BEHIND THE SILICON MASK - BOOK REVIEW

Title : BEHIND THE SILICON MASK
Language : English
Author : Eshwar Sundaresan
Genre : Fiction, Thriller
Publisher : Westland & Tranquebar Press ( 2013 )
ISBN-13 : 9789382618393
ISBN-10 : 9382618392
Binding : Binding Paperback
Price : Rs. 250 ( Buy from Flipkart.com for Rs.150/- ( 14% Off )
Pages : 312

The Book Summary : A thriller set in an Indian IT company in the US.
A techie community of around two hundred Indians stationed in Milwaukee suddenly finds itself under a siege. On a fateful Friday, a cyclonic snowstorm Super Susan is breaking winter records outside their windows. And beyond, somewhere in the inky darkness, a serial killer who targets immigrants is on the loose. An indiscreet TV journalist has already informed him that almost the entire community resides within a three- block radius in downtown Milwaukee.
Two young techies belonging to the community Partho Sen and Varun Belthangady are particularly under threat. Unaware of this fact, they carry on as usual. Varun must deliver a crucial software application for his Fortune-500 client before the weekend ends. Meanwhile, Partho must confront his inner demons to save the most important relationships in his life.
They must deal with these urgent needs, even as they deal with their rapacious corporate employer, an overambitious boss, unpredictable events unfolding in the living rooms and bedrooms of their colleagues and the effects of the most potent cocktail in the world.
There is one man who can save them yet from the serial killer Detective Farley of the Milwaukee Police Department. But will the serial killer prove too clever even for him? aware that his life is in danger. There is one man who can save them yet Detective Farley of the Milwaukee Police Department. But will the serial killer prove too clever for him?

My Point of View ( P.O.V ) : For his first commercial novel, the author does a darn good job through this gripping thriller narrated crisply about a series of events that occur on a particular fateful friday in Milwaukee ( USA ). As the theme of this novel is based around immigrants working in the USA ( software professionals ), its characters from diverse countries and backgrounds ( and their intricate relations with one another ), in the novel makes it an interesting package with the main protagonists Partho Sen and Varun Belthangady, both being Indians with a Bangalore base. The story is vibrant, engrossing and literally transports you to the IT community in the US town. It also brings you back to India with equal ease. The story shows the usual stuff that goes on in a typical office environment e.g politics, ambitions, deadlines, peer rivalry etc. Even at times the false PR that shows a totally different 'fake' reality to the public.
The look and feel etched in the book ( background, characters, language spoken ) is authentically American in its flavour ( i.e the typical lives of indians/outsiders working in the US ) hence nothing seems artificially put just for show. The author must have either researched or had experienced himself to be able to draw such an apt background picture to the story.
Meanwhile, a killer who hates immigrants ( a data/fact based on his earlier killing of 4 immigrants ) is out to finish them off, those who are at helm of silicon affairs in this town - involved in working out on their software projects ( making/testing ), debugging the unexpected elusive flaws, along with a deadline to catch and an inconsiderate corporate employer to satisfy as well who wants the work done, come rain or shine! But instead came the record breaking snow that could very well help the killer on his mission. 200 IT professionals are thus on a siege, unaware of the risk to their lives and things then take a nail biting turn by which the book then keeps its readers glued and flipping its pages in anticipation on what happens next. Its not a book that you'll put down easily until you've finished till the very end.
All hopes depend on Detective Farley of the Milwaukee Police Department, but it remains to be seen if he succeeds or the killer.
There are certain hitches in the narration that could've easily been better but considering that this is the author's debut book, one can easily ignore those because of the overall wholesome entertainment that the novel otherwise provides. There is never a dull moment in the entire book.
I'd rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.




Positives : A tight gripping plot written in an easy, interesting and racy manner that will hold the reader's interest till the end for sure. One does notices the American slang usage too in the book that adds to its authenticity.
Negatives : None! Lesser number of characters would have sufficed too.
Who will enjoy this? - Everyone.
Buy or Don’t Buy? – A Must Buy!

About the Author : Eshwar Sundaresan is Rishas father, a difficult son, Bangalore-based writer, freelance journalist, third- generation Mumbaikar, mixed-bag consultant, ghostwriter, an ex-corporate nobody, a counsellor- in-training and an introspective man. He is the author of Bangalored: The Expat Story and a few award- winning works of fiction. He is eminently Googleable.
Blog & Website - http://redcurryandgreenearth.blogspot.in | www.eshwarsundaresan.com


Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕ - I really liked it!

---