I would like to thank Kalyani for providing me the review copy of "Bend Your Knees & Do Your Best" in exchange for an honest review. Before I start let me give the first impression of the book I perceived. The first communication of Kalyaani was kept unread almost for a week, but the self-help-looking name didn't give me enough motivation to check the mail. Later on, I checked the book and found the blurb interesting enough to venture.
The protagonist of our story is Kalyani (don't worry it is fiction, not memoir). She is working in the IT industry and settled in Bangalore. She has already spent more than a decade in the industry. She has managed to keep away normal expectations away from her, the expectations that usually society has from women generally. She is just happy with her life, food habits, fiction books. But the funniest thing is her best friend and confidant. Hardly we have any imaginary character as a friend, Kalyani doesn't only have an imaginary friend but that friend is a demon from Hindu mythology, Hiranyakaship.
Things were going great when things started changing. Well, that's when the interest quotient changes in the story. First pressure and firing at the office. Second health issue and the last one her acceptance and mental peace over the situation. Read the book to know more.
The book is a lengthy one. And that required efforts at least for the first 50 pages. Language is easy, and content is age-appropriate. The book has a good amount of humor in both formats direct jokes and satires. As the author is from the IT field, she has nicely connected the pros and cons of the domain and made it lighter in tone keeping a humorous tone.
Overall a nice book. But things that the author could have improved the length of the content, title & cover.
I have read 3 books by Shreyas Bhave in the last 3 years. Two of them were the first two parts from Asoka Trilogy. And I must say he has created not-to-put-down series. The way he has described two parallels one for Chandragupta & another for Ashoka has made the series jaw-dropping. And perfect jugglery between two parallels makes you stick to the book till the last page.
The part two ended up at high tempo with Asoka & Chandragupta acclaimed the throne of Magadha. And Chanakya fueled both of them to become Chakravartin (emperor). But in both parallels, something went not as per Chanakya's plan. Malayketu met Amatya Rakshasha & Radhagupta was found alive with Devi in Kalinga. Where Chandragupta was more obedient to Chanakya, Asoka was subdued under alcohol & sexual pleasure. And during those trying times many of the allies (friends) were attacked by Chanakya. Was that a part of a larger game of Chanakya or was he trying to take absolute control in his hands? Such questions were cleared as the story progressed. Do read the book to know more about twists & turns.
As always writing style of Shreyas is smooth & fluid. You won't be stuck on a page as the story won't allow you to do so. The way Shreyas takes you from one peak moment of the story to another parallel you cannot put the book down. The length of the story is apt for the finale. Overall a nice read and satisfied climax for the trilogy.
"The Invincible Weapon" came to us due to its attractive cover and title. I was very excited to read it during vacation, unfortunately, the book was misplaced when we rearranged our bookshelves and due to that, I was not able to read the book on time.
Book Blurb
The invisible enemies have risen again. The kingdoms of Mahadroni are under attack. Their only saviour is the supreme weapon used by the Mayan rishis. Abhi, the young prince of Vaishali, has come to Maharshi Gavishta's Gurukul to earn the weapon. While he is competing with the heirs of other kingdoms to win it, his brother Kanu goes missing from the gurukul. Unknown to Abhi, someone is plotting to steal the weapon. 'The Invincible Weapon' revolves around the discovery of the most powerful weapon of all times in the mystical gurukul of the Mayan rishis, where teleportation, watching battles of the past and time travel is a way of life.
The story of Invincible Weapon is cute and short. The protagonist of the story is Abhi, Prince of the kingdom. A known elder Mayan rishi (ascetic) Gavishtha sent the call to all kingdoms. He asked Kings to send their crown prince & princesses for their training and education as per ancient Indian tradition. Abhi along with his brother Many joined the academy, where he met few more students. On joining the academy they came to know one of them can win an invincible weapon. Rishi also warned them that the peck of invisible enemies are about to attack their continent and only with the help of invincible weapons these enemies can be defeated. And that is the mainstream of the story. Abhi with the help of fellow student Hiya went more adventure than other students. Read the book to know more.
Talking about the book, it is written for middle graders and the writing style justified. Language is easy and ages appropriate. For the mature reader or I would say for regular readers, the book delivers a pretty much-expecting story. I mean you can predict twists and turns. But still for middle graders book can be a good entertaining material. A good choice for a bedtime story as well.
I don't need a reason to explain why I selected this book. It's the catchy name and attractive cover page was more than enough to add "Venus with a P*nis - A Tale of Love, Sacrifice and Betrayal" by Almas Hussain in my collection. And I am happy that I selected the book.
Book Blurb
Meet Rajan, the irresponsible younger son in a family of doctors. He’s reckless. He’s rebellious. And he’s dressing up like a woman these days.
No. He’s not a cross-dresser. Nor is he transgender. He thinks he’s a murderer. It all begins with a mother-to-be dying on the young gynaecologist’s watch. And to atone for her death, he banishes himself to the boondocks.
He arrives at the remote village of Kaatgram, where pregnant women have been dying left, right and centre. But the Kaatgrami men are not about to send their women to a male gynaecologist. So Rajan does the next best thing—he disguises himself as a lady doctor.
