Sitanshu (Guardians of the Blue Lotus, #2) by Anita Shirodkar

Blurb (from the book):

As the divine Blue Lotus Indivara sprouts an ominous red petal, its guardians must do everything in their power to protect it and their kingdom. Aryavir and Sitanshu march to the border of Kalipura for a bloody showdown with the Chandraketu King Divyendu. It seems as if the Kamal Akshi Army with its peerless long-haired Kesakuta warriors cannot lose a war, but the wily enemies of Kamalkund have diabolical plans that are not written in any rule book. Thanks to the evil machinations of the Mayakari Queen Tamasi and wily King Kratu, Aryavir and Sitanshu are facing the battle of their lives.

With hidden ancient secrets that are known only to the revered Maheshwari Masters, the mythological Old World is about to be plunged into intrigue and danger its denizens could never have imagined. Powerful kings face mortality, relationships are tested to their breaking point and the Great War of Sompur will bring completely unexpected repercussions.

Written with the classic Indian ethos, Sitanshu, the second part of the Guardians of the Blue Lotus Trilogy, pays homage to India's magnificent mythological heritage and takes the reader on a journey into the heart of human passions.

My take on the book:

I feel really fortunate to have read the first book, Aryavir, when the second was already out. Lot of stuff happened at the end of the first book. Lot of good things happened. And then, there are few stories in the saga that ended on a very high note, which will leave the reader puzzled and eager for following part. I'm sure, I couldn't have taken the wait.

The very first chapter of the second book deals with the edge-of-the-seat scene that the first book ends on. Though, it was little predictable, this part of the story, the following events makes the story more interesting.

The second part of the saga mostly deals with the internal turmoil of the rival kingdoms involved and the war that ends the rival, one way or the other.

It is really surprising how the author has maintained that unwavering pace since the start of the first book. Not once, since the start, have I felt that the story slacked. The description of each scene is so vivid and realistic, the reader will be engrossed for sure.

Haven chose the third-person narration, author have wonderfully orchestrated the parts of the story like a smooth, soulful symphony. Since its a saga not constricted to one story, there are many parallel plots going on and the talent of the author at not once misplacing the facts of the story instils pure interest.

There are so many folklores and myths about the kingdoms mentioned in this book, the author has built a world of her own.

By the end of the book, everything about the story will lead to the ultimate danger faced by them and you will be left wanting more. I eagerly wait for the third installment of the series,

Overall, the second book keeps up the expectation and carries the reader with the same zeal to the rest of the story. If you haven't read the first book yet, you must go do it.

To read the detailed review of the first book in the series, Aryavir, click here...

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Title: Sitanshu

Author: Anita Shirodkar

Series: Guardians of the Blue Lotus, #2

ISBN (edition I've read): 9789387280113

Rating: 

Read between: 29-08-2018 to 02-09-2018

Publishers: The Write Place and AuthorsUpFront

Pages: 317

MRP: ₹ 349

Aryavir (Guardians of the Blue Lotus, 1) by Anita Shirodkar

Blurb (from the jacket):

Aryavir is not an ordinary prince. Heir to the throne of Kamalkund, Aryavir is a Kamal Akshi - blue-eyed and blessed by the Indivara, a divine Blue Lotus that protects his kingdom. And yet Aryavir harbours a terrible secret about his fate. His family, led by his father, King Chiraksh, is bound by its own web of intrigue and ancient promises.

The complexity of the family's past and present allegiances and the secrets each family member hides are set against the fact that Kamalkund has to fight off covetuous kings from across the borders who will do anything to control the powers of the Lotus.

Meanwhile, as Aryavir, his faithful tiger Kar and friend Sitanshu fight their own battles, the kingdom is faced by clear and present danger. And the past unravels its mysteries unexpectedly.

This classic tale pays homage to India's magnificent mythological heritage and, at its heart, is a story about the eternal human journey.

My take on the book:

I have always been a little skeptical about Indian Fantasy books. There could be a few good ones, but what I've come across were mostly a bad experience. Most of which, I've given up half way. Yeah, so bad!

