Jurassic Park Series #1 - The Book by Michael Crichton

          A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.

Thoughts

Michael Crichton

          Jurassic Park, as for most people, has always been my childhood fantasy. As an 8 year old kid, seeing a dinosaur for the first time(albeit on screen) was an amazing experience. The movie with it's perfect cast, goosebumps-inducing BGM, amazing CGI so advanced for it's time captured my imagination as a child and made me feel watching it is an experience that no one should miss.

          Now that I had such a nostalgic connection with the movie, I couldn't resist picking up the book when I visited a local bookstore. It felt like the book was there waiting for me, destined to be picked up by me. Opening the pages of the book, I was transported 20 years back to the days of innocence. The book, not only overwhelmed me with nostalgia but brought the dinosaurs back to life in a way even better the movie I'd say. I was glad to be back in the park of dreams built by John Hammond, I was glad to be chased by Rexy and I was glad that I got a completely different perspective on Jurassic Park through the book.

          For starters, the book had more detailing. The process of creating dinosaurs - the DNA sampling, hatching and growing them are all beautifully explained in such a way that even someone who has zero knowledge on genetics and science could understand it. I also found that the book differed from the movie in characterization aspect and there were even subtle plot differences.(Differences between the movie and the book in coming up in another blog post soon.). The book also has it's share of fast-paced edge of the seat action and thrills. Grant and his mates being chased by the highly intelligent and skilled velociraptors is a treat to read.

          Hands down, my favorite parts of the book were the 'rants' that Ian Malcolm often got into. Be it him explaining the Chaos Theory or the Fractal Curve, or him admonishing Hammond and telling him about the timeless journey of planet Earth are just literary wonders. I could read those monologues by Ian Malcolm again and again and still my mind would not have gotten enough.

          This is one book that no one should miss. It offers a lot more than the movies will ever offer. Close your eyes and go for it. You will not regret it. See you in Jurassic Park!
Next blog in the series coming soon.

Quotes

“The planet has survived everything, in its time. It will certainly survive us.”

“Let's be clear. The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to save ourselves.”

“You know, at times like this one feels, well, perhaps extinct animals should be left extinct.”

“All major changes are like death. You can't see to the other side until you are there.”

“Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re not. Everything is moving and changing. In a sense, everything is on the edge of collapse.” 

The Shining - Stephen King

Danny was only five years old but in the words of old Mr Halloran he was a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father became caretaker of the Overlook Hotel his visions grew frighteningly out of control.

As winter closed in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seemed to develop a life of its own. It was meant to be empty, but who was the lady in Room 217, and who were the masked guests going up and down in the elevator? And why did the hedges shaped like animals seem so alive?

Somewhere, somehow there was an evil force in the hotel - and that too had begun to shine...

Thoughts:

Stephen King

If ever there was one book that made me fear the dark and made my spine tingle with dread, this is it. This book was my third Stephen King novel and his first two books that I read had not gone down well with me. I read Dreamcatcher and Misery before this book and I understood that I have not read the best of Stephen King yet. Amidst this background, The Shining came as a great surprise loaded with horror and terror that can inflict fear on the bravest of hearts.

In his previous two books, I felt Stephen King was beating around the bush a little as he was taking loads of time to get to the main event. I felt that problem resurfacing in this book in the beginning. I still feel Jack's history of alcohol abuse was a little off track to the main plot. However, once the reader toils through a handful of pages and finds the Torrance family locked up in The Overlook for the winter, the action begins and there is not let up in the intensity and the pace from then on.

I'm still amazed how an author can bring fear to the minds of people just by "words". He doesn't get to use visual effects; he doesn't get to use sound effects; he doesn't get to use 'Jump Scare' techniques. All the author has at his disposal are "WORDS". And yet, I must say, the words from the pen of Stephen King has managed to surpass all techniques that a traditional horror movie director employs to scare his/her audience. Perhaps, that is why, the film adaptation of this novel The Shing (Movie) directed by Stanley Kubrick did not impress me as much as the novel did. There are some people who say the movie is better than the book, but I firmly differ from their opinion.

The characters are all well-developed. The Overlook, the haunted hotel is itself a terrific character with a mysterious and horrific past.

