Samsara by Saksham Garg

 "Samsara" by Saksham Garg - Mythological fiction ! 

This book is published by Penguin in 2022 and has 298 pages. 

Aman Chandra has gone into a shell for 10 yrs after being branded as traitor's son. No friends, no one to talk and practically invisible to everyone. One day a strange Sadhu called Sanaka comes to meet his mother and he eventually lands in Vanyasa. 10 souls from Samsara are admitted to Vanyasa every 10 years. The souls have to undertake mahayatra to find Madhu. But this time there is no Eka.

What is Vanyasa? Why does Aman land there? What is Madhu? What is the destination of the Mahayatra?

Vanyasa or Gyanganj or Shambhala or Shangri-la is the most sought after place. In this book, it's located in the Dronagiri mountains. Location hidden. Nandana the tree that serves as entrance to Vanyasaa with the cowries of a song. Ithika is the daughter of Vanyasa valley. Her father was banished after he stole the most important thing from Vanyasa. Chayan is the enemy of Vanyasa. He should not get hold of Madhu, the life force of Vanyasa.

Arti, Payal, Dhara, Prithvi & Ujal, Ithica, Faiza, Yuvan, Jagrav, Savitri, Dhara are the souls but this time the initiation ceremony of Adwaita has not revealed any Eka, the leader. Guru Ashwini, Mata Uttari, Mata Kritika, Chatwari sadhu are their teachers. There is Mahayana at the end of the year.

Author has tried to write a fiction capitalizing on mythology. It's a novel idea but the execution is poor. There are too many loose ends and open questions. Why the 11th soul? Why the inhabitants of Vanyasa can't find Madhu? What happens to Faisa? What is the logic behind Eka's death? What is the point of the fight with Guru Amrav? How will Indra's plan work if all religions don't follow it? Why kidnap Prithvi?

As a result, although it has some good ingredients it's not credible and digestible.

The sentence I liked from this book:

'She too was fluent in the language of silence.'

Although the book is publicized as India's answer to Harry Potter, it's not an imitation.

Why did I read this book? Recommended by Siddhant.

What did I like? Umm...

What I didn't like? As mentioned in the review.

Give it a miss!

Long shadows by David Baldacci

"Long shadows" by David Baldacci - New partner!

This book is published by Macmillan in 2022 and has 400 pages. This is Book 7 of Memory Man series. 

Amos Decker had a footballing accident that damaged his brain giving him Hyper thymesia (he never forgets anything) and Synesthesia (Associating emotions with color). He is averse to change. But his ex-partner, suffering from dementia, kill’s herself. His recent partner (Alex) moves to another city and his boss retires. Everything changes and Decker doesn't like change. He is assigned a new partner, Frederica White. They are assigned to investigate murder of a Federal Judge Julia Cummins and her bodyguard at her home in a gated community.

Can Decker put up with Frederica? Can he cope with so many changes? Is the case what it looks? Can Decker crack it?

It's a case that turns out to be a very tricky one. There are so many layers to the mystery. The needle of doubt keeps changing from one person to another. The body count increases to five. There is an attempt on Decker's life. Events that happened 40 years ago are also related. Decker can see what no one else can. His perseverance is legendary. But his brusque manner doesn't endear him to anyone. His lack of respect for authority doesn't make him popular.

The story has decent pace but slows down occasionally. There are changes happening to Decker's brain. Frederica is also a tough nut. One thing leads to another. The Soviet angle sounds outdated after so many years after fall of Soviet Union.

Why did I read this book? Have been reading the series.  

What I didn't like? The Soviet angle.

What did I like? Attention to detail.

Not a must read.

The lost temple by Vishwesh Sharma

"The lost temple" by Vishwesh Sharma - Shiva's weapons!

This book is published by Educreation publishing in 2016 and has 260 pages. 

Dr. Ela Sen, an archeologist, gets a call from her ' more than a friend' Prince Surya after 4 years asking her to come and help to decipher clues and find something. Shivnetras call Aghori's to help because a secret that was revealed. A secret they were guarding for centuries. Russians are involved and so are French. Even Chinese are involved. Government of India sends Marcos (Martin Commandos) on the mission led by Rudra aka Rudy also known as Hunter.

