Review- Babri’s debt

 This week I read Babri’s debt by Dr Kamiksha Narda Sharma.

First a word of appreciation for the publisher “Book Street Publications”. I read another one of their book “To Color The Heavens” some time back and one recurring theme I found was both the books talk about extraordinary journeys of ordinary and relatable people. And the journeys are so well documented that you start feeling as if you know these characters from the books and really feel for them and hope they find peace and success in life. So definitely Book Street is doing something right there.

The cover is simple yet has a charming effect. The title reveals quite a lot about what to expect yet has a tone of mystery.

The story really is about a group of few girls who are all batch mates in a medical college and the author has put in a lot of details and exposure of how things are , in the field of medical science. One of the girls Nancy is the main protagonist and the story really follows her journey and shapes the flow of the book.

Dr Sharma has made a lot of effort to shape her characters and other people who influence their lives. All characters seem relatable and their struggles very realistic. The communal tensions and how orthodox people behave across religions is recorded quite realistically. How these communal tensions impact the protagonists form the crux of the book 

On the flip side, Certain situations and characters play very expected in the story. Certain characters when introduced you immediately know their entire character arc right to their final situation. I feel a certain novelty could have been introduced to make them unique.

That said, the book has no major faults. It’s not an easy breezy read because of the theme of the book which is quite intense. But definitely makes an excellent read during times when you want to introspect or want to spend a few hours with yourself.

All in all I would call this an excellent read . I would give it a 4.5/5 stars rating 

Book is available on Amazon 

Babri’s Debt https://www.amazon.in/dp/8195230628/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AFRRYG69PQBTAT5JJWQX

Review- The Secret of Stolen Idols

 I will be honest. I was waiting to read this book since it was announced. The theme, the cover, and the initial reviews were compelling enough for me to give it a read. And I really wanted to know what author Vivek Rajiv Chaturvedi has written. I finally got a chance to give it a read and needless to say, it doesn’t disappoint.

First I would like to applaud Vivek and the team of The Book Bakers for a magnificent cover. The cover is compelling and gives a hint of the mystery that is in the novel.

The book is written in a very stylish narrative. Every scene is built with some flavor and characters fit very well into the chapters. The book is centered around Goa and it’s history, it’s colors, it’s culture is displayed in full vibrancy. Goa is almost a character in the book.

The book moves with a good pace, and each chapter is laced with a shroud of mystery which builds further as the story moves ahead. The entire story and the elements of surprise and mystery are built very well and integrated masterfully together.

I didn’t find any major problem with the book. Just a few minor ones. One is when characters are being introduced, Rajiv takes a well crafted scene to introduce them. However, these scenes add a lot to his credential but do little to the story or the character himself. 

All in all this is a must read if you are interested in reading books of thriller genre. I like books which have something new to offer and the story as well as the narration style both are very creative. 

All in all I would go with 5/5 stars for the book

Book is available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.in/SECRET-STOLEN-IDOLS-VIVEK-CHATURVEDI/dp/8195037259

Review- Tomb of God

 I very much am fan of books which make the readers think and not everything is served on a platter..

I picked up Tomb of God by Victor Ghoshe and though it took me multiple sittings to complete the book(partially my fault), it is very well deserving of accolades.

The cover is interesting. Wont say it does justice to the book but would definitely stand out in a book store and would compel you to purchase.

The premise is interesting. Victor has done a lot of research and travel to paint the picture of all the places the book visits. You get a very realistic look and feel of those places and can very well fit in the shoes of the protagonists. The book begins on a kind of familiar note, a disaster when all the characters of the book are set into motion at some point of time or another. Victor has scaled multiple timelines, multiple geographies and definitely multiple cultures and brings out the stark differences very smartly. The mystery element of the book is interesting, and culminates into a fulfilling ending.

On the flip side, no major complaints actually. At times, some of his characters behave a bit out of the loop. In the beginning a lot many characters are introduced across many geographies and walks of life and confuses reader a bit, but when the story is set into motion you feel comfortable in how story moves. 

Overall it is a book that you will most def enjoy. It is not a very easy one sitting read, the book forces you to think and be imaginative and that may take multiple sittings. That said, you wont be disappointed if you pick this up and read it through.

I will go with a rating of 4.5/5

You can buy the book on Amazon

https://www.amazon.in/Tomb-God-Victor-Ghosh-ebook/dp/B0937C1NBD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UO5CC3PF3YGI&dchild=1&keywords=tomb+of+god&qid=1630462206&sprefix=tomb+of+%2Caps%2C284&sr=8-1

Review- From Kanha to Krishna: The Journey to Divinity

 This is the week of Krishna! Few days back I read and reviewed the very interesting and unique travel memoir by Lalitha Balasubramanian, 'On the Krishna Trail'. So, when it was the time to pick up my next one, I decided to choose 'From Kanha to Krishna: The Journey to Divinity' by Pranab Mullick. Kind of my own Krishna Trail in books.

