Operation Dragon Strike by Rahul Badami

"Operation Dragon Strike" by Rahul Badami - Good thriller!

This book was published by Goel Parkshan in Jan 2020 and has 210 pages. This is Book 2 of 'Armaan Ahmed' series. 

Cyber attack on one of the most important database of India. Suspect China. A mission without Arman who is on punishment duty. Submarines. Retaliation. A traitor. A countdown. 

What database was attacked? How can India prove? How can India retaliate? Has Arman lost confidence of General Singh? How will it end?

Like first book, author doesn't waste time for setting up the story and creating the background. Action starts immediately and the plot and background develops as the story unveils. It's becoming a USP of Rahul Badami.

Last book ended with announcement of mission to Urumqui, Xinjiang, China. That's where the story takes off. It takes us to Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China and India. The story has good flow and pace. Readers attention never diverts. The story happens in 72 hours.

Author gives a shock in the last line of the book that creates an anticipation for next book, exactly like he did in first book. Another USP?

Arman and his team Baldev, Roshan, Hitesh are sent on separate missions by  General Vishwajeet Singh. Will they converge?

Character of Arman was rebellious and patriotic in first book. In this book he comes out as rash and patriotic. The relationship between Arman and General Singh deteriorates further in this book and is expected to deteriorate even further in next. 

Like previous book, the are loose ends in this book too. Why Manohar did not track Arman's mobile? How come DIA doesn't know whereabouts of operative who uses DIA plane for transport? Why the security system around the mansion is rudimentary? Why go to this length when goal could have been achieved earlier?

This book does not contain summary of previous book. Author's previous book came in 2017. 4 years is a lot of time for a sequel. Public has a short memory. I had to read my review of previous book to come up to speed. 

The submarine makes in Singapore straits is heart pounding.

All in all Rahul is a promising author and I look forward for the third book of the series. 

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

What I didn't like? Loose ends 

What did I like? Everything else. 

Recommend reading.

The Phoenix by Bilal Siddiqui

"The Phoenix" by Bilal Siddiqui - Unfulfilled potential! 

This book is published by Penguin eBury Press in 2020 and has 240 pages. 

An Indian intelligence official has set up a task force to undertake unsanctioned operations. One operation, two deaths, one suicide and one rigorous imprisonment as a result of an operation gone wrong, or does it? Time leap. An international plot, a story, a murder, imprisoned intelligence operative on loose,  apocalypse, Scorpion. What next?

What is Phoenix 5? What is the international plot? What is the threat? Who is behind it? Who is scorpion?

This is a spy thriller. Aryaman is the hero. Story has a promising start and develops nicely in the initial period. But as the story progresses, it starts to come off seam, then it slowly unravels and eventually becomes absurd.

Rather than using real names, author uses fictitious names for intelligence agencies. So ISI is PIA, RAW is IRW. Don't see a point in doing so.

Amarjyot's actions defy his character. Protagonist is a heavy smoker. His sidekick smokes. Ladies smoke. The villains smoke. In fact, every single character of importance smokes. Looks like author is advertising smoking. Why promote it?

The story has a number of irrational things. 

Why steal the formula? How does everyone know the name of the Israeli who is supposed to be nameless and faceless? How did Indian intelligence create digital reconstruction of Eymen and Asra? Why trap Aryaman? If Randhir came on bike, how come nobody heard him? Why code name is required at the end but not earlier? If Eymen doesn't know scorpion, how does he know about rendezvous? Eyman's decision to die is based on so little, it's perplexing. Then his decision to live is even more perplexing. These irregularities, at times, make the plot weak and at times, make it ridiculous. The high point of absurdity is the identity of Scorpion. How did he raise money? How did he create a world wide organization? Why did he do, what he did at the end? Everything absurd.

Book ends with precursor to a sequel or sequels. Expect more. Book cover is gaudy with combination of green and red. But conveys the message that it's a thriller. The title doesn't have a big significance to the story. 

Bilal Siddiqui is a young author of Bard of the blood, which was made into Netflix series (though book was better), and protégé of S. Hussain Zaidi. This is his 4th book. He doesn't live up to expectations. 

This could have been a good book. The seed had potential but application lacked finesse and execution isn't tidy. 

Why did I read this book? Author's showed promise in previous book. 

