The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux

Roy Arun has a vision, where a wise and mysterious fisherman speaks to him about matters of spirituality and morality. When he awakes, he finds himself escaping Ground Zero on 9/11. Through his wanderings amid the terror of that horrible day, more stories emerge, telling tales of cruelty, sin, and darkness, but also with elements of hope.If possible, I would have given this book a 4.5, but since my options were limited to 4 or 5, I decided to round up. The writing quality is excellent, the short stories are interesting, and the flashbacks to 9/11, while much briefer than I expected, were still well done.I do not endorse some of the spiritual messaging of the story. The fisherman's views on organized religion and the nature of Heaven struck me as theologically uninformed. Additionally, I am a not believer in karma, especially the culturally appropriated westernized version that is plainly false.Additionally (call this a trigger warning if you may) there is a fair amount of graphic content in the book. Apart from the usual stuff one expects from a modern adult novel (drug use, swear words, extramarital sex), there are a couple of disturbing scenes of sexual violence.Concerns aside, this was a good book with thought-provoking tales and ideas, as well as some nostalgia and historical fiction mixed in.

Quite a journey down the hellhole. I was wondering through the books where it is going till the final few pages... Great concept.

"The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux" is an extraordinary work that is sure to leave a lasting impression on its readers. Rohit Prasad has crafted a truly unique and thought-provoking story that will challenge and inspire you.From the very first page, I was hooked by the captivating writing and immersive storytelling. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the meaning of life are woven expertly into the narrative.One of the things I appreciated most about this book was its ability to open my mind to new ideas and perspectives. It truly is a book that will broaden your horizons and challenge your assumptions.Overall, I highly recommend "The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux" to anyone looking for a truly impactful and thought-provoking read. It is a must-read for fans of existential and philosophical fiction, and it is sure to become a classic in its own right. Don't miss out on this incredible journey of self-discovery.

An excellent read - goes through the protagonist's experiences across different times and at different places in the world, all mapped out against key real life events. Some of the incidents seem so real, almost fact rather than fiction.🙂 To top it off, some great illustrations 🙂

An impressive debut....the easy read hides the obvious thought and detailing that has gone into the interesting theme and the narrative built carefully. The 9 different stories spanning multiple cities, countries, persons and ages yet having a common thread that is linked to a classic is an interesting and innovative approach...kudos to Rohit for managing the difficult task of balancing the art and craft and keeping the reader engaged throughout with a tapestry of diverse and rich tales...the maturity and depth of experience with a narrative which manages to share some wisdom without being "preachy" shines through.....Looking forward to the next book....

The book is a quick read. It is a collection of short stories that are woven together by a common thread. The author has the uncanny knack of telling these stories through the lens of basic human motivations. Reading the book, I felt like it a group of family and friends engaged in story telling. Reading these stories, I came out thinking, no matter where in the world one lives in, whichever society. There is good and evil everywhere. I would highly recommend the book, especially if you are looking for a quick read

Rohit has written wonderful book. It is full of accessible wisdom. The pilgrimage stories do a great job of zooming into the avarice we should be aware of and avoid.A must read for my sons over their college summer break.

I don’t often read fiction, but this is such a well constructed book that sometimes reads like short stories, sometimes like an autobiography, sometimes like Alice in Wonderland. Overall I’d highly recommend and look forward to Rohit’s next book!

