Lanka's Princess" by Kavita Kané

"Lanka's Princess" by Kavita Kané - The unloved one!

This  book is published by Rupa publications India in 2016 and has 280 pages. 

Story starts with the birth of Surpanakha, real name Meenakshi, to Rishi Vishrawas, grand son of Lord Brahma, and Kekasi, daughter of Asura Sumali and Taraka. Meenakshi and her three elder brothers had Brahmin father and Asura mother but they were more Asura than Brahmin. She had strong nails and used it in fights in childhood. Name Surpanakha was given by Ravan after one such fight and it stuck.

Who was Surpanakha? What kind of a person was she? Who was she? What role did she play in Ramayana?

Author portrays Surpanakha as an unwanted girl child for mother, ignored by father, not taken into confidence by brothers, considered not beautiful, loved by grand mother Taraka, cloistered in Lanka, lonely without friends, vicious, bored and vengeful.

There is a special bond between Surpanakha and her nephew Meghnad, Ravan's first born. She is his second mother and he is her first son. 

Meenakshi falls in love with Vidyujiva, king of Kalkeyas and Rawan's nemesis. She blackmails Rawan to agree for their marriage. Against her wish her husband and brothers decide that the couple will stay in Lanka and Vidyujiva will be a predominant courtier of Rawan. Many years later Rawan kills Vidyujiva. Surpanakha refuses to believe that Vidyujiva was a philanderer and was conspiring to overthrow Ravan. Later in Dandaka she loses her only son.

Surpanakha wanted revenge on Ravan and wanted him dead because he killed her husband. First she wanted to seduce Ram and Lakshman. When it did not work and she was disfigured, she uses her condition and Ravan's unfulfilled desire for Sita to instigate the war. Where she went wrong was assuming that Ram and Ravan will fight as soon as war begins and Ravan will die. Instead they fought last and before that she lost all her family. Her brother, her cousins, her nephews and uncle.

She was always an outcast. While in Brahminic culture of her father's ashram, she was considered unfriendly, too aggressive and uninterested in education. When she came to Lanka she did not like the excesses and talk of war and wealth of Asuras.

She is angry at her mother, Rawan, Ram and Lakshman. In reality she is angry at the whole world. She yearns for acceptance that she never gets. She is burning with desire to see Rawan dead. She is ready to bring war on her family and country to get her revenge. She goes to Ayodhya after the war to exact her revenge on Ram and Lakshman as well. But finally she repents and wishes to go back to her family.

In the initial part, Surpanakha gets a marginal role, but later she comes into predominance. In the early part you feel sorry for her and sympathize with her need of recognition and attention. In later part of the book she is consumed with only pine thing. Revenge! Pace of the story is patchy. Surpanakha is shown in a different light. Good thing is that the book has no war. It is covered briefly as news arriving from battlefield.

Surpanakha manipulates Vibhishan to join Ram. Although that scene is a fine piece of literature, is Vibhishan fool enough to not see through Surpanakha, who actually instigated all this?

Why did Vidyujiva agree to become Rawan's vassal? Why Surpanakha never met her beloved Nani, Taraka, after she was cursed? Why did Malyavan, Vibhishan, Mandodari, Kumbhakarna, Indrajit and Surpanakha individually think that they were fighting a losing war? This book shows that they lost the war psychologically even before it started.

Surpanakha's ultimate revenge on Ram appears far fetched and shallow. Author should have made it more authentic and convincing.

Kavita has made a niche for herself with her portrayal of historical but less important characters and narrating the story from their view point. She started with Uruvi in Karna's wife, Menaka in Menaka's choice, Urmila in Sita's sister and now Surpanakha in this Book. From the stories that we have heard in our childhood we know very little of these characters. Kavita delivers stories through them.

Although it's a good book, it's not as good as previous ones of the author.

Why did I read this book? Kavita Kane. 

What I didn't like? Patchy pace, revenge on Ram. 

What did I like? Story of lesser character.

Not a must read. Read if you have time. 

Operation Jinnah by Shiv Aroor

"Operation Jinnah" by Shiv Aroor - A military thriller. 

This book is published by Juggernaut books in 2017 and has 295 pages.

India conducts a covert operation inside enemy territory and no one is the wiser. An operation by Indian navy, to destroy Pakistan's Jinnah naval base, is aborted seconds before missiles were to strike. Ten years later daughter of navy chief Rana is abducted in Kashmir.

Why was Operation Jinnah aborted? What was the covert mission? Why daughter of navy chief, and not of any minister, was kidnapped? Will India strike back?

Its a military thriller with a lot of action, high octane scenes, international tension, mission inside enemy territory, national pride, nail biting sequences and a decent story.

This book is a very good thriller. The thrill, enticing events, nail biting climaxes, technical knowledge of weapons and aircrafts, crisp story, authentic narration and adrenaline pumping action make this a pleasurable reading experience.

Characterization is good.  Admiral Nirbhai Rana, the maverick patriot. Varuna, his only daughter. Lieutenant Commander Akeela Thomas, an orphan girl turned navy commando. Lieutenant Vikramaditya Singh, another navy commando. Lieutenant Saraswati Subramanian, born as a boy but transformed to a girl and navy commando. Prime minister, who wants to give a fitting reply to Pakistan and is ready to handle international pressure. Each of them add value to the story. 

Author has given rough sketches of various weapons and flying machines for the reader in This book. This is a novelty, welcome change and the USP.

Author, however, fails to tie some loose ends like why does the 'contact' assists Indians? How was the contact recruited? Why India did not go all the way when opportunity presented? Had he tied the loose ends it would have eliminated this flaw. 

Shiv Aroor is a well known TV journalist and anchor. This is his debut novel.  He has displayed finess that does not betray that this is a debut novel. We should see more of Shiv Aroor in future.

Why did I read this book? Title and blurb. 

What I didn't like? Loose ends. 

What did I like? Delivery, knowledge.

 A very good book. Recommend reading. 

The Devil's alternative by Frederick Forsyth

"The Devil's alternative" by  Frederick Forsyth - An international political drama with action. 

This book is published by RHUK in 2011 and has 496 pages.

An English man, motivated by his Ukrainian father's hatred of Russia, decides to travel to Ukraine to do something spectacular. USSR is going to experience a massive food grain shortage. Only America and Canada can cover the deficit. An English spy is sent as leave replacement in USSR. But he has a secret. A captain working for one of the largest shipping companies is informed by the owner that he will be the captain of biggest commercial ship in the world. 

Will America use grain shortage as bargaining chip? What are Russia's plans? Does it tilt the balance at Kremlin?  Will the Englishman play spoil sport? What is the devil's alternative?

What is the devil's alternative? It is either to let the largest ecological disaster to occur or to let the power balance tilt perilously to push the world into a war. Who is facing it? How is it resolved?

International politics is ruthless. Whereas readers understand that what was done was necessary, they can't help but sympathize with Ukrainian nationalists. 

The plot is complex, a number of things happen in parallel. It's not easy to run parallel stories simultaneously, but author handles it with ease. There is a traitor. There is a hijack drama. There is international politics. There is power struggle. There is love angle. Narration is good. Characters are distinguished. 

Why someone else can't think what Munroe thinks? Why Rudin can't handle revolt in Politburo earlier? These questions linger in reader's mind. 

Why did I read this book? Frederick Forsyth

What I didn't like? Lingering questions. 

What did I like?  Drama.

 A good book. Recommend reading. 

"Harappa: Curse of the blood river by Vineet Bajpai

"Harappa: Curse of the blood river" by Vineet Bajpai - Interesting.

This book is published by VB Performance LLP. This edition was published in 2017 and has 316 pages.

In 1700 BCE Harappa, Vaivaswan Pujari - half man half God, decides to avenge Harappa. Saraswati river, the giver of life turns to blood river. In 2017 Vidyut Shastri, an entrepreneur, marital arts champion and a very handsome man, receives a phone call from Dev-Rakshas math of Benares. He must meet his great grand father. 'The Order' wants to kill 'The Aryan boy'.

What is' The Order'? Who is Romi? Why is Vidyut summoned? What is the impending battle? What is the curse of blood river? What secret of Harappa is being protected?

Story of Vaivaswan Pujari, his Son Manu, Wife Sanjana and dearest friend and brother in law Chandradhar in 1700 BCE Harappa is narrated alternately with story of Vidyut, his fiancee Damini, closest friend Bala, his childhood friend Naina, great grand father Dwarka Shastri and warrior monks of DevRakshas math in modern day Benares.

It's a clash of good and evil, light and dark, Dev Rakshas math and 'The order' from Rome. 

This book counters the theory purported by west that Harappans did not know horses and were defeated and displaced by horse riding, fair skinned, blue eyed Aryans from West. Author says that this was the theory propagated by British deliberately to subjugate Indian populace through psychological warfare to impress on Indian minds that Indian race was an inferior race and requires civilized and superior race for their salvation. That's why they destroyed the excavated Brahminnabad, before formal discovery of Harappa, and used it's baked bricks for constructing Lahore-Karachi railway line. Author says that Aryans were none other than local Harappans.

The section where Purohitji explains to Damini how, in Sanatan Dharma or Hindu Dharma there is male female equality or rather how female is considered superior, is very interesting.

Narration is interesting. Story is gripping, research is adequate, characterization is good, ancient mysticism is omnipresent, reader's interest is piqued but powers of Devta sound unreal. 

Cover depicts ancient ruins during thunder storm and flowing river against backdrop of sun. It serves the purpose of catching the eye of a potential buyer in a book shop. This book was predominantly displayed in Crossroad.

When I reached last page of the book I came to know that this is a Book 1 of the series and Book 2 'Pralay' will continue the story.  Author does not reveal this to the readers anywhere on the front page, blurb or introduction. I believe that reader should be the one who makes the decision if he wants to read a series or not and it's author's duty to inform potential readers that this book is first of a series. Not doing so is tantamount to cheating. Why would an author or publishing house do such a thing?

Why did I read this book? Harappa.

What I didn't like? Nowhere it says it's Part 1. 

What did I like?  Drama, narration. 

A good book. Recommend reading.

House of spies by Daniel Silva

"House of spies" by Daniel Silva.

This book is published by HarperCollins in 2017 and has 715 pages. This is Book 17 of Gabriel Allon series. 

Christopher Keller has become a good guy and is recruited by MI6. Gabriel is trying to balance as head of Israel's secret service and his family. When Gabriel and head of Alfa task-force of French DGSI investigate a French tycoon an attempt is made on Gabriel's life. Vengeance on Saladin is in order. 

Where is Saladin? What's the connection of French tycoon? Will Gabriel lead from front or from control room?

Saladin escaped in last book. He is wrecking terror in Europe with multiple bomb blasts. Gabriel hatches an elaborate plot, costing half a billion dollars, to snare JLM and reach Saladin.

The story takes place mainly in England, France and Morocco. Its a rare case of collaboration between Israeli, American, British and French intelligence agencies. A lot of emphasis is on humint (human intelligence) and sigint (signal or electronic intelligence).

Story is interesting.  Narration is good. Characterization is decent. When the main objective of the mission is achieved, a secondary threat, and a major one, is unleashed. Gabriel and Christopher deal with it. But would Britain allow as Israeli spy to operate on it's soil officially and agree that it does not have good agents, in reality? 

The book also fails to reveal who exploded the bombs to kill Gabriel, what the motive was and how did they pull it off? The title of this book has very little relevance to the story. The name could have been anything else.

It's typically Israeli philosophy of elimination without mercy. Remember the revenge of Munich Olympic killings? Gabriel has to get to Saladin to kill three birds in one stone. In reality he kills many birds in one stone. 

When the story ends, book doesn't end. It continues and drags on and on unnecessarily. This overshadows the effect of a good climax. Deleting these pages would have done a lot of good to this book.

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Dragged end.

What did I like? Character of Gabriel, spy with a conscience. 

A very good book. Recommend reading.