Angels and Demons .. By Dan Brown

“Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end, we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.”

The best-seller mystery of 2000 is in my opinion, the best book by Dan Brown so far and the best mystery book ever sold on this planet. This is the novel that introduces the phenomenal character of Robert Langdon, the Howard Professor and symbologist, who is a genius problem-solver and is one of my favorite ever fictional character.

Religion will always remain a sensitive subject for the majority of readers out there and that is the reason till date, this is one of the most controversial books ever sold in the world. The constant battle that rages between religion and science here is what makes it all the more interesting and thought-provoking.

In this outstanding thriller, Dan Brown combines action with mystery, historical and scientific elements together to create a mind-boggling fast-paced adventure that you just cannot put down.

This time the gorgeous background belonged to the historic city of Rome and the Vatican. The description of the churches was especially mesmerizing which made me want to visit the city, even more, just to bear witness to the baffling architectures of Lorenzo Bernini and the legends of "The Illuminati", in person.

And when it comes to the book as a whole, it impacted my belief quite a bit. I remember when I first read it, it just changed my viewpoints on religion, God, and science and ever since then, I have tried not to have a closed mind when it comes to both - religion and science. They are not the opposite things, and just as Brown said in his book:

"Science and religion are not at odds.

Science is simply too young to understand."

And to conclude, I get why so many people dislike or even hate Dan Brown's books, but he was one of those writers who got me into reading in the first place. Until now, not one of his single books have ever disappointed me and I am pretty sure that none of them, yet to be written, will.

Happy Reading!!!

The Choice .. By Nicholas Sparks

There are far fewer books that made me shed tears and I'd say that this is one of them. The title itself is so right and I hope I would never have to do that choice. 

To be fair, I am not a big fan of romances, but Nicholas Sparks has a tendency to surprise the readers, for his every story is unique in it's own way. His books aren't always centered on two people falling in love. Most of the times, there's more going on. Also, one never knows if the ending will be a certifiable tear-jerker or joyful happiness.

Gabby and Travis are two neighbors who are drawn to each other but reluctant to get in a relationship. But one weekend spent together changes everything.

Eleven years later, Travis is torn between two choices that could alter the course of his life. Gabby made her wishes clear, but it's different when it is a hypothetical scenario in the future and another thing when the situation is staring you in the face, especially when you blame yourself for it.

The book is startlingly exciting and I found myself bonding with the characters despite the minute exposition and short storyline. I won't spoil it all, but will say that "The Choice" is expansive and gripping novel of love at all costs. It teaches you to conquer your fears and let go of what may happen for the honest experience of what is happening.

I would also like to quote one of the lines from the story that struck me as really awesome..

“That  staring  at  the  stars  was  like  staring  backward  in  time,  since  some  stars  are  so  far  away  that  their light  takes  millions  of  years  just  to  reach  us.  That  we  see  stars  not  as  they  look  now,  but  as  they  were when  dinosaurs  roamed  the  earth.  The  whole  concept  just  struck  me  as  .  .  .  amazing  somehow.” 

I suggest you all read this beautiful story and feel the warmth of it in your heart.

Happy Reading!!!

The Forgotten Room.. By Lincoln Child

Lincoln Child's fourth novel in the series of enigmalogist Jeremy Logan's investigation is a chilling tale in which he is summoned to probe into the situation on how a well-to-do computer scientist committed suicide so horrifically within the confines of Lux, a think-tank mansion in Newport. 

Logan's scrutinization leads to a long-dormant wing of the estate, into the ingeniously hidden secret room, that he uncovers to be a time capsule, filled with eerie machinery and obscure references to a top-secret experiment known as "Project Sin". As Logan attempts to unravel its meaning, he begins to discern what transpired in that room and why the frightening project was abandoned and sealed off many years ago. He progresses to fall into another paranormal conundrum at the cost of losing his own sanity in the process.

