Join us for an exciting evening with Gautam Bhatia and Aakar Patel as they discuss Gautam Bhatia's latest book THE SENTENCE. The SENTENCE tells the story of Jagat, an anarchist politician who goes down in history for becoming a martyr and preventing civil war.
A little more about the book:
An impoverished young man, Jagat, is found guilty of murder. For his crime, he is sentenced to the highest form of punishment—the sleep of death for a century, with the promise of revival should his innocence ever be proven.
But his act sparks violence in the great city of Peruma, with the Commune, an anarchist collective of workers, revolting against the Council, which has ruled Peruma for four hundred years. Drained by endless conflict, Council and Commune negotiate a hundred-year treaty that is to be enforced by an impartial body: the guardians of the Confederation.
And now, a century later, the Charter is a week away from lapsing. Tensions run high in Peruma. As an uncertain future looms, Nila, a young guardian, is approached by a mysterious woman who insists that Jagat’s case be reopened before it’s too late. Drawn by the prospect of undoing a possible historical injustice, Nila agrees. But as she begins to unearth the past, forces, known and unknown, thwart her at every turn.
What secrets does the city hold? Who is working in the shadows against her—and why? What is the price of resurrecting a martyr? The Sentence raises questions about justice, rights and ethics that will echo in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.
‘There may be a time, Guardian, when it doesn’t matter whether our peace is founded on the truth or a lie. All that matters is that there is peace.’
Do RSVP here to confirm your presence since the seating would be limited.
The event details are as follows:
Award for Best New Writer at both the 2021 and the 2022 World Science Fiction Conventions. His short stories have appeared in The Gollancz Book of South Asian Science Fiction, Grimdark Magazine and Indian magazines such as The
Mint.
In his other life, he is a constitutional lawyer and public commentator on civil and constitutional rights in India. His SF draws upon his engagement with constitutions, law and justice.