Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Time Crawlers - Stories from Parallel Universes by Varun Sayal

I have read Scifi novels either as whole books or box set. This genre needs space to get developed, because you need to explain age/time for which the story was conceptualized, technologies of the age, geographical/astrological information, science (only a few of the authors try it, others just assume it fantasy genre and leave it) So when I saw "Time Crawlers - Stories from Parallel Universes" by Varun Sayal was collection of 6 short stories, I was confused about how an author is gonna do all these things in a few pages. Well, I added the book to my kindle shopping list.


Book Blurb
Billions of universes run slightly parallel to our own universe; worlds full of infinite possibilities. There are many humans living in those parallel worlds, leading their lives, in a very similar way to how we are leading ours. But their respective realities differ from ours in some very peculiar ways.
Inhabitants of some worlds have already been visited and are being ruled by aliens. Some traveled through time, back and forth, and some have taken their space exploration to advanced stages using their powerful spaceships. Some created ruthless artificial intelligences that are fulfilling dark, human desires. Some developed advanced weapons technologies thousands of years before we did.
I believe a writer's brain can somehow tap into this multitude of universes and take a peek into the events happening in each of them. This book, comprised of six stories, is my attempt to narrate to you tales from six different parallel universes. These stories are events that my brain somehow tapped into and captured in detail.
Let me know if your unconscious mind visited the same universes as mine.
As per Forward of this book, there are millions of universe in parallel to each other. And millions of civilization thriving in each of these universes. The stories, covered in this book, are for those places where space-time travel is possible. Each story is based on one of the controversial scientific mystique concept starting from alien intrusion in culture, telepathy, telekinetics to time travel.

Four reasons why you should read this book
  • In love with sci-fi concept - The author has taken the time to explain his imagination of sci-fi concepts to readers with whatever scientific bases available without killing interest that too within 100 pages.
  • Action Packed Drak Theme - If you love to read some sci-fi war stories, you have stories for you. If you want to read some dark theme stories they are also present in the book.
  • To the point Description - No rubbish. 
  • Light Read -  Yes you can finish it in one sitting. But can give your imagination to another level for the next few days.
I personally feel that Varun has just given seeds for testing. Whichever story gets more feedback, he should make a full-fledged book on that topic. I would really love to read a full-fledged novel on "The Cave" and "Nark-Astra"

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 4/5
  2. Concept - 4/5
  3. Characters - 3.5/5
  4. Overall - 4/5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Monday, July 30, 2018

Meet Susha Satish Author of The Song of the Caged Bird

Reading "The Song of the Caged Bird" by Susha Satish was a nice experience for us. Those who have missed the review of the book can click here. Today we have author Susha Satish with us to discuss more her book.


Before we move ahead, can you please tell our readers about your education and professional background?
I am a slightly reserved person. It was the same in school; I did not have a number of friends, just a few. It’s probably because I enjoy observing people, trying to imagine their stories and I enjoy listening to them rather than do a lot of talking myself.
Since I was born in Kuwait, I had my early education there and came to India when I was entering my 9th grade. I belong to Kerala and did my double graduation in History and Economics with German as my second language. Later, I completed my post-graduation and my M.Phil in English. I’m one of those strange folk who enjoy studying and I went on to complete my B.Ed after I was married. Right now, I’m preparing to do my P.Hd.Looking back, I realise thatsports and games never really held any fascination for me; I was the kind who feels that a roomful of books is Paradise and the feeling is the same today!
What are some day jobs you have held?
It never occurred to me to become a teacher; I sort of stumbled into the profession. After I got married, I found that I had all the time in the world and nothing to do. Strangely, I went about it the wrong way round! My first job was at a college, a private one and I realised that I enjoyed teaching teenagers! After going on to become an Assistant Professor of a government college, I worked for around fifteen years, teaching post-grad students the nuances of English literature.
In my spare time, I worked at places like the Regional Engineering College, the Nursing College and a Seminary, taking classes in Spoken English as it was called in those days! Through all these years, my affection for the wide variety of students I met and interacted with, grew in leaps and bounds.
Certain circumstances made me shift to Pune and I began to teach at a residential school. That was an education in itself and I feel thankful for all that I learnt from this totally new world. Living in a community, being responsible for so many young adults, living their lives with them, sharing their laughter and pain- yes, these experiences have influenced me and most of the ideas I have put in my book have come from the very children who were my family during these times.
Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? Which author inspire you the most?
I read voraciously is an understatement. I read anything I can lay my hands on. My eyesight has begun to fail and so, I’ve been reprimanded by my daughter and husband who insist that I should reduce my reading! To no avail, of course!
I’d say, Patricia Cornwell and Anne Cleeves off the top of my hat. But then, I adore Rumer Godden’s ‘Five for Sorrow, ten for Joy, Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn but my all -time favourite is Jane Eyre. And then there is Ayn Rand’s the Fountainhead, which I force my students to read! I adore Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man and Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s fan too. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a classic that makes me teary eyed! I guess I’m a die-hard romantic and it’s these books that have inspired me, one way or the other!
When did you start writing?
I must have written a number of short stories when I was young; what I have always done is keep a journal and pour out my heart when I’m low!
I love reading poetry but am not so comfortable writing poems. Some of the poems I cherish are Tennyson’s works such as the Morte de Arthur and the soulful tragic Lady of Shallot,John Donne’s passionate love poems, T.S.Eliot’s Wasteland and Nizzim Ezekiel’s sharp witted poetry.
When did you decide to become a writer?
It was a year back when I was working and had some spare time that I decided to start writing. My niece, my sister’s daughter, had been urging me to write for quite a while now and finally, I gave in. Believe me, I had no great faith in myself and didn’t really think that my book would see the light of day!
But somewhere along the way, when I began to write, basing my story broadly upon my students and their love stories, my characters seemed to develop a mind of their own. It began to feel as though they were dictating their story, framing their situations! And I? I was only the lowly typist!
Do you have a special time to write, or how is your day structured to accommodate your writing?
Since I am still working at a residential school, my day is chock-full with myriad activities, responsibilities and work. So, I generally write at night, after dinner, before I go to bed. After writing a couple of pages, I go back and edit what I’ve typed, since I rarely feel that I’ve given my best!
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I’m not a singularly ambitious person. Professionally, the best part of my career is probably over, since I was the Principal of a reputed co-educational residential school for some years. I still continue to teach because I enjoy what I’m doing, that is, interacting with young people who can put a big smile on my face with their inherent openness!
What genre are your books?
When it comes to my writing yes, I want to continue to write and God willing, hope to have a large readership as well!!! But there is no driving competitiveness in me. I write because I enjoy doing it! It’s as simple as that!
My target audience are of course, the young people I meet everyday, the ones who are not yet cynical, the ones who can still believe inlove and happy endings!


