Book Review: Skyfire by Aroon Raman

Book Title: Skyfire
Author: Aroon Raman
Publishing House: Pan Macmillan India
Available format(s): ebook and paperback

Genre: Fiction; Thriller

Pages: 256

Blurb: 

May 2012. India is hit by a series of freak weather disturbances and startling epidemics that threaten to bring the country to its knees. At the same time, children are disappearing from the slums in the capital and nobody seems to care. Stumbling upon these strange and seemingly unrelated incidents, journalist Chandrasekhar, historian Meenakshi Pirzada and intelligence operative Syed Ali Hassan start upon a trail that leads them into the drawing rooms of Delhi's glittering high society before reaching a terrifying climax in Bhutan, where they come face-to-face with a force of unspeakable power and evil.

My Review:

One word: Unputdownable. I am so glad to have picked this book up. Though the initial pace of the book is slow, it catches up as the author describes the fine details of each of the freak weather disturbances and unusual natural occurances. The character sketches of the main protagonists, the trio of Chandrashekhar, Meenakshi Pirzada and Syed Ali Hassan have also been defined very well, each of them have a key role in the plot. 

Overall, a pacy and a racy read, not a single dull moment! Now I'm compelled to read the first two of his books as well.

This is review is a part of the Flipkart book review program; I've recieved the book in exchange of an honest, unbiased review. I thank Flipkart for shortlisting me for to review this book.

Book Review: Stories of Work, Life and the Balance in Between by Tomson Robert

Book Title: Stories of Work, Life and the Balance in Between
Author: Tomson Robert
Publishing House: The Write Place
Available format(s): ebook and paperback

Genre: Non-Fiction

Blurb:

Are you stuck in a job you don’t love? Are you made to do flunky work in office? Do you struggle to balance work and life? Do you want to quit your job and start a business of your own? Do you wonder about the meaning of love and life? If these questions apply to you, then this book is for you. This book is a collection of 10 contemporary short stories based on the corporate world and life in general. Although these stories are a work of fiction, they capture real life situations and dilemmas that I have seen and faced. Each story is aimed to leave the reader with a message. I believe these can help you answer the above questions. If not, I have tried my best to keep the stories as humorous and entertaining as possible.

My Review:

Yet again, I thank the good folks at writersmelon.com for sending me this ebook for review. This book entails the author, Tomson Robert's fictional accounts of his corporate life and his personal life. Through 10 contemporary short and crisp stories, the situations one usually faces in work life are highlighted through various perspectives - the boss, the employee, etc. I found it entertaining and a quick read to be completed in a single sitting (1 hour max) as it is about 70 pages long. My favourite story from the lot is 'How You Became A Horrible Boss'. All the stories are generously sprinkled with humour and make it a light read.

About the author: 

Management Consultant by day and amateur author by night. Husband to a beautiful wife, father to an adorable baby girl and raised (along with a smart younger brother) by loving parents in God’s Own Country (a.k.a Kerala, India). Currently living in Dubai and working for a consulting firm.

Book Review - Corpokshetra by Deepak Kaul

Book Title: Corpokshetra - Mahabharata in the MBA Yug

Author: Deepak Kaul

Publishing House: Westland Ltd. & Bloody Good Book

Available formats: ebook & Paperback 

The amusing book cover. Image source: amazon.in

Blurb:

The Pandavas have returned home after 13 years of exile. And they are demanding their stake in Hastinapur Inc. But the Kauravas, led by the haughty Duryodhana, aren’t ready to give them a penny. The battle lines are drawn, only this war is in the present-day Kurukshetra - the corporate boardroom.

As the Kauravas and the Pandavas don their sharpest suits, Krishna - the wily Consultant - strategies for peace. This is a humorous, modern take on the Mahabharata (with due apologies to Rishi Ved Vyas). An epic story retold for the MBA generation.

Thanks to Writersmelon.com, I recently got my hands on Corpokshetra by Deepak Kaul. This book is a modern corporate twist to the tale of epic proportions - The Mahabharata. As rightly described, it is retelling of the Mahabharata for the MBA generation.

