Monday, November 17, 2014

Private India



In Mumbai, seemingly unconnected people are dying, strangled in a chilling ritual and with strange objects carefully arranged with the corpses.
For Santosh Wagh, head of private India, the Mumbai branch of the world’s finest investigation agency, it’s a race against time to stop the killer striking again.
In a city of over thirteen million, he’d have his work cut out at the best of times, but this case has him battling Mumbai’s biggest ganglord and a godman who isn’t all he seems.
And then he discovers there may be an even greater danger facing private India. Hidden in the shadows, someone who could destroy the whole organization – along with thousands of innocent Mumbai citizens.
Raumali Says:
I have always been a fan of mystery novels, so couldn’t resist when Blogadda gave the opportunity to review one. I have read Ashwin Sanghi’s novels before and have liked them. James Patterson, is altogether a new author for me. So before I read this book, I decided to do some research first. What I found was Private series is a collaboration between Patterson and different authors around the globe. So for Private India, Patterson decided to collaborate with Ashwin Sanghi.

The sheer thrill of reading a murder and mystery keeps me hooked. I remember my school days when I used to sneak a Dan Brown or Agatha Christie novel inside one of my study books in class. I continued that in college too, sitting in the last bench with a nice book while the teacher rattled away. Well, my book reading has taken a back stand since I have entered the corporate field. But my hands started itching when I found Blogadda is giving away mystery books for review. I have read Sanghi’s books before and have reviewed them for Blogadda too. They weren’t spine chilling but were not bad either. So, I was disappointed when this book didn’t meet my expectations. The book made me feel lost. There was no cohesiveness in the characters, and the plot was more or less predictable. It took me a lot of motivation and quite a few mails from Blogadda for me to finish reading this book. (I would have done it if my manager promised me a bonus for reading this book). The font was huge which was a real dampener. The end was disappointing.

Writing is a creative job. The authors make stories in their head and pen them down in such a way so people would read it. Hence I am not very fond of doing a bad review, because it will be like criticizing the way they do their work. I do have some good to tell about this book too.

I read Indian authors because they make me feel connected. The language, the story, the culture, everything is my own. Sanghi’s penchant for mythology comes through some Indian festivals in the plot. The books opens with the murder of a Thai doctor in a Mumbai hotel. It’s a serial killer who places some token of his presence beside each of the dead bodies.

Santosh Wagh, and ex-policeman, who heads private India, and also the protagonist of this tale, gets in charge of this case. Wagh is a compelling if somewhat pitiable character with a troubled past. Wagh has a sharp mind and impeccable powers of reasoning. He also has an inexhaustible fund of trivia that helps him solve mysteries.

The characterization was very precise. The thing I liked most was there were alternate chapters on the murder and something else.

Overall, it’s a okay read. You can go for it, if you have time to spare.

Rating – 3/5

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

RAMAYANA: THE GAME OF LIFE – RISE OF THE SUN PRINCE

TITLE: Ramayana: The Game of Life – Rise Of The Sun Prince

AUTHOR: Shubha Vilas

PUBLISHER: Jaico Books

ISBN: 978-81-8495-530-9

GENRE: Folklore/Fantasy

PAGES: 252

SOURCE: BlogAdda

RATING: 4.5/5

BACKCOVER SAYS:
Epics like the Ramayana have been recounted infinite times. Is there a need for another chronicle in the presence of so many? How is this one different? And is it relevant to our ever changing modern lives?

Yes, there is a need; yes, this is different; and yes, it is most relevant! This new series of books, each following one volume of the original Ramayana, decodes the eternal wisdom of that poetic scripture through gripping narrative and thought-provoking instruction. In the time-honoured custom of spreading wisdom through tales, every fascinating story in the epic is retold here and every character unfolded to captivate your heart and open your mind to life’s deepest questions.

The narrative closely follows Valmiki’s Ramayana, gently weaving in folk tales as well as the beautiful analogies of the Kamba Ramayana. The first of this six-volume series, Rise of the Sun Prince, takes you through the divine story of Lord Rama from His birth upto his marriage.