It is a great stand-alone book and does not require the reading of the earlier books of this series to actually enjoy the mystery. It has enough meat of content and the prologue promises an intriguing journey ahead, but half-way through it though, the story dwindles to a common mystery novel where the cat's out of the bag too soon to a reader's liking. The characters also didn't behave logically, failing to take the obvious course of action on many occasions.

While the supernatural is always hinted at in all of Child's novel, its presence always lacks the terrifying intensity. Even so, the final confrontation in this book spanned several chapters, which was very well-written and manages to catch up pace towards the end. Overall it is just to say that it's interesting enough while reading but quite easily forgettable once completed. So, anyone starting new with mysteries can pick this one up without wanting to get into too many complications of over-explanation and still enjoy a good thriller.

Happy Reading!!!

Twilight .. By Stephene Meyer

Here comes my take on the book which has always been under the scrutiny of many critics over the years. Undoubtedly, this is one of those books that has been slammed by many but adored by a lot. It was widely noted that the idea behind this book was not entirely new, although the writing style definitely left its mark to be called as one of the extensively read books in the last decade.

I remember the first time I started reading this book in the British Library late one evening and you wouldn't believe, but I was done reading the entire book within 2 hours 40 minutes until the lights of the library went out and the librarian had to kick me out. I was absolutely engrossed in the story and couldn't wait to get my hands on its sequel the other day and I made sure to finish reading the entire four volumes, that same week.

Picking this book up was to curb my curiosity to know what the hype was all about as this book was made a huge deal during those days. Even though it cannot be categorized as a fine literature, still I have to say it definitely lived up to the hype for me. I think the book exhibited a surprising depth of emotion, intimacy, and even sensuality without ever resorting to anything explicit. The amazing level of communication between the two teen protagonists had a stark honesty and the consistent battle that rages inside the lead character - Bella's mind between the knowledge that Edward is perfect for her and the knowledge that being with him constantly puts her in danger, was endearing.

The first two-thirds of the book moves at rather languid but steady pace owing to the extensive character and relationship development. After that, it almost instantly turns into a taut suspense/thriller when Bella's life is threatened. Even though the book is written entirely in first-person from Bella's perspective, I thought the author did a good job of conveying Edwards's thoughts and feelings too, through extensive use of dialog, which brings to my point on thinking that the book - "Midnight Sun", which tells us Edward's perspective of Twilight version, was completely unnecessary.

So, to summarize what I have been trying to convey is that Twilight is one of those books that has touched me in profound ways, right from its preface. And to the people who seriously hate it, I would like to say that it is pure fiction! Why do you want to look for realism in it and make sense of what the supernatural means? Can't you just appreciate the creativity of the imagination behind a story that puts fantasy to yet another level?

Happy Reading!!!

Treasure Island .. By Robert Louis Stevenson

A fine and widely known classic by Robert Stevenson is an absolute delight to a reader and one of my favorite childhood books, which no doubt inspired the adventure - movies like Goonies and Pirates of the Carribean. 

For those of you who are not familiar with the plot, here goes the shortest summary -

It tells the story of Jim Hawkings who assists in running an inn in England during the 18th century. One of the individuals who stay at his inn, Billy Bones, known as Captian Flint, a notorious pirate is visited by a former fellow crew member, Pew, who gives him a treasure map. When Bones opens the map, he sees a "Black Spot" that foretells bad luck and he drops dead of a stroke. Jim and his mother open his chest to get the amount due for Bones's lodging but before they could get the money, pirates arrive searching for the treasure map. Jim, who finds the treasure map, shares it with the local physician, who deduces the map of an island buried with a vast amount of treasure. The squire proposes buying a ship and going after the treasure. What follows is the treasure hunt that has so many hiccups than a sloop in a storm with enough action and humor to provision a lengthy voyage. 

It is a swashbuckling adventure where the stakes were high and the Gentlemen of Fortune weren't so gentle while seeking their fortune. Stevenson brings every character to life in a new and frightening way that always holds me captivated. The brilliance of the writing lies in the meticulous vagueness of his descriptions, allowing the reader to take the direction of their choosing, with the character's appearance. My personal favorite character is Long John Silver, who reminds me much of Jack Sparrow and his wickedness from the Curse of the Black Pearl. 

