{"product_id":"rscd1ixpt8ay","title":"The Competent Authority by Shovon Chowdhury [Hardcover]","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"db389da4-b27a-4ea8-8682-147d161ffc4a\" dir=\"auto\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-4o\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet in a dystopian near-future, \u003cem\u003eThe Competent Authority\u003c\/em\u003e imagines a world where India has been shattered by a Chinese nuclear assault, drastically altering the country’s political and geographical landscape. Bombay is now just a memory, Delhi is under chaotic reconstruction, and Bengal has seceded to become a Chinese protectorate. Much of northern India is ruled by Maoists, while the southern states are isolated, peaceful, and largely forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the helm of this fractured nation is a terrifying figure known only as \u003cstrong\u003ethe Competent Authority (CA)\u003c\/strong\u003e, a deranged yet ruthlessly logical bureaucrat. As head of the \u003cstrong\u003eBureau of Reconstruction\u003c\/strong\u003e, the CA exerts unchecked control over the remnants of government and military, rendering the Prime Minister and the Army General helpless puppets in his twisted scheme. Cloaked in anonymity, he rules with an iron grip, executing a meticulously crafted plan with a singular, chilling goal: the complete annihilation of India.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nation’s only hope is \u003cstrong\u003ePintoo\u003c\/strong\u003e, a twelve-year-old mutant from the impoverished district of Shanti Nagar, whose bizarre mutation grants him unique powers. With the odds stacked against him, Pintoo assembles an unlikely team of misfits to thwart the CA’s plans. His allies include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePande\u003c\/strong\u003e, a corrupt, vicious cop with questionable loyalty,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChatterjee\u003c\/strong\u003e, a pessimistic CBI officer whose commitment outweighs his hope, and\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAli\u003c\/strong\u003e, the last remaining member of Al Qaeda, now a man with a surprisingly open mind.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmid their mission, a strange phenomenon haunts them—\u003cstrong\u003ea disembodied hand\u003c\/strong\u003e with a mind of its own, complicating their plans in ways they never expected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHighlights\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn inventive, darkly comedic dystopian satire that critiques bureaucracy, corruption, and authoritarianism.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRich with political irony, the narrative blends absurdity and horror to reflect on the fragility of order in the face of unchecked power.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePintoo’s character arc explores resilience in the face of systemic oppression, complemented by his quirky, dysfunctional team.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe CA’s villainy is intriguingly grounded in “logical” reasoning, adding a twisted rationality to his deranged plans.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its surreal premise, biting satire, and chaotic charm, \u003cem\u003eThe Competent Authority\u003c\/em\u003e is a wild journey through a fractured, dystopian future that speaks to contemporary issues of power and survival, all through the lens of inventive, absurdist storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Rupa Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48327936573690,"sku":"RSCD1IXPT8AY","price":385.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0704\/0473\/5226\/files\/RSCD1IXPT8AY_1.jpg?v=1730740364","url":"https:\/\/versoz.co.in\/products\/rscd1ixpt8ay","provider":"VERSOZ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}