Speculative fiction is incredibly important in the world today, mainly because it helps us remember to look ahead at the consequences of our actions. It often draws on real-life events to project potential futures and the repercussions of the human spirit and our actions. Notion Press, India’s leading self-publishing platform presents, Illusions of Control by Mahesh Ratnam Rajan, a collection of short stories comprising episodes of beings with a hero complex.
The book encompasses 7 short stories that are each uniquely engaging. Bringing to life varied characters in distinct backdrops and setups; each story takes on a different battle, both common and uncommon. In his book, Author Mahesh speculates upon the results of changing what’s real or possible, combining how a character would react to a certain event when they possess the deeper need to be the saviour of the moment, exhibiting the hero in them. However, can they all emerge successful in what they set out to accomplish?
The future is as unforgiving as the past. Replete with electrifying twists, Mahesh’s short stories examine the darkest trends of our future while never losing sight of the tenacious human spirit. The protagonists of these sci-fi tales aren’t always heroes. Still, they crawl ever upward through the muck, fighting tooth and nail for life, liberty, and love. Whether they can make it out in one piece is another question entirely.
Mahesh, a.k.a., LightWeaver is a globe-trotting management consultant who moonlights as a fashion photographer with roots in Chennai, India. A professor at his MBA school once told the class that, “Hell is that last moment in your life where you regret not doing what you truly wanted to do.” It is then that Mahesh had decided to attempt every dream, whim, or goal he had. His fondness for SciFi, Thriller, Mystery and Fantasy novels, comics, movies, philosophy, and more comics have inspired him to create something of his own.
As an engineering student, he experimented with photography, graphic design, and managing a metal band. Once the degree was out of his way, Mahesh left for the United States to pursue an MBA. It was in New Orleans, Louisiana where his love for storytelling had dialled up to an eleven. Being back in Chennai during the Covid lockdown gave Mahesh the opportunity to expand on the multiple storylines he had been writing down over the years when he has inspired from either reading a book, watching a movie and wondering what if the story had progressed in a different direction, folk tales that he heard during his travels, or from the times he was lost in thought with soundtracks from various movies playing in the background.
Illusions of Control by Mahesh Ratnam Rajan is now available in Paperback and Ebook formats on all major eCommerce channels including the Notion Press online store. Grab your copy now!