Treasure Island is a beloved tale for both the young and older readers alike. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED .. Happy Reading!!!

The Iron King .. By Maurice Druon

Let me present the book review of the first installment of the Accursed Kings series by French author Maurice Druon, which deals with France's Philip IV "The Fair" (1268-1314) and scandals of his reign. It is said that this book greatly inspired George R.R. Martin, who called it as "The Original Game of Thrones" which led to its stupendous publicity. It certainly covers the last days of Capetian dynasty, which has its fair share of murder, adultery, and conspiracy.

However, it is nothing like Game of Thrones, apart from its unbearably nasty politics or bloody-minded cruelty. Secondly, it cannot be called so much as a fiction, but a European history book. 

The writing was somewhat monotonous because of the dreary monologue and imaginary, non-engaging conversations. This might be because the book was written in the early 1950s and was not re-published until recently. However, I agree that the events that took place in the 14th century Europe that led to a 100-years of war between England and France are nothing short of fascinating.

The rival families of the French Capets and the English Plantagenets did have ambitious men and deceptive women that have the capability to create sheer drama in the novel and Druon has managed to infuse those with enough machinations and manipulations to make Littlefinger himself proud.

Well, the story that begun to unfold here is continued in the second installment, "The Strangled Queen", whose review I will bring to you shortly.

Happy Reading!!!

August .. By Bernard Beckett

Trapped upside-down in a car wreck, bleeding and brooding over the past, Tristan and Grace are waiting for death, while reciting their stories to each other. 

Tristan is a philosopher, struggling with the idea of free will, while Grace lives a life that allows no place for such questions. How they came to be in a car together, balancing between life and death is a thought-provoking tale of loss and tragedy.

Well, do not expect it to be a tangled love story, as what the synopsis suggests. It is more about theology and complex characters trying to find their way to freedom. In my opinion, the book seemed little unremarkable, even though it had a profound message to spread, it had too much philosophical swaggering against too little plot.

If you are into insightful arguments about humanity and the nature of free will, I would recommend this book to you. For others, it might seem a little disappointing, if not disturbing.

Happy Reading!!!

The Mahabharata Secret (The Mahabharata Quest # 1) .. By Christopher C. Doyle

Before the nuclear scientists, Vikram Singh is murdered at his home, he leaves a coded email trail for his nephew, Vijay. A quest that is 2300 years old, through the ruins of the time of Asoka, has to be pursued. While Vijay and his friends are set to decipher the riddles to save it from getting into the wrong hands, bad forces are at work to make things difficult for them.

The first book of the contemporary quest series is somewhat lame compared to the next novels from Christopher Doyle's Indian version of Da Vinci Code. He has literally tried very hard to make it as good and exciting. Although, it was not a completely failed attempt because even though it had a secret brotherhood, encrypted puzzles, historical codes, Intel Agency agents, conspiracy theories etc., all that I found rather too familiar, was nevertheless a good attempt in capturing a reader's interest. 

One thing that I liked the best was how the story kept its non-linear pace by moving back and forth in time, that could easily keep the readers on their toes. Its narration leading up to its climax was also unnerving and was the most driving unit of the book.

The part where the book fails to make its mark is its characterization. Especially, Vijay's relationship with Colin sounded really bogus. I found Imran's character to be a fair addition, but what disappointed me the most was that he was not the central protagonist of the plot. One other thing that bothered me was how the story shot at an unnatural speed and ended so soon. It had the potential to weigh the book with more content and explain the situations with deeper clarity.

Overall, I would say the book was mediocre but it didn't stop me to reach out for its sequel. And I am glad I did because it had drastically improved in its next version, of whose review, I am gonna post soon. 

Happy Reading!!!