Can you describe your current book in few lines? What’s it about?
This is my very first book and so, it is very dear to me. Not just because it is a debut novel, no, it is important because it has a little of so many of my students and their stories entwined in the framework of the plot.
‘The Song of the Caged Bird’ is a love story, about two young people who fall hopelessly in love when they meet in college. But circumstances force them apart. It may sound clichéd but I have seen first-hand how such a situation can separate people.
The idea for my story came from the children around me, young teenagers who are passionate about the people they care for and have a devil-may-care attitude that is sometimes hopelessly endearing! There was no particular research required, I had my characters abounding in the places I worked in!
Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
The characters are very close to my heart. My heroine, Malini, seemed to grow before my eyes in my imagination as I watched her move from cheerful youthfulness to a more sober wisdom of sorts. Yash, my hero, was a cool customer, the kind of youth who keeps his emotions under wraps at all times.
Who is your least favorite character and why ?
A character I did not like but was fascinated by, was Yash’s father – in –law, Pritam Makreja, the kind of person who will not think twice about moving in, rough shod, destroying anything that stands in his way.
What was the toughest thing about writing your latest book?
The hardest thing about the book was sending it in for publication!
Yes, I kept finding things to add, to delete until I simply had to give it in to be published, the way it was!
Can you tell us about the response you got for your book?
My book, The Song of the Caged Bird was published at the fag end of May this year, just before my school vacations ended and I returned to Pune, back to school. With my students encouraging me, I held a small book launch in Pune on the 7th of July. The entire event was organised by my ex-students and the Chief Guest was an old student of mine, a cine actress on the Marathi screen! The reviews which appeared on Amazon and Goodreads made me feel overwhelmed!
To my own surprise, my book has sold over a hundred and forty copies, thanks to my network of students who have rallied around me!



What are you working on at the minute? What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
I’m exploring the idea of writing a book series as well; of course, in the genre of romance! Currently, I’m planning my next book but with the workload at school, I’ve only been able to put together a sketchy outline. Once again, I’ve opted for a romance but with some suspence thrown in!
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
My advice for young writers would be just this; if you feel you have a story to tell and the idea simply haunts you all the time, get down to writing it!!!
How can your fan connect with you?
My Facebook link and that of my Goodreads and Amazon Author page are all in my name, which is Susha Satish.
My Twitter handle and my Linkedin id are sushasatish@gmail.com.
Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Thursday, July 26, 2018

A book review - Master Opportunity and Make it Big by Richard M Rothman

"Master Opportunity and Make it Big by Richard M Rothman" The first impression of the book was of self-help category pick, but then I checked the cover and blurb in details. The book got benefits of the doubt because it seemed more of one of my favorite genres which are nonfiction based on business cases. After Mythological Fictions, it is my second choice. I have reviewed and shared my liking for the said genre many times. 

Book Blurb
It is not luck that determines your destiny. It is opportunity – and how you choose it.
No matter how hard you work, if you pursue the wrong opportunities, you can get nowhere. On the other hand, by making the correct choices you will attract all the resources needed to rise to the top. This realization is crucial to success – you cannot afford to rely on luck. And now, you don’t have to.
In Master Opportunity and Make it Big, opportunity guru Richard M. Rothman bares the unique approaches to success employed by 18 phenomenal Indian businessmen.
With little to their name, they took great opportunities and converted them into riches. Through their stories you will learn:
• 16 simple ways to identify golden opportunities
• 12 key skills to mine lucrative prospects
• 12 proven techniques to accurately evaluate decisions
• 8 best methods to effectively implement your choices
These powerful case studies take you a step closer to solving the puzzle of what makes and breaks your dream.
The content of the book is divided into two parts. The success stories covering 80% and advises/business sutras kind of self-help material 20%. There are 18 success stories, which mean 18 inspirational personalities/cases for readers. The good part is Rothman has garnered the success mantras of each of the personality in words. These mantras made them lucy and helped them grab the opportunities to become successful. You may not know these personalities by name but you are aware of the brands they have created. You are seeing or using those brand in your life directly or indirectly. Let me give you brand names, for example, HDF bank, Parachute hair oil, Zee Entertainment, Kotak Mahindra Bank, India Infoline, Dr. Batra, Metro Shoes and 11 such big names. At the end of each case, the mantras of the said person were quoted as the food for thoughts for readers.

