In 1729 A.D., the city of Karachi was founded and named in honor of Mai Kolachi, “whose son is said to have slain a man-eating crocodile in the village after his elder brothers had already been killed by it.” Nearly three centuries later, the stories like the one above have become legend. Some may be true while some will never see the light of day. But like Kolachi’s son and the crocodile, it doesn’t mean that these stories didn’t happen.
Perhaps the power breakdowns in the city are caused by one man looking to undo a grave mistake. Perhaps a surgeon goes above and beyond her duty to protect her patients. Perhaps there is revolution in the air, or perhaps it is totalitarianism. Perhaps there are killers sitting right in front of you having tea. Perhaps a reporter stumbles on more than what she bargained for.
Perhaps all of it happened for a fact. Perhaps none of it is true. But enter Karachi and it will tell you, “truth is simply an excuse for a lack of imagination.”
Karachi. The City of Lights. And these are some of its stories.
Muhammad Ali Samejo is a seasoned corporate professional, published novelist, and training and development facilitator specializing in corporate skills training, English as a second language, and communication skills. He’s the author of two works of fiction titled “Legends Of Karachi” and “Damaged”.
This book will take you on a wild ride into Karachi. The assortment of characters is so diverse and yet so alike. They are connected together by greed, curiosity, revenge, and ignorance. Human emotions take the lead when describing them and carry the plot eclectically forward. Several tracks with a medley of cast overlap so seamlessly that it is only towards the end that you would see the constructed network. Some stories are conventional, thrilling, mysterious, gory, and politically motivated, yet others are paranormal.
I could personally relate to so many phrases and words. It brought back memories and put a smile on my face. Although I have never been to Karachi, I am now intrigued. Yes, I am not deterred by the violence portrayed here!
The most impactful characters to me are Ambreen Sani and Dr. Saba Saikh. There were many others with unusual names like Jupiter, NOMAD, etc. Each of them stirred the pot of this adventurous story, complementing its soul. I wish I had Ambreen’s motivation and Saba’s guts. They were highly inspiring.
What can I say about the writing? It is flawless. And I mean it. Nothing is left for later; it is pure perfection. You have to sample it to admire its magnificence. I say grab a copy now and get right into it. You will not be disappointed.
Earlier I had read M Samejo's collection of short stories "Damaged" and I was blown away so when his second book was launched I immediately bought it. First of all, the cover is catchy with a beautiful combination of black and sharp green with 6 different icons representing 6 different aspects of the story which you can easily relate just as you read and the story unfolds itself.
This book is all about Karachi,the city of lights, and it's hapless inhabitants. These inhabitants or characters belongs to different areas of life encompassing different sets of aptitudes, priorities and tendencies. Some of them are bad and some are good,whereas some belong to neither of these two categories and this lot is the center of attention in this novel. The book throws light on the variety of issues faced by inhabitants of Karachi,such as domestic abuse, workplace harassment, gang wars, street crimes, all sorts of mafias, role of media, police and politicians and where they are lacking. But mostly it is about how people react to those issues and what strategy do they adopt to coop with them. Either they wait for some miraculous entity to show up and sweep the dirt away or they decide to become the vigilantes and take matter in their own hands.
The story is both literal and metaphorical(at some points),leaving some of the judgments for readers to make. The author intentionally does not draw moral conclusions himself and leaves this to the reader to decide after showing two sides of a situation. Most of the happenings may seem unreal of far-fetched but if we look around then we'd realized that all of it is happening around us in one way or another.
The narrative style is modern, catchy, very captivating and both,inspired and inspirational. Vocabulary usage and sentence structure is marvelous( as always). An amateur writer can learn A LOT from this book.
Now, although the theme is quite relatable but at some point story tends to get very complicated(for example I found it a bit hard at some points to differentiate between Mercury and Neptune 😁)and slightly unrealistic and reader finds it a bit hard to connect all dots. Some of character are very well concluded, whereas some do not end up the way you'd expect and leave you in a state of agitation.
Some of the chapters don't seem like the part of story but stories in themselves. Such As Amirah and Pyarelal, and Jabeen and Arif.
Although the idea of taking matters in one's own hand and establishing a state within a state, or enforcing one's own rules on society to rectify both criminal and immoral entities may sound,again farfetched, perhaps wrong or typical but it isn't totally unjustified and this is the dilemma which writer wants to elucidate in this book.
The names of chapters are witty compelling and sometimes poetic.
