Book Review: Private India

Private India is a mythological murder mystery co-written by James Patterson (an acclaimed author specializing in investigation based novels) and Ashwin Sanghi (who’s currently the best mythological thriller writer in India). This book is the 8th part of the “Private” series written by James Patterson. All his novels are location specific. James Patterson’s location based entry strategy is to co-write a book with a top author of the respective country. This way, he adds his fast paced novel writing with the localized flavor of the country introduced by his co-author. And this book is no different in that context.

Judging a book by its cover – 

Who should read this book – 

1. Thriller Addicts
2. Readers who love the Murder centered "Whodunit plots”
3. Have a thing or two for mythological novels? This is for you!

What's the story like – A murder happened in the hustle bustle city of Mumbai. An Indian entity of the world renowned investigation agency, by the name “Private India”, had been entrusted with the task. Another murder happened within hours and interesting props were kept at the murder site. Before Santosh Wagh, head of Private India, gets to terms with the 2nd occurrence, a 3rd incident happens within a day’s time. The connecting link between the murders – all are women strangulated with a yellow scarf and a seemingly unconnected props are left behind. Once the whodunit chase begins, we are introduced to a don and a Godman and the story gets murkier. There’s a bigger motive at stake and Santosh Wagh has to put up a fight to protect what’s left of his own. The end is predictable given the way the reader is led to the climax.

How's the writing – Clean and simple. This book is a definite page turner for two reasons – one, story is gripping and two, the font is bigger (Oops!). In all seriousness, I felt the plot and various other sub-plots were worth the read. The characters are well defined and have justifiable reasons behind the decisions / actions. Grammatically there are errors which you don’t expect from a great writer like Ashwin Sanghi. Or were those a touch of creative innovation, am not sure. Even if it were, it didn’t feel like one. The book also changes from a 3rd person narrative to a 1st person narrative of the murderer which makes the reading experience a little bit more interesting and gives a glimpse of what the murderer is thinking / doing at that point in time.

So, what do I think – A seemingly unconnected string of murders happening with no apparent motive of stealing or revenge and a world famous investigation agency trying to make sense of it and to connect the dots between the murders – who wouldn’t want to turn the pages? This book ensures you are reading this right to the end without a break! If at all anything, there are two negatives – random grammatical errors and a rather expected climax with some dots unconnected in the end. 

Ashwin Sanghi has proved yet again that he is the best at Mythological thrillers in India. The expectation has only risen. I haven’t read any of James Patterson’s novels but I think that needs to change.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

PS: This review is part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda. A special thanks to the BlogAdda team for selecting me for the review process.

Book Review: The Yogic Manager

“The Yogic Manager” by Avinash Sharrma is presented as a business novel with a story in sync with the Mahabharata. It’s about a consulting firm and the way decisions are made with only some stakeholders to benefit vis-à-vis the way all stakeholders benefit. From the author’s own interpretation, “the story is the medium by which several new frameworks, business models and management principles are explained.

Judging a book by its cover –

Who should read this book –

1. Corporates and Professionals

2.  Readers with a special inclination towards the Vedas and Mahabharata

What’s the story like - The Yogic Manager is about a consulting firm called Characterra Consulting. This firm is led by a certain Raja Sahamkar. The protagonist in this book is Arjun Atmanand who is a special talent in the firm. He rises from the grass-root level right up to being a partner in the firm. Arjun considers Raja as his guru. During one of the proposal to the client, Arjun chalks out 4 different solutions along with their benefits and risks. The 4^th option is the most profitable but harms the environment. He himself is against the 4^th option but is forced to include by Raja who is sure that this option will be selected. Meanwhile, Arjun is also asked by Raja to fire 15 employees with a sure-shot reward of being the partner in the firm. Arjun reluctantly agrees and fires them. On the day of the client presentation, he miraculously meets a Yogi who takes him to historic places and events and teaches him various aspects of the Vedas and Bhagwad Geeta. These are then applied by Arjun in his corporate career which results in short term loss but long term gain.

How’s the writing – The author has ensured the flair needed to adhere to professionals is maintained throughout. He knows his target audience and is catering specifically to them. Also, there’s no denying that the author has done his research and is extremely passionate on this topic. The concepts and jargons are used in between which the corporate world is well versed with and use them in day-to-day discussions / meetings. The book also contains a lot of ‘gyaan’ and addresses two techniques that are as different as chalk and cheese. And the arguments are also thought provoking. One involves success by any means and is covered in discussions between the Raja and Arjun. Some of the discussions involve identifying donkeys from horses in a team and how to treat them differently. It also treads the thick line between leading and managing with various examples in history that will make you feel inclined towards this technique. Then there’s the other side of the spectrum – Yogic Management and how it relates to corporate life of today.