The best part is the way self-help concepts were induced/merged with stories. Otherwise, the self-help portion bore me out in general, but here it was given in relation to an on-going story which will force your mind to think and relate them. Every startup story has its own definition of success and their life/story became an example of that definition.

The language used in the book is simple. The narration style is also straight. You don't have to read a lot to understand the topic, each line was to the point. An awesome reading experience. Must read

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 3.5/5
  2. Concept - 4/5
  3. Content - 4.5/5
  4. Overall - 4.5/5
Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Book Review - Ram Chandra Series - Scion of Ikshvaku

Before I begin let me clear this was not a review copy. I actually bought it within the first month of release and I have received author signed steel bookmark with the book as well.


Book Blurb
Ram Rajya. The Perfect Land. But perfection has a price. He paid that price.
3400 BCE. INDIA
Ayodhya is weakened by divisions. A terrible war has taken its toll. The damage runs deep. The demon King of Lanka, Raavan, does not impose his rule on the defeated. He, instead, imposes his trade. Money is sucked out of the empire. The Sapt Sindhu people descend into poverty, despondency and corruption. They cry for a leader to lead them out of the morass. Little do they appreciate that the leader is among them. One whom they know. A tortured and ostracised prince. A prince they tried to break. A prince called Ram.
He loves his country, even when his countrymen torment him. He stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his Sita, and he, against the darkness of chaos.
Will Ram rise above the taint that others heap on him? Will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Will he fulfil the destiny of the Vishnu?
Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.
Now coming to the author, Amish Tripathi, I had three spans in last 15 years in which I was drawn towards reading. The first one was due to the Harry Potter series and that span continued for 2-3 months. Next two spans started with Amish Tripathi's Shiva Trilogy. And It is till date in my favorite top five book series. The series is also my wife's favorite. We have two sets of the trilogy. So it was obvious that we will buy the next series of Amrish. I know I am 3 years late to review the book.

"Scion of Ikshvaku" is the story of Rama, one of the most prayed gods among Hindus. Well like Shiva Trilogy the story is not plain Ramayana. Amrish has used his magical touch to repaint it. Just like Shiva from Meluha, Rama is also shown as a mere human. Amrish has shown how a human was got the title of a God. Timeline of the story is around 3500 BC when the old order of Malayputras (previous Vishnu) and Vayuputra's (previous Mahadeva) were maintaining harmony. Dashratha was the supreme leader of Bharatvarsha. He lost to Kubera and his general Ravana. Treaty cost Ayodhya and whole Bharatvarsh heavily. Rama and his three brothers were being trained and educated by Vashistha (an ex-Malayputra) Vashishta wanted to bring new Vishnu to the society, he found the qualities of ideal Vishnu in Rama and he trained Rama thoroughly. Rama wedded Sita, a strong character who hold an equal ground with Rama in all situation.


Talking about comparisons, similar to Shiva Trilogy, the same concept of society rebuilding, law and order discussed in the book. You can think of this book as a prequel to the timeline. The author has wonderfully shown the importance of the law-abiding. The way Amrish has shown male and female nature of society and its ruling is fundamental and realistic. The book is not up to the mark compared to Shiva Trilogy, but if you want to dwell in the world of ancient modern India, similar to Meluha then there is nothing better than this book.

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover -4.5/5
  2. Characters - 4/5
  3. Concept - 4/5
  4. Content - 3/5 (I felt the charm was missing)
  5. Overall - 4/5
Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Comic Review - The Sixth - The Legend of Karna

I have seen Vishnu Chevli's review of "Shiva - The legends of the Immortals" comic and from then I wanted to read comic so badly. The sixth -The legend of Karna is my first-time comic reading experience and it's been awesome. And I started asking myself why haven't I tried comics genre earlier.
Book Blurb
Amid glorious celebrations, the Divine Warrior finally sits down and tells his tale. The Sixth - Vimanika Comics' string of bestselling graphic novels revolving around Karna, the protagonist of Mahabharata are now offered in intricate casing! From humble beginnings of the son of Surya to the modern day Karan Vir's adventure, this amazing graphic novel told in six parts is sure to make every collector drool. Most of these issues are now out of print but for once and once only, our house is re-printing this epic for all those loving fans who want to own a pure piece of mythology. Issues 00 - 06, a grand story in themselves are now bound into a single Comic book ! And with a well-fabricated, nicely stitched cover that would definitely be a beautiful showcase on its own, readers don't have to think twice before getting this home. If all that weren't enough, a brand new poster of The Warrior himself comes absolutely FREE with the box! Here lies the story of Karna, the son of Surya, offered by the Gods themselves and enwrapped in breathtaking beauty. Take it now. You may not get this chance again. Jai Vimanika!
The sixth is the story about one of the characters from the great Epic Mahabharata, the abandoned brother of Pandavas, Danvir Karna. The story brought in a new way of connecting it to the present day affair. Karna was born in this century as Karanvir and slowly realizing who he was. I found the story of the sixth awesome. Do check yourself to know more.

