Title: Seconds Later
Author: Vani
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications
Represented By: The Book Bakers
Price: Rs 240
Link for Purchase: Seconds Later
My Take:
It has been a long time since I read a book that does not have any dull moments at all. This book is one of those in which there is something happening on every page. The first thing that struck me as I read this book was the pace at which events occur. Right from the word go the author keeps the reader engaged. By the time I reached the 15th page, I found myself deeply engrossed in the story. The book is definitely a page-turner. Very often we read books where we find the need to take a break every now and then. But this book never made me feel like putting it down. Not even for a minute.
The story is that of a psychopath obsessed with a young woman and who is willing to go to any lengths to possess her. He chases her relentlessly surmounting several difficulties that come his way. The language is taut and designed to keep the reader’s curiosity alive throughout. Even though the outline I have given here sounds like a cliched one, the author has brought in a fresh and all-consuming flavour to it which makes the book eminently readable and different from other thrillers I have read. The book is also structured very neatly.
We get a very good insight into how an obsessed mind is relentlessly driven on by an all-consuming passion to reach a goal. The characters are very well defined. I read this book some four or five days back and have found the time to review it only today. Despite this gap, I found the story remains fresh and is deeply embedded in my mind. The book moves at a terrific pace with hardly any pauses in the adrenalin rush anywhere along the line. This is the one quality every good thriller ought to have, and this book has it aplenty.
The author has brought out the innocence and naivete of a young girl who is the object of the psychopath’s affections with aplomb. The language is taut, easy, and extremely engaging. The story is linear and there are very few subplots. Many people criticize this as a weakness in a book, but in my experience, a linear plot helps to keep the mind focused on the story, especially in thrillers. The plot has quite a bit of depth and this is something I admire in thrillers.
On a negative note, there is only one thing I would like to mention. The book is written in the first-person point of view throughout. In each chapter, there are three or four people who are speaking their minds. I found this slightly disconcerting because at certain places I got slightly confused. This is probably the case only with me, and most people may not mind it at all. And further, this confusion is only momentary and once I settled into the rhythm of the book it was very easy to follow.
Conclusion: A big yay! This book is eminently readable if you are a thriller aficionado like me. Vani’s ‘Seconds Later’ takes the reader on a journey of suspense and intrigue. Kudos to her for writing differently and capturing our interest. Do buy this book. You will enjoy it thoroughly.
Rating: I am going with a 4.5/5 for ‘Seconds Later’. I am reducing half a point for the few reasons I have mentioned above.
Rating Scale:
1 Poor
2 Fair
3 Good
4 Excellent
5 Outstanding