SHILLONG, MAY 17: When caving and writing becomes your passion the result can only be a heady cocktail of storytelling that will leave the readers spellbound.
Brian D. Kharpran Daly’s, a renowned International caver of Meghalaya, two latest novels “The Long Drop” and “The White Climb” are good read by any literary yardstick as both does what good novel usually do: Lead the readers through the pages before you realize that you have reached the last page.”
Both the novels, released late last year, have been drawn from the experiences of caving. Though “The Long Drop” seems to be more autographical in nature, the White Climb” plots revolve around the dark belly of terrorism and the devilish design of assassinating the Indian prime minister by Pakistani terrorists.
Readers from Meghalaya and other north eastern states, however, might immediately relate to “The Long Drop” published by Partridge publishing house in UK, for the familiar plot that revolves around coal mining, caves, the coal mafia and the protagonist fight for preservation of caves.
In The Long Drop Thrang Kharwan, the protagonist, wage a battle with the coal and limestone miners and is nearly murdered after being kidnapped by the coal mafia. His concern for destruction of the caves by coal and limestone mining made him file a PIL in the Supreme Court thus earning him a wrath of the coal mafias.
A friendly Doloi in Jaintia hills who shares the concerns of Kharwan of the caves’ destruction by mining is found murdered. The novel is fast paced and keeps the readers glued through the pages as the story of Kharwan’s love for caves, his fight against the mining mafias, murder and finally his triumphs unfold through the 200 pages.
But ‘The White Climb’ is meant for global audience as it deals with Pakistani terrorists and their mission to assassinate Indian prime minister with a stolen American bomb and create International chaos.
On mountaineering expedition to Leh, Raymond Sunn, the protagonist, and his mountaineering friends accidentally comes across huge explosives and arms hidden by Pakistani terrorists in a cave meant for assassinating Indian prime minister during the 65th anniversary celebration of India’s Independence and creating chaos in Delhi.
Kharpran, obviously, used national and international events as a fodder for this novel. If you like action packed reading, this novel perhaps will be the right kind of read for you. – By Our Reporter
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