Kaliyug- The Secret Plot (A book review)

Author- B. S. Sarwagna Kumar 

Publishers- HALF BAKED BEANS

Pages- 300

Genre- Myths, Legends & Sagas

Blurb- If you think humanity has lost its meaning, greater darkness is on its way. What could have happened in the past that made our present to be in this way? And how would our present society demolish the future to crumbles? This is war; the war between the first devil, and his nemesis...war between religion and divinity of 'spirituality & knowing'...war between cruel hearted and kind ones. This is the war of KALIYUG. An army consisting an axe, a sword, a horse, great wisdom, and the remains of a dead child, is coming to slay the first of evil and his minions. Pick your side. Good or evil? Respect or rape? Kindness or cruelty? Come join Kaliyug's secretive battle with its twisted secretive plot!

Book Review- ‘Kaliyug  - The Secret Plot’ is the book-1 of Kali trilogy. This book has been divided into two fragments-

1) The Journey so Far – This is the interesting part. The author leads the reader through many mythological events which some of us may have read or heard about. The novelty lies in putting together these apparently unrelated events like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. How humanity plotted its own fall- from the zenith of ‘Satyug’ to the nadir of ‘Kaliyug’ forms the basis of the story.  The author has put in a lot of hard work in compiling mythological records. Kali, the antagonist (if you choose to call him one) has been portrayed in an innovative way. I loved the concept of ‘Brahma years’.

I won’t spill the beans here, though. Read the book to know more.  

2) The Journey Afar- It is in the second portion of the book that the author begins to loose grip over the proceedings. Sometimes, you feel as if you are reading two different books. At the same time, one cannot take credit away from the author as he, in a thought-provoking way, brings out the reasons behind the decay prevalent in today’s societal framework. Man if left to his own devices is none the better than an animal- wild, wanton, savage with lust and greed pervading his bloodstream.

It would be interesting to see what the author intends to pen in the next two parts of this trilogy. This book appears to be complete in itself.

Verdict- A good book, if you are not already tired of the ‘mythology’ based books flooding the market. Give it a try- you won’t be disappointed.

Anything to Look Hot (A book review)

Author- Jas Kohli

Publishers- Srishti Publishers & Distributors 

Pages- 208

Genre- Romance

Blurb- When the superstar diva of the past decade doesn’t want to play the hero’s mother on screen, she insists that she be reshaped into the most beautiful woman in the world…by any means. This is just one of the many odd situations which plastic surgeon Dr. Dhruv faces in Mumbai. He has dealt with tyrannical bosses and finicky patients while undergoing his training, during which he has also won over a stunning doctor as his life partner. But satisfying the movie stars is a different ball game because every girl wishes to have bee-stung lips, and every guy wants to flaunt a six-pack abdomen without working too hard. And all this while, he has to resist losing his balance over his ravishing female clients. Dr. Dhruv’s journey surpasses even a masala movie for humour, drama, and action. In debunking many a myth about cosmetic surgeries, the book will enthrall those who can do ‘Anything to Look Hot’.

Book Review- In this novel, the author takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of the life of a plastic surgeon, Dr. Dhruv Khanna. The author, being a plastic surgeon himself, narrates a ringside view. The narrative is crisp and the language, lucid. However, the account seems to be autobiographical in nature. Herein lies the problem with this otherwise adroitly written book. The life of the protagonist is devoid of drama and the action is limp. There is hardly any character apart from Dr. Dhruv which can hold the reader’s interest. There is no prominent female lead and no antagonist. There is a fleeting reference to an aborted love affair between the doctor and a beautiful female. According to me, this could have been handled in a better way; could have been given more prominence. ‘A plastic surgeon who knows only too well that beauty is skin deep falling for a beautiful vixen’. Now, that would have been a great ‘sales pitch’ for a romantic novel. The book could have scaled greater heights but for the lack of spices in the cauldron in which this story was broiled.

