Love, life and all that jazz by Ahmed Faiyaz

Ordered the book from indiaplaza along with Another Chance and Urban Shots. The book is supposed to be an easy- breezy read according to the comments on the book cover. On the contrary, the story written in present tense takes time to get used to. I wonder, what is with the present tense. The story is not an adventure or an action thriller for it to be in present tense. It is the story of four friends from college and their lives after college and how the decisions they make affect their life. A simple straight forward story. There is no reason for urgency or immediacy, it may as well be written in past tense and definetely read better. But once you get used to the tense the story flows by, even quite engaging. While there are no twists and turns and we know actually what is going to happen, it still holds enough interest that we want to finish it. I have one more grouse, that is, with the naming of characters, especially the two main female leads, they are called Naina and Tania. Thank god, he didn't name the other one Sania or Saina. While the names Tania and Naina don't sound simillar to the ear, to the eye they are simillar and most of the story I was confused mistaking one for the other. Also, wish the story was better edited. Indiaplaza promised an author signed copy but there was no signature anywhere in the book. I am just going to let it pass. Overall, the book is not profound or touching or earth shattering, ( it is not meant to be any of these), it is engaging and worth a read.

Jake Ransom and the Skull Kings Shadow by James Rollins

I like Reading Rollins' books. So when I saw this book in an online bookshop, I thought it was one of his action adventure thrillers and ordered it without Reading the review. it is a childrens book and part of a series. Well, the series starts with this book and is an adventure. So I am not disappointed. Following the fame of Harry Potter series I think Rollins wanted to try his hands at childrens adventure series.
Now for the story, Jake Ransom lives with his sister Kady, their parents have gone an archaelogical excavation and never returned. It is three years since they disapeared. They recieved a parcel shortly after their parents disappeared which contained two halves of a Mayan coin, their parents notebook with detailed sketches about Mayan artifacts. Jake and kady recieved an invitation from the british museum for the opeining of the exhibition of the artifacts their parents found in their final trip.
Jake and kady visit the museum and there begins their adventure into an unkown place habited by dinosaurus and other unimaginable creatures. A strange land inhabited by strange people. The strange land is under threat from the skull king. Will jake and kady help save the land? Will they find a way back to home? This form the rest of the story. It leaves many more questions unanswered. Will have to read the rest of the series to find them. Enjoyed reading it.

The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine

Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. It is not a Ruth Rendell story, so we know what to expect, something more dark.
The stroy is told in two narratives, one of Ivor Tesham’s brother-in-law some Delgado and Hebe Furnal’s friend Jane Atherton. The stroy is umm.. is the fall of Ivor Tesham conservative MP in the early nineties. Ivor Tesham is the handsome dashing politician who does not want to settle down in life. He wants to have fun. He embarks on an clandestine affair with married Hebe Furnal . Their simillar natures brings them together for sexual adventures. Tesham plans a “birthday Present” for Hebe, that goes wrong. While what Tesham had planned is not actually criminal, it could ruin his career and the press will have a field day at his expense. Jane Atherton, the not so good looking friend of the gorgeous Hebe tells her part of the story.
Ruth Rendell has always written about issues in contemporay soicety. Set in the early nineties this novel talks of the loneliness of modern life and how the scoiety plunges into depth those who are already in the edge. Like in many of her novels, we have a single girl who tries to find love and security unsuccessfully and slowly loses her sanity.
Ruth Rendell throws hint of things to come. So there is a constant sense of expectation of things to come that keeps one glued to the book. A very interesting read.

I am back!!!

I have not posted much for a while. That does not mean I was not reading. It is just that I am lazy. It is easier to keep reading novels than writing about them. I have decided to write again. Well not the Novel, but the review.

