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Heartquake
An IAS officer’s tale of survival against all odds.
Once upon a time there was a city plagued by greed, corruption and mysterious deaths…
A patriotic IAS officer, Vikram, decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana (aka RPR), during the latter’s visit to the IAS training academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some highly embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral.
Instead of having Vikram suspended from service, a vengeful RPR unleashes violence on the officer’s family, and to continue the torture, RPR gets Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur—the politician’s backyard.
As soon as Vikram joins duty, RPR resumes his vengeance. However, a new drama unfolds when a large number of people start dying of heart attacks across Laxmipur. As Vikram tries to unravel these mysterious deaths with the help of Veda, a cardiologist, and Raghu, a police officer, extreme panic grips the city, which soon leads to riots and pandemonium. Vikram is left with no other choice but to risk his life to get to the bottom of this mind-numbing situation.
Join Vikram in this fast-paced thriller as he fights to save Laxmipur from HEARTQUAKE
Once upon a time there was a city plagued by greed, corruption and mysterious deaths…
A patriotic IAS officer, Vikram, decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana (aka RPR), during the latter’s visit to the IAS training academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some highly embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral.
Instead of having Vikram suspended from service, a vengeful RPR unleashes violence on the officer’s family, and to continue the torture, RPR gets Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur—the politician’s backyard.
As soon as Vikram joins duty, RPR resumes his vengeance. However, a new drama unfolds when a large number of people start dying of heart attacks across Laxmipur. As Vikram tries to unravel these mysterious deaths with the help of Veda, a cardiologist, and Raghu, a police officer, extreme panic grips the city, which soon leads to riots and pandemonium. Vikram is left with no other choice but to risk his life to get to the bottom of this mind-numbing situation.
Join Vikram in this fast-paced thriller as he fights to save Laxmipur from HEARTQUAKE
160 pages, Paperback
Published July 20, 2019
14 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
August 17, 2019
K. Vijayakarthikeyan has made a loud entry with his debut book "once upon an IAS exam". Being an IAS himself he has taken writing around experiences of the same environment. Once Upon IAS was so popular in 3 months of its release that we cannot deny the book. So we wanted to read the book to know what is all the noise about the book. My teammate Devi read it and she liked the book. As per her, the book was on par with praises it was fetching. So this time when Vandana from Vinfluencers offered us a review copy in exchange for an honest review I took the opportunity.
Well, "Once Upon" was the story around IAS exam preparations. "Heartquake" is more of after IAS situation. Don't worry it is not a sequel (even if it is I didn't feel one). The story started when during IAS training our protagonist Vikram confront antagonist Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR), a corrupt politician & home minister of the state. RPR got Vikram posted in his base constituency, Lakshmipur. He planned to insult Vikram and he did it till the end. In Lakshipur Vikram met the love of his life, a cardiologist Veena. Then started a series of mysterious heart attacks in Lakshmipur taking lives of hundred plus people. The story became a mystery thriller later on.
Vijayakarthikeyan's writing style is simple and straight. This was my first read by Vijaya and now I know why he is reaching good readership in such a short time. His story flows like a smooth river stream, which is fast in pace and shallow not to sink its readers. You will turn page after pages and before you know you are done with the book. You can finish the book in 2-3 sittings. If I had 2-3 hours at stretch I could have finished it in a single sitting. Language usage is simple, if you want to cultivate a habit of reading or learn English this book can be a good pick. The book cover of Once Upon IAS was catchy but with this book, I found it a little dull.
Detailed review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
Well, "Once Upon" was the story around IAS exam preparations. "Heartquake" is more of after IAS situation. Don't worry it is not a sequel (even if it is I didn't feel one). The story started when during IAS training our protagonist Vikram confront antagonist Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR), a corrupt politician & home minister of the state. RPR got Vikram posted in his base constituency, Lakshmipur. He planned to insult Vikram and he did it till the end. In Lakshipur Vikram met the love of his life, a cardiologist Veena. Then started a series of mysterious heart attacks in Lakshmipur taking lives of hundred plus people. The story became a mystery thriller later on.
Vijayakarthikeyan's writing style is simple and straight. This was my first read by Vijaya and now I know why he is reaching good readership in such a short time. His story flows like a smooth river stream, which is fast in pace and shallow not to sink its readers. You will turn page after pages and before you know you are done with the book. You can finish the book in 2-3 sittings. If I had 2-3 hours at stretch I could have finished it in a single sitting. Language usage is simple, if you want to cultivate a habit of reading or learn English this book can be a good pick. The book cover of Once Upon IAS was catchy but with this book, I found it a little dull.
Detailed review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
November 30, 2020
Resisting the power play of dirty politics and bearing the brunt of doing his duty is all Vikram is guilty of.
Review- 3.7/5 ⭐️
He started his journey as an aspirant for public services but never imagined it will turn his passion to serve into a whirlwind of woes for his family & friends. Exposing a politician Rudra Pratap never got him any accolades instead he got posted as a SDM to his constituency Laxmipur.
His ideals his ego was shattered and it was demeaning for him to be at disposal for a corrupt leader but meeting Veda gave him some hopes to survive this ordeal.
But his happiness was short-lived as chaos erupted in the whole city due to outbreak of heart attacks.
What is this outbreak? Is Vikram going to be successful to get to the root cause of this? A story of revenge, power, friendship, call of duty and so much more.
The book is interesting to read for amateur thriller readers. Also the author has introduced some realistic plots in the story and has maintained the flow, timing & built up of the narrative. The downside was that the book ended too soon & at some places I recalled random bollywood flick inspirations as well.
Review- 3.7/5 ⭐️
He started his journey as an aspirant for public services but never imagined it will turn his passion to serve into a whirlwind of woes for his family & friends. Exposing a politician Rudra Pratap never got him any accolades instead he got posted as a SDM to his constituency Laxmipur.
His ideals his ego was shattered and it was demeaning for him to be at disposal for a corrupt leader but meeting Veda gave him some hopes to survive this ordeal.
But his happiness was short-lived as chaos erupted in the whole city due to outbreak of heart attacks.
What is this outbreak? Is Vikram going to be successful to get to the root cause of this? A story of revenge, power, friendship, call of duty and so much more.
The book is interesting to read for amateur thriller readers. Also the author has introduced some realistic plots in the story and has maintained the flow, timing & built up of the narrative. The downside was that the book ended too soon & at some places I recalled random bollywood flick inspirations as well.
July 13, 2019
Book title – Heart Quake.
Author – K.Vijayakarthikeyan.
Format – Paperback.
Length – 151 Pages.
Publisher – Rupa Publishers.
Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Vikram, an IAS officer arrives at Laxmipur to join as Sub Divisional Magistrate. He should have been delighted yet happiness was a far away emotion that he felt the moment he stepped in that post. Rudra Pratap Rana a.k.a RPR used all his might to bring Vikram to his area of ruling just to take the revenge from him. The reason, when Vikram was asked to interview RPR in the academy, he should have followed the already rehearsed Q & A but he took a different path and addressed the real questions while stating the disgraceful and discreditable ways that the minister has done to deceive and manipulate the public. This was the ultimate commencement of their fight as it created nation-wide breaking news.
Bending the rules and abusing his powers as MLA was done quite ardently by RPR. He had no remorse instead he flaunted himself by upholding an illusion of being invincible. And as for Vikram, he was waiting for the right time to make RPR pay for what he did.
Soon a mysterious heart aliment started to spread in Laxmipur. Baffled by its symptoms, Vikram investigated the whole thing along with a few other people. When the number of deaths increases exponentially, panic and mayhem were soon to follow.
Disentangling one big risky problem was bad enough and now he has got two majorly life-threatening issues to solve. The conspiracies are getting out of hand to contain, can he manage to find the people responsible for this?
Heart Quake is a political thriller with a touch of the mysterious element. The story unraveled slowly and the baffling heart condition was kept in focus. The writing is lucid and it was a quick read considering the length of the book. I loved how the stories blended as Vikram joined the dots in the end. The only thing that bothered me was the romance, it was inst-love and I could have got past that but the love interest (Her name was Veda) was so annoying and childish. She was a doctor and yet when Vikram was all worried and searching for answers she was always like “why are you so focus that that and forget about that and so on”, I mean people are dying from a freaking weird disease how you expect the SDM to act? It's one thing to say not worry and a complete other if you ask to ignore the dire situation. So yes, apart from this I liked the plot and generalized puzzle that Vikram faced in this book.
Author – K.Vijayakarthikeyan.
Format – Paperback.
Length – 151 Pages.
Publisher – Rupa Publishers.
Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Vikram, an IAS officer arrives at Laxmipur to join as Sub Divisional Magistrate. He should have been delighted yet happiness was a far away emotion that he felt the moment he stepped in that post. Rudra Pratap Rana a.k.a RPR used all his might to bring Vikram to his area of ruling just to take the revenge from him. The reason, when Vikram was asked to interview RPR in the academy, he should have followed the already rehearsed Q & A but he took a different path and addressed the real questions while stating the disgraceful and discreditable ways that the minister has done to deceive and manipulate the public. This was the ultimate commencement of their fight as it created nation-wide breaking news.