The Shack .. By William Paul Young

An unusual and mysterious book which I am sure many people will find it highly controversial in religious or spiritual sense because of so many reasons I don't want to get into, but to be completely honest with you, I grew quite fond of the story even though it had some fluke aspects that we tend to avoid. And before I begin to explain why the book was worth reading, I would like to give a synopsis -

When Mackenzie takes his three children on a camping trip, his youngest daughter goes missing and later he finds her bloodied clothes in a shack far out in a forest and everyone assumes the worst. The whole family sinks into a great sadness.

One day, Mack receives a note in his mailbox from "Papa", saying that he would like to meet with Mack that coming weekend at the shack. The family refers God as "Papa", however, Mack assumes this to be a trick or some sick joke from his murderer to lure him out too. Outraged by his own misery and his family's condition, he sets out towards the shack, unsure of who he will find there. After reaching the shack, however, he finds himself face-to-face with manifestations of God in different forms. 

What you need to find out is.. Will he confront God for what happened to his daughter? Will he find inner peace and ability to cope with his life after what he went through?

This story is more about the journey of a tortured soul and his relationship with God and how to deal with people who hurt you and your loved ones in the most heinous way.

I liked this book not only because of its valuable teachings, which without a doubt was insightful. I liked it more because the image of God in his various forms were exceptionally fascinating and also the way Mack come to terms with his suffering was beyond something.

I would highly recommend this book to all, especially those who have been angry with God or are trying to process pain and suffering in their own lives.

I am sure Papa will help you as he is especially fond of you!!!

The Hunger Games .. Mockingjay # 3.. By Suzanne Collins

The final book of Hunger Games is a mixture of battles and politics with an amazing but slightly predictable end of the series.

Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old girl, who outlasted two Hunger Games - a deadly fight for survival, becomes the symbol of a rebel to overthrow an evil empire for its unspeakable cruelty towards its citizens. 

"It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart."

I have a mixed opinion on this book because, on one hand, it had an amazing characterization and a lasting impression, despite which it fails to generate the level of excitement created by the first two installments with less of adrenaline-driven power acts and more of sorrow and destruction. 

This time it is not about the actual challenge to survive against the other districts, which is what made the Hunger Games books so much fun for me, but it is more about the revolution against the government and the struggle to obtain freedom. Although the book is beautifully written with all the emotions rightfully expressed and with a wonderfully laid out story, it fails to draw the reader into the plot as it did with the other two books.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the series very much with its perfect amalgamation of sci-fi and fantasy, which is enough to steal the heart of any youngster.

Please check out my reviews on its previous two books:

The Hunger Games # 1

The Hunger Games # 2 .. Catching Fire

"Here's some advice. Stay Alive."

Happy Reading!!!

The Count of Monte Cristo .. By Alexander Dumas

One of the classic novels in the history of English Literature, The Count of Monte Cristo is adventurous in its crudest sense. A story of love and revenge with a bitter-romance drama from the times when Nepolean returned to power after his exile.

A young sailor, Edmond Dantes, when returns from his voyage to marry his beautiful fiancee - Mercedes, he is falsely accused of a crime by his supposed friend, who is also in love with his fiancee.

He is cast in prison for fourteen long years in the Chateau d'If, far out on an island. Dante is on the verge of suicide when he befriends a fellow prisoner, also known as the Abbe Faria (Mad Priest), who had dug an escape tunnel that ended up in Dantes' cell. On his deathbed, Faria tells Dantes about the location of a hidden treasure and when he dies, Dantes breaks through and takes his place in the burial sack that is thrown into the sea and is rescued by a smuggling ship that stops at Monte Cristo. 

Escaping from prison, Dantes finds the treasure, buys himself the title of Count and returns to France to put into effect his long-nurtured schemes of revenge.

Alexander Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers, has definitely created a literary masterpiece with this immense feat of writing an intricately plotted tale of vengeance. Even though the book is very long (1000+ pages), I never felt the need to put it down once. Engrossing at the highest level, it is a classic fusion of French Impressionism and English Romanticism.

I recommend this book to all, especially to them who are looking for a historical-classic fiction with a gripping tale that would hook you up till the end.

