Capturing Wildlife Moments in India Posted by Drac , Sunday, May 10, 2015 at 5:10 AM, in Labels: book, non-fiction

Title: Capturing Wildlife Moments in India

Author: Ashok Mahindra

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Genre: Non-Fiction

"Capturing Wildlife Moments in India" contains 120 photographs of animals and birds of India, photographed from visits to over 30 parks,sanctuaries and other locations. 

This book is being published by Oxford University Press(OUP) & Bombay Natural History Society(BNHS).The book will be available at most of the major retail outlets across India and also through online retail sites like Amazon, Flipkart etc.It will also be available for sale through the BNHS website and is priced at Rs.1450 

Good photography does not restrict itself in just capturing the moment but to capture a real moment and present it as beautifully and vividly as one’s imagination. Capturing Wildlife Moments in India by Ashok Mahindra is a prime example of such presentation.

This coffee-table book contains over 100 photos of animals - from Bengal Tiger to Lion-tailed Macaque, from Nilgai to Hoolock Gibbon and birds – from Black-capped Kingfisher to Painted Stork, from Blue Jay to Pallas’ Fish-eagle collected from over 30 locations of Assam, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and many other.

Along with animal’s common name, location and their importance in particular state all the photographs also captions IUCN status of the species. The equipments and photographic technology used is also mentioned along in some tricky photographs which is beyond my inept understanding but might be quite useful to budding photographers.

Apart from the photographs, the book also features wildlife hotspots, interest places to stay and details about concession packages for school visits; helping in expanding the tourism and thus the growth and preservation of wildlife. Author understands the concern that if nothing is done to preserve and defend the wildlife there will be a time when these animals can be seen only in such books. He has also pointed out what threats some species are facing and firmly believes that inspiring young adults of our country can make a great change in present scenario and give India’s wildlife a future. Overall it is a good book created for a greater cause. 

Photography, like every other art, should be unburdened with the concern of how much trouble the artist went through or what he/she is trying to say or even how the art looks like; all that matters is how it makes you feel. If you have affection towards wildlife or nature at its best, only then this book will be a justifiable recommendation for you. In this age where millions of pictures are available on the internet just a few clicks away and ebooks are making coffee-table books obsolete, such books acts only as a display artifact unless you are a passionate collector.

Rating: 

This post is a part of the book review program at Saevus Wildlife India in association with The Hemchand Mahindra Foundation for Capturing Wildlife Moments in India 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free ebook copy of this book from the Saevus Wildlife India for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Private India Posted by Drac , Monday, September 29, 2014 at 2:03 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, RandomHouse

Title: Private India

Author: Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson

Publisher: Random House

Genre: Fiction

Private India is a race against time thriller to save thousands of lives, embarking on the trademark of James Patterson’s writing style with an Indian scenario by Ashwin Sanghi. 
The opening pages remind you of the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai and the plot thickens with every chapter creating an intriguing web of serial murders and terrorist plots. 

Santosh Wagh is a private investigator who runs a firm ‘Private India’, when he is not battling the alcohol. He and his team are hired to solve a series of ritualistic murders that gets complicated on an exponential rate. His quest to find the killer before it is too late and his deductions to unravel the mystery forms the whole stratagem of the book. 

I was very excited about this book, not only because of James Patterson’s name on the cover but also due to my high anticipation from the 4th book of Ashwin Sanghi, and it will be safe to say, I was not disappointed. James Patterson has involved with 8 books of Private series published so far: Private by Maxine Paetro, Private London by Mark Pearson, Private #1 Suspect by Maxine Paetro, Private Games by Mark Sullivan, Private Berlin by Mark Sullivan, Private L.A. by Mark Sullivan and Private Down Under by Michael White. Private India is not the best of the series, but could be easily placed in the top half. Without a doubt, the best from Ashwin Sanghi yet. 
There was a time when one of the rituals reminded me of the show ‘Castle’ and then the appearance of James Patterson on that show. I count it as a big pro of this novel. 

Author has very carefully knitted the sublime backdrop of Mumbai. The underworld, politics and religious intricacies forms a strong subtext in this otherwise another brick in gruesome-murders wall of whodunit. With a sea of movies and TV shows presenting bizarre display of dead bodies (What happened to make it vanish? Seems like no one is interested to hide it anymore, the message has become more important than the murder.), one would think that writing has lost its charm in this regard; this novel is one of those which prove it has not. 