After reading Aryavir's description, I could guess it is one of those good ones. Though the plot promised to be complex and intriguing, the simplicity of the blurb promised a breeze of a read.

The story started off on a pacy note as there was so many characters, parallel plot-lines, existing. The author had skillfully built and narrated the story in such a way that each character made an impression that lasted long after the book. One reason, I mostly evaded series are because of so many characters. Sometimes, it really gets hard to catch up with them. But in this book, author made sure that nothing of that sorts happens. There were times I had forgotten names of the characters in the book, but their story lines and characteristics were too intriguing to confuse.

Another aspect I loved about the book is that in the start of the book there is a rough map (which, of course, resembles India) stating the whereabouts of the kingdoms of the story. There is also a map of lineage of the key characters in the story, which will come very handy in the later part of the book.

The author has this unique way of story-telling which will have a grip over the reader. The plot line is so pacy, it is hard to divert one's attention.

Overall, Aryavir is on the best Indian books I've read in the recent times. Gripping, fast-paced and with edge-of-the-seat twists, I would recommend this book to everyone.

The review of the second book in the Guardians of the Blue Lotus series 'Sitanshu' is soon to come. Stay tuned...

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Title: Aryavir

Author: Anita Shirodkar

Series: Guardians of the Blue Lotus, #1

ISBN (edition I've read): 9781640078109

Rating: 

Read between: 26-08-2018 to 28-08-2018

Publishers: The Write Place and AuthorsUpFront

Pages: 331

MRP: ₹ 295

Is It Maya? by Saikat Baksi

Blurb (from the cover):

Maya Mukhija is charming, intelligent and enigmatic.She has all the riches and power of the world. Maya loves to overpower men. She is the arm-candy wife of an ageing media mogul. Maya is not a loser. 

But one ne morning, Mumbai police knocks the door of her posh apartment and handcuffs her. "You killed Veena, your daughter," the Police Commissioner declares. 

"Veena was my sister, not daughter. And I wished her dead. But I never killed her," Maya Mukhija replies. 

The hunt begins through the shadowy yesterdays of Maya Mukhija. 

Love, treachery and a web of lies peel off the dark truth one by one. 

Who killed Veena? ls it Maya?"

The Bluest Marble by Vipin Kumar

              

The Bluest Marble 

is it always about loving your friends & family

            

EDITED by Sandipan Deb

Published by BecomeShakespeare.com

Pages - 264

Genre - Fiction:Urban life

       

INTRODUCTION

JOT(from the jacket) : Aditya is know as Ram kumar 125 - a name given to amnesiac patients in a 'Mental hospital'. He doesn't have amnesia; he just doesn't want to go back to the world he knew before . His inmates include : UT- The brilliant former CEO, Rajesh- software engineer and Jacky - Doctor in Theoretical phisics.among these 'crazies' Ram Kumar 125 discovers happiness himself,the true Aditya ,and the secret of happiness.He has been unconsiously looking for all his life.

MY REFLECTION: 'Mumbai', the city filled with people full of dreams.Here lives one such person from the huge city, working in a Business firm leads an ordinary life. He is Adithya. Every thing about him goes well untill his Boss Ousted him.

        The depiction of the life of beachelors who stay away from their parents and come to the city to have a living, in the midst of masses is done very well. The life at night pubs,Parties etc. The emotional bridges between people in the city too are showcased in a realistic way.

        Aditya's frequent hallucinations about his ex-girlfriend pooja are a highlight to the book. these really hit the slightest chord. and finally the story takes a U turn when he decides to end his life.

        After that the story has rushed to the climax not narrating much about 'the bluest marble'. I felt it could be written better .The plot is ok but the climax wasn't satisfactory.                

ISBN 978-93-83952-05-2

                  

I.T. Hurts by Subhasis Das, Mahi Singla

Blurb (from the jacket):

Dont we all live for a few dreams? These friends did the same.

Gautam, the rich brat, Subho, the corporate slave, Mudrika (Moody), the ambitious girl, Richa, the tomboy, Pritam, the dummy and Ali, the carefree genius-six people from different backgrounds enter in the IT industry with a common dream-to become rich.

On the very first day of his job, Gautam falls for the gorgeous nanya. But when he admits his love to her, he gets the shock of his life-she is soon to be married. Devastated, Gautam moves out of Ananyas life and finds solace with his gang of friends and in cans of beer. Corporate life and its grind helps, too and so does a move to the States. But Gautam decides to give love a second chance and flies down to Mumbai. Will he be second time lucky?

Find out in IT Hurts! a heartwarming story of new found love, old friendships and the trial and tribulations of a punishing industry.

A Flight of Pigeons by Ruskin Bond

Blurb (from the jacket):

Set in Shahjahanpur during the revolt of 1857, A Flight of Pigeons is Ruskin Bond's classic novella about the twists of fate, history and the human heart. 

When Ruth Labadoor's father, a clerk in the British magistrate's office, is killed in an attack by sepoys, her family seek refuge with their trusted companion, Lala Ramjimal. From here they eventually hope to escape to their relatives in Bareilly. But their plans go awry when Javed Khan, a fiery Pathan opposed to the British, abducts Ruth and her mother and takes them to his haveli. To their surprise, it is not hate that impels him in this time of war, but an almost crippling passion for Ruth. It will be months before the fall of Delhi to British troops brings them freedom—from fear, bafflement and despair, not only their own but also Javed Khan's. 

Based on true events, A Flight of Pigeons is a haunting story, rich in detail and drama, told with simplicity and deep humanity.

The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph

Blurb (from the jacket):

Seventeen-year-old Unni Chacko has done something terrible. The only clue to his action lies in a comic strip he has drawn, which has fallen into the hands of his father Ousep, an anarchist. Ousep begins investigating the extraordinary life of his son, blissfully unaware that his long-suffering wife is plotting to kill him.

Set in Madras in 1990, this is a darkly comic story involving the relentless pursuit of a failed writer who has found purpose, an adolescent cartoonists dangerous interpretation of truth, the plots of a brilliant housewife, and the pure love of a twelve-year-old boy for a beautiful girl.

400 BC by Lewis Helfand, Lalit Kumar Singh (Illustrator)

Blurb (from the jacket):

Fortune favors the bold...

They were an unstoppable force, hired to take the crown from the King of Persia. They were a fearless army of Greek soldiers, and one hundred thousand men fighting as one. They were led by the finest and most courageous generals in all of Greece. They were being led to unimaginable wealth, but that was days ago.

Now their leaders are dead and their army has scattered. Now their numbers have fallen to ten thousand and nothing remains but fear. Now they are men praying not for victory, but for the slim chance of living one more day.

Cut off by impassable terrain and pursued by an army of one million enemy soldiers; they must stand together to survive. To find their way home, one of their own must lead them. And to live one more day...

...they must fight.

Faceless by Nizam Ahmed

Blurb (from the jacket):

What do you do when you try to commit suicide, and end up discovering you have superpowers? 

Kabir faced this question just when he had done enough to get rid of a life he couldn't get along with. 

Foolishly encouraged by his new-found abilities, he decides get even with a cunning boss at work; win back his colleague Nat's love, and be an admired superhero. 

So starts his crazy journey – a clumsy rescue act for a girl called Riona; a dramatically rigged introduction at the Qutub Minar; mathematical manipulations at flying; use of Facebook as a weapon, and surreal encounters with a wily Russian, and a mysterious monk. 

Just when he thinks he has a hang of it, he runs into the Devil - a manic ringleader of kidnappers - who is clearly more than a match for him.

As he stares at the barrel of the gun that the Devil has pointed at his head, he realizes how terribly inappropriate being a superhero has been.

An Immortal Story by Satyendra Dhariwal

Blurb (from the jacket):

"You might have read many stories, you might have seen many colors of life. But here you will see all colors of life in one story"

Do you have a permanent dream? I know the answer of the majority will be yes. Vinayak(the lead character) had one too. But what if your dream will scatter like a pack of cards and it becomes certain that you can never achieve your goal.

