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Samit Basu
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Turbulence Paperback – July 9, 2013

by Samit Basu (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars 99 ratings
Aman Sen is smart, young, ambitious and going nowhere. He thinks this is because he doesn't have the right connections--but then he gets off a plane from London to Delhi and discovers that he has turned into a communications demigod. Indeed, everyone on Aman's flight now has extraordinary abilities corresponding to their innermost desires.

Vir, a pilot, can now fly.

Uzma, an aspiring Bollywood actress, now possesses infinite charisma.

And then there's Jai, an indestructible one-man army with a good old-fashioned goal -- to rule the world!

Aman wants to ensure that their new powers aren't wasted on costumed crime-fighting, celebrity endorsements, or reality television. He wants to heal the planet but with each step he takes, he finds helping some means harming others. Will it all end, as 80 years of superhero fiction suggest, in a meaningless, explosive slugfest?

Turbulence features the 21st-century Indian subcontinent in all its insane glory--F-16s, Bollywood, radical religious parties, nuclear plants, cricket, terrorists, luxury resorts, crazy TV shows -- but it is essentially about two very human questions. How would you feel if you actually got what you wanted? And what would you do if you could really change the world?
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  1. Print length
    359 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Titan Books
  4. Publication date
    July 9, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    5.15 x 0.93 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1781161194
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1781161197
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is as highly satisfying as its sequel is eagerly anticipated." - MuggleNet

"The characters are brilliantly written... With a globe-trotting sensibility even James Bond would be proud of, the cinematic action sequences are as breath-taking as anything Hollywood has to offer, so the campaign for a big-screen version, or failing that, at least a sequel to the book begins here!" - IGN

"It is somewhat self-referential, inventive and very clever. But most of all, it is fun. If you have ever picked up a comic book and enjoyed it, then this is a must-buy." - Starburst

“Solid writing, great character development, humor, personal loss, and excellent points to ponder in every chapter.” – Wired’s Geek Dad

"Turbulence delivers exactly what it intends: an entertaining, well-written read. In the genre’s history it will be seen as an important work, a reflection of the subcontinent’s growing self-confidence. Indians have had the pleasure of enjoying his work for about a decade now, and it is wonderful that Titan Books has decided to make it available outside the subcontinent." – SF World Review

"The action is fast and full of iconic fight scenes that feel straight out of a comic book...The humour and cultural references are fun and spot on." – Geek Syndicate

“It’s funny, smart, touching at times and horrifying at others, highly suspenseful, and it definitely speaks to the universality of human nature.” – Popcorn Reads 

“A worthy novel in its own right.” – Bad Haven


“Basu carries off an exciting, entertaining story that has some new things to offer.” –
With An Accent


“A strong contender for novel of the year, Samit Basu’s Turbulence races along at
lightspeed and leaves you breathlessly demanding more.” – One Metal 
“I would highly recommend this book for comic book fans, obviously. But if you also liked shows like Heroes (well, at least the first season) or Alphas, you’re going to love this book. Turbulence covers it all: action, romance, politics and moral dilemmas. And it will definitely leave you wanting more.” – Fangirl Confessions 

“Samit Basu does characterization incredibly well, bonding the reader with the characters as quickly as a television show.” – Fanboy Nation 


“Perfect sibling to Misfits, another great take on the superheroes genre.” –
Upcoming4.me
“Turbulence is the best book I’ve read this summer.” – Geek Hard    

“For any superhero fan, Turbulence is a must-read. It’s got everything you’d ask for out of a comic book, packed into a clever, action-packed novel. It’s got a modern edge that puts it in it’s own category of awesome.” – Nerdophiles 

“Turbulence is highly recommended. Bring on the sequel, Mr. Basu!” – Nerds In Babeland 

“The novel races toward a climactic Battle Royale, Transformer-style mega-romp. It’s super terrific. The author has already written a sequel (called Resistance) and we couldn’t be happier. To paraphrase Alan Moore: “Superman exists, and he’s not American.” Long live the Justice League of India!” – Superhero Novels 

'Basu did a wonderful job of strategically just the right amount of pop culture references in the just the right places and in the right quantities." - Nerd Trek





 

About the Author

Samit Basu is one of India's most talented and prolific young writers with an existing and impressive profile in comics culture, science fiction and fantasy.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Titan Books; Reprint edition (July 9, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 359 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1781161194
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1781161197
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.15 x 0.93 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 99 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Samit Basu

Samit Basu

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Samit Basu is an Indian novelist, known mainly for SF and fantasy work. His most recent novel, the anti-dystopian near-future The City Inside (Tordotcom, '22) was on the Washington Post and Book Riot best SFF of 2022 lists and earlier shortlisted for the 2020 JCB Prize (India) as Chosen Spirits.

