Ever wonder what would happen if beings from outer space arrived in Karachi? “Divided Species”, a science fiction novel may predict a suitable scenario. It is authored by Muhammad Omar Iftikhar, a Karachi-based fiction writer.
The book has been published by Auraq Publications and can be pre-ordered from this link: https://bit.ly/preorderdividedspecies. It will soon be available at selected book stories.
While commenting on the book, Muhammad Omar Iftikhar said, “Reading science fiction novels always fascinated my imagination. I wondered why extraterrestrial beings from outer space never visit Karachi! This curiosity made me develop a story where such creatures land in Karachi who have an objective to achieve. However, the Taleykens (the beings from space) endeavor for their survival on Earth when beings from their kind visit Karachi to sabotage the mission to turn Karachi into a pile of debris to achieve their vested interests.”
The story of Divided Species revolves around the exploration of an alien mineral resource buried beneath Karachi. The backstory signals that the extraterrestrial beings, the Taleykens, from the fictional Planet Arplon in the Cygnus Constellation (present in actuality), arrived in these parts of the subcontinent over 150 years ago that later became Karachi. They struck a covert agreement with a human where the secret was passed down through generations. The action begins when the soldiers of the Taleyken army’s space exploration division land in Karachi with a mission to locate the mineral resource and protect it from some members of the Taleyken race who want to unearth it without precaution. The radiation of the mineral resource can damage human, animal, and plant life within a diameter of a few hundred kilometers. The Taleyken soldiers in Karachi befriend a teenager, Rayan, who helps them overcome the challenges before Karachi turns into a radioactive wasteland.
Safwa Mir worked on Divided Species as an Editorial Consultant. Safwa is an Organizational Psychologist, Researcher, and Content Consultant with over 6 years of experience in creating and curating resources for individuals and businesses. She has extensive experience in providing editorial services and mentoring different training programs. When commenting on the book, she said, “The biggest appeal to me in reading Omar’s work is his ability to produce novel concepts. He used the full capacity of a sci-fi genre to be creative yet balance the presence and support of all the main characters in this book. This highlighted the concept that People need People to function and survive.” The book has received endorsements from Ambreen Arshad, Section In Charge, Daily Dawn; Omair Alavi, Entertainment Journalist; and Awais Khan, author of In the Company of Strangers.
Muhammad Omar Iftikhar developed all fictional characters (extraterrestrial and humans) from scratch. They do relate to the environment shown in the novel and can be relatable to the plot. The readers of Pakistan, especially those living in Karachi or those visiting Karachi frequently, will find it interesting to read that the action takes place in popular areas and places of the city. It will be an interesting read indeed!
