Title: DEV
Author: Rishabh Dubey ‘Kridious’
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller
Platform: Amazon Kindle
Publisher: Independently Published (4 May 2020)
Sold by: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited
Language: English
Blurb
‘DEV’ is a fantastical take on the great epic of Ramayana and narrates the story from the perspective of one of its minor characters. Dr. Matang Leeladhar Swamy, also known as Matlee, works for the Department of Extradimensional Vectors (DEV) at ISRO and accidentally embarks on a journey which puts him in a dilemma of time, belief and understanding. The story seeks to answer one of the of ‘What ifs’ associated with the holy book.
Review
Rishabh Dubey’s DEV which is an acronym for The Department of Extradimensional Vectors is an intelligent blend of facts with imagination and also a spicy amalgamation of futuristic gadgets with a plotline of India’s glorious past. Aha! The plotline is interesting, the narrative keeps you hooked and within a few minutes, the readers are going to be lost in this amazing world of DEV. There are two scientists at ISRO, Bangalore, India working with an avant-garde technical device and you know there are some commercial elements like the advent of bad guys and a certain boom, one of the characters lands up in a distant place or time or dimension or…
Now that could be time travel, that could be a time burglary, that could be extra-dimensional teleportation and that could be anything. The author keeps you guessing and it stimulates your nerves, bones, cells, imaginations, speculations blah blah…..
Plus point for that…
The narrative goes back to the mythical age where you can find a beautiful co-existence of human, superhuman, demons and yes the apes. I have enjoyed the various types of apes, monkeys and their wholesome presence throughout the novel but the most interesting part of the novel is the characters of Medha and Matlee. The readers are going to enjoy the characterization of these two individuals. They are natural, they are realistic and most importantly they keep the humane quotient of the novel, alive.
Are you still looking for the story?
Haven’t I told you enough? Go to Amazon and get the copy, you won’t regret.
DEV must be praised for keeping the pace of the storytelling, lucidity and freshness of simple language, knowledge of the author, balanced plotline, excellent description of war and a sharp distinction between the present and the past. I have enjoyed the climax since it involves the readers and keeps you guessing.
Spaceships. Chariots, Missile, Violence, Planet of the Apes, Epics and crispy story-telling – DEV shines like a bright star.
Ah! The next Samit Basu in the making?
A huge room for a sequel………..
Pros
The high-end imagination of the author
The characters of Matlee and Medha.
The beautiful blend of glorious past and a promising future tech.
A focused plot and an eye for subjectivity in the storyline.
Reminded me of Neil Geilman and a bit of Ashwin Sanghi, it is a bonus.
I have enjoyed the perfect chapterisation, all starting with Y.
The open ending, the author keeps an unfastened end. It might be for the readers to apprehend, that is definitely a Postmodern take.
Ah, the Cover Picture, WOW !
Cons
I demand ( my point of view) a little more descriptions of war sequences.
Verdict: 4/5
A page-turner, grab a copy.
Buying Link: Amazon
About the Author
Rishabh Dubey, known by his pen-name ‘Kridious’, is a young author residing in the city of Mumbai, India. He has released five books so far, including three novels, an anthology and a multi-author compilation.
List of Other Books by the Author
The Mangoman (2016)- Fantasy, Political Satire
Krikos: The Vertical Horizon (2017)- Science Fiction
The Idiosyncrasies of Life (2019)- Anthology
The Voices of Silence (2020)-Multi-Author Compilation