It is the story of all the beloved and celebrated characters, but in a corporate boardroom. Where Lord Krishna is running a successful international CSR consultancy. Kansa is the CEO of Mathura Corp and Lord Indra is the chairman of Govardhan limited. When Kauravas are back from their exile they demand a stake in Hastinapur Inc. Instead of the battlefield, here the battle is in the boardroom with wit and politics as the weapons.

Unlike in every corporate, the top bosses call the shots when the going goes tough. With all characters in place, the story starts a board meeting. (Guess what they also hangout at Starbucks!)

A well described story, Corpokshetra incorporates and merges all the corporate elements effortlessly. 

For a reader like me who always gets confused between characters of the original tale and has lesser knowledge of the nitty gritties, found this book a recap of the original tale, but with a twist of course. Interspersed with wit and humour, it makes for a quick and easy read.

Book Review: The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias

eBook: The Devil's Prayer

Author: Luke Gracias

Pages: 294
Genre: Thriller
Price: Rs. 189.58 (Amazon.in Kindle Edition)

Publisher: Australian eBook Publisher (18 February 2016)

The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias

Blurb: 

A nun commits suicide in front of thousands in Spain. In Australia, Siobhan Russo recognises that nun as her mother, Denise Russo, who disappeared six years ago. 
In search of answers, Siobhan travels to the isolated convent where her mother once lived. Here she discovers Denise’s final confession, a book that details a heinous betrayal that left her crippled and mute, and Denise’s subsequent deal with the Devil to take revenge. In the desperate bargain Denise made with the Prince of Darkness, she wagered Siobhan’s soul. 


As Siobhan discovers the fate of her soul, she learns that hidden within the pages of her mother’s confession is part of The Devil’s Prayer, an ancient text with the power to unleash apocalyptic horrors. 
And now her mother’s enemies know Siobhan has it. 
Can Siobhan escape an order of extremist monks determined to get the Prayer back? Can she save the world from its own destruction? 

My Review:

Needless to say the name of the book itself is intriguing. With a stellar start of a nun allegedly committing suicide, this book becomes unputdownable and captivating from the word go. The book is cleverly divided into four parts with each part seamlessly connecting the next. 

One can read the first three parts in quick succession; I found it difficult to tear away from the book (sacrificed some sleep in the process). The fourth section deals with a lot of research and details pertaining to religious history where the author has done a lot of his homework well and with supporting proof. It is here that I lost some interest, a tad too much history had me waiting for the cliffhanger. Eventually, I did finish reading it and boy, it has me waiting for the second part.(I really hope he writes it.)

I totally recommend this book to lovers of supernatural fiction. All I can say is, Mr Luke Gracias is certainly a Dan Brown in the making. Goosebumps guaranteed!



Disclaimer: I've received this ebook from Writersmelon.com in exchange for an honest review.

Are your ready-to-go in a Datsun redi-GO?

I’ve owned a two-wheeler (scooter) for long now. Though I use it less often than before, a two-wheeler has limitations over a four-wheeler. Limitations include: seating only two passengers, inconvenience riding in the monsoons, luggage space constraints, to name a few. One of the main reasons why my loved ones constantly caution me when I ride a bike is for the safety.

A two-wheeler may not provide the safety to the driver from a head-on collision or an accident. Not to sound pessimistic here, but having lived in a metropolis where for road rage incidents and road accidents are on the rise, women are recommended to purchase a hatchback meant for the city to drive safe. 

The other reason is for traffic. It cannot be stressed enough how the levels of traffic in a locale of a city plays a crucial role in the decision making process of taking the car for a spin or not.

And whilst contemplating the many options available in four-wheelers, particularly cars, I chanced upon this brand new car that symbolises Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback.

Datsun India has launched India’s first-ever urban cross car to cater to the current generation who are ‘always on the go’. Using the best of Japanese technology, Datsun has designed redi-GO car with a host of features; three of the following appeal to me the most to take this car for a spin:

1. Best-in-class Ground Clearance:

A much needed feature when you’re wading driving through water-logged streets full of puddles the size of Moon carters. With 185 mm ground clearance, smoothly sail over the craters like a moon rover.

