In the Valley of Shadows

by Abhay Narayan Sapru

The stunning Lolab Valley of Kashmir. Cold. Crisp. Serene. Punctuated by the blood curdling violence that rips apart the stillness of this paradise. Within the militancy torn valley nestles the ravaged lives of the people who inhabit it. And of the men in uniform who fight for their country. Set against the backdrop of this rugged milieu is the clash of two charismatic leaders-the inimitable Major Hariharan of the Indian Special Forces, and the volatile battle hardened Pakistani mujahid, Sher Khan. Caught in this bitter conflict is the enigmatic Sahira, a local Gujjar girl who has to face her own demons. All of them have journeys that will test their strengths over and over again...In the Valley of Shadows is a compelling tale of courage and passion and the hatred that an insurgency generates, leaving a trail of destruction and devastation in its wake. Follow the thrilling cat-and-mouse game between two passionate men of war, a chase that only one of them will survive...

Genres: Military Fiction, War

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Nishant Jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a long time finished a book within 2 days. This book written by an Ex-SF Officer is quite a riveting read about 2 battle hardened men - one a SF officer and another a Porki Mujahid. And there is a Kashmiri Gujjar woman too. The words used are easy and the plot moves at a very fast pace. I loved the way the encounter & ambush scenes are described obviously due to direct personal experience. The book surely is a must read. And I recommend it to everyone.

[Piyush Vikram Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL A NICE READ..HE REALLY HAS THAT PROMISING THING IN HIM TO CARRY FORWARD THE STORY. A GOOD PLOT SUPPORTED BY FAIR ENDING.RECOMMENDED!!

[Karthik Kailash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major Hariharan aka Harry is on his way to send a dreaded terrorist on his way to his maker when his trigger finger stops. A girl stand in between, allowing the dreaded jihadi Sher Khan to escape.

A furious Harry screams the girl, a local Gujjar called Sahira, considering her a sympathizer, however she shrugs away his words saying she didn't want blood at her door. And the battle hardened Harry is at loss of words, smitten by Sahira's beauty.

In a gory twist, Sahira gets involved with Sher Khan and the tango between the Major and Mujahid with the girl stuck in between, makes for a riveting read reeking war and love. And how there are no winners, only survivors.

[Nipun Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was first hand try on a Indian Army Tales and I am super glad to say this was right choice to introduce myself to this genre.
The flow of the book is so smooth that you can easily get drifted along with the story. The twist and turns of the tale, kept me on the edge of the seat and I could not wait to read the next page. Language of the book is easy to understand and usage of urdu words made the story more real.
The perspective of soldiers, from the either side, was absolutely unbiased. Though Mujahids are on the wrong side, but they too are fighting for what they feel is right.
Two things I really liked about the book:1) Soldiers are not only tough but also very smart and clever. They can think from someone else's brain and act in most efficient way.
2) Mujhahids also have an heart. The way Sher Khan developed feelings and love for Sahira and how he did not want to leave her behind and thereby spend rest of his life with her, portrayed his need of settling down and lead a peaceful life.
Very well written.

[Siddhartha Pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

It was pure chance that I came to know about this author. I am an avid reader of fiction or non-fiction books related to the Indian armed forces, so didn't hesitate to purchase both of his books. I am so glad that I did. In The Valley Of Shadows is a gripping tale of vigorous struggle that is going on in the so called paradise whose only casualty is humanity. After reading this book my respect for the armed forces of India have grown manifold. They are not only producing fine gentleman cadets but also authors like Abhay Narayan Sapru. Simply hope that he would write and publish more like this one. Five stars!!!!

[Vivek Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across Abhay Narayan Sapru through the podcast "Monks and Warriors", which sparked my interest in reading his books. I picked up the paperback because his perspective intrigued me, and I felt that listening to the podcast alone wouldn’t do justice to his stories. I wanted to understand his world in greater depth, through the book itself.

The book exceeded my expectations and managed to hold my attention from the very first chapter. What stood out most was the clarity of its structure—the smooth chronology and seamless transitions between perspectives. By narrating the story through the viewpoints of a soldier, a militant, and a terrorist, the author offers a rare, panoramic understanding of the conflict, allowing the reader to see its core from multiple sides without pushing a single narrative.

The book does not attempt to justify any side. It simply presents events, like pieces of a puzzle gradually coming together. For someone new to the subject, it makes one thing clear—the Valley is far more complex than just gunfights and headlines.

[Anil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished the book in one sitting: it definitely is very readable. I wish that there was less of Mills & Boons (in form of a Kashmiri girl who has a particularly unfortunate taste in men) to distract. The bits about the laying of ambush and life on the front are very close to reality and excellently brought out. Have just started on the author's book on LTTE and Sri Lanka.

[Mohammed Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was my first ever buy the moment i opened the book and started reading it it was a never ending book the story hooks you around , and keeps you intact with the story untill you finish it honestly i loved the book so much i cant express my happiness in words

[Akshay Patidar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good plot of story. Shows the things happening in kashmir from both directions. Loved it... Was unable to put it down once started reading. Hope more will come from Abhay.

[Aseem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw yet sophisticated story by someone who actually had first hand ground level experience of army operarions. An interesting and enjoyable read

[Jay Rajak · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNBEATABLE ,AWSOME

[Pranshu · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very best books that gives a rate look into how the operations in the valley are carried out . If I were to sum up in one word , that would be 'unputdownable' .

[Himanshu Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Step into the shoes of major harry and you will find out a vast array of human emotion

[Jay Vardhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline is somewhat predictable, but a fantastic read nonetheless. Addition of some technical details would have made it even better.

[Garima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, The start was great and throughout it was gripping. It did paint a vivid imagination in my head throughout. I particularly really liked Abhay's writing style! Very fresh and intriguing. Kudos to that.

The reality was very well woven up with a bit of story to give a little feels. I am in thoughts, as to which parts were real and which were the imaginative story. I guess, only 'Harry' would have answer to that. :)
Nevertheless, I feel Abhay should continue writing.

[Akshat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A scintillating read!

[Abhih Kaasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very beautifully portrayed story with Kashmir as background. A fiction with realistic touch.

[Vijay IN]

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