The Battle Mage by Taran Matharu

 "The Battle Mage" by Taran Matharu - The battle! 

This book is published by Hoover Children's books books in 2019 and has 416 pages. This is Book 3 of Summoner series.

At the end of last book, Fletcher and his friends entered the ether. First half of the book is their journey and adventures through the ether. Here he briefly encounters the white Orc. Her house Salamander demon undergoes metamorphosis. They successfully return to their world. However, they are accused of murder and have only a tacit support of their king. Fletcher takes a mixed bunch of humans, Dwarves and Elves to make Rayleighshire habitable when Orcs attack and everything seems lost.

Will this be end of the human realm? When everything seems lost and death stares them in the face, who will come for help? How many friends will Fletcher lose? Will he survive?

The part in the ether is interesting but a little stretched. The masked party is very slow. Rebuilding of Rayleighshire takes a lot of time leaving very little time for the final war. If the book has been paced differently, it would have made an interesting read.

Author has taken great efforts to create his world. He has given attention to details. The social structure with Dwarves as second class citizens, the demon world, the noble Vs common divide, forbidden love between races. I loved it.

At the end of this book, the battle is over and one side is triumphant. There's a Book 4 of this series. I wonder what would happen in that book.

Why did I read this book? Good series so far. 

What I didn't like? Gets slow.

What did I like? Character of Persis. Flow.

Recommend reading if you plan to read the series.

House of Wolves by James Patterson & Mike Lupica

 "House of Wolves" by James Patterson & Mike Lupica - American football politics! 

This book is published by Penguin in 2023 and has 395 pages. 

Joe Wolf I'd the owner of American Football team 'The wolves'. He raised his children in cut throat 'kill or be killed' spirit. He has 4 children. Jack runs the family publishing house. Danny is Joe's second in command. Thomas is an ex drug addict. Jenny is the daughter who has walked out in her father and family.

One day while on his boat, Joe is killed by an unknown assailant, reported as accidental drowning. In his will, Joe gives the publishing house and football team to Jenny. Jack and Danny don't like it one bit and the war begins. Then there are two more murders. 

Why did Joe give everything to the daughter who walked out in him? How low will the brothers stoop? Who is backing them? Who is the mysterious uncle giving helping hand to Jenny when the odds are stacked against her?

It's an interesting story. Readers get some insights in the world of NFL and the politics of the sport. Jenny is in deep trouble. It appears as if entire universe is conspiring against her. But she is a fighter. Her never giving up is her USP. Then there are other characters like Ted Skyler, team's quarter back and ex husband. Detective Ben Cantor. John Gallo, Joe's long time nemesis. Michael Barr, an uber rich guy. Etc. All these characters play their role but the real character is Jenny.

The end of this book, though not bad, is not keeping in line with the story line. Suddenly the uncle and his son appear. Then there is a revelation. Then the book ends. A better ending wouldn't have hurt.

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? NFL background.

What I didn't like? The end.

Recommend reading.

The Inquisition by Taran Matharu

"The Inquisition" by Taran Matharu - The quest into Orc World! 

This book is published by Hoover children's books in 2019 and has 448 pages. This is Book 2 of Summoner series.

Despite winning the competition, Fletcher was arrested at the end of previous book. He remains incarcerated in a small cell for one year with just Ignatius, his salamander demon for company. He is accused of trying to murder Didric, who has become a summoner, a result of magical attack by Ignatius. There is a trial and Fletcher is represented by Arcturus, who proves his innocence. But he is arrested again for killing soldiers. It is then revealed that Fletcher is the sole surviving heir of Raleigh clan. He is a noble. The king tells him that the power still rests with his father who abdicated the throne and he is the king for namesake. The Orcs are creating new beings called goblins, a hybrid of Gremlin and Orc. They have thousands of Goblin eggs in a pyramid in the heart of their lands and those need to be destroyed. For teams of the Vocans graduates are deployed. Fletcher, Sylva, Othello and Cress are in one team with Jeffery, the cleaner, as their guide. Forsyths have found a large deposit of scrying crystals, so now all of Hominum can watch the quest.

