Ace Umbra weaves together sci-fi, metaphysics, and mythology in a thrilling detective story. What inspired you to blend these diverse elements?
My diverse inspirations are what contributed to Ace Umbra’s storyline.
Ace’s journey is deeply personal, tied to his past, his alien heritage, and his complex relationships. How did you develop his character arc, and what do you find most compelling about him?
Ace was very human despite being an alien. His mother had a big part in inducing humanness in him. And I think his ability to understand humanity and its complexities is most compelling about him. That is why he was true to Lux and morally correct in his actions even though he had deep attraction for Venus.
The concept of Echophiles is fascinating. Can you delve into how you created their powers and the role they play in the story?
I penned this ability to mainly show how everything has memorization power and not just humans. Humans accidentally discovered how magnets could record and replay voices. I extended that innateness into my characters.
The love triangle between Ace, Lux, and Venus adds emotional depth to the narrative. How do their contrasting personalities and dynamics shape the story’s progression?
I mainly kept the attraction between Venus and Ace to hint on their shared past that was forgotten. Rather deleted from active memory due to grandfather paradox. Lux was Ace’s present and future. That is why Ace never deviated from his relationship with Lux because somewhere he knew Venus was not a part of his life going forward.
The murder mystery at the heart of the novel is intricate, with shifting memories and a seemingly supernatural killer. What challenges did you face while crafting such a layered investigation?
It was serendipity really. I started the story with a simple plot line where Ace was the killer. But changed the sequence later by introducing scientific theories around the grandfather paradox and Mandela Effect. I also took advantage of AI fascination to add an additional layer of mystery that did not unfold until the end.
Mythological influences, such as Narasimha and Sharabha, play a key role in the story. How did you integrate these figures into your futuristic and metaphysical world?
All my books have these unique combinations of technology and mythology. If we look at our mythological stories, they sound advanced. We have hybrid beings that are now a thing with scientific advancement. And I can never leave behind my metaphysical bent as it is awfully similar to quantum theories. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a fan of science while I can also appreciate abstract viewpoints. So, it was pretty easy for me to blend in these elements.
Venus is a mysterious and complex character, with her true identity tied to knowledge and desire. How did you develop her character, and what do you think makes her relationship with Ace so compelling?
Venus is a personification of thought, which to me is the universal software running most efficiently on humans. Her pride was what drew Ace to her. Him being too human, let her run all over him. That is a representation of the human body and mind relationship.
Ace Umbra explores the intersection of science, technology, and the supernatural. How did you balance these elements to create a cohesive and believable world?
I basically didn’t shoot too far out into the future and theorized a palatable world with plausible technology that we can envision even now.
Memory manipulation is a recurring theme in the book, with characters losing and regaining key memories. What drew you to explore the fragility of memory, and how does it impact the resolution of the mystery?
I feel memory is the biggest mystery of creation. We know reflection is needed to say something is there. But that something already has to exist as a memory first. We cannot see what’s not there. I found this like the chicken and egg situation. My story is sort of like that. It starts from the day after the murder and the loop closes by going back to the day of the murder. It shows how everything is cyclical and that even though murder had taken place, it was still occurring if viewed from the other end.
Ace Umbra is rich with intricate worldbuilding, ethical dilemmas, and unexpected twists. What message or feeling do you hope readers take away from this novel?
I hope my readers would appreciate the similarities between metaphysical, quantum, and Indic mythology. The line between reality and imagination is not too strong. As we make scientific advancement, we will learn that fantasy will be a reality someday.