Title: The Shadow Runner
Author: Vishal Bahukhandi
Publisher: Bloomsbury India
Genre: Contemporary romance, Adventure
First Publication: 2021
Language: English
Book Summary: The Shadow Runner by Vishal Bahukhandi
Veer has always been the butt of all jokes as the fat kid in the neighbourhood. His lack of self-esteem isn’t increasing his chances with the woman of his dreams, Prerna, either.
When he joins the military academy, he meets Govind, who is everything Veer could only dream of becoming. While Govind is driven by a desire for vengeance, a paltry heartbreak is all that’s steering Veer. And when Veer finds himself at the lowest echelon of the academy, Govind comes to his rescue. But all victories demand a price.
Will Veer let that guilt haunt him for the rest of his life or will he rise to redeem himself?
Will he betray his own dreams to fulfil Govind’s ambition?
A marvellous blend of romance and redemption, humour and irony, this is the story of a man’s epic transformation from ordinary to something incredible.
Book Review: The Shadow Runner by Vishal Bahukhandi
It humbles me to tears, that while most civilians attend movies, shop for new cars, sleep, and have barbecues in the backyard, there is a group of men and women who voluntarily spend time away from family, endure brutal tests of physical and mental endurance, risk injury, and even sacrifice their own lives, so that we can continue on in blissful ignorance of the dangers we face. “The Shadow Runner” is one man’s account of our military’s elite fighting units, their life in training and beyond, and it is captivating!
The Shadow Runner is quite simply one of the best military fiction book written by an army man himself, Major Vishal Bahukhandi. The operations and experiences are just utterly visceral and you’ll find yourself frozen, jaw slightly open, while reading them. But it’s author’s own internal commentary that lifts the book from being a series of intense action pieces to something greater.
The story is focused on life of two characters, Veer and Govind, who join military academy for their own reasons; one because of a heartbreak and another for a vengeance. The Shadow Runner is a story of their friendship and redemption. It has romance, friendship, humour, action and everything you would expect from a great book.
When Major Vishal writes about the bravery of the man in armed force and how one moment erases all differences among men, you know you’re reading something very, very special. Both main characters, Veer and Govind are warrior – philosophical yet possessing truckloads of the intestinal fortitude necessary for doing the things these men are tasked with doing. They’re at once measured, reflective, almost stoic, and exuding honesty. What you will read in this amazing book is an unflinching, honest account of incredible things witnessed by an incredibly measured man.
Not only Vishal Bahukhandi is a great storyteller, conveying all the suffering, elation, friendship, and hardships of his life as member of this elite group of soldiers, he also shows that reality can be more interesting than fiction. Though the book is work of fiction, author has put his own experiences at military academy into the story. The insight into army training was fascinating, as were all other aspects of author’s own military experience.
The Shadow Runner is a powerful, beautiful story, full of action and reality, a story of brotherhood, of pushing the limits of the body, mind and spirit. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an honest account of what these men endured, as well as their incredible accomplishments, interested in military life, the psychology of soldiers in combat, or the training, organization, and practices of elite armed forces.