The author has covered every hit formula of an entertainment read in the story. It has mystery, thriller, mother's concern, hero's past life, villains, friendship, generosity. The character of Karanvir, the protagonist, is portrayed wonderfully.  Not just Karanvir, but all major characters of the comic have been planned wonderfully to keep you in the chair and wanting to read more. The graphics of the comic is also great, it felt like I was watching a movie and reading at the same time.

I have loved this comic and I haven't found any flaw in it, and I am eager to read the next part of the comic.

Ratings
  1. Cover : - 4/5
  2. Content : - 4/5
  3. Character : -4/5
  4. Concept : - 4/5
  5. Overall : - 4/5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Friday, July 20, 2018

Book Review - Dark Night by Sandeep Nayyar

I was impressed by Sandeep Nayyer’s “Samarsiddha.” So I had a high hope for Dark Night. Ever since I started giving preference to vernacular language books I have started reading Hindi books. Though hardly any of them were able to match the level of English book if we completely ignore them how will they get chance of improvement.



Unlike “Samar Siddha” which was a serious try to portray caste related problems Dark Night is a erotica around a confused boy Kabir. The story covered his life through various friends (sp. Girls) Starting from school time to working life. His life took him through various modes during and after each girl. 1/3 of the book is covering his school life and young life fantasies. I am giving fewer marks due to this section. The second and third part was okay, they gave me feeling of Hindi translation of Chetan Bhagat books. 

There are some improvements that the author can think about:

  • If that one fantasy dream of Kabir was not present in the book, it wouldn’t fall under erotica at all.
  • You are writing “Hindi Upnyas”, so you need to write non-conversational parts in Hindi only. You forget to put the boundary where you were giving English conversation in Hindi text and English description in Hindi text

Having said that don’t be disheartened. The love triangle between Kabir, Priya and Maya and One sided love story between Kabir and Hikma was good. I liked the book in parts.

Talking about ratings

  1. Concept – 2.5/5
  2. Cover - 3.5/5
  3. Characters – 2.5/5
  4. Overall – 2.5/5

Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - Skyblind by J R Fehr

I have read "Magicians' Workshop" by J. R. Fehr and liked it much. He has mastery over dystopian cum fantasy world. He creates a fantastical concept that can give a good reading experience.


Book Blurb
Corwin Medisto is turning 16 and becoming a man, but that’s the furthest thing from his mind. He and his twin sister Taylee have discovered an ancient relic fueled by dark magic that has a mysterious link to their long dead mother. Worse yet, they’ve accidentally activated it. 
Desperate to learn the truth of its origins and to break free of its curse, the twins leave home with their childhood friend and embark on a quest that leads them to come face to face with Syyris Sagrado, the god of Day, and discover a forbidden power greater than the forces of Day … and Night
Skyblind is the story of Anancia. A country which was ruled by God Syrris and his caretakers who were known as Elders. Corwin and Taylee were siblings living with their uncle Jael in outskirts. Things were normal and filled with hard work. They were okay with life. But on their 16th birthday, they received a relic which belonged to their mother. Taylee being naughty and enthusiast forced her brother to open relic. Unknown to them relic got activated. Soon after the incident, they found their uncle sick. Even before they can think of something, they were attacked by dark ones and locura. They were captured in the struggle. Taylee was saved by an Exile named Skyblind. With help of Skyblind, people got rescued but they were taken to the Lightsphere. Things became difficult as siblings got separated. Various characters and society itself was on the verge of breaking due to chaos. Check out the book to know more about the story.

J. R. Fehr has a unique style of starting chapters as each chapter starts with a relevant quote or line from fantasy world literature. The story was kept to the point keeping audience interest in mind. Characters were given good space to be matured through the story only. The author need not go into the emotional part just to explain it, which I liked.

Though it's a fantasy story, I didn't find it as grand as "Magician's Workshop". I can recommend the book to millennials.

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 3/5
  2. Concept - 4/5
  3. Characters - 4/5
  4. Content - 3/5
  5. Overall - 3/5
Book can be found at Amazon India and Amazon USA
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - What's Your Dream? by Heena

What’s your dream?” by Heena isn’t it looking likes a self-help book by the title, and yes the cover is also not able to give any hint of the story. So you need to check the blurb. Well, I got kindle copy during its promotion and through communication from Author’s Inc. The description was okay and I downloaded the book so that in future if I want I can read it.


Book Blurb
Sometimes you don’t find your dreams, they find you!!
Priyanshi is a small town girl who gets scholarship in Delhi University, but struggles to keep up with the fast paced life and finds it difficult to come to terms with people around.
Rohan is an oversized boy who has a secret dream of being a guitarist but does not have the courage to come out in front and showcase his talent.
Deepali is a tomboy who is hiding her soft side behind her tough and bold personality, trying to concede pain she has been holding in her heart.
Varun is a rich but careless boy, who is made to leave his lavish life and stay at college hostel by his mother where he gets to know the true meaning of life!!
What happens when these vivid personalities start walking the same path and somewhere along become an inseparable part of each other? A simple tale of Friendship, Courage, Struggles, Fears, Dreams and Love - that will tug at your heartstrings and take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
How important are your friends in your journey of accomplishing your Dreams???
After checking the blurb of the book I was sure that the book is going to be a light read on college life. And it turned out to be on the exact line. It is the story of 5 friends, who joined Delhi University. Priyanshi a hardworking girl from Bihar, Varun a super-rich boy. Deepali daughter of a successful businessman who disliked his daughters, Rohan an oversized super talented guitarist and Priyanshi’s roommate. The story revolves around each character’s personal and college life. Their 3 years’ college life which was full of fights bonding and relationship was portrayed in the book.

