RUPA PUBLICATIONS: Nick and Tesla's HIGH VOLTAGE DANGER LAB

Title: High Voltage Danger Lab
Author: "Science Bob" Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Price: INR 295
Genre: Sci-Fi
ISBN: Rupa Publications

This is only the second book I've ever read, having completed a sprint from the first page to the last, without using a bookmark. No, there was no way I could need one. Putting the book down was impossible. 

Adventure. Fun. Mystery. Family ties. Bold kids. Circuits. Pets. Mysterious neighbours. Mad scientist. Humour cropping up unexpectedly... and almost everywhere, this is the book Nick and Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab.

A very racy read, the book opens with 11 year old twins being exported to their uncle's place for a summer since their parents would be away understanding how soybeans grew. But what awaits them at their uncle's place is almost totally unexpected and weird. Case in point - a compost pit for a bed and a TV that worked only when someone was exercising. A typical and classic Enid Blyton way of discovering friends and a lurking mystery in the neighbourhood during boring summer holidays, follows. But what lies beyond that is marvellous. Kids solving mystery, the scientific way.

The experiments the twins perform to solve the mystery and rescue a little girl and her dear Mr. Snugg from gory kidnappers, are well documented and the their inventions are all listed in the book. It sure is a cool concept, and you can try out the experiments for yourself, in case you are interested in coming up with your own handy gadgets.

Funny illustrations here and there, a very accurate mapping of the behaviour patterns of pre-teens, and a superbly unexpected ending are sure plus factors about the book.

Do take a tour inside the high voltage danger lab. If you are a middle grader bookworm, you totally deserve it.

A flamboyant 4/5 rating for this one wouldn't be inaccurate. Happy reading. :)

Devil's Ether by RR Chelra

                                                                                                                                                                                  
TITLE : DEVIL’S ETHER

AUTHOR : R R CHERLA

ISDN : 978-93-5067-259-4

I read this book on my husband’s insistence and I am mighty glad that I read it . It seldom happens that you come across a sci – fi novel which  happens to be an author’s debut book but also turns out to be a riveting and thought provoking piece of work.

R R Cherla’s Devil’s Ether is a  sci- fi set in the United States of America. Written against a backdrop of  international intrigue and a internet connected world, this book takes you to a world where there is no limit  to what the top bosses of the intelligence agencies might do to achieve their own personal  interests. The way they violate the privacy of individuals without a second thought using the social mediums is scary. It has the main protagonist Sara Sheppard trying to save her husband, Jim, who happens to be the administration’s biggest critic, from the clutches of  supposed paranoia . Little does she realize at that time that it is Jim who is trying to save her and their daughter. As the story unravels, Sara finds out how her husband’s privacy has been violated by the intelligence agencies and how they are playing with his mind. The way she gets CIA agent Jeff Brandon’s help, who discovers at that stage that he still has a conscience which does not allow him to support his bosses anymore is interesting. The riveting story has a lot to offer and keeps you glued to the book.

The story is fast paced and definitely holds your interest till the very end. The helicopter chases and the sharp shooters lend the story a Hollywood flavor. While reading the book I could feel the adrenalin rush and could visualize the scenes as if I was watching a movie.This itself says how well the story has been put into words.

However, I feel, the author could have held himself a little from going into such in depth technical details because either a sci – fi is one’s cup of tea or it is entirely out of one’s range.

In my opinion, Mr. Cherla has done a commendable job especially as Devil’s Ether happens to be his debut book. The book portrays the depth of research done by the author. The book is definitely strongly recommended to all  action and sci – fi fans.