The Zero-Cost Mission & The wily agent by Amar Bhushan

"The Zero-Cost Mission & The wily agent" by Amar Bhushan - Real life spy stories!

This book is published by HarperCollins India in 2018 and has 190 pages. This is a collection of two spy stories based on real events. 

The Zero-Cost Mission:

Jamat, a politico- religious outfit in Bangladesh, is spreading anti India venom and actively aids entry of Pakistan sponsored terrorists in India through Bangladesh. A mission is conceived to teach them a lesson by Indian intelligence. Sujal Rath, an unconventional officer, is tasked with the operation. The operation soon runs in funding crisis and is dangerously close to be abandoned. Will it go ahead? How will the funds be secured? Will Sujal and operation succeed? What will be the consequences?

Author has based the story on a real mission. As the author states in the introduction, real operations have boring phases. This story too has its share. Title of the story is best suited for the story. 

Buildup and planning of the operation is interesting. Quirky nature of the character of Sujal makes one wonders if such officers exist and are allowed to work freely. Climax is anticlimactic. The climax comes to the reader as a news from a cable. It saddens that even a successful mission has a price to pay. 

The wily agent:

Jeevanathan heads unit of India's external intelligence agency in the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. A Bangladeshi source is identified and recruited. The source provides quality input and also tries to recruit additional sources. He accuses Jeev as insensitive and aloof. How long can Jeev run this source? Is he insensitive?

It's a tale that hangs in balance. Is the source real or fraud? Is he scheming or simply greedy? Is he confident or over enthusiastic? Who is Wiley? Author has managed to maintain the see-saw. Readers keep guessing where the story is headed. 

Author does a fine job. He keeps the story interesting and also gives a small surprise at the end. 

There are some important points made by the author either overly or covertly in these two stories. Officers in high places either retire or are transfered. This causes loss of continuity and adversely impacts missions and officers. Our intelligence agencies are still marred in bureaucracy and petty politics that hamper missions. Decision making is still an issue and rather than national security, other implications of mission play a very important role. External intelligence agencies are short of cash. 

The book has two stories but the printing is unconventional. Second story does not start after end of first. You have to rotate book by 180 degrees and then flip it and you read second story. In short one side of book is one story and second side of book is second story. 

Why did I read this book? Curiosity. 

What did I like? Concept of double sided book. 

What I didn't like? Climax

Read if you want to read crossover spy stories rather than pure fiction.

Urnabhih by Sumedha Verma Ojha

Mandar's book review (17th Dec 2015)

"Urnabhih" by Sumedha Verma Ojha. This book is published by IndiaInc in 2014 and has 351 pages. This is author's debut novel.

Chandragupta Maurya, under guidance of Chanakya, has taken over Pataliputra in a bloodless coup. Chandragupta is going to be married to daughter of Dhananada. Chanakya employees Misrakesi, a ganika, in his Gupt Varangana Sena as a spy.

Is this a temporary assignment or there's more? Can Misrakesi be faithful to Maurya's? How does she prosper? Does she encounter ghost? Is there a man in her life? What is her ambition? Does she succeed?

What is the meaning of Urnabhih? Urnabhih means spider's web, a web of deceit and deception. An apt title for a spy story.

It is a story set at the rise of Mauryan empire. It's a story of spies and espionage. It's the story of rich and opulent. It's a story of politics. It's a story of human emotions and love. It's a story set centuries ago. It's interesting. It's intriguing. It's complex. It's exotic and its bold.

Sumedha Verma Ojha is a Switzerland based Indian author. She has done a commendable job, this being her first novel. Her writing style is good. Narration is interesting. You smell and taste the atmosphere.

The question that obviously came to my mind was 'Why name the heroin Misrakesi?'. There are so many minor characters with beautiful names, but the heroin had a very unglamorous name.

Author has given three maps. One of Mauryan empire, one of Pataliputra and one of Sugaang Prasad (Royal palace) to help readers understand the movements. However more than half the story happens out if the city.

It's a big book in terms of number of pages as well as it's page size, add to it small font and you have a big book to read. Holding it for long time while reading tires your hands. The paper quality is not good, print impressions can be seen on the reverse side of the page.

Full marks to the author for a good entertaining book. Good news is that there will be a sequel.

A very good book. Recommend reading.

Operation Chaos by Himanshu Rasam

"Operation Chaos" by Himanshu Rasam. 

There is a blast in Rashtrapati bhavan. Chief of security is dead. Indian black cast commandos storm a terrorist base in India near Pakistan border. Hypersonic BrahMos missile, first of its kind in the world, project completes phase 1. Terrorists across the border, headed by an intelligent man, have infiltrated India.

What is operation chaos? How is it related to BrahMos? Why Rashtrapati bhavan? What do the terrorists want? Who are the players? What is the objective?

The book jumps straight into action right from the word go without much preamble. The action or actions set the readers pulse high within first 30 pages. The national security is at risk, situation is grave. Commander David D'costa has to save the day.

This story is a treasure hunt with clues, ciphers, references in the books, archeological structures and artefacts from Gautam Buddha's time. It involves a historian, a cryptographer, a hacker, set of commandos and a scientist (now President of India) who had worked on Pokhran nuclear blasts.

Authors writing style is good, very good. He manages to bait the readers and readers take the bait: hook, line and sinker. What is better is that author manages to keep the reader interested till the very end. It's a thriller out and out. The narration is vivid. Moreover author has provided some photographs and maps to understand the action better. It makes reading pleasurable.

The idea of a brilliant person, having a grudge at a particular person and nation, hiring terrorists across the border and forcing the Indian securities on a treasure hunt seems a bit far fetched. If the person can do all this planning why he can not hire a team of mercenaries for treasure hunt of his own is confounding. The explanation given is not convincing. If he can take over an ultra secure facility, effect blasts in Rashtrapati bhavan, plant his moles in India and had money why can he not do it himself or wait till the missile goes into production and gain access to many more to increase his bargaining power?

This is the fifth book, I read, based on the legend of Samrat Ashok's nine unknowns. Looks like this legend is getting crowded. Are there no other legends in Indian mythology and history?

A good thriller. Recommend reading.

When the snow melts by Vinod Joseph

"When the snow melts" debut novel of Vinod Joseph. This book is published by Amaryllis in 2012 and has 202 pages.

Ritwik Kumar, a son Maharashtrian father and Punjabi mother is an Indian spy. He is ex RAW and is currently working with IAG (Intelligence assessment group), a multinational anti terrorism organization based in London. He developes a drinking and gambling problem. He becomes irregular in office, sinks further in his problems and steals money from his office funds. The situation is so desperate that he is forced to defect to pro Al Qaeda section of ISI (Inter service intelligence of Pakistan) in London.

This is a big catch for ISI, or is it? What secrets will he spill? Will he embrace the terrorist ideology? Will he convert? What is the big game? Is there an angle of love?

This is a thriller alright but it's not an action thriller. It's a psychological thriller. The story is full of plots and counterplots, twists and turns, ups and downs, loyalties and deception; all with little to no action.

Various elements of ISI have conflicting objectives. Even individual participants have varying motives. Some are driven by money, some by power, some by religion, some by ideology and some by love for country.

Vinod's narration is systematic and entertaining. Although it's about India, Pakistan and America in the context of war on terror, entire story takes place in England. World of ruthless supremacy comes to the fore.

I would have preferred a more entertaining end to the book. Epilogue was almost unnecessary. I think we can expect more good work from Vinod in future.

Although it's not a wow book, you don't get bored and enjoy reading. I read it in one day.

Adhuri ek kahani (अधुरी एक कहाणी) by Anant Tibile

"Adhuri ek kahani (अधुरी एक कहाणी)", a Marathi historical novel, by Anant Tibile. This edition is published by Riya Publications in 2013 and has 184 pages.

The story is set during the reign of Shivaji (शिवाजी महाराज). Location is the city of Surat (सूरत) and timing is after Shivaji's first attack on Surat and before the second attack.

Fateh Khan (फतेहखान) comes to the notice of administrator of Surat as an excellent fighter and bright youth. He appoints him as head of 25 men squad. He stays with Allabaksh and his elder daughter falls in love with him though Fateh looks at her as a sister.

Administrator's daughter, Jannat (जन्नत), is engaged to Mubarak who commands 100 men. Mubarak is an alcoholic and makes love with any young girl that he likes. He seduces them by any means; be it love, money or rape.

Jannat falls in love with Fateh and Fateh reciprocates her feelings. But Fateh is restless. He loves Jannat but can not take the relationship further. Why? Because not only he is not a Musalman but he is also an enemy spy. He works for Shivaji Maharaj.

What is his mission? Why has he become a spy? Does he love Jannat? Will he acknowledge his love for Jannat? Will he marry her? Can he complete his mission? What will he choose, love or duty? What is his real name?

This is a love story with a historical background. Author has chosen the time period very well. The historical background makes the story exotic.

Reader wants to know how it ends because there are many possible endings to this story. Author has successfully created the 'period' atmosphere. Fateh is always torn between love and duty. The choice that he has to make is very difficult one. No one wants to be in his shoes. Anant Tibile delivers the story deftly. Narration is precise and pace is appropriate. He has concentrated on the love story and avoided making it a spy thriller. The book is short and sweet. I finished reading this book in one sitting.

However there are errors and incongruities in the book. Use of wrong name, Sayyad instead of Chandkhan etc, could have been easily avoided by paying little more attention during proof reading. Such errors cause hindrance in the joy of reading.

A good book. Recommend reading.