The book has following attractive points
  • College life masala that reminds you your own golden times
  • Sweet love story
  • The simple and straight storyline
Now coming to improvement points – the author has forgotten to check final draft. All double quotes are converted into “=” sign. Apart from that at many placed new paragraph or dialog seems misplaced and made me confused. There were some typing mistakes as well. 80% of the book covered the first year only and remaining story went fly as if the author was in hurry to finish it.

A nice book that you can gift to your girlfriend.

Ratings
  1. Cover – 3.5/5
  2. Concept – 3/5
  3. Characters – 3/5
  4. Overall – 3/5    
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Book Review "Origins, Arrkaya Book One" by Yashas Mahajan

A greenish hue cover outlining a kid holding a sword, a flap containing a map showing a neat outline of some kingdoms and a colophon boasting of a supernatural period thriller, my expectations were set high for "Origins, Arrkaya Book One" by Yashas Mahajan.


Book Blurb
"An ominous cloud prevails over the continent of Nyvarda, as a concealed enemy, with most political leaders already under his thumb, and a sinister army of monsters under his command, threatens to destroy Arrkaya, and the precarious balance between the existing powers…
A group of young heroes, hailing from different kingdoms and classes, come together to prepare against this formidable threat, whilst safeguarding the interests of their people and fighting the mistrust among themselves…
On this journey of self-discovery, they finds secrets that will change their lives, and possibly change the entire world…
Time, however is running out, and the enemy is ready to strike
“Origins” proclaims to be the first book of Arrkaya series which revolves around a few kingdoms such as Arrkaya, Heiligesia and Arzi, wherein  a temporary period of peace created by King Edward is disturbed by an uneventful attack by  supernatural mud-like creatures (Golem) and a chain of disappearance and killings of royals in these kingdoms. The lives of the protagonists are changed as they pick up the trail, battle the supernatural, fall in love and rise up to the occasion wherein the need arises, as conspiracies uncover and hidden mutual mistrusts surfaces as they slowly come of age.

The book is written in mostly third person narrative with an occasional first person from Prince Rafael. Personally, the book feels like a Game of Thrones rip-off, which unlike the latter fails to leave a lasting impression. The flow disrupts a lot and there is a lot of switching between the storylines. The first person chapters are well written as compared to the third person ones, but they are only a few in number. 

King Edward (like Ned Stark) is shown too idealistic and honourable as a character who has his human moments. There is a lot of potential for Scar which could had been better portrayed. Edward and Byron feel like supporting cast leaving a room for their growth. Zelina ends up mostly playing the love interest of Scar and Rafael. Trisha displays an occasional spark but again mostly ends  up being the love interest of Byron. Rafael is comparatively well written as we are able to immerse in his first person narratives and portrays his character well. The only character that is perfectly written and truly impresses us is that of Serafina whose presence in the book is sadly very short.

Personally, I felt the lack of good editing in this book. The story line has a lot of potential but it could had been better.

For Yashas Mahajan’s maiden initiative, my overall rating would be 2.5/5.

Overall Verdict:- Could be better

Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads


Book Review - A Broken Sun by Aditya Iyengar

I was a little bit sceptic when I was suggested “A Broken Sun” by Aditya Iyengar. For starters it was the second book of the series (seeing that I hadn’t read the first) and for another it was relatively thin for what the content was supposed to be. 


Book Blurb
In the bloody aftermath of the thirteenth day of the Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas and Kauravas look to avenge their losses. In the Pandava army, a grief-stricken Arjuna speaks to his dead son and tries to find solace on the battlefield, even as his brother Yudhishthira tries to keep his family from falling apart. On the other side, the Kauravas, led by Guru Drona and Radheya try desperately to bring the war to an end. Their lives entwine tragically on the battlefield in a tale of loss and redemption.
Narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha, and Sushasana, A Broken Sun is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra War and tells the story of the Mahabharata in a way that’s never been done before.
“A Broken Sun” is a take on the war fought on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Mahabharat war post Abhimanyu’s tragic death.

Aditya Iyengar has successfully given the essence of this Hindu epic in his own version. The grittiness of war and the constant mortal peril is captured extremely well. His emphasis in how exaggerated telling of any normal event leads to many fancy tales is depicted flawlessly.

Whilst the original Mahabharat is written in second person perspective, this novel is written in first person through the eyes of a few of the original characters. The author’s use of creative liberty is terrific as it only adds to make characters more grey as that in the original text, keeping their essence humanely different but intact. Yudhishthir is shown less of an idealist, while Suyodhan (Duryodhan) is shown less of a villain as compared to the conventional B.R. Chopra televised version of Mahabharat that we have grown up with. Krishna is shown more of a intelligent man of action than that of a God and his presence  however occasional, it leaves the desired impact. 

