The last Don by Mario Puzo

​"The last Don" by Mario Puzo - Hollywood and Mafia! 

This book is published by RHUK in 2009 and has 496 pages. 

Don Domenico Clericuzio, his sons and nephew (PP Delena) have fought a mafia war with rival family and won. It has cost the Don one son and husband of his only daughter, Rosemary. Don wants a smooth transition from illegal business to legal business. Time leap. PP Delena has a son, Crucefizio (Cross). Rosemary has a son, Dante. They are the only two from new generation in the “family business”.

Who will inherit the family business? Dante, Cross or someone else? Will the exterminated Santa Deo gang rear it’s head again? Will Cross succeed in show biz or are the movie guys too smart for him? 

The book depicts  the show biz as glitzy, passionate, egotistic. Here sex trades as currency, to curry favors, exchange pleasure or simply a casual act. It involves the actors, aspiring actors, directors, producers, writers and studio. It shows how one exploits other, how one screws other and how one benefits from other. 

This book shows two worlds. First is the mafia world and second is the show biz. Although readers enjoy the show biz, it’s the mafia world and the strong undercurrent of violence, not really the violence, that peaks their interest. This is the world that retains audience interest. 

Considering the two happening worlds, the book is not very eventful. One would expect some action all the time. That’s not the case. There is some action, but it’s not full of action. 

You know that Athena is an actress who uses her beauty and the effect she has on others as currency. You know that although handsome, well behaved, cool, Cross is from a mafia family and active in the business. Yet you like the characters. Despite being 80 years old Don still is in control of family affairs. He is the man with foresight. Dante is dashing. He is the heir apparent. But he is conflicted. 

There is a surprise element in the book, but it’s not concealed properly. Intelligent readers can guess it. While reading the book the final curiosity reader has is about who the last Don will be?  Author conceals this answer well. Of course it’s revealed in the end. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? Undercurrent. Insights in mafia and Hollywood.  

Recommend reading. 

Sauvasitika: The struggle of Shantiputra by Ashwin Sanghi

​"Sauvasitika: The struggle of Shantiputra" by Ashwin Sanghi -  Incomplete!

This ebook was published by Westland in 2020 and has 38 pages.

Rahul, a fisherman of Saptadweep islands finds an intricately carved gold pendant with left pointing Swastika. Pankaj, a farmer from Dheeli Reti dessert also finds a similar pendant. Shalini, a blacksmith from coastal Mudirasa find one too. Aruna, a perfumer from Kalisthal too finds one. All these places are part of Chaaranga. Shantiputra from Sukhavati in Shambhala connects with the four. Sankatputra, the dark lord from Madhyabindu is rising. 

Then the book ends.

You read right. Then the book ends. Neither does the book cover says that this is a series nor is the sequel published in last two years. I don’t understand why would one publish a 38 page book with incomplete story. Usually sequels are written when a single full book can’t accommodate the story. Writing a series with first book of 38 pages and then not publishing sequel defies logic. 

I firmly believe that whether to read a series or not is readers prerogative and its author’s duty to tell the readers that this is a series. Author fails to do so. 

The story is written in amateurish style. Probably he wrote when he was in school.  It’s written very simplistically. It’s predictable. 

The sentence that I liked most from this book was “Happiness was not about having what one wanted, but wanting what one had.”

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Incompleteness. Writing style. 

What did I like? One sentence. 

AVOID. 

The Indus challenge by R. Durgadoss

​"The Indus challenge" by R. Durgadoss - Brahmastra in times of Chanakya!

This book is published by Rupa publications India in 2016 and has 320 pages. This is Janam 2 (Book 2) of the series. 

For readers like me, who haven’t read Janam 1, author gives summary of Janam 1 to create background. 

It’s 306 BC.  It’s the story of Rudra, wilder of Brahmastra and commander in chief of Chandragupta Maurya. It starts from his childhood, his attaining the Siddhi under able guidance of Chanakya, creation of empire, Chandragupta’s marriage to Greek princess Helen, the palace politics and the ominous curse of short life. 

Most of the first part of this book is pillow talk between two pairs, Chandragupt Maurya and his wife Helen and Commander in Chief Rudra and his wife Swastika. 

The story is written in a floral but unattractive way. Reader doesn’t get excited. Events are just placed one after other rather than stringing them in a story. Author also appears to be undecided about what Brahmastra does. Initially he explains the after effects of Brahmastra are like a nuclear weapon. Later he shows it being used as a precision weapon to kill just one person without harming the one next to him. Then he shows it used as a tracking device. There are discrepancies about age too. Chandragupta is 40 years old when his grandson Ashoka is identified as potential heir. His son commits murder after thinking it through at the age of 5. The list goes on….

Ashwatthama is an important character in this book. It was expected that he learns something from the curse. But rather than being repentant, he appears vengeful and even petty. Character of Rudra’s father also undergoes a sudden inexplicable transformation that’s not digestible. 

Book ends with a preamble for Janam 3. I strongly suspect that it’s going to be about Ashoka’s nine unknowns. 

Why did I read this book? Blurb.

What I didn't like? Narration . 

What did I like? Umm…

Give it a miss. 

The dark hours by Michael Connelly

​"The dark hours" by Michael Connelly - Murder and Rape! 

This book is published by Orion in 2021 and has 400 pages. This is Book 23 of Ballard & Bosch series. 

Times of Corona, end of 2020, Los Angeles. Defunding has resulted in Detective Rene Ballard working dark hours alone, without a partner. Ballard gets two cases. First case is Midnight men, a two men rape team who breaks into house occupied by single ladies, tie them, blindfold and rape them. Second case is a Murder of an ex-gang banger during new year fireworks. This is too much for a single person, but Ballard doesn’t want to let go any of the cases. She teams with Harry Bosch, her mentor and a retired detective, without knowledge of her superior.

Will Ballard be able to retain both cases? Will Ballard be able to crack them? Will Ballard lose her job for involving an outsider and for insubordination?

The story is good. A little on slower side, but that is expected in the investigative work. What’s important is that author retains audience interest. Ballard and Bosch are interesting characters. Both are driven. Both are true detectives. Both don’t care for being politically correct. Both are pain in the neck for their superiors and both get results. 

Book ends with a question mark. Will Ballard remain with Hollywood division of LAPD or will she go private? Guess we will have to wait for Book No. 27. 

After reading this book, I happened to notice that there are five seasons of ’Bosch’ on Amazon Prime, a show dedicated to Harry Bosch based on previous books. Started watching it and completed 2 seasons. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? The rest 

Recommend reading, if you are or are planning to read the series. 

Active measures by Marc Cameron

​"Active measures" by Marc Cameron - Tepid!

This book is published by Pinnacle in 2019 and has 576 pages. This is Book 8 of Jericho Quinn series. 

At the end of Cuban missile crisis, when Russians left with their nukes, one missile was left behind but all the men in the know died. Fast forward to present times. A Cuban general discovers the missile. A Cuban scientist escapes to America but is killed by Cuban intelligence on American soil. Enter Jericho Quinn. He and his team of Veronica (Ronnie) Garcia, Jacques Tibido and Emico Miagi head for a Mission to Cuba.

Will they be safe in Cuba? What will they find there? Can they neutralize the missile?

Jericho is tall, dark and handsome. Ronnie, beautiful by any standards with Cuban mother and Russian father, is his fiancée. Jacques, the eye patch wearing hulk is his best friend. Emico, a petite Japanese, knows more ways to kill without weapon than most. In Cuba Ronnie has an aunt, Auntie Peppa, a mysterious fortune teller. Then there is Odesa, Ronnie’s half sister. There is an American scientist of Cuban origin, Violeta Cruze. The characters are in place. The story happens in Cuba. 

