Dwandv: The battle for the Gate by Dinkar Goswami

Mandar book review (17th Dec 2021)

"Dwandv: The battle for the Gate" by Dinkar Goswami - A misnomer!

This e-book is independently published in 2021 and has 314 pages. This is Book 1 of the series. 

Gerua (Indian father and American mother) and Kally (caucasian American), beautiful young ladies and best friends, decide on a whim to go to India to learn yog. A yogi warns them to beware of Aghoris. While travelling in Himalayas Kally is lost to evil. Tony (he and Gerua are falling in love) is separated from Gerua. Gerua is taken to a mysterious abode to fulfill a prophecy. She gets a shocking news and her life changes. 

Where does Gerua reach? What is the prophecy? What role is Gerua destined to play? Who took Kally? Which gate is the battle for?

I thought that Gerua and Kally being American had some significance. But there is none. Gerua's work is cut-out. She has to protect Danta, ensure that he reaches the gate and then let him go. Character of Bubba plays the villain and is assisted by Aghori's, pishachchas, asuras etc. The story is mildly interesting. Just enough to not let you abandon the book. 

The title of the book is battle for the gate, so I thought that majority of the book will be the said battle. But that's not the case. The battle is an anti climax. Majority of the book is preparation and journey to the gate. So the title is a misnomer. 

Book cover is stunning. It shows a supple lady with long loose hair wearing yellow dhoti & red kanchuki walking through fire. 

Expect a sequel sometime in future. 

Why did I read this book? Book cover. 

What did I like? Flow.

What I didn't like? Not exciting enough. 

Not a must read. 

The far field by Madhuri Vijay

"The far field" by Madhuri Vijay - Over to J&K! 

This book is published by Fourth Estate India in 2019 and has 444 pages. This is author's debut novel.

Shalini was very close to her mother. After her death, nothing interests Shalini. She is fired from her job. Aimless and drifting along, she impulsively decides to search Basheer Ahmed, a roving salesman of fabrics from Kashmir, who became a friend of her moody, outspoken and impulsive mother long time ago. She doesn't know anything about Basheer except his name, doesn't even know thre name of his village. 

Why does Shalini want to find Basheer? Will she find him? Will she be safe in J&K? What is this all about?

Shalini's story takes us from Bangalore to Kishtwar to a village in mountains and back to Bangalore. She meets good people in J&K, really good human beings. But how will her presence be taken by locals?

Shalini is basically lost. She doesn't know what she wants. She is hungry for relations and relationships, sometimes real, sometimes imaginary. She tries to become a family with whomever she meets. This leads to one disastrous decision after another. It's a story of self discovery. Search of relationships by a young lady, search for humanity. Shalini finds it all in J&K, technically Jammu area. She meets good people, simple folks who earn less but have big hearts. Materialistic pleasures have no place in the quiet but rigorous village life. There is a willingness to help and care. Everyone has ample time. 

Although author has created J&K life,  there is invisible threat of terrorists and terrorism. There is also an omnipotent presence of Indian army and fear of it. Later it comes in the out. 

I felt that author was biased against army. All the locals are nice, god fearing decent folks. Even when they side with terrorism, it's white washed. On the contrary army is shown initially as a threat and later as outright villain. Pretty one sided.

Pace of the story is slow. Initially I thought that the story will end in Kashmir, but that doesn't happen. Then there is a six year time leap and then it ends where it could have ended before time leap. 

Madhuri was born in Bengaluru and lives in Hawaii. This book had won 2019 JCB prize for literature. JCB prize for literature, established in 2018, is Rs 25 Lakh award presented to distinguished work of fiction by an Indian author, each year. 

Why did I read this book? Curiosity and JCB prize. 

What I didn't like? Bias.

What did I like? Simple life.  

Read if you don't mind the genre. 

The Reckoning by John Grisham

"The Reckoning" by John Grisham - Too slow!

This book is published by Holder & Stoughton in 2018 and has 512 pages. 

Pete Banning, a war veteran and prominent cotton farmer from Clanton - Mississippi, kills Reverend Dexter Bell. Joel and Stella (his college going children) and Flory (his sister) and the entire county is perplexed. His wife is in asylum. Pete refuses to speak or defend himself and is executed.  

Why did he kill the Reverend? Why doesn't he defend himself? Why did he transfer his farm and house to his children before murder?

Story is set in 1946. It was the time of racial discrimination. Blacks were called Negros. They were treated as inferior. Some were even bonded. No one minded this. Sounds very strange today. With this backdrop, the story assumes a different meaning. 

A white man killing another white man is unheard of. A sensational murder trial with white man as accused and that too a farmer killing a respected Reverend is a scandal. In a county where nothing much happens, this is a juicy gossip.

The story, however, is slow, very slow, very very slow. Readers continue reading the book only to find out why Pete killed the Reverend. The answer comes at the very end. Readers have guessed it by that time and rather than coming as a surprise, it comes as a inevitable confirmation. 

The mood of the story is somber, atmosphere is drab. Things keep happening. Author opens a number of side tracks like Marianne, McLeash etc. but doesn't follow up. Rather than enhancing the story they lengthen it.

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Umm...

What I didn't like? Length, pace, predictability. 

AVOID.

One good deed by David Baldacci

"One good deed" by David Baldacci - Aloysius Archer starts!

This book is published by Macmillan in 2019 and has 432 pages. This is Book 1 of 'Aloysius Archer series'.

It's 1949. Piddleman owns half of Poka city. Jackie Tuddle is his mistress and Marjory his wife. They coexist. War veteran Aloysius Archer is released from prison on parole and comes to Poka city. Piddleman gives him a job to collect a debt from Jackie's father. Piddleman is murdered. Needle of suspicion is on Archer. Another murder. Suspect, again Archer. 

Did Archer commit the murders? Can an ex-convict be looked at impartially? Who is the murderer? Why?

The story is set in 1949, the old times. Author has created a new character, Archer, who is a decorated war veteran and is convicted for a crime he did not commit. This release on parole is his second chance but the ex-convict tag follows him like a faithful dog. The murders mess things up, or does it? He meets two interesting ladies. Jackie Tuddle, the mistress, and Ernestine Crabtree, the parole officer. Does Archer have a way with ladies or is it the other way round? He also strikes a rapport with Shaw, the investigating inspector. Then there is Mr. Tuddle, Jackie's father and Mr. Piddleman, two rival businessmen.

Ernestine is a beautiful name. I don't know anyone with that name. Probably went out of fashion. Unfortunate!

Although story happens in 1949, author's description of the times does not strike the sepia note. The story could have happened in today's time without much change to it. Creation of past era in this book is not as powerful as Clive Cussler's Isaac Bell series. 

Some questions: What exactly is it that convinces Shaw of Archer's innocence? Why is discovery of Dictaphone so easy? Why does everyone favour Archer? Why does Ernestine allow an ex-convict to stay at her house? Which one was the one good deed?

Author has set the character of Archer for a long haul. Expect a series. This book only introduces the character to the readers and takes them through the early making of the character. More to come. 

Why did I read this book? Author.

What I didn't like? Weak creation of period atmosphere. 

What did I like? Archer and his beginning. 

Read, if you will read the series.

Swear you won't tell? by Vedashree Khambete-Sharma

"Swear you won't tell?" by Vedashree Khambete-Sharma - A murder not-mystery!

This book is published by HarperCollins India in 2018 and has 244 pages. This is Book 1 of Avantika Pandit series. 

Avantika Pandit is reporter (feature writer) at The Mumbai Daily. One day she is asked to cover the fashion show of Ayesha, who happens to be her school nemesis. She is also asked to interview Ayesha. When she reaches her home for interview, she comes to know that Lakshmi, Aaisha's best friend and formerly Avantika's best friend is dead. Avanti wants to know more about Lakshmi.

How did Lakshmi die? Will Aaisha and Avanti forget and forgive? What happens to Avanti's critical situation at The Mumbai Daily? Why this title?

The story has interesting characters. Avantika, the loud mouth scrawny young lady who had no friends in school. Nathan, her boss who is unhappy with her performance and attitude.

Aaisha, her school nemesis, who now owns a fashion brand. Dhruv, Aaisha's handsome elder brother. Lakshmi, Avanti's former best friend who crossed over to the dark side (Aaisha). Uday Desai, Avantika's only friend and colleague.

Lakshmi is dead. But details of her death are hard to come. Avanti keeps encountering classmates who were her nemesis. But she doesn't give up. She figures out the murder mystery but has no proof. 

The story is not fast. Author goes back in flash back multiple times to provide the background story and information to the readers. Author has tried to make Dhruv's character enigmatic but he comes out as sincere. Avanti is driven but appears a little bit immature. 

Author has a very good command over English language. Her construction of sentences is very good, observant, witty and likeable. Some of the examples are:

"His mind was so sharp that you could dice tomatoes with it"

"He was, at the time, suffering from a serious case of being born brown"

"Some days you were just a hydrant for the world to piss on"

"It was like finding a baby dragon in a chivda box"

"Her eyes now felt drier than sandpaper left out in the sun in sub-Saharan Africa."

"She was feeling more out of place than a vegetarian at a beacon breakfast" etc.

Every chapter has a number of footnotes. Many of them regarding Indian words.  Probably the book is designed fo non Indian readership.

Book ends with a possibility of romance with two possible suitors for Avanti. Who will she choose? What will be her next challenge? Expect Book 2.

Author was previously a top ad-woman and journalist. 

Why did I read this book? Goodreads ratings.  

What did I like? Witty English. 

What I didn't like? Lack of thrill. 

Read if you have spare time. 

The broker by John Grisham

"The broker" by John Grisham - Too easy end!

This book is published by RHUK in 2005 and has 480 pages. 

Arthur Morgan, Incumbent President, has lost the election. In his last few hours in office he takes a controversial decision under pressure from CIA. Presidential pardon to Joel Backman, an infamous power broker. Backman carries many secrets and CIA can't kill him. So, after pardon he is set up in Italy under assumed identity. His identity will be leaked to someone who will willingly kill him. 

Who is looking for Backman? Why? What does he possess? What will CIA do? How long will he survive?

Backman is a powerful lobbyist who worked 80 hours a week, who influenced a number of decisions in DC and changed the outcome of numerous bills. In personal life, he has three failed marriages and three children. But at the end of the day, he is alone.

Backman has something that everyone wants. It's called Jam. America, Israel, Saudi Arabia and many others are after it. Who will get to Backman first? Can Backman evade the pressures in Italy? What's his connection with Francesca? There is also the eternal animosity between CIA & FBI.

While Backman learns Italian language and Italian way of life, readers also get a crash course in Italian. It's enjoyable. However, author spends a lot of time in the Italian tuitions and drinking hundreds of cups of espresso. Does it cannibalize the page space of the main story? Probably, yes. 

The story develops nicely. The cloak and dagger game is on. Backman makes a run. At this point the reader is very interested. But the last section of the book is a bit anti climactic. The end comes too easily. It does not stand up to the build up of the story. So at the end, even if you are not disappointed, you remain unsatisfied. 

Author makes it a point to muck up the cash for pardon scandal. But at the end decides to leave the readers high and dry about it. No trace of who was behind the scandal? Who the money trail eventually led to? Who was guilty? It's a big loose end. 

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Italian sojourn.

What I didn't like? Too easy end. 

Read if you have time. 

Inspector Ghote's good crusade by H. R. F. Keating

"Inspector Ghote's good crusade" by H. R. F. Keating - whodunnit!. 

This book was originally published in 1966. This edition of book is published by Severn House in 2020 and has 208 pages. This is Book 2 of Inspector Ghote series. 

Frank Masters, an American millionaire, who runs a foundation for vagrant children in Mumbai, is dead. His doctor says it's arsenic poisoning. CID inspector Ghote is assigned to the case. 

Was it arsenic poisoning? Was it murder? Who killed Frank Masters? Why?

The arsenic was stolen from dispensary that had a special lock and only one key. A number of people had a chance. A German house keeper who claims to be with a swami at the time of murder. An English lady doctor who is brusque and probably racist. Edward G, a smart and sleek vagrant child whose truth and lies are difficult to decipher. Tarzan, an acrobatic vagrant child who runs away when approached. Sunny, an Anglo Indian medical worker who was supposed to have the key to the room with poison. Chatterjee, a social worker eager to please. Amrit Singh, a notorious criminal and smuggler. 

This story is not like a typical whodunit. Ghote is here to stay, so it gives us glimpses of Ghote the human being, Ghote the husband and Ghote the inspector. He is impressionable. He is gullible. He is determined. He is persistent. He is intelligent. 

DSP, his boss, gives him direct orders that go against his conscience. Rather than falling in line and obeying orders he relentlessly pursues the facts and tries to find the truth. He doesn't believe in deviating a little bit in the interest of greater good. 

This book has a lot of investigation. For most part Ghote appears clueless. But at the end he cracks the case. How he reaches his conclusion? How he deduced the identity of murderer? What solid proof does he have to prove his charge? Answers to these are a bit nebulous. 

The story is slow. It's not a happening story. So after a while readers start losing interest. But my interest was not totally lost and I completed the book. 

HRF Keating wrote a series of 26 crime novels of Inspector Ghote over a period of 45 years.

Why did I read this book? Curiosity of English author and Indian hero. 

What I didn't like? Pace, lack of proof. 

What did I like? Human Ghote. 

Not a must read.