Happy Reading!!!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone .. # 1 .. By J.K. Rowling

The first ever book series that I started reading as a child or the book series that I have read more than twenty times till date or the book series I will continue to read till I die...is none other than Harry Potter!!!

On the occasion of celebrating my half-century on Bloggers, I would like to share my views on my favorite book series' first novel and will continue the tradition of posting the review of all its sequel.

So here goes....

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was introduced into our lives by the famous fantasy novelist J.K. Rowling in 1997. The entire series is the second most read book in the world after Bible... couldn't imagine a higher praise than that! 

The story is about a young orphan boy named "Harry Potter", bullied and mistreated all his life by his relatives, discovers the truth about his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday and facts about his horrific past of his curious encounter with the evilest dark wizard - Lord Voldemort when he was just a year old. Voldemort killed his parents and when he tried to kill Harry, the curse rebounded and removed all his powers, but baby Harry gained immense fame among the magical community due to this mysterious occurrence.   

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

He is surprised to find himself the center of attention in his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hated by some like his archenemy - Draco Malfoy and Potion's Master - Severus Snape, but loved by many, like his best friends - Ronald Weasely and Hermione Granger, he discovers a new home in this strange land of magic and finds himself extremely happy for the first time in his life.

Harry with Ron and Hermione

His first year at Hogwarts is filled with plenty of magical learnings in the most interesting, but bizarre classes. He not only becomes the youngest person to be chosen as a Quidditch (Magical sports played in the air on broomsticks) player in a century. His encounter with fantastic beasts like giant three-headed dogs, trolls or dragon that becomes a nightmarish experience for him. He also faces the Dark Lord yet again in his gallantry attempt with his friends to save the theft of the Philosopher's Stone.

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall with baby Harry

It is a brilliant book and one of its kind to be published in many centuries to come with a content that any reader could easily fall in love with. It is a heartwarming and perfect story to capture your interest right from the first line and the reason that I read it so many times is to simply forget the real world around me and jump into that magnificent sphere full of childhood memories and a remarkable magical journey with a story that comforts me and reminds me so often that words are in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.

Don't let the Muggles get you down!!!

A Mutiny In Time .. Infinity Ring # 1 .. By James Dashner

A truly adventurous children's novel about time travel - a concept that is not unfamiliar but has an altogether different level of obsession, especially among children.

This is a story about two kids, Dak and Sera, in the futuristic USA, which is controlled by a group called SQ. Dak is obsessed with history and Sera loves science. When they find their way into Dak's parents' lab, they end up making a discovery that could save the world, or if let into the wrong hands, worsen it further. With the help of the Hystorians and a techie boy named Riq, Dak and Sera must righten history and find Dak's missing parents.

I found the story has the perfect length for the age group it was written for and the way it was described was fascinating.

There was an unusual concept called "Remnants", that people experience in the story, which, from what I understood is something that occurs in the mind which is shadows of what should have happened instead of what is happening. Not sure if I understood that correctly or not, as I feel that it was not properly explained in the book. 

On the whole, the book was meant to be read by children, so from their point of view, it was very entertaining, but to us adults, it would seem a little predictable.

I am definitely going to go for book two of this series and will bring you the review of it soon as well.

Happy Reading!!!

Origin .. By Dan Brown

Another mind-boggling journey - this time in Spain, through this incredibly awesome book by my favorite author - Dan Brown. 

"Where Do We Come From?"

"Where Are We Going?"

Two of humanity's fundamental questions throughout millennia has been answered. Believe it or not ... the speculation concerning the origin of human beings has taken an interesting turn and what is more bizarre is the discovery of our future because where we come from is not nearly as startling as where we are going.

Yet again Dan Brown has left me speechless and proved it time and again that nothing could be more interesting than running around risking your life to break codes throughout historic cities to find the meaning of so wild a controversy that could alter the course of your life. 

What is the formula of an engrossing thriller to you? Is it Dan Brown's classic ingredients?

