For the first time in human history, a nation is playing host to an alien delegation. And it is Modi-led India that has this high honour. Prime Minister Modi rolls out the red carpet for the aliens. He receives them at the airport, shows them the sights in Delhi and convinces them to invest in the Make in India campaign. The leader of the alien delegation even holds a broom to promote Swachh Bharat. But what is the real reason the aliens have come to India? Are they friends? Or will they turn foes? Read this hilarious, rib-tickling novel from the author of Unreal Elections to find out.
Karthik Laxman has a degree in software engineering from BITS-Pilani and an MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad. In his career he has taken more U-turns than Mulayam Singh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal put together, transitioning from a programmer to management consultant to development specialist to entrepreneur to sundry other roles, before finding his calling as a househusband. He also writes for and manages 'The Unreal Times'.
Unreal Aliens is a hilarious attempt to capture the ongoing political and media (mis)happening in India by Karthik Laxman. It is not a mindless comedy. The author has picked up many real world incidents and occurrences in the political arena of the country backed by a solid story line.
Like the situation, characters are also real time personalities in their true traits and fit them effortlessly in the story line. Nothing seems to be forced upon or out of logic. One will find many politicians, media people, bollywood celebrities, cricketers, terrorist finding their way into the novel. Together they add a lot of flavour and laughing moment in the novel.
There were some great punches in the story. I especially liked the one on Pakistan, imparting training to young people to become professional terrorist and another on Sonia's decision to choose Manmohan Singh, which comes at the end of the novel. Don't want to reveal it. Find out on your own and enjoy it.
Why I enjoyed reading Unreal Aliens along with many other readers? It is so because the author has written this book as a common man. He wrote what we all feel about our politicians and media people. We all want Dawood Ibrahim dead or caught and punished. Well the author does that in his fictitious world.
I have been an avid reader of The Unreal Times since around an year now and after I saw the trailer for the book, I had pre-ordered it within a few minutes, hoping the book would be as funny as the articles on the site. And the book didn't disappoint.
The book is a hilarious take on what would happen if aliens landed in India. The story revolves around an alien congregation which arrives in India in search of their prince and how various twists and turns (akin to the current political scenario) lead to an unexpected turn of events. The book is entertaining right from the first page and I felt it was quite difficult to put it down until I had finished it! Albeit the entire book is funny, some parts, especially the narration of the cricket match thrilled me to bits. Also, the twist in the story-line at the end of the book was unimaginable!
The book will definitely appeal to you if you follow The Unreal Times, have a vague interest in politics, or even otherwise, as it brings out the best of the stereotype of various places within India as well as among the 'friendliest neighbors'. Be prepared for a hard-to-put-down hilarious ride teeming with real life characters, which makes the story even more relatable.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone out there. In fact, I am planning on reading it all over again after a few days!
who thought aliens could demand their prince from India, of all countries incl US? all the way I was under impression of certain "Pu-Pap" would be the prince but certainly twist in the end threw my assumption off the earth into Mor! It took certain time and pages to build the plot, atleast it was what I felt. But what a ride once the story picks up the race. Even in my "multi level dreams" I would never thought I would be reading all the cliches on which UnRealTimes has built its fan support on steadily over the past years and still making me laugh. My most memorable scene was where Mr Goswami was confronted by Mrs Goswami in front of his son. I kept on "playing" the whole scene in my mind which was funny as hell! I guess it is certainly a must have book in any one's library who enjoys "politico sci-fi fantasy action humor satire" (which is how I classify this aliens' mis-adventure work) genre books. Kudos to Karthik Laxman and really looking forward to the next adventures :) P.S. Morons? Really??!! ROFL!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I had immensely enjoyed the author's previous work "Unreal Elections". It was a rib-tickling book which was really really funny. It is one of the few books which I turn to when I am feeling low. So naturally, I had a lot of expectations on this book and pre-ordered it the moment I spotted it on Amazon. I completed this book within a couple of days (I planned to finish this book in a couple of hours like the previous book). The premise of Aliens coming to India in search of their lost prince was alright. The story was slow to start with a few laughs here and there but picks up pace in the second half of the book which I was able to finish swiftly. A few lines and paragraphs are downright funny and I laughed real hard at them like the one where Gadkari escapes from the aliens but would be caught by them at a Pani Puri shop and the part with The Ashutosh. This book is a disappointment if you compare with the author's previous work. Will recommend for a light weekend read. Theek Hai!