There is only one drawback I found and it is not a minuscule one. The flow of the book is not steady. There are many times when I am grasping for the narration to slow down and many times I am bombarded with too much detail, uncalled for the progress of story. This mixture of paces diminishes the novel’s re-reading value. That said it’s a quick read anyway. 

Recommended for Patterson fanatic/ Private series fan and any casual reader of Crime/Mystery genre. 

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Blogadda for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sufi Comics Rumi Posted by Drac , Saturday, August 30, 2014 at 2:06 AM, in Labels: book

Title: Sufi Comics Rumi 

Author: Mohammed Ali Vakil & others

Publisher: Sufi Studios

Genre: Graphic Novel | Spiritual 

Sufi Comics Rumi is a graphic novel comprising short stories inspired from poems of Mawlana Jalaladdin Muhammad Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic. Recreating time-honored illustrations, Persian translations and verses from Quran written in calligraphy, this book falls in the category of Aesop’s Fables and Panchatantra. 

The book contains a small introduction of Rumi followed by 11 stories: 

• The Tattoo Artist
• Keep Your Dragon in the Snow
• True Consciousness
• The Elephant 
• Quarrel about Grapes 
• The Trickster 
• False Thinking 
• Grief is Worth More than the Empire of this World 
• The Serpent 
• You are the Macrocosm 
• Since you are I

A tale crafted with simple words and deep moral lessons works as a gemstone. Given the eye-catching aesthetics of the book with light reading, I highly recommend this book for bedtime stories. 

More Info: http://www.suficomics.com/rumi 

Rating: 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Be Careful What You Wish For Posted by Drac , Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 7:43 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, PanMacmillan

Title: Be Careful What You Wish For

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Genre: Fiction

Be Careful What You Wish For is the fourth installment of Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles. Following the legacy of Clifton-Barrington family, this novel is another commendable work of spinning yarns. 

In a frail attempt to take revenge with Sebastian Clifton, Don Pedro Martinez ends up killing his own son, which fuels up the fire within and he pledges to destroy both the families. While he recruits Major Alex Fisher to induce corruption in their shipping business, Emma Barrington Clifton is trying her best to keep up with all the perfidies and disruptions as the head of family business. 

Lady Virgina’s influence over Jessica’s in-laws and Sebastian’s recovery from the accident making him mature and conscientious, forms other sub-plots of the story carefully entwined with a new character Cedric Hardcastle, a Yorkshire banker; all augmenting to a fast-paced ride with twists hopping out at every other page. 

Even though every review mandate a comment on writing style and narration, if there is any exception to this rule – then this is it. Author is famous for boiling powerful stories with easy words. Though I am a bit disappointed to hear that the original 5 part series now may contain 7 or more parts, I have not witnessed any lethargy in the narration and I am happy to read as many books as the writer has to offer unless the story flow falls in a rut, which from this point seems quite improbable. 

Jeffrey Archer always chooses quite appropriate titles for his work. So let the dear readers be warned, not only the characters will feel the painful truth in this saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for’ but also the readers; as this novel too ends in a cliff-hanger. 

With 4 books released and 3 yet to come, it is the best time for a newbie to jump into the world of Clifton Chronicles, penned by one of the greatest writer of our times. 

Rating: 

Clifton Chronicles - The Story So Far... 

Only Time Will Tell – This novel, set in Bristol, England, marks the beginning of the saga. Harry Clifton, a young boy of a waitress and a dock worker, has a special gift of song which will change his life. Harry’s mother, Maisie has done a lot of sacrifices for his better schooling and a lot of efforts to hide the truth of his father’s death from him. But when Harry befriends Giles Barrington, whose father owns the shipping company where Arthur Clifton used to work, something revolutionary is put into motion. 

The Sins of the Father – Harry Clifton in an attempt to flee from his troubles assume the identity of Tom Bradshaw only to end up in prison paying life sentence for killing a man. His love, Emma is on the quest to find the truth about Harry’s death, when she comes across ‘Diary of a Convict’, memoirs written by Harry in the prison. Giles’ misadventure in the army, Harry’s escapades with Pat Quinn, Hugo Barrington’s death and other sub-plots make this an exhilarating page-turner. 