What if you lose someone dear, your studies left in between, unwillingly get married at an early age, have to bear most of the responsibilities and internal strife of your joint family (that too at an early age), hated by your wife and in-laws, lose your health and natural-you and finally find yourself doing an unwanted 3rd grade clerical job.

Is it possible to see another dream now(while pain for the first one still lingers), is it possible to focus when you are struggling for almost everything? The answer is yes. This is a story of a boy who lost precious years of his early twenties just to find out what could be his second dream since from childhood he wanted to do something ‘big.’ He had to fight almost everything to achieve his dream. An Immortal Story is the story of struggle with own, struggle for love, struggle with life, with society and for career. This is the story of tolerance beyond limit. If you are down in any field of life this story will hold your hand, let you up and give the courage to follow your positive side of heart. Welcome to ‘An Immortal Story’–A life-giving tale.

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Blurb (from the jacket):

Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ichmad Hamid struggles with the knowledge that he can do nothing to save his friends and family. Living on occupied land, his entire village operates in constant fear of losing their homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other.

On Ichmad’s twelfth birthday, that fear becomes reality. 

With his father imprisoned, his family’s home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to hatred in the face of conflict, Ichmad begins an inspiring journey using his intellect to save his poor and dying family. In doing so he reclaims a love for others that was lost through a childhood rife with violence, and discovers a new hope for the future.

No One Writes to the Colonel by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

Foreword:

My first ever exposure to the work the Nobel laureate, Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez. I am sure, it is not just me who can't get the the latter part, the part after 'Gabriel', right.

Well, I inform you, reader, beforehand that me reading this book had got nothing to do about the author's recent death. In fact, it might sound bizarre, I completed reading the book that very Thursday - the day the author died. Seriously, I am not lying!

You can't imagine how moved to the core I was when I came to hear the news. Well, I guess, I wouldn't have been so moved if I hadn't read his that very day. When I looking for a read, something off the tbr shelf, some new author to dwell, someone remarkable, Gabriel caught my eye. Then here it is.

It is not essential why I chose this book of all his books. Yeah, I had choice. Perhaps, various options at that. The options even included the author's best work. But I chose this one. Obviously, because of its slender size. This novella was not more than 69-pages!

Serving You by Jaydeep Banerjee

Blurb (from the jacket):

Johnny has paradoxical views on life, has a mysterious persona, and often wears eccentric masks. How do these views influence an ordinary boy towards an extraordinary business A restaurant serving human meat? 

And yet this book is not about business. But about a boy's journey from adolescence to maturity. A tale of breaking shackles and living it up. 

Serving You is a poignant reminder of the simplicity of life and the freedom from self doubts. It is a tale of true love, true conviction and an extraordinary tale of triumph. A boy's journey into manhood, love, business and maturity. A journey from foolishness to eternal wisdom.

Legends of Halahala by Appupen

Foreword:

If you are regular visitor of this blog and read my reviews of other Graphic Novels, you must well aware my obsession about them. Especially, Indian Graphic Novels.

That leaves me with little items on the menu. There are very few illustrators and fewer successful Indian Graphic Novels out there. I mention successful because, if it's not a success, it would either cost you a fortune to buy the novel or you have to go to the end of the world to find it.

I particularly hate Indian readers so much. Their negligence for Graphic Novels is one reason. Of course, they read Comics, but Graphic fictions and Comics share very little of similarities, when it comes to deeper sense. But I shalln't blame them either. The cost of the Graphic Novels are so high, I don't think Indian readers are much to be blamed.

So here I am, trying to promote Indian Graphic Novels and testing my own limits of sanity!!!

Newton's Law Reversed by Howard Roark

Blurb (from the jacket):

On a trip to meet an ailing relative in Gangaikondacholapuram, Akash is introduced to conflict when a simple village girl, Ganga trespasses his thoughts. His mind fails to elude Ganga and being overwhelmed by the new found emotion, his attempts to free himself of his battles only grip him tighter. As his mind flits between Ganga and Ganesan, another tormented soul, Akashs only reprieve could have been a banter with his father, when unexpectedly he hears the news of his fathers expiry. Little did he know that his fathers demise and the ensuing trip to the village would alter his cynical view of the world? In this journey from boyhood to manhood, Akash derives profound meaning through his retrospective deliberations on his dead fathers words.

Impulse by Reekrit Serai

Blurb (from the jacket):

Stunning, powerful stories of modern India from a talented young writer.

Love is the most common of human affections. Yet, when it comes to love, nothing is as it seems. In modern Delhi, a young man woos a girl from Chandigarh who is totally out of his league, and a college girls life changes dramatically after an encounter with a classmate. In love, people can become objects of infatuation, or means to happiness, such as a partner who's immortalised in her husbands photo album, and two entirely different people who are more than friends, but less than lovers.

In these short stories, Reekrit Serai touches upon subjects that shape our urban lives, such as an entrepreneurs ambition, an interns unconfessed affection for his boss, the realisation of the hardships of being a parent by an impatient son, and the suffering and death caused by communalism.

With humour and subtlety, Serai introduces us to a very new India, where love and happiness go hand-in-hand with hardship and chaos.

Photo Booth by Lewis Helfand, Sachin Nagar (Illustrator)

Blurb (from the jacket):

He wanted to change the past, but first he would have to alter the future...

A new deadly drug is about to flood the streets of New York City. The police have no leads on who is producing the drug, or where it is coming from. As far as Praveer Rajani, a reckless Interpol agent, is concerned the only way to prevent countless deaths lies in a handful of mysterious photographs.

Within the photographs, Praveer can see images of places he has never known, and people he has long forgotten. But what are the photographs leading him to? Is Praveer being told that his life is spiraling out of control, and he now has one chance to put things right?

Or are the photographs related to a murder that Praveer is desperate to solve? Perhaps they are showing the love that his brother, Jayendra, let slip away or even the family that his sister, Nisha, wants back?

The mystery will finally be solved in this exciting romantic thriller from Campfire.

Love @ Air Force by Gaurav Sharma

Blurb (from the jacket):

The violent romance of the Fighter planes with the clouds in sky… the pulchritudinous Officers walking around arrogantly… the runway with the logo constituted by the concentric tricolored circles in the background… is the spectacle meets our eyes at the feeble mention of the Air Force but there is more about the Air Force besides these…

An unhappy Sergeant-Sushil Awasthi feels that his circumstances dumped him into doing drudgery in the Air Force and he deserved better out of life. Grumbling often, he accuses his wife, his parents and even Air Force for his agonies. When he finds that, the newly arrived medical officer, Wing Commander Shabd Mishra is his best friend of school days, his inferiority complex plunges further down.

The Wing Commander is still hankering after his school day’s crush Soumya despite knowing of her being married to another Air Force Officer, who too, gets posting at the same station.

How to things shape up when three classmates get together?

What fate does the love story of the lovelorn Wing Commander meet?

How do others around, the officers and the non officers, react to the friendship between a Sergeant and a Wing Commander?

Welcome to Air Force Station Agra to know how the Air Force reins the lives of its employees.

Domechild by Shiv Ramdas

Blurb (from the jacket):

A suicidal machine. A child with a secret that can change the world. The man trapped between them.

In the City, where machines take care of everything, lives Albert, an ordinary citizen with an extraordinary problem: Hes being blackmailed into becoming the first person in living memory to actually do something.

What begins as a chance encounter with an outlaw child swiftly spirals out of control as Albert is trapped between the authorities and the demands of his unusual blackmailer. Forced to go on the run for his life, he finds himself in a shadow world of cyber-junkies, radicals and rebels, where he discovers the horrifying truth behind the City, a truth that will make him question everything he has ever known.

The Reluctant Messiah by Hettie Ashwint

Blurb (from the jacket):

What can one man do in the face of mounting evidence? 

James Caldecott is just an ordinary man who has an extraordinary set of circumstances. Born to Joseph and Mary, he lives an unblemished life. Is it such a coincidence he lives on Jerusalem Drive? 

With the media hungry for what's hot and what's not James is catapulted into the spotlight as the Reluctant Messiah. 

It will take more than someone to deny him three times for James to get his life back. 

It will take a miracle.