The Eye Of The Predator - Abhisar Sharma

Abhisar Sharma's latest book The Edge Of Machete is already creating buzz in the reading circuit. When it dropped at my doorstep for review, I did a bit of googling to know about the author and when I got to know that it  is the second book of trilogy named The Taliban Conundrum, I decided to pick up the first book of the trilogy which is The Eye Of The Predator. Though, both these books are not interlinked in anyway, but if they are a part of any series, I try and read all of them. 

The Eye Of The Predator has a tight plot. The book just flows from one plot to another. A nicely woven plot with twists and turns and betrayal. Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban is trying hard to make a strong mark on Pakistan but Baitullah gets killed in the most insane way. With the untimely death of Baitullah, a lot of people try too hard to get a hold of his position as the leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban. Too many meetings, discussions, arguments and planning goes among a lot of people including confidantes of Baitullah and people who had sheer disliking for him. Also, Afghanistan and United States involvement in rooting out Baitullah creates a lot of fuss and things go for a toss. 

The book has a tight plot but what was tough for me was to remember the names of the characters. At times I used to get confused because to keep a track of so many long names becomes tough, but that doesn't take away the flair and power of Abhisar Sharma's writing. The Eye Of The Predator is a dark thriller and you already know what is going to happen in the end but if you enjoy such books, give it a shot. You might like it. 

Book Source : Personal Copy
Publisher : Hachette India
Genre : Fiction, Thriller
ISBN : 978-93-5009-074-9 

Sharpening the Machete with Abhisar Sharma

Abhisar Sharma, a popular name in the world of media is also an author. His first book of the The Taliban Conundrum trilogy, Eye Of The Predator was very well received by critics and readers. The second book of the trilogy The Edge Of Machete has been released recently and is already in the news. I got a chance to interview him and here is what he has to say about his personal life, professional life and life as an author.

Ques. What inspired you to write “The Taliban Conundrum” trilogy?

Ans. Well there was no inspiration to write a trilogy. It all fell into place. I wrote Eye of the predator because the plot of Pakistan’s most powerful man dying while in an act of fornication and the entire conspiracy behind his death was very appealing and even seductive. I started writing The Edge of the Machete because the scenario of a CIA agent captive in the hands of the Taliban was very thrilling and I just started developing the plot. It ultimately became the story of 3 people, an undercover CIA agent, a British white Muslim and a kidnapped Indian journalist who find themselves in the most dangerous place of the world. Now The Edge of the Machete ends at a place where it demands a sequel that I am currently writing. Its called “The Dark Side Of Me”. So it all became a part of a trilogy which was unintended and accidental.

Ques. How much time did you take to write your first book “Eye Of The Predator” and the recent one “The Edge Of The Machete”?

Ans. Eye of the Predator took exactly 3 months and Edge of the Machete took 9. But it was just that I wrote “Eye of the Predator in a hurry , like a man possessed. But when I started writing “the Edge of the Machete, I took my time, not to rush up things.

Ques. There are too many genres that you could have opted for. Why only thrillers? Do you see yourself writing any other genre?

Ans. Both novels were not intended as thrillers. Its my agent and the publishers who have branded them as thrillers. My third novel is a coming of age , growing up kind of book, tentatively  titled “A hundred lies for you”. Story of a 13 year old in the backdrop of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This is a story of  dreams unfulfilled, friendship , betrayal, revenge served cold and brutal, love in its purest form and quite a shocker from the genre that I have attempted till now.

Ques.  Tell us more about “The Edge Of The Machete”?

Ans. I often used to think, what could be the worse case scenario? Lamb in a Lions cage? Oil drums surrounded by raging fires? A CIA agent in Taliban captivity? It was this premise that I started developing.  Edge of the Machete is the story of Ed Gomez sent to avenge his best buddy in the CIA rechristened as Sarfaraz Khan, the next big thing in the world of Jehad. But as he dives into the mission, the lines between his original identity and his assumed identity start blurring. The adulation of the poster boy of Jehad is seductive. Its also a story of 3 other people. Rahul Sharma an Indian journalist caught by the Taliban in Kabul and brought to Khyber in Pakistan and Shaun Marsh, a British white Muslim who is supposed to execute Rahul on tape.

Ques. How would you define Abhisar Sharma as a person?

Ans. Open minded, emotional, free of prejudices, short tempered, restless, easily provoked, indulgent, passionate and not the guy you would want to mess with. :)

Ques.  And Abhisar Sharma as a writer?

Ans. That’s for my readers to decide. I only write things that appeal to me.

