An exciting detective story set in the jungles of Bengal and the labyrinths of Venice. A very rare novel of ideas and idea-driven novel in today's times. Amitav Ghosh's new book can be called a "noosphere" novel, in which he combines biological and social planes, spiritual and rational, scientific and mystical, artistic and documentary. But above all, it is a novel about tradition and its role. It is a novel about the Kali Yuga era, the last days and the disaster looming over the world. But decline and ruin can be resisted. And that is exactly what the heroes of The Weapon Island do. Dean, a rare books trader, is used to a quiet life, but one day he is forced to embark on an unusual journey, from New York to India, and then to Venice via a tangled route—through memories and experiences of those he meets along the way. Pia, an American of Bengali descent; Tipu, an enterprising young man who opens Dean’s eyes to the realities of growing up in the modern world; Bengali Rafi with his desperate attempt to help those in need; and Italian Cinta, who will provide the missing link in the mysterious story they are all part of. Part adventure novel, part detective story, part novel about self-discovery, Amitav Ghosh’s new book is above all about how the world entirely depends on our actions, decisions, and thoughts.