Verdict- A well-cooked dish, bland for the dearth of seasonings…

About the Author- When Dr. Jas Kohli started training in plastic surgery twenty years back, he hadn’t imagined that one day he would be exposing the secretive world of plastic surgeons and their clients. Apart from his interest in writing, he also enjoys astronomy, music, and bird-watching. Through his writings, he aims to foster a stronger doctor-patient bond. 

LIGHT A LIFE

A candle once lit

Will burn out one day

Leaving behind ash

Dry, smutty and grey.

The light, the glory bested

Darkness- forever to reign.

To what purpose the burning?

A life subsisted in vain?

The tallow may be gone

The wick is still in the fray

A chandler’s labour of love

For eternity can stay

Light another lamp

Afore the looming last breath

An ace up your sleeve

Check and mate to death…

A candle once lit

Will burn out one day

Leaving behind ash

Dry, smutty and grey…………..

                                        (Anurag)

KASHMIR...

Kashmir is burning

Like a sick man’s pyre.

Smoke draping the massifs

The valley consumed by fire.

Conflict, hatred, mobocracy

Shrieking voices, marching feet.

Sullen dirges, the only music

Gunshots ringing in every street.

Militants slain by army’s bullets

In tricoloured coffins, soldiers sleep.

A silent nation mourns its sons

Wombs barren, the mothers weep.

                                                 

                                                         (Anurag)

Perfect Imperfect (A book review)

Author- Ravi Bedi

Pages- 171

Publisher- AuthorsInkIndia
Genre- Romantic thriller

Book Review-

‘Perfect imperfect’ is a complex love triangle involving the three protagonists- Jimmy, Samarth and Farah.

It is a well-written piece of prose, the language easy and the grammar unblemished (a big thing in today’s times when in the name of so-called ‘creativity’, the so-called ‘authors’ tear to pieces, the basic rules of grammar). At times, a few words are repeated, but I will let that pass.

The twists in the tale are on the expected lines but the story builds towards the climax in a streamlined fashion. The ending is unconventional.

The author has dealt with the frailties in human nature; the sins- Luxuria (lust), gula (gluttony), avaritia (greed), acedia (sloth), ira (wrath), superbia (pride) and invidia (envy) pervading the lives of the three lead characters. As is evident, the ‘dramatis personae’ in this novel are all coloured in the shades of grey.

I finished reading this ‘romantic thriller’ over the course of one night and needless to say- it did not disappoint me.

I look forward to reading the other books penned by this prolific writer- 'Lover's Rock', 'Mail Order Bride' and 'Seven Stories'.

 

WRITER'S BLOCK...

My thoughts running amok

In search of a thrill

They seek distant manors

To invade, conquer and kill.

But words do not flow

From the mouth of my quill

They lie battered, bruised

Motionless and still.

The pages glare at me

Blank-bereft of any frill

Accusing me of indolence

Lack of purpose and a will

The gulf is ever widening

Thoughts to words-words to quill

My heart’s blood is surging

The veins of my pen to fill.

                                             (Anurag)

FARAWAY LAND…

Let us build a nest

In a faraway land

Where pretty fairies dwell

Wielding  their magical wand.

The sunlit skies limpid

The clouds swaying in a dance

The breeze conjuring a symphony

The flowers looping in a trance.

The air smelling of freedom

Waters honeyed and pure

The creatures all equal

Humanity to the fore.

A place devoid of hatred

No malice and no rage

No discrimination of colour

Caste, creed, sex and age.

Let us build a nest

In a faraway land.

Let's fly away together

Hold tight, my hand…

                                                (Anurag)

MINDLESS...

Hacked to pieces, limb by limb

Ravaged bodies, shattered souls.

Mindless mayhem, odium galore

To what purpose and to what goals?

Families destroyed in a blink of eye

Extinguishing lives to light a fire.

In the name of religion, savagery

A sick joke or a sadist’s satire?

A whiff of love, a kiss to follow

A bit of loaf on your plate.

Isn’t this all that we need in life?

Sans misplaced fervour, angst and hate.

                                             (Anurag)