Cosmic Roulette: A Wonderful Confluence of Science, the Universe and Indian Philosophy

To write well, it is necessary to read well. With this very thought and under my 'Research and Write' formula, I read the book 'Cosmic Roulette' gifted to me by Dev Ganesh. Dev Ganesh is a former fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force who made writing a part of his life after retirement.

'Cosmic Roulette' is a science fiction novel with an extremely vast canvas. This story is not limited to one planet, time or character, but takes the reader on an imaginative journey from the origin of the universe, its evolution to its possible end. In the book, the cosmic journey from the Big Bang to the Big Crunch is linked with spiritual and philosophical thoughts. The author has established an interesting dialogue between science and philosophy by linking the origin of the universe to the symbolic imagination of the breath of a Supreme Consciousness. The story simultaneously features many elements like two abstract Entities, civilizations of different planets and species, space travel, advanced technology, ancient gurus, meditation, astral travel and karma. The official description of the book also highlights subjects like Big Bang, Big Crunch, ancient gurus, astral travel, karma and various sentient species. This diversity gives it an experience different from ordinary science fiction.

A special feature of this book is that the author has attempted to connect the concepts of modern astronomy with Indian philosophical and spiritual thoughts. Questions like universe, consciousness, creation, karma and existence constantly come before the reader within the story. For this reason, it does not remain just a story of space and technology but also raises philosophical questions related to human existence. The expansion of the story goes from our Milky Way galaxy to huge galaxies like Andromeda and various civilizations. The attempt to encapsulate crores and billions of years of time in one narrative shows the author's vast imagination. The imagination of a parallel world like Earth and different socio-cultural structures also gives the book a different dimension.

The influence of Dev Ganesh's military background is clearly visible in the book's space wars, strategies and combat scenes. Due to technical details, these episodes become attractive for readers with a special interest in science fiction. The author's military background lends a distinct credibility to his depiction of war and combat situations.

The vastness of the book itself becomes its challenge at places. Numerous species, technical terms, philosophical concepts and different time-spans can be a bit complex for new readers. The focus of the story is more on vast cosmic events rather than on any one central character, so the reader's emotional connection is not formed with any one character like in traditional novels. However, for me, the real hero of this story appears to be time and the universe itself rather than any single character.

'Cosmic Roulette' can be particularly interesting for readers who are interested in science fiction, space, alien civilizations, the universe and Indian philosophical thought. This book does not just take the reader on an imaginary space journey, but also inspires one to think about what our existence is in this infinite universe and what the role of humans can be in this vast game of creation.

*Sushi Saxena*

Literature and Science Writer

Indore, Madhya Pradesh