Personally I would had loved the author to capture first person narratives of other versatile characters such as Shakuni as that he did for Sushasan (Dushasan). But nevertheless, the author makes the proper use of every character and incident, regulating the pace where need be, thereby keeping us engaged.

In all, Aditya Iyengar delivers a true masterpiece that keeps us gripped throughout the book and makes us eager to await the third sequel.

My overall rating for this unique take on Mahabharata would be 4.5/5

Overall Verdict:- A fresh perspective to an old saga

Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Book Review - Ramayana - The Game of Life - Conquer Change by Shubha Vilas

I have seen Ramayana by Ramanand Sagar multiple times. I have also seen and felt disappointed by another version of Ramayana. I have always taken Ramayana as mythological epic with the epitome of idealness. Personally, I have never tried to understand why/what/how things happened and rarely today's generation will try to know these fats. Shubha Villas has completely repainted book in his fashion.



Book Blurb

Shattered Dreams is the sequel to the national bestseller, Rise of the Sun Prince, in the new spiritual and motivational series Ramayana - The Game of Life. Twelve joyful years have passed in Ayodhya since the wedding of Rama and Sita at the end of Book 1.

Now, in Shattered Dreams, Shubha Vilas narrates the riveting drama of Rama’s exile. Through tales of Rama’s unwavering and enigmatic persona, the book teaches us how to handle reversals positively; through Bharata’s actions, it teaches us to handle temptation; and through Sita’s courage, to explore beyond our comfort zone. This complicated family drama provides deep insights on how human relationships work and how they fail.
With Valmiki’s Ramayana as its guiding light, Shattered Dreams deftly entwines poetic beauty from the Kamba Ramayana and Ramacharitramanas, as well as folk philosophy from the Loka Pramana tales, to demonstrate how the ancient epic holds immediate relevance to modern life. Experience the ancient saga of the Ramayana like never before.



The book is divided into two parts. The story part which is 2/3rd portion and learning part given as footnotes which are the 1/3rd portion.

Talking about the story, this part started with the announcement of Rama's coronation by Dasharatha. It covers how Kaikeyi under influence of Manthara forced Rama to step back from coronation and go to the forest for 14 years of exile. Dasharatha's death and Bharata's renunciation fo crown for his brother followed after Rama left for the exile. The book has also introduced Dasagreeva/Ravana's character. How a sagacious personality fo Ravana changed after claiming Lanka. This part ended with Rama-Bharata Milan in Chitrakuta, where Rama showed his firmness towards his words for exile.

The tone of the first part was jolly and things were going happily. But the general tone of this part is sad due to events around exile. The tone of the volume matches the title - 'Shattered Dreams"

Talking about management lessons of this book
  • Through Rama, the author has given various methods, practicalities, and tests for an ideal leader and hero
  • Through Lakshmana, Bharata, Sumantra the author has given an understanding of the roles of servitude and subordinate.
  • Through Vashishta and Bhardwaj we were given the characteristics of an ideal teacher
Short narrations (footnotes) are the most important part of this series, otherwise, it would be another English translation of Ramayana. That narration tells us why did each character does something. I am glad that I have the whole series with me to revisit books anytime I needed. The author has recently changed the cover and title of the first three books. The new look is more prominent towards a learning book look rather than normal mythological look.

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 4/5
  2. Content - 4.5/5
  3. Concept - 5/5
  4. Overall - 4.5/5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads Old Edition and New Edition


Comic Review - I am Kalki by Vimanika Comics

Ever since I have received the comic bundle from Vimanika my 3.5-year-old son has taken the copy of Kalki for himself. Almost for 2 months, he asked us to read it every night. Even after 2 months, the book is one of his favorites. He still insists us to read it at least twice in a week.


Book Blurb
The Next title of Vimanika Comics’s blockbuster series “I am Kalki” enters an exciting and uncharted territory. I am Kalki- The Red Book Vol 2 lays the foundation of the exciting adventures of Kalki. The Rakshasa(Demon) Kali has broken out from the deepest darkest realms of Hell. Deep in a forest, Vasuki tries to ambush Kali. The giant serpent and the mighty demon engage themselves in a deadly duel unto death. The seven sages reveal the true purpose of Kalki’s life to him. They commence Kalki’s training in the Sapta Anantha. Down on Earth, Vishnu Sharma is bullied at school and feels helpless when his action figure is broken into two. True to the spirit of the series, I am Kalki- The Red book Vol 2 is dark, high on action with a lot of mystical forces trying to prepare for Armageddon. It also gives you a brief description of all the Human Characters involved in the series. Let the adventures of the most violent God begin!
By mistake, we have directly received second episode of the series. But I got the crux by reading recap page. Kalki is based on Hindu mythological story of Kalki avatar. As per mythology, the Lord Vishnu will come back as Kalki to fight the Kali/Kaliyuga/sinners/bad people. As per series, our hero of Kaliyuga who will save us from Kali is born as Kalki. To give him safety his soul was divided into two parts. One was sent to different loka for training. While one part was kept on earth. This is as per the recap. The second episode starts with a sad boy, who was guided by his father to take help of devotion to relieve himself from misery. On another site in a jungle near Bangalore, Kali appeared and fought with the Naga king. Things ended with hazy details.

There are no doubts about the quality of the artwork, the detailing of characters and the quality of the pages. I have and I will always give a 5 out of 5 for the same. But I found things a little bit confusing in this Episode. Maybe after reading the first part, my doubts will be cleared.

