“The Mountain Shadow” by Gregory David Roberts

This sequel to Shantaram is pretty much more of the same. It has Lin still working for the Company in Bombay and still in love with a married Karla. Didier is still hanging out at the Leopold bar, drinking too much and doing enough dirt to get by. Even, the Zodiac Georges have an improbable role in the story. Abdullah, the nicest and most honorable street thug killer there ever was, pops in and out of the tale, helping as stoic best friend, sparring partner, confidant, and angel protector. The warring mafias still rule the streets and bribe the cops with abandon. The fast paced plot lines interweave and are occasionally interspersed with quasi-deep philosophical asides. There is love, sex, murder, bribes, beatings, and lots of joints being smoked by all. Again, the star character is the city of Bombay herself. The city pulses with vibrancy as the story unfolds.

“Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts

A fun novel about Bombay in the 1980s. It gives the flavor of India- a side of the country few ever see from the slums, to the Mafia, brothels, and prisons. The book is loosely autobiographical and its rich detail lends authenticity to an amazing tale. There is violence, sex, friendship, death, betrayal, and honor. One could say that one of the characters is the city of Bombay itself, but the poly ranges to Indian village life and the mountains of Afghanistan. A true page turner with a little cultural knowledge mixed in with the fast paced plot.