Best Kept Secret – The novel begins with the resolve of Harry v. Giles. Giles’ marriage and divorce with Lady Virgina, politics of Alex Fisher and Parliamentary elections holds most of the book; along with the progress of Harry’s son Sebastian, his friendship with Bruno Martinez and his entrapment in smuggling by Bruno's father and a notorious antagonist Don Pedro Martinez. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Neil Must Die Posted by Drac , Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 12:05 AM, in Labels: Blackbuck, book, fiction

Title: Neil Must Die

Author: Kaberi Chatterjee

Publisher: Blackbuck Publication

Genre: Fiction

Neil Must Die by Kaberi Chatterjee is story of a man’s journey back to home; with the core of an extramarital affair and a pinch of thriller. Neil, a Bengali guy, living with joint family in Calcutta falls in love with his brother’s wife. The angst of such love and self-guilt forces him to run away but there are deeper dark valleys in the world outside for him to succumb. News of a coming life changes things and he decides to return home and face his future or whatever left of it because Neil must die. Why? Okay, let’s be spoiler free. 

What is with extramarital affair? Why so many writers are interested in it? That was my first reaction after reading the blurb. And yes, I have the answer after reading the book but it has nothing to do with the concept of taboo love. It takes real talent on writer’s part to create average characters, put them in grey slots and still make the reader feel pity for them. The characters of Neil and Tuli are beautifully woven and keep you engrossed in the tale. Generally, a hardcore Drama fiction drags a bit but the subplots included by author makes it a fast paced novel. But what really make you to turn the pages is the impeccable narration and interesting story-flow. 

Counting the cons; even where the author is a woman, I felt the female characters in this novel unreal and their actions unjustified. I understand, what fiction is if not leap of faith, but still at some points I felt detached from the story due to this and… There is a list of Glossary attached at the end of the book giving definitions of Bengali words and phrases spattered across the novel. Most authors like to say, they include slangs to give shade to characters (or regional background in this case), I am not satisfied with this answer. For instance, when your read Hagrid’s dialogues written by JKR, it is not bad language and you get a good enough idea about how the big guy is. Also, if you come across a phrase ‘niceta meetcha’ you won’t only know what he meant (nice to meet you) but will also get a hint on his ethnicity. I firmly believe it is high time for Indian writers to incorporate such dialogue techniques instead. 

There are a few scenes which could be categorized as obscene, but I didn’t find anything offending. Hence, overall it is a decent read for everyone but specially recommended to fans of Drama genre. 

Rating: 3.5/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Unnatural Creatures Posted by Drac , Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 9:42 AM, in Labels: Bloomsbury, book, fiction

Title: Unnatural Creatures

Author: Neil Gaiman & others

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genre: Fiction

Neil Gaiman, the man who has given us Stardust, Sandman, Coraline and many other jewels to crown our imagination has collected 16 short-stories in this anthology, including one of his own. Every story features an unnatural creature ranging from Unicorns, Werewolves & Mermaids of myths and folk-lore to never-heard-before creatures conjured from the depth of fantasies and even Death; each possessing the effect of Gaiman’s macabre and potential to exploit the darkest corner of reader’s mind. 

Each story contains a preface from Neil Gaiman, which is not only a treat for the fans but also provides the yarn to hold the set of varying stories; along with a few beautiful illustrations adorning the tales. While most of the stories have a fairy-tale kind of approach, there are some which can be easily categorized in Sci-Fi and dark humor as well. And unlike modern gothic tales, there are no obscenities in these stories, making it an appropriate read for everyone. 

No one has ever collected or read an anthology with all the stories being favored by every reader. This book is no exception but it is the best it can get. Though some of the stories might seem puerile, why should one let logic ruin the entertainment? All stories are highly graphic with sub-texted humor and a surmounting sense of irony. 

Unnatural Creatures is compiled of following stories: 

1. (I’m unable to decipher the title) by Gahan Wilson – A black spot, reminds me of Stephen King’s The Raft, as brutal and as entertaining. 

2. The Cartographer Wasps And The Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu – The plight and fight of bees and wasps concealing political metaphor. 

3. The Griffin And The Minor Canon by Frank R. Stockton – The tale of a Griffin’s friendship with a Minister. 

4. Ozioma The Wicked by Nnedi Okorofor – Adventures of a girl who can talk to the snakes. 

5. Sunbird by Neil Gaiman – Epicurean club members, who got bored of eating everything, gets an invitation to Egypt. 

6. The Sage OF Theare by Diana Wynne Jones – Gods are plotting to change the prophecy which marks their doom. 

7. Gabriel-Ernest by Saki – A man comes to know about a strange boy who lives in his forest. 

8. The Cockatoucan by Edith Nesbit – A girl has to stop the bird from laughing who is changing everything. 

9. Moveable Beast by Maria D. Headley – A girl on the hunt of a strange beast with a stranger company. 

10. The Flight Of The Horse by Larry Niven – A man travels back in time to find a horse, but it is different from the pictures… and has a horn. 