Samit's first novel, The Simoqin Prophecies, published by Penguin India in 2003, when Samit was 23, was the first book in the bestselling Gameworld Trilogy and marked the beginning of Indian English fantasy writing. His UK/US debut was the superhero novel Turbulence (Titan books).

He also works as a film director/screenwriter (Netflix), comics writer, children's writer, columnist and essayist.

Samit runs a newsletter, Duck of Dystopia (samit.substack.com) and can be found on social media at @samitbasu, and at samitbasu.com

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
99 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one review highlighting its three-dimensional detail. Moreover, the characters are well-developed, with one customer noting the interesting premise of a team of B-list heroes. Additionally, customers enjoy the book's readability and writing style, with one mentioning it reads like a video game.

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8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, which takes readers through an incredible journey, with one customer highlighting its three-dimensional detail and another noting its fun cinematic battle scenes.

"...Asian heroes with interesting powers and abilities, some really fun cinematic battle scenes, and very imaginative characters and plot...." Read more

"...This is a novel with a setting that’s surprisingly refreshing — it’s fun to get better acquainted with India and its gigantically diverse population..." Read more

"First time to read Mr. Basu, nice story and characters" Read more

"Meh. The first 30-40 pages were interesting...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the characters in the book, describing them as very imaginative and real-life superheroes, with one customer noting the interesting concept of a team of B-list heroes.

"...and abilities, some really fun cinematic battle scenes, and very imaginative characters and plot. Not your usual fare, in other words...." Read more

"...This is a superhero story, and it really excels. The characters are amazingly fun — I really couldn’t pick out a favorite...." Read more

"...This one has the interesting notion of a team of B-list heroes with somewhat less stellar powers being cast against more conventionally-super-..." Read more

"First time to read Mr. Basu, nice story and characters" Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and fun to read, with one mentioning it has a comic style.

"...I definitely recommend it. It's not the deepest reading, but it's a *fun* read, and that definitely counts for a lot with me...." Read more

"...Is it a good superhero story? Heck, yes -- it may be one of the best I’ve ever read. Go pick it up. You’ll love this." Read more

"Characters are cartoonish. I suppose that is intended. OK if you like cartoons. I want more from a sci fi book." Read more

"Real life superheroes, yes please! This was really a fun book to read, the more I read it the more I was hooked...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one noting it reads like a video game and another praising the author's élan.

"I enjoyed the first part of this novel quite a bit. I like the writing style and the characters and premise are interestingly developed...." Read more

"...It is, as I said, unputdownable. Basu writes with élan, making an unlikely story believable; suffused with wit and charm, the story takes the reader..." Read more

"This really reads like a video game...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Salil Maniktahla
    4.0 out of 5 stars The least typical superhero story!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book, mostly because it's such a change of pace (and style, and location) from the typical superhero tale. Modern South Asian heroes with interesting powers and abilities, some really fun cinematic battle scenes, and very imaginative characters and plot.

    Not your usual fare, in other words. I definitely recommend it. It's not the deepest reading, but it's a *fun* read, and that definitely counts for a lot with me. If you're looking for something light, fast-paced, and a little quirky, this will keep you occupied!
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  • Scott Slemmons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Superheroics in an Unconventional Setting
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    If there’s one thing we’re accustomed to in American comics, it’s that most superheroes are Americans. Sure, you get the occasional nod to superheroes from Canada, the UK, Russia, Japan, or China. But we always focus on American superheroes. And we always consider it a triumph for diversity when a team of heroes has more than one person of color. But if we went by total population, who’d have the largest populations of super-powered people? China first, obviously, but after that would be India — and that’s the setting for this book.

    Our setup for the novel comes when everyone aboard a plane traveling from London to Delhi ends up getting powers, some grand and earth-shattering, some modest and barely noticible, but all exactly the powers that suited each person’s personality and greatest desires.

    So we meet Aman, who gets vast powers over telecommunications and decides he wants to save the world from itself. Vir, a pilot in the Indian Air Force, gets flight, superspeed, and super-durability. Aspiring actress Uzma becomes superhumanly likeable. Harried housewife Tia can clone herself as many times as she wants. Sher is a tiger-headed super-warrior. Princess Anima is a schoolgirl with massively powerful anime-inspired combat abilities. And Jai is entirely indestructible — and he wants to conquer the entire world.

