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Lashkar: Into the Heart of Terror
BOOKS
- GenresThriller
372 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Mukul Deva
29 books50 followersMajor Mukul Deva (Retd.) (born 29 January) is an Indian polymath. He is a motivational keynote speaker, executive coach, business mentor and bestselling author based in Singapore. He writes spy-military thrillers on terrorism, action, crime, and business and self-help books.
An alumnus of La Martiniere College, Lucknow, the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradoon, Mukul, an ex-Indian Army officer, is the founder-director of a professional security company, MSD Security Pvt Ltd, India, and a learning & organisational development company, Influence Solutions Pte Ltd, Singapore.
An alumnus of La Martiniere College, Lucknow, the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradoon, Mukul, an ex-Indian Army officer, is the founder-director of a professional security company, MSD Security Pvt Ltd, India, and a learning & organisational development company, Influence Solutions Pte Ltd, Singapore.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 28, 2015
A friend of mine had remarked that Mukul Deva's books are interesting and exciting ones. Specifically, he asked me to rad Time after Time. I could not procure that immediately, but managed to get my hands on Lashkar. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Lashkar is a wonderful action thriller dealing with a topic that is well-known to every single Indian who have watched hopelessly as terror outfits from across the border have wreaked havoc in India. The entire world knows that all terror outfits receive excellent patronage in Pakistan. High profile terrorists and gangsters are known to live in Pakistan and lead a king's life thumbing their noses at India. The typical Indian response has been one of outrage, anger, and frustration, buMt pretty much no action to back the feelings. Not in this story.
A team of ISI supported extremists slip into India around the time of Deepavali and near meticulously unleash a carnage in several places in Delhi. The Indian government, for a change, decides to swiftly respond in an Israeli style to take out some of the terrorists by striking deep inside Pakistan itself.
Meanwhile, Iqbal, a typical confused youth from Lucknow gets radicalized thanks to a fiery-speaking cleric in a Delhi mosque. He is lured into Pakistan for training, gets back into India and discovers that his mother and sister are killed in the Delhi blasts. As guilt and helplessness overwhelms Iqbal, he returns to Pakistan/POK to avenge his personal loss.
Mukul Deva weaves the story in an engaging manner, keeping the pace hot. The characters are immensely believable ones, indeed resembling actual persons very closely. The writing style is simple and straight-forward. There are some curious expressions used in some of the conversations.
For instance, I found it amusing when a Delhi cop says "Shot on a Stick" when a terrorist runs straight towards him with a gun in his hand after a botched-up bus bombing attempt. Seriously, "Shit on a Stick" from a Haryanvi cop? I wonder what that would have translated into in Hindi! Oh, some of my friends actually did offer a few hilarious translations.
Overall, it was a good story, well told. After all, we are probably unlikely to see an Indian response to acts of terrorism as it was narrated here in this book. We call all dream, can't we?!
Now I must find the other books of Mukul Deva!
Lashkar is a wonderful action thriller dealing with a topic that is well-known to every single Indian who have watched hopelessly as terror outfits from across the border have wreaked havoc in India. The entire world knows that all terror outfits receive excellent patronage in Pakistan. High profile terrorists and gangsters are known to live in Pakistan and lead a king's life thumbing their noses at India. The typical Indian response has been one of outrage, anger, and frustration, buMt pretty much no action to back the feelings. Not in this story.
A team of ISI supported extremists slip into India around the time of Deepavali and near meticulously unleash a carnage in several places in Delhi. The Indian government, for a change, decides to swiftly respond in an Israeli style to take out some of the terrorists by striking deep inside Pakistan itself.
Meanwhile, Iqbal, a typical confused youth from Lucknow gets radicalized thanks to a fiery-speaking cleric in a Delhi mosque. He is lured into Pakistan for training, gets back into India and discovers that his mother and sister are killed in the Delhi blasts. As guilt and helplessness overwhelms Iqbal, he returns to Pakistan/POK to avenge his personal loss.
Mukul Deva weaves the story in an engaging manner, keeping the pace hot. The characters are immensely believable ones, indeed resembling actual persons very closely. The writing style is simple and straight-forward. There are some curious expressions used in some of the conversations.
For instance, I found it amusing when a Delhi cop says "Shot on a Stick" when a terrorist runs straight towards him with a gun in his hand after a botched-up bus bombing attempt. Seriously, "Shit on a Stick" from a Haryanvi cop? I wonder what that would have translated into in Hindi! Oh, some of my friends actually did offer a few hilarious translations.
Overall, it was a good story, well told. After all, we are probably unlikely to see an Indian response to acts of terrorism as it was narrated here in this book. We call all dream, can't we?!
Now I must find the other books of Mukul Deva!
January 3, 2015
The story covers a vast scope - starting from the terror plot planning at the highest levels of the Pakistani Government, moving onto the political moves by the Indian Government by the Indian Prime Minister and senior Armed Forces officers, and finally into the execution phase. To keep the book fast-paced, characterisation has been kept to a bare minimum. Surprisingly, this does not impede upon your enjoyment of the book. In fact, quite the reverse - as the story becomes nice and lean and concentrates on the action sequences and the content of the dialogues and intrigues portrayed
Perhaps the biggest fun aspect in the book is the portrayal of the Indian side as aggressive and fast-paced, firm and action oriented. This is in marked contrast to the measured, mature and responsible, at times seemingly meek and muted response that is met with derision by most educated Indians in reality. The Indian Government in this book comes across as aggressive, innovative, bold and ultra-quick in decision making. It makes for a fun read, as you really enjoy the clinical dissection of the USA and Pakistan, as well as the bold decisions of the Indian Government. A must read for this alone. A word of advice- if you are a US citizen - dont read either this book or Salim Must Die. You wont enjoy it!
