Three Worlds Where Sci-Fi Met Spirituality with Arya Narrayan
Three Worlds Where Sci-Fi Met Spirituality Science fiction has always been a fan-favourite genre for many readers. And what better time to delve into dark worlds ruled by aliens and technology than during the fall? This vibe made me pick up Arya Narrayan’s book, The Evil Days. And trust me, once I was done, I picked up two more from him. These were Paradox and Massage - two equally intriguing books.
The Plots The author has written drastically different storylines despite writing the books back to back in quick succession. The Evil Days focuses on a dystopian world in 3033 AD where humanity has lost control of itself. The only hope to save this world is Kalki Narayan, a renowned neuroscientist with a new invention. Can he find Einstein’s brain in time to solve the case? Massage is the second book following Prasong and Rutna Songchon, a young couple in Bangkok. Rutna visits a Thai Massage Parlor to cure her chronic back pain. She begins to lose her sanity soon after, and the story takes a complete twist from that point. The couple’s world turns upside down, and Prasong must solve the mystery quickly to save them with the help of a Police Major and a masseuse named Senorita.
The third book, Paradox, is set in 2020 with the deadly A-virus. The world is in peril owing to this pandemic, and even WHO can’t find a cure. A mysterious grey alien drops on Earth and claims to have the cure for the virus. Can the world trust him, or does he have some ulterior motive for descending on Earth? What is his purpose? Does he have any influence on ancient architecture? Recurring Themes Some recurring themes found in all three books are spirituality and believing in a higher power. The author is passionate about reincarnation and the afterlife. In the preface, he discusses his body, soul, and spirit. It shows readers that the concepts are not just fictitious stories but concepts the author truly believes. The books also talk about God and religions as perceived by different characters. It discusses mythology as well as the power of the soul and mind. We witness spiritual and psychological explanations paired with science and technological elements in all three books. The character arcs are well-planned as we learn new things simultaneously as they do. It keeps everyone on the same page without losing track of explanations and the plot. All three books have simple writing with the concepts explained in a very dumbed-down manner. Even if two scientists are discussing a complex scientific thing, it is written without jargon to help the reader follow. I was surprised to see how much I understood, and the concepts didn’t go right over my head! Another theme is feminism, as all the books have strong female characters. One might think a story revolving around the Kalki avatar reincarnating to save the world would have a strong male hero. But in multiple instances, women were seen helping the men and had equally heroic roles. In The Evil Days, the protagonist’s wife, Padmavathi, holds a gun and a sword just as bravely as the hero to save his life. What I liked and didn’t like about these books The writing style in all three books was unique and engaging. It was realistic despite being futuristic, and all the characters were relatable. Readers will quickly delve deep into all three worlds and fly through the book to understand more. It is also interesting to see how all three books have scope for sequels in the future. One thing I did not like was the research behind medical concepts. In Massage, the characters undergo impossible ordeals and still escape unscathed. In The Evil Days, the hero slits his wrist with a sword but stays conscious for hours. The doctors use some solution to make the wounds disappear - this sounds unreal!
Who should give them a go? If you love sci-fi thrillers, then all three of Arya Narrayan’s books are great books to check out! If you are a beginner just trying to get into reading, you will find these books quick and easy to follow. You might even finish each book in a day as they are under 250 pages long. At the same time, if you like questioning God, religion, and the afterlife, you will love exploring these books. It is interesting to see the debate between characters and the open endings of the stories to let us formulate our thoughts. Do pick up these books and keep an open mind while reading them!