This first book by Dan Simmons is a little heavy, the author does not hesitate to overload its descriptions of Calcutta, a little long to get to the heart of his subject. But touches the mystery and history are expanding. At the end of the book we realize that Simmons began to dévelloper his dear subject "suffering". For readers wanting to discover all the work of the writer "The Song of Kali" should be read but it is still far from "L'Echiquier du Mal" or Beautiful "Cantos Hépirion".