11. Prismatica by Samuel R. Delaney – A boy’s quest to find 3 pieces of a mirror hiding a secret. 

12. The Manticore, The Mermaid And Me by Megan Kurashige – Things are not normal at National History Museum. 

13. The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher – He became werewolf to get the woman of his dreams, but things got out of claws. 

14. The Smile On The Face by Nalo Hopkinson – A teenage girl when bullied finds the fire within. Literally. 

15. Or All The Seas With Oysters by Avram Davidson – Two friends own a bike shop, but nothing is as it seems. 

16. Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle – A pretentious woman got bored and invited Death to her Ball; things do went interesting. 

Though most of these stories has been published before (including Gaiman’s Sunbird) and only two are new, it is a great collection regardless and a must have if you haven’t read most of them before. Highly recommended, not only to Gaiman’s fans or Harry Potter fanatics, but anyone who enjoys getting goosebumps from a read. 

Rating: 5/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Beaten by Bhagath! Posted by Drac , Monday, September 16, 2013 at 6:23 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, Leadstart

Title: Beaten by Bhagath!

Author: S.V. Divvaakar

Publisher: Leadstart

Genre: Fiction

Before I start discussing this book let me be clear about one thing, so my points are not misjudged. I am not a fan of Chetan Bhagat. But I don’t hate him either. He induced the habit of reading in many youngsters and hence, deserves the respect and success he is getting. Gifted with the talent or not, he is one of the most popular writer of our time. And that’s somehow the same point S.V. Divvaakar is trying to make in this book ‘Beaten by Bhagath!’. 

BB, a long forgotten friend of India’s most popular author Ketan Bhagath, always knew he has a way with words. Now, encouraged by his boss, and in attempt to woo her and feed his ego; he begins the quest of getting published as a writer. And not just that, he wants to be a more successful writer than Bhagath, so he can take his revenge for the betrayal. With all these wrong inspirations, he writes ‘Sinner’s Course’ and what follows is a long disturbing journey of book publishing and marketing chaos. 

I believe this book tells only one side of the story. Okay, it is difficult for a writer to get published but it’s nothing new, it has always been like that. The screening publishers provide is very important to filter out bad books and writers as their readers will be investing not only money but a good amount of time over them. What did moved up a notch is the promotional scenario. Changing the books to suit the market value or selling undeserving works with good promotions on the basis of deals with some stores is the worst thing happened to the publishing industry. 

Now, if a writer like Ravinder Singh can change labels from Shrishti Publishers to Penguin Metro Reads, it just proves that art has been turned into business. And not just in Indian market, otherwise, how could one expect a ‘mommy-porn’ book beating the record of Harry Potter. Things are bad and will go worse, with or without Bhagat. 

Let’s break the pattern here and talk about cons first. The narration is simple with poor language. No characterization is done whatsoever. You don’t know anything much about the protagonist and hence can’t be empathetic towards his pain. A good point of the story, friendship of BB and K-10 Bhagath could have been exploited to easily extend the novel’s length and grip over the reader, but was ignored. 

For the pros: It is a light read and gives a lot to discover for someone who has never been exposed to the book-making process, in a funny way (CB kind of humor, if I may add). It does also provide a lot to think over and that’s the best part. All said it is still a much appreciated read than a non-fiction version of a book on similar subject would have been. 

Is this a recommended read for a wannabe writer? Yes and no. A writer is a writer, published or not. You cannot ‘wannabe’ a writer, if you know what I mean. So if you are a writer, leave this one alone and read the first two chapters of Yann Martel’s Beatrice and Virgil instead, you will get the gist. And if you wannabe a writer, then this is your gospel. Hope it might scare you off and a few trees would be saved. 

Overall, it is a recommended read for anyone who wants a light, enjoyable novel; regardless of your ambitions and bibliophilic habits. 

Rating: 3/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Mr. Yatin Gupta. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Guardian Angels Posted by Drac , Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 11:36 PM, in Labels: book, fiction, Grapevine

Title: The Guardian Angels

Author: Rohit Gore

Publisher: Grapevine India

Genre: Fiction

The Guardian Angels by Rohit Gore is a conventional love story of an affluent reserved guy, Aditya and a middle-class jaunty girl, Radha; portraying how love crawls in, even with magnanimous differences in one’s backgrounds, personalities and aspirations and how destiny plays. 