• Robert Landon - Harward Symbologist
• An exceptionally beautiful and intellectual woman to help him out!
• Stalker Assassins
• Powerful parties at work to destroy the world
• Exotic cities
• Historic Hero
• Visiting unparalleled Cathedrals, Mosques or historic buildings to find inconspicuous meaning of famous arts
• And finally coming face-to-face with the ultimate truth

The formula is right there in this extraordinary book, set in Spain's three beautiful cities - Barcelona, Madrid, and Bilbao. And talking about our historic hero will be like giving out more than that is necessary to the readers who has not yet started reading the book. But I would still like to give a hint by including the picture of the building below- Sagrada Familia, which is not so much as a major hint because it is already included on the cover of this book -

Take out some time to read this fabulous book because nothing is more fascinating than entering a world of Dan Brown that is so much like our world but only a hundred times more interesting.

"The Dark Religions are Departed and Sweet Science Reigns"

Happy Reading!!!

Delhi Is Not Far .. By Ruskin Bond

A short and sweet story by Ruskin Bond which is filled with soft narrations by the story-teller mainly about Pipalnagar, a small town in Northern India, where he currently lives, and Delhi, where he dream of moving to one day.

The main protagonist, Arun is a struggling writer, who is waiting for an inspiration to write a phenomenal novel, meanwhile seeking love from a local prostitute, friendship from an orphan & homeless boy, and escape to the capital. 

A very simple and neat novel, describing the ordinary lives of a small town's landscape and its people in an extraordinary way. It felt like a journal entry that gives the reader a nostalgic view of the author's memory compilation which had an overwhelming sense of fulfillment, the character wants to achieve once they undertake the quintessential journey to Delhi.

Even though the language was very simple, but the brevity and clarity of the narration was spell-binding. I would like to conclude by quoting Ruskin Bond from the book, which has a direct relationship with our hearts as an Indian and has felt like this at least once in our lifetime...

"The rain swirls over the tress and roofs of the town, and the parched earth soaks it up, exuding a fragrance that comes only once in a year, the fragrance of quenched earth, the most exhilarating of all smells"

Happy Reading!!!

First Family .. By David Baldacci

One of the intense thrillers I read so far this year and it surely qualifies to be an exciting page-turner and Baldacci classics. It is another Michelle Maxwell and Sean King series of an adventure novel, who are ex-secret service agents and partners in an investigating agency. I absolutely adore these characters and enjoy reading their chemistry of problem-solving.

Sean and Michelle are called in once again to solve a dangerous situation and this time it involves the kidnapping of the first lady's niece, right from Camp David, the Presidential Retreat, which turns into a national security nightmare. There are multiple hurdles to overcome and to top it off, Michelle's mother is found murdered in her home and her father is the prime suspect.

Manipulation, deception, murder, and secrets make up the plot of this enthralling tale and on top of that, the story gets intricately woven into a mysteriously bold phenomenon, which is highly exciting and captivating. It is a clearly crafted work and one of Baldacci's best works.

I would recommend this book to a reader who is looking for an entertaining action-packed drama with some interesting plot-twists without too-confusing mystery.

Happy Reading!!!

A Thousand Splendid Suns .. By Khaled Hosseini

Let me present the review of yet another story from the snow-peaked and the vast mountains of Afghanistan. Like its barrenness, this tale also speaks about the tortured lives of two women who suffered at the hands of fate.

Khaled Hosseini has amazed us again with the brilliance of his writing and story-telling ability. It is astonishing to find yourself in such pain just by reading stories of tormented souls and the empathy that you feel towards the characters is unbelievable; that's the kind of narration is what Hosseini is famous for. 

It is the story of an illegitimate child, Mariam, who suffers from the stigma surrounding her birth along with the abuse that she faces throughout her marriage. Laila, born a generation later, is comparatively privileged during her youth until their lives intersect when she is forced to accept the marriage proposal from Mariam's husband.

The story was incredibly sad and the writing, as I mentioned earlier, had the power to stomp all over your heart without mercy. It is not the kind of book that you would want to peruse while traveling because this might cause intense emotional stress or bewilderment to you. You would rather read this story on normal working days, as it will make your stressful life seem like a paradise. 