Ratings
  1. Cover page 4/5 
  2. Artwork 5/5
  3. Concept 3.5 /5
  4. Over 3.5 /5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Book Review IQ 84 - Mike Dickenson

I had received IQ 84 by Mike Dickenson in February 2017 but the book was shelved in my Kindle app for next 14 months. Two months back I was checking my Kindle shelf and found this angry guy giving me scary looks. Fun apart, I really would like to apologize Mike for delaying this book.


Book Blurb
Apocalypse got you down? Whatever you do, don't think about it! "Hilarious would be an understatement to describe this book and I found myself lost for words." - Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
An unknown terrorist has released a biological weapon onto the American public. Anyone with an IQ over 84 is in danger - people's heads are exploding - the country is on lockdown. Everything is about to change forever.
Luckily, some people are still alive. Like the President of the United States. And Congress. And millions of idiots determined to figure out why their heads aren't blowing up.
Which brings us to David Dingle. He's the not-too-bright guy whom this whole story revolves around. A lot of people revolve around David Dingle. Some of them include a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, an ineffective jihadist, a Grand Dragon of the KKK, a creationist and his very extended family, a pill-popping doctor, a drop-dead sexy clepto-nympho-suicidal-maniac, and a rogue Illuminati mastermind to name just a few.
Now David Dingle doesn't know much about these people, but frankly, he doesn't know much about much. He's just a simple American with a government job and a fantastic phone who one day finds himself at the epicenter of the biggest biological terrorist attack perpetrated on American soil. And now everyone's after him. Not cool. All the while, the President of the United States has to keep voters’ heads from blowing up before re-elections - things couldn’t get worse.
A timely satire that dives into the darkest corners of American Culture, IQ84 examines some of the most controversial issues in America today. It’s a book about freedom.
Talking about the story, the protagonist of our story is a dumb but a good-hearted guy, David Dingle. He was doing the same job for the last 10 years when he started feeling bored about his job an unexpected thing happened. A disease spread out it in the country, and on top of it, David was framed guilty of the pandemic.  Within a few days, most of the intelligent population was already dead. The virus was claiming the lives of millions of people even animals above the IQ of 84. You can think how chaotic world would become if all intelligent guys die and the world would be at mercy of idiots or dumb people.

Well, the author has a good sense of dark humor, which can be seen throughout the book. The sarcasm and the humor-filled story made me laugh in public innumerable times. Those who read serious stuff stay away from the book. This is a book you should read keeping your brain aside otherwise you would not enjoy it.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the way the movie climax was presented, otherwise, it was an enjoyable treat.

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 3.5/5
  2. Concept - 4/5
  3. Content - 3/5
  4. Overall - 4/5
  5. Characters - 4/5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Friday, July 13, 2018

Book Review - Story of Shakuntala and Dushyant - 9 Yards of Silk

The best part of the Vedic and Mythological stories are you can retell it the way you want. No one is going to sue you for any modifications. I have read many such retelling and I usually love to read much more versions. From our childhood, we have listened and watched stories, movies, and dramas of the love story between Dushyant and Shakuntala. "9 yards of silk" is another straight version of the story. 


Book Blurb
Shakuntala lives with her son Bharat in a deep forest. One fine day Bharat reminds her of his father, resulting to upset her. As the child goes out to play a celestial maiden Menaka appears in front of her who offers friendship, suggesting to share their stories with each other. Menaka tells her about Kaushik, a sage to whom she was sent by Indra for disturbing his fierce penance and how they ended up falling for one another. Shakuntala also shares her story of meeting and marrying the charming prince of Hastinapur who later abandoned her. During the conversation Shakuntala finds blessings in her life, why she was abandoned by parents at birth and how her estranged husband was just a victim of circumstances for leaving her. After Menaka's departure, Dushyant returns to her in the hope of reuniting with family. Now it is Shakuntala's turn to decide. What would she choose? 
We all know the story of Shakuntala and Dushyant. This book covers how Shakuntala met Dushyant. It also covers the love story of Menaka and Vishwamitra (Shakuntala's parents). As an exception, this story shows Menaka & Vishwamitra's relationship a bit longer than the other. The author has used narrations style in a different way. The story started with Shakuntala staying alone with her son Bharata. Unknown to her Menaka came to her to relieve Shakuntala from anger towards Dushyant. Menaka also wanted to relieve her own guilt. From their conversation started two stories in flashback.

The book has the following good points

  • The central theme and title selection
  • The plain and simple narration style
  • Nicely described the emotional turmoil of characters
  • Written for almost all age group
You can give this to
  • Kids of an age group of 8 to 16
  • New entrants to reading
  • People learning English
Talking about ratings talking about
  1. Cover - 4/5
  2. Characters 3.5/5
  3. Concept 3.5/5
  4. Overall 3.5/5
Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Book Review - The Girl I Love by Amit Nangia

I saw "The Girl I Love" by Amit Nangia in our mailbox one day. Its romantic cover reminded me Mills & Boons love story series that I have collected, read and adored during my teenage years. I have completely lost touch with this genre for the last 7 years. So I decided to take this book.