Bending the rules and abusing his powers as MLA was done quite ardently by RPR. He had no remorse instead he flaunted himself by upholding an illusion of being invincible. And as for Vikram, he was waiting for the right time to make RPR pay for what he did.
Soon a mysterious heart aliment started to spread in Laxmipur. Baffled by its symptoms, Vikram investigated the whole thing along with a few other people. When the number of deaths increases exponentially, panic and mayhem were soon to follow.
Disentangling one big risky problem was bad enough and now he has got two majorly life-threatening issues to solve. The conspiracies are getting out of hand to contain, can he manage to find the people responsible for this?
Heart Quake is a political thriller with a touch of the mysterious element. The story unraveled slowly and the baffling heart condition was kept in focus. The writing is lucid and it was a quick read considering the length of the book. I loved how the stories blended as Vikram joined the dots in the end. The only thing that bothered me was the romance, it was inst-love and I could have got past that but the love interest (Her name was Veda) was so annoying and childish. She was a doctor and yet when Vikram was all worried and searching for answers she was always like “why are you so focus that that and forget about that and so on”, I mean people are dying from a freaking weird disease how you expect the SDM to act? It's one thing to say not worry and a complete other if you ask to ignore the dire situation. So yes, apart from this I liked the plot and generalized puzzle that Vikram faced in this book.
August 8, 2019
HEART QUAKE, a medico- political thriller by K Vijayakarthikeyan portrays the true picture of current political situation in the country. How Corrupt politicians moves the strings to fulfill their petty interests.
Vikram, an under trainee, gets a chance to interview a politician RPR. His direct questions irks RPR and moreover its live feed on social media irritates RPR further. He gets revengeful and to make Vikram's life hell gets Vikram transferred to his constituency Laxmipur and was hell bent to make Vikram's life miserable.
Suddenly, there is an epidemic of heart- attacks in Laxmipur. Vikram, with the help of his girlfriend Veda, DSP Raghuveer and dean tries to solve the mystery behind these heart attacks and the outcome of their research is a complete shocker for everyone.
Who, finally, emerges as winner and what is the mystery behind the series of heart attacks is interesting to read.
What I liked
From the title, the story, initially, looks like a love story but it is not. The book, actually, is a medico- political and the plot is interesting. The plot is, though, not very fresh but the way the story proceeds is definitely intriguing. In fact, the book keeps engaged and you end up reading chapter after chapter. The climax is startling. The language of the book is mostly simple , a few medical terms may feel alien. The pace is fast and author has maintained that throughout the story.
What I didn't like
Author tried to create love story between Vikram and Veda but that part failed to impress me. Their chemistry sounds artificial. The narration part could have been better. Editing part, too, needs little gearing up.
RATING 3.8/5 Overall the book is capable of making you finish it in one go. Thriller lovers will certainly like it.
What I liked
From the title, the story, initially, looks like a love story but it is not. The book, actually, is a medico- political and the plot is interesting. The plot is, though, not very fresh but the way the story proceeds is definitely intriguing. In fact, the book keeps engaged and you end up reading chapter after chapter. The climax is startling. The language of the book is mostly simple , a few medical terms may feel alien. The pace is fast and author has maintained that throughout the story.
What I didn't like
Author tried to create love story between Vikram and Veda but that part failed to impress me. Their chemistry sounds artificial. The narration part could have been better. Editing part, too, needs little gearing up.
RATING 3.8/5 Overall the book is capable of making you finish it in one go. Thriller lovers will certainly like it.
July 16, 2019
‘Heartquake’ is a thriller-packed tale of IAS Vikram, a twenty-seven-year-old from Delhi. His aim was to change the system for its betterment by getting into the system. The story begins with Rakesh, one of Vikram’s friends, who is trying to run away from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. It seems like a jail to him and he just wanted to run away from there and fulfil his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. However, Vikram founds him and convinces him to get back to the academy. Next comes the villain of the story- Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR). Vikram and Rakesh along with their other friends from the academy decides to expose this powerful, yet corrupt minister, RPR by doing an interview with him which was supposed to be confidential. But, Rakesh recorded the live video of the interview in which Vikram was abashing RPR and it went viral in minutes spoiling the image of the minister.
RPR took revenge by sending goons to beat up Vikram’s family and instead of getting him suspended from the service, the former posted the latter in his own district named Laxmipur, as the sub-divisional magistrate in order to torture him for his deed.
Vikram was forced to take actions against his will, because RPR said so. After staying in Laxmipur for some days, Vikram met Veda, a cardiologist at the Blue Line Hospital and eventually, they fell in love with each other.
Read the full review on:
https://bit.ly/2XDmPLT
RPR took revenge by sending goons to beat up Vikram’s family and instead of getting him suspended from the service, the former posted the latter in his own district named Laxmipur, as the sub-divisional magistrate in order to torture him for his deed.
Vikram was forced to take actions against his will, because RPR said so. After staying in Laxmipur for some days, Vikram met Veda, a cardiologist at the Blue Line Hospital and eventually, they fell in love with each other.
Read the full review on:
https://bit.ly/2XDmPLT
September 8, 2019
The Ias officer Vikram with his friends from academy targeted a power abusive corrupt minister RPR in an interview which sends off the minister fuming. Now the triggered minister RPR plans get Vikram posted to his area so that he can humiliate and mentally harass Vikram to make him regret his choices of the past.
Brave, clever and highly patriotic Vikram joins his duty beside apprehensions when there is an outbreak of epidemic causing heart stroke symptoms and deaths. Vikram who met Veda by an awkward chance, begins to unravel the mystery of the cause of epidemic which is underlying all the chaos. Under the dictatorship of power, man's character, patriotism, sense of duty as well as intelligence is tested. Friends turn foes. The story unravels with no of twists.
The story is fast paced full of twists with good blend of medical and technical elements. While the book has the intriguing horizons of medical and technical arena, it felt clinched in other major places. Despite being a fast paced story, it failed to provide a absolute mind blowing thrill. The plot of the story is highly average, the romance between Vikram and Veda felt abrupt, the stories other characters were pretty much in hindsight.
I would recommend it to beginner Indian readers as it is lucid and fast paced read.
All the views are my personal opinions based on only my reading experience.
**Received a copy from Vinfluencers in exchange of an honest review.
Brave, clever and highly patriotic Vikram joins his duty beside apprehensions when there is an outbreak of epidemic causing heart stroke symptoms and deaths. Vikram who met Veda by an awkward chance, begins to unravel the mystery of the cause of epidemic which is underlying all the chaos. Under the dictatorship of power, man's character, patriotism, sense of duty as well as intelligence is tested. Friends turn foes. The story unravels with no of twists.
The story is fast paced full of twists with good blend of medical and technical elements. While the book has the intriguing horizons of medical and technical arena, it felt clinched in other major places. Despite being a fast paced story, it failed to provide a absolute mind blowing thrill. The plot of the story is highly average, the romance between Vikram and Veda felt abrupt, the stories other characters were pretty much in hindsight.
I would recommend it to beginner Indian readers as it is lucid and fast paced read.
All the views are my personal opinions based on only my reading experience.
**Received a copy from Vinfluencers in exchange of an honest review.
September 25, 2019
You know sometimes you read a book and wish the author had stuck to the basics.
Heartquake is a story about an IAS officer who gets into the wrong books of a politician during his training days and the repercussions of that encounter follows him like a shadow.
He gets transferred to a posting area where the same corrupt politician is the MLA and is forced to work under his orders.
A bizarre health scare starts affecting the residents around the election time and everyone is left flabbergasted as an epidemic of heat attacks is not something that is possible.
That's exactly what didn't work for me. The story kept losing the plot and went haywire with forced cheesy romance(which was a total waste and did nothing to the plot or story), a politician who is evil (typical Bollywood level gunda), good guy suffering and the nearly impossible health scare (even the reveal at the end doesn't do it justice, sorry.)
Only thing I liked was that I could skim through the pages and finish the story without DnFing the book midway. So that's there, I feel if the plot and story narration followed a pattern without jumping here and there, this book did have potential but sadly it missed the mark.
It almost felt like it the author wanted to pull an Article 15 kinda feat with CID level plot and characters. And that's why this book didn't work for me, as someone who has grown up reading thrillers and is addicted to crime shows, I had much more expectations from it.
Heartquake is a story about an IAS officer who gets into the wrong books of a politician during his training days and the repercussions of that encounter follows him like a shadow.
He gets transferred to a posting area where the same corrupt politician is the MLA and is forced to work under his orders.
A bizarre health scare starts affecting the residents around the election time and everyone is left flabbergasted as an epidemic of heat attacks is not something that is possible.