The Overlook Hotel(as shown in the movie)

Joey Tribbiani tells what is so great about The Shining

I personally liked Wendy, who struggles to save her son from his father who has fallen into the clutches of the haunted hotel and is slowly going insane. Dick Halloran is another character who leaves a mark in the reader's minds after the book is completed. I liked the fact that there are so few characters so that the reader is not burdened with too much clutter that are not essential to the central plot. King means business in this book.

Remember Joey Tribbiani in Friends, hiding The Shining in the freezer? Well, that is one way to avoid the Overlook haunting you.

Quotes

"Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters."

"Monsters are real. Ghosts are too. They live inside of us, and sometimes, they win." 

"Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in." 

If you want to be scared out of our wits, this is one book you must never miss. The Overlook is waiting for you! 

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of India.

The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.

As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.

My Thoughts:

This is one book that is bound to leave a lot of readers teary-eyed. Though Rohinton, the author claims this work to be fiction, I wonder if this story was made up. You can still see thousands and thousands of Ishvars and Oms in every nook and corner of India. The book has everything that is impending the nation's development. It speaks about the deep rooted caste system and class differences. It speaks about blind urbanization and the resulting loss of nature and it's resources. It speaks about corruption. It speaks about politics. It speaks about population expansion. It even speaks about feminism. In general, this book IS India for you!

The story is about four  people who are forced to live together in a major city due to various circumstances. Ishvar and Om are untouchable cobblers turned tailors who have come to the city in search of a living. Dina Dalal, a middle aged widow hires them to work for a major Export company. She also rents one of her rooms in her apartment to her friend's son, Maneck, who has come unwillingly to the city from his home in the hills to pursue his education. Thus begins the extraordinary story of the four people and how life takes them on a harsh journey spanning poverty, illness, hunger, injustice, cruelty, prejudice, depression and misfortunes.

The story is grim - there is no getting around that fact. There is no happy ending. But everything is real. I wonder why this book did not win the Booker prize though it was shortlisted. This book is a gem. More people need to read this book. It helps to understand the ground reality prevailing in the country and also opens their eyes against their prejudices. The author has a knack of making a 600 odd page book feel like a breeze while you read. The author does not frustrate the readers by indulging in unnecessary narration or description, nor does he use complex words that render a dictionary indispensable. Instead he relies on his sharp wit and to-the-point narration to create a vivid picture and keep the readers glued to the book.

A MUST-READ book for everyone!

Golden Quotes:

"The human face has limited space. If you fill it with laughter there will be no room for crying."

"But nobody ever forgot anything, not really, though sometimes they pretended, when it suited them. Memories were permanent. Sorrowful ones remained sad even with the passing of time, yet happy ones could never be recreated - not with the same joy. Remembering bred its own peculiar sorrow. It seemed so unfair: that time should render both sadness and happiness into a source of pain."

"After all, our lives are but a sequence of accidents - a clanking chain of chance events. A string of choices, casual or deliberate, which add up to that one big calamity we call life." 

About the Author:

Rohinton Mistry

Rohinton Mistry is considered to be one of the foremost authors of Indian heritage writing in English. Residing in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Mistry belongs to the Parsi Zoroastrian religious minority.

Mistry’s first novel, Such a Long Journey (1991), brought him national and international recognition. Mistry’s subsequent novels have achieved the same level of recognition as his first. His second novel, A Fine Balance (1995), concerns four people from Bombay who struggle with family and work against the backdrop of the political unrest in India during the mid-1970s. The book won Canada’s Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Writers Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. It was nominated for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and was a finalist for the Booker Prize.(Source: Goodreads)

The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri

‘The Namesake’ is the story of a boy brought up Indian in America.

'When her grandmother learned of Ashima's pregnancy, she was particularly thrilled at the prospect of naming the family's first sahib. And so Ashima and Ashoke have agreed to put off the decision of what to name the baby until a letter comes…'

For now, the label on his hospital cot reads simply BABY BOY GANGULI. But as time passes and still no letter arrives from India, American bureaucracy takes over and demands that 'baby boy Ganguli' be given a name. In a panic, his father decides to nickname him 'Gogol' – after his favourite writer.

