FINALIST LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD
A groundbreaking collection of frank, provocative short stories from gay Indian-Norwegian Vikram Kolmannskog, published to coincide with the anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in India.
From the forest-fringed suburbs of Oslo to the bustling heart of Bombay; from the timeless banks of the Ganges to the never-closing nightclubs of Berlin, Lord of the Senses captures a headily contemporary sense of what it is to be queer, cosmopolitan, spiritual and sexual.
PRAISE FOR LORD OF THE SENSES
'[A] distinctive, original voice. Written with love and precision and honesty, these sincere, sensitive, intimate stories quickly become addictive.' – RAJEEV BALASUBRAMANYAN (Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss)
'[A] spine-tingling exploration of what it means to be a young, gay, defiantly sexual and spiritual man navigating complex identities with a sense of fluidity. A sexy, gorgeously crafted collection.' – DIRIYE OSMAN (Fairytales For Lost Children)
'Stories to read in one greedy gulp – salty and erotic yet bitter-sweet. Unashamedly sexy, yet they also probe the tender spots where our insecurities lie coiled. In a world where the object of one’s lust is just a click away on an app, these stories turn desire itself inside out. Indian, mixed, and thoroughly queer, it’s like encountering a series of selfies of modern gay life – unabashed, unapologetic and always hungry.' – SANDIP ROY (Don’t Let Him Know)
'[C]aptures the essence of the gay Indian experience – funny, sensual, heartbreaking, and exhilarating, all at the same time.' – UDAYAN DHAR (founding editor, Pink Pages India)
'A joyous read. Many queer folks and people of Indian origin are going to connect with these stories.' – SUKHDEEP SINGH (founding editor, Gaylaxy magazine)
'The characters… negotiate prejudices, disappointments, and multiple identities of nationality, religion, caste, and sexual orientation, making this personal, poignant, and entertaining collection… a commentary on life itself.' – HANSDA SOWVENDRA SHEKHAR (My Father’s Garden)
'Indian contemporary issues and nuances like casteism, politics, sexuality, poverty, devotion and renunciation blossom in these tales that speak unabashedly of same-sex love and lust.' – VASUDHENDRA (Mohanaswamy)
Here's an insightful review by GIANNA JACKSON - well worth a read.
Read an in-depth interview with Vikram in Gaylaxy magazine here. And here's a great review in the same magazine here.
A further substantial interview and review by ChakGay! India! here.
Here's a great interview with Vikram at PEN Transmission.
Here's a fascinating and substantial video interview with Vikram at the Indian launch of Lord of the Senses.
Another video interview with, and performance by, Vikram, for Født Fri (Born Free): Love Without Borders.
Amir and Aamir talk with Vikram for their YDLM podcast, Are You Man Enough?
Here's a thoughtful and substantial review from Scroll.in.
A great in-depth review and reflection on what it means to be queer and Hindu in Firstpost.com here.
You can buy this text via the following outlets:
UK: Waterstones / Amazon
US: Barnes & Noble / Amazon
Do check out this great interview with Vikram Kolmannskog: