The Black Orphan by S. Hussain Zaidi Bookreview
Author: S.Hussain Zaidi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Blurb:
Review:
There are many unknown soldiers protecting us on the border. There are many police officers working hard to make us feel safe in our neighborhoods. There are, I don't know how many, unknown warriors fighting inside and outside our country to neutralize threats to the world, which ultimately affect us. They're never even mentioned as unsung heroes because that's their duty: to remain in the shadows while always protecting us.
How many of you knew about the Indian intelligence involvement in finding and hunting Osama Bin Laden? I learned about it from this book. I guess that's the reason why the real unsung heroes are not even discussed by us. Because they have successfully completed their work in stealth mode. But the author was determined to give them a tribute and, more than that, an identity—even in fiction, if it can't be given in facts—at least to make us discuss them.
One of the most important points raised by the author in the initial pages was about our nuclear scientists, whom we never think about but who play a crucial role in national development. We live with all the facilities like electricity, the internet, motors, microprocessor chips, and whatnot, without even realizing who and how makes this and dominates over it.
The nation is dependent on such crucial technological advancements, without which it would have to beg and bow down to others for the same. I dragged this out to such a long extent just to make sure that people understand the reason behind writing this book and not mistake it for another normal fiction thriller.
Now, let me tell you about the book and story. It's beautifully crafted with real-life inspirational characters and plots. The chemistry between the agent and lawyer is also greatly narrated. I enjoyed the thrilling, fast-paced style of writing, which always keeps us on edge. Ajay, being strong yet struggling sometimes, makes us feel the life of an actual intelligence officer, which otherwise we may never understand.
Asiya, on the other hand, shows us the other side of the life of a normal citizen like us but also being part of this large web where every move of a single person affects everyone and everyone's actions affect her in a way without even her knowledge. Dialogues were fun but seemed average sometimes. Still, it was a delightful read.
Other characters were also fine and perfectly fitted with the position and plot of the story without any unnecessary narration and dragged discussions on random stuff. Normal life is also beautifully captured in between, giving the reader some space to breathe and formulate the structure of small details playing a role in the large story.
Overall, it was one of my fantastic thriller reads but, more than that, one of my hard-hitting reality check reads. Through this fictional tale, it reminded me of and introduced me to some really important and knowledgeable facts of life, which we are part of but never aware of, even at the moment when we go through it, as we are made to ignore it for some silly stuff which never matters. I will definitely urge you all to read and enjoy this amazing story and think over it afterward, as it is said in fiction but reflects reality.
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