The Party Worker by Omar Shahid Hamid
For Asad Haider, betraying the man and the “Party”, that had been his life for twenty eight years, was not an easy choice. But it was a choice he had to make. The hunter becomes the hunted and his “system” is used against him, by the very people he trained to spread terror.
Along with Asad, who now has to learn how to be a victim, the stream of characters, racing through the streets of Karachi and New York, add masala to this action packed novel. A don-styled leader(now if you know a bit about politics in Pakistan, it won’t be difficult to put a face to the don), with his goons(obviously in the garb of local politicians), an eighty year old Parsi, spitting profanities at every opportunity, a burnt out NYPD cop along with his rookie partner(sadly caught up in this subcontinental drama), all have their own stories to tell. Asad links them all, and what the reader gets is, an intricately woven web of deceit, gang warfare, desi politics and copious amounts of drama. And to sensationalize the entire plot, there is even a journalist who dreams of writing a bestseller; the material is all there on the streets of Karachi and by adding his own two bits to the chaos, he starts stringing together a narrative, that will rewrite the political scenario of the country.
The characters connect and the writing is credible, capturing the essence of the different cultures and their idiosyncrasies, with generous use of colloquial terms.
Hamid’s effortless writing eludes finesse and proficiency. The Party Worker brings forth the harsh reality of party politics in the subcontinent- tables turn and power is auctioned to the mightiest. The story lays bare the underbelly of a complex city, dissecting it’s functioning, and revealing an ugly reality; a reality we all are aware of, but are too scared or disinterested, to change.
Adrenaline pumping, crackling and explosive, this new novel, Hamid’s third actually, brings the narrative to life. As you race through the novel, similar to a motion picture experience, you don’t know what hits you!
Now before you start reading The Party Worker, a bit of advice – catch up on your sleep because this one is impossible to put down!
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