Through these pages are revealed the tales of Dasaratha’s leadership, Vishwamitra’s quest for power and the intriguing story of a little-known stone maiden, Ramayana: The Game of Life has all of this and much more- food for contemporary thought drawn from an enduring masterpiece.

RAUMALI’S VIEWS:
I am always been a huge fan of Indian mythology and this book has become one of my favourites.

The Rise of the Sun Prince by Shubha Vilas is essentially the part one (Bala Kanda) of the Indian scripture Ramayana as written by the sage Valmiki, mixed with a few anecdotes and embellishmens from the Kamba Ramayana (another version of the sacred text).

The book is simple yet elaborate, the story is decomposed just enough for the casual reader to understand and yet it is sophisticated enough to prevent itself from being turned into another soulless recital.

The saga of Ramayana was written by Valmiki and the current volume – The Rise of the Sun Prince takes its readers through the birth and pre-birth era of Rama to the marriage of Lord Rama with Sita. 

The book tells the purpose of Ramayana in a very simplified manner.

The book is written very simply yet the narration is very exciting and perfect. Shubha Vilas has led us through various aspects of Lord Rama’s birth, his journey with Lakshmana and Vishwamitra and his respect for elders. Through these pages, the tales of Dasarathas leadership, Vishwamitras quest for power and the intriguing story of a little known stone maiden are revealed.

Shubha Vilas has beautifully penned down the mythological story of Ramayana and lucidly described the various characters.

Overall this book is a good read. I would definitely recommend this book.


This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Hunt For kohinoor - Book Review


TITLE: THE HUNT FOR KOHINOOR
AUTHOR: MANREET SODHI SOMESHWAR
PUBLISHER: WESTLAND LTD.
ISBN: 978-93-83260-60-7
GENRE: FICTION/THRILLER
PAGES: 425
SOURCE: WESTLAND
RATING: 4.5/5

BACK COVER SAYS: A spine-chilling ninety-six hour hunt through the world's most dangerous terrain where history collides with gunfire – will Mehrunisa get out of this one alive?
One morning on her way to work, Mehrunisa gets a call that will change her life forever. The truth about her missing father is at her fingertips – but it will take her on the most desperate chase of her lifetime.
A chase that will pit her against hardened jihadis plotting the deadliest terror attack on India, that will test her mettle against history's deep secrets, that will teach her that the price of love can mean bloodied hands...
The Hunt For Kohinoor hurtles from icy Kashmir to snow-clad Hindukush, from the sinister corridors of a military hospital to the warrens of Peshawar, even as the clock counts down to the impending catastrophe.

RAUMALI'S VIEWS:
Thanks to Westland Ltd. For giving me the opportunity to review this book. I must say this was the fastest 425 pages book I ever read- took me around 3 hours. The description is very simple yet crisp and vivid. I could feel the events unfolding in front of my eyes as I kept turning the pages.

This is the first book of Manreet Sodhi Someshwar I have read and I am really amazed by the amount of research she puts into her work. The book was a sweet and sour experience for me. Sour, because I have read a lot of thrillers before and I didn't feel completely satisfied with this one. It was kind of a 99 out of 100 for me. Sweet because I am always a fan of Indian authors' book and this one kept me hooked to it for an entire 3 hours until I finished it. I really loved the narration, the plot and was amazed by the hard work 
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar has put into it.

The Hunt For Kohinoor is the book two of the thriller series featuring Mehrunisa Khosa. The first book of the series is The Taj Conspiracy. The story begins with parallel tracks featuring the lives of the protagonists of the tale and later it is shown how it all combines as one. The story revolves around Mehrunisa's ninety-six hour chase through India, Pakistan and the AFPAK border with her own life, people she loves, and thousands of more at stake.

This is a different kind of thriller than what I have read before. The characterization is very real specially the transformation of Mehrunisa from a historian to a spy on a special mission of national importance. It is deftly shown in the book how Mehrunisa is used for national security. I really loved the fact that the theme of the book didn't deviate from a thriller to a love story even though I thought it might be.

The book is a light read, and the suspense is intriguing. I can definitely say this is one more book which increases my love for Indian Authors. I would definitely recommend this book to all.