That's exactly what didn't work for me. The story kept losing the plot and went haywire with forced cheesy romance(which was a total waste and did nothing to the plot or story), a politician who is evil (typical Bollywood level gunda), good guy suffering and the nearly impossible health scare (even the reveal at the end doesn't do it justice, sorry.)
Only thing I liked was that I could skim through the pages and finish the story without DnFing the book midway. So that's there, I feel if the plot and story narration followed a pattern without jumping here and there, this book did have potential but sadly it missed the mark.
It almost felt like it the author wanted to pull an Article 15 kinda feat with CID level plot and characters. And that's why this book didn't work for me, as someone who has grown up reading thrillers and is addicted to crime shows, I had much more expectations from it.
July 18, 2019
Title : Heart quake by k. Vijayakarthikeyan
Page count : 160
Revirw :
With an interesting title, I was curious to read the story.
The story revolves around Vikram, an honest IAS officer. His only aim was to work for the betterment of the country.
After messing with the minister and trying to expose him in front of everyone he puts himself in trouble and gets transferred to Laxmipur where the minister could have his hands on him easily.
His life is changes drastically and many mysterious deaths starts happenimg when he's transferred to Laxmipur.
Many people dying of heart attack was a mystery for Vikram and soon he started to unfold the mystery behind all the deaths.
But with the minister on his nerves, will he be able to do it? Will he ever find the answers and be able to unfold the truth? Some big peoples were involved in all this but will Vikram be able to find out who did this!?
The suspense was kept till the very end and the way it was narrated was superb. I was hooked to it till the end.
Language was easily understandable and writing style was nice. I enjoyed the book from start to end. Story was medium paced. characterization was great. My overall experience with this book was really great. And I recommend it to everyone.
Rating : ❤❤❤❤❤
Page count : 160
Revirw :
With an interesting title, I was curious to read the story.
The story revolves around Vikram, an honest IAS officer. His only aim was to work for the betterment of the country.
After messing with the minister and trying to expose him in front of everyone he puts himself in trouble and gets transferred to Laxmipur where the minister could have his hands on him easily.
His life is changes drastically and many mysterious deaths starts happenimg when he's transferred to Laxmipur.
Many people dying of heart attack was a mystery for Vikram and soon he started to unfold the mystery behind all the deaths.
But with the minister on his nerves, will he be able to do it? Will he ever find the answers and be able to unfold the truth? Some big peoples were involved in all this but will Vikram be able to find out who did this!?
The suspense was kept till the very end and the way it was narrated was superb. I was hooked to it till the end.
Language was easily understandable and writing style was nice. I enjoyed the book from start to end. Story was medium paced. characterization was great. My overall experience with this book was really great. And I recommend it to everyone.
Rating : ❤❤❤❤❤
July 23, 2019
This is Karthikeyan Sir's second English title. I was already a big fan of his first book and hence was eagerly looking forward to his second title.
This book is nothing like his first one. If you thought that he writes only simple yet engaging stories with a happy ending then you would be in shock when you read this one. Because this one is thriller!
Heartquake has everything that a masala pot boiler has. It has drama, romance (of course) thrill, mystery as well as science fiction! A series of deaths in mysterious circumstances makes it impossible to keep down the book.
This book is way ahead of its time as it deals with facts like telemedicine and remote control murder. I loved how he made everything practical and relatable. And of course the ending was happy after such a torrential story!
This book is nothing like his first one. If you thought that he writes only simple yet engaging stories with a happy ending then you would be in shock when you read this one. Because this one is thriller!
Heartquake has everything that a masala pot boiler has. It has drama, romance (of course) thrill, mystery as well as science fiction! A series of deaths in mysterious circumstances makes it impossible to keep down the book.
This book is way ahead of its time as it deals with facts like telemedicine and remote control murder. I loved how he made everything practical and relatable. And of course the ending was happy after such a torrential story!
August 4, 2019
Received this book from Vinfluencers for review purpose.
If we are talking about politics and public servent we all have an idea of how the system works between them. Here in the book author covered the thin line on which bureaucrats tread on and how religion, politics, power, and money rule the nation by the politicians. The author K Vijayakarthikeyan jotted down a compelling satirical thrilling plot based on political corruption in India with the pinch of Love, Drama, and politics.
Cover: The cover of the book is very attractive, vibrant and goes well with the plot. The blurb of the book has written briefly and for all kind of readers.
Story-line: Heart Quake is a political spine chiller with a bit of the baffling component. The story unwound gradually and the puzzling heart condition was kept in core interest. The composing is clear and it was a fast perused thinking about the length of the book. Heartquake is a quick-paced spine chiller with 2 entwined plotlines. We see pressure fermenting among Vikram and RPR on numerous occasions during the story. We additionally observe Vikram attempting to comprehend the inquisitive medicinal crisis that has caught Laxmipur. Vikram is made as an ideal picture of a local official, attempting to spare the individuals and to find debasement from the framework. His clarification for the pandemic is very specialized and all around portrayed. Veda as the medicinal expert and Vikram's companion bolster the second plotline of the story. His companion, Jaidev's go-to activism is very justifiable. The character of RPR is entirely relatable and can be set effectively with regards to appointive legislative issues.
Plot: The story starts with Rakesh, one of Vikram's companions, who is attempting to flee from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. Vikram the saint of the story establishes him and persuades him to return to the foundation. Next comes the antagonist of the story-Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR). Vikram and Rakesh alongside their different companions from the foundation choose to uncover this incredible, yet degenerate priest, RPR by completing a meeting with him which should be private. Be that as it may, Rakesh recorded the live video of the meeting where Vikram was abashing RPR and it turned into a web sensation in minutes ruining the picture of the priest.
RPR delivered retribution by sending goons to thrash Vikram's family and as opposed to getting him suspended from the administration, the previous posted the last in his very own area named Laxmipur, as the sub-divisional justice so as to torment him for his deed.
Aside from RPR, Vikram faces another test of secretive mass heart-assaults in the city. Instances of uncommon heart-assaults with seeping from eyes were being accounted for from parts of the city. Vikram entertained himself with comprehending the riddle behind these medicinal killings and revealed the secrets individually
The portrayal and composing style of the book keeps the peruser locked in. The book is quick paced and intense. Light language & use of funfilled events make the reading experience interesting.
I am recommending this book to everyone because of its gripping story and different outline. It is short, light read, entertaining and totally a page-turner.
If we are talking about politics and public servent we all have an idea of how the system works between them. Here in the book author covered the thin line on which bureaucrats tread on and how religion, politics, power, and money rule the nation by the politicians. The author K Vijayakarthikeyan jotted down a compelling satirical thrilling plot based on political corruption in India with the pinch of Love, Drama, and politics.
Cover: The cover of the book is very attractive, vibrant and goes well with the plot. The blurb of the book has written briefly and for all kind of readers.
Story-line: Heart Quake is a political spine chiller with a bit of the baffling component. The story unwound gradually and the puzzling heart condition was kept in core interest. The composing is clear and it was a fast perused thinking about the length of the book. Heartquake is a quick-paced spine chiller with 2 entwined plotlines. We see pressure fermenting among Vikram and RPR on numerous occasions during the story. We additionally observe Vikram attempting to comprehend the inquisitive medicinal crisis that has caught Laxmipur. Vikram is made as an ideal picture of a local official, attempting to spare the individuals and to find debasement from the framework. His clarification for the pandemic is very specialized and all around portrayed. Veda as the medicinal expert and Vikram's companion bolster the second plotline of the story. His companion, Jaidev's go-to activism is very justifiable. The character of RPR is entirely relatable and can be set effectively with regards to appointive legislative issues.
Plot: The story starts with Rakesh, one of Vikram's companions, who is attempting to flee from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. Vikram the saint of the story establishes him and persuades him to return to the foundation. Next comes the antagonist of the story-Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR). Vikram and Rakesh alongside their different companions from the foundation choose to uncover this incredible, yet degenerate priest, RPR by completing a meeting with him which should be private. Be that as it may, Rakesh recorded the live video of the meeting where Vikram was abashing RPR and it turned into a web sensation in minutes ruining the picture of the priest.
RPR delivered retribution by sending goons to thrash Vikram's family and as opposed to getting him suspended from the administration, the previous posted the last in his very own area named Laxmipur, as the sub-divisional justice so as to torment him for his deed.
Aside from RPR, Vikram faces another test of secretive mass heart-assaults in the city. Instances of uncommon heart-assaults with seeping from eyes were being accounted for from parts of the city. Vikram entertained himself with comprehending the riddle behind these medicinal killings and revealed the secrets individually
The portrayal and composing style of the book keeps the peruser locked in. The book is quick paced and intense. Light language & use of funfilled events make the reading experience interesting.
I am recommending this book to everyone because of its gripping story and different outline. It is short, light read, entertaining and totally a page-turner.
