The Competent Authority by Shovon Chowdhury [Hardcover]

Set in a dystopian near-future, The Competent Authority 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.

At the helm of this fractured nation is a terrifying figure known only as the Competent Authority (CA), a deranged yet ruthlessly logical bureaucrat. As head of the Bureau of Reconstruction, 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.

The nation’s only hope is Pintoo, 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:

• Pande, a corrupt, vicious cop with questionable loyalty,
• Chatterjee, a pessimistic CBI officer whose commitment outweighs his hope, and
• Ali, the last remaining member of Al Qaeda, now a man with a surprisingly open mind.

Amid their mission, a strange phenomenon haunts them—a disembodied hand with a mind of its own, complicating their plans in ways they never expected.

Highlights:

• An inventive, darkly comedic dystopian satire that critiques bureaucracy, corruption, and authoritarianism.
• Rich with political irony, the narrative blends absurdity and horror to reflect on the fragility of order in the face of unchecked power.
• Pintoo’s character arc explores resilience in the face of systemic oppression, complemented by his quirky, dysfunctional team.
• The CA’s villainy is intriguingly grounded in “logical” reasoning, adding a twisted rationality to his deranged plans.

With its surreal premise, biting satire, and chaotic charm, The Competent Authority 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.