What I didn't like? Lot of things as enumerated above. 

What did I like? Plot.  

AVOID. 

No comebacks by Frederick Forsyth

"No comebacks" by Frederick Forsyth - Impressive!

This book is published by Arrow in 2011 and has 336 pages. This is a collection of short stories. 

No comebacks: A rich businessman contracts a mercenary to kill husband of the lady he loves. But there will be no comebacks. 

The Emperor - Murgatroyd, a banker, goes for a paid vacation to Mauritius. He decides to take a boat trip without the knowledge of his wife and what a trip he has! 

There are some days: A meticulous plan. A perfect crime. It goes wrong. Can it worsen?

Money with menaces: Samuel Nutkin discovers a dirty magazine. It upsets his world. What would be the price of his dalliance? Will he comply?

Used in evidence: Bill Hanley, a Policeman, has a job to evict an old man from his house that will be demolished. What buried skeletons does he have?

Privilege: A newspaper implies that Bill Chadwick, a businessman, was involved in some sort of corruption. Will he sue or will he employ another strategy?

A careful man: Timothy Hansen's doctor tells him that he has only two months to live. With no wife and no children how can he plan allocation of his property? How careful is he?

Sharp practice: In 1938, a Judge meets a stranger (O'connor) and a priest in a train. They get talking and start playing cards. Who wins?

First story has a big twist at the end. 

The story 'The Emperor' reminded me of Ernest Hemingway's 'The old man and the sea'. What a story! 'There are some days' was the one not so good. 

The protagonist in all the stories is Male and middle aged. The protagonist is conflicted.  He employs a very unconventional idea in each story. 

It's a collection of fantastic stories. Author demonstrates that it doesn't take a big novel to get the reader interested, create a plot, develop characters and give a twist. They are all pocket dynamos. Each story is exhilarating and has a twist at the end. Never gets dull. Can't stop. 

Why did I read this book? Author

What I didn't like? One story. 

What did I like? Everything else. 

It's a page turner. Recommend reading. 

The Mohanbari murders by Esha Pandey

"The Mohanbari murders" by Esha Pandey -  Too short!

This book is published in 2010 and has 47 pages. 

ASP Simran Jamwal, daughter of Colonel Jamwal and Rajni Jamwal, 5' 8", fair, beautiful with waist length hair, chose IPS as career. 

A murder of 9 year old boy is reported in Bhawanipura, Mohanbari, Assam.

Why was the boy murdered? Can Simran solve the case? Whodunnit?

It's a single story. Short and simple. Actually too short and very simple. Not much investigation, not much deduction. Author doesn't get time to establish the characters, background, plot and jumps directly into action. 

Not sure why author made this book so short. Due to short length of book, everything happens in a hurry. I thought author could have used a few more pages to establish uneasy relationship between Simran and Imran. A few more pages for investigation and deduction would have been nice too.

Author says that she plans to write this as a series. So expect more books with Simran and Imran in them. Unless she allows the story to flourish, the series may not be exciting. 

All in all, the book is not satisfactory. 

Why did I read this book? Was available and was small.  

What I didn't like? Length and consequent restrictions it put on author. 

What did I like? Simran.

Give it a miss. 

Eat that frog by Brian Tracy

"Eat that frog" by Brian Tracy - A masterpiece!

This edition of book was published by Berrett Koehler Publishers / Penguin Random House. This edition was published in 2018 and has 144 pages. 

This book provides 21 ways to stop procrastinating and get more done in less time.  Essentially time management!

'Frog' is the biggest, most important, hardest task, one that you are more likely to procrastinate, that you should do first, quickly and well every day. 

1 Set the table: Clarity is essential. Think on paper. 7 step plan. Decide what you want, write it down, set a deadline, make a list of everything you have to do to achieve your goal, organize list into plan, take action immediately, resolve to do something every day that takes you towards your goal. 

2 Plan every day in advance:

Make a master list of activities. Then prepare monthly, weekly and daily lists. Organize based on priority and sequence. Stay with end in mind and work backwards. 

3 Apply 80-20 rule (Pareto principal) to everything: 20% of activities will account for 80% of results. Resist temptation to clear up small things first. Hardest part of task is to get started. Often time required to complete important job is same as the one required to fo unimportant job. 

