Review of "Song of Kali" by Dan Simmons

I read a number of reviews prior to buying Song of Kali.  I noticed several took issue with the book's portrayal of India as a trash filled, disease ridden country.  After reading the novel, I have to say these people saw only the superficial images of filth and decay Simmons so vividly evokes, thus missing the point of the novel.  At heart, Song of Kali is the story of a man whose eyes are opened, in the most tormenting of fashions, to the social realities of the third world, a changed view of his own culture and environment the result.  Not a cheap shot at the expense of undeveloped countries, the book is foremost a personal journey which seeks to better contextualize differing qualities of life.  In other words, those wishing to read a horror novel purely for the genre’s sake should look elsewhere.  If you’re still interested, the idea of the story is as follows:

Sent to pick up the manuscript of an Indian poet thought dead, the writer Robert Luczak and his family find themselves in the underbelly of Calcutta street life, a place wholly unlike their native USA.  Uncertain of who to trust, Luszak must deal with underground sects, literati, the politically connected, as well as strangers on the street as he attempts to track down the ever elusive manuscript.  The horrors he finds along the way, however, are not limited to scenes he witnesses at the bottom end of India’s caste system.  Beneath the squalor of Calcutta’s streets, a cult of Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction, is rising.  New members are subject to unthinkable initiation rites, and in the basement of the temple itself, Luszak encounters something from a nightmare.  This nightmare, however, pales in comparison to the reality which he faces after completing his mission.  Heartbreaking beyond belief, the manner in which Luszak triumphs over this power is not only riveting but emotionally charged.  Beyond the horror and dirty streets, it is the true message of the story. 

Winner of the World Fantasy Award, Song of Kali is recommended for anyone seeking a well written story of redemption whose horror elements are but auxiliary.  As usual, Simmons’ prose is smooth and easy, stark yet evocative, not to mention the narrative he produces has an atypical structure which enhances the story’s conclusion.  Yes, Simmons does not paint a beautiful picture of India, but that is not the point.  Read for yourself and find out.

(The folks at www.fantasyliterature.com were kind enough to put this post on their website.)