Rajan feels it is okay to deceive the people about his gender, so long as he gets to save their lives. Damini, the local MLA’s daughter, supports him in his dream of setting up a maternity clinic in their village. Rajan falls for her. But she doesn’t even know he’s a man.
Will Rajan manage to woo his sweetheart and marry her? Or will the villagers tear him to pieces when they find out that their lady doctor is actually a man?
As suggested in the blurb, the story covers problems existing in rural India, where primary medical help is not available. Due to a lack of medical facilities 1 out of 10 pregnancy fails with the death of either mother or child. The protagonist of our story is Rajan, a gynecologist who hailed from a well-known gynecologist family. His careless & womanizer traits had kept him away from his family managed the clinic. An accident or carelessness from the Rajan side resulted in the death of a mother & her child. That lady's two girls were abandoned by her family. Guilty stricken Rajan had taken it seriously and taken two girls under his parenthood. That was just the tip of the iceberg, that incident had changed everything. Rajan has started taking things seriously. He came to know the situation of women in Rural India, how lack of female gynecologists endangering the lives of women. He thought about the solution, and when he cannot find the solution outside, he thought of doing something out of the box. He decided to crossdress and pretend as a woman for a greater cause. But what will happen when this pretending woman met another woman in the village and end up having feelings for her. Read this super funny story to know more.
I have read many comedy styles but this has touched my heart. With social message & comedy sequences, this book has delivered stories that of Ayushman Khurana's movies. Good points about the book
I am not lying but "Daitya Diaries - Blood and Vengeance" caught my attention the moment I saw the book launch invitation in my mailbox by publishers. Let me tell you frankly, I haven't checked the blurb of the book at that time, I liked the cover so much I just wanted to read the book. The next thing I did was grabbed the copy. Though I read the book a little late, I am happy that my selection was not wrong. It is indeed a good book. Let me give more details.
Book Blurb
A man arrives at the temple town of Srisailam. He carries with him a warning to the gods. A cosmic war between the Devas and the Daityas has spilled over into the mortal world.
A few years ago in the same temple town, a tour guide named Mallikarjuna finds himself being unjustly punished and sent to Naraka. At the same time, a mysterious figure challenging the Devas has been gathering resources from the annals of time to bring forth a monster that will fulfil his promise for revenge.
Daitya Diaries is an exciting blend of Hindu mythology and world history. It’s an adventure that takes you on a fantastical journey, through time and space. On one hand it’s a story of an innocent man, punished through no fault of his own. And on the other, it is a story of a Guru, seeking vengeance after the slaughter of his students before his very eyes. It is the story of a battle against the prime forces of power, of greed and lust that rule our world today
Before I start, let me tell you Daitya Diaries is not a simple Mythological Fiction using Indian Myths. The author has taken freedom and made many modifications. So don't get confused while reading.
Coming to the story part, there are two major characters who shape the plot. Mallikarjuna, a Srisalem's temple guide, and Daitya guru Shukracharya. Mallikarjuna was given a task to take three mysterious guys to a nearby forest. These mysterious guys were none other than Indra & his companion Devas. In the forest, Mallikarjuna was supposed to guard the area and stop trespassers, failing to which he was sent to a prison in Yamaloka. On another end, Shukracharya is trying to bring an Asura to life, who can destroy thousands of lives. Mallikarjuna survived his punishment, freed Yamaloka from the grip of greedy Devas. And now he was given the task to stop Shukracharya. The Shukracharya part also covers some historical characters/incidents, like Genghis Khan/accident of Chernobyl disaster. Read the book to know more.
My points / observations about the book
Easy to follow language usage
Jumbled flow, which creates interest to readers to know what next.
Part action, part thriller, full of entertainment
Light in size. Good for a short trip
Ideal for beginner. That doesn't mean season reader cannot enjoy it.
Nice cover. That is the main reason why I am writing this review
Characters of Mallikarjuna & Shukracharya are really portrayed well.
Good choice for your mythological bookshelf (and nice color shade if you are arranging shade wise :) )
Recommended to YA as well. A person above 14 can read this book.
Death of Subhash Chandra Bose was, is and will be one of the most controversial topics of India. A global leader who was declared dead one fine day. And the investigation of the same was kept secret for 50-60 years. Even the details provided were leading to more conspiracy, in such cases a rightist (not exactly but less believer of Congress propaganda) I wanted to read a book on this topic. One fine day I saw a post of Shreyas Bhave about "Prisoner of Yakutsk: The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery Final Chapter", a book dedicated around Subhash Chandra's death. The book series "Asoka Trilogy" by Shreyas is one of the favorite series of mine, so I simply grabbed the opportunity.