    And they’re not all heroes. Jai is certainly the most powerful being on the planet, and he gathers most of the other really powerful people to his side really quickly. He kills the people who aren’t useful to him. The pitifully few heroes don’t tend to have the most combat-worthy abilities, and they’re generally outgunned and seemingly doomed. What chance do they have to save India, much less the rest of the world?

    This is a novel with a setting that’s surprisingly refreshing — it’s fun to get better acquainted with India and its gigantically diverse population through this book. But it’s not just a geographical lesson plan — because that would be no fun at all. This is a superhero story, and it really excels.

    The characters are amazingly fun — I really couldn’t pick out a favorite. Aman and his pigheaded naivete, Uzma and the way she slowly grows out of her shallow egotism, Tia’s maternal kickassery, Vir’s stubborn and frequently stupid heroism. Sher and Princess Anima are both terrifying in different ways and also hugely charismatic in equally different ways. And Jai is so despicably dislikeable — but you really wouldn’t hate him so much if her weren’t such a gloriously created villain. And there are plenty of minor characters who you wish had larger roles in the story just so you could get to know them better.

    The action and fight scenes are fantastic, harrowing, horrifying, and everything you’d want from a bunch of super-battles. And the story continually grows more and more exciting, with the stakes being continually raised higher and higher. The further along you go in the story, the less likely you are to want to put it down for very long.

    Is it a good superhero story? Heck, yes -- it may be one of the best I’ve ever read. Go pick it up. You’ll love this.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jim Perry
    3.0 out of 5 stars Part novel, part comic, part screenplay. Needs to make up its mind.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the first part of this novel quite a bit. I like the writing style and the characters and premise are interestingly developed. It's reminiscent of "Heroes" or other treatments in which the basic question of "what if super-heroes really appeared on the scene" is addressed. This one has the interesting notion of a team of B-list heroes with somewhat less stellar powers being cast against more conventionally-super-powered villains. This was well set up and could have been wrapped up nicely in the scope of a novel.

    However, once all the characters were on stage and the basic concepts established, it veered more into comic-book territory, with elements seemingly introduced to establish more parity between powers for set battles. Then as we got into the climactic confrontation of the book, it took on the quality of a first-person narration of what seemed like a blow-by-blow and shot-by-shot screenplay of a very Hollywood-blockbuster (over)treatment. This book ties up the nominal events in a rather pat way without really resolving the basic underlying questions and obviously setting up for a line of sequels (if not comic and movie spin-offs).
    3 people found this helpful
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  • David M Turner
    4.0 out of 5 stars nice story and characters
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    First time to read Mr. Basu, nice story and characters
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  • DS0001
    2.0 out of 5 stars I want my hour back...you can even keep the money, just give me back the hour or so...please?
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Meh. The first 30-40 pages were interesting. After that it became a bad mix of over-done "everything is possible, regardless of the ridiculousness factor" of a Hollywood Blockbuster Spider Man crossed with a remake of any Tom Cruise movie.

    Don't get me wrong - I did finish it. It's not in that special list of 20 or so books that, in my lifetime, left me so ill I had to actually throw it away or delete it from every device and account I own.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kausik Datta
    5.0 out of 5 stars unputdownable
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    It is difficult to review this book without letting out spoilers. It is, as I said, unputdownable. Basu writes with élan, making an unlikely story believable; suffused with wit and charm, the story takes the reader through an incredible and breathless, edge-of-the-seat journey. The whole narrative is so well illustrated with words, that the reader simply has to close one's eyes in between and the story appears in glorious three-dimensional detail onto two dimensions, like a graphic novel/comic book. C'est brilliant.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Lesley Conner
    4.0 out of 5 stars Normal people turn superhero!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2023
    A fun tale about ordinary people suddenly getting superpowers. Interesting take on the superhero trope. A quick read that lots of fun. I can't wait to read the sequel.
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  • K. C.
    3.0 out of 5 stars so so
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Characters are cartoonish. I suppose that is intended. OK if you like cartoons. I want more from a sci fi book.
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Tanabrus
    3.0 out of 5 stars Una sorta di "Heroes", nel bene e nel male.
    Reviewed in Italy on February 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Intrattenimento.