A lawyer by proffession, Pranab has put loads of reading and experience into the book and it shows. Cover is interesting, with two facets of Krishna, one at a young age and one when he became the mastermind Krishna that we know him as. There is often a discourse about how could a mischief like Kanha become such resourceful and mysterious, yet mastermind Krishna and this book helps bridge in the gap. What happens in the life of Krishna that helps him take this journey.

Interesting choice of cover, right there. Marked with the tone of divinity and the two stages that the book talks about. The title is interesting as well. So, definitely accolades to the author for both.

Since the time Amish Tripathi started a never seen before trend of mythological fictions, there have been many interesting and riveting titles that have come up on the Indian books scene and its very fascinating to find what all different authors have to write and portray. Some time back I read Kaikeyi which narrated the story of Kaikeyi and this one talks about Krishna.

Author has invested a lot of time and energy in development of few very interesting characters, the character of Chanur comes the most to fore front. Depicting the entire build up of how Kansa became the demonic king, how the prophecy of his sister Devaki's eighth son being his demise came to happen, how Kanha became the lovable and charming boy of Nandgaon, how Radha came to his life, how he never saw Radha again in his life and so on. 

Pranab has tried to keep the book as realistic as possible. The story of Krishna is marked with divitnity, mysticism, magic but Pranab has translated each and every event to reality. Sometimes he has went into details of how these events played out, while some times he just gives out a hint and leaves it there to readers's imagination. Kudos to writer for his imagination and translation of such acts into reality.

The war on Kansa's palace is a long scene, and plays it out perfectly like a well thought of war scene. The entire scene is interesting, and well laid out and keeps you on your toes. A lot is happening in this scene and never does it confuse you and keeps you engaged.

On the flip side, the greatest strength of the book is also its biggest weakness. In an attempt to strip Krishna of any kind of divinity or mysticism and just to portray him as a regular person(its a re-imagination of Krishna) and even gives him kind of a sad ending. But this attempt also makes the central characters of Krishna and Kansa as weak. Both are narrated as pieces in the game of a chessboard which are strong but then, are being played by someone else. Krishna still takes a few key decisions towards the end but Kansa is completely being managed behind the scene. This robs the book off some sheen because in the end Krishna and Kans are the reason people know this story of, not Chanur or Akrur. 

But barring these little pieces, overall the book is a very engaging read. Its a page turner and you cannot keep the book without completely reading the journey that Kanha took to become Krishna. The overall atmosphere of Mathura and the times have been described very tastefully and lingers in the mind of the reader long after he is done with the book.

Overall I would give this book a 4/5.

You can purchase the book here

https://www.amazon.in/Kanha-Krishna-Divinity-Pranab-Mullick-ebook/dp/B07M65C55L/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=kanha+to+krishna&qid=1628434456&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Review-On the Krishna Trail

Few years back, I visited the southern part of India and visited many places like Munnar, Allyppey, Kovalam, Wellington, Tiruvanantpuram and Rameshwaram. It was while visiting Rameshwaram and the Rameshwaram temple when we heard all the tales and legends from locals, and saw all the murals and paintings around the city and the temple itself, and of course, a live demo of the rocks that float on water when inscribed with the name of Lord Rama, there was this deep desire within me to complete the trail of the journey of Rama. Visit places where he was born, places which were special to him, Sita temples in Nepal and so on.. But it was an extensive journey and despite harboring this desire for long, I never could partake it.

On the Krishna Trail is a unique book. The author Lalitha Balasubramanian decided to visit one of the places related to Krishna when her husband suggested to complete the trail by visiting every place related to Krishna and that is the very basis of this book. Its a memoir of this trail with details of all places, every temple, every tale, every legend and local encountered, along with helpful details like how to reach the place, what to visit, in what capacity, etc. The details are so colorful you feel you are actually visiting the place and seeing/feeling what the author was actually going through.

The book is also marked by photographs taken by the author during the journey and the author has decided to pursue pics of not only the more famous places, but also of the lesser famous ones and even certain important points and places. The temples and places she visits in the book range from old earlier constructed Vedic temples to the more recent ones. 

As mentioned earlier, what makes her narration interesting is her coverage of all legends and tales related to each of the place and temple and then enhancing the reader experience with photographs of this place. Another major achievement of Lalitha has been that she has written this book from the viewpoint of a devotee and not that of a tourist. In my opinion, that makes all the difference that there is between what could have been a regular travel memoir and a heartfelt coverage of the life of Krishna.