Brought up as an Indian in suburban America, Gogol Ganguli soon finds himself itching to cast off his awkward name, just as he longs to leave behind the inherited values of his Bengali parents. And so he sets off on his own path through life, a path strewn with conflicting loyalties, love and loss…

Spanning three decades and crossing continents, Jhumpa Lahiri's much-anticipated first novel is a triumph of humane story-telling. Elegant, subtle and moving, ‘The Namesake’ is for everyone who loved the clarity, sympathy and grace of Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize-winning debut story collection, ‘Interpreter of Maladies’.

My Thoughts:

Jhumpa Lahiri

This is one book that every Indian living abroad can relate to. The Gangulis are a traditional Indian family who move to America just before Gogol is born. As Gogol grows up, he is caught between the cultures of his parents' country and the country he lives in now. While his parents embrace Indian culture and everything that reminds them of their home country, Gogol struggles to make sense of it all and India is just a distant nation that is as foreign to him as the moon. While his parents try to grow him as Indian as possible, he tries to put as much distance as possible between him and India.

In this book, the author beautifully portrays the difficulties of settling in a foreign country and the emotional havoc it can wreak on people who are caught in the crossroads of two nations with completely different people and culture. The book is a fantastic read for all Indians, especially the NRIs. The author shows complete command over language and proceeds with the plot in a breezy yet elegant style. At no point in the book did I feel bored or restless.

A few scenes stand out in the book, such as the one when Gogol's father dies and the subsequent consequences the incident causes on the lives of all the other Gangulis, and the scene where Maxine tries to understand Gogol's feelings and emotions but fails to do so. Gogol's mother, Ashima's worries about her children going wayward in a foreign land and Gogol's father, Ashoke's sheer determination to raise his children as intelligent and noble people speak volumes about Indian parents. It is also a great book for some insights into the present generation's mindset at large.

I feel every Indian who is planning on settling abroad should read this book. This book beautifully exposes the merits and limitations on such a move. Spanning three generations, this story is one of its kind.

Quotes

“That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”

“You are still young, free.. Do yourself a favor. Before it's too late, without thinking too much about it first, pack a pillow and a blanket and see as much of the world as you can. You will not regret it. One day it will be too late.” 

“Try to remember it always," he said once Gogol had reached him, leading him slowly back across the breakwater, to where his mother and Sonia stood waiting. "Remember that you and I made this journey together to a place where there was nowhere left to go.”  

About the Author - Jhumpa Lahiri:

Jhumpa Lahiri was born in London and brought up in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Brought up in America by a mother who wanted to raise her children to be Indian, she learned about her Bengali heritage from an early age. 

Lahiri graduated from South Kingstown High School and later received her B.A. in English literature from Barnard College in 1989. She then received multiple degrees from Boston University: an M.A. in English, an M.A. in Creative Writing, an M.A. in Comparative Literature and a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies. She took up a fellowship at Provincetown's Fine Arts Work Center, which lasted for the next two years (1997-1998).

In 2001, she married Alberto Vourvoulias-Bush, a journalist who was then Deputy Editor of TIME Latin America. Lahiri currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. She has been a Vice President of the PEN American Center since 2005.

Lahiri taught creative writing at Boston University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Much of her short fiction concerns the lives of Indian-Americans, particularly Bengalis.

She received the following awards, among others:

1999 - PEN/Hemingway Award (Best Fiction Debut of the Year) for "Interpreter of Maladies";

2000 - The New Yorker's Best Debut of the Year for "Interpreter of Maladies";

2000 - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her debut Interpreter of Maladies

Chalkline - Jane Mitchell

This is the story of Rafiq's transformation from child to boy soldier, as he is indoctrinated into the cause of fanatical belief. But his family have not forgotten him - when he can no longer recognize himself, they remember the boy he was, and reach out a hand of redemption as he spirals towards a final act of atrocity.

Rafiq is only nine when Kashmiri Freedom Fighters raid his village in search of new recruits. Tall for his age, he is the first boy to cross the chalk line into a life of brutality and violence.

Jameela cannot forget her brother. While Rafiq is trained to kill in the rebel camp high in the mountains, she keeps his memory alive.


When finally their paths cross again, Rafiq is unrecognisable as the boy who left the village. Will Jameela know him?

Review:

Ever since my childhood, I have always wondered what is going on up north in Kashmir. I come from a town in south India and I used to find newspaper articles and clippings about the fights going on up in Kashmir, the northern border of India. I've always wondered how people managed to live in such high tension places while it was calm and peaceful down south. This book is a real eye-opener on the conditions and the type of life people lead in the beautiful and gorgeous Kashmir.

Rafiq is a 9-year old boy living with his family in one of the vilages in Kashmir valley. One fine morning, he is abducted by people who claim to be Kashmiri freedom fighters. He is cruelly separated from his family and is made to undergo rigorous training. Rafiq is brainwashed by the militants and is made to believe that the war they fight is a holy war fought for the liberation of Kashmiri people from the tyranny of India.

The hardships Rafiq undergo and the way the boy's mind is tuned to make him believe in what he is doing makes the readers sad. To think that everyday, many such boys are kidnapped and made to fight the war makes the reader's blood boil. This is a good read that exposes a part of the dark secrets that the valley of Kashmir holds.

A must-read for all people. The author has done a great job in making sure that she stays true to the plot and also in bringing out the necessary emotions from the readers. This is one book that will haunt you for a long time.

About the author:

Jane Mitchell

Jane Mitchell was born in England, but she moved to Ireland later on, where she studied in Trinity College, Dublin, and taught elementary school children for a while before working in the community with at-risk teenagers who had dropped out of formal education. 

She has also worked with young adults with disabilities.

Find more about the book here.
Buy the book here.
Read more book reviews here.

The Dreamer - Vivek Jain

          Love does not mean having your mate on your side or does it? Can a guy love a girl in such an unpredictable way that she becomes his soul? Are all these ancient love stories like Romeo and Juliet fake? And if it is not, then can this kind of love happen in today s generation? Vivek is a guy with a slight scientific bent of mind, who always tries to perform experiments related to various fields of science. At a school function, he meets a meets a girl Shruti, who becomes his addiction ... his princess, his angel ...Goddess ... the reason for his existence. He falls in love with her at first sight ... handing over his entire life into her hands... Somehow, Vivek manages to speak to Shruti ... then follows an addiction about her ... a madness that knows no end. To prove his love for her, he designs a telescope to impress her. But four years later, a tragic change of fate enters their life. Shruti turns volte-face and refuses to even recognise or acknowledge Vivek. What is this story all about? Is destiny playing a game with Vivek? Or is Shruti playing a game with him? Or is there another angle? How will this love story end? Will Vivek win over Shruti ... or will it remain an unfulfilled dream forever?

Review:

          Another story of a college  guy trying desperately to win the love of his life. The protagonist, Vivek is a stereotypical middle class boy who develops a crush over a pretty-looking girl. The guy does not have the guts to express his love for the girl and is being helped by his friends. The guy goes to various extremes to make her understand his love and the rest of the story follows the usual routine - boy chases girl, friends help boy. The entire story is narrated by Vivek and his various emotions, his frustrations, his joy, his despair and his delight are all well brought out by the author. 

          The book is not only about Vivek's love for Shruthi. It has a lot more and the final few pages, where the story takes a completely different turn is worth mentioning. Though the writing is plain and devoid of vivid descriptions and literary content, it is a good first attempt by the author. However, the character portrayal and development could have been handled a little better. This book can be read in a go and makes a good Sunday afternoon read. 

          Go for this book if you are in need of a light-read or a refresher!

Rating: 1.6/5

Buy the book online:

The Dreamer - Vivek Jain: Flipkart

The Dreamer - Vivek Jain: Amazon

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) - Suzanne Collins

     

            The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

        When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. , she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Review:

Suzanne Collins

           A wonderfully written teen fiction story revolving around Katniss Everdeen and her struggle against the tyranny of the Capitol. Panem consists of 13 districts and is ruled by the Capitol that insists on keeping the people in a tight grip. When District 13 protested, the Capitol blew it away and keeps running the footage of the ruins of District 13 as a reminder for all those who might think of starting an uprising. The protest of District 13 also marked the start of the cruel Hunger Games where 2 children from each district fought to death every year.