Now when I say conventional, I don’t mean there is nothing new. Because that’s the strangest thing about love, it feels new each time. This novel has its perks and all the pleasantries expected from romance genre. Suffice to say it is a decent read. And it’s good to see that where new writers nowadays keep trying to fit in crude humor at any chance they get, author has abstain himself from such tricks, providing this story a grace which it deserves. 

This book has its flaws too, and those which are quite common among Indian fiction writers: mediocre language and screenplay-like story flow. Even with all the proper ingredients, the characters seem a bit restricted, like puppets and never really come alive to surprise you. Same goes with the story; all the twists and twirls one could wish for, convincing sub-plots and serene climax, but still it never engulfs the reader on a deep level. 

I have read Rohit Gore’s ‘Circle of Three’ before and since know his command over the words and his potential of a great story-teller. Unfortunately, I am not impressed with his current offering. I would love to see him try a slightly different genre or experiment with his narration technique. He does have all the tools, no doubt about it, now he just needs to widen the horizon and see beyond just market values. 

Overall, it is recommended for every Indian fiction reader, especially for the fans of romance genre. Hope it will improve the taste of many, as it certainly sets the bar a level high. 

Rating: 3/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Tales Pensieve as part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Caretaker Posted by Drac , Friday, July 26, 2013 at 10:13 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, HarperCollins

Title: The Caretaker 

Author: A.X. Ahmad 

Publisher: HarperCollins 

Genre: Fiction 

The Caretaker by A. X. Ahmad is a heterodox thriller which follows the life of Ranjit Singh, former Captain of Indian Army, who is trying to make his living and settling his family in Martha’s Vineyard, but as the lids starts to come-off, we enter in the world of a betrayed past, a complex love affair and even complex religious disputes.

The protagonist doesn’t come even near to a Hero template which a reader would expect but is a flawed and unfortunate character, thus quite sympathetic. The main plot of the story, even with all the right ingredients of a thriller (as in: secret document, conspiracy, chase, threat of lives and destruction) is weakly presented. There is no deficiency of action sequences but when you expect them the most, romance is induced on the pages instead, thus making it a bit of a drag. 

Writing is next to perfect and the best part of this book. Anyone can create larger than life characters and force the reader on a roller-coaster ride, but it takes real talent to make the reader empathize with normal as nobody and walk through 290 pages just to know how things ends up. The story flow is also praiseworthy as author play out the past and present of the lead character, putting things on a new perspective after every few chapters. 

The embarrassment Sikhs had to bear in western world after 9/11, as most of them can’t differentiate between a Sikh and a Muslim (just like Indians categories westerners in just Blacks and Whites) is intelligently woven into the story; also backing up with the political relationships of US with India and Pakistan at that time frame. 

It might not be one of the best books I ever read but after I finished the book, I didn’t have any to compare it with and that’s a good sign. I won’t suggest this book to the hardcore thriller fans, as they might get disappointed. But this book is much more than a conventional whodunit and highly recommended for those who enjoys a complete Drama genre with a scoop of romance, mystery, war, emotions, politics and a lot more. 

Rating: 4/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Boomerang Posted by Drac , Sunday, June 23, 2013 at 8:08 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, Leadstart

Title: Boomerang

Author: Rajshri Raajgopal

Publisher: Frog Books

Genre: Fiction

Boomerang – what you threw away comes back and how it hits, a quite appropriate title for the story of protagonist’s life, in the novel by Rajshri Raajgopal. 

Anna’s craving and quarreling of love, her battles with society, her desire of a beautiful future and her veiled past marks the stratagem of this book. Sounds tedious? Well, it’s not. This book stands out from the crowd of hundred others written on the similar subject. Even been set on a traditional background, it is a modern story with realistic characters even in bizarre situations and with passions laid delightfully on the pages. 

The writing is fresh and acts as the strongest plus point of this book. The pace of the story increases with the number of pages; it begin steadily slow and you will find yourself clinging at a cliff until the climax, which is rather unforeseen and makes the entire tale go up by a rank. 

Coming to the cons, I felt the dialogues were weak. Maybe the author wants to connect the character more with the reader than with other characters, or maybe it is the conversation. Also, continual story flow is a very important part of a good book, as how you are seeing is almost as important as what you are seeing. Though a few snippets and poems glued in this novel might have provided a better platform for building characters and relate to the reader, I found them unnecessary.  Author could have saved a few pages by avoiding them, as on the whole it is a hardcore drama/suspense and not a chick-lit. 