Book Blurb
What exactly happened to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? In 1945, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Leader of the INA leaves Singapore to take a series of flights, and dies in Taiwan after his plane crashes near Formosa. Or so it seems. In 1947, Mr & Mrs Singh, an illustrious army couple, both veterans of the Indian National Army, are last seen in Delhi, and then never again. In 1949, the plane carrying the first deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, mysteriously disappears for seven hours. In 2012, following the fall of WikiLeaks, a female hacker of the notorious X group is on the run as most wanted by everyone from Interpol to the KGB In 2015, the millionaire CEO of a Fortune 500 company suddenly resigns and vanishes from the public eye. A set of seemingly unconnected disappearances emerge to be woven into a single fabric as the answer to one leads to another… In this riveting narrative, bestselling author Shreyas Bhave, takes the reader on a thrilling adventure to solve the greatest mystery the Indian nation has known.
I won't reveal more details of Netaji's death or surrounding facts given in the book. But our story started with 3 generations. The first generation was Mr. & Mrs. Singh, who directly served under INA (India Nationa Army - conceptualized by Netaji to fight against Britishers). They were later on given the task to do the detailed investigation by Nehru, Gandhi, and Sardar. The third generation was Jay (maternal grandson of Singh couple). He came to know about her missing mother. The second generation, the daughter of Singh couple, Azadi had left Jay with her lover and then didn't come back. In short, three generations went after one mystery, would Jay succeed in finding truth or not. Read the book to know more.
The book is an amalgamation of 3-4 writing styles. The documentary, Historical fiction, Drama and Mystery. The major portion is written as a mystery. Some points/observation
Fast-paced story
Jumbled plots in different generations at different timelines
Good use of broken facts and controversies
Nice conceptualization
Awesome cover (it's good to see my upvoted cover in print)
Advice for next reprint - Try to work on better word spacing. Current text settings were giving stress on the eyes.
The idea of "What the Fuq" is really unique as sex education is the most ignored thing, especially in Indian society. In my opinion, there should be more books like this so when a person has some questions about certain things that they can't ask anybody else, a source like these books are really helpful. I would avoid turning to the internet which can lead to wrong information.
Book Blurb
What is it about sex, a universal biological function, that makes it so difficult to understand? As much a part of life as breathing and sleeping, it nevertheless remains a subject riddled with misconception and mystery. It binds as much as it destroys. Even today, social taboos prevent us from discussing sex openly, often leading to psycho-social and even medical conditions.
Hence this book. Dr. Rajan Bhonsle, Senior Sex Therapist & Family Counsellor, Dr. Minnu Bhonsle, Senior Psychotherapist & Marriage Counsellor, and Dr. Aman Bhonsle, Psychosocial Analyst and Youth Coach, field a comprehensive collection of Frequently Unanswered Questions about sex. Years of research and insight into human behaviour and sexuality make this trans-generational book like none other, presented in a format that is balanced between the male and female perspectives. It offers scientific and complete answers to every possible question about the polarizing and often trivialized issue of human sexuality.
This book is the one-stop, definitive reference for doctors, counsellors, parents, teachers, and individuals of all ages, orientations and faiths, and particularly those locked in silence. This is a book that binds us as human beings.
This book answers the questions for parents about their child's sexuality, adolescent sexual dilemmas, queries of a teacher, questions of single man and woman, questions of man and woman in a relationship, about safe intercourse and how to achieve, and what not.
I think books like this are really important for our society. It's the lack of sex education that has lead to issues like rape, and books like this can alter that. Everything written in the book is in an easy and appropriate language. I didn't find anything vulgar in this book rather it was educational. The higher medical terminologies are not used in this book so everyone can read and understand the things written in this book.
Lastly, all I want to say if you have any questions about intercourse than you can find your answer in this book. And personally, suggest if you have questions about these things than books are more hardcore source than the internet as the internet can lead you in the wrong direction.
A vibrant, colourful and dramatic cover that literally depicts a typical day in an Indian city, and a colophon that promises quirky, thought provoking take on various social norms and issues, I set my expectations high for this book.
“Ambling Indian diaries” is a diary of a wimpy youngster living the corporate tumultuous millennial Indian life who resorts to dark humour, satire, hypocrisy to engage us with her (probably true) life experiences.
Book Blurb
This unusual take on India offers a neverseen- before view of the country through the eyes of the Ambling Indian - a new generation aam aurat. This delicious mix of laughter, spice and nuggets of reflection to savour, delights the mind. We meet people just like us and experience hilarious happenings through the 31 stories woven together with one common thread - India's journey. Watch the Ambling Indian rewire the IIT syllabi, struggle with taxes, celebrate a pink valentine's day and plunge into the hoi polloi of Indian politics, journalism, modern offices, IIMs, weddings, cities and Bollywood. These intriguing stories cast Mangoman, Kofee Johar, Dr. Rupee Rajan and Runny Singh, among many other unforgettable characters. Challenges merge with the joy, agony and ecstacy of life in India. We are left bemused by this marvellous nation with its unique amalgamation of cultures and thought. Be prepared to go on a rollicking fun ride and discover India that puzzles, amuses, excites and provokes thought, through the mirror of the Ambling Indian Aina, an IIT and IIM graduate, who in the process, discovers an unknown side to herself too.
