The little old lady who struck lucky again by Catharina Ingelman-Sundburg

"The little old lady who struck lucky again" by Catharina Ingelman-Sundburg. This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2014 and has 450 pages. This is Book 2 of 'Little old lady' series.

Martha, Brains, Rake, Anna-Greta & Christina, the league of Pensioners with an average age of above 80, have reached Las Vegas. They carry out a series of robberies. Manage to get hold of stolen diamonds by fluke, carry them back to Sweden and manage to lose them. Now they re-Christian their gang as 'Outlawed oldies'. They attract attention and envy of local biker gang. They plan and execute a bank robbery.

What next? Will the crazy, criminal, philanthropist and fun loving oldies get lucky again? What will they encounter?

Oldies return to Sweden after successful heists in Las Vegas with new identities. They encounter no issues at immigration. They purchase a house and acquire curious neighbors in a taro card reading lady and a couple of biker gang members.

A number of coincidences, unbelievable stupidity, some good ideas, apparently harmless oldies and ingenuity ensure that the oldies pull off heists. 

On one side they commit crime to obtain money for their donations to old age homes and on the other hand they manage to lose the booty and splurge and donate the rest. That leaves them short of money and in need of more crimes.

The story relies on unprecedented number of  coincidences. At times it slows down.  However the oldies manage to keep the reader entertained. If you want to enjoy the book, leave logic out of it. Sit back and read.

When they are about to be drawn in the net of law, a crowning coincident gets them away. This book has a very long epilogue. One of the longest.

There are a number of Swedish funny books translated in English in last few years. This book also belongs to same genre. In fact Book 3 of this series is also released. Watch this space!

Why did I read this book? Old lady adventures.

What I didn't like? Too many coincidences. 

What did I like? Fun loving oldies. 

Read if you have time.

The siege of Warwan by Major General G. D. Bakshi

"The siege of Warwan" by Major General G. D. Bakshi. This book is published by Harpercollins in 2011 and has 292 pages.

Major Dushyant Bharadwaj, Dusty, asks for a deputation to Rashtriya Rifles to get a posting in Kashmir. There is a reason for that. Here he wants to employ a local friendly and terrorist hostile strategy. He meets beautiful Ayesha and her son Javed. Terrorists want revenge. Battle of Warwan is set.

Why does Dusty want Kashmir posting? Will his people friendly strategy work? Who is Ayesha? How does the siege go?

It is known that the foreign terrorists get support from local Kashmiris. This book exposes the other side of the coin. These male foreign terrorists want female company. In the early days of terrorism Kashmiri girls were more than willing, but when terrorists started to go back after completion of their assignment leaving pregnant girls behind, locals started resisting. It resulted in the terrorists getting what they want at gun point often while the husband of the woman being ravished sat outside the house till the ordeal was over. Terrorists demand heavy ransom and when poor Kashmiris can't pay, they are forced to send one son for the cause. The recruited local young boys are also sexually exploited by the terrorists. 

The foreign terrorists consider local Kashmiris spineless and cowards who can't fight India. They consider themselves superior for fighting the war of Kashmiri's. They consider they have right over Kashmiri women and that it is the duty of these Houries to pleasure the guest terrorists.

It is the story of Dusty, an honest and compassionate army officer. He meets Javed whose mother Ayesha is raped by a terrorist whenever he wants her. Ayesha had loved a boy who became terrorist. She was married to a Pir and had Javed. Unwittingly she becomes a target of a foreign terrorist and is raped again and again. Her sons initiative and Dusty's bravery saves her but she and her son become target of the terrorists.

The build up of story is at a leisurely pace. Story is interesting. Narration is good with a lot of words from army vocabulary. It portrays the humane face of army where army led by Dusty earns the trust of Astor village. It also depicts the difficulties and hardships faced by army and common Kashmiris due to terrorism.

Warwan is a post maintained by helicopter (heli-maintained) due to difficult land access. Operation Golden Eagle was the first successful surgical heliborne operation and became a pioneering example of heliborne counter insurgency operations.

The question that needs to be pondered is 'If the foreign terrorists treat the Kashmiris with such a disdain, why do they get local support? One can't get the support just out of fear or religion'. Is something being done to exploit this and turn the Kashmiris away from terrorism and towards normalcy and prosperity?

Book cover is good with blue and white colors suggesting early morning or late evening glow and army jawans rappling down a hovering helicopter on a mountain back drop.

Why did I read this book? Kashmir war novel.    

What I didn't like? Page length of actual siege. 

What did I like? Ground situation description. 

Recommend reading.

The Cutthroat by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott

"The Cutthroat" by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. This book is published by Penguin in 2017 and has 400 pages. This is Book 10 of Issac Bell series.

Anna, a daughter of wealthy businessman, is missing. She was fond of theater. Van Dorn detective agency is hired. Her dead body is found, throat slit and crescent shaped marks on her body. More bodies are found, all petite blonds. Issac Bell has a serial killer on hands. The cutthroat. There are some similarities of modus operandi with London's Jack the Ripper who operated twenty years ago.

Who is this new killer? Is he inspired by Jack the Ripper? Can Bell trace him? Can he be stopped?

This book has two stories. One is of course that of Cutthroat. Second is of a play Jekyll and Hyde. This Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a play with a difference. It has Mr. Barrett & Mr. Buchanan playing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde alternatively. It also stars the heroine in an important role. There is a big twist to the original story.

In search of clues, Bell reaches England, the place where Jack the Ripper operated. Here he manages to unearth information that was otherwise unknown. He has a shocking revelation. What is it?

Bell adventures have a standard format. High profile crime, use of locomotives, series of crimes, criminal is a public figure, there is a chase and Bell apprehends the culprit after a duel at the end. This book too follows this formula.

Narration is good. Atmosphere of year about 1910 is created very well. Ship travel, Locomotives, Early days of movies, Theater tours etc. create the period atmosphere. However this book doesn't have lot of locomotives or chase. Reader is blown away when Jack the Ripper connection is revealed.

Although it is a good book, it's not as good as other Bell series books.

Why did I read this book? Clive Cussler. 

What I didn't like? No chase. Climax not satisfying.

What did I like? Jack the Ripper connection. 

A good book. Recommend reading.

The rise of Shivagami by Anand Neelakantan

"The rise of Sivagami" by Anand Neelakantan. This book is published by Westland in Mar 2017 and has 490 pages. This is book 1 of Baahubali series. 

Sivagami's father, a Bhoomipathi (big nobleman) in Mahishmati kingdom, was executed for treason. Orphan Sivagami retrieves an ancient book as directed by her dying nanny. Katappa is made sevak of Prince Bijjala for his bravery. His brother dreams of freedom from slavery. There is a conspiracy to destroy Mahishmati. 

What is the conspiracy? What is the significance of Gaurikanta stones? What happens st Mahamakam? What are Sivagami's plans?

Every Indian has watched the block buster movie Baahubali in 2015. This book is a prequel to that story. It's the story of Sivagami who dies while saving a baby in the first scene of the film. 

It's the story of Mahishmati, it's royal family, it's supporters, open opponents and hidden opponents. There are dark secrets, sinister conspiracies, indifferent royals, faithful subordinates who run the kingdom, a lot of questions, intrigue, suspense and drama. There are a number of sub plots. Sivagami's revenge, Prince Bijjala's lust, Secret of Gaurikanta, Slave trade, Vaithalika rebels, Female rebel army, Treachery of over ambitious officials and so on.

Sivagami hates royal family for executing her father and making her orphan. She has to get admitted in Royal orphanage to rub salt to her wounds. She is very beautiful, educated, resentful, wants to destroy Royal family, wants to know what her father did, wants to complete his mission but does not know what it was. 

The climax happens at the palace during Mahamakam celebrations. A number of things happen, a lot of blood is shed, opportunities are taken and squandered. Darkness plays an important role in the climax. All said and done, the climax is not as enticing as it should have been. However the end is very good. There is a twist towards the end and another twist in the last three lines of the book. The book ends tantalizingly making the reader yearn for the sequel.

S.S. Rajamouli, creator of  Baahubali, was impressed by 'Asura: The tale of the vanquished' by Anand Neelakantan and invited him to go hunting into forgotten annals of Mahishmati's history and bring the past back to light. It makes a great business sense to publish the book just before the release of movie Bahubali - The conclusion.

Why did I read this book? Prequel of Baahubali. 

What I didn't like? Tepid climax.

What did I like? Use of darkness as a character. 

Read if you plan to read the sequel and if you liked the movies.

First daughter by Eric Van Lustbader

"First daughter" by Eric Van Lustbader. This book is published by Faber in 2013 and has 432 pages.

Alli, daughter of President elect Edward Carson, is kidnapped. Carson requests ATF agent Jack McClure to be assigned to the case. Jack's deceased daughter Emma and Alli were best friends. Incumbent President and Secretary of homeland security Denise Paul have their own agendas.

Who abducted Alli? Who are Missionary secularists? Can Jack find Alli? What does she feel? Who is the mysterious man?

Flow of the story is uneven. At times it drags, at times it ambles and some time it picks up. Jack determines a few things based on inadequate basis for normal men. But for him it is obvious because of Dyslexia.

Dyslexic Jack finds simple letters difficult to comprehend but can see complex things easily and in 3D. He is always an outsider. He has a special attachment to the case because of Emma. As the case progresses things from his past rear their head. Past and present mingle. There is a hint of paranormal. A good portion of Jack's story is in flashback.

An assassin is behind a number of incidents. He uses names of various past criminals as aliases. He also has connection to Jack's past that Jack is not aware of. In an investigation, there will be false leads, but everything Jack does turns out to be the right thing. All his deductions, some times even without enough support, turn out to be correct. This is the flaw of this story. 

Incumbent President is supporter of conservative Christian philosophy. President elect is a liberal Christian. President wants to make villains out of a group called Missionary secularists and declare them home grown terrorists. President elect has backing of black liberal Christians. Missionary secularists believe in God but don't believe in church. There is an assassin who does not believe in God. Alli is caught between them and Jack is trying to disentangle the puzzle. 

It's an unusual plot in modern times. On one side there are conservative Christians. On the other side there are liberals and on yet other side there are atheists. I did not know that America had such an influence of religion in politics and daily life. 

Story starts with Alli, daughter of President elect Eric Carson arriving for the inauguration of her father. Then the story goes in flash back. Author might have done this to create an impact in the beginning, however, in doing so he leaves an obvious clue for the readers. It is a spoiler.

It's a different kind of plot. A different (Dyslexic) protagonist. But I did not enjoy the book. 

Why did I read this book? EVB's original book. 

What I didn't like? Is there so much influence of religion on politics in USA?

What did I like? Something different.

Give it a miss.

Let the game begin by Sandeep Sharma

"Let the game begin" by Sandeep Sharma. This book was published by Inspire India publishers in 2016 and has 174 pages.

Kingdoms of Chaturang and Sarprakt are bitter enemies. Sarprakt attacks Chaturang and kills son of king Viratha. A huge conspiracy was hatched. Time leap to modern day. A number of murders take place. A chess piece and a hand written note in some strange language is found with each body. Historian Dinesh Gandhi is called to help by RAW. He deciphers the note as 'Let the game begin'.

What was the conspiracy?  What has Chaturang got to do with chess?  Who is murdering? What it's the significance of chess pieces?

Vyaapi, the immortal, is witness to all that happened 4000 years ago. He invents a game that will allow king of Chaturang to recreate the battle situation that killed his son. That game is Chess. King Viratha is out to avenge death of his son by killing the ones who betrayed. It's a story of revenge, but an innovative one. The  betrayal happened 4000 years ago. The perpetrators are being punished in present day when all of them are reincarnated. They have one thing in common with the perpetrators. What's that?

The concept is interesting. However there are some weaknesses in the story. The  reason of treason of royal adviser is unconvincing. To take help of enemy who one wants to destroy is fundamentally flawed. The reason why so many trusted people turn traitor is weak.

A number if questions come to the mind of reader but remain unanswered. How can the famous Child disappear? Why Surya is drafted in team when Priya is such a good chess player?  What happens to the child?  Can chess move be banned? Who is Viratha? Killer or the curse or Surya?

Proof reading of book is sub standard. There are many grammatical, continuity and reference related mistakes. It plays spoil sport. It was completely avoidable with a little more attention and seriousness. I could not help marking the corrections, as if I was proof reading. So many mistakes in second addition are unpardonable.

At the end of the book reader comes to know that this was only part one and there will be a sequel. The book cover does not say that it's part one. Is it deliberate? I would have had second thought before purchasing, if I had known that this is Part 1.

In short, the book has a good story,  average execution,  poor proof reading,  interesting plot and some loose ends. However overall the sum of the parts comes out to be positive.

Why did I read this book?  Blurb.

What I didn't like?  Shortcomings.

What did I like?  Concept.

Read it, if you plan to read the sequel.