I recently read this interesting book, I will give 5 out of 5 stars to the book. Whether you like to read fiction or non-fiction, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to you, as it has a bit of both. Here is my four-point review of the book, hope it is helpful.Point1 - Book SummaryOn the fateful day of 9/11, the protagonist Roy Aron had to take a long walk from ground zero to his home, due to the chaos and disruptions all around in the city. Lost in his thoughts during the walk, his mind wanders around and comes across nine sins: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each of these sins are visualized through its own story.After reaching home, he is a changed man who sees this as an indelible lesson for life about the folly of sins. To reinforce the learning, he takes this walk every year on the same day, with the spirit of a pilgrim going on a holy journey.Point 2 - Organization & PaceThe book gets to the central theme of the nine sins very quickly after the initial introduction. The story of each sin unfolds in its own chapter. The pace of the story is like a whodunit detective novel, with incidents keep unfolding at a regular pace.Point 3 - Narration StyleThe author has adopted an easy to read storytelling narration style for the book with the protagonist being involved in most of the stories in some way of other. At times there is a story inside story (recursive stories?) to make it more interesting. The language is kept free of unnecessary embellishments to give the book a contemporary feel. I felt hooked to the book after reading the first few pages and the interest was maintained throughout the book.Point 4 - What I Liked MostThe author has very effectively painted the picture of the grim situation and the mindset of the people after the 9/11 tragedy. I could relate to it as if I myself is in the midst of the situation. Several stories revolve around the life in campus and early job in India and it added a nostalgic touch for me.Above all, what makes this book compelling to me is its overarching but subtle message about turning even the extreme crisis to an opportunity for positive reflection and learning, and the wisdom of living a life based on principles, avoiding all sins.

An amazing debut effort from Rohit Prasad.Drawing extensively from his personal life and experiences from small town India to the New York city, he weaves a compelling compendium of tales themed around the 9 sins of Dante. The tales evoke a roller coaster of emotions in the reader, as you follow the characters' thoughts, actions and consequences in the situations that life throws at them.It's a book that you will read flat out in one sitting - yet be tempted to revisit in quest of a deeper meaning !

The author has crafted a number of very interesting stories, subtly interwoven with some key themes set out in the beginning. The stories themselves are gripping, with the reader eagerly anticipating the twist at the end, but seldom guessing right! As shocking as some of the stories are, they are a true reflection of real life incidents - and difficult to tell whether fact of fiction. In summary, a great book from a talented author who is just starting, creating the same anticipation in the reader as in the book - for more stories to come!

Rohit has spun a clever tale woven into the fabric of Dante's 9 circles through hell. Inspired by his own experiences and anecdotes in life, he has provided a modern day twist to the ancient masterpiece.Weed smoking students, scheming middle eastern men, the pathos of police work or raw stories from the Indian hinterland - Rohit brings it all together to connect back to himself - the author and his own life's journey.I wish I had this back in the days of long train journeys, the stories carry the power to transport you into your own salt-of-the-earth experiences. As a sunday afternoon read or during your travels… a worthy read.Commendable work.Anand

The Pilgrim takes you on a journey through a series of seemingly unrelated experiences - some experienced by the narrator himself and others related to him through the course of the story. The thread which ties these vignettes together is the walk that the narrator takes back home from the stricken WTC Tower 1 on Sep 11 2001. Some of these stories are 'inspired' by the author's own experiences - others are not. All through the narrative, the author has tried to relate modern day events to the nine circles of hell outlined by Dante Alighieri in his iconic poem "Inferno" which forms part of his magnum opus - Divine Comedy. Hence this book's subtitle - 'Inferno Redux'For a first time author to attempt a modern retelling of such a seminal piece of work takes immense courage - and Rohit has done extremely well to make the references to the nine deadly sins - limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery - very relatable to present day life and times. Many of us will recognise Miguel, Shafiq, Aya, John and several other characters amongst the people we have known and met. The fact that these deadly sins, as well as the redeeming traits of human character, are to be found every day all around us is the core message of the book - and Rohit delivers it beautifully.The stories in each of the chapters are very well written and very tight. This keeps the reader hooked and you are always hoping to know what happens next. I particularly liked Rohit's fluid style through which he seamlessly moves between the narrator's own musings and a story that he has been told, without skipping a beat, and takes the reader along with him. Command over such an intricate literary technique while keeping the narrative consistent is commendable.In short, the Pilgrim is a very topical, thought-provoking and interesting read and everyone should pick it up to read when they are looking for some soul food.