BOOK REVIEW | The first prose novel by Malaysian playwright/producer Arvind Ethan David, who works in the US and UK, is described on its front cover as “The Great Game, A Thriller”. That’s an understatement. Although it is a thriller, it is much more than that.

It is a historical novel, although not quite - I will explain this later. It is a parody and satire of empire and its paradoxes, a fantasy weaving together a tale of gruesome murders of British high-society personalities by an unlikely being of considerable strength.

It turns out that this is a plot to cripple the empire on which the sun never sets, striking at its vulnerable heart. I am saying too much already. I can’t say much more without spoiling it for you.

The bare bones: Law student Balvinder dev Singh, originally from Punjab, who served in the British army during the Second Boer War (1899–1902) in South Africa, finds himself earning extra income through a thieving alliance with one AJ Raffles.

AJ and Bal, after the former witnesses a horrifying murder, are shanghaied into the investigation, which - I did say it was a fantasy - involves the renowned detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr John Watson.

The investigation leads to the involvement of the under-secretary of state for the colonies, Winston Churchill, yes, that one. It is a historical fact - and David says so in a useful historical timeline at the end of the book - that Churchill was appointed to this post in 1905.

For those who are not history buffs, I would suggest reading that timeline first, as it provides useful historical context for the novel.

A thriller with a historical twist

Full of witty dialogue, twists, and unexpected turns, the story culminates in a suspenseful ending that leaves the reader guessing until the final outcome. It is the product of a prodigious storytelling mind.

Indeed, the engaging style bears the mark of a playwright, which David remains, with lots of dialogue between the protagonists and interactions that are subtly sarcastic in the English tradition.

The feel of the narration is that of an older kind of writing suited to the period in which the story is set - the early 20th century. The author does a great job of maintaining that tenor throughout, almost as if a voice from the past were telling the story.

What is outstanding is the maintenance of suspense and anticipation throughout the book, and the scintillating, delightful old-style dialogue that is so abundant, giving rise to many involuntary chuckles as you read.

Love and old-fashioned wit

There has to be a woman to complete the picture. Enter an Irishwoman named Maud Adler. After Bal blunders by calling her English, they hit it off nicely. The Irish, like the Indians, as Bal discovers to his painful discomfort, were similarly and brutally colonised by the English.

Their encounters are not described in steamy detail but are more of the titillating type common in novels of that period and genre, which is, after all is said and done, far sexier than the tell-all, pornographic variety so common in novels these days.

Fuelled by an instant compatibility and fostered by a common hatred of that imperialist colonial-era empire under whose yoke both their countries and they suffered and withered, their love not only blooms but flourishes, figuring heavily in Bal’s future plans.

While there is some weightier discussion about empire, it does not detract from the overall tone of the book, which is light, easy, and fun, despite instances of laconic and sardonic humour, with just a hint of something more sinister lurking behind the scenes.

An example of this is an exchange between the person plotting the overthrow of the empire and Balvinder: “I am an agent of freedom. I stand for the emancipation of the oppressed. What, Balvinder, will you stand for?”

Balvinder: “You do not know your enemy. You tilt at windmills, whilst true giants sit comfortably in their palaces.”

Plotter: “Then who is? Tell me my enemy’s true name, so I may carve it in blood on the streets of London.”

Balvinder: “Empire is a machine, an engine of extraction built by history and fuelled by economics. It sits above the motivation of race or class or manners. It is a mighty mechanism that, once it has been set in motion, cannot be stopped: its purpose is to shift the centre of the world. To rebalance the globe around a new axis.”

He goes on, but I should not pursue that line too much. As David says in the last paragraph of his bibliography: “Indebted as I am to all the preceding historical scholarship, my main focus has been the creation of a work of fiction, and it should be understood that when forced to choose between facts and a good story, my inclination has always been towards the latter.”

A playwright takes to prose

And what a fabulous story he has told! While he has written plays and graphic novels, this is his first prose novel, one written entirely in words.

David, a qualified solicitor and graduate of Oxford University and London Business School, is a well-known name in theatre, first as a producer, where he arranged financing for plays, and then as a writer himself. He moved into film production through his own companies.

David’s work includes a live adaptation of "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" and executive production of the TV series "Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency". He has written and produced extensively for TV, including the Asian Academy Creative Awards-winning "The Garden of Evening Mists", based on the acclaimed 2011 historical novel by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng.

Personally, I am waiting for the film production of "The Great Game", which I am sure he will undertake at some time, given his proven prowess in these areas, to great success and acclaim.

While he is the son of my friends David Dass and Maya, this is my unbiased opinion based on fact, as all my editorialised pieces are.

P GUNASEGARAM is a veteran journalist. "The Great Game" is published by Thomas & Mercer, Seattle. It is available on Amazon at RM53 for a paperback. It also retails on Kindle.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

COMMENT | The epidemic of fake history

COMMENT | The epidemic of fake history

COMMENT | Return of American empire

COMMENT | Return of American empire

BOOK REVIEW | Elegant work in its own class

BOOK REVIEW | Elegant work in its own class

British author's book remembers forgotten leaders

British author's book remembers forgotten leaders