From the very start, the author makes us dive in into the chaotic streets of Bengaluru and her life as a reporter. She takes swipes from politicians(Mangoman Party) to Show business (Koffee Johar) and gives us a peek of what she does, what she actually thinks and the frustration in between. Using cryptic and pointing names such as Mr. Chatu(the sycophant), Runny Singh (her boyfriend with commitment issues) she makes sure that we get the character description from the name itself. Be it the reckless driving or the marital problems of her autorickshaw driver Jamal or social issues like scams, education the author explores it all using witty jibes throughout this book.
The book is written in first person narrative. At the start of every chapter there is a child like pencil drawing that gives us a hint of what’s to come. The chapters are short, sweet and non-related. The book is mostly written in a light vein but there are some dark parts which feel forced, misplaced and disconnected. There were a lot of favourite relatable moments especially from “Big and Bad Data” and “On Coaching Classes and IIT” to name a few.
Personally, I felt that the there was a huge potential in the content, but required a good editing. Every taken swing or satire pinches a bit but fails to drive the point home, as we move from one chapter to next. With more depth and clarity it would had actually had matched the expectations that the cover sets.
For Aina Rao’s maiden simple humorous banter, my overall rating would be 3/5.
Overall Verdict:- Simple, funny, relatable but could be better
Have read Mahabharata where both parties were neutral,
Have read Mahabharata where everyone had divine powers,
Have read Mahabharata where everyone was a normal human being,
Have read Mahabharata where gods were aliens and Pandavas were alien-human breed.
So as given in forward, there are more than thousands of ways to tell Mahabharata, the important part is how the story unveils. In "The Making of Bhishma - Fall of the Kurus" author has shown or I would say started a journey of this epic with normal human race struggling for agriculture settlement and problems related to that.
Book Blurb
The Making of Bhishma, portrays the world of Hastinapura as its rulers try to manage the crisis. It explores the impact of this conflict on the life of Devavrata (Bhishma), eldest son of Shantanu, ruler of Hastinapura. His mother had committed suicide since the Kavi Sangha's one-family-one-child policy has required her to sacrifice seven of her children. Subsequently, Devavrata is disinherited so Shantanu can marry Satyavati, who demans the Kavi Sangha policies not apply to her.
Before I start those who don't want to deviate from original/Vedic /mainstream Mahabharata stories, can simply ignore this book and skip our review. Because the author has taken a good level of independence and colored our favorite characters as per his imagination. For example, in our story, Devavrata Bhishma took a vow of celibacy and he never had a wife /affair. Wherein here the story starts with Amba having affair with Bhishma before he had taken the vow and Shikhandin was shown as Bhishma's son. So you can only imagine the level of freedom the author has taken to prepare his characters.
The principal war of Mahabharata is shown in this book as the difference between economic strategy. Bhishma in the capacity of three-time regency had used the expansion of Kuru borders into (mostly) Naga territory through exploitation. Dhritarashtra and (later on) Suyodhana supported his tactics. But Pandu and (later on) Yudhisthira believed in peace. So Yudhisthira wanted to stop expansion and would like to work hand in hand with Nagas. This fundamental economic/strategic difference along with bloodline issue led to break in bond and Kuru lineage. The story started with Bhishma in deathbed and Yudhisthira requested to tell him the history of how it all started. Bhishma hesitated initially, but memory started flooding in front of his eyes. Yudhisthira wanted to know events which have led the war situation. Surprisingly, when Bhishma thought of, the majority of his decisions had created the problems that generation of Yudhisthira & Suyodhana were facing. I don't want to kill or spoil your reading experience so not giving away much plot.
Undoubtedly a must read. One should at least give a try to imagine how would be real life of Mahabharata times if those people were a mere human. A sure shot page-turner, it won't make you feel that you have read a 500 pages-long book.
I was eagerly waiting for this sequel of Asoka Trilogy - Storm From Taxila by Shreyas Bhave because I was completely flat when I have read the first part - “The Prince of Patliputra”. I had almost lost hope of the next part after waiting for a year. (I have seen or left tracking many such good book’s sequels in past) Luckily 2 months back Leadstart publishing newsletter brought me good news of this part. And again my attention stuck to the book and started waiting for the book to reach my doorstep. I have received the book 2 weeks back. I could have finished book earlier if I was not busy with some important work.
Book Blurb
Everyone knows the name of Asoka but few know about his life beyond the sketchiest of details. This trilogy, based on ancient texts as well as folklore, attempts to give new life to a riveting tale. Uniquely conceived, the narrative juxtaposes two timelines, fifty years apart, drawing haunting parallels between them. The first features Chandragupta Maurya and his legendary Guru, Chanakya; the second, his grandson Asoka, and his Advisor, Radhagupta. The style is compelling, the action fast moving. Peopled by unforgettable characters, emotions, situations and events, the narrative has the irresistible force of destiny in a larger than life drama. A classic series that will remain relevant reading decade after decade
When I have finished the 1st part, there were many questions in my mind which required next volume. How would Sushem react to the killing of Ashwamedha Yagya horse? How will fight between Asoka & Sushem fare? How will Chanakya and/or Radhagupta use their cunning methodologies in their favor? Well, to address these questions along with many new revelations “The Storm from Taxila” is presented to fan like us.
