The hidden Hindu by Akshat Gupta

 "The hidden Hindu" by Akshat Gupta - Its not a religious book! 

This book is published by Penguin eBurry press in 2022 and has 256 pages. This is Book 1 of the trilogy.

A secret facility in Ross Island of the coast of India. There are various personalities. Shahista, a psychologist. LSD (Lisa), a hacker. Dr. Batra, the second in command. Dr. Srinivas, chief of the facility. Veerabhadra, head of security. An expert of Hindu mythology. Parimal, a stammering history professor . Om Shastri, who claims to be Sushen of Ramayana, Vidur of Mahabharata, Banda Bahadur and many more. A man who never dies.

Is it possible in this modern age? Can any one live forever? Who has captured Om Shastri? Why?

The book is interesting. Immorality always is. But how can one look the same since the time of Ramayana? Why doesn’t he age? Almost entire story happens on an island south of southern tip of India. But the story keeps you interested. 

Well, it’s a trilogy. So, not all the things are clear in this book. But we know it’s about immortality. It’s about Mritt Sanjeevani. Immortals Parshuram and Ashwathhama are introduced. Will the other immortals come in the subsequent books?

I had seen this book from afar but never tried to read thinking it’s a religious book. But it isn’t. It’s a mythological fiction.

Why did I read this book? Interesting title. 

What did I like? Build up. 

What I didn't like? Umm…. 

Recommend reading if you plan to read the series.

Matarese Countdown by Robert Ludlum

"Matarese Countdown" by Robert Ludlum - The sequel!

This book is published by Orion in 2010 and has 592 pages. This is sequel of Matarese Circle. 

25 years have passed from the heroics of Brandon, Vassily and Toni. Brandon and Toni are living on a far away island peacefully. That’s when the American intelligence picks up clues of Matarese resurrection. The only person who can counter them is Brandon. So they send their best, Cameron Price, to convince him. Brandon agrees on his own terms. They are joined by Lt. Colonel Leslie Montrose.

Can’t Brandon stop Matarese? Can Matarese be stopped? This time are they even better prepared? How will the things unfold?

In first book Brandon and Vassily were clear protagonists. This story doesn’t have a clear protagonists. Cameron and the Leslie are one team. They do the leg work. Brandon and CIA’s director of operations is another team that has to handle the command. But Brandon can’t stay out of the action.

Brandon’s character is shown as an adult child. An adamant oldie. He calls the CIA boss Squinty. Childish. It’s completely out of sync with his character in previous book. As if the two books are written by different authors. 

The Matarese is resurrected for this book. One character from previous book and one new character make the Matarese. They have a big plan to bring the world economy to its knees. But Brandon is here to foil it.

Why did I read this book? Author.

What did I like? Not uninteresting.  

What I didn't like? Brandon’s character. No clear protagonists.

Read if you  want to continue the story, otherwise give it a miss.

Shewatcha sakshidar (शेवटचा साक्षिदार) by Sanjay Kale

 "Shewatcha sakshidar (शेवटचा साक्षिदार)" by Sanjay Kale - A Veerbhadra adventure! 

This book is published in 2018 and has 122 pages.

One day Veerabhadra saves a young girl (Bhanu) from musclemen of a Godman. She tells him that she’s the last witness of a murder. Veerabhadra decides to help her and Police officer Vinodrao along the way. The fight is with Godman Jatashankar.

What will Veerabhadra do? Can he save Bhanu? Can he dismantle the Godman? 

Veerabhadra is the good guy. He helps police solve cases, without taking credit for it. However, he doesn’t always operate within the ambit of law. Vijaya is his beautiful and equally capable wife. Bhairav is their servant, confidant and man Friday. Bhanu is the college going girl who witnessed the murder of her boyfriend. She is determined and doesn’t care for her life. Jatashankar is the villain who does all the despicable things like rape, murder etc. His reach is immense. Trahishankar is his son, out to prove his worth. Vinodrao doesn’t like Veerabhadra’s means but doesn’t mind when he gets the credit for the crime solved by Veerabhadra. He adores Vijaya like a younger sister but frowns upon Veerabhadra.

It’s a straight forward story with hardly any twists and turns. There is no surprises element, no major twists. The heart doesn’t pound. The pulse doesn’t race. You don’t sit on the edge of your chair. You aren’t eager to turn the page. But you also don’t get bored. You don’t abandon the book. It keeps you just interested.

Since it’s a short book you don’t mind but it’s too plain for a thriller.

Marathi grammar is bad. Too many wrong syntaxes (मी असं करेल). A little proof reading was in order. 

Why did I read this book? Marathi book after a long time

What did I like? Idea of character of Veerabhadra.  

What I didn't like? Too plain for a thriller. 

Not a must read. 

Death benefit by Robin Cook

"Death benefit" by Robin Cook - Start of medical thriller series !

This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2019 and has 502 pages. This is Book 1 of Pia Grazdani series. 

Pia Grazdani is a third year medical student. Brilliant, exceptionally gorgeous. She has difficult childhood. She is assisting a difficult professor with stem cell research. Edmond and Russell’s company buys life insurance policies from patients. Jerry Trotter and Higgins run a hedge fund that doesn’t always play by the books. Another hedge fund manager is predicting a big fall and is shorting.

What will Dr. Rothman’s research achieve? What will Edmond do? Who can contain fiery Pia? What is the Albanian connection? Why are there murders and why do they look natural?

Pia is brilliant, beautiful but aloof. Her difficult childhood from one foster care to another and abuse have scarred her. George is her only friend. He is handsome and studies with her. He has feelings for Pia, but she doesn’t have feelings for anyone. Edmond and Russell are hard nosed businessmen, here to make money. Dr. Rothman is a Nobel winning researcher nobody likes but everyone tolerates because of his brilliance. Dr. Yamamoto is his assistant and the one who smooths the ruffled feathers. 

The novel is centered around Pia. This is the first of the series of Pia Grazdani novels. She is someone who you can’t help liking despite her numerous flaws. You also feel for George who can get any girl but has eyes only for Pia.

The idea of the murders is borrowed from a real life murder of an ex KGB spy in London. It’s not original. But the Albanian connection makes the matter interesting. It also makes Pia vulnerable. 

End of the book is a little bit anticlimactic and abrupt. It doesn’t take the graph to the pique. 

It’s a good start. Hopefully subsequent books are to the expectations. 

Why did I read this book? Medical thriller. New series. 

What I didn't like? Abrupt end. 

What did I like? Pia.

Recommend reading.

Pradyumna: Son of Krishna by Usha Narayanan

 "Pradyumna: Son of Krishna" by Usha Narayanan  - Burden of father’s reputation!

This book is published by Penguin Metro Reads in Oct 2015 and has 300 pages. 

Pradyumna was born to Rukmini and Krishna. At the time of his and Samba’s (Krishna’s other son) birth, Narad professized that one of them will be destroyer of the Yadu kul and other could save humankind. Pradyumna was abducted by the demon Kaalasura and given to his Queen Mayawati, who raised him as her own. In reality Pradyumna is avatar of Kamadev and Mayawati is avatar of his wife Rati. Krishna’s vein son, Samba, from his other wife Jambavati, assumed that he will succeed Krishna and inherit Dwaraka, until Pradyumna’s return.

Why was Pradyumna abducted? How does he come back to Dwaraka? Will he and Samba be good friends? How will the two brothers cope the burden of expectation of being Krishna’s sons?

Pradyumna is extremely good looking and very brave. He is wise. He respects elders and is polite. In short, he has all the qualities to be called Krishna’s son. Mayawati raises him as mother but she is his wife from previous birth and wants to continue in same role. What a scandal that would have been? She gives her everything to get her husband back from oblivion.

Samba is also handsome and has striking similarity to Krishna in his looks. But the similarity ends there. He is vein, rash, reckless and not as good as Pradyumna in bravery. He sees Pradyumna as an upstart and usurper of his birth right.

This book follows two stories:

The death of Kamadev and separation from Rati. Reincarnation. Coming together and Pradyumna’s life goal.

Two sons of same father. But they handle the pressures differently and their personalities are shaped differently. One becomes reason of extinction of the Yaduvash and other tries to avoid that.

The story, although good, doesn’t have a good flow. It appears like various stories are clubbed together to make a novel. Sometimes, the timeline of events vis-a-vis the events of Mahabharat are not clear. Context of events w.r.t. Mahabharat is not clearly provided. So whether certain events happened before Vanvas or after, before swayamwar or after etc is not clear.

The book reads like a report rather than an interesting story.

I am a strong proponent of author’s honesty. Author shouldn’t lie. If he or she is writing a series, it should be clearly written on the book cover, so that the reader has a choice to read the series or not. This book doesn’t say anything about series but the book ends with Gandhari’s curse to Yadu clan. The objective of Pradyumna’s life is left for the sequel. Knowing that the story will continue on the last page of the book is unfair to the readers.

Why did I read this book? Curiosity about Pradyumna.

What did I like? Umm…. 

What I didn't like? The story doesn’t have good flow. 

Give it a miss.

All the lives we never lived by Anuradha Roy

​"All the lives we never lived" by Anuradha Roy - Slow!

This book is published by Hachette India in 2019 and has 344 pages.

This is the story of Mishkin Chand Rosario, son of an Anglo Indian father and Bengali mother. His mother ran off with a German in pre-independence India.

Why did she run off? How big a scandal was it in those times? Why didn’t she take her son? What becomes of her? What becomes of Mishkin?

Gayatri, daughter of Prof. Agnisen is married to his student Nek Chand, whose mother was an Anglo Indian. She is 16 years younger than her husband. They live in Muntazir town. Gayatri is a free spirited girl. She doesn’t like restrictions. She is suffocated in her household. One day she decides to escape. Her plan succeeds except one thing that haunts her for life.

Mishkin is confused as he doesn’t know why his mother leaves him. Her departure affects her irreversibly.

It’s a story of melancholy and regrets. Everything is not as it looks. The relationship between Gayatri and the German is also not what it appears.

It’s a very slow story and readers need a lot of patience to sail through. Nevertheless, it’s a curious story.

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace.

What did I like? Character of Gayatri.

Not a must read.

10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world by Elif Shafak

​"10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world" by Elif Shafak - It’s different!

This book is published by Penguin in 2020 and has 320 pages. 

Tequila Laila, a prostitute, is dumped in a waste bin in Istanbul. She is dead. But it is said that even when your heart stops and body dies, your brain remains active for 10 minutes and 38 seconds. In this time Laila reminisces her life.

What is Laila’s story? How does she die? Will she get a decent burial? Does her rag tag group of friends care for her? Does she have a family?

Laila has no friends other than Hollywood Humeria (a night club singer fighting depression), Nostalgia Nalan (Born male and becomes female), Zeinab 122 (a dwarf), Jameela (a weak African prostitute) and Sabotage Sinan (her timid childhood friend). Love finds its way to Laila and she gets married eventually to get back on the streets.

It’s a tragedy. However, the suffering, the injustice doesn’t break Laila’s spirit. She lives a life on her own terms, until she dies. This is when she is buried into cemetery of unknowns and her friends decide to give her a heart felt and decent burial.

It’s a very slow story but it’s also poignant. It makes you think. Credit to author for conceiving the idea and giving birth to the book.

This book was shortlisted for Booker prize.

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? The concept. 

Recommend reading.