    Un libro abbastanza semplice, che gioca molto con il concetto di supereroe portandolo fuori dal suo media classico e attualizzandolo... un po' come aveva tentato di fare la serie tv Heroes a suo tempo.
    Quindi con moltissimi riferimenti ai fumetti e ai film, e ammissioni continue dell'autore (per mezzo di alcuni personaggi) che in questo campo tutto o quasi è già stato detto, e l'originalità è davvero difficile da trovare.

    E qui infatti se ne trova ben poca.

    Probabilmente la cosa maggiormente originale del libro è l'ambientazione, visto che l'aereo delle British Airlines che viene colpito dal misterioso evento che dona a tutti i suoi passeggeri dei poteri superumani sta tornando in India, e quindi la stragrande maggioranza dei superumeni è di origine indiana. A un certo punto l'autore ci scherza pure, quando fa immaginare le reazioni del mondo a questa notizia: superman esiste, ma non è americano, è asiatico.

    Per il resto, malgrado l'incipit (tutti i passeggeri si ritrovano un potere che esaudisce bene o male i loro più reconditi desideri), la storia deve moltissimo ovviamente ai fumetti.
    E più volte mi sono ritrovato a pensare al capolavoro di Straczynski, Rising Stars, sopratutto per il personaggio di Uzma.

    La trama è abbastanza scontata, anche se il rifiuto iniziale di Uzma dà un po' di spessore alla vicenda (il suo rifiutare di fare il supereroe solo perché ha poteri, sfidando così per il momento il dogma Parkiano) e anche i dilemmi morali di Arman, quando comincia a invertire le proprie posizioni con quelle di Uzma, non sono male.
    Ma è tutto visto e rivisto.

    Non ci sono caratterizzazioni tali da far prendere ai personaggi il sopravvento sulla storia, e di alcuni scopriamo il destino prima ancora di leggerlo per via del poco spazio che gli viene concesso.

    Il ritmo è buono, e la scrittura è sempre permeata di una qualche vena umoristica.

    Onestamente pensavo sarebbe stato molto migliore questo libro, ma comunque si è lasciato leggere abbastanza agevolmente.
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  • Diwakar Sekar
    4.0 out of 5 stars Comic and interesting
    Reviewed in India on June 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Turbulence was one of the books that exceeded my expectations.The story starts in a comic and usual super-hero style intro but from second chapter Samit Basu shows his skills. The narration was good,had really good funny dialogues at some places. The book is a big relief in a way that it describes the deeds of a group of super-powered people who tries to shun away their powers and lead a normal life rather than being like Avengers or X-Men.
    The plot was definitely unique and interesting. All the characters had some true justification for their deeds. The author uses simple words to narrate and it makes easy to go with the flow of the story.
    There are interesting powers for the chatacters. Tia can replicate herself and do multiple tasks and combine later (if that replica survives! ) She goes for fashion designing, attacks an army base,watches multiple TV channels etc. Aman,the guy who can connect to any network in the world has one interesting and unique power. A group of such people is opposed by mighty powered invincible super-villains. The clashes between them and its description was really thrilling and presented in front of my eyes.
    Overall, this book is a funny,comical yet serious at places when needed. Heard that it's sequel is going to be launched soon. I'm eagerly waiting for that !
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars thoroughly enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed the new twist on the superhero storyline and look forward to the sequal. . . . . . .
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  • Ruchira Mandal
    5.0 out of 5 stars Make Netflix Read This
    Reviewed in India on September 3, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A quirky, practical take on the superhero phenomenon. If you love superheroes and can't wait for Thanos to come back, give this a try. If you're bored to death with superheroes, and couldn't care less if all the Avengers and the Justice League and assorted mutants everywhere disintegrated into dust, GIVE THIS A TRY.
    Really cool characters with really cool powers. Heads up for strong female characters and Bong representation. (Although, though I loved the ladies, but I would love to see a work where a leading lady is as physically non-descript as Aman Sen without going through a makeover).
    And yes, it has a sequel which is as good, if not better.
    Why has this not been filmed yet? We had this and Bollywood made Drona? Really?
    Someone get Netflix onboard please.
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  • Sandy L
    5.0 out of 5 stars Turbulence
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Buy this book!
    I love superhero films, and the origins of superpowers.
    I'm not a comic book guy though, I love regular novels/ books. I'm a Lit guy.
    And this is a fantastic book.
    Great story, great development.
    For every concept it touches upon in opens up 5 more questions.
    Really looks at how people would actually react to gaining superpowers.
    Love the characters, love the plot, love the writing, love the book!
    Buy it and enjoy.

    Ps India is definately the perfect setting for superheroes, can't wait for more!
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