Lashkar is a strange book - one that challenges conventional wisdom in fiction writing, and goes into uncharted territory. It uses actual existing political realities, and builds up on them. It does not needlessly vilify any nation - and sticks not to jingoism but to cold hard facts. And if those facts paint any nation black, so be it. It comes across as very objective,as opposed to the jingoistic portrayals of Iraq, Russia etc in most other western spy thrillers.
And, most critically, it carries a lesson as well: in the story of Iqbal - an engineer from India who goes astray, and wakens up to the reality very late.. too late almost. In his story is hidden the fundamental problem and inadmissibility of terrorism, and the dishonourable nature of terrorism - as well as the fact that they are mere tools in a much larger geo-political landscape. Overall this is a book I rate at 5 stars out of 5. No contest!
Perhaps the biggest fun aspect in the book is the portrayal of the Indian side as aggressive and fast-paced, firm and action oriented. This is in marked contrast to the measured, mature and responsible, at times seemingly meek and muted response that is met with derision by most educated Indians in reality. The Indian Government in this book comes across as aggressive, innovative, bold and ultra-quick in decision making. It makes for a fun read, as you really enjoy the clinical dissection of the USA and Pakistan, as well as the bold decisions of the Indian Government. A must read for this alone. A word of advice- if you are a US citizen - dont read either this book or Salim Must Die. You wont enjoy it!
Lashkar is a strange book - one that challenges conventional wisdom in fiction writing, and goes into uncharted territory. It uses actual existing political realities, and builds up on them. It does not needlessly vilify any nation - and sticks not to jingoism but to cold hard facts. And if those facts paint any nation black, so be it. It comes across as very objective,as opposed to the jingoistic portrayals of Iraq, Russia etc in most other western spy thrillers.
And, most critically, it carries a lesson as well: in the story of Iqbal - an engineer from India who goes astray, and wakens up to the reality very late.. too late almost. In his story is hidden the fundamental problem and inadmissibility of terrorism, and the dishonourable nature of terrorism - as well as the fact that they are mere tools in a much larger geo-political landscape. Overall this is a book I rate at 5 stars out of 5. No contest!
April 11, 2015
This is the first book by Mukul Deva I've read and I would love to read more. The story is fast paced and holds the reader's interest throughout. The narration is smooth, without much superfluous prose.
On the negative, the first half feels a little drawn out, and, the irregular timeline is annoying at times.
In short,Lashkar is a nice, fast thriller that is quite enjoyable.
On the negative, the first half feels a little drawn out, and, the irregular timeline is annoying at times.
In short,Lashkar is a nice, fast thriller that is quite enjoyable.
September 11, 2012
Super detailed, written by an ex-army guy who has obviously been in the thick of the action. The coincidental part is that this book was written way before the actual assault on Obama in Pakistan. If you are an Indian you will wish this wasn't fiction
March 13, 2013
The writing is crisp and the book is fast-paced. However, I found that the plot takes predictable turns and does not keep the reader at the edge. There are also some places where the editing could have improved the language, which has some structural issues. Overall, a good read.
February 26, 2008
Different Genre, first book from an Indian point of view. Is a work of fiction alas! Cannot imagine Indian leadership doing anything along the lines of the book!!
Good effort nonetheless
Good effort nonetheless
February 11, 2024
A thriller about Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India and the strong reply by the Indian force 22. As the author has served in the army for 15 years he gives a realistic account of the weapons and the armed forces with the latest technology.
The geographical area description of the borders and the terrorist camps is informative.
The geographical area description of the borders and the terrorist camps is informative.
December 30, 2023
Loved it… scarily realistic
August 29, 2012
Unlike the other books that you have in this genre, Lashkar definitely stands out, Mukul Deva has given a gem of a novel. The premise is simple, understandable and also gives you a thorough insight of the war that is waging within the country. The protagonist Iqbal and his journey from India to a lashkar training camp in Pakistan and the terror strike which is carried out in India ( which causes the death of his mother and sister ) is equally heart moving. In my view , this is not just a story written by an individual who has just been sitting behind a desk and coughing up literature, but by a man who has been on the LOC and seen the action happen. Mukul Deva , hails from the army, with 15 years of active service, makes us experience the war, that takes place everyday between India and Pakistan.
If you want to know the truth about terrorism .. Lashkar is a must read for you
If you want to know the truth about terrorism .. Lashkar is a must read for you
April 8, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book. For a change, India was not portrayed as a soft State that only tolerates external pressures and then adjusts to it rather that retaliating. In this book, we do tolerate but we do not adjust. We fight back. We do the unthinkable and execute the outlandish. Force-22, Jai Ho!
July 1, 2008
A fast paced thriller with loads of patriotism thrown in.. writer doesnt disrupt the pace with fancy words..
August 16, 2011
Its good in its own place. The book tires to present a balanced picture of the conflict without losing out on its fiction value. Does not hesitate from making a strong point or two at times.
July 26, 2012
The best Indian Military novel ever written. Cheers Mukul Sir. :)
March 23, 2013
Quick and easy read. Good on ops and strategies between the borders.
April 8, 2013
Simply awesome! This book has set a new benchmark for Indian writers writing in English in the Thriller genre.
January 18, 2014
awesome the tension throughout the book was palpable .loved the counter attack
September 6, 2014
Like a Hollywood movie
September 15, 2016
Not perfect but a very good effort considering its by an Indian author, I am sure it's going to get better and better with successive books.
March 30, 2013
As of now till how much I read can tell that its a decent book....
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews