The Ayodhya Alliance by Ashwin Sanghi

 "The Ayodhya Alliance" by Ashwin Sanghi - Tech savvy ancient India!

This book is published by Harper Fiction India in 2025 and has 530 pages.

China destroys Indian tanks at the border. India needs a steel with a strength that can withstand Chinese attack. But such a steel doesn't exist. Aaditya Pillai, an Indian businessman considered a maverick, is assigned to make the steel. His only hope is Dwaitalingam, a substance mentioned in ancient myths, that gives immense power to steel making the wilder of weapons of this steel practically invincible.

Is there something called Dwaitalingam? Can he procure it? Who's help will he need? Will there be forces that won't allow him to succeed?

Story of Dwaitalingam starts from Ramayana period and Lakshman is the first Dwatalingam Rakshasa. The author takes on a roller coaster ride of time. 2000 years ago, present day, Ramayana time, 500 years ago. The timeline change is so frequent that, if you don't read the book continuously, you tend to lose the track of time periods. I thought this was a bit too much.

This story has a strong connection between India and Korea. This connection is not recent, it's 2000 years old. The story takes us from Ayodhya to South India to Korea to Syria etc.

Dwaitalingam Rakshak, a secret society of blacksmiths who possessed knowledge not of just metal but also magnetite. Their weapons were invincible.

Somehow, it took a very long time for me to read this book. So I lost the continuity. It's not a page turner, that also contributed.

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What didn't I like? Too many changes in timeline.

What did I like? The concept of Dwaitalingam.

Not a  must read.

Tipu as he really was by Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale

"Tipu as he really was" by Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale - Horrible! 

This book was published in 2018 and has 100 pages.  

Tipu Sultan is one of the most controversial characters from pre-independence India. Some hail him as a just ruler who respected all religions and fought to get rid of British, who donated to all the religious places of worship and was a model secular. Some call him an epic proselytizer, a cruel ruler and the one who directed and executed forced conversions and atrocities. So when a friend gave me this book written by a well known historian, whose life goal was to find the truth, however uncomfortable or shameful it was, I started reading it straight away.

Was Tipu a good king? Was he secular or proselytizer? Was he kind or cruel? Did he keep his promises? Did he commit atrocities on the name of religion? Was he a tyrant?

The book starts from Haider, Tipu's father, a soldier in Maysore kingdom who rose in ranks and kicked out his mentors to usurp the throne and kill the kings. Proselytizing started in Haider's reign.

Tipu continued and intensified what his father started. He forcibly converted the local populace of every other religion. This included the captured British soldiers and citizens. The scale was so large, running into several tens of thousands, that British, Marathas and Principality of Travancore had to join forces to restrict him.

After reading the book, I was horrified. Firstly for the scale and severity of the atrocities and secondly because a section of politicians still tries to portray him as a good, just ruler.

Tipu made an elaborate arrangement to capture all the Christian's in his domain on the same day, move them to Seringapatanam and forcibly convert them and destroyed the churches. So this was not a spur of the moment act, it was a well thought out, immaculately planned and ruthlessly executed conversion.

Around 50,000 to 70,000 Hindus were captured from Coorg and converted forcibly. Sisters of the Raja were forcibly inducted into Tipu's harem. Several thousand Nair's faced the same fate. Their elders were hung, able bodied men and children were converted and women become the property of Tipu and his army.

Several forcibly converted Christian's returned to their original religion at the first opportunity. Hindu religion did not have the concept of conversion or re-conversion. So the forcibly converted Hindu's remained converted.

The book is disturbing. One can't imagine what the Hindu and Christians had to go through in Tipu's reign.

Author gives the facts in the form of excerpts from various sources like letters and accounts. Several of them are Tipu's own correspondence. So, the authenticity can't be challenged.

Gajanan Mehendale is a revered historian and a voice of authority in Indian history. He passed away recently.

Why I read this book? Curious title.

What did I like? Something different.  

What didn’t like? Pace is slow.

Read if you liked the review.

The shroud of Hedes by Andy McDermott

"The shroud of Hedes" by Andy McDermott - Trip to the underworld !

This book is published by Headline in 2025 and has 420 pages. This is Book 18 of Nina Wilde/ Eddy Chase series. 