The story is sluggish. There are no high octane scenes. The readers don’t sit on the edge of their seats. It’s a languid affair. For an exciting seed like this, American agents in Cuba looking to neutralize a nuke, the possibilities are limitless, but story is tepid. It could have been more exciting. Even the climax is slow. That sums it up. 

Why did I read this book? Author.

What I didn't like? Tepid story.

What did I like? Character of Peppa. 

Give it a miss. 

Dharmayoddha Kalki - Avatar of Vishnu by Kevin Missal

​"Dharmayoddha Kalki - Avatar of Vishnu" by Kevin Missal - Slow burn. 

This book is published by Fingerprint! Publishing  in 2018 and has 464 pages. This is Book 1 of the Kalki series. 

Story starts with Kali making a pact with tribals (Naga led by Vasuki and his sister Manasa, Yaksha led by Kuvera and Rakshasa led by Raktapa) against Manav king Vedanta. Kalki, a strapping young man in village Shambhala unifies the villagers against Durukti, Kali’s sister. Kali is the Adharma and a very powerful one. Kalki is the designated Dharma but hasn’t gained powers. It’s the job of  his friends to keep him safe until then. 

Kripacharya (the Guru), Arjun (Kalki’s younger brother), Bala (His powerful friend), Lakshmi (Kalki’s love interest), Ratri (Lakshmi’s aunt), Padma (a rebel) and Shuko (the parrot) are the characters that assist Kalki. But not everyone survives. 

It’s a story full of intrigue, politics, one up man ship, betrayal, assassinations, greed, power and politics. There is soma, the elixir and then there’s destiny. 

Here Yaksha, Naga, Rakshas are tribes that are alienated from mainstream humans known as Manavs. They are not a different species. 

Concept of Soma is also interesting. It’s a tasteless, odorless blue l

iquid contained in soma stones. It is elixir for those who can sustain it and poison to others. 

The story has too many deaths. At least 5-6 important characters die. You start thinking that this character will play important role in the series and it dies. Is anyone reminded of Game of Thrones? Wonder if author will bring new characters for remaining two books of the trilogy. 

This being a mytho-fantasy I expected it to be an high octane affair but it turned out to be a Slow burn instead. 

Why did I read this book? Blurb.

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? Concept.  

Read if you want to read the series. 

The last girl to fall in love" by Durjoy Datta

​"The last girl to fall in love" by Durjoy Datta- In dystopian future!

I read Hindi version of the book. 

Manav is a young unemployed man looking for a job who lives with his father in Chawl. Sandhya is a girl earmarked for great things. She becomes scientist at 16 and is developing vaccines. She is given a man (Manav’s father) as test subject for black virus. He shows signs of recovery before dying. Guilt ridden  Sandhya seeks Manav and brings him home under guise of lab testing. 

What happens between them? Would it be acceptable? Will they declare their love? Will the society accept it?

The novel is set in indistinct dystopian future or parallel universe. The world is now run by females. Male species is considered good for nothing. Their only utility is to become test subjects to test vaccine on Black Plague or do manual labor. 

It’s a tussle between PM and opposition leader. PM Sagarika Kumar considers male species equivalent to insects and would do anything to remain in power. Opposition leader Veera Kaur supports freedom to men and freedom of sex for women and would do anything to bring down the PM. Then there is KP district, a free society of males and females. The males have to depend on daily vaccine shots, smuggled from area controlled by females, to stay alive.

It’s an interesting concept. Execution is not overly exciting but it’s decent. You don’t lose interest. The story has uneven pace. The end could have been better. 

I read Hindi version of the book. It was apparent that it was translated from English. Some sentences were more transliteration than translation. Construction of many sentences appeared strange because of this. It was substandard translation. No idea how such poor translation passed the litmus test of quality. 

Why did I read this book? Hindi for a change. 

What did I like? Concept.

What I didn't like? Poor translation. 

Read for a change, but it’s not wow!