorist organisation?
I must say that the story kept me hooked and guessing till the end,
I could genuinely see this story as a ‘Uri’ styled Bollywood movie. The plot is filled with adventures, twist and turns. Good looking and righteous leads and Army setting. If you have loved ‘Calling Sehmat’ , this book might be right into your alley. Check out my blog for a much more detailed review
March 13, 2020
🔖Book - Deadly Shadows
🔖Author - Mr. Rajinder Prabhakar
🔖Publishers - Bloomsbury India
🔖Plot Summary - Deadly Shadows is an action packed and nerve wrecking race against time as a series of terrifying attacks take place in remote parts of India, that shakes the country to the edge of panic and chaos. Adit Ohri, an elite operative of a secret strike force inside the nation's military is given upon the task to find those behind the attacks fearing something more catastrophic coming on board.
Will Adit be able to find the real culprit? Or Will it mark an end to the country's sovereignty?
🔖Review - "Unputdownable and Exhilarating''
- The plot of story is remarkably narrated and very well built.
- It is fast paced, tightly organized with no open ends but lots of ups and downs that never let's the reader down and keeps their interest alive till its end.
- The suspense and time to time twists as the events unfold makes the story hard to guess and keeps the reader hooked till the end.
- The characters also have been well developed here especially that of Abhi Thakur and Adit Ohri. Their service for the nation despite being in the shadows only is truly amazing and salutes the very spirit of secret forces who still might be on a covert mission eliminating the enemies of the country.
- Simple and easy to understand language has been used throughout the story.
- The cover of the book is quite potent and attractive. The title too seems totally appropriate wrt the storyline.
- A secret weapon, An ex- KGB officer, A secret strike force, politics, covert missions to different countries and 1000's of innocent lives at threat, all these descriptions seem vivid and realistic to the extent that the readers can easily visualize these happenings.
- The ending of the book will surely manage to surprise the readers and will literally blow their minds.
-The writting style of the author is highly commendable here and I would love to read more from him.
Highly recommended for all action and spy thriller lovers.
🔖Author - Mr. Rajinder Prabhakar
🔖Publishers - Bloomsbury India
🔖Plot Summary - Deadly Shadows is an action packed and nerve wrecking race against time as a series of terrifying attacks take place in remote parts of India, that shakes the country to the edge of panic and chaos. Adit Ohri, an elite operative of a secret strike force inside the nation's military is given upon the task to find those behind the attacks fearing something more catastrophic coming on board.
Will Adit be able to find the real culprit? Or Will it mark an end to the country's sovereignty?
🔖Review - "Unputdownable and Exhilarating''
- The plot of story is remarkably narrated and very well built.
- It is fast paced, tightly organized with no open ends but lots of ups and downs that never let's the reader down and keeps their interest alive till its end.
- The suspense and time to time twists as the events unfold makes the story hard to guess and keeps the reader hooked till the end.
- The characters also have been well developed here especially that of Abhi Thakur and Adit Ohri. Their service for the nation despite being in the shadows only is truly amazing and salutes the very spirit of secret forces who still might be on a covert mission eliminating the enemies of the country.
- Simple and easy to understand language has been used throughout the story.
- The cover of the book is quite potent and attractive. The title too seems totally appropriate wrt the storyline.
- A secret weapon, An ex- KGB officer, A secret strike force, politics, covert missions to different countries and 1000's of innocent lives at threat, all these descriptions seem vivid and realistic to the extent that the readers can easily visualize these happenings.
- The ending of the book will surely manage to surprise the readers and will literally blow their minds.
-The writting style of the author is highly commendable here and I would love to read more from him.
Highly recommended for all action and spy thriller lovers.
August 11, 2020
The underlying plot was good and the buildup was better than the actual reveal. The end reveal and the climax was predictable and was given away mid way. Character build up especially that of the negative characters could have been better. I could never feel their emotions or their frustrations. However my biggest problem with the book is that all characters are black and white, either they are extremely good or they are complete villains. Except for the character of Alia, none of the characters had any shade of grey in them. The heroes have been made too good without an ounce of flaw in any of them, especially the character of Romesh Desai (btw I do hope that we get a PM like him in India in the future) and Adit Ohri.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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