August 6, 2019
As biotechnology becomes cheaper and easier to use, the threat of bioterrorism will only grow. “Bio hacking” will become much more accessible in the next couple of decades. If you can put together modified viral vectors, make gene-driven mosquitoes that carry pathogens, or select for virulence or resistance of bugs in a garage, then bioterrorism is a very serious issue. Heart Quake is one such novel having the same Bio Hacking as the backdrop, treated with the political drama or espionage, and how the protagonist will overcome these hurdles.
The story opens at LBSNAA, where the author introduces us to the protagonist’ world and his people, without wasting much time the book starts moving towards the main thread of the story. Heart Quake is all about an honest IAS officer, trying to expose a corrupt and an evil politician. Soon Vikram gets an opportunity to interview RPR and instead of asking the pre approved questions he hits the RPR with such questions (allegations) Which could end his political career. However, by doing so he puts his family in danger.
As the story progress Vikram is now appointed as the sub divisional magistrate in Laxmipur. Where series of people are dying rapidly with the heart related issues. With the help of Veda and Raghu, Vikram needs to put this an end and need to find out an answer for many questions. Will Vikram ever able to stop all the tragedies? Does RPR have anything to do with all these events? If yes, how is Vikram going to prove? Is the remaining part of the story. This novel deal with a serious and very much current issue, where the honest officers are being suffered in the hands of the nefarious politicians.
The book kept my interest until the end when it seemed as if random characters and twists and turns were popping up! I felt the ending was a bit rushed and the end story, the characters were not developed enough for my preference. I found none of the characters, including Vikram, to be very interesting. The entanglement at the end was a bit overdone. Still not a bad story, but nothing special.
At some places it reminded me of the few movies, the template was kind of similar but the treatment was different. Also the names Vikram and Veda reminded me of the movie Vikram Vedha.
Overall, Heart Quake is a quick paced short story which can be easily finished in one sit reading. It has a compelling premise for a suspenseful novel, and short chapters keep the story moving. The love equation between Vikram and Veda could have been gripped a little, most of the parts seemed like it was superfluous or clichéd. I felt the book would have worked even better without the romance track. Comparing it to the previous work of the author this is bit disappointing. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. This book works very well for the weekend read.
The story opens at LBSNAA, where the author introduces us to the protagonist’ world and his people, without wasting much time the book starts moving towards the main thread of the story. Heart Quake is all about an honest IAS officer, trying to expose a corrupt and an evil politician. Soon Vikram gets an opportunity to interview RPR and instead of asking the pre approved questions he hits the RPR with such questions (allegations) Which could end his political career. However, by doing so he puts his family in danger.
As the story progress Vikram is now appointed as the sub divisional magistrate in Laxmipur. Where series of people are dying rapidly with the heart related issues. With the help of Veda and Raghu, Vikram needs to put this an end and need to find out an answer for many questions. Will Vikram ever able to stop all the tragedies? Does RPR have anything to do with all these events? If yes, how is Vikram going to prove? Is the remaining part of the story. This novel deal with a serious and very much current issue, where the honest officers are being suffered in the hands of the nefarious politicians.
The book kept my interest until the end when it seemed as if random characters and twists and turns were popping up! I felt the ending was a bit rushed and the end story, the characters were not developed enough for my preference. I found none of the characters, including Vikram, to be very interesting. The entanglement at the end was a bit overdone. Still not a bad story, but nothing special.
At some places it reminded me of the few movies, the template was kind of similar but the treatment was different. Also the names Vikram and Veda reminded me of the movie Vikram Vedha.
Overall, Heart Quake is a quick paced short story which can be easily finished in one sit reading. It has a compelling premise for a suspenseful novel, and short chapters keep the story moving. The love equation between Vikram and Veda could have been gripped a little, most of the parts seemed like it was superfluous or clichéd. I felt the book would have worked even better without the romance track. Comparing it to the previous work of the author this is bit disappointing. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. This book works very well for the weekend read.
July 19, 2019
Book Title: Heartquake
Author: K. Vijayakarthikeyan
Format: Paperback
Book Title:
The title of the book ' Heartquake ' is different and mysterious
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is of a young man walking from inside a tunnel where many people behind him are acknowledging him. This doesn't really give any idea about the story in the book.
Plot:
The story is about a young IAS officer, the protagonist Vikram who makes his mind to take a strong stand against a Minister with whom Vikram had a tough time. RPR, the minister wantedly makes Vikram work from the place of Laxmipur where RPR reigns his kingdom with all kinds of crimes and unlawful actions.
Vikram meets Veda, a doctor by profession, who resides in RPR's house as a caretaker . Some mysterious deaths are reported and the duo of Vikram and Veda solve the case. How do the deaths occur? What is the reason? Who is responsible?
What I like:
1. The sanctity of one of India's toughest job profile is given the highest regards in the story
2. The duty and responsibilities of young Indian officers is illustrated in a very pleasing manner
3. The logical dissection of the issue faced by the residents of Laxmipur is done in a fast-paced thrilling manner.
4. The mystery content is very well maintained until the end of the story.
5. The technical language used in the later parts of the story is something new to learn.
What I didn't like:
As such there are no flaws in the story, but the mere point of mysterious deaths and the cause of it reminded me of one of the recent movies I have watched. I found it a little difficult to continue reading but once I encountered the twist, the story was back into its pace.
Characters:
Every character is very entertaining and written with great depth.
Narration:
An interesting narration if observed in the story.
Language & Grammar:
Fine and clear English language with apt vocabulary if used in the story.
My Final Verdict:
A nice thrilling read.
Book Title:3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3/5
Author: K. Vijayakarthikeyan
Format: Paperback
Book Title:
The title of the book ' Heartquake ' is different and mysterious
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is of a young man walking from inside a tunnel where many people behind him are acknowledging him. This doesn't really give any idea about the story in the book.
Plot:
The story is about a young IAS officer, the protagonist Vikram who makes his mind to take a strong stand against a Minister with whom Vikram had a tough time. RPR, the minister wantedly makes Vikram work from the place of Laxmipur where RPR reigns his kingdom with all kinds of crimes and unlawful actions.
Vikram meets Veda, a doctor by profession, who resides in RPR's house as a caretaker . Some mysterious deaths are reported and the duo of Vikram and Veda solve the case. How do the deaths occur? What is the reason? Who is responsible?
What I like:
1. The sanctity of one of India's toughest job profile is given the highest regards in the story
2. The duty and responsibilities of young Indian officers is illustrated in a very pleasing manner
3. The logical dissection of the issue faced by the residents of Laxmipur is done in a fast-paced thrilling manner.
4. The mystery content is very well maintained until the end of the story.
5. The technical language used in the later parts of the story is something new to learn.
What I didn't like:
As such there are no flaws in the story, but the mere point of mysterious deaths and the cause of it reminded me of one of the recent movies I have watched. I found it a little difficult to continue reading but once I encountered the twist, the story was back into its pace.
Characters:
Every character is very entertaining and written with great depth.
Narration:
An interesting narration if observed in the story.
Language & Grammar:
Fine and clear English language with apt vocabulary if used in the story.
My Final Verdict:
A nice thrilling read.
Book Title:3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3/5
September 23, 2019
Title: Heartquake
Author: K. Vijaykarthikeyan
Publisher: Rupa publications
Heartquake follows the story of an IAS officer Vikram who has earned the enmity of a powerful politician Rudra Pratap Rana after a Q/A session in the IAS training academy where Vikram accused the minister of corruption. We all know what trying to expose a politician will result in. The same happened here too. A vengeful RPR got Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur. On the other hand, a mystery heart disease was spreading among the people of Laxmipur. With the help of his lady love Veda who was a cardiologist, Vikram tries to find out the reason behind those mysterious heart attacks. Against all the odds how Vikram save the people of Laxmipur is the story.
My take :
Frankly speaking, I didn't expect this book to be this good, but with a completely unique plotline, this book did surprise me to a different level. I liked the simple and to the point narrative style of the author. I see the incidents and the situations stated in this book as a reflection of what's happening in our society.
The author had very realistically presented what a powerful politician like RPR is capable of and to what extent they can go to secure their position and power. Vikram's character was set as a fine example of an honest IAS officer. I liked how he stood against all the odds and didn't back down on any situation, unlike his friend who was also an IAS officer.
The details and information the author had shared about telemedicine have given a clear idea of what it is all about. Even thinking about the possibilities of the effects mentioned in this book because of the misuse of this medical advancement is terrifying.
The romance part between Vikram and Veda was neat. The suspense element carried throughout the book kept me hooked until the end. I wish this book could have few more extended chapters and be told in a bit slower pace. Also, I felt that the title could've been better. Overall it's a good read.
I would like to thank Vandana Choudhary founder of VInfluencer for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Author: K. Vijaykarthikeyan
Publisher: Rupa publications
Heartquake follows the story of an IAS officer Vikram who has earned the enmity of a powerful politician Rudra Pratap Rana after a Q/A session in the IAS training academy where Vikram accused the minister of corruption. We all know what trying to expose a politician will result in. The same happened here too. A vengeful RPR got Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur. On the other hand, a mystery heart disease was spreading among the people of Laxmipur. With the help of his lady love Veda who was a cardiologist, Vikram tries to find out the reason behind those mysterious heart attacks. Against all the odds how Vikram save the people of Laxmipur is the story.
