A lot of first-time English language novels written by Indian authors tend to be serious, semi-autobiographical outpourings of some existential angst; very literary but usually heavy going. It is refreshing therefore to encounter a jolly good adventure story written in the old style; unpretentious, lively and designed to engross the reader

for several undistracted hours.
The action-adventure novel, often scoffed at in literary circles, is actually a genre that targets a very significant section of the book market. This genre, in many parts of the world, competes with television and highbrow fiction.
Sadly, even though it makes reading so much fun, in India its practitioners are few and far between.
The good news is that we might just have stumbled upon an Indian author of the required talent: Maj. Gen. G.D. Bakshi, the author of The Siege of Warwan. The retired general with his flamboyant handlebar moustache and a fine military record does not at first glance strike one as being entirely suited to author a fast-paced, highly readable book. One would have assumed that a gentleman such as him could only produce fiction as starchy as the uniform he once donned.
Surprisingly though, his book is anything but stodgy. The novel is about a young Army Major, Dushyant “Dusty” Bharadwaj, and his adventures in the lonely Kashmiri outpost of Warwan. Dusty is no two-dimensional, cardboard character; he has a somewhat Harry Potter-ish past, orphaned and raised by uncaring relatives; he longs for a woman in his life; broods a lot and maintains a diary. He is also a very accomplished soldier, brave of course but with fears and doubts. The novel’s storyline revolves around Dusty’s struggle against a group of terrorists who have been menacing the glaciated valley and its villages for years.
The general’s characters are not black and white; not all Army officers are gentlemen and not all terrorists are evil fanatics of low intelligence. His ladies are charged with strong passions, great foibles and secret longings. The military hierarchy too is not without its faults and incorrect strategies.
Our hero, Dusty, is sent to command the Warwan post, which is so remote that it can only be maintained by helicopters bringing in men, food and supplies. The post had been attacked prior to his posting and his predecessor wounded. Terrorists are gathering in the mountains in preparation for a major strike.
Briefed by the new sector commander to focus on winning hearts and minds instead of notching up meaningless kills, Dusty tries patiently to win the confidence of the local Kashmiri villagers. Despite querulous seniors who constantly demand results, Dusty waits till he gets his first break. At this point, his story collides with that of a ravishingly beautiful Kashmiri doctor whose stormy past is destined to play a critical role in the events that are to follow.
The book’s pace rarely falters even though at times it reads like a Seventies’ Commando comic. The author’s military background obviously has helped in making the action and the Army characters sound authentic. His Kashmiri actors with their very different views on the conflict also have a genuine ring to them. His description of the locale with its high peaks, forests and streams is equally evocative. The author’s choice of melancholy quotes from the works of well-known Kashmiri poets adds to the atmosphere of woe, unrequited love and longing.
This book is not meant for readers looking for great literary accomplishment; it is an unpretentious novel that is guaranteed to keep the reader engaged on a slow weekend or journey.
It would also make great reading for youngsters who know little of Kashmir or the Army. This is just the kind of novel that could push many into the reading habit. Youngsters would realise that following the narrative of Dusty and the other characters in the book can be as enthralling as watching an action-packed TV
serial.
The plot is well structured and the different strands of the story come together neatly and appropriately. While the action unfolds and ultimately finds resolution along somewhat expected lines, a part of the hero’s life remains unresolved; his future remains open and unwritten. I suspect we haven’t heard the last of “Dusty”. The literary general might well spin Dusty through several more adventures to come.

Indranil Banerjie is a fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation