Kali - Goddess of Distruction

This book was one of the books that was chosen by Orionbooks UK to republish under their collections of literally horror novels along side Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Peter Straub and four more world reknowned authors of such genra.

I have picked up this book because of the title, not knowing that Dan Simmons is a famous horror novelist along side the great Stephen King.

Song of Kali, i know the name, since i am a fanatic with mythologies, with the different Gods and Goddesses on all types of civilizations and beliefs. Kali is the Hindu Goddess of Death and Destruction. The story of the book even took place to a very interesting place in India, it is in the heart of Calcutta. One of the slum cities in India, known for its corruption, disease and misery. It was the story of Robert Luczak who was sent to Calcutta to find a famous Indian Poet who was presumed dead but now a local organization has claimed this famous Indian Poet is very much alive.

I though the book was all about supernatural, horror, something that will give you nightmares and would make you think twice in going into the city of the dark goddess. Any moment i was waiting for Kali herself to appear. But to my disappointment nothing like that happened. Instead it was all about stupidity and idiocy. There was no horror in the story. I think the only grotesque thing that happened in the pages is when Robert finally found his lost baby son only to find out that his son's body was used to smuggled jewelry out from Calcutta. Think about this scene, a local woman pretending she was holding her baby only to find out that it was only a baby's head she's holding and underneath the clothes and wrappings of the so called baby body is all illegal jewelries.

I say it was stupidity because Mr. Luczak brought along his wife and infant son along to his Calcutta assignment. I mean c'mon, Calcutta isn't a place for a vacation or for another honeymoon. He was warned by his friend but still he didn't listen and whatever disaster he has come in Calcutta is because of his stupidity.

The book is a perfect example of a western tourist being totally fooled by the local people in the city he has visited. I can't see the point on the remarks that was made about this book. NO, it was not one of the most brilliant first novels i read. and DEFINITELY NOT the best novel in years and in his genre. and TOTALLY NO horrors in the pages only pure stupidity.

Or maybe i have read too many horror and gruesome books already that this book reads like bedtime stories for kids to me.