4 Consider the consequences: Long time perspective is single most important thing. Clear long term vision helps making right short term decision. Long term results are consequences of short term decisions. 

5 Practice the ABCDE method continually: Make a list of task. Prioritize as A must do (frog), B should do (tadpole), C nice to do, D can delegate, E can eliminate. Practice every day before start of work. 

6 Focus on key result areas: Ask why am I on tbe Pay role? Identify your key result areas (Typically planning, organizing, staffing, delegating, supervising, measuring, and reporting). Rate yourself in each of them. Your weakest key result area sets the height st which you can use all other skills and abilities.  People tend to avoid tasks in their weak area. This aggravates the situation. Ask what single skill if you develop and did in greatest fashion will have greatest positive impact on your career?

7 Obey the law of forced efficiency: There's never enough time to do everything but there is always enough time to do the most important thing. Average person works at 110-130 % efficiency. What are my highest value activities (at work, life)? What can I and only I do, that if done well, will make a difference? What is the most valuable use of my time right now?

8 Prepare thoroughly before you begin: No matter what the level of your ability, you have more potential than you can develop in your lifetime. Keep all the required things for the task in hand ready. Prepare in advance. Create a work area. Assume body language of high performer. Once you start, keep going until the job is over. 

9 Do your homework: The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be. Continually upgrade your skills in your area of strength. Continuous learning is key to success in any field. Read or listen for 30 to 60 minutes everyday, material that helps you professionally. The more you learn, the more you can learn. 

10 Leverage your special talents: Identify your unique talents and abilities. What is it that you most enjoy about your work? What do you do well?

11 Identify your key constraints: Why aren't you at your goal already? Identify the limiting factor and try to alleviate it. 

12 Take it one oil barrel at a time: One step at a time. Go as far as you see and you will see further. Leap and net will appear. Get started!

13 Put the pressure on yourself: Apply your energies to one problem incessantly. Don't wait for others. Become high performance, high achieving personality. 

14 Maximize your personal powers: Master at least one field. More tierd you get more mistakes you make. Find the time you are best at. Long hours is not effective work. Switch off TV and sleep at 10pm. A change is as good as a break. Take vacations. Watch what you eat. Exercise.

15 Motivated yourself into action: Talk to yourself. I can do it. Resolve to become a complete optimist. 

16 Practice creative procrastination: You can't do everything that you have to do. Procrastinate, outsource, delegate, eliminate lower value activity. Creative procrastination is act of thoughtfully and deliberately deciding upon exact things you are not going to do right now, if ever.

17 Do the most difficult task first: Make list of work to do. Identify most imp task. Clear work space. Start task.

18 Slice and dice the task: Salami slice method. Complete One slice at a time. Psychologically easy. You have urge to completion. Swiss cheese method. Punch a hole in task.

19 Create large chunks of time: Work in specific time segments. Plan your day in advance. Set aside 30-60-90 minutes for specific tasks and concentrated work without interruption. 

20 Develop a sense of urgency: Set priority. Get into state of 'flow'. Sense if urgency is an inner drive to get going and keep going at a steady rate. Repeat the words 'Do it now' and 'Back to work'.

 

21 Single handle every task: Once you get going, keep going. Tendency of staying and stopping a task can increase time to complete task by up to 500%. Don't waste time. Self dialaflight, Self mastery and Self control are basic building blocks of character and high performance. 

Author provides some interesting rules, principles, definitions in this book. I have enumerated a few here:

First rule of frog eating- If you have to eat too frogs, eat the ugliest one first. 

3Ds of new habit formation- Decision, discipline and determination are important qualities.

Self discipline- Make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not. 

6P formula- Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

10-90 rule of personal effectiveness. Spend 10% time in planning and organizing work will help you 90% time in getting job done. 

Momentum principle of success: It takes tremendous amount of energy to get going initially, it takes fast less energy to keep going.

Author starts each chapter with a quote from various management gurus and time management experts like Augmentino, Peter Drucker, Napoleon Hill,  James Allen, Alan Lakein, William Mathews, Gandhiji etc..

The book is good and is a treasure. Author hads Done his job. But the devil lies in execution and implementation. Over to the reader.....

Why did I read this book? Author. Interesting title. 

What I didn't like?  Repetition of some points. 

What did I like? Everything else. 

Recommend reading.