I would also like to make a comparison between this book and "The Kite Runner". It may seem to you that both the stories had striking similarities, in terms of war damage, family spectacle and social hierarchies, but I feel that Kite Runner's story had far better essence than this one in terms of character simplicity and grafting of history.

I would say that the author did a great job on both the books, that is to say, well thought-out characters and picturesque description of the mountainous views. Even though the story was molded based on bomb rubble on the surface with traditions and family norms in the core, it clearly relates the strength and courage of Afghan women in the face of the cruelty of life.

Happy Reading!!!

Dangerous Women .. By (Multiple Authors)

Dangerous Women is a combination of short-stories which was published in 2013 and edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardener Dozois. It is called a cross-genre anthology, that includes science-fiction, horror, romance, mystery, and fantasy combined.

The first volume contains a novella, "The Princess and the Queen", which reveals the origins of the civil war in Westeros, known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryens and dragons against dragons, 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. Other short stories include:

"Raisa Stepanova" by Carrie Vaughn

"I Know How to Pick 'Em" by Lawrence Block

"Neighbors" by Megan Lindholm

"Wrestling Jesus" by Joe R. Lansdale

"My Heart is Either Broken" by Megan Abbott

"Nora's Song" by Cecelia Holland

I am not sure what to say more about this book than saying that it was completely foolish of me to read it even after the bad reviews given by my friends. It was a complete trash and I suggest you all, not to fall for the author's name alone like I did.

The title itself is meaningless and is another misguided attempt to capture interest because there were plenty of men in it too and women, well, were not that dangerous at all. The only story worth reading was "I Know How to Pick 'Em", which has a charm and dark sense of humor that captivated my attention till the end and the best part was, the story was a perfect length. I am sure to add Lawrence Block's other books on my reading list. 

But, I honestly didn't like other authors work in this book, especially R.R. Martin's. It felt like a total drag of unwanted history of the seven kingdoms, that you are surely gonna give up reading way before the ending. 

I am glad I didn't spend money on this book and just got it out from a library. A seriously disappointing read!

Please check out this Blog Space for more reviews!!

The Immortals of Meluha .. By Amish (Shiva Trilogy # 1)

On India's 70th independence celebration, I would like to start the review of this fantastic series which is soulfully connected to India's one of the oldest mythologies.

This is one of the most intriguing books about the stories of deities I read so far. Can't really say if it could be compared to Shiva Puran, which I haven't read, but would rather categorize it under pure imagination or fantasy for that matter.

Meluha is a perfect empire created by Lord Ram many centuries ago. However, as the time goes by the Suryavashis of this empire face a major crisis in the form of their slowly dying holy river Saraswati and continuous assaults from Chandravanshis, who have joined forces with the Nagas, a cursed race with physical deformities. 

The present king of Meluha, Daksha, sends his emissaries to Tibet, to invite the tribes that live there to Meluha. Thier brave warrior chief, Shiva who accepts the proposal and travels with his tribe to the mighty land, finds that they are all subjected to somras, the elixir of life, on the way to Meluha. When the Meluhans discover that Shiva's throat turned blue after drinking the somras, they announce him as Neelkanth, their fabled savior.

What follows is a captivating adventure of Shiva's epic deeds, Sati's enchanting endurance, and the mystery that the tale covertly possesses and promises to grip us till the end.

I enjoyed this book immensely and was pleasantly surprised by how the author used the legend in an interesting form of storytelling.

Amish explains the caste system established by Lord Rama based on people's merits and not based on their inheritance was enlightening. I especially liked the way he narrated the story not based on fictitious renditions, but rather in a scientific manifestation of the fabulous miracles we encounter while reading the book.

I would like to conclude the review by saying that it is a "must-read" category series of novels with an admirable writing of an awesome story that is guaranteed to keep you engaged till you finish the trilogy itself.

Happy Reading!!!

The Silkworm ... (Cormoran Strike Series # 2) By Robert Galbraith a.k.a.. J.K. Rowling

Cormoran Strike's second adventure novel was released in 2014 after the success of Cuckoo's Calling. It's a crime novel created by none other than J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith.

