The twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg

"The twelfth Imam" by Joel C. Rosenberg. This book is published by Jaico publishing house in 2013 and has 500 pages.

David Shirazi is a American Shia Muslim and becomes a CIA agent to capture of kill Osama Bin Laden. He is reassigned to Iran to prevent Iran going nuclear. Iran and Shia world is awaiting appearance of twelfth Imam as per the prophecy.

It's David happy to be reassigned to Iran? Will Iran go nuclear? Will twelfth Imam appear? Will Jesus appear? Will there be a showdown between them? Can CIA prevent Iran going nuclear?

This book is about the legend of Twelfth Imam from Shia eschatology. Imam's appearance in modern times while Iran nurses nuclear ambitions is a potent recipe.

Author has written a book with off the track thinking. This is neither a pure thriller not pure mythological. It does not oppose legend of twelfth Imam nor does it support it. It looks at one particular religion with tinted glasses.

Characterization is OK, but a number of questions remain unanswered. Why father of David's lady love breaks contact? Why David's boss does not believe him? How come he gets so close to Iranian authorities so easily? Etc.

Strange things happen in this book. The twelfth Imam makes an appearance, Jesus Christ makes an appearance, both try to convince that their religion is better, God speaks to man.

However the book ends upon public appearance of the twelfth Imam. What happens next and what happens to Iranian nuclear war heads remains unknown. Probably it will be in a sequel. But author does not tell the readers that this is first part of sequel.

The book is different from regular thrillers. But it's inconclusive. Give it a miss.

Hilal (हिलाल) by Rajan Khan ( राजन खान )

"Hilal (हिलाल)" a Marathi (मराठी) book by Rajan Khan ( राजन खान ). This book is published by Majestic prakashan (मॅजेस्टिक प्रकाशन) in 1999 and has 224 pages. I read the book through Grantha Tumchya Dari (ग्रंथ तुमच्या दारी) scheme of Kusumagraj Pratishthan (कुसुमाग्रज प्रतिष्ठान). This book is a collection of 8 short stories.

'Bangi (बांगी)' is the story of a very old bangi (a man designated to give azan or call for namaz in a mosque). This old man can not help remembering his youth and his past when he is on death bed.

'Mannat (मन्नत)' is the story of Rahimat chachi, a Muslim lady who desperately wants to marry off her daughters, getting past marriageable age, and her prayers (mannat) to various pirs (पीर) and babas.

'Sawal (सवाल)' is the story of what happens when a fakir (फकीर) threatens to die by injuring himself unless the village, facing severe draught, pays him 101 rupees.

In 'Eid (ईद)' Ashabee somehow manages to make the ends meet with 8 children and a good for nothing drunkard husband to feed. She wants to celebrate Eid. On the eve of eid there is a burglary. What happens next?

In 'Murid (मुरीद)' a jinde wali (जिंदे वली) comes to stay in Haji Pir's house. The wali hates women, but a young and beautiful girl sins by mistakenly appearing before him. She wants to become his Murid (disciple). Can she? Will wali accept her?

In 'Piwlat lugde malkat pishwi (पिवळट लुगडं मळकट पिशवी)' a small boy waits everyday for his mother to return and does not understand why his grandmother curses her and why his father beats him when drunk.

'Ibadat (ईबादत)' is the story of Buddhemiya, a desire less (स्थितप्रज्ञ) mujawar (मुजावर) of a dargah, who has a unique way of waking Muslims during the month of Ramzan. Why does he lack desire or any feeling?

'Alama (अलमा)' an old lady's son, Daval, is behaving strangely and doesn't speak. He is said to be cursed (झपाटलेला) by a pir (पीर). She takes him to Dargah of Khakshavali (खाकशावली) using all her savings. Will he be cured?

What is the USP of this book? Well all the stories are of Muslim people in Maharashtra. All the references, characters and background is Muslim. Given that there is not much Muslim literature in Marathi, this book comes as a welcome change. Though author has depicted Muslim world, it's not a communal book. The same or similar stories could have happened in any other religion in India.

Speciality of these stories is that they touch your heart. You feel empathy for the characters. Your heart goes out for them. They move you. They are all stories of poor Muslim people who are affected by poverty and religion. All, except one, have sad ending. Author has also emphasized the way poor people are deceived using the name of God by the God men.

All the eight stories are good, but I liked Eid, Murid and Alma the most.

All these stories were previously published in various Diwali magazines. This book is a reprint of the stories. It's a good idea to publish collection as a book because magazines have a short shelf life and the stories could be forgotten with time if not preserved as a book.

Don't miss it. A must read.

Mi Changez boltoy (मी चंगेझ बोलतोय) by Mohsin Hamid (मोहसीन हमीद)

"Mi Changez boltoy (मी चंगेझ बोलतोय)" by Mohsin Hamid (मोहसीन हमीद), translated in Marathi by Hemangi Naniwdekar (हेमांगी नानीवडेकर). This book is published by Penguin India in 2008 and has 186 pages.  Mohsin Hamid is a well known Pakistani writer. His original English novel is titled 'Reluctant fundamentalist'.

A Pakistani man meets an American in a restaurant in Lahore. They start talking or rather the Pakistani starts talking about a number of things.

What do they talk? Who is the Pakistani? Why does he want to talk?

This book highlights the transitions that happened in American view of Muslims after the demolition of twin towers and how it affected the innocent Muslims living in America, how a general Pakistani perceives American attitude and what happens when a Pakistani loves an American, who can not forget her first love.

The book is interesting in patches and boring in otherwise. Readers do not get the drift of where it is headed. Initially I thought it will cover the post 9/11 impact but then it inclined towards the love story and at the very end it leaned towards anti American protests in Pakistan.

I had a feeling that this book could have had more literary value. Author could have made it more profound and meaningful. But the opportunity was lost.

Although this book is a discussion between two men, it's written as a monologue. Would it have been more effective as a dialogue? Well, the author must have pondered on this before making a decision. However it is not clear why the Pakistani guy tells the story of his life to an American stranger who may or may not be a secret agent and why the American listens to it.

Translation of the book, though accurate, does not always convert the crux of the matter. Rather than translating word by word (example अरे गुराख्या for o cowboy), the translator should have tried to translate the matter of the soul to convey the meaning.

Not a must read. Give it a miss.

The edge of the machete by Abhisar Sharma

"The edge of the machete" by Abhisar Sharma, 2nd book of The Taliban Conundrum Trilogy.

All the terrorist organizations in Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to come together, at a secrete facility called 'The Beast', to prepare & launch attacks against America and it's allies. This facility is so secret that it's not known to any government or intelligence organization.

CIA has infiltrated 'The Beast' with one of its operative called  Ed Gomez aka Sarfaraz Khan, whose friend has been executed by the terrorist Amir Sherzai. There is a white Muslim (Shaun Marsh aka Shahid Khan), whose mother was a Kashmiri, at The Beast; who wants to be a Jihadi but doesn't know if he can kill. An Indian journalist Rahul Sharma is a captive at The Beast.

How lives of Rahul and Shahid are intertwined? What is the big plan? Does Ed Gomez become Sarfaraz for a cause or has the raw power of Sarfaraz taken over Ed? Can he  avenge killing of his friend?

Author has taken a very big canvas for the book. The story moves between Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, England and America. There are a lot of characters. The nature of plot requires proper development of three main characters and author had to spend considerable space for that. Abhisar has used flash backs liberally to establish the story and relations of characters.

Converging three stories for the finale is a Herculean task and Abhisar has almost succeeded in it. There was a possibility of developing this seed into a fantastic tale. Although the story has come out good, it could have been better.

Abhisar had a fluid writing style and does not allow you to get bored. Portrayal of main characters is good. Sarfaraz and his dilemma of completing the task after infiltration or becoming a mighty terrorist, Shahid and his dilemma of whether his identity is white man or a Muslim, Rahul's state of mind in captivity and Aamir, a terrorist & killer of Ed's friend, who is cruel beyond imagination & who wants to be recognized as most feared terrorist.

The climax is slightly mellowed down and a bit abrupt. Author has created the preamble for the sequel in the end.

An OK read. Read if you have time.