          Katniss Everdeen finds herself in the arena of the 74th Hunger Games after a series of events. She is just a normal girl who has small aims in life, who hunts illegally to feed her family, who enjoys a quiet time in the woods with her best friend. She adores her little sister Prim and is ready to give her life for her. How such an innocent and normal looking girl fights against all odds in the arena, how she comes to know that the real enemies are not the children in the arena but the Capitol itself form a good and interesting read.

          All the characters are beautifully portrayed and the book itself presents a rollercoaster of emotions in every page. This book is a page-turner in all aspects and I bet you cannot put it down even for dinner. The cruelty metted out to the people by the Capitol makes one's blood boil, the compassion shown by Katniss to Rue makes one shed tears, the life or death situation Peter finds himself in makes one bite his nails and much more. In short, you become one with the book.

       On the downside, there was too much violence and hence the book may bot be appropriate for a few weak-hearted. The plot also slows down a tad in the second half, but only to race to an end at the climax. So, if you are a teen fiction jerk and want some real entertainment and action, this one is for you! And yes, the movie is also out! The Hunger Games. A piece of advice as I always say, watch the movie after reading the book . Happy reading! For information about the second book in the trilogy - 'Catching Fire', click here .

The Hunger Games ( The Hunger Games  #1 ) by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 3.9/5

For information about the second book in the trilogy - 'Catching Fire', click here .

About the author:

      Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.

      While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.

      Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part series, The Underland Chronicles. Suzanne also has a rhyming picture book illustrated by Mike Lester entitled When Charlie McButton Lost Power.

      She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

      The books she is most successful for in teenage eyes are The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books have won several awards, including the GA Peach Award.

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

          Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

Review:

Stephenie Meyer

         Wow! This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I was really surprised to see so many negative reviews in goodreads, and I was asking myself,"What else you people want?". This book has everything you expect from a book - love,hate,romance,anger,betrayal,disappointment,hope...This is my first experience with Stephenie Meyer and I must say, I'm really impressed. I'm wondering why I decided to give 'The Twilight Saga' a miss. Maybe I should read those books afterall!

The characters were all beautifully developed! Wanda,Jared,Ian,Jamie,Jeb,Melanie were all likeable. The complicated love triangle between Wanda, Jared and Ian makes for exciting reading. You can never hate Wanderer, the invading soul, no matter how cruel you are. Such a delicate creature that cares almost entirely for others even at the expense of its own life. There are only a few books that have the power to bring tears to your eyes and this is surely one. I could hardly control my tears during the final pages of the book.

The highlight of the book is the way the the humans go from blind hate to blind love for the soul Wanderer. When she first arrives at the desert, the humans almost kill her thinking she is a traitor. Through some intervention from Jeb, she stays alive and the rollercoaster of emotions start. One by one, every person start loving Wanderer and she becomes indispensable to the human community with her altruism and care for others. I was really touched by this character- the pure and unadulterated love showed by the soul to everyone, even to those who hate her is amazing.

Stephenie Meyer is incredibly skilled with emotion; that's her strongest suit. She writes emotion in a way that makes you feel everything the character feels. When the character is in pain, the reader is in pain too. 

Meyer writes love in a way that makes you love everything and everyone the character loves with a strong passion. Even though he was just a character, I loved Jamie as strongly as if he was my own brother. And I was in love with Ian as strongly as if I was Wanda and he was actually real. Stephenie Meyer is a queen of emotion; I don't think anyone can write it like she can.

A Sci-Fi novel for people who hate Sci-Fi! Loved it...

Rating: 4.2/5

Nothing Lasts Forever - Sidney Sheldon

Three young doctors-their hopes, their dreams, their unexpected desires... 

Dr. Paige Taylor: She swore it was euthanasia, but when Paige inherited a million dollars from a patient, the D.A. called it murder. 

Dr. Kat Hunter: She vowed never to let another man too close again-until she accepted the challenge of a deadly bet. 

Dr. Honey Taft: To make it in medicine, she knew she'd need something more than the brains God gave her. 

Racing from the life-and-death decisions of a big major hospital to the tension-packed fireworks of a murder trial, Nothing Lasts Forever lays bare the ambitions and fears of healers and killers, lovers and betrayers.

