Boimela Picks: ‘From Cox's Bazar to Capt. Richard's Fort via Evil's Jungle..’
Book: দ্যা ডেডলি আইল্যান্ড (The Deadly Island)
Writer: Sidratul Muntaha
Cover: Md. Jibon Shikder and Abu Obayed Bin Rashid
Illustrations: writer
Genre: Fiction-Novel/Adventure- Thriller
Dedicated to: Nurul Islam, Tahmina Islam, Turhan Ibn Nur, Mainul Imran Munna, Rahul Sarker
Target Reader: Teenagers
Publisher: Borshadupur (Book Fair Stall#603-604)
1st Published: February 2017
©: Writer
Price: 160/- (At Book Fair: 120/-)
ISBN: 978-984-92792-2-8
I found this thrilling adventure story review worthy more for its writer than the story itself. 'The Deadly Island' a treasure hunt expedition is meant for young readers, written by Sidratul Muntaha a student of class nine, Govt. Science College and High School and he wrote the story while studying in class seven! Being a teen-ager himself, the writer knows exactly what a teen ager of this time wants and serves it correctly.
This highly motivated young writer has multiple awards in poetry recitation, national science project competitions, and talent pool scholarships.
He has also shown his expertise in drawing in several events including this very book as well. In a special foreword by Ahsan Habib, he writes- 'the story's backdrop being an island unknown to men, required detailed illustrated descriptions and map drawings, the writer showed his merit not only by addressing that issue but also by doing it himself!'
Lost at sea, three young boys Dipto, Turzo, Rakib, and John Alfred – 'Uncle John' an Australian Seaman and adventurer who visits Bangladesh regularly for his love for the Bay of Bengal and its undiscovered beauty; as much as he loves the bengal waters, he loves 'Shutki Maach' (dry fish) hence stays with Dipto's family every time he visits Cox's Bazar; soon finds themselves abandoned in an island in the middle of Andaman Sea.
Every chapter of this story consisting 26 short chapters, something new and exciting happens.
Not very surprisingly, they find a treasure map in a small run down cottage in the island guarded by a dog, whose owner has died in the same cottage while looking for the treasure. But he was not the only one looking for it, neither are Dipto and his gang lead by Uncle John.
In their expedition, they discover many men dead in the way, all treasure hunters.
Along with wild animals and killer snakes, a group of drug dealers also cross their path, in this pretty fast moving story. They sadly lose one of their friends, Rakib, in the middle of the water too.
Does Rakib come back with some surprise? Do they get to reach Captain Richard's Fort where the treasure is hidden? Does the drug dealers get back to them for a revenge?
To know what finally happens, not only you have to read this book, you'll also have to wait till book fair 2018, when the next volume of 'The Deadly Island' comes out. Young writer Sidratul Muntaha surely knows how to keep his readers on their toes!
Anik Khan is a Poet and a Journalist.
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