Review by Femisam -- Border Post 99 by Kedar Patankar
Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 15:10
[Following is a volunteer review of "Border Post 99" by Kedar Patankar.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Border Post 99 is a work of fiction written by Kedar Patankar. In 1947, India had split into two, creating India and Pakistan, but theoretically the two countries are still at war. Discussions are ongoing in Delhi to resolve whatever crises they have but the two countries still find it imperative to defend their borders. Two soldiers, one from India and the other from Pakistan are sent to resume duties at Post 99, an odd spot at the border between India and Pakistan also known as no man’s land. This area belongs to neither India nor Pakistan but the two countries could mentally delineate each other’s side on the spot. It is during this assignment that Sharma the soldier from India and Khan the soldier from Pakistan get entangled and start their own private war in no man’s land. They would later realize they have something in common, something which defeats the purpose of their mission.
Border Post 99 is a clear case of not having to judge a book by its cover. The title and prologue show that it would be a military encounter and I had thought that it would be filled with military strategies and suspense. I was expecting that, at least, but I got nothing close to that. What I get is a Tom and Jerry kind of action where the main characters; Sharma and Khan are behaving like kids and acting mischievously in a strategic place like no man’s land. The story carries on such empty suspense and makes the battle field look like a playing ground for two mischievous children. Their rants in the forest is purely childish devoid of military characters that have undergone any military training. The story fails to carry me along as I imagine them as soldiers but get a description of them as children who are out to act mischievously. Although the author would want me to believe that the soldier from India is freshly commissioned and has no battle field experience, but the soldier from Pakistan with 9 years of experience in the army behaves no differently.
Also the story delves more on their individual families (spouse, siblings, friends, parents and grandparents) rather than giving more space to their encounter and interaction in no man’s land. The writer’s description of the soldiers shows they would rather prefer to remain as kids under the protection of their parents than grow up and take possession of their lives. They are very connected to their family members and they get home sick while on an assignment in a place like no man’s land. For instance, one of the soldier’s thought of his parents and where he grew up made him sleep like a child listening to a lullaby. See another expression from the story ‘’Sharma was jittery. He had spent many anxious moments and sleepless nights before and during his journey to Post 99, and had literally dragged himself through the last few miles, but now, standing near the post, he could feel his heart race. He felt like running home’’
Then the author keeps repeating the characters' names as if I was not following the story. It makes it very boring as it distracts me and makes me feel I am reading a child’s story book rather than a matured encounter. He keeps including too many details that makes me keep changing my perception of the characters as I read along. The story would gain traction and then lose steam almost immediately. The author is not able to carry on with the flow of his own story, he keeps on braking when the vehicle is in full gear.
I was surprised when I got to the final chapters and the tempo changes. Suddenly it gets very interesting and for a second I felt I was reading some other book and then the story ended, the author applies the brake. The story starts at the end of the book.
This book was professionally edited and I did not notice mistakes while reading it. The tenses are correct and shows the editing was painstaking. Although I had expected a better plot, the story has logic that some readers could find interesting. I rate Border Post 99 2 out of 4 stars. The book would be appealing to school children who are in their early teens. Adults and those who have been reading novels for a long time will not find this book interesting.
******
Border Post 99
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Femisam's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Border Post 99 is a work of fiction written by Kedar Patankar. In 1947, India had split into two, creating India and Pakistan, but theoretically the two countries are still at war. Discussions are ongoing in Delhi to resolve whatever crises they have but the two countries still find it imperative to defend their borders. Two soldiers, one from India and the other from Pakistan are sent to resume duties at Post 99, an odd spot at the border between India and Pakistan also known as no man’s land. This area belongs to neither India nor Pakistan but the two countries could mentally delineate each other’s side on the spot. It is during this assignment that Sharma the soldier from India and Khan the soldier from Pakistan get entangled and start their own private war in no man’s land. They would later realize they have something in common, something which defeats the purpose of their mission.
Border Post 99 is a clear case of not having to judge a book by its cover. The title and prologue show that it would be a military encounter and I had thought that it would be filled with military strategies and suspense. I was expecting that, at least, but I got nothing close to that. What I get is a Tom and Jerry kind of action where the main characters; Sharma and Khan are behaving like kids and acting mischievously in a strategic place like no man’s land. The story carries on such empty suspense and makes the battle field look like a playing ground for two mischievous children. Their rants in the forest is purely childish devoid of military characters that have undergone any military training. The story fails to carry me along as I imagine them as soldiers but get a description of them as children who are out to act mischievously. Although the author would want me to believe that the soldier from India is freshly commissioned and has no battle field experience, but the soldier from Pakistan with 9 years of experience in the army behaves no differently.
Also the story delves more on their individual families (spouse, siblings, friends, parents and grandparents) rather than giving more space to their encounter and interaction in no man’s land. The writer’s description of the soldiers shows they would rather prefer to remain as kids under the protection of their parents than grow up and take possession of their lives. They are very connected to their family members and they get home sick while on an assignment in a place like no man’s land. For instance, one of the soldier’s thought of his parents and where he grew up made him sleep like a child listening to a lullaby. See another expression from the story ‘’Sharma was jittery. He had spent many anxious moments and sleepless nights before and during his journey to Post 99, and had literally dragged himself through the last few miles, but now, standing near the post, he could feel his heart race. He felt like running home’’
Then the author keeps repeating the characters' names as if I was not following the story. It makes it very boring as it distracts me and makes me feel I am reading a child’s story book rather than a matured encounter. He keeps including too many details that makes me keep changing my perception of the characters as I read along. The story would gain traction and then lose steam almost immediately. The author is not able to carry on with the flow of his own story, he keeps on braking when the vehicle is in full gear.
I was surprised when I got to the final chapters and the tempo changes. Suddenly it gets very interesting and for a second I felt I was reading some other book and then the story ended, the author applies the brake. The story starts at the end of the book.
This book was professionally edited and I did not notice mistakes while reading it. The tenses are correct and shows the editing was painstaking. Although I had expected a better plot, the story has logic that some readers could find interesting. I rate Border Post 99 2 out of 4 stars. The book would be appealing to school children who are in their early teens. Adults and those who have been reading novels for a long time will not find this book interesting.
******
Border Post 99
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Femisam's review? Post a comment saying so!