Multiple threads in the timeline of Ashoka started with this part. Radhagupta was included in the Ancient Brahminical order and given the task to free Hariharan from the clutches of Shiva. Asoka was secretly approaching Patliputra, later on, he was inducted inside the city as crown prince. Sushem started marching with his full army towards Patliputra to get his birthright and to knock some sense in Ashoka’s mind. Hardeo marched towards Junagarh to buy salt pans of Saurashtra. And as usual, Chanakya was preparing Patliputra for coming storm. In another parallel, during Chandragupta’s time, Chandragupta was approaching Patliputra to dethrone Nanda. He had taken Guidance of Chanakya and help of Malayketu (Puru King’s son). The story ended with Ashoka and Chandragupta’ coronation in their respective timeline. But that doesn’t mean the end. 3rd part of the trilogy will come soon.
The gem of the story is characterization. Especially characters like Chanakya, Radhagupta, Chandragupta, Ashoka, Devi, Malayketu. Due to the limit, I will explain two characters here. Let’s take the example of Chanakya, in the first part he was a clear hero (though shrewd and cunning) the second part makes you feel that from heroism his portrayal shifted to neutral or semi-antagonist, an authoritative strictly egocentric character. Likewise, Malayketu who was shown as pain in a** in the beginning, you will feel pity for him by the end of the book. Though we thought it is the story between Chandragupta & Nanda or Ashoka & Sushem both heroes are considerably sidelined to give the canvas to more important characters. I know it is difficult to digest but read the book to know more.
I have already mentioned that Chanakya has never opened the secrets through which he had achieved his goals, all we have are estimates. Shreyas has used the best possible ways to bring it to us with help of his own imagination. I would say a must read. And one of the best grab in the historical fiction genre.
Talking about ratings
Cover - 4/5 (better than last part, still can be improved)
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.
Ever since I read "The Evolution of Gods" I got a liking for this genre specific to the history of mankind & gods. So I took two books in similar line "Empire of The Gods" by Rajendra Kher and "Creation of Universe God or Big Bang" by Keerthi Kumar Patangay. The first one was more towards accepting Gods existence whereas the later one was more towards our Vedic literature's support for the creation of the universe. As both books have similar background I am combining their reviews.
Talking about the content of "Empire of the Gods", it is two third factual & one-third spiritual. The first part "Were the devas Aliens?" talks about myth & fact behind their existence. It has discussed various conspiratory sculptures, idols, patterns spread across the earth to explain some in-humane or hard to believe points. The second section is covering how the universe, earth framed out in brief then book talks about Gods role & formation. In last two chapter content becomes more spiritual and practical self-help in nature than the scientific.
I enjoyed first 11 chapters. From 12th to 20th chapter, I felt a little bit bored due to my disliking for said genre. Overall an average read for serious readers. Talking about ratings
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads
Unlike the previous book, "Creation of Universe God or Big Bang" is more prepared with help of Vedic literature starting from Rigveda, Upnishada & Samhitas. Author has also taken some portion of Bibel and Quran in context of Universe Creation. My personal favorite was the chapter where the author has discussed 10 mysteries that we are scientifically not able to solve fully.
I enjoyed this book more than "Empire of the Gods". Talking about ratings
"What Next?" by Santosh Gangadharan is an excellent mixture of history and advanced sci-fi technologies that will occur in future. The story twirls around the journey of a soul.
Book Blurb
WHAT NEXT? That is what the quest is for. An Omani couple travels in India's Chandrayaan 8 mission to moon. While in transit, strange things occur in the spacecraft. During the end of the 15th century, Vasco Da Gama travels to Calicut in India via Malindi, a kingdom on the eastern coast of Africa. Around the same time the great Omani traveller Ahmed Ibn Majid also makes several voyages in these seas. Two sailor brothers from Liwa in Oman are destined to travel with Ahmed. Meanwhile their pretty sister falls in love with a stranger who had come across the ocean to Liwa. Strange circumstances drive the lovers to elope from Oman to Calicut in India. Their past catches up with them and they disappear mysteriously, leaving their son under the tutelage of a local couple. Brave Abhay is adept in martial arts, and different languages and customs. Strange dreams of a man in distress perturb the boy and he sets off to find the man in his dreams. His travails take him through the jungles of Kerala braving the sniper war between the moors (Arabs) and the parangis (Portuguese). When he learns of his origin, he travels over the high seas to reach his roots in the hope of meeting the one who gave birth to him. In his homeland he encounters the threat of the Portuguese and the evil from the past threatens his parents' existence. He has to act fast to protect his family from uncertain danger. He races against time to carry out his mission. The future of the couple in Chandrayaan is entangled with the past of a family in Liwa. What destiny has designed for each one cannot be changed. Rules have to be followed, albeit in ignorance. The soul has its way of drawing the life of its carrier. Nobody is allowed to edit what is already written. The voyage continues.
The plot of the book is quite new. The author talks about the ancient history of Oman, Saudi Arabia, where people buried their dead ones on mountain tops to help their souls to complete their journey.