My take :
Frankly speaking, I didn't expect this book to be this good, but with a completely unique plotline, this book did surprise me to a different level. I liked the simple and to the point narrative style of the author. I see the incidents and the situations stated in this book as a reflection of what's happening in our society.
The author had very realistically presented what a powerful politician like RPR is capable of and to what extent they can go to secure their position and power. Vikram's character was set as a fine example of an honest IAS officer. I liked how he stood against all the odds and didn't back down on any situation, unlike his friend who was also an IAS officer.
The details and information the author had shared about telemedicine have given a clear idea of what it is all about. Even thinking about the possibilities of the effects mentioned in this book because of the misuse of this medical advancement is terrifying.
The romance part between Vikram and Veda was neat. The suspense element carried throughout the book kept me hooked until the end. I wish this book could have few more extended chapters and be told in a bit slower pace. Also, I felt that the title could've been better. Overall it's a good read.
I would like to thank Vandana Choudhary founder of VInfluencer for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2019
Vikram Kumar has just got his first posting as SDM in Laxmipur after completing his IAS training. But unlike other bureaucrats Vikram is well aware that trouble awaited him in the form of the State Home Minister Rudra Pratap Rana popularly known as RPR. Laxmipur is the hometown of RPR who is very powerful in the political circles and is equally popular for his corruption. A previous fallout between Vikram and RPR leads to RPR hell bent on avenging Vikram and hence gets him posted to his place to harass him with his power.
While Vikram was mentally prepared for this, as he reached Laxmipur bigger trouble starts as there are sudden heart attack induced deaths in Laxmipur. Chaos and fear starts spreading as there are hundreds of citizens suffering from the same symptoms with multiple causalities and deaths happening within few hours. Unlike a normal epidemic, these heart attacks literally cause Heartquake, alarming authorities and Vikram is forced to jump into action to find the cause and urgently stop them.
As much as the place is ruled by RPR with his power, Vikram luckily finds company of few honest people like Veda a doctor and Raghu a police officer, who extend their help to Vikram in cracking these mysterious deaths. How far will Vikram go to bring the situation under control, is RPR the main mind behind these deaths and what truths are waiting to be unveiled forms the rest of the story.
Within the first few pages, the author sets the tone for the book with a quick introduction of the main characters and their behavioral traits, so the reader is well prepared for the upcoming story. The narration moves at high speed and with the crisp editing and length, the story stays true to its theme without unnecessary deviations, which is the biggest advantage. Vikram stays grounded when needed and dons his hero cape as the situation demands. The author keeps his readers guessing about the suspense well till the end making the book a very interesting read.
If you are looking for a gripping thriller with political undertone in a realistic modern day setup, then this book is a must read, as it thoroughly entertains the reader. Highly recommended!
While Vikram was mentally prepared for this, as he reached Laxmipur bigger trouble starts as there are sudden heart attack induced deaths in Laxmipur. Chaos and fear starts spreading as there are hundreds of citizens suffering from the same symptoms with multiple causalities and deaths happening within few hours. Unlike a normal epidemic, these heart attacks literally cause Heartquake, alarming authorities and Vikram is forced to jump into action to find the cause and urgently stop them.
As much as the place is ruled by RPR with his power, Vikram luckily finds company of few honest people like Veda a doctor and Raghu a police officer, who extend their help to Vikram in cracking these mysterious deaths. How far will Vikram go to bring the situation under control, is RPR the main mind behind these deaths and what truths are waiting to be unveiled forms the rest of the story.
Within the first few pages, the author sets the tone for the book with a quick introduction of the main characters and their behavioral traits, so the reader is well prepared for the upcoming story. The narration moves at high speed and with the crisp editing and length, the story stays true to its theme without unnecessary deviations, which is the biggest advantage. Vikram stays grounded when needed and dons his hero cape as the situation demands. The author keeps his readers guessing about the suspense well till the end making the book a very interesting read.
If you are looking for a gripping thriller with political undertone in a realistic modern day setup, then this book is a must read, as it thoroughly entertains the reader. Highly recommended!
August 1, 2019
Many Thanks to Vandana at VInfluencers for giving me a chance to review this book.
K Vijayakarthikeyan is a medico turned bureaucrat author and it is easily evident in his writing. Heartquake is partly a medical thriller but like watching an Indian movie, there are subplots with a ruthless politician, romance and friendships. The Indian Administrative Service, shortly IAS is a job that most students aspire to. Very recently too there have been multitude of coaching centers helping students achieve this dream. But being an IAS officer in the Indian political system is not an easy task as evidenced by the numerous accounts reported in the media.
Vikram is an IAS trainee who inadvertently gets embroiled in a scandal when the video of a simple Q&A session with a minister of the state becomes viral and the resulting fiasco destroys his peace of mind. Vikram's family gets targeted and instead of being let go he is forced into servitude at Laxmipur, the minister's hometown unable to do anything for the people but follow the cunning and greedy politician's orders. The face-off between Vikram and RPR were cracking and left me wanting more.
Along with dealing with RPR, Vikram faces an immense problem of widespread heart attacks and who in the world can believe an epidemic that causes heart attacks. The mystery behind the illness causing the heart failure and the subsequent drama made for some nail biting reading. And of course Vikram is heartily supported by Veda who is a doctor and Raghu, a police officer.
The story feels like any commercial potboiler in an Indian movie without the larger than life hero characterization. But honestly the story is captivating and scary with the idea of inducing heart attacks in your enemies. The romance part of it could have been handled better, it was more like an afterthought 'oh the hero needs a heroine' and Veda's approach to things were a bit childish for a cardiologist.
K Vijayakarthikeyan is a medico turned bureaucrat author and it is easily evident in his writing. Heartquake is partly a medical thriller but like watching an Indian movie, there are subplots with a ruthless politician, romance and friendships. The Indian Administrative Service, shortly IAS is a job that most students aspire to. Very recently too there have been multitude of coaching centers helping students achieve this dream. But being an IAS officer in the Indian political system is not an easy task as evidenced by the numerous accounts reported in the media.
Vikram is an IAS trainee who inadvertently gets embroiled in a scandal when the video of a simple Q&A session with a minister of the state becomes viral and the resulting fiasco destroys his peace of mind. Vikram's family gets targeted and instead of being let go he is forced into servitude at Laxmipur, the minister's hometown unable to do anything for the people but follow the cunning and greedy politician's orders. The face-off between Vikram and RPR were cracking and left me wanting more.
Along with dealing with RPR, Vikram faces an immense problem of widespread heart attacks and who in the world can believe an epidemic that causes heart attacks. The mystery behind the illness causing the heart failure and the subsequent drama made for some nail biting reading. And of course Vikram is heartily supported by Veda who is a doctor and Raghu, a police officer.
The story feels like any commercial potboiler in an Indian movie without the larger than life hero characterization. But honestly the story is captivating and scary with the idea of inducing heart attacks in your enemies. The romance part of it could have been handled better, it was more like an afterthought 'oh the hero needs a heroine' and Veda's approach to things were a bit childish for a cardiologist.
September 8, 2019
Heartquake came as a surprise to me, mainly because of its fast pace and unsubtle ways of establishing a point. The book can be put in the genre of suspense thriller. Supervillain-check, Incorruptible Hero-check, side track romance-check; I think this book has greater potential to become a full blockbuster ‘masala’ movie.
Coming to the plot, the Author has blended reality very well with the fictional encounter. The Author is himself an IAS officer hence there is a greater depth in some of the sub plots which deal with administration and working. The whole story is tightly woven around politics, bureaucracy and medicine. If you ask me, the book functions on one motto, “Satyamev Jayate” (Truth alone triumphs) and hence becomes an integral part of the storyline.
Though the book has pretty cliched characters.
Supervillian RPR, a corrupt politician who is an egoist, full of vengeance and flamboyance.
Hero Vikram, an incorruptible IAS officer who is determined, fair and righteous.
Veda, a hardworking doctor by profession and love of the life of Vikram.
There are multiple other characters who are important to the story who fill the puzzling suspense very well.
I had a few issues with the book though; regarding banal characters, avoidable romantic angle and the final suspense. Still, the book kept me hooked, as I wanted to read more and know what happens in the last.
Overall, the book is fast paced and the story is short (I completed the book in one sitting of around 1.5 hours). It is a good light read for people who want to immediately get sucked into a story-line. The book is entertaining and keeps you hooked to the plot till end. I will recommend this book for beginners or those who like short books with maximum enjoyment.