Ques. How tough it is to write a thriller?

Ans. Its just those writers blocks that I am afraid of. They last for days and months. Otherwise writing is very fulfilling. It’s a beautiful world out there when you write fiction. You create characters that are an extension of you or maybe extension of people you have known.

Ques. Was it too tough for you to get your first book published?

Ans. Thankfully not. But the road after the publishing was difficult because for some reason the marketing division of the first publishing house was not excited about my book. It died a premature death and I still mourn it.

Ques.  With so many books flooding in these days, what would be your advice to the young writers who are planning to write a book?

Ans. Just write if you have a story to tell. Write what you believe in. It does not matter if you have a limited vocabulary. If you have a story to tell and if you have content, go! If Abhisar Sharma can write 3 books and get published, anyone can!

Ques. Being the face of a popular news channel like Aaj Tak, how tough it is to manage your personal life, professional life and writing books? Does it take a toll on you? 

Ans. Big Time! My work in Aaj Tak takes nearly 11 hours of my life daily. I write when I come back home. Around 11 in the night and I write till late. That takes a toll on my health. I have put on weight since I have started writing. I have become insomniac. My allergies have increased. So, its a big whammy. But I would not leave writing. Its like this amazing affair, like a fatal attraction. But, now I have started regulating my time. I have also started taking care of my health.

Ques. Any special moment associated with your books that you would like to share with us? Your most favourite compliment about your book ?

Ans. The best compliment I got for “The Edge of the Machete” was by celebrated writer and journalist Hussain Zaidi( the writer of Black Friday and the Mafia queens of Mumbai. ) .He said it is unputdownable. He said it is better than Frederic Forsyth’s “THE AFGHAN”. I think I was dreaming. But I did not pinch myself. It felt good.

So, that was Abhisar Sharma, candid and straight forward at his best. His book, The Edge Of Machete has been reviewed here by me.

Book Review - The Edge Of Machete

And you can get in touch with the author on twitter @Abhisar_Sharma ( Yes, he does respond there). His books are available on all the popular online portals and bookstores. Grab your copy soon. I have read both his books and they are unputdownable. Read them.

The Edge Of The Machete - Abhisar Sharma

Some three weeks back, I received Westland Books's newsletter called "Tranquebar Times"  where I first saw and read the description of this book "The Edge Of Machete". The cover as you can see features a masked terrorist which intrigued me and then the description told me that its a thriller. Thats when I decided I am going to read this one for sure. Then while surfing internet for the same book, I got to know the Abhisar Sharma, the author of the book is actually writing a trilogy named "The Taliban Conundrum" and this is the book two of that trilogy. I checked flipkart for the same and ordered "The Eye Of The Predator" straight away and started reading it and absolutely loved it. I am going to review it later sometime on this blog. Then came in "The Eye Of The Predator" for review and here I am. Finished reading this book this morning itself.

"The Edge Of The Machete" is an absolute page turner. Definitely one of the best thrillers I have read so far from an Indian writer. The book opens up with a brutal murder of Jason Wilson, a CIA agent who was on a secret undercover mission. Aamir Sherzai, Tehreek-e-Taliban's new kid on the block killed him brutally and got the entire process shot. CIA people get to see the video and they freak out and a series of planning, execution, murders, lies, under cover missions begin. Jason's best friend, Ed  promises himself and other people at CIA that he is going to kill Aamir and take the revenge of his best friend's death. The book will keep you hooked till the end and would tempt you to read the last few pages to figure out what exactly is going to happen in the end. The same was the case with Abhisar's first book "The Eye Of The Predator".

The book is extremely well written, characters are well defined and the way Afghans and Pakistani's love for bollywood has been shown had me in splits. The story of each of the central characters has been told properly and in an interesting way. Abhisar hasn't left a untied thread, if there is a new subplot opening up in the book, he had made sure that it doesn't get lost in this 332 page book. Also, I would advice you to understand the current geography of Afghanistan & Pakistan, because this will help you understand the places mentioned in the book.

The only problem with the book that I'd faced is its font size. It should have been a bit bigger, would have been easier to read. I might look stupid here, but this is an honest feedback. Rest everything is just near to perfect about this book.

Pick this book up if you are into fast-paced thrillers and I would also suggest you to read the first book of the trilogy, its not that these books are inter-related but they were so well written that you would definitely enjoy reading them. At least I enjoyed myself.

Book Source : Westland Books

Review asked by Westland Books.

ISBN : 978-93-81626-67-2

Genre : Thriller, Fiction