Customer Reviews:
 Another Bull's Eye for the AMAZING Gore Vidal! March 8, 2004
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
It would be tough to find a writer with such a huge range as the great Gore Vidal in this or any other time! KALKI is surely one his "breezy", less difficult reads, but it scores on every play! The story of a deranged ex-Vietnam vet who metamorphsizes into a huge Hindu cult leader takes direct aim at the super- commercial media society, cults and apocalyptic religions in general, government agencies, ultra feminism, and about any other hyped up cant of the 1970's , or 2000's. It's ultimate message is horrific, especially relevent today. All written in the amusing, satiric, deadpan style of the incredible Mr. Vidal..In short, a bizarre, all too possible, fable for all of us, for all time.
 That '70s Book December 22, 2003
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
KALKI is very much a product of its time. And, as that time was the late '70s, one can see that the book is obsessed with many of the same things that other products of that era were fascinated by. The main protagonist is a female, she's an avowed feminist, she's overtly bisexual, she's an airplane test pilot, she constantly thinks about Amelia Earhart, and her autobiography was a rejection of motherly values, ghost-written by a man selected by her publishing company.The rest of the story is similarly '70s in flavor. An Eastern/Hindu religious sect is claiming that their god Kalki has been reincarnated in the form of an ex-army soldier from the American Midwest. Their scripture claims that when Kalki returns to ride the white horse, the world will end soon afterwards; only the chosen few will survive. Naturally, since this is the '70s, everyone on the planet becomes obsessed with the Kalki story. The newsmagazine show, "60 Minutes" produces an unusually long segment investigating the Kalki phenomenon. Even Walter Cronkite gets into the act, making an amused comment on the impending end of the world. In between the references to Watergate and the mentions of Ronald Reagan, there's a very effective religious satire going on here. Gore Vidal paints his satirical strokes a little broad at times, but when he focuses, the story soars. Fun is poked at, not only the religious cults that were springing up at the time, but many aspects of pop culture. Some of the jokes still apply today, of course. In fact, were this book to be written now, many of the shots at television news coverage wouldn't need to be changed at all. Although the book seems most concerned with its satire, it also works extremely well as straight adventure/thriller. A genuinely enjoyable story, I simply could not figure out what direction it was going to go in next. The gothic tone of the ending slips in nicely after the whimsy of the beginning and middle. Vidal manages to get the balance of comedy and drama just right. Some moments are laugh out loud funny, while a page later one will be faced with sudden and utter horror.
 Heavy Handed Plot February 21, 2003
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
The plot overwhelmed this story, turning some fine characters into unbelievable stick people, reducing them to comic book figures. One gets involved with the bisexual narrator, Teddy, only to see the rug pulled from beneath her as she is surreptitiously pulled into a conspiracy to destroy mankind (including her two young kids!). Give me a break. It doesn't rescue the story to call it a satire-satire of what? Doomsday prophets? I enjoyed the zany cast with their double personalities until they were forced to cope with the dystopian horror ending. I don't think anyone could remain sympathetic or interested in such a cast of characters. Yes, the Kelly/Kalki character took mental illness to new heights in believing himself to be a trinity of Hindu gods, creators, preservers and destroyers but all he really did was immolate himself to Vidal's rather ridiculous plot. Is Gore asking us here-look ma, no hands-see what a ludicrous story I can tell?
Gore Vidal is OUT OF CONTROL! October 26, 2002
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Gore Vidal is too too funny -- I absolutely loved this book -- it cracked me up --- and I rarely laugh while reading, but Gore Vidal's writing is too irresistable. Honestly, this book is hilarious, but what is suggests is a little frightening. I've read The Smithsonian Istitute and Myra Breckenridge, and this one is my favorite --- go out and read this!
An Alternative Classic September 12, 2002
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Gore Vidal's Kalki belongs in the ranks of Cat's Cradle, Crying of Lot 49, and other such experimental literary classics. Vidal's biting political satire and wryly intelligent playfulness in Kalki make it, in my humble opinion, an even better read than Vonnegut or Robbins or Pynchon have produced.The story is, without giving away too much, about an American Hindu cult figure who has predicted the end of the world. An unlikely reporter is hired to cover the case, only to end up in a labyrnth of deceit, political intrigue, and no shortage of playfully sexy scenarios. Major issues dealt with, as only our leading man of letters Gore Vidal could, include feminism, bisexuality, American politics, media, religion, and the end of life on Earth. These major "issues" do not, however, interfere in any way with the romp-in-the-sand fun of reading one of the best novels written in the second half of the 20th century. For anyone who likes metafiction, experimental fiction, and humor, this novel should be the next one you read.
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