Book Information:
Pages: 160
Language: English
Genre: Suspense Thriller (Fiction)
My Rating: 3.5/5
Coming to the plot, the Author has blended reality very well with the fictional encounter. The Author is himself an IAS officer hence there is a greater depth in some of the sub plots which deal with administration and working. The whole story is tightly woven around politics, bureaucracy and medicine. If you ask me, the book functions on one motto, “Satyamev Jayate” (Truth alone triumphs) and hence becomes an integral part of the storyline.
Though the book has pretty cliched characters.
Supervillian RPR, a corrupt politician who is an egoist, full of vengeance and flamboyance.
Hero Vikram, an incorruptible IAS officer who is determined, fair and righteous.
Veda, a hardworking doctor by profession and love of the life of Vikram.
There are multiple other characters who are important to the story who fill the puzzling suspense very well.
I had a few issues with the book though; regarding banal characters, avoidable romantic angle and the final suspense. Still, the book kept me hooked, as I wanted to read more and know what happens in the last.
Overall, the book is fast paced and the story is short (I completed the book in one sitting of around 1.5 hours). It is a good light read for people who want to immediately get sucked into a story-line. The book is entertaining and keeps you hooked to the plot till end. I will recommend this book for beginners or those who like short books with maximum enjoyment.
Book Information:
Pages: 160
Language: English
Genre: Suspense Thriller (Fiction)
My Rating: 3.5/5
July 10, 2019
About the book - Vikram about 27years old born and brought up in delhi took the IAS exam with the sole aim of getting into the system and changing it for better. He tries to expose a corrupt and powerful minister Rudra pratap singh. During the latter's visit to the IAS Academy vikram asks some embarrassing questions to the minister in front of a packed auditorium. The video of this event goes viral. To revenge him, rudra pratap singh unleashes violence on vikram's family and to continue the torture he gets vikram posted as sub divisional magistrate in laxmipur- the politician's backyard. However a new drama unfolds as a large number of people start dying of heart attacks in laxmipur. Vikram tries to find out the reason behind such mysterious deaths.
Will he be successful in saving laxmipur from heart quake? Will he succeed in exposing the corrupt minsiter?
My Experience - We all know how corrupt our system is. This book highlights the same situations as to how a corrupt and powerful minister can hide his wrong doings by threatening and torturing people or promising them money. To what extent they can go to win elections. They can even kill innocent people for their personal gains. The books also highlights that there r people like vikram who do not give into the pressure of these corrupt minsiters and are ready to fight by being in this system.
The story is fast paced and will keep you hooked all throughout.There are many characters in the book and each character is well developed. The language is easy to understand and the suspense is well maintained till the end. Its not just a novel but a reality a harsh reality. It's an excellent read.
Recommended for everyone.
Will he be successful in saving laxmipur from heart quake? Will he succeed in exposing the corrupt minsiter?
My Experience - We all know how corrupt our system is. This book highlights the same situations as to how a corrupt and powerful minister can hide his wrong doings by threatening and torturing people or promising them money. To what extent they can go to win elections. They can even kill innocent people for their personal gains. The books also highlights that there r people like vikram who do not give into the pressure of these corrupt minsiters and are ready to fight by being in this system.
The story is fast paced and will keep you hooked all throughout.There are many characters in the book and each character is well developed. The language is easy to understand and the suspense is well maintained till the end. Its not just a novel but a reality a harsh reality. It's an excellent read.
Recommended for everyone.
August 5, 2019
To become a successful politician, you need to be a good actor.
To become a successful actor, you need to be a good politician.
To become a successful bureaucrat though, you need to be both.
The author, being an IAS officer on his own, writes mediocre stories about IAS aspirants and officers and their life incidents. However, he concentrates on all aspects of their lives comprising of romantic relationships, family, friends, etc and not just their work and preparation life.
The story starts off with a short and indirectly motivational attempt of Vikram, the protagonist, to bring back Rakesh to the academy. The academy life is further described which includes few characters that are friends/batchmates of Vikram.
Fast-forward, in the future, everybody is posted at different districts in UP and pursue their career. But the life of a government official isn't that smooth, is it? Vikram faces lewd politician in his district which is immensely powerful and dominating. He creates problems for Vikram for standing against him and questioning his absurd use of power. But Vikram is determined to expose him, this is the story of him doing the same and encountering various political agendas.
The characters are in the book are not deeply described but briefed enough for their roles in the story. The pace is fast and the language is moderately difficult as it has many technical and biological terms (adhering to the theme of crime). All the aspects of Vikram's life have been kept in mind, but the main focus is on his job and his adventure of investigating the complete hoax.
It was a light and short read. It didn't have much of life-altering quotes, but definitely a quirky one.
To become a successful actor, you need to be a good politician.
To become a successful bureaucrat though, you need to be both.
The author, being an IAS officer on his own, writes mediocre stories about IAS aspirants and officers and their life incidents. However, he concentrates on all aspects of their lives comprising of romantic relationships, family, friends, etc and not just their work and preparation life.
The story starts off with a short and indirectly motivational attempt of Vikram, the protagonist, to bring back Rakesh to the academy. The academy life is further described which includes few characters that are friends/batchmates of Vikram.
Fast-forward, in the future, everybody is posted at different districts in UP and pursue their career. But the life of a government official isn't that smooth, is it? Vikram faces lewd politician in his district which is immensely powerful and dominating. He creates problems for Vikram for standing against him and questioning his absurd use of power. But Vikram is determined to expose him, this is the story of him doing the same and encountering various political agendas.
The characters are in the book are not deeply described but briefed enough for their roles in the story. The pace is fast and the language is moderately difficult as it has many technical and biological terms (adhering to the theme of crime). All the aspects of Vikram's life have been kept in mind, but the main focus is on his job and his adventure of investigating the complete hoax.
It was a light and short read. It didn't have much of life-altering quotes, but definitely a quirky one.
August 22, 2019
RATINGS - 3.5/5
This book titled 'heartquake' by K. Vijayakarthikeyan is a suspense novel. The protagonist in this novel is Vikram who is an IAS officer. The story starts when Vikram is pursuing his IAS training. As the story progresses, it become more and more compelling. In the starting, Vikram with his two friends does something really unbelievable, which was questioning a political leader about his misdeeds in the voice of a common man, Devoid of any media, the whole scene spreads all over the internet through Rakesh's (Vikram's friend) instagram live.
The life of Vikram had been really tough afterwards. The story fast forwards when Vikram had become an IAS officer and he was placed to the town of the same political leader whom he asked those questions.
This story is all about how Vikram deals with every situation that came in his journey as an IAS officer. The author had also bring the romance between Vikram and veda in the whole story, which I thought was evident as the whole story in incomplete without the interference of veda. The heart quake as the title is the resemblance of the heart decease that spreads in the town of laxmipur.
This novel definitely had a lot of cliches as the significance of bio hacking which is vital in this novel, the romance between Vikram and veda and many more things that you will find out in this book. I also feel that the characters were not described properly and so there was a lack of characterisation. Even, the ending was. a bit rushed. BUT still, This novel is an important read overall which shows the corrupt system of india and why we need more people like Vikram.
This book titled 'heartquake' by K. Vijayakarthikeyan is a suspense novel. The protagonist in this novel is Vikram who is an IAS officer. The story starts when Vikram is pursuing his IAS training. As the story progresses, it become more and more compelling. In the starting, Vikram with his two friends does something really unbelievable, which was questioning a political leader about his misdeeds in the voice of a common man, Devoid of any media, the whole scene spreads all over the internet through Rakesh's (Vikram's friend) instagram live.
The life of Vikram had been really tough afterwards. The story fast forwards when Vikram had become an IAS officer and he was placed to the town of the same political leader whom he asked those questions.
This story is all about how Vikram deals with every situation that came in his journey as an IAS officer. The author had also bring the romance between Vikram and veda in the whole story, which I thought was evident as the whole story in incomplete without the interference of veda. The heart quake as the title is the resemblance of the heart decease that spreads in the town of laxmipur.
This novel definitely had a lot of cliches as the significance of bio hacking which is vital in this novel, the romance between Vikram and veda and many more things that you will find out in this book. I also feel that the characters were not described properly and so there was a lack of characterisation. Even, the ending was. a bit rushed. BUT still, This novel is an important read overall which shows the corrupt system of india and why we need more people like Vikram.
August 10, 2019
Title - Heart Quake
Author - K.Vijayakarthikeyan
Publisher - rupa publication
Genre - political thriller/fiction
Pages - 151
Format - paperback
Plot - The story revolves around an honest IAS officer, Vikram who decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana aka RPR during the RPR's visit to the IAS academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral.
After this incidence Vikram's life is changed like a hell and many twists and turns occur in his life. Vikram with his friend Dr.Veda and inspector Raghu tries to solve all the mishappenings(mass deaths of people due to heart attacks) of that area.
Will Vikram be able to save Laxmipur from Heartquake? Grab the book to find out.
Review -
1) The cover of the book is eye catchy and the title of the book is apt to the content.
2) The plot of the book is interesting which seems to be realistic. It is a perfect blend of evil, goodness, corruption, bravery, honesty, dishonesty.