I dont have any complaint with the book. The writer has been successful in keeping the narration interesting and you are always hooked to the chapters which is mostly what you wont expect with books covering personal travel details of the author. The author deserves full marks for achieving exactly what she had set out for initially.

I would give this book a perfect 5/5

The book is available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B097LBPRVW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Review- The Good Wizard

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 Growing up one of my most favorite show on TV was Alif Laila. That and I have always been in awe of The Tales of Arabian Knights. While Aladdin has catapulted itself into another level of stardom, the rest of them also have fan favorites. Prasun Roy's The Good Wizard reminded me of those childhood memories. 

Despite Prasun wanting to keep it very real, this clearly falls into the fantasy genre, and many would claim this one is for kids. Well, we all were kids at one point of time, so why would it not appeal to anyone and everyone? This is one book where I can easily claim, its for everyone. And if like me you enjoyed the fantasy genre shows or games or movies like Ajooba, well you are in for a treat.

The best part about the book is that the story drops in the middle of nowhere, which in my opinion is very important for a book belonging to the fantasy genre. In the very first opening scene, there is a wizard who is the best at what he does and that chapter itself stamps the theme, the tone, the protagonists and the antagonists of the book. There is a larger than life magician who does larger than life tricks and then there is a larger than life villain akin to Jafar or Mogambo...well you get the idea.

The great magician is losing his art to his failing health and mind and he has to bestow the knowledge upon someone. Enter the young kid Titli who has all what it takes, except that she needs some discipline and guidance to achieve all great things that life has planned out for her. Their relationship and journey together is what forms the crux of this book. The ending is kind of expected, the magic is in the narration.

The book is interesting, and as I said, perfect for kids and adults alike who like fantasy genre. There is never a dull moment and the pacing and narration has been consistent and not once you feel bored or want to take a break. Despite knowing whats going to happen in the end, it still keeps you on your toes. Thats the magic of this genre.

I dont have any major complaints with the book, a few  minor hiccups(like villagers claiming their secular credentials again and again and again. Once should be enough). Also there....well lets not spoil the party with more complains.

This is the perfect book I would want my son to read and one I could gift to any kid that I know of. In fact if you are an adult and you tell me you have loved movies and shows like Ajooba or Toofan or Aladdin or Chandrakanta, well I would gift it to you as well.

All in all, I would give this book a perfect 5/5

You can purchase the book from Amazon

https://www.amazon.in/Good-Wizard-Prasun-Roy/dp/9390441072

Review- Kaikeyi: The Warrior Queen of Koshala

 I will be honest. I dont believe in regionalism. I think literature and arts and entertainment transcend beyond regions and boundaries.

But, when I learnt author Jai Shukla, whose book Kaikeyi: The Warrior Queen of Koshala is available on Kindle and that he is a fellow Kanpuriya, well, I was delighted. 

As the author mentions clearly in the foreword, not much is available in any text about Kaikeyi. The fact that she triggered such a mammoth change in the Indian landscape, the ripples and chants of whose are vibrant even today, still she is not covered or discussed or written about much, is indeed a mystery. Kudos to Jai Shukla for picking up such a topic.

Jai has put up a lot of his worldly experience and maturity in the book which is evident right from the start. There is an immense amount of study, research and exploration done to write this book and it is pretty evident in its pages. Jai has carefully crafted the characters of Kaikeyi and Manthra and these two are the backbones of the book. As the entire book is about the early years of Kaikeyi and her marriage to Dashrath, the focus is solely on her childhood and her youth and few years into her marriage. There is a lot of worldly knowledge also put up in the pages mixed with lot of references from source text which keep the flavor of the book interesting. How the entire situation eventually leads our two main characters to be what they later became is capture beautifully.

On the flip side one problem with the book is that for some reason Jai has decided not to capture her later years, specially her sending Rama to exile or when Rama returned, or when Bharat decided not to be king. Jai himself has accepted that there is very less source material about Kaikeyi and when you dont cover a good 70-80% of her story, you are left with even lesser source material to refer to. This is not necessarily a big problem but from reader's perspective they wanted to know how such a firebrand young girl would have reacted to these situations in details.

However, if we just consider this book as a a coming of age book for Kaikeyi then Jai has exceled in what he set out for. Jai paints a very lively picture of the kingdom and how things are in the kingdom and the royalty themselves. The challenges, the triumphs, the shackles of the royals of Koshala are captured very realistically. The cover of the book is really intriguing and I would give full marks for making the cover captivating

All in all I would go with a 4.5/5 rating for the book

You can purchase it from here

https://www.amazon.in/Kaikeyi-Warrior-Koshala-Jai-Shukla/dp/9385440918/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1626315674&sr=1-1