So, what do I feel - There are a lot of takeaways from this book and can be immediately applied in daily work life. This book is the bridge and transition from an informative and trusted worker to a knowledge worker. If you are looking for a book that’s purely a novel, I suggest you skip this book since this book is approx. 25% novel and 75% knowledge. I personally was expecting more of a novel based on the book briefing. No regrets though. If you are looking for a book that can make you think, go for it.  

My Rating – 4 / 5

Book Review: Where the Rainbow ends

Where the Rainbow ends by Anurag Anand is a story of a certain guy, Rahul, who is in search of a lady named Avantika in Delhi where coincidentally, his ex-wife resides. Sounds exciting already? Well, it certainly is. But hold thy breath! That's not how the story unfolds. Its even better than that. This book is about how that guy tracks down Avantika and the reasons for her sudden disappearance, someone who has become an integral part of his family and how does his ex-wife feature in all this - positively / negatively / neutral.

Judging a book by its cover -

Who should read this book -

1. Youth - with a story spanning across academia, corporate life, marriage and beyond

2. Readers with a special corner for relationships and mystery

What's the story like - Rahul Singh, on his way from Delhi to Mumbai, met an air-hostess named Avantika in a manner that can only be described as uncomfortable. Coincidentally, they met again, this time in Mumbai. Myra, Rahuls daughter, and Avantika immediately hit it off well and quickly Avantika became an integral part of their lives even supporting them through thick and thin. One fine day, she disappeared. Rahul starts searching for her and that's when we are given a flashback of Rahuls life, his ex-wife Shalini, how they met, got married, Myra's birth and eventually, their painful divorce. Shalini left their life, Avantika entered. Now Rahul has a task to find Avantika, amidst Myra's deteriorating health issue. He finds help in his school friend and current ACP of Delhi. How Rahul finds Avantika and how his problems are eventually solved forms the climax of the story. Anything more will be a spoiler.

How's the writing - One of a kind especially coming from an Indian author! This is one of those rare books where its hard to find an error. Kudos. I personally enjoyed reading the book and with every page, my admiration towards the author increased. His writing is clear and simple. The message is crisply conveyed and the story moves at a constant pace fluctuating between the present and the past of the protagonist. The climax is a little surprising. And for the lazy readers out there, the page number is also a 'turn-on' of sorts - only 200! With every book I read, I feel there's any emerging trend to not only write a novel that caters to the reading audience but also to cater to the movie production houses as a prospective script of a new movie. This book is no different in that sense.

So, what do I think - Well worth your money and time. If you are part of the target audience mentioned above, you will hardly regret spending your time reading this book. It has the right amount of humor, more twists at every turn when you feel you know how it's going to end, relationships between a couple before and after marriage and a mystery element (revealed towards the end). My verdict - a definite one-time read.

My Rating: 4/5

PhotoBlog: Unexpected visitor in Goa

We met him outside Fort Aguada. He was small, beautiful and was only interested in getting away from the public eye. I did some research on him. He's know to a select few as "Ahaetulla nasuta", but most commonly known as "The green vine snake". More details about the snake can be found here.

PhotoBlog: Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa

Outside View - 

Description of the Church - 

Interiors - 

Body of St. Francis Xavier - 

PhotoBlog: One pic that captured almost everything!

This pic was taken in Goa during the early morning jog session at Calangute beach. Thankfully, I took my camera with me. Yeah, jogging was just a smoke-screen, photography was what I was really interested in.

If you think about it, this pic captures 4 of the 5 'Pancha Bhootas' namely - Akash, Vayu, Jal and Bhumi. Akash is visible just above the waves on the top of the pic. The only element missing is Agni. I wish, at least for that day, the Sun had risen from the west. I would have captured the entire Pancha Bhootas in single shot! Now you will ask, why didn't I try in the evening. Good idea, but in that case, the pic would also include men and women playing!

Anyways, there's always next time.

PhotoBlog: Fort Aguada in Goa

Remember Dil Chahta hai? Remember that epic scene with following dialogue- "Hum Dost the, Dost hai aur hamesha rahenge"? For a Bollywood fan, that's what this fort is popular for!

Remember the metaphor described by Akash (Akshay Khanna's character) about a ship in that same scene?

PS: Am a huge fan of Dil Chahta hai. No wonder I am co-relating everything here!

PhotoBlog: Calangute Beach in Goa

There's something about Goa. Really. I have been to Goa 4 times, including my honeymoon. My love for the place increases with every visit. Mystery indeed. Maybe it's the ambiance. Maybe the beaches. Maybe the culture. Maybe the food.  Maybe the feeling of freedom - running away from daily chores. Maybe everything that I described!

For me, beaches in Goa are second to none! Honestly. I feel I am in a totally different place with the sea trying to push me towards itself and the sand protecting me by covering itself all over my feet. This push and pull mechanism is so perfectly done that you are forced to believe God's presence. I think this is how God wanted us to live on his Earth. We made living a struggle.

Some beach pics I took in Goa - 

Meanwhile, someone above was watching us - 

PhotoBlog: Picturesque Konkan..

Konkan is known for its greenery. It's still one of the area not fully 'exploited' by mankind. Such is the state of affairs that now-a-days, anything green is considered beautiful! I suggest we enjoy it while it lasts.

Following are some of the pics I took en route to Goa from Mumbai via train - 

Oh, and by the way, some Goa pics are on the way too!

Book Review: My Beloved's MBA plans.

My Beloved's MBA plans is a series of short stories of people from different backgrounds with a common dream - to pursue MBA. Its written by Disha Chhabra who has personally interviewed the people and their families. The book describes the hurdles those people went through before pursuing their dream (MBA).

Judging a book by its cover -

Who should read this book -

1. Aspiring MBA graduates, especially those who are working currently
2. Mid life crisis regarding your career, this book can inspire you.

What's the story like - Following are some of the situations mentioned in this book: A husband, who has a decent job and lives with his wife and 4 month old twins, decides to give MBA a try. A recently divorced lady decides to do executive MBA primarily to divert her focus and in the process meets a guy with whom she decides to spend the rest of her life with. A man leaves his family business to concentrate on his career. A lady's only commitment before marrying was that she will stay with her husband and will not try to look elsewhere for job / higher studies, decides to get herself registered for executive MBA. And so on.. 

How's the writing - The author has adopted the interview mode to convey the story. The story starts with a brief introduction of the people, their hurdle to pursue MBA and how they achieved it. Then you have a descriptive account of the story. Author has ensured that none of the story goes into dragging mode. So much so that each story is not more than 6-7 pages. Also, I get a feeling that the book was rushed into publishing without proper proof-reading. This could be the difference between one of the best book on the shelf and as 'also-published' one.

So, what do I think - The book is an interesting read and will truly cater to and inspire people it targets. The issues mentioned are the ones because of which many executives decide not to get back to academics and enhance their skill. It covers family issues, joint family issues, pregnancy, divorce, love life, leaving lucrative jobs, high paying jobs etc. Since the book caters to a select few (considering the super set of reading audience), not many will prefer to grab this book. Author will do well if she promotes the book more using the executive MBA programmes platform, which I believe she's already doing.

My Rating: 2.5 / 5

Book Review: Silver is for Secrets

Silver is for Secrets is the 3rd part of the series "Blue is for Nightmares". Its a supernatural  series of books revolving around the main protagonist Stacey and her nightmares. She has a knack of foreseeing future (usually the unfortunate events) and tries her level best to prevent the event from happening. This book is about her experiences with her friends and a stranger named Clara while taking a summer break.

Judging a book by its cover -

 

Who should read this book -

1. Supernatural / Mystery book lovers
2. Readers with a special corner for thrillers
3. If you haven't read the previous 2 parts of this series, you can still read this as not much is carried forward from previous two. And the aspects that are carried forward, you will get a gist of the same in the first few pages of this book.

Whats the story like - Stacey, with 5 of her friends, decide to relax post their school days. They rent out a beach cottage. All her friends are related to each other in some ways. This is how Stacey describes the relationship - "Chad and I are exes. Chad is dating Drea. I am dating Jacob. We're all vacationing under one roof". Despite the apparent confusion, they are apparently all at ease and have moved on. Stacey has a mystic power. She can predict the future (always negative events like death) of a person by simply feeling the other person (like a handshake, the vibrations, aura etc). Her nightmares help her in decoding the ways and means the danger will happen. The same power is also with Jacob, Stacey's boyfriend. The friends encounter an unknown girl, named Clara, and Stacey immediately comes to know that Clara's life is in danger. She decides to help despite Clara's flirting nature. Drea and Amber, though hate Clara, decides to support Stacey in her pursuit to protect Clara. Meanwhile, Jacob is hiding secrets from Stacey. Is it to help her or is it against her? How will Stacey help Clara? Or is there something more to the mystery? - forms the rest of the story.

Hows the writing - Simple, clear and a single person account of events that happen. The author has woven a wonderful story which leads us to a point where we start doubting certain people and the climax literally caught me off-guard! The characters are sufficiently described and all are different from others. They are shown as somewhat immature and is understandable since they are in their teens. Their sub-stories also gel well with the overall story-line. It will take the reader sometime to realize if the story is actually moving ahead or if it's one of Stacey's dream. The nightmarish events are described wonderfully by the author. The story manages to divert the reader till the climax. Personally, I loved the climax and the way was written.

So, What do I think - Must grab a copy! If you are part of the target audience mentioned above, then its a must read for you. I see no reason why you will regret reading this book. I am now eager to read the other part of the series (by the way, there are 5 of them).. Gosh! Too much on the pending item's list now.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

Book Review: The Paperback Badshah

The Paperback Badshah : The comical journey of a 100 Rupee author (by author Abhay Nagarajan) is a funny rendition of an aspiring Indian author to fulfill his dream of publishing a book. Its about his journey and the mistakes he makes, his misadventures and the lessons learnt. Its about facing roadblocks with regards to his dream of being a writer, creative challenges, publishing, marketing, promotions, feedback from readers etc.

Judging a book by its cover -

Who should read this book -

1. Readers preferring a time-pass, weekend read
2. Budding Indian soon-to-be authors - If you wish to publish a book, you might want to read this for tips

What's the story like - The book is about a young Financial advisor Raghu who is not interested in the corporate life. He finds it difficult to achieve his ever increasing monthly sales target. At the same time, he is also working on his first book titled "The Paperback Badshah". Unfortunately, the pressure he faces in his corporate life is not allowing him to focus on writing his book. He then takes a bold decision, bold in Indian scenario, of quitting his corporate life. As expected, he comes under immense scrutiny from his family and other supposedly successful relatives. However, he stands his ground and spends the next few months working on the book amidst attending creative writing classes and meeting friends / like minded writers and strangers. The book describes in detail his journey from being a weekend writer to being a published one and the challenges he faces on the way. Mind you, its a fun read so everything is described in a light-hearted manner.

How's the writing - Creative is the first word that comes to my mind. The author has used creativity in his story-telling and his descriptions of almost every situation is somewhat different compared to other masala books. Some might feel that the author's creativity falls down to PJ levels - and I agree to an extent. As it is, there's a thin line between creativity and PJ. The author has structured the book based on various stages of book writing and publishing. Being a book published by Indian author, its bound to be error-prone. All I can say, its not as much as you would find in other books. However, I strongly feel, we are yet to take "proof reading" as an integral part of writing the book. The book also touches upon the Indian scenario of masala authors becoming more successful by writing masala stories while the literary ones find it difficult to sell books in India.

So, what do I think - One time read. A time-pass read. I personally don't think there's anything out of the ordinary in this book. If you want to spend 4-5 hours of your weekend and don't know how, this could be one of my suggestions. Also, if you want to be a writer, it will give you an insight on how to write a book and the various steps after writing the draft version like seeking publishers, rejections etc.

My Rating: 3/5

Book Review: The Guardians of Karma

"The Guardians of Karma" is a complex yet relishing blend of mythology and science fiction from an era where inhabitants on Earth were technologically and spiritually more advanced than what we are today. Many "myths" we thought were myths are supported with proper scientific explanation. Every marvel mentioned in the book is explained scientifically in detail to portray a picture of realism even in pre-historic times.

Judging a book by its cover - Unique combination of mythology and technology is clearly depicted in the book cover. You can see an advanced military machinery targeting what seems to be an ancient yet developed place.