3) This medico political thriller with a tinge of romance and humour is narrated very well by the author.
4) The language used by the author is simple and lucid.
5) The characters are very well developed and described by the author that one can easily connect to them.
6) I wish the story could have been be more elaborated.
7) Twists and turns in the story keeps the readers hooked till the end.
8) Overall, a fast-paced thriller.
.
.
Rating - 4.2/5
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.
I recommend this book to all thriller lovers out there.
Author - K.Vijayakarthikeyan
Publisher - rupa publication
Genre - political thriller/fiction
Pages - 151
Format - paperback
Plot - The story revolves around an honest IAS officer, Vikram who decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana aka RPR during the RPR's visit to the IAS academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral.
After this incidence Vikram's life is changed like a hell and many twists and turns occur in his life. Vikram with his friend Dr.Veda and inspector Raghu tries to solve all the mishappenings(mass deaths of people due to heart attacks) of that area.
Will Vikram be able to save Laxmipur from Heartquake? Grab the book to find out.
Review -
1) The cover of the book is eye catchy and the title of the book is apt to the content.
2) The plot of the book is interesting which seems to be realistic. It is a perfect blend of evil, goodness, corruption, bravery, honesty, dishonesty.
3) This medico political thriller with a tinge of romance and humour is narrated very well by the author.
4) The language used by the author is simple and lucid.
5) The characters are very well developed and described by the author that one can easily connect to them.
6) I wish the story could have been be more elaborated.
7) Twists and turns in the story keeps the readers hooked till the end.
8) Overall, a fast-paced thriller.
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Rating - 4.2/5
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I recommend this book to all thriller lovers out there.
August 21, 2019
For the first time I have read a fiction written by an IAS officer and I am glad that I did. I couldn't stop myself for a moment and finished it in one sit.
This is a political thriller where a corrupt political leader made the life hell of an honest IAS officer who along with his two friends challenges the leader Rudra Pratap Rana aka RPR by questioning about his misuse of power. Although the academy wanted to dismiss them but the Bahubali RPR didn't let him dismiss. Instead he used his influence to post Vikram the honest and brilliant IAS officer in his constituency Lakhimpur so that he could humiliate him every day. Vikram encountered a series of incident caused by RPR as soon as he joined there. He knew that RPR is the culprit who pushed the people of Lakhimpur in danger but couldn't do anything. He felt humiliated and helpless but didn't lose his cool. And finally after the deep ground research with the help of a team of brave and honest person from police, doctors and government servant he took charge to control the situation pushing himself in danger.
The author had a medico background before he became an IAS officer and reflects in his writing. He used his medical and bureaucrat background very brilliantly in his writing. His experience and research on both the field reflects in the book. The entire journey of the book is thrilling which consists of mystery, drama and romance. The writing is very simple. The way it portray the things brings a ray of hope to the system that if someone want they can change the system amidst all the obstacles of life.
This is a political thriller where a corrupt political leader made the life hell of an honest IAS officer who along with his two friends challenges the leader Rudra Pratap Rana aka RPR by questioning about his misuse of power. Although the academy wanted to dismiss them but the Bahubali RPR didn't let him dismiss. Instead he used his influence to post Vikram the honest and brilliant IAS officer in his constituency Lakhimpur so that he could humiliate him every day. Vikram encountered a series of incident caused by RPR as soon as he joined there. He knew that RPR is the culprit who pushed the people of Lakhimpur in danger but couldn't do anything. He felt humiliated and helpless but didn't lose his cool. And finally after the deep ground research with the help of a team of brave and honest person from police, doctors and government servant he took charge to control the situation pushing himself in danger.
The author had a medico background before he became an IAS officer and reflects in his writing. He used his medical and bureaucrat background very brilliantly in his writing. His experience and research on both the field reflects in the book. The entire journey of the book is thrilling which consists of mystery, drama and romance. The writing is very simple. The way it portray the things brings a ray of hope to the system that if someone want they can change the system amidst all the obstacles of life.
July 12, 2019
"To become a successful politician, you need to be a good actor.
To become a successful actor, you need to be a good politician.
To become a successful bureaucrats, you need to be both."
No one can negate above as it immerges from a mind of IAS officer of Batch 2011, presently working as The Director, Tamilnadu Institute of Urban Affairs, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The book is straight from an insider and can be considered as 'whistle blower'. It exposes deep nexus of corrupt bureaucrats, politicians and business tycoons.
Bureaucrats, brains of India, if become corrupt then nothing can stop disintegration of a nation. However, miraculously, there will be always few handful honest officers, like main character Vikram, who dares to fight the monster, even if he has to sacrifice everything. The nation is still breathing may be due to those brave hearts of the soil.
Nothing to say about plot of the book as it is already addressed in the blurb. Flow is fantastic and makes the book lucid and irresistible. The author puts romance, thriller, science fiction, future weaponry, sorrow, heroism to produce a fantastic cuisine. However, the transition from chapter to chapter could be made smooth by avoiding sudden change of scenario, characters and situation. All ingredients are there to make it fit for Bollywood and Tollywood.
Though it is a book of fictional category, but the book which exposes reality, can it be called a work of fiction? Only readers can decide.
To become a successful actor, you need to be a good politician.
To become a successful bureaucrats, you need to be both."
No one can negate above as it immerges from a mind of IAS officer of Batch 2011, presently working as The Director, Tamilnadu Institute of Urban Affairs, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The book is straight from an insider and can be considered as 'whistle blower'. It exposes deep nexus of corrupt bureaucrats, politicians and business tycoons.
Bureaucrats, brains of India, if become corrupt then nothing can stop disintegration of a nation. However, miraculously, there will be always few handful honest officers, like main character Vikram, who dares to fight the monster, even if he has to sacrifice everything. The nation is still breathing may be due to those brave hearts of the soil.
Nothing to say about plot of the book as it is already addressed in the blurb. Flow is fantastic and makes the book lucid and irresistible. The author puts romance, thriller, science fiction, future weaponry, sorrow, heroism to produce a fantastic cuisine. However, the transition from chapter to chapter could be made smooth by avoiding sudden change of scenario, characters and situation. All ingredients are there to make it fit for Bollywood and Tollywood.
Though it is a book of fictional category, but the book which exposes reality, can it be called a work of fiction? Only readers can decide.
September 15, 2019
Heart Quake by K.Vijayakarthikeyan
I also read this one and i tell you somethings about it.
Simply, this is a tale of a twenty seven year old patriotic IAS officer named Vikram. Who is a very brave man. He decided to expose a very corrupt and a very powerful minister called Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR). Story begins with Rakesh who is a student of The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Acedemy of Administration (LBSNAA).
He, however, felt he had landed in a 'jail'.
His father's desire to see his son as an IAS officer.
Rakesh doesn't like to be a IAS, he wanted to be a stand up Comedian. So he decided to run away from the Acedemy. At a night he jumped the Gate of the acedemy and ran away. In his root he met with Vikram, he convince Rakesh to come back in acedemy.
I love Vikarm's character he is very genuine and street-smart and talked his way out of almost anything.
As the story unfold, Vikram meets the love of his life Veda, who was very nice, hardworking and jolly.This has a very dramatic ending. The story is well woven with the emotions like love, politics, corruption, power and mystry.
I recommend you to read this book. The language of this book is so simple to understand. If you just start reading books. So you make this one for your first choice.
I also read this one and i tell you somethings about it.
Simply, this is a tale of a twenty seven year old patriotic IAS officer named Vikram. Who is a very brave man. He decided to expose a very corrupt and a very powerful minister called Rudra Pratap Rana (RPR). Story begins with Rakesh who is a student of The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Acedemy of Administration (LBSNAA).
He, however, felt he had landed in a 'jail'.
His father's desire to see his son as an IAS officer.
Rakesh doesn't like to be a IAS, he wanted to be a stand up Comedian. So he decided to run away from the Acedemy. At a night he jumped the Gate of the acedemy and ran away. In his root he met with Vikram, he convince Rakesh to come back in acedemy.
I love Vikarm's character he is very genuine and street-smart and talked his way out of almost anything.
As the story unfold, Vikram meets the love of his life Veda, who was very nice, hardworking and jolly.This has a very dramatic ending. The story is well woven with the emotions like love, politics, corruption, power and mystry.
I recommend you to read this book. The language of this book is so simple to understand. If you just start reading books. So you make this one for your first choice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2019
Heart Quake has been one hell of a fast paced thriller and the medico-turned-bureaucrat is indeed reflected through his words.
The story revolves around corrupted politicians and medical emergencies and how eventually our protagonist faces the repercussions of his deeds and how he saves a city from the grave medical epidemic that has been rising lately.
Why he has to face the repercussions? What med emergency gets the attention of our IAS, Vikram? And how he tackles the problem? Grab your copy to unravel this fast paced thriller and all these intriguing questions.