What did Surya find? Can Surya and Ela reconnect? Why are there foreign nations interested in something from ancient India? Can Rudy counter the foreign mercenaries? What is the secret?

Ela is a beautiful, intelligent and determined archeologist. She likes Surya when they were in college. But one day he left without saying goodbye. Now years later he calls her and asks for help. He discovers some ancient artifacts in his old family Haweli. Rudy is the best commando and even better leader. He is tall, handsome and intelligent.

The book is written in amateurish way. The clues and the tracking don't appear authentic, they appear shallow. The attraction between Elsa and Rudy seems artificial. The characters other than Ela and Rudy are underdeveloped. Several threads are left unattended like what happens to French? Where did the Chinese go? Why rescue the neckless? Why kill the General?

I had high expectations from this book, but it fell short on all counts.

Why did I read this book? Subject.

What I didn't like? Writing.

What did I like? Umm....

Give it a miss!

Crisis by Robin Cook

 "Crisis" by Robin Cook - Medical thriller! 

This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2019 and has 533 pages. This is Book 6 of Jack Stapleton & Laurie Montgomery series. 

John Stapleton (Jack) is the ophthalmologist who retrained as medical examiner after death of his wife and daughters in plane crash. He loves his fellow medical examiner Laurie Montgomery. Jack the courage and proposes her. The marriage is set one week later. Dr. Dr. Craig Bowman, a brilliant physician who runs a concierge medicine practice, gets a call from his hypochondriac patient Patient Stanhope's husband. He rushes to her residence and takes her to the hospital. She doesn't survive. Craig is slapped with a medical malpractice suit. Alexis, Jack's sister calls him for his help and emotional support. She is the wife of Craig.

Will Jack go to Boston to be with his sister less than one week before his marriage? How will Lorrie take it? Can Jack be of any help? Does Jack's penchant for trouble surface? Is Craig guilty?

The story happens in 2006. Tony Fassano, plaintiff's lawyer is street smart and makes a connection to the jury. Defendants lawyer, though articulate, doesn't make the same impact. Proceedings are going against Craig. But Jack comes with an idea of performing autopsy by exhuming the corps. Jack being a medical examiner, autopsy has to feature.

Jack has a risk taking defiant personality. His dry sense of humor and his penchant for sarcasm, even in serious situations, annoys everyone. But he also comes out as honest, expert and no nonsense guy. His perseverance pays off. Alexis is a calm woman with a lot of courage who stands with the husband who left her and hooked up with his secretary. Her three daughters are complete strangers to Jack, but he gets to know them a little bit. Character of the sidekick of Tony suddenly disappears from the story leaving the reader wondering why the character was introduced in the first place.

The story is interesting although it gets slow in patches. There is little action and limited excitement. So although you don't abandon the book, you also don't sit at the edge of your seat

There is a twist at the end of the book. I didn't see it coming, although I was wondering what happened to the pills. One issue is resolved but another pops up. That would be the subsequent book.

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Mexico-Legal angle.

What I didn't like? Lack of excitement.

Read if you plan to read the series.

The Outcast by Taran Matharu

 "The Outcast" by Taran Matharu - The battle!

This book is published by Holder Children's Books in 2019 and has 400 pages. This is Book 4 of Summoner series. It's a prequel.

Arcturus, an orphan in the northern town of Hominum, steals a scroll from a noble and reads it. He summons a demon, a Canid who he names Sacharissa. He is the first commoner with summoning abilities and although the nobles want to kill him, the King sends him to the Academy to be formally trained as Battle Mage. 

Can Arcturus become a Battle Mage? Will he be accepted by the nobles? What is the social atmosphere? Why is he considered Outcast?

I was wondering what the story would be, because Fletcher won in Book 3. When I started reading this book, I realized that this is a prequel. Arcturus, not Fletcher, is the hero.

Arcturus isa batters son of a Noble. At the academy, Arcturus makes friends and enemies out of the nobles. We have already met the older Arcturus in the first three books of the series. Now third book takes us back to his childhood or rather the time when he enters adulthood. Here he becomes friends with Fletcher's parents (Edmund and Alice) who are yet to be married, Prince Harold and Elaine Lovett. The enemies are Isadora and Zacharias Forsyth, Rook and Charles Faversham (his half brother).

The times are bad. Unrest about exorbitant spending by the King is rising. General Bancroft has rebelled. When on a vacation in the estate of Edmund Raleigh, the students encounter Orcs, are captured by rebels, are imprisoned, escape and play an important role.

This book is mainly about Arcturus and somewhat Elaine. Author has used this book to tie up a few loose threads from the original trilogy. For example how Harold became King? How Zacharias knew about the secret passage. How was Phantaur captured by Orcs? Why Arcturus defends Fletcher Etc.

The abdication of power and conclusion of the rebellion is a little hastily written. A few more pages would have eased the story into soft landing.

This book is obviously less exciting than the trilogy. But once you have read the trilogy you can't not read it.

Why did I read this book? Have read trilogy. 

What I didn't like? Accelerated abdication.

What did I like? Tied up loose threads.

Read only if you have read the trilogy.

An unexpected gift by Ajay Pandey

"An unexpected gift" by Ajay Pandey - Different subject!

This book is published by Shrishti publishers & distributors in 2024 and has 192 pages.

Abhay's wife Kanika, succumbs to brain tumor after child birth. Abhay doesn't get a good baby sitter and that affects his performance at work. His boss recommends Sheetal. Sheetal turns out to be an excellent baby sitter. But later Abhay realizes that she is a transgender woman.

Can Abhay accept her? Can his family accept her? Does the society accept her?

Ayush, the baby, is very happy with Sheetal. Sheetal loves him like a mother. They are dependent on each other. But the tongues wag.

There is a professional rivalry between Sheetal and Mohan, the house help. There is an acceptance from unexpected quarters. Abhay is upset after realizing that Sheetal is a transgender, but for a very different reason.

The book is mostly narrated by Abhay and occasionally by Sheetal.

The story is a little too simplistic with no major complications. So on one hand it's an easy read and on other hand it's not that exciting. On one side it's realistic and on another some opportunities of making the story more interesting.

The end of this book was very curious. As the name of book suggests, Abhay's parting gift to Sheetal is unexpected.

Why did I read this book? Subject.

What I didn't like? A little too simple. 

What did I like? Author's choice of subject. 

Read if you like the review.

The Battle Mage by Taran Matharu

 "The Battle Mage" by Taran Matharu - The battle! 

This book is published by Hoover Children's books books in 2019 and has 416 pages. This is Book 3 of Summoner series.

At the end of last book, Fletcher and his friends entered the ether. First half of the book is their journey and adventures through the ether. Here he briefly encounters the white Orc. Her house Salamander demon undergoes metamorphosis. They successfully return to their world. However, they are accused of murder and have only a tacit support of their king. Fletcher takes a mixed bunch of humans, Dwarves and Elves to make Rayleighshire habitable when Orcs attack and everything seems lost.

Will this be end of the human realm? When everything seems lost and death stares them in the face, who will come for help? How many friends will Fletcher lose? Will he survive?

The part in the ether is interesting but a little stretched. The masked party is very slow. Rebuilding of Rayleighshire takes a lot of time leaving very little time for the final war. If the book has been paced differently, it would have made an interesting read.

Author has taken great efforts to create his world. He has given attention to details. The social structure with Dwarves as second class citizens, the demon world, the noble Vs common divide, forbidden love between races. I loved it.

At the end of this book, the battle is over and one side is triumphant. There's a Book 4 of this series. I wonder what would happen in that book.

Why did I read this book? Good series so far. 

What I didn't like? Gets slow.

What did I like? Character of Persis. Flow.

Recommend reading if you plan to read the series.