The story covers India's mission to the moon: Chandrayana 8. With its travelers' roots in past from 15th century. The author has narrated science with a twist of mystery and thrill. At every chapter, the story will leave you guessing What next?
Although the ending of the story was bit abrupt in a philosophical way. The author left us to assume what had happened.
Overall a good gripping historical fiction novel till the end.
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads
We would like to thank Leadstart Publishers (Frog Books) for providing this opportunity to review book. Readers can check their wonderful collection of books by going through this link - Leadstart Books
Today we have Capri Jalota author of "Then The Doorbell Rang" with us to discuss about his book with us.
Can you brief us about your background?
I have done Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh and MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. I worked with Maruti Suzuki India Limited just after my Engineering degree. Then, post MBA, I worked with Tata Strategic Management Group as a Consultant for a few years and then moved into Healthcare. I have worked with Fortis Healthcare for 6 years in India and UAE, then KIMS Group for two years in Bahrain and now working as VP- Operations for Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad
We would like to know about your reading habits.
I read, cant say if it is much. But, I definitely have a few favorite ones like Khalid Hosseini, Jean Sasson, Jeffery Archer, John Grisham, etc. Closer home, I quite like Amish. But Khalid Hosseini stands out and the one who inspired me to write.
When did you start writing?
Maybe 6-7 years back. I wrote a piece about Corporate Hospitals. It was much appreciated in my organization and amongst friends but no one in the media appreciated it much. It was showing Corporate hospitals in a positive light and no one likes it. Everyone wants to bash private hospitals and paint them as money making machines, which is far from the truth.
It was just free time writing but after it got appreciated, I thought why not keep writing and I did so, mostly for my own. But, once I got the plot of my novel, I decided to write it and get it published
When did you decide to become a writer?
I got the plot of my novel somewhere in 2013-14 and felt compelled from within to write. It is one of those feelings which is hard to explain. So, I started writing randomly in my free time. But, I never backed myself that I will complete it one day. But, early 2016 is when I decided I will back myself in writing the whole bit out. I took a break from work, trashed mostly everything that I had written till then and went into full-time writing. And I am just glad that I did it.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I don’t see writing as a career. I love writing and want to keep it like that. I hope to publish a book every couple of years.
How is your day structured to accommodate your writing?
When I first started writing my novel – Then the doorbell rang, it was usually for 1-2 hours after work. But, I realized after a few months that I am not going anywhere with it, precisely because this disjointed writing resulted in inconsistencies in the story. So, I decided to writefull-time with unflinching focus. I gave all the time I had to writing – usually dedicating 10-12 hours every day with some days being 14 hours as well. Being a first time writer, I did not know the drill.
After having gone through the process once, I now know a trick or two about writing and pacing it up. Ilike to believe that now I am better placed to write my next book while I continue to have a full-time day job.
What genre are your books?
My book – Then the doorbell rang is a light read, relationship focused book with a strong orientation towards exploring human relationships
Can you describe your current book in few lines? What’s it about?
The book is about a woman named Jane. She is half Indian, half Brit – born and brought up in Dubai. It is her story as she explores her life. It is about resilience, about giving, about loving. I feel that most women would relate to her in some way or the other
Give us an insight into your main character.
Jane is beautiful, intelligent and rich. However, her perception of life and what is good and bad is driven by the experiences of her mother and a few of her past experiences. So, she is guarded and constricted when it comes to expressing emotions. As she gives life a chance, life gives back her a chance.
Where did you get idea for this book?
It is really weird one. I was sitting with a friend in his balcony when he randomly pointed to another balcony and said “From that’s where the woman jumped to death” referring to an incident which happened a few months back. It is a posh neighbourhood, the woman was married with kids. It just got me thinking about the woman’s reasons in taking such an extreme step to end her life. I weaved my own story about the incident.
How much research did you do for this book?
I have always keenly observed people and loved to hear their experiences. I guess that is the only research I did for my book
What was the most difficult thing about writing your latest book?
Leaving my job was the hardest thing. Instead of spending time in office around people, I had to shut myself down in a room. That was pretty hard.
When did you book release?
Aug 5 2017
What are you working on at the minute?
I have a plot in mind and working on refining it. I am yet to put anything on paper.
How was your experience with Lead Start?
When I started writing to publishers, I read harrowing tales about how publishers don’t revert back and it takes ages to get a book published. I did experience it somewhat initially but ever since, Leadstart reached out to me after reading my plot, it has been a wonderful experience.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
My advice is one and only one – Write the story you want to tell without thinking about the reader. However, write the story in the words of the reader.
We would like to thank Leadstart Publishers (Frog Books) for providing this opportunity to connect the author. Readers can check their wonderful collection of books by going through this link - Leadstart Books
Can you brief our readers about your educational and professional background?
I am a commerce graduate and I inherited the writing skills from my father the well-known Marathi author Late B.D. Kher who wrote over 100 books and was recipient of national & international awards including Soviet Land Nehru Award, Maharashtra State award etc.
