Of human relationships and man’s eternal quest for knowledge

Or all those interested in science fiction books, there is good news. Author Archana Mirajkar has come up with All The Way Home, a science fiction that can easily be classified as one of its kind novels.
To be released on January 10, at the ongoing World Book Fair, the novel, written in lucid English with racy style, goes beyond the hi-tech life and aliens, rather it tries to understand the broader relationship of the space-time fabric with human life. It also explores the myriad nature of human relationships, and man’s eternal quest for knowledge, before ending on a philosophical note. Published by LiFi Publications, All The Way Home is sure to enthrall not just fiction-lovers but also those who are interested in spirituality and philosophy.

The plot unfolds 4,000 years in future on a distant planet, aptly named Swarg, where humans have moved to after planet Earth has been destroyed by a devastating war. Humans on Swarg, unlike those on Earth earlier, are an enlightened race, compassionate and creative. They are winged and photosynthetic beings with enhanced sensory powers. And they have many questions! The story moves ahead with a few enterprising scientists visiting Earth to get answers to some fundamental questions about life as they feel these answers can be found only on Earth since life originated there first. From then on it is a roller-coaster of dreams and imagination, wonder and awe. “I am always fascinated by what life would be in future, how much science and technology would be evolved.

It is these thoughts of mine that have found place in this book. But it is not just about science, the book is also about life after life, spirituality and philosophy,” says Mirajkar, an accomplished writer, whose short stories have been published in magazines and broadcast on All India Radio as well. All The Way Home is her first attempt at English novel writing. It took two years for Mirajkar to complete this book. Starting in 2012, she finished in 2014, but for the next four years the manuscript was left untouched. “It was only last year that I thought of getting it published and showed it to my friends for a feedback. Their enthusiastic response encouraged me to approach the publishers,” she says.

“This sort of writing has not been attempted much by authors in India. I hope the book will appeal to readers, both in India and abroad,” says the author.

Some notable works

Hello, Kon?,  a two-act play in Marathi published by E-Sahity.
Shakuntala, translation of Namita Gokhale’s novel from English to Marathi, published by Penguin India.
Ardhimurdhi Kahani, translation of Indira Goswami’s autobiography from English to Marathi, published by Suvidya Prakashan, Solapur, India.