Multibillionaire Loost died in previous book. He returns, claiming that he uploaded his consciousness on cloud before death. He issues billion dollar bounty on Nina's head. Condition is that she should be killed online where his adjudicator can see her die on their social media platform "Us". Nina and Eddie run. John Bryce, presumed dead, is rescued from high security MI6 prison by Loost. He has a personal grudge against the person who put him there, Eddie Chase. Nina is also researching on Shroud of Hedes at that time.

How long can Nina and Eddie run when everyone wants to kill them? Is Loost alive through his consciousness? Why is Shroud of Hedes? Where is it?

They are on the run and are being manipulated to go to Malta. Nina recognizes the trap and instead decides to find the Shroud of Hades. She thinks it's in Greece. It is said to make the wearer invisible.

The story has two parts. One is running from and confrontation with Loost and other is squirting Shroud of Hedes. Second part is typical to other books with ancient legend, secret location, boobi traps, riddles, Earth energy, Atlantian genes, and functioning weapons. The other part is a typical thriller with on the run fugitives chased by bad guys, fighting, guns etc.

This story is set in future. So Maisie is now grown up and doesn't stay with parents. She too has Atlantian genes. She is telling on Eddie.

The climax was not very exciting.

Why did I read this book? Have been reading the series.  

What didn't I like? The climax.

What did I like? Author is bold enough to set the story in future.

Not a must read.

A master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

"A master of Djinn" by P. Djèlí Clark  - Magic in the air?

This book is published by Astra Media OPC Private Ltd in 2023 and has 378 pages. This is Book1 of Dead Djinn Universe. 

It's first decade of 1900s. The times have changed. Several Djinns live with mortals and follow human rules. El Jahiz is credited with bringing magic and Djinns back into the world few years ago. Lord Worthington, founder and head of the brotherhood of El Jahiz and his 20 odd members are killed. Their flesh burned without burning their clothes or anything else by a man who claims to be the El Jahiz returned. Fatma investigates.

Has Al Jahiz really returned? How can he come back from dead? What does he want? Can Fatma unravel the mystery?

Fatma Al Sharawi works for Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities in Egypt as an investigator. She is very good at her work. Hadia, her Hijab wearing investigator is thrust upon her as her partner. She is brave and always has a cousin who is in every field. Siri or Abla is a Nubian beauty. She follows the old Egyptian religion and hence called Idolator. She worships of Godess Hathor. Fatma and Siti are very close. Then there is the son and daughter of Lord Worthington. Ahmed, worshipper of Crocodile God Sobek.

The setting is fantastical. There is a lot of magic. There are non humans like Djinns, Angels, Ghouls, Ifrits etc. In all this melee, Fatma possesses no magic. But she doesn't give up until she gets to the bottom of the mystery.

The buildup is good. The pace is good. The characterization is very good. The social fabric is well defined. The only blemish might be that the identity of the perpetrator could be guessed mid way into the book. So, instead of whodunit it becomes did that character do it?

This is the first book of the series. Subsequent books are still to be published.

Why did I read this book? Wanted to explore the world of Djinns.

What did I like? The world with Djinns.

What I didn't like? Guessable perpetrator.

Recommend the series, of this book is anything to go by.

The fifth hour by Rahul Jain

"The fifth hour" by Rahul Jain - Whodunit! 

This book is published by Paper Towns Publisher in 2025 and has 224 pages. 

Rati and Ayaan come to Dzongu, Sikkim, away from their busy metro life with an intention to conceive. One morning Rati wakes up and finds that Ayaan is missing. She files a police complaint. But the resort staff says she checked-in alone. There was no one with her. No one has seen Ayaan.

Did Ayaan come to Dzongu? Does Ayaan exist? Is Rati out of her mind? Or is there another angle to it?

Rati is a curvy beauty, long hair, desirable. Rich parents but ignored childhood. She has recurring nightmares. Ayaan is handsome, well dressed and works for a startup. It's a pair made for each other. Then there is Shyam, nephew of the owner of the hotel where Rati is staying. He is a shifty character and helps is aunt run the hotel. Inspector Vipin is the investigator. He lists for Rati from the moment he sees her. Then there are other characters like the hotel owner, a guest called Shikha, two Sun inspectors etc.