Who should read this book - 
1. Mythology book readers
2. Science fiction book lovers

3. Readers who admire / get a kick by experiencing a well researched subject

What's the story like - The book starts with two Bheeshma monks (Acharya Parashu and Hara) on a secret mission. They come across a damsel in distress (Dev Lok princess - Uma) and rescue her from the clutches of Vetals (robots dumped after unsuccessful experimentation from Daityan empire). After reaching Dev Lok, they soon realize the bigger picture and a bigger problem - rising sea levels disrupting the life in Dev Lok and Daityan Empire. Dev Lok is relatively better off as they have used technologies that support nature. Daityan, meanwhile, have gone all out to utilize technology to satisfy their material needs and hence are now suffering. The only way for Daityans to come out of this crisis is by declaring war against Dev Lok and claiming new fertile land to survive. Daityan know they have a better chance of winning since they are technologically advanced compared to Dev Lok. The only people who can help Dev Lok against Daityans are the two Bheesma monks, especially Hara, who are in a mission of their own. Will Hara succeed in fulfilling his karma? If yes, then how? What other complications await him and the impending war between Dev Lok and Daityans form the crux of the story.

How's the writing - The book has two parallels - the story and queries related to spirituality - both in equal measure. Also, the author has described cities like Amaravati and Atalantpuri in complete detail that we literally start visualizing the fictional cities. Spirituality is also described in detail. Various means of achieving karma, identifying karma are explained through Acharya Parashu. Readers looking for spiritual enlightenment will find this book far satisfying as it attempts to answer the questions we have been chasing all along. However, readers more concerned about the story-line will prefer to skip some paragraphs / pages simply to concentrate on the story at hand. Mythological books require a lot of research and the author has done complete justice in this department. The first half of the book was almost error-free, though I can't say the same about the second half. The treacherous plan of a Daityan leader, Mahishasur, could have been the turning point in the book. To my utter surprise, this angle was completely ignored in the climax.

So, what do I think - This book was a definite page turner for me. I personally enjoy mythological books that include science as part of their novel - something that Indian authors should explore more. The audience of this book is not restricted to youth but can also target readers with 30-45 age group as they can relate to mythology more than youths. Youths meanwhile can focus more on the scientific / technology marvels described here.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

PhotoBlog: Random pics at Bannerghatta (Bangalore)

After publishing pics of Crocodiles, Deers, Turtles and Snake in my blog, I started having nightmares especially from other animals in the park. They voiced their displeasure and warned me of dire consequences if I don't post anything about them. You know how it is, don't you?

So, based on popular animal request, here are some random pics I took at Bannerghatta Biological Park -

Here's a monkey doing what it does best -

Talk of owning the place! -

Not really. I guess he's searching for food. I just found his missus resting on top of a hill -

There's a cunning guy -

Life with full of thorns all around. And yet, he's so composed - 

A small guy I befriended -  

Here's me signing off with my newfound buddy. Ciao - 

For the entire Bannerghatta Biological Park series, click here.

PhotoBlog: Snakes at Bannerghatta (Bangalore)

This is what I was craving for, when I decided to go to Bannerghatta Biological Park - Snakes. I feel snakes are the most under-rated and under-estimated animals. By the way, I like them on TV and not actually in front of me - for reasons best known to mankind.

And who better than capturing the King himself!

Skin has been shed. But where's the king? Guess he's acting pricey - 

There he is, but where's his head - 

And I have my answer (enlarge the pic to view clearly). Isn't he looking directly at me? - 

OK. He's coming down. He means business - 

Coming down - 

Guess its time to show the hood - 

And he happily went inside his 'home'. No more show guys. King Cobra needs to rest. Ciao! Am very happy to have captured King Cobra (on my camera, that is)..

For more Bannerghatta Biological pics, click here.

PhotoBlog: Turtles at Bannerghatta (Bangalore)

Clicking pics of Turtles was fun indeed. And this is why - 

Look at their attitude - Head held high!

Ohh, that's all of them together! 

Close-up -

Climbing the ladder of success the human way (by crushing others) - 

Some know how to have fun (enlarge the pic and check the smile of the turtle)

For more Bannerghatta Biological Park pics, click here.

PhotoBlog: Deers at Bannerghatta (Bangalore)

Deers at Bannerghatta were always together - and is always the case otherwise too. It was not easy for me to take a close-up till one of them actually came near me and posed!

Maybe this guy came to know that I was focusing on him!

One of them had an health issue. So the park authorities came and took him away. Guess how everyone reacted - 

Finally a closeup - 

For more Bannerghatta Biological pics, click here.