2. Small Turning Radius:

If I have not stressed on the craziness of Mumbai’s traffic, let me highlight it more. There is barely any space for manoeuvring a car in neck-deep traffic. Moreover, this feature will be gold for parking in a tight spot. Datsun redi-GO promises to make a full turn-around with just a 4.7-metre turning radius.

3. Superior Air-Conditioning:

This may be seen as a trivial point to many, but with humidity levels that touch close to 90%, Mumbai certainly becomes hot during the peak summer months – April and May. Datsun redi-GO has air-conditioning that is optimized for the Indian weather conditions – which can be totally unpredictable.

Testing The Datsun redi-GO

The ultimate test of the Datsun redi-GO would undoubtedly be at the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. And that too in the upcoming monsoon season. Any Mumbaikar driving a car in Mumbai would know how traffic-clogged streets can become in the monsoon. I wish to test driving this car out in Andheri suburbs of Mumbai with a sole intention to check whether it is ideal for traffic city drive. I want to know whether a novice driver like me can safely reach home after being met with puddles, cacophony of the traffic-clogged streets with no or little room for manoeuvring.  

For a city-slicker like me, if the Datsun redi-Go promises to get me out of the peak rush hour traffic with smooth manoeuvring abilities; get me in and out of a tight parking spot and help me be safe and secure at all times, it will certainly help me beat the urban driving blues.

What's in your cup?

Of all the innovative ways of marketing content, there are some that stay in one's memory longer.

To cite an example, I still remember how innovatively a hand sanitizer company advertised their message by tying up with bhel puri wallahs. They served their message in the paper used by bhel puri wallahs which drove home the point of the importance of keeping ones hand clean after eating food.

Such and more innovative means not only effectively drives the message to the end users but also is recalled effectively in the long run. Just like I did :)

Thus it is imperative to break the clutter in marketing your products or services and stand out from the crowd.

Precisely what gingercup.com does!

Through innovative paper cup advertising and flyer advertising they make sure your brand stands out.

Book Review: The Honest Season

Book Title: The Honest Season
Author: Kota Neelima
Pages: 376
Genre: Political Fiction
Price: Rs. 206 (Amazon.in)
Publisher: Random House India

Blurb: 

Sikander Bansi, an unlikely political heir in Delhi, secretly records politicians in Parliament as they haggle to become cabinet ministers, bag defense contracts, dodge criminal charges and collect corporate largesse. Among them is a rising leader of the People’s Party, Nalan Malik, whose success has come through unscrupulous means. When Sikander suddenly disappears, Mira Mouli, a newspaper journalist with an unusual gift of knowing people’s thoughts, receives the controversial Parliament tapes along with clues to find him. She is attracted to Sikander’s principles and is wary of Nalan’s deceit. But her powers of knowing tell her a different story, one that she can unravel only at the cost of her life. From the bestselling author of Shoes of the Dead, this is disturbing political fiction that reveals why Parliament functions behind gates closed to the public.

About the Author:

Kota Neelima has been a journalist for over twenty years, covering politics in New Delhi, India. She is Senior Research Fellow, South Asia Studies at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced international Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC. Her recent academic research in India on perception seeks to develop a structure based on rural and urban voter choices .Her previous books include the bestselling Shoes of the Dead and Death of a Moneylender, among others. Also a well-known painter, Neelima’s works are a part of several collections in India and abroad, including the Museum of Sacred Art, Belgium.

My Review:

It would be an extremely rare case that I would pick up a book on politics. But the word fiction added to it certainly drew some intrigue. And boy, I'm glad I picked it up. Right from page one, the author does not let you put this book down. She has orchestrated the plot so beautifully, I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns. Kota Neelima has a impeccable hold of the language and the subject matter that she is an expert in. Each page shows the amount of research that has gone into writing the book, and not leaving any loose strings. I would readily recommend this book to those who are uninterested in Politics as I am, because this is nothing short of a best-seller!

Disclaimer: I've received this book from Writersmelon.com in exchange for an honest review.