Book: The Krishna Key - a secret well kept

And it is to learn this secret, that you begin your quest with Ashwin Sanghi.
Picture courtesy: Wikipedia

I was instantly kicked, couldn't wait to begin. I thought it was going to be a Johnny Quest-esq adventure where there's murder, mystery, crooks, killers and a climax that brings it all together.

The book starts out well. With a narrative in the voice of Lord Krishna and a story that begins with a gruesome murder, you think this plot is headed somewhere. Enter Taarak Vakil, the ultimate evil being, but that's until the author introduces Mataji - what a mastermind! 

So now, we're deep into the historic Krishna era, and Kalyug is at it's worst with over three murders already been committed and the cops chasing the wrong target. And you're thinking, so is he (the killer) really the Kalki (tenth) avatar of Vishnu? 

Protagonist Ravi Mohan Saini, a smart, knowledgeable history professor enlightens the reader many a time during the course of the novel. At some point it seems like he may be the Kalki avatar, but then again, his monologues and explanations begin to seem like a lot of gyaan after a while. 

I must acknowledge the research that has gone into creating this piece of fiction. There are some rather amazing facts in there - the research on the the life of Krishna, whether he was a myth or not and the significance of the number 108 in the Hindu scriptures - very well woven through the novel. 

As Ravi Saini and his entourage dash across the country, following clues and cryptic signs, you wish the explosion of events lead to some equally explosive revelations. A plot stirring twist keeps you at the edge of your seat, but after this, it's a downward spiral. The existing characters lose character, the new ones seem unnecessary. And their elimination from the plot seems rather abrupt and at times silly. It is at this point that you just wish the plot is headed somewhere.

The climax, in my opinion, was ambiguous. It did not provide the closure, I suppose, a reader looks for. So the secret, that you read the entire book to discover, is something of a subjective matter. I guess the author tried to leave it open-ended, maybe as food for thought. 

If you've read other books based on similar themes like The Immortals of Meluha series and the Da Vinci Code, you will find that The Krishna Key does not step up to the pedestal. 

My recommendation: It is an interesting read for those intrigued by this genre. But in the realm of fiction, there is so much that can happen. In the case of The Krishna Key, the absence of a massive and dramatic climax leaves you asking for more.


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