Bloodline - Sidney Sheldon

Sheldon's sweeping saga of greed and betrayal, sabotage and danger, and the ties that can kill...

Roffe and Sons is a family firm, an international empire filled with desperate, cash-hungry family members. At its head was one of the wealthiest men in the world, a man who has just died in a mysterious accident and left his only daughter, Elizabeth, in control of the company. Now as this intelligent, tough, and beautiful young woman dares to save -- not sell -- Roffe and Sons, she will have to outwit those who secretly want her power, and the unknown assassin who wants her life.

Sidney Sheldon

Review:

Certainly a good book to read. May not be Sheldon's best, and there may also be claims that the book draws heavily from Sheldon's previous releases but still this book is certainly worth a read. The typical twists are missing but the extraordinary narration makes up for the slow pace. The reader is made to believe from the onset that Rhys is the criminal. Though the climax reveals a different story, it was expected from Sheldon and the familiar mind-blowing twist at the end is missing. I personally liked the characterization of Detective Max Honurang, as a short plumpy bald man, yet very intelligent and efficient. The character certainly gives a different face to a detective. The part where Samuel Roffe's life is narrated is fantastic and is probably the best part of the book. I loved Samuel Roffe's determination and courage. Elizabeth Roffe, young and lonely seeks power from her great great grandfather and the way Sheldon bridged a century gap was amazing.

    The other characters like Ivo, Alec, Walther Gassner and Chris Martel were all well developed. But I felt the author left a few loose threads dangling like the rendezvous between Rhys and Helene. he also failed to explain Alec killing innocent girls. But stiil, the book is complete with all the elements for a weekend read.

Rating: 3.4/5

The Rhinemann Exchange - Robert Ludlum

Autumn 1943. Global espionage elite converge on Buenos Aires. Intense, high-level covert negotiations will soon bear dangerous fruit with the aid of expatriate German industrialist Erich Rhinemann. American agent David Spaulding will be there. His top-secret mission can bring the war to an explosive end. But what happens here in this city of assassins, double crosses, and erotic encounters is to be the most sinister and terrifying deal ever made between two nations at war. Quickly, the game changes, truths darken, hidden secrets emerge. And suddenly Spaulding is the man in between, the man furiously struggling for his sanity, the woman he loves, and his very life...the only man who can save the world from the horrible truth of The Rhinemann Exchange

Robert Ludlum

Review:

A pretty bore read. I don't understand why there was so much hype about this book on Goodreads. I could concentrate and even turning the pages became a burden. The plot is so poor and unrealistic and it is full of confusions and ambiguities that it fails to give the readers a grip. David Spaulding characterisation is so poor and his growth from an actor to a top agent is unbelievable. The book moves along a slop pace and I wondered why the author had wasted so many pages in narrating unnecessary events like the rendezvous at Lisbon etc. No characters are deep enough and the reader does not get a feel of any of the characters except ofcourse, Jean. She is the only saving grace in the book.Overall a pretty ordinary read.

Rating: 2.1/5

The Krishna Key - Ashwin Sanghi

Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age—the Kaliyug.

In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar.

Only, he is a serial killer.

In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret—Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind.

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna’s most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice.

Ashwin Sanghi brings you yet another exhaustively researched whopper of a plot, while providing an incredible alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller-addicts alike.

 

Ashwin Sanghi

Review:

Reading his first two books,I expected a lot from Ashwin Sanghi.But as it is always the case,I was quite disappointed with this book.Professor Ravi Mohan Saini seems to know almost everything in History.The author's urge to relate almost every world incident to India and his overplaying of the number games spoil the essence of the story.The passage at the beginning of every chapter about Krishna server only as speed-breakers.They severely damage the pace of the story.Tarak Vaakil is shown to be the tenth avatar of Vishnu but as the story progresses,he is sidelined.The climax is the worst I have read and I was longing for the story to complete.The claim that the Syamantaka is hidden in the Taj Mahal is beyond the bounds of imagination.I briefly wondered if I was reading some History lecture book.Such was the case when the professor started talking.Almost everyone in the story lowe a lot in history.Even conspiracies must have some facts behind them but that is not the case with The Krishna Key.
A poor plot with a poor narration.Ashwin Sanghi was much better in his first two books.  

Rating: 3.6/5