Starting from the plot, bits of it felt like recurring and was not completely new for me. But the way his writing style made everything witty, humorous and trilling, has to get an applaud. Because that's what kept me engaged till the whole story unfolded.
Easily understandable composition and not much complicated characters makes it a simple yet effective read. The characters have been very wisely chosen and sketched.
The cover and the title indeed intrigues the reader into reading this thrill packed book!
Overall, a light one time read for regular readers!
The story revolves around corrupted politicians and medical emergencies and how eventually our protagonist faces the repercussions of his deeds and how he saves a city from the grave medical epidemic that has been rising lately.
Why he has to face the repercussions? What med emergency gets the attention of our IAS, Vikram? And how he tackles the problem? Grab your copy to unravel this fast paced thriller and all these intriguing questions.
Starting from the plot, bits of it felt like recurring and was not completely new for me. But the way his writing style made everything witty, humorous and trilling, has to get an applaud. Because that's what kept me engaged till the whole story unfolded.
Easily understandable composition and not much complicated characters makes it a simple yet effective read. The characters have been very wisely chosen and sketched.
The cover and the title indeed intrigues the reader into reading this thrill packed book!
Overall, a light one time read for regular readers!
September 8, 2019
Once upon a time, there was a city plagued by greed, corruption and mysterious deaths… A patriotic IAS officer, Vikram, decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana (aka RPR), during the latter’s visit to the IAS training academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some highly embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral. Instead of having Vikram suspended from service, a vengeful RPR unleashes violence on the officer’s family, and to continue the torture, RPR gets Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur—the politician’s backyard.
The novel is gripping, evocative and it has all the elements that a thriller read should have, the language used by the author is simple and legible. For starter, I thought the book was going to be kind of stretched but somewhere along the middle I found the plot intriguing enough to finish it in 1 sitting.
Will Vikram manage to find the reason behind the unusual death that is happening in Laxmipur? Is RPR behind this death fiasco? Why are people dying of Heartquake? Grab a copy today to find the answer.
In the meantime you can read my take on the book here: https://bit.ly/2kb2Czm
The novel is gripping, evocative and it has all the elements that a thriller read should have, the language used by the author is simple and legible. For starter, I thought the book was going to be kind of stretched but somewhere along the middle I found the plot intriguing enough to finish it in 1 sitting.
Will Vikram manage to find the reason behind the unusual death that is happening in Laxmipur? Is RPR behind this death fiasco? Why are people dying of Heartquake? Grab a copy today to find the answer.
In the meantime you can read my take on the book here: https://bit.ly/2kb2Czm
July 9, 2019
The Title Heartquake made me think that this was another romantic novel but actually it is a Robin Cook like medical mystery thriller by the doctor turned bureaucrat turned bestselling author K Vijayakarthikeyan.
A young and upcoming IAS officer Vijay creates ripples in all circles when he has a public showdown with the corrupt but powerful minister Rudra Pratap Singh.
Instead of immediately getting him suspended , RPR , the minister gets him transferred to his constituency Laxmipur to mentally torture Vijay and create situations that will prove the honest IAS to be corrupt and inefficient before finally sacking him.
Soon Laxmipur is gripped by a mysterious heart illness where people are bleeding and falling dead all around ...
This book was so gripping that it kept me up in bed till the end.
The Author’s own experiences as a doctor and civil servant add a rich colour and humour to the narrative that makes for an engaging read.
All in All , I would recommend this book .
A young and upcoming IAS officer Vijay creates ripples in all circles when he has a public showdown with the corrupt but powerful minister Rudra Pratap Singh.
Instead of immediately getting him suspended , RPR , the minister gets him transferred to his constituency Laxmipur to mentally torture Vijay and create situations that will prove the honest IAS to be corrupt and inefficient before finally sacking him.
Soon Laxmipur is gripped by a mysterious heart illness where people are bleeding and falling dead all around ...
This book was so gripping that it kept me up in bed till the end.
The Author’s own experiences as a doctor and civil servant add a rich colour and humour to the narrative that makes for an engaging read.
All in All , I would recommend this book .
August 25, 2019
Heartquake by K.Vijayakarthikeyan is an extremely fast paced book that has all the elements of suspense,thriller, a tinge of romance and a bit of comedy.
The story follows the life of Vikram,an inspiring IAS officer who falls into the trap of a corrupted politician.As he tries to fight him, he realizes not many are to be trusted and being a bureaucrat just makes his revenge even tougher to attain. The situation worsens when a deadly disease outbreaks in his city and it is the sole responsibility of Vikram to save the lives of those who are at stake.
I absolutely loved the twists and turns of the story and how the author managed to keep me intrigued till the very end. The story had a realistic side to it and that is what made it more interesting.
HEARTQUAKE is a classic story of the triumph of good vs evil. A short read that has the ability to get you out of a slump and will definitely leave you stunned with the ending.The title felt justified and I loved the climax.
The story follows the life of Vikram,an inspiring IAS officer who falls into the trap of a corrupted politician.As he tries to fight him, he realizes not many are to be trusted and being a bureaucrat just makes his revenge even tougher to attain. The situation worsens when a deadly disease outbreaks in his city and it is the sole responsibility of Vikram to save the lives of those who are at stake.
I absolutely loved the twists and turns of the story and how the author managed to keep me intrigued till the very end. The story had a realistic side to it and that is what made it more interesting.
HEARTQUAKE is a classic story of the triumph of good vs evil. A short read that has the ability to get you out of a slump and will definitely leave you stunned with the ending.The title felt justified and I loved the climax.
July 23, 2019
This book is about Vikram who is a newly recruited IAS officer in the district of Laxmipur. However things are not easy as Vikram had an ugly face off with the minister during his training days.
As if his previous tete a tete with the corrupt minister was not enough, the district starts witnessing heart attacks one by one. Now heart attack can not be an epidemic but it seems to affect the people of that region only, with similar symptoms.
Meanwhile Vikram falls in love with the doctor of the district hospital who happens to be the cardiologist too. Together, they try to unravel the mystery behind the scary heart attacks. Who could be next?
The story is a faced paced thriller with layers unfolding page by page. Turns out it's a big racket involving corruption, personal gains, vengeance, etc etc. However the most interesting twist comes in the form of science fiction dosage.
As if his previous tete a tete with the corrupt minister was not enough, the district starts witnessing heart attacks one by one. Now heart attack can not be an epidemic but it seems to affect the people of that region only, with similar symptoms.
Meanwhile Vikram falls in love with the doctor of the district hospital who happens to be the cardiologist too. Together, they try to unravel the mystery behind the scary heart attacks. Who could be next?
The story is a faced paced thriller with layers unfolding page by page. Turns out it's a big racket involving corruption, personal gains, vengeance, etc etc. However the most interesting twist comes in the form of science fiction dosage.
August 4, 2019
This is a beautiful book that I read through in one setting.
Book name: Heart Quake
Author : K. Vijayakarthikeyan
Genre: Thriller
#thriller #heartquake #kvijayakarthikeyan
It took me three gripping hours to read through this. Its an interesting book, certainly a different genre from the normal mushy mushy love stories.
The story revolves around IAS officers, politics and the web of games people play to stay in power.
Personally I loved the book. I d give it 4.5/5 review.
Book is crisp, plot is well tuned. The flow goes well and never a moment of drag or lullness... But there are plots in the book that i would still want to be made better.
1. Depth in the character building.
2. Use of characters
3. Use of non linear and linear story telling mixed in between the story. Although at places it does come but it still flows as one.
4. Use of suspense could have been intensified.
Book name: Heart Quake
Author : K. Vijayakarthikeyan
Genre: Thriller
#thriller #heartquake #kvijayakarthikeyan
It took me three gripping hours to read through this. Its an interesting book, certainly a different genre from the normal mushy mushy love stories.
The story revolves around IAS officers, politics and the web of games people play to stay in power.
Personally I loved the book. I d give it 4.5/5 review.
Book is crisp, plot is well tuned. The flow goes well and never a moment of drag or lullness... But there are plots in the book that i would still want to be made better.
1. Depth in the character building.
2. Use of characters
3. Use of non linear and linear story telling mixed in between the story. Although at places it does come but it still flows as one.
4. Use of suspense could have been intensified.
August 28, 2019
“Heart quake" Simple, thrilling and different!
I was so excited to go through this book that I completed it within a day.
It’s a short story about an IAS officer, whose main purpose was to change the system by following the rules. The plot is catchy, narration is fantastic. There are many eye opening accounts of what law enforcement officers go through while serving the public. The main character go through the worst in life and comes back with a bang.
If you like short, precise story thn it’s for you. Highly recommended.
I was so excited to go through this book that I completed it within a day.
It’s a short story about an IAS officer, whose main purpose was to change the system by following the rules. The plot is catchy, narration is fantastic. There are many eye opening accounts of what law enforcement officers go through while serving the public. The main character go through the worst in life and comes back with a bang.
If you like short, precise story thn it’s for you. Highly recommended.
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