The novel depicts author's keen observation and deep concerns about the city and even deeper and keener research behind every single chapter.
For me, this was a different read, a novel book in more ways than one. Set against a local backdrop, tackling all the relevant issues of the city, M. Samejo took various different stories and wove them intricately into one. The blurb had left me somewhat confused. Was it historical or fiction? I couldn’t be sure. As I started reading, it seemed like a collection of stories. Quite soon though, I realised it was actually a novel, but the parallel stories kept coming. I couldn’t make out how they were all related, but every encounter between them however subtle was a highlight for me! I couldn’t keep all the numerous characters at the forefront of my mind. And for some stories, I couldn’t place their relevance in the story. Three-quarters of the way in, they all started converging though it got confusing by the page. The story, however, ended quite fascinatingly! To do the author justice, he has a very impressive vocabulary and a captivating writing style but a penchant for long sentences which sometimes caused me to lose the drift. But it also shows his ingenuity in having created something quite complex – how the varying stories began and how they all converged to a very unpredictable and thought-provoking end. It was also very refreshing to see the chapters named, which so often is missing in novels these days. The chapter introductions provide great insight into what actually makes Karachi. However, sometimes I felt that the phrases used had more of a local relevance than international, for example, the phrase “bathed in milk and honey” has a meaning different in the local language than in English, I believe. Also, the use of “Port Grand” and “grand port” interchangeably might be confusing to someone not familiar with Karachi’s expensive leisure spot. Or they might think of it a typo, which sadly the book doesn’t lack! All in all a delightful book marred by lackadaisical editing and proofreading.
this book consists of multiple chapters and multiple stories . Which are somehow interconnected . Karachi is in the grip of many problems since ages . A bitter reality of my city penned down by Mr Ali samejo in a brilliant way. he pointed each and every problem faced by karachities.
in some chapters his bluntness astound me ... I must say ,he has covered every issue perfectly .he is no doubt a skilled author. People may be drawn to your novel for the idea, or the plot, but the character are what keeps them reading. you will love some of the characters for sure . trust me you want them in real for the betterment of Karachi . These fictional characters fascinated me so much ..
Legends of Karachi is a full on, roller-coaster, multi-character, absolute genius of a book!
Muhammad Ali Samejo’s ability to pull you into the streets of Karachi and hold you to ransom is incredible. The characters are diverse and in every chapter something so left-field happens that it would be impossible to try and second guess the next plot twist.
As a fellow writer, I get a mental image of juggling flaming torches or plate spinning with the characters and plot of this book. I am in awe of Muhammad’s writing style and story-telling.
There is a character for everyone in this story, Saba and Ambreen being my personal favourites. Their personalities are multifaceted and the author has written them without a cliche in sight!
All I can say is go and buy this book! You will not be disappointed!
I wish I had time to write a more detailed review. However, I would advise not to miss reading this book for any Karachi inhabitant and book nerd.
At first I thought it's a collection of stories like Samejo's previous book Damaged. However, as I read a few chapters on, I realized it's a novel. Continuity was a little hard for me to maintain due to so many references and multiple story lines. Nevertheless, one would find relatable references all over the book. Some of these though might not click on the first read to a non-Karachi native.
The moral of the story is open to interpretation I guess. But would you assume to take power and control in your own hands if the system collapses or doesn't work? That's something for the readers to ponder upon.
I just started reading, I will give my review after finishing it but I must say Legends of Karachi is a must-read, it's gripping my attention from the first page, and I hope it will end with the same motion of wittiness.
What do a doctor, a reporter, a nimble vagrant, a warlord, revolutionaries, a ghost, and Roman gods have in common? Well, before you ponder the possibilities, just stop. You won’t figure it out, and you don’t have to, because author Muhammad Ali Samejo has worked it all out for readers in his masterpiece of a story called Legends of Karachi. Let me explain…probably poorly because I don’t know where to begin, but I’ll do my very best.
Muhammad Ali Samejo’s book, Legends of Karachi, grabbed hold of me on the first page and didn’t let go until the final sentence. Actually, I’m still thinking about it all. It’s really that good. The story unfolds with brilliant details all while maintaining a breezy cadence which pulls you along at a velocity you wouldn’t expect as multiple unique characters begin to populate this dynamic story-setting, the city of Karachi. And let’s talk about the author’s delivery of these myriad of details because only a writer with a gift for storytelling could possibly create such a comprehensive vision of a world populated by so many diverse characters who are navigating the cultural and political ins-and-out of a city as multifaceted as Karachi. Their voices, each unique, are easily followed by the reader at the pace the author demands because he navigates his plot with confidence. Ultimately, it’s a brilliantly networked storyline, so definitely pay attention as you read. The author knows where he’s going with this. You don’t, but the author’s confidence is palpable as the story unfolds. Just trust he’ll get you to the end with satisfying answers!