When did you start writing? (It may be your first article or blog.)
In 1982 I first wrote a short story named ‘Vidhata’ for a Magazine.
When did you decide to become a writer?
In 1992 I decided to become a writer.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I would like to present ancient Indian culture and history through my writing to the world. I want my books/writings to be published in different languages of the world and be distributed though out the world. That is my ambition.
Can you describe your current book in few lines? What’s it about?
Udayan was the fifth valiant king in the lineage of the Pandava dynasty. (Some say, he was 26th). Kaushambi was the capital of Udayan’s empire. The king was an ace Veena player. Apart from the musical legacy from his forefathers he was a master of the Vedas, various arts and craft, different sciences and of course, use of different arms and weapons. Alas, all his qualities proved to be his undoing as far as politics was concerned. Because of them, he could hardly concentrate on the day-to-day governance of his empire. The empire that stretched from the sea to the Himalayas, started deteriorating and eroding as a result. Unable to bear the pain of watching the decline of the empire Yaugandharayan vowed to make the king wake up and do his job, and reclaim the lost glory once again. Thus began the conflict between the love for art in Udayan and sense of duty in Yaugandharayan. Around that time, Udayan learned from the book ‘Hastishiksha’ about a mammoth, blue bodied elephant by the name Neelkuvalayatanu. No one in India had ever seen such an elephant in those days. Udayan resolved to find the elephant and tame him with his music. One fine day, Udayan left his palace with a few of his most trusted men without informing anyone and started scouring the jungles for the Neelkuvalayatanu elephant. The news of this extreme pursuit of Udayan soon reached his sworn enemy Pradyot, the king of Avanti. King Pradyot had a beautiful daughter, Vasavdatta, who too was an avid player of Veena. In fact, Pradyot was searching for a capable guru for his daughter. When he learned from his informers about Udayan’s quest for the Neelkuvalayatanu elephant, Pradyot laid a trap. Udayan walked into the trap and he was captured by the soldiers of Pradyot. They dutifully took Udayan to Ujjayini. In the jail, Ghoshvati the Veena that was closest to Udayan’s heart was confiscated and was returned to him on the condition that he taught it to princess Vasavdatta! While all this was happening, Amatya Yaugandharayan was greatly distressed by the audacity of King Pradyot, who so swiftly took away the Vatsa king from under the nose of the brilliant Amatya. Yaugandharayan spread a net of his informers all over Ujjayini to bring Udayan back and take a revenge on Pradyot. However, Udayan himself created an obstacle for him. By now, he was deeply in love with Vasavdatta. There are many plots and subplots involving Vasantak, Vasavdatta and Yaugandharayan to influence the king of Magadh, the second marriage of Udayan and Padmavati, Udayan’s great and successful mission to reclaim his empire as per the plans of Amatya Yaugandharayan etc.
Give us an insight into your main character(s)
Udayan: was an ace Veena player, was blessed with extremely good looks. Apart from the musical legacy from his forefathers he was a master of the Vedas, various arts and craft, different sciences and of course, use of different arms and weapons. An avid art lover that he was, Udayan loved a good life. He loved to drink alcoholic drinks sipped by his dasis and he used to have physical relations with them.
Yaugandharayan: Amatya Yaugandharayan, who was fiercely loyal to the empire and hence, was concerned enough for its state. The empire was a matter of constant concern for the Amatya. Thus began the conflict between the love for art in Udayan and sense of duty in Yaugandharayan.
Rumanwan: General in the form of Rumanwan, who, like Amatya Yaugandharayan, was completely dedicated and was extremely valiant. In the absence of the king’s attention, these two trusted lieutenants of his took care of the affairs of the state to the best of their abilities.
King Pradyot: Pradyot’s kingdom was quite large and he was a brave man himself. His enmity for Udayan was unilateral however and Udayan had largely ignored Pradyot’s political advances and diplomatic games against him.
Vasavdatta: King Pradyot had a beautiful daughter, princess Vasavdatta, who too was an avid player of Veena. In fact, Pradyot was searching for a capable guru for his daughter. The princess was swept off her feet by the extremely good looks and equally endearing qualities of Udayan. The two became inseparable soon. The two young and artiste hearts grew closer by the day.
Vasantak: He was loyal court jester.
Where did you get idea for this book?
I read dramas of Bhasa, ‘Pratidnya Yaugandharayan’ & ‘Swapna-vasavdatta’ in my childhood (around in 1970). They were beautiful stories and I decided to write a novel on this story when I finished my novel on Arjuna in 2003.
In last 7 years, we have seen gigantic wave of books on mythological history. Did this wave help you to get your book selected by publisher? Would you like to tell us how the initial response of publishers for this book was?
No doubt, this wave helped me. When I submitted the MS, I received contract from Ms. Chandralekha Maitra, editor-in-chief within no time.
How much research did you do for this book?
For almost three years I was reading many books on the subject. I read ‘Pratidnya Yaugandharaya’, & ‘Swapna Vasavdatta’ by the great poet-writer Bhas. ‘Bruhat Katha’ by Gunadhya, ‘Katha saritsagar’ by Somdevbhatta, ‘Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosha’ ‘Mahabharata’, ‘Samarangan sutradhar’ and many more! Got information from the net.