When missing novelist Owen Quine's wife contacts Strike, he thinks there isn't much mystery to this search. But once he starts digging into potential whereabouts of the author, he discovers a highly controversial unpublished work written by the author, that turned out to be a dark and mysterious bashing of his co-workers, which might have led to his disappearance or possible murder.

Strike and his talented assistant Robin, find themselves solving yet another conundrum and tries against all odds to save the author's wife from being proven guilty for a crime she didn't commit.

This book met with a lot of critical acclaims, but after J.K. Rowling's identity behind this work was revealed in 2013, the sale of the book increased tenfold.

To be honest, I myself started reading both the books when I came to know it is Rowling's invention. Nevertheless, she did a fantastic job with the series. Even though it started out with a slow pace, the book gained momentum and purpose extremely quickly and hooked me till the end.

Many readers might not like this series as much as I liked it because the style of mystery writing is quite different from the general perception, which interested me a lot. Especially the way each character was portrayed and the illusion that it created of each of their murderous sides made it impossible to guess the miscreant till the end.

I would recommend this book to all readers and invite you all to share your thoughts on this and its previous novel, Cuckoo's Calling.

Happy Reading!!!

Dear John .. By Nicholas Sparks

This is my second review of Nicholas Sparks work and I am gonna say this again that he is one of the best romance writers of the 21st century and would admit that I enjoyed this novel thoroughly.

Sparks might not use fancy words or poetic contraptions while narrating, but the stories that he put forth never stop to astound me because the true exchange of emotion and passion is what we look forward to in a romantic novel anyway. I love the simplicity of his stories and the way it absorbs me the minute I start reading and not to mention its heart-numbing conclusions. 

Time for some rundown..

John is a tough guy with some rough childhood and rocky relationship with his father, which made him join the US army after high school. He meets and falls in love with Savannah while on holiday and promise himself to spend the rest of his life with her. But destiny had a different plan for them because he returns to find Savannah is married to another man, who is in dire need of her help and support. What follows is some unexpected turn of events which was both sorrowful and inspirational at the same time.

There was a film adaption of this book, which had some significant differences with the book; ending being the most crucial. Yet it turned out ok in either case which is a rare phenomenon in itself. 

I would recommend this book to all but especially to those who are looking for love stories that are not dull commonplace and twined with lovey-dovey lines, but some first-rate and convincing romance.

Happy Reading!!!

Last Man Standing .. By David Baldacci

Another Baldacci political thriller with an action-packed drama; secretive clue-findings and never ending plot twists and turns, which thoroughly fails to leave its mark on the reader. Unlike its Camel Club series, this book turned out to be a sour read throughout with too many cliched dialogues and average overall execution of the plot.

Here goes the synopsis -

An FBI agent Web London and his rescue team are sent down for a surprise attack on a drug dealer's lair. As they move with stealth precision towards the target, they are surprised to see a boy in the dark alley. When the kid sees them, he utters the queer words, "Damn to hell" and cackles. 

Uncharacteristically, this kid unnerves Web and when the Operations Center radios give the go ahead for the final move, Web freezes and fall down on his gun. At five seconds to impact, Web lays helpless as he watches the team proceed and then one by one fall to the ground, all dead in seconds. Ironically, Web is the only one alive. That is to say, he is the last man standing after this terrible ordeal.

He can't stand to bear the silent accusations of the family members of the deceased. So, he sets out to prove his innocence.

I enjoyed the story, however much I hated the longevity of it. The characters of the plot were justifiable, however, the plot itself was not very convincing. It took me too long to finish this book, which itself is unlike me, that I would literally place it under the boring category.

Baldacci novels usually have an exciting fast-paced thriller story to its credit, but this one felt more or less tragic life events of one particular character, which felt monotonous, not to mention disappointing. 

Kindly check out the links to my previous reviews of David Baldacci fictions and wait for more-

Hell's Corner

Zero Day

Happy Reading!!!