Niral Solanke has a few things to work out, and he’s going to need some help. The only problem is that everyone seems to want something from him. A decent man forced to make some impossible choices, Niral works out some shady deals, pulls off deep deceptions and participates in heinous crimes, all against his better judgment. Drugs, diamonds, weapons and victims of kidnapping all change hands in a bid for money and power. No stranger to danger, Niral plays the part he needs to play in order to survive, but he’s tired of being a prisoner to other people. He’s got a plan, but it’s going to take some time to gain enough trust to trade that plan in for freedom. And Niral’s not the only one looking for a change. Familiar faces fill out the cast, adding several intriguing subplots in this third volume in The Brotherhood Chronicle.
The Dance Towards Death is a multinational literary treat. From Bangkok to Queens, a whirlwind of debtors, favors, gangsters and schemers collide in a dizzying display of action-packed international intensity. With no time to grab a breath, the author drops readers directly into the fray with several hustles happening all at once. Names, places, organizations and motivations all vie for attention as the story jumps from one dramatic scene or character to another with each short chapter. Despite the never-ending sequence of perilous situations engaged by a rough and rowdy crowd, the dialogue is more articulate and affected than one might expect. This plot-driven story relies on earlier installments and heavy-handed cultural conventions for character development, but lacks for nothing when it comes to the globe-trotting frenzy of activity that explodes on the page. Diverging from the overwrought trope of good versus evil, Desai invites readers into the gray areas for a deep swim into the moral murkiness of ethical ambiguity. If you’re looking for a fast-paced crime thriller with as much diversity as an action novel can squeeze in, The Dance Towards Death is the nail-biter you’ve been searching for.