What happens in the quest? Do all the teams work together? Do they destroy all the goblin eggs? Is there a traitor? Can they be evacuated?

This book can be roughly divided into two parts. First part is two trials of Fletcher and second part is the quest. Several revelations happen in this book. Fletchers leadership qualities are put to test. A hint of possible romance between Fletcher and Sylva is there. 

There is a hostage, an old woman, mother of Rufus, to be rescued. There is a traitor. Fletcher and his team are trapped in a tunnel with demons and shamans battling on them. There is no escape, unless ........

The story continues with all its magic, demons, secrets and fights. The fantastic created by the author is not a copy or a mashup of the work done by others, it's original. Its spellbinding.

This is a book and book series that can be made into a movie. I could see the scenes happening in my minds eye. 

Why did I read this book? First book was good. 

What I didn't like? Umm..... 

What did I like? The world. 

A must read series.

The novice by Taran Matharu

 "The novice" by Taran Matharu - A magical world! 

This book is published by Turtleback in 2016 and has 355 pages. This is Book 1 of Summoner series.

These are old times, the age of Orcs, Elves, Dwarves and Humans. Fletcher, an orphan, is raised by Berdon Wulf (a blacksmith) in a northern village called Pelt near the Eleven borders of the Hominum kingdom. An old soldier (Rotherham) comes to their village and Fletcher befriends him. The soldier gives him a gift, a book of a dead Mage, that has spell to summon a demon. But only an adept can summon a demon. Fletcher reads the scroll and summons a rare salamander demon. He inflicts severe wounds on Didric, the local bully and son of Rich money lender Casper, tries to kill him and has to run away. He comes to the city and due to the turn of fate joins an Academy for Battle Mages.

How can Fletcher summon? Although there are few commoners who can summon, it's nobles who have inherited the summoning powers? What does he learn at Vocans? Does he make friends? Does he make enemies? Why are there two standards, one for nobles and one for commoners? Why do certain nobles hate Dwarves and Elves? 

Author has created a magical world where the adepts can harness demon from ether. Once harnessed the demon forms a bond with the summoner. The demon can be infused within the summoner and can be summoned when needed. The bond gives them magical powers and they learn the spell craft and war craft at Vocans. They are taught by Secolder the weapons master, Provost Skipio, Secolder the weapons master, Captain Arcturus, Major Goodwin, Captain Lovett, Librarian Same Rose Fairheaven and Investigator Damien Rook. Fellow commoners studying with Fletcher are Rory, Genevieve, Atlas, Seraf, Othello the first Dwarf summoner, Sylva the first Elf summoner. Fellow Nobles studying with them are Tarquin and Isidora Forsyth the twins, Rufus Cavendish, Malik Saladin, Penelope.

Fletchers strikes good friendship with Sylva and Othello and enmity with the Forsyths. He also strikes friendship with Othello's twin Attila.

It's a rich characterization. Several characters. Each with its own story and shades. Their interrelations. Author has taken great efforts to create this world and he has done a fantastic job. It's a majestic world of humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gremlins and Orcs, their beasts and demons. The politics, the love, the hate and the intricacies. Lot of attention to details. I loved this world.

Now, do you see some parallels? Vocans is like Hogwarts. Tarquin is similar to Malfoy. Magic is there. But despite the similarities, it's not a copy, it's original.

The book ends with great accolades for Fletcher. But that's not the end. He is arrested at the end for attempted murder. A big twist that makes you want to read the next book.

Why did I read this book? A western novel by an author with Indian name.

What did I like? Everything. 

What I didn't like? A little more about their education would have been nice.

A must read.

Fractal noise by Christopher Paolini

 "Fractal noise" by Christopher Paolini - The journey! 

This book is published by Tor in 20 and has 304 pages. This is Book 1 of the FractalVerse series.

On the planet Talos VII, an anomaly is detected: a vast circular pit, with dimensions so perfect that it could only have been the result of conscious design. So a small team is assembled to learn more. Their mission takes them on a hazardous trek to the very edge of existence. For one explorer, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. For another, a risk not worth taking. And for xenobiologist Alex Crichton, it’s a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.

