Nine Lives by Danielle Stee

"Nine Lives" by Danielle Steel - Simple and sweet!

This book is published by Delacorte Press in 2021 and has 272 pages. 

Maggie's dad was a test pilot and was killed leaving her mother a broken woman. Death of Maggie's brother in war eventually killed her mother. Maggie loves Paul Gilmore, a boy who's an adventure seeker, a risk taker, is dangerous. Maggie parts ways with him. She marries Brad, an accountant, has a son and lives a happy life until an aircraft accident leaves her a widow. A chance encounter with a formula one driver gives a turn to her life. 

Why does Maggie breakup? Who does she encounter? What is the twist? Who has 9 lives?

It's about the dread of losing someone you love. A fear anticipating the death of near and dear one. Maggie's mother has suffered it and Maggie is terrified of same. But her husband, who never ventured into anything dangerous, died and Paul who lives dangerously is alive. Does he have 9 lives?

It's about what you have and don't have. Sometimes you don't cherish what you have and are attracted to what you don't have. Sometimes you have everything but are still empty. Sometimes you love someone but hate what the person does. On one hand Maggie is  terrified of Paul's lifestyle but on the other she loves him. It's a tug of war of emotions. 

Paul's character is adorable. He likes to live on the edge. Be it racing, helicopter skiing, mountain climbing or brush with tax authorities. He is rich, famous but is still down to earth. He is supremely confident but not over confident. He can get anyone but loves Maggie. He and Aiden like each other.

It's not a big book. The story is simple. Easy going but interesting. Nice characters. Not extremely complicated plot. A standalone novel. Danielle Steele's USPs.

Maggie is in two minds and readers want to know how it ends. Does she accept Paul or does she leave him. Read it to know it. It's simple and sweet. 

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Simplicity.

What I didn't like? Predictability. 

Recommend reading.

Fast Ice by Clive Cussler & a Graham Brown

"Fast Ice" by Clive Cussler & a Graham Brown - Return of ice age?

This book is published by Michael Joseph in 2021 and has 416 pages. This is Book 18 of NUMA files. 

A Nazi German expedition has found something in Antarctica. An oligarch wants to extract oil from below the snow of arctic circle. His sister is staunch supporter of environment. An ex Numa scientist sends SOS to Rudy Gunn. Her ship is attacked and everyone is killed. 

What did the Nazi expedition find? Why are the Oligarch brother and Environmentalist sister at loggerheads? Who killed the crew of ex-Numa scientist's ship? What is fast ice?

This time it's about the snowball theory. How the ice age comes and how the earth regenerates. It's about a bacteria found beneath the permafrost. There is a customary mad wealthy man and a scientist. 

There are Kurt and Joe. There's their enjoyable banter. There's action, this time on ice and snow. There's even an avalanche. There's a beautiful lady. There is world to save. 

The story is interesting. Action is good. This time we have a Ship made of ice, not steel. A tunnel in ice serving as pipeline. Alge that converts water to ice. Fast ice.

Why did I read this book? Author. Series. 

What I didn't like? Not very exciting climax. 

What did I like? Kurt-Joe banter

Recommend reading, if you are reading the series.

Beyond the ice limit by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

"Beyond the ice limit" by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child- Alien species!

This book is published by Head of Zeus in 2017 and has 324 pages. This is Book 4 of Gideon Crew series. 

Gideon Crew, former art thief, explosive expert and current nuclear scientist is enlisted for a mission by Eli Glinn, head of mission. A mission to Ice Limit. Ice Limit is where the southern ocean meets packed Antarctic ice. Worlds largest meteorite was stolen from an island in south America 5-6 years ago. It weighed 25,000 Tons. The ship carrying it broke into two, dropping the meteorite to sea floor. It was not really a meteorite but an alien seed and is now growing at the bottom of the ocean. 

What is the alien thing? Is it a plant or an animal? Or is it something else? What's Gideon's role? What is the mission?

A science fiction doesn't always have to happen in the space. Here it happens at the bottom of the sea. This life form appears dormant but it grows, a lot. It's also intelligent and can communicate. But it needs help, without which it can't grow. 

The story is on the slower side. It appears like there will be a lasting romance between Gideon and Alex Lispenard (Scientist and DSV in charge), but that doesn't happen. Eli is a character to reckon with. He is stubborn, determined, driven and wants to correct his mistake. Gideon has a tumour and is going to die in about one year. He takes this as his last assignment. He decides to sacrifice his life for the greater good of humanity. 

Gideon Crew series did not start as science fiction but has graduated into one. It would now be difficult for the authors to decouple from the genre. 

The meteorite and the breaking of boat happened in another novel of these authors few years ago. Upon readers demand they wrote this sequel in Gideon Crew series. 

Why did I read this book? Authors

What I didn't like? After effects, or the lack of them,  of nuclear explosion.

What did I like? Concept of this alien life form. 

Read it if you are reading the series, otherwise give it a miss.

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.