Review:

Sidney Sheldon

As it is always the case in Sidney's novels, the protagonists are all women. This book tells the story of three doctors, from different parts of the world, having different background, different childhood and different dreams but come under the same roof to study medicine. The hectic life of a doctor, their sacred practice and how it has been corrupted are all well-narrated. 

I felt strange after reading this book. I have read lots of Sidney Sheldon but this one is different. Usually Sheldon develops the plot beautifully, sets up all his characters and then finally goes for the kill. But in this book, the plot was missing. I was 3/4th through the book and still could not guess the plot. And suddenly, the case of euthanasia was put up and three pages of court scenes with Barker coming to the rescue of Paige and tada!! Story over. it was as if Sheldon finished the book in a lot of hurry.

Dr.Kat Hunter is portrayed as a self-assured and virtuous lady who has high moral values for herself and values her dignity. The way she toys with Ken Mallory and eventually falls for him are all pathetic. As usual, the man is shown as the villain. I hated Honey Taft from the beginning and continued hating her till the end. I don't know what was the point in giving that character such a negative shade when she could render nothing to the overall plot. To me, one story felt unfinished completely; as though that character was ill-conceived and a last-minute addition. Another character's actions didn't seem congruent with the picture Mr. Sheldon painted of her. 

Nevertheless, the hospital scenes were fantastic. Sheldon literally showed a hospital life before my eyes and I felt like I've been working in that hectic schedule for years. The characters were a bit shallow except for Paige and there were many loose ends..

Sheldon,surely was in a lot of hurry.An off book for the master story teller.But still you could get glimpses of Sheldon's class here and there.

Rating: 2.7/5

Find the book at goodreads:

www.goodreads.com/book/show/43325.Nothing_Lasts_Forever

Deception Point - Dan Brown

A shocking scientific discovery. A conspiracy of staggering brilliance. A thriller unlike any you've ever read....

When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory -- a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery -- a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the president, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all.

Review:

Dan Brown

My first Dan Brown book(though I have seen Angels and Demons movie) and I was thoroughly entertained.  Seeing all the negative reviews in Goodreads, I initially hesitated to pick up this book. But I had no other choice one weekend as I had run out of books. Yes, the author was a bit over-stretching the plot with action-fillers but other than that, the book is a master-piece. I really had no idea who was involved behind the deception, and the final twist, revealing the person behind the deception took me by complete surprise. The characters were very well portrayed. The events revealed at breakneck pace and I could hardly keep up with the author. The pages seemed to fly by and I was actually seeing a movie, vividly seeing every event before my eyes! Such was the effect of Dan brown's narration. 

To begin with, I loved the setup. USA Presidential elections coming up, two candidates striving for the hot seat, NASA's constant and miserable failures in space exploration, the sudden and astounding discovery that will no doubt be a huge milestone in space science if proved - what more can you ask for? Rachel Sexton works for the National Reconnaissance Office as an intelligence officer. She is also the daughter of a Senator currently running for President. Her father's main offensive, and a very popular one, against the incumbent President is to attack the huge amount of NASA funding. Rachel is barely on speaking terms with her father, believing him to be totally corrupt. In such a situation, the President calls Rachel and assigns her a work which she is almost forced to take over. And the work, if done successfully, will only mean doom for her father. Though she is caught in a dilemma, she gracefully does her job.

 She along with another scientist, Michael Tolland discover some shocking truths that are not meant to be discovered. Soon they are attacked by an unknown enemy, who is behind all these, and both are on the run. The chase is built into a crescendo and the author here does a fantastic job of never letting the [ace die. You  could hardly put down the book even for a second. They run, run and keep running discovering more and more shocking realities on the way. And watch out for the climax! Though I must say it was a bit filmy, it was no doubt fantastic. The final twist, the real culprit and his justification were all believable and it was like seeing an action packed Will Smith movie.

I especially loved the President character - Zach Herney. He was honest, good looking, charming and at the same time, so sure of himself. While his foe - Senator Sedgwick Sexton was willing to get his hands dirty, Zach wanted to win it straight. I also loved the final scene when Zach apologizes to the people for his mistake and that is when he looks more of a President. His elation at such an astonishing discovery, his anger when he comes to know that he was cheated, his disappointment, and his determination to educate the people with the truth are all characters of a true gentleman. He is one character who will stay in your mind even after you start reading your next book.

