fredag, august 17, 2007

Chandra Vikram - Sacred Games (book)

This is one of the long books I was complaining about earlier. Although this was the best one of them and in the en I managed to finish this almost 1000 page book.

It is some kind of mini epic story. Through jumping back and forth in time and place we follow an Sikh policeman all the way from when his mother was young, till when he manages to prevent a major disaster for Bombay and India. We also follow one small time bandit making his way into becoming on of three major gang leaders and we also watch him fall. In addition to this we get the opportunity to follow other people lives that gets involved in the story.

The writing style is fairly involving and a lot of things are happening during the book. The progress is somewhat slow but the writer manages to keep the reader interested in the stories while he tells more about the Indian way than of the actual main plot.

There are some main themes that the writer points out several times: The major one is the relationship between Hindus and Muslims, while I don't think the writer tries to pick side in the struggle or maybe he does? There is also the indifference between other groups, for example Sikhs.

The main villains story is probably the biggest part of the book, and is somewhat India’s version of The Godfather (but not quite) - the funny thing (or sad) about the whole villain story is that everybody tricks him all along and in all his greatness he is just a fool.

There is also a theme that I think the writer is eager to tell is that a good person (the main detective) which chooses to live a somewhat good and righteous life will succeed in the end (even if it will be a hard way, and many tough choices to make) and may even be able to save The World.

And there is the last thing that I think the writer tries to ask us: "Why save all this?", meaning all this crazy things that goes on in the world. Why? This is much clearer than in the usual hero saves the world story and it gives it that extra edge.


This book is a irritating masterpiece. A book that will keep sticking in your head long time after you finished it.

This book is for anyone that can be bothered to read large books and a must for all Crime Book Lovers.

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