The dialogue the characters engage in is modern, always has purpose, and resonates with authenticity. This lends to how very real each character feels, and pulls the reader into the story as a silent observer of various unexpected scenarios. The characters are so diverse in gender, academic backgrounds, motivations, and professions, and yet, they all progress towards a unifying conclusion readers will never see coming. I want to say, too, that the story really feels like it comes from the characters and not from the author. The writing doesn’t remind readers that a very clever author has created this intricate story.
Let's talk about genre for a moment. As in life, nothing is ever truly compartmentalized, and this story doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre. There’s mystery, dysfunctional romance, brutality, science fiction, wonderfully dark humor, politics, and more within the pages of this book. At times, the dark humor was delivered with such a casual wave of the hand that I had to stop and laugh and really appreciate the deftness of the delivery. What do you like in your stories? Legends of Karachi has it all, and it’s amazing how the author weaves it all together for the reader.
Despite the large cast of diverse characters who tell this story, and all of the other moving parts contained in the plot, I never once fell out of step with the progression. Samejo doesn’t burden the reader with unnecessary fillers. Unfolding events create clarity in a persistent way that keeps a reader’s attention. Seemingly disparate events connect in ways you wouldn’t expect, but which makes perfect sense. Ultimately, the reader is rewarded by an ending that is deeply satisfying.
If you’ve read this far, I truly hope you give this story and this author an opportunity to impress you with some stellar storytelling. I highly recommend Legends of Karachi by author Muhammad Ali Samejo to all readers. It’s just great writing and great storytelling. Five shiny stars!
In Muhammad Ali Samejo’s second collection of short stories, the city of lights both stands front and center, and lurks in the shadows, while some incredible things that may or may not be fiction, happen.
The thing about Karachi is, it has always moved imaginations. The city opens its arms to welcome anyone and everyone, and the mere flow of human bodies going about their day builds the rhythm and ruckus we associate with our chosen home .
That Karachi features heavily in the works of artists of all media and genres if they do indeed live there, is no surprise. From Kartography by Kamila Shamsie, to e.g., Tunnel Vision by Shandana Minhas, to Karachi: The Musical by Nida Butt’s Made For Stage (and the accompanying incredible soundtrack by Hamza Jaffri). In that, Legends Of Karachi is no different. But where the others speak of events that have happened, or are happening, Samejo’s Karachi seems to exist in a parallel reality, sprung from countless conversations countless groups of people have no doubt had over the years.
Opening rather unimpressively and self-consciously, Legends Of Karachi slowly gains momentum and then bullet-speeds into a not completely surprising end but one that is still somewhat satisfying.
Muhammad Ali Samejo drifts between genres, and keeps his prose short. No story – or chapter – is really longer than four pages, which is great. As the reader, we can focus on what is happening in the current chapter, while keeping sight of the bigger picture. Each chapter/story builds into a latter moment and the whole thing crescendos dramatically. As far as pace goes, Samejo makes no mistakes.
He does, though, like injecting pop culture references into his writing whether they have a place there or not. Or even if they could totally be part of that particular scene, maybe they could have been written in better. Points for remembering The Jupiters, an ‘80s Pakistani rock band, but why mention them at the moment they were mentioned? Just naming a character Ali Azmat would ring a bell with most Pakistani readers, but also adding a reference to Junoon as the most influential rock band just seems kind of redundant in that instance.
Then, while we’re at it, Samejo has the right idea of every genre this book flirts with, but if the genre is introduced, and not carried forward in the narrative, what was the point?
All of that said, this is one of the more fun books that are set in Karachi, and though no work of fiction or nonfiction that comes out of the region can ever be free of mentions of blatant corruption and traumatic events that we take in our stride, Legends Of Karachi makes it work, and makes it entertaining. We just hope there’s a follow-up book that ties up loose ends to look forward to.
"Legends of Karachi" by Ali Samejo is one of those books that even a non-reader like me couldn’t put down. It talks about Karachi’s hidden heroes & stories in a way that’s easy to read & interesting. The chapters are short, & the writing makes you feel connected to the city. If you love Karachi, you’ll love Legends of Karachi—even if you don’t usually read!