Wednesday 25 June 2014

The Devil's Gate by Deepak Kripal: A Review

Title: The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey
Author: Deepak Kripal
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Page Count: 248


The back cover says: SIDLINED BY MAN, ANIMALS TURNED TO DEMONS.
Plundered by humans of their habitats, animals take a drastic step when they decide to send a team of a cat named as Katy and a dog named as Dug, to an invisible island known as the Island of ‘Five Hundred Graves’. The island becomes visible only for a short time on the night of the full moon.
Legend has it that the island is inhabited by the demons. Katy and Dug are supposed to negotiate a deal with the demons, convincing them to allow the animals inhabit the island. Majority of the animal community believe that tinkering with the other world could bring their wrath to the animals. The team is sent to the island nevertheless.
But can a deal with the dead be materialized?
Are there really demons on the island? Is there any conspiracy involved?
Will Katy and Dug be able to negotiate, or will survival remain their only question in the deadly island?


On the name & the cover:
The Devil’s Gate is an important part of the book or I would rather say important part of the journey, so I must say the name is appropriate. And the tagline also perfectly indicates  the journey readers are going to make while reading the book along with two protagonists, Katy and Dug.

At a glance the cover looks weird, but it is the beauty of the cover. It fits perfectly with the story and the name. The gate on the cover for the name and the black effect and the smoke for the unusual story-line.


On the narrating style:
The narrating style is good and keeps the authors glued till the very last page. The author has very efficiently chosen his words which helps to keep the thrill alive. The way the author has scripted those one-liners, will definitely tickle the funny bones of the readers. I love the names of the characters, a cat is Katy, dog is Dug, rat is Rees. The whole book is like an animations movie playing before the reader's eyes.


On the story-line:
When we say, this story is a work of fiction, we definitely mean something like this story. The main characters of this story are a speaking cat and a dog named Katy and Dug. As soon as they reached the invisible island and Billy, an owl joins their team, the story starts to pick its speed. The whole book is a roller coaster ride, which the readers are going to enjoy from the core of their heart. This story have the elements to make the readers laugh, cry and bit the nail in suspicion. By the voice of his characters, the author has stated a wonderful message to his readers, which leaves the readers admiring the author’s imagination skills. I felt some scenes are bit stretched and sometime the philosophies the author presented by the Character Billy seems to lessen the flow of the book.


+ Point: The unusual story line and the thrilling journey is definitely something to watch out for.

-Point: Few dragged philosophical lectures dropped the regular speed.


Final Words:
This is a wonderful work of fiction divided in the fourteen beautiful characters which will take the readers to a thrilling journey. The outcome of the author’s brilliant imagination.


A

A+ (Excellent)     A (Very Good)      B+ (Good)     B (Average)     C (Below Average)


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