The business of dying by Simon Kernick

I like reading Harlan Coben’s novels, both the Myron Bolitar ones and the standalones. I like the sense of humour in the Bolitar novels and the style of writing in his standalones. As I have read most of his books including the latest I was looking for a writer who writes in similar vein as Coben. I found some recommendations on the net and picked Simon Kernick. The Business of dying is not entirely a Coben kind of novel. I would say more Michael Connelly type, reminds me of Harry Bosch and his vice squad, only set in London.
Now the story, DS Dennis Milne is a copper who lost enthusiasm in his work and feels that the law is in favour of the criminal. He does not mind bending a few rules to make some money. So much so that he does not mind killing for money as long as he feels that they are the scum that has to be removed. Milne commits a triple murder for underwolrd criminal Raymond Keen. Milne is also investigating the murder of the 18 year old Miriam Fox in King’s Cross. He realises that he had been setup to kill respectable people instead of the drug dealers. Milne battles with his conscience. Milne had killed before in his line of duty, but is it okay to kill innocent people? While Milne uncovers startling details about mysterios disappearance of teenage girls involved in vice trade, he finds the noose tighetning. He knows that he has to fly the coop but does he do justice to the girls, is the rest of the story. While it is easy to question the moral authority of the assasin copper, who wants to bring to justice the murderers of teenage girls, Milne really seems to know what is right and what is wrong and how far he would bend rules. An interesting read.

At Risk by Patricia Cornwell

Why would anyone name a project “At Risk” if not to risk the project itself? Monique Lamont, DA, who is running for the Governor, calls back Win Garano, an investogator, who is undergoing a training at the National Forensic Academy. She wants him to use the new cutting edge DNA technology to solve a 20-year old case that would boost her image for the Governorial run. As events unfold we know that the project and the people invloved are at risk. I think that is the only justfication for naming a project like that. Narration is in third person present tense, which in many places is irksome. Probably the stroy was written in present tense to give a sense of immediacy. But I think it failed, at least for me. It is a small book and could definitely read in hours. But it took me three days to finish. As I take books to read in bed, within moments of reading it, I was in deep sleep (Usually I finish at least half the book). And next time I pick it, I had to read from the beginining and should say I read the first few pages a few times to grasp what is happening. I have read a few Patricia Cornwell books and I would say none were so bad. I quite like the Scarpetta stories and picked the book expecting her. Yes, I have lots of pateince and I rarely ever leave a book unfinished even if it is very boring.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Though I finished reading the book on July 23rd itself, I had been thinking about wondering about lot of issues. I wouldn’t tell them here.

I have not read the first two Potter books. But I have seen the movies and read all the others. My favourite so far is Prisoner of Azkaban and Sirius Black is my favourite character.
Now about Deathly Hallows. There has been a lot of expectations about this book. This being the last book in the series, is a book of conclusions and tying up all the loose ends. This is also the final climax between Potter and Voldermot. While some are not really surpises and there are a few surprises. I am not going to tell about them.

Intial reaction after finishing the book was dissatisfaction. It was followed by confusion. And finally when I told the story to one of my friends who had not read any of the books but seen all the movies, I understood the story better. I do wonder why certain things were not spelt clearly so the story would be more enjoyable. There are bits in the story where it sounds boring. Like when Harry, Hermoine and Ron are in hiding. They keep changing places. So how long will they keep changing their hiding place and why does nothing happens. It is almost testing the patience. Some parts keep reminding of Lord of the Rings. Especially when Ron and Harry take turns to wear the locket and the locket seems to make them nasty and illtempered. There are lots and lots of questions. Like as it is shown in previous books that there is a connection between Harry and Voldermort and if you remember Voldermort uses this connection to implant ideas in Harry’s mind in an earlier book, why does he not do anything about it in this book.

What I like about this book is that unlike some books where the full glory goes to the main character, here other characters also play a major role in the story. Snape is a real surprise. Who would actually imagine that he was doing what he was doing? I could even say, I fell in love with Snape. I have moved my allegiance from Black to Snape. I would also think that Snape is much better than Black in many ways.

I have more to say. I will some other time. Yes. I loved the book.