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The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara

The Immortal King Rao

A Novel

by Vauhini Vara

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Readers' Rating (22):
  • Published:
  • May 2022, 384 pages
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There are currently 22 reader reviews for The Immortal King Rao
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Power Reviewer
Viqui G. (State College, PA)

The Immortal King Rao
The premise of this novel was compelling and the main characters were well fleshed out and nuanced. However, the many numbers of different characters were difficult to keep straight and I often had to go back in the book to remind myself of character names and relationships with King Rao or Athena. In addition, I found the plot line hard to follow at times due to abrupt storyline transitions.
Sonya M. (Takoma Park, MD)

King Rao and the Rise of IT
I recommend this book for those fascinated by the rise of IT and its impact on our everyday lives, the global economy, and politics. That story is fictionalized through the story of King Rao and his invention of "Coconut," mimicking the rise of Apple Computer.

Told in three timelines, the birth, and early years of King Rao as a Dalit (untouchable) in India, through his rise as a software genius in Seattle and the founding of Coconut, and in the future when the internet and software algorithms rule the world and take over our brains. The Shareholders relinquish their decision making and government to the Algorithm;more
Power Reviewer
Becky H. (Chicago, IL)

Ultimately Unsatisfying
I thought this was going to be an Indian dalit makes good in the tech world, creates a new world order that turns on him and he responds with more techie intrigue book.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a wide ranging but superficial family drama with a vast cast of characters that jumped from past to present to near past to middle past and back to present with jarring regularity. Oh, yes, there is some techie stuff thrown in but it is an obvious afterthought to the family drama.

The techie part was interesting. Can you turn your mind into a computer and then pass it on to another? What an intriguing idea. I wishmore
Nancy L. (Staunton, VA)

King Rao
"The Immortal King Rao" is the story of a man of humble beginnings who becomes famous world wide. Beginning in India, we meet the Dalit clan of King Rao and see him as a youngster. Then we travel to the US and see King as a young computer genius. Finally we move into exile with the elderly King in a dystopian future.
"The Immortal King Rao" is not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the three parts separately, but found the flow of the book too choppy and often difficult to follow.
Therese M. (Winfield, IL)

The Immortal King Rao
The book tells the story of an Indian Untouchable, King Rao, whose mantra that there's no problem that can't be solved, and his beyond genius computer skills, end up literally changing the world. His company, called Coconut (think Apple on steroids), evolves into a super corporation, with the world's citizens as its global shareholders. In theory, as private industry, Coconut can provide whatever society needs, better than any country's government. Of course, there are those who want no part of the new order, and they become a powerful draw for King Rao's daughter, who he's kept a secret from the world.

Whilemore
Power Reviewer
Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM)

Editor Wanted
This was a book I struggled with. The story flips back and forth from 1950's India, to 1980's invention of the internet, to post-Steve Jobs 21st century. Much of the early years was confusing and too long. I guess the author's point is that some basic things don't change -- the old caste system of India becomes the post-modern techni-world divided into the privileged Board of Shareholders class, to Bainbridge Island Exes, to Blanklands where King Rao lives in exile, all defended by the author who says, "Who is going to argue with an all-knowing algorithm ?" I found the book poorly organized, but it might havemore
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