Undoubtedly, one of the best contemporary political satire! No one gets spared - Congressis, Modi supporters, AAPtards, Lutyens' media, bhakts - in this absolute laugh-riot page turner. Not just politicians and media - the part on how Indians across states beat the shit out of Aliens was side-splitting enough! The best part were the couple of chapters based on Inception that contrived to a flawless ending - where everyone gets thoroughly grilled yet gets their own happy ending. Pick it up!
A tad cliched; for if you are a regular URT reader, you can predict what comes next. Nevertheless, a good dose of humor that ends in Rahul Gandhi achieving his dream: becoming the prince of the planet of Mor (whose subjects, are called Morons). Best time to read this would be at a cafe, waiting for your date to turn up, so that even if you are stood up, you will be all cracked up (Terrible PJ, but can't help).
A fun comic-book style read. Sometimes the only respite in this mad world of ours is to escape to a madder world. This book by Karthik Laxman of UnrealTimes is a satire on virtually every1 and everything on India of 2016. The tone and sheer madness reminded me of 'Jaane Bhi do Yaaro'. Loved "Unreal Elections" more but both r worth a read.
Just what the doctor ordered. laughed like a madman for the entire length of this book. Though missed Ashu, it would have been grate(intended) if he had shown up. The Modi sud answer why dint the Ashu get more leg room.
Unreal Aliens is a book that I had to read mainly because of the earlier classic Unreal Elections. This book was fun and a breezy read. The story is based on the main plot from the movie Inception with few glimpses of Independence Day and Man of Steel, all played together in the Indian political scene. There's a bit of Indian cricket and Pakistan too. Interestingly, the satire never touches Bollywood in this book. May be, Karthik fears the underworld and the Khan-daan :D I was hoping for some gay jokes on Karan Johar :)
Hopefully, we get one more book in this Unreal series. I can recommend this book to most Indians. Leftists better not touch this book. Must-read for Bhakts though :D
A perfect slapstick comedy with tons of indian political references. If you’re keeping up with the indian politics and can enjoy humor, this book would be fun.
This book was picked up as I had already read the last book by the same author in the Unreal series. The book opens up with the alien commander qaal za visiting India to get back the lost Prince of his planet who was abducted by some random attackers and since then the search for the prince has been frantic throughout the universe. When he reaches India, he is well recieved by Modiji and then starts a hell of a story which does not let you put down the book. Surprisingly, yet knowingly the book was hillariously entertaining even more than the last book. Creatively written, it tickles that funny bone in you that you keep on reading it till the end without a pause. The plot is gripping and the characters well defined and researched.
Fairly hilarious (does an adjective like that exist), but not a laugh riot like Laxman's earlier book 'Unreal Election'. This book also has a master twist at the end, just like its predecessor.
Unreal Aliens marvels at the task of picking up everyday political matters - mundane ones - and juxtaposing them in a context, which the readers are very well aware of. However the very act of documenting those absurd moments in an irreverent manner is not an easy undertaking. Laxman excels in that.
There are a lot of quote-worthy lines, but I cannot forget this one:
Satire at its best! A really good read, with trade3 URT wit and humor spilled all over. Kartik has simply maintained the flow right from the beginning till the end, including the acknowledgement. Completely worth its price!!
This is a brilliant satire on everything Indian that includes politics, cricket, media, journalists, etc. If you follow Indian political scenario and media regularly, the fine references between the lines will crack you up!