Book Blurb
“Every girl has a guy that she won't stop loving, And every guy has a girl that he won't stop fighting for.”
Myra loves Kairav, and she does not even remember since when! Not just his best friend, she is also his partner in a successful dream startup.
Kairav has broken up again, and turns to Myra for relief. His broken heart needs the tender love of a friend to mend.
While Myra has loved him forever, Kairav cannot seem to see her more than a best friend. Time is running out and she needs to take control of her life before it's too late. And it's not like she does not have choices – there is Akhil, who would commit to her the moment she says yes; and Ratan, who would like to woo her to the altar.
Except that Kairav objects to her admirers, much to her annoyance. She has always been around, and the thought of losing her scares him no end. Can Myra break out of her going-nowhere relationship with Kairav?
Will she let her mind win over her heart? Will Kairav ever figure out a relationship beyond his no- commitment status, to discover the girl he loves?
The girl I love is a kind of love quadrangle between a girl and three men. Let's go in sequence, Kairav is an entrepreneur settled in lavish life. He recently broke up and looking for emotional support in his best friend Maira. Maira was in one-sided love with Kairav since college days but she has to face him as a best friend and business partner. Akhil who wants to marry Maira and always tried to convey his feeling to her. Rajat who wanted to be with Maira but his intentions were limited to his lust. Maira was aware of Akhil and Rajat's constant efforts but her intentions were crystal clear towards Kairav. But she started feeling hopelessness as her age was approaching 28.

Frankly speaking, the book has reminded me of the old time. The story is based on plain drama. The narration style is straightforward. Though characters and its emotional sides were portrayed well, the story itself was not up to the mark. An overall touch of uniqueness was missing. I have read more than 100 romance stories, and I found this story repeating in bits and pieces.

Still, the book can be liked by teens who are having crush or fall in love. They can read the book with a blush on their face.

Overall it is a one time read. I would give it 3/5 stars.

Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Review of Short Story - That Girl on the Street by Sandeep

Have you ever met a perfectionist? Especially an artist? The look so wonderful with their piece of art, be it painting, poem, story, sculpture or anything else. But have you seen their life when they were going through the process of creation of that art? Especially their family relationships?


Blurb
"Staring out of the window, he could see that lady; walking down the dark abandoned street with flickering streetlights. Stray dogs were barking loudly at someone or something and that could be easily heard from a distance. But she wasn’t afraid." 

This is the story about an author who is obsessed to know the story of his characters and is ready to cross all the boundaries. 
How far you can go to fulfill your obsession
"That girl on the street" has shown the similar story of an author who has lost his wife while creating his masterwork (Novel). His inner turmoil has ruined his personal life to an extent that his pregnant wife left him. Unmoved by personal hurdles he achieved his target.

For his second novel when he sat for the character building he got uncomfortable feelings. Following his inner voice, he reached a location where he witnessed something worthwhile to capture.

The story may not be longer than 15 pages but it will give you a message. Though I was not able to digest climax fully, I still enjoyed narration style.

Book can be found at Amazon
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Review of a Sweet Love Story - The Song of the Caged Bird by Susha Satish

A decent looking cover with a sad looking title could be the first impression of "The Song of the Caged Bird" by Susha Satish. I was a bit reluctant for the book, as I read fewer lover stories and on top of that a sad one. But the blurb was encouraging enough to venture into the love story.


Book Blurb
Snooty meets Simple. And Cupid pitches in! 

You’d think that love is an outdated concept in the 21st century. At least, that is what Yash thinks. Yash, the brash young man with attitude and wealth. Cynical and arrogant. 
That is till he meets Malini. 
For Malini, love is the last thing on her mind. She is a small town girl with dreams in her eyes. Bubbly, vivacious and believing in life and the goodness of mankind. 
Life is not a vanilla love story though, and Fate always has the last laugh. 
Not a nice laugh at that.
"The Song of the Caged Bird" is a story of Yash and Malini. Malini belonged to a middle-class family from a small town Akola. She joined the college with big dreams. Yash was a spoilt brat of a rich businessman. Both were completely opposite in nature. But as they say, there will be a magnetic force between two opposites. Yash and Malini both were strongly attracted to each other due to unknown reasons. Their friendly pickup and drop schedule was converted into a deep love before they knew it. But if things went as simple as next stage as marriage it would be a boring story. So there were some circumstances which had separated Yash and Malini. Check out the book if you would like to know more.

The first half of the book can remind you of your courtship period. The old/classical Bollywood love songs, long drive, messages/chat for hours, tea at local haat were common in college years. Many have lived that life and they still cherish it as a treasure. Even those who had serious break up can relate their "Orange Hangover" a.k.a. depression due to breakups with Malini's situation.

The best part about the book is that the author has shown professional (direction) sense in Malini and Yash, even during separation. I personally dislike the complete hopelessness of characters after separation. (Exclude scene of Malini)

"The Song of the Caged Bird" is one of those books which remind you that sweet love stories still come out once in a while. It is not only "Love, Sex and Dhoka" which can deliver an entertaining story, sweet kind of tone win heart in a long run. Use of characters and their inner turmoil was properly portrayed. You won't find it too emotional to put it under emotional dramas and not too casual to put it under normal C.B. style stories. A book which can be gifted to any 12+ age readers. Simple language and narration style make you finish the book in 3-4 sittings. It is a perfect companion for rainy train travel.

Talking about ratings
  1. Cover - 4/5
  2. Concept - 3/5
  3. Characters - 3.5/5
  4. Overall - 3.5/5
Book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

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