What is there in that hole? Is there another intelligent life form on Talos VII? Why is Alex on this mission? What will they find?

This book is prequel of his famous series 'To Sleep in a Sea of Stars' that I haven't read.

This book is about landing on Talos VII and reaching the hole. Just the journey of four persons. They start with sledges and then continue in foot. During this journey there are differences within them. Groups are formed. Violence erupts. All kind of things happen due to stress.

The book is boring. It's only the journey, there is no story, it's not happening. Even at the end one wonders what it was?

Why I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Umm.....  

What didn’t like? Lack of story.

AVOID!

Into the moon garden by Shveta Thakrar

"Into the moon garden” by Shveta Thakrar- A modern fable! 

This book was published by Audible in 2023 and runs for 4 hours 18 minutes. This is a Novella.

Rashmi is a microbiologist who is on the verge of making a breakthrough on cure for dementia. She has an analytical mind but she also has a poetic fascination for Moon. Her Mummy has told stories of Moon Garden in detail to little Rashmi and that is where fascination comes from. She still mourns her mother and doesn't let anyone into that space, not even her famous film star boyfriend Darsh. Kaplan Joshi, a poet, whose first book "The Moon Garden" was published only 50 copies, has disappeared.

Is the Moon garden real? What's in there? Can Rashmi go there? Can anyone accompany her? What will she discover there?

Rashmi reaches the mythical moon garden and although she and Darsh are on the verge of a breakup, Darsh tags along. Moon Garden is where Rashmi wants to get her dead mother back. Can she? Is that what she wants?

The book is not a typical novel. It's a story in a different plane where reality merges with myth. It's a fascinating story. It's not only about getting her mother back magically but it's a story of self realization.

The moon garden is designed like a video game where the player has to pass a test to reach the next level.

The book is interspersed with stories from Greek, Hindu, Aztec, Norse, Egyptian, Chinese, Polynesian, Nigerian, Shinto, Mayan mythologies, all of them regarding moon concluding with the moral of the story.

Why did I read this book? The title. 

What I didn't like? Similarities with video game.

What did I like? The story. 

Recommend reading.

Three days to live by James Patterson

 "Three days to live" by James Patterson - 3 stories. 

This book was published by Penguin (Cornerstone) in 2023 and has 448 pages.  

3 days to live

Samantha Bell was recruited by Quinton for CIA in her teens. Now, in her late twenties, she has retired. Kevin Drexel has sold his shareholding in his company to his partner, Bill. They have married and are on honeymoon to Germany. An unknown nerve agent kills Kevin and causes hospitalization of Samantha. Doctors tell her that she has three days to live. Samantha needs to find out who is behind this.

The story has a good buildup. Things start to get interesting and then suddenly, the story reaches the climax. It's so sudden that the anticipation of what Samantha can do in 3 days suddenly dies.

Women and children first

Chase, ex special forces, runs a security consulting firm that has a staff of two. He himself and his daughter. His wife is a lawyer in Avalon communications. With her connections, he lands a contract with Avalon. A series of deliberate accidents happen with Avalon facilities and Chase gets a ransom call. Owner of Avalon, Gillian, refuses to believe him and fires him. The random caller forces him to shoot his wife.

This is a good story. The offs are stacked against Chase. The story starts with Chase shooting his wife and then takes us back. Although the story is interesting, the downfall comes a little too easily. For a plot of such proportions, the downfall is not complex enough.

The housekeepers

Masha Poplov is an illegal Russian immigrant and works as cleaner at the house of Dr. Elizabeth Parks, a surgeon who runs a facility for terminally ill. Dr. Parks is divorced and has a son in rehab. Marsha's cousin Sofie is also an illegal immigrant and lives with her sons. 

The story is thoroughly confusing. Readers don't understand where it's going. First it appears like it's about data leak, then it is about Masha - the thief, then it's about illegal immigration, then about housebreaking and finally about philanthropy. Probably even the authors didn't know what they wanted to write. I wonder how this story made it into a published book.

Why I read this book? Was available in hand.

What did I like? 2nd story.  

What didn’t like? Third story.

Not worth reading just for one story.