Skyfire by Aroon Raman

"Skyfire" by Aroon Raman. This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2016 and has 245 pages.

Himalayan region on Indi-Pak border has experienced sudden electrical storms. Such events then appear all over India followed by acid rain and pandemics. Orphan Children and homeless adults, from Delhi slums, are disappearing mysteriously. 

Hasan Ali and intelligence community is investigating first and Chandra-Meenu the second. Why is it happening? Who is behind it? Are these two unrelated events?

Chandrasekhar (Chandra)-the reporter, Meenakshi Peerzada (Meenu)-the history proffessor and Hasan Ali-the sleuth, team up again (They were first introduced in Aroon's first book 'The shadow throne').

Weather modification as WMD is not a new concept in literary world but I think it's used for the first time in contemporary Indian literature. The book starts as a very promising story but slowly peters out. 

The plot weakens with an amateurish plan hatched by proffessionals to attack power company. In a nutshell it is 'We will go there and play by the ear'. It's a hairbrained scheme. Why would anyone involve a business magnet in it and why would he accede?

Chandra's obsession for Vaish, just because she looks like his deceased wife, also sounds unreal. That too when he is already in relationship with someone else. 

Who is behind the conspiracy? The characters can't guess it, but even casual readers can easily deduce. 

This is Aroon's third book. The book cover proclaims that Hindustan times has called him 'India's answer to Robert Ludlum'. Author fails to justify his reputation in this book.

Why did I read this book? Previous 2 books were good. 

What I didn't like? Naive plot. 

What did I like? Weather modification concept.

Give it a miss.