Overall, it is a startling debut and my hopes are raised for the upcoming works of the author. Highly recommended for every girl and most of the boys who understand and enjoy a good fiction. 

Rating: 4/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Shoes of the Dead Posted by Drac , Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 10:30 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, Rupa

Title: Shoes of the Dead

Author: Kota Neelima

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Genre: Fiction

Shoes of the Dead by Kota Neelima not only have a catching title but also captivating content.

Gangri, whose brother committed suicide owing to all the debts his farming cursed on him, is fighting for a dead man’s rights. On the other hand, a young politician Keyur Kashinath, bestowed by political powers transcended due to his father’s legacy is looking forward to embark his mark in the dirty politics. When their world collides, what the reader gets is a story filled with farmer’s plight, dark face of government politics and image of a shattering society caged with false anticipations.

One would say there is nothing left to say when it comes to such a concept this book is based upon. And they might be right. Shouldn’t one read Premchand instead? And one might be wrong. People like us, belonging to a foremost middle class group either believes that things are getting better – ‘Hey there is a new chain of XYZ brand in the city.’ or ‘It rained good this year.’ Or, we believe things are getting worse – ‘What petrol prices hiked again!’ or ‘Are you kidding me, no subsidy on LPG?’ But the fact is things have always been the same for the farmers of this nation. Government, politicians, society and corrupted professionals, everyone constitute for it. And maybe they will be this bad for a long time, unless a struggle begins, one such portrayed in this novel.

But that’s not all what the author has to offer. She has also taken into account of politician’s thinking. Something, I don’t remember I witnessed anywhere else; and hence an applauding effort.

Writing is refreshing and next to perfect. It feels good to learn that you are investing your time in such a book whose author has done a tremendous research. The confidence, anger and urges are conveniently conveyed with moderate flow, quite appropriate for such a story. No, it’s not a drag.

The only bad part I came across is that many-a-times I felt the dialogue between characters as superficial. Reminds you of something you may have heard somewhere. Also, it makes the characters to lose a bit of credibility.

Overall, this is a fresh read which you begin with a sigh of relief that it’s not going to be in the junk shelf of your library and complete with lots of thoughts and emotions storming through your brain. Recommended for every reader who need food for thoughts, particularly those who can’t miss a day’s newspaper.

Rating: 4/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogadda.com as part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Vanity Bagh Posted by Drac , Sunday, May 26, 2013 at 8:56 AM, in Labels: book, fiction, PanMacmillan

Title: Vanity Bagh

Author: Anees Salim

Publisher: Pan Macmillan India

Genre: Fiction

Vanity Bagh is a fictional place clearly mentioned as ‘tiny Pakistan’ in Mangobagh with Mehendi – quite analogues to India – as neighborhood. 

Imran Jabbari, accused mastermind of a terrorist plot that shook Mehendi with three scooter bombs, is spending his time in jail, recounting the memory of his hometown Vanity Bagh. The places, the people, their fears, hopes and anxiety. Imran’s plans of escape, his delusions and self-amusing nature make him a great narrator. Also, dispersed tactfully are anecdotes from his friends, foes and strangers, which complete this novel of delicious rendezvous.

Seeing from a distance this book can be labeled as a biography of a young, unemployed Muslim from Pakistan trying to make his stand, expressing his views on India and the rift between two countries, and how it is destroying his life. Where violence has become a routine of our life and nobody feels uncomfortable if accused terrorist is a Muslim, truth is: everyone is caged, on both sides of the boundary. Blinded by hypocritical media, misguided society and deceiving politicians that rule our life.

When I took this book in my hands for the first time, it reminded me of Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan and Ruskin Bond’s A Fight of Pigeons; and one might relate the background. But, the infused dark humor makes it a completely different book I ever came across. Don’t get confused; the stated dark humor doesn’t resemble to that of Christopher Moore (who is the master of this genre IMO), but more to Christopher Buckley and Donald E. Westlake. Noir, subtle and pungent.

Rarely come a book with such story and characters that breaks the conventional approach and writing that redefines tradition. This is one of those books. The way Anees Salim molded this world of Vanity Bagh makes the reader stare in awe. Another best part of this book is that the author never preaches. And the way humor is blended, reader never loses the grip of the characters or maybe it’s the other way around. 

One of the most inspiring books in the latest releases of modern fiction. A highly recommended book for anyone who wants to read something worthwhile.

Rating: 5/5 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for reviewing purpose. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”