Book Review: Reality at its core
The genre of the book is likely to attract considerable attention.
The genre of the book is likely to attract considerable attention.
Saving Pakistan from the iron-hand of militancy and political turmoil isn’t an easy task. The country’s social and political landscape has been fractured by history and severe mismanagement. Amid these challenges, the fight for survival appears gut-wrenching as the stakes are high and the future is bleak and threatening.
But Kamal, a superior intelligence operative and the protagonist of Khalid Muhammad’s, Agency Rules: Never an easy day at the office, proves these refrains to be static stereotypes rather than obstacles. Raised in the country’s tribal belt, Kamal gives up the lap of luxury and picks up arms against the Taliban. The novel traces his journey from being a simple Pakhtun soldier to an intelligence operative.
At first glance, Kamal appears to be little more than a caricature of a secret agent. As he tackles the menace of organised crime in Karachi and goes undercover to gain access to a militant organisation based in Peshawar, the description reaches appropriate justification.
Fortunately, the protagonist is spared from becoming one of those stock characters which Hollywood spy thrillers churn out without much thought. Through a hard-hitting, dense and utterly original narrative, Kamal comes across as a realistic character rather than another facsimile of James Bond.
With every chapter, the plot thickens and takes unpredictable turns. A high-level government official is assassinated and a wave of political uncertainty ensues. Faced with a string of new challenges, Kamal struggles to accomplish his mission while the battle between good and evil is played out through an action-packed story.
In 351 pages, Muhammad takes you on a journey filled with nail-biting suspense to reveal the bare bones of politics in Pakistan. Much to the reader’s dismay, this isn’t an entirely smooth journey. More often than not, the narrative appears exceedingly fast-paced and gallops ahead without a clear transition or pause.
At some points, the essence of the story stands the risk of slipping out of the reader’s hands. For instance, by the sixth chapter, readers may find themselves overwhelmed by the plethora of characters — both major and minor — that keep flitting in and out. The novel’s fast and furious pace may not always provide them with ample space to take a step back and understand all characters.
At this stage, discerning readers may find the narrative tedious to get through. However, the story manages to redeem itself by drawing them into its complicated twists and turns in lush prose that sets the nerves tingling. This is possibly the most unexpected outcomes of the novel. The genre of the book is likely to attract considerable attention. At a time when novelists have selected the inner courtyard as the epicentre to understand Pakistan, Muhammad has penned a spy thriller to act as a mirror to society. Even though it is the first English novel of its kind from Pakistan, the book appeals equally to the head and the heart.
Interestingly, these details have not been presented an overly descriptive or complex manner. On the contrary, all background information has been provided through a historical context. The spillover effect of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the arrival of the mujahideen in Pakistan is used to add a realistic touch to the narrative. As a result, the book offers a compelling discourse on the scourge of militancy which has gripped the country.
It is only befitting that Agency Rules is likened with John Le Carre’s espionage novels. However, even when it is compared to local fiction which focuses on Pakistan, it stands out as slightly more comprehensive. This is because the novel contextualises the country’s problems and does not strike an emotional chord through a peculiar stretch of the imagination.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2015.
But Kamal, a superior intelligence operative and the protagonist of Khalid Muhammad’s, Agency Rules: Never an easy day at the office, proves these refrains to be static stereotypes rather than obstacles. Raised in the country’s tribal belt, Kamal gives up the lap of luxury and picks up arms against the Taliban. The novel traces his journey from being a simple Pakhtun soldier to an intelligence operative.
At first glance, Kamal appears to be little more than a caricature of a secret agent. As he tackles the menace of organised crime in Karachi and goes undercover to gain access to a militant organisation based in Peshawar, the description reaches appropriate justification.
Fortunately, the protagonist is spared from becoming one of those stock characters which Hollywood spy thrillers churn out without much thought. Through a hard-hitting, dense and utterly original narrative, Kamal comes across as a realistic character rather than another facsimile of James Bond.
With every chapter, the plot thickens and takes unpredictable turns. A high-level government official is assassinated and a wave of political uncertainty ensues. Faced with a string of new challenges, Kamal struggles to accomplish his mission while the battle between good and evil is played out through an action-packed story.
In 351 pages, Muhammad takes you on a journey filled with nail-biting suspense to reveal the bare bones of politics in Pakistan. Much to the reader’s dismay, this isn’t an entirely smooth journey. More often than not, the narrative appears exceedingly fast-paced and gallops ahead without a clear transition or pause.
At some points, the essence of the story stands the risk of slipping out of the reader’s hands. For instance, by the sixth chapter, readers may find themselves overwhelmed by the plethora of characters — both major and minor — that keep flitting in and out. The novel’s fast and furious pace may not always provide them with ample space to take a step back and understand all characters.
At this stage, discerning readers may find the narrative tedious to get through. However, the story manages to redeem itself by drawing them into its complicated twists and turns in lush prose that sets the nerves tingling. This is possibly the most unexpected outcomes of the novel. The genre of the book is likely to attract considerable attention. At a time when novelists have selected the inner courtyard as the epicentre to understand Pakistan, Muhammad has penned a spy thriller to act as a mirror to society. Even though it is the first English novel of its kind from Pakistan, the book appeals equally to the head and the heart.
Interestingly, these details have not been presented an overly descriptive or complex manner. On the contrary, all background information has been provided through a historical context. The spillover effect of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the arrival of the mujahideen in Pakistan is used to add a realistic touch to the narrative. As a result, the book offers a compelling discourse on the scourge of militancy which has gripped the country.
It is only befitting that Agency Rules is likened with John Le Carre’s espionage novels. However, even when it is compared to local fiction which focuses on Pakistan, it stands out as slightly more comprehensive. This is because the novel contextualises the country’s problems and does not strike an emotional chord through a peculiar stretch of the imagination.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2015.