Who is your favorite character in your book and why? (If applicable)
King Udayan the hero of this novel is my favorite. I am a music lover. And Udayan is a musician King. So I have tried to focus on his point of view and an artist’s creative mind.
Who is your least favorite character and why? (If applicable)
Yaugandharayan is the second best character of this novel. He is the best administrator. He has steady intelligence. Not emotions but duty towards the Kingdom and faithfulness towards the King is his prime motto.
What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
It was hard for me to write the intimate scenes of Udayan and Vasavdatta.
Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?
What are you working on at the minute?
I am working on the great sage/ Rishi Agasti.
What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
I like to write separate book/novel rather than a series of books.
How was your experience with Publishing house (Lead Start)?
Leadstart editorial team is very capable and helpful. Especially Chandralekha Maitra and CEO Mr. Swarup Nanda. They have tried to make available different platforms to this novel. Promotional guidance is also given from time to time by Lead Start Team.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Experience is very important capital – experience of writing and reading is apart; aspiring author should see and experience real life out there! In my writing I present positivity – not melodrama. My thinking is, if you don’t have solutions; why you create or write on problems?
Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?
6 prestigious awards
Personal Letter from the then President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam after reading English translation of my novel on Bhagavad-Gita: THE SONG OF SALVATION.
Bestseller Marathi Author. Over 1 Million direct readers.
Received profound praise to my novel on the life of Rev. Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the founder of Swadhyay Pariwar of millions of people world-wide. This original Marathi novel is translated in other 3 languages viz: English (THE SILENT REFORMER), Gujarati & Hindi.
Pioneer of Novel, which is written on any philosophy. My novel on Bhagavad-Gita Geetambari – THE SONG OF SALVATION - received great response from critics as well from readers.
We would like to thank Leadstart Publishers (Frog Books) for providing this opportunity to connect the author. Readers can check their wonderful collection of books by going through this link - Leadstart Books
No matter how old you become there are few things that you would love to do that love in your childhood. For me, that would be watching some good cartoon or animation, reading comics and young adult or middle-grade storybooks. The Phantom of Raymond Villa is one such wonderfull story. I would like to apologize Sonu Dabral for delaying the review of this book.
Book Blurb
The Kool-5 mystery hunters are a bunch of five spunky youngsters Maya, Munch, Jinx, Nano and Dodo, who live in an urban residential complex. The adventure seekers love to chillax and play pranks on The Gabbar , the security guard. They also hold secret meetings in their Headquarters an old, abandoned garage where they coin Kool new words tank up from the car pantry and brainstorm over baffling and sometimes dangerous mysteries... The K-5 stumble upon their very first mystery when strange hauntings are reported from Raymond Villa, a deserted, old mansion in their neighbourhood. Strange voices, dancing lights, a claw, and crashing chandeliers, greet those who dare to venture into the house. But most scary and eerie of all is the Phantom of Raymond Villa, who auto-magically materialises at different places at the same time and scares the daylights out of people. There are so many puzzling questions: Who is the mysterious sender of the threatening letters? How does the paint inside the villa change colour? What secret is old Grandma Gomes hiding? Who is the mysterious tramp? How does water turn to blood? Who scribbled the deadly warning and ransacked the H.Q? Is it the spirit of the young boy Mark, who met a tragic end in the villa decades ago, or some sinister human conspiracy? The podgy property dealer Mr.Bansal, the buyer Mr. Ahuja, Sharkface the mad scientist, Raju the head painter, and even The Gabbar, are all prime suspects in the challenging mystery before the K-5. There is never a lull as they embark on a roller-coaster adventure to unravel the clues and solve the baffling case of The Phantom Of Raymond Villa
Our story started with a gang of 5 kids, each with different characteristic and skill (not supernatural skills though). The Gang loved to read mystery stories. They had given multiple names to various place, people & events to match their interest. Their dream was to solve a real mystery case. Their dream came true when suddenly they hear rumors of a ghost in neighborhood Raymond Villa. Intelligent Maya found something fishie as they have ventured into villa earlier but never felt any presence. They took the case unofficially and started tracking clues. They started visiting Raymond Villa, related places, and personalities. Everywhere they went one or other guy following or watching them. Read the book to know more.
I personally liked the way characters with their traits and sketched were introduced in introcution. The language of the book is easy enough for 4th or 5th grade. Kids in today's generation hardly connect with books. Especially in India where finding proper books for kids is difficult these type of books can help them cultivate reading habits. Book has everything that they love - fun, kids hokes, style of using their own words, mystery & suspense.
Talking about writing style, as I mentioned it is a middle-grade book so the author has written fast-paced fun filled content with the young audience in mind. Having said that any age group can read this book. It would help English learners to start reading. The book is having the sequel and it is already published. I am having high hopes for the sequel.
We would like to thank Leadstart Publishers (Frog Books) for providing this opportunity to review book. Readers can check their wonderful collection of books by going through this link - Leadstart Books
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