Story has a flow, the book is not big, so you read it quickly. Setting off Sikkim, a state with very low crime rate, is interesting. All in all, the author has cobbled together a good story.

Author has a way with words. Even an innocuous scene is described in a very exciting way. You wonder how plainly you would have written the same scene.

The story starts with a bang, but after that it plateaus, the graph doesn't rise. It also doesn't peter out. Identity of perpetrator is not disguised well enough. Avid readers can guess it. The coincidence of Ayaan reaching the scene is a bit far fetched. Relationship between Rati and Vipin was uncalled for. Doesn't enrich the story.

Name of the book has nothing to do with the story. It could have been 4th hour or 6th hour as well, or something completely different.

Why I read this book? Came highly recommended.

What did I like? Setting.  

What didn’t like? Poorly disguised perpetrator.

Recommend reading.

The girl in the glass case by Devashish Sardana

"The girl in the glass case" by Devashish Sardana - Big twist !

This book is published by Penguin EBury Press in 2022 and has 344 pages.

Bhopal. Body of a girl dressed like Barbie doll is found in a glass case near Bhopal Gas memorial. Two more dolls turn up at the mall. ACP Simone, freshly back on duty after her suspension, investigates. Despite Simone being a loner, Superintendent Irshad thrusts DCP Zoya as her partner against her will. Irashad himself is a disturbed man because he is unable to solve the case of a serial killer called ' The Clipper' for 9 years. The Clipper kills transvestites and cuts their testicles and mails them to Irshad every quarter. Bodies are never found.

Who is The Clipper? Who is the Doll Maker? Why are they killing? Can Simone solve her case? Can Irshad get his redemption?

Simone was suspended for arresting CM's son. Simone has maintained a bald head in protest of the injustice of her suspension. She can't tolerate ineptitude and incompetence. She's short tempered and has anger issues. She isn't bothered with emotions, only facts matter. Karan, a reporter is the only one who has shown some interest in her but she always rebuffs him. Zoya is 10 years senior and a psychoanalyst. She's a divorcee and has lost custody of her son Sunny. Zoya and Simone don't like each other but are forced to work together.

Irshad has become a drunk due to the frustration of not being able to catch The Clipper. He is haunted and obsessed with the case. That's why he pressurizes Simone and Zoya to solve the case of The Doll Maker.

Readers come to know mid-way in the book that Ranveer is the clipper and Nalini is the Doll Maker. So their identities are not hidden. 

What happens next? You will have to read the book.

I was able to guess the identity of one serial killer but the second one I didn't see coming. It's a fantastic twist. Full marks to the author.

Read a book with such a twist after a very long time.

Why did I read this book? Came recommended.

What did I like? The twist.

What I didn't like? Umm....

If you like thrillers or psycho thrillers, this book is for you. A must read.

Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

"Before the coffee gets cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Time travel! 

This book is published by Picador in 2023 and has 224 pages.

There is a cafe in Tokyo. Cafe Funiculi Funicula. There is an urban legend that this cafe allows you to go in the past. Fumiko wants to go back one week to meet her lover who broke off in the same cafe and went to America.

Is it really possible to go back in past? Can we change the present? What happens?

There are few characters in this book. Nagare is the owner of the cafe. A huge man and chef. Kei is his wife. She has a heart condition but is full of life. Kazu is an employee and owner's cousin. She is the one who sends the customers to past. Hirai is a customer and owner of a bar. Kohtake and Fusagi are a couple. Regular customers. Fusagi has Alzheimer's.

There are several rules for going to past. The most important being that you must come to the present before the Coffee gets cold. Short time indeed.

The little Japanese literature that I have read makes me think that Japanese fiction is little more abstract than English fiction.

The book explores various human emotions. The breakup, The repentance, The love, The anxiety. Each character has a story, and each has a motive to go in the past. But will they? Can they?

The idea of time travel is always fascinating. But when it comes with so many rigid rules, does it remain fascinating?

You will have to read the book to know. Sequels of this book are also published.

Why did I read this book? Came highly recommended.

What did I like? The concept.

What didn't I like? Uneven flow. Slow story.

Recommend reading.