Overall, a very good read for thrill and action lovers. Don't miss it!

Rating3.9/5

Kane and Abel - Jeffrey Archer

Born on the same day near the turn of the century on opposite sides of the world, both men are brought together by fate and the quest of a dream.  These two men -- ambitious, powerful, ruthless -- are locked in a relentless struggle to build an empire, fuelled by their all-consuming hatred. Over 60 years and three generations, through war, marriage, fortune, and disaster, Kane and Abel battle for the success and triumph that only one man can have.

Review:

Jeffrey Archer

I've read many of Archer's novels but I'll surely rate this one as my best. The characters, the plot, the narration - everything near perfect, swept me off my feet. Jeffrey Archer, a master in his craft, brings Abel Rosnovski and William Lowell Kane right before your eyes with his efficient portrayal and his natural God-blessed style. These two are such powerful characters that I could hardly remember any other character even remotely close to matching them.
The bruised and battered life of Abel in war-torn Poland, his escape from his captors and his working up the ladder of power and money are all a treat to read. On the other hand, you have William Lowell Kane. A guy born to a rich family, loses his father at a young age, hates his stepfather and even finds out the truth behind his acquaintance with his mother. Right from their childhood, both persons are very manly, smart and quick to learn.

After escaping, Abel comes to USA and works his way up while Kane grows from strength to strength as a banker. Their paths cross for the first time in a hotel where Abel works as a waiter. The first meeting was not as explosive as it was expected to be but just Abel wanting to be like Kane. Later, Abel becomes the Manager of a group of hotels and the owner gets himself in a mess with  Kane's bank and commits suicide. Outraged by his mentor's condition, Abel vows revenge on Kane. Thus begins the most enthralling story of two people striving for money, power and fame. And yes, Jeffrey Archer is just the master.

The final twist adds a new dimension to the story altogether and watch out for it! I would strongly recommend this to everyone. A must read!

Rating:

4.6/5

The Racketeer - John Grisham

Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered.

Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.
Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.

On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge’s body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday . . .

Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

Review:

John Grisham

A very ordinary read. The story is very very unrealistic and though Grisham claims at the end that all works are fiction, I felt it was very over-stretched. The FBI dances to the tunes of Malcolm Bannister, the characters can just walk around with bars of gold without getting caught and most important, if you need to smuggle something out of USA, all you to do is hire a yacht. Thats almost close to fantasy.

The characters are very shallow and I never got a clear picture of the lead character even after I finished the book. It was as if Grisham was in a hurry to publish something with his name on it. The plot also gets a little confising at times with the character switching between two identities - Malcolm Bannister and Max Reed Baldwin. Suddenly Nathan appears out of the blue and every Tome, Dick and Harry would have guessed why he was brought in. I found the plot right from the beginning, given that the book title reveals almost the entire plot. I will never understand how a single man can make the FBI do whatever he wants. Two men plan together in jail, fool the FBI, then reveal to them that they were fooled. The FBI even knew that Bannister is in possession of gold bars but they don't do anything about it.

His so-called ' revenge' on the US government, was not much of a revenge as the Feds's reputation remained undamaged and in fact they were handed the case on a platter by him . In addition,Nathan Cooley's character just got dumped on us without any background tease to give us a chance to guess his involvement n this. 

The authors note at the end that says: "Almost nothing ... was based on reality. Research, hardly a priority, was rarely called upon. Accuracy was not deemed crucial. Long paragraphs of fiction were used to avoid looking up facts." sums it all up. This one is not for serious readers. A very ordinary plot with lots of holes. I expected a lot more from Grisham.

Rating:
2.3/5

A Prisoner of Birth - Jeffrey Archer

International bestseller and master storyteller Jeffrey Archer is at the very top of his game in this story of fate and fortune, redemption and revenge.

If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson the day before, or the day after, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the four prosecution witnesses are a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm's history, who is going to believe his side of the story?

Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped.

However, Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge, and Beth's relentless quest to pursue justice, which ends up with all four fighting for their lives.

Thus begins Jeffrey Archer's most powerful novel since Kane and Abel,with a cast of characters that will remain with you long after you've turned the last page.

And if that is not enough, prepare for an ending that will shock even the most ardent of Archer's fans.

Review:

Jeffrey Archer

Wow! I had high hopes for Jeffrey Archer after reading Kane and Abel, and he did not disappoint me. This book is a scorcher that just swept me off my feet. The story takes off at a swift pace right from the initial courtroom scenes. The arguments from both the prosecution and defense are fantastically brought about and I found it difficult to put this book down. Apart from a few glitches here and there, this one is a real entertainer from cover to cover.

The characters are portrayed in depth and every reader is able to put himself in the shoes of Daniel Cartwright. Unlike other novels, the reader knows right from the start who was the criminal but the way the author builds up the story without having much suspense in his hand is great. The jail scenes are neatly written and I could almost feel myself surrounded by walls. Danny's thirst for freedom and vengeance, and a bit of luck, somehow frees him from prison. His slow and methodical tackling of Hugo Moncrieff with the help of Fraser Munro, his constant suspicions about his cover being blown, and his friendship with Big Al are all refreshing and deserves a praise. But I was a little disappointed with the revenge part as I expected much more, but all Danny could manage was inflicting a financial breakdown on his adversaries.

The final courtroom scenes were the Redmaynes support Danny are epic! I've read many such courtroom arguments, but this one stands out as the best. I especially liked the part where Fraser Munro appears as witness and also the part where Sir Redmayne questions Spencer Craig. I loved the scenes and have read those pages nearly 3 times.

Overall a must read for everyone! Don't miss this one. Its simply irresistible.

Rating:

4.5/5

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less - Jeffrey Archer

The conned:an Oxford don,a revered society physician, a chic French art dealer, and a charming English lord. They have one thing in common. Overnight, each novice investor lost his life's fortune to one man. The con: Harvey Metcalfe!!

A brilliant, self-made guru of deceit. A very dangerous individual. And now, a hunted man.

With nothing left to lose four strangers are about to come together-each expert in their own field. Their plan: find Harvey, shadow him, trap him, and penny-for-penny, destroy him. From the luxurious casinos of Monte Carlo to the high-stakes windows at Ascot to the bustling streets of Wall Street to fashionable London galleries, their own ingenious game has begun. It's called revenge-and they were taught by a master.

Jeffrey Archer

Review:

  The book certainly did not live up to my expectations. I was impressed with its hype in goodreads.com and bought it as this was the one of the first books written by one of my all-time favorites, Jeffrey Archer. The book was ok, not a book to go gaga over. A wealthy guy cons four people and these four people get together to plot their revenge. Archer's characterization is fantastic and his style of writing appeals to people. I especially loved the part when Dr.Robin Oakley cons Harvey Metcalfe. It was thrilling with a fine dose of humour mixed to it.
  Apart from that, I loved the twist when James meets his future father-in-law who is none other than Harvey Metcalfe!!(though he doesn't recognize him). The final pages describing the marriage function and the group's encounter with Harvey are nice-read. But overall, its a pretty boring book with a leisurely pace that makes page-turning a burden. The initial pages and the lead to the plot seem to drag on forever.

Rating: 3/5

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event

 changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.")

Khaled Hosseini

Review:

A very emotional and heart - breaking novel that explores the depths of human minds.Khaled Hosseini carves a niche for himself in the minds of the readers with this book.The characters are so real that you almost forget if you are reading a novel or a memoir.
The characters Amior and Hassan are developed beautifully and I especially loved Baba very much.he was the kind of dad who lived his life the way it has to be lived.His dark side was also revealed in the later part of the book but still I loved him.The way Amir tries to seek redemption for his sin brings tears.Guilt can cause you to do a lot of things.Afghanistan was very well described and I found myself yearning to live in such a place.but the drastic turn of fortunes after it comes under taliban rule is a sad change.The book was more or less like a family get - together describing Afghan traditions and their cultures.The book makes us respect the Afghans.

Overall I loved the book very much.A fantastic emotional read.

Rating: 4/5