SHORT STORIES FOR THE HOPEFUL AND THE WEARY by SCOTT ROLOFF

Title: Short Stories For The Hopeful And The Weary - A Collection of Four Short Stories
Author: Scott Roloff

After struggling with a particular book for over 8 month and still not moving at all, and doubting my reading skills and ability, I had almost thought my book reviewing career was about to terminate. 

But that was until this book came along. Power packed with emotions and reality, this little book 'Short Stories for the Hopeful and the Weary', like water released from a dam, washed away many of my doubts. Good books still exist and good stories still sell! And I thank God for it..!

Perhaps one of the shortest books I have read in ages, this little collection of four still shorter independent stories, happens to score, and score big, despite all odds. A little boy is too old to be a preferred choice of couples wishing to adopt kids. An old man looks back at his life and wonders if it was indeed well lived. A man busy in his own dreamy world realizes what life his wife might be living. And last, a complicated and confusing conversation with the Devil. 

In the first story, 'Nicoli's Birthday', in the hindsight of a war, a young couple wishes to adopt a little girl from an orphanage. There, a young boy touches their lives and they have, but to take a decision. Their decision in the positive would alter their lives and would totally change the destiny of the kid. Though it is a very simple story, the instinctive reactions of the characters have been captured so beautifully that one can just fall in love with the story. The idea of the war in the background could have been stressed more and made more prominent to include an element of contrast between love and war. Nonetheless, this story runs away with the sweeping 4 on 5 rating. A must read for the hopeful and the weary, I must say!

The second story, 'A Lifetime Until Dawn' captures the uneasiness of an iron willed army general, as he looks back at the life that he has lived and wonders if it was actually well lived or not? Well, of the given four stories, for me, this one takes the cake. The simplicity with which the whole scene has been narrated and how even minute details (like the fly, for instance) have been carefully handled, makes the story even more impressive. A massive 4.75 on 5 for this one. Undoubtedly a must read for one and all.

'Saturday's Crossroads', the third in line, is a typical dilemma faced by a person who is now used to seeking pleasures beyond the domestic ambit and is suddenly forced to think of his wife and their strained matrimony. The story plot is somewhere similar to O. Henry's 'The Pendulum'. A 3.5 on 5 for this one looks good!

The last, 'God and the Devil' is a complex and confusing piece from the point of view of an average reader who would want to read for the sake of reading and for being temporarily influenced by the charm of the story. This story is quite deep and would require long hours of pondering upon. The plot of the story is a conversation between a devil and a journalist. From a layman's perspective a 2 on 5 for this one should be alright, but then for those willing to delve down deeper, well..!!

Overall, a very interesting and a insightful book, looking at life from different perspectives and angles, it leaves you yearning for more. The author's style of writing is very addictive, with the narration being profound and most of the stories ending in an amazing twist.

A wonderfully tiny book, it wont take more than a day to complete. Go ahead. Read. Enjoy.

:) 

THE DEPOT by CARMEN DESOUSA

Title: THE DEPOT: WHEN LIFE AND DEATH CROSS TRACKS
Author: CARMEN DESOUSA

Though I am not a big fan of downloading random books from the net and reading them, but there were several factors that prompted me to get this one and read. The newly downloaded Kindle app on my Windows 8, the fact that this was available for free, had a four and a half star rating, and the most important two factors - it was estimated by Amazon to be a kind of novella of hardly 44 pages, and it was in the 'mystery' category, all worked in its favor.

A young homicide detective gets to decode the case of an apparent suicide of a very wealthy, handsome young male. His experience as a detective had taught him to make no assumptions on the case till the culprit (if any) had been caught. He goes about searching for clues and hints to resolve the case, until he comes across an arcane tale of a very similar murder that had happened here itself, many years ago. He also sees the video coverage (or CCTV coverage tape) of the day previous to that of the crime, and lo! there, the book begins to stink of a large filthy twist that lies ahead. The detective suddenly finding himself in midst of a rush of emotions for the lady who was the most likely culprit, if (and only if) it was a murder of some sort, and not a suicide.

The good things about the book are quite a few. Well, the story progresses super fast, and the various events do not take very long. It is a simple two hour read and yes, if the suspense part interests you, you would not be disappointed. If weird twists in the plot is what you cherish, go ahead! And yeah, there are ghosts here too... (trust me, the ghost part IS the best part).

Additionally, if you are the one who believes in 'art for art's sake' or you want to become a writer yourself someday, this is the book you must read. You can almost feel the characters around you. 

But, the story being too short, the mystery part has not been appropriately elaborated and ends too soon. It is a little book after all.

A spooky, crisp read but leaves much to be desired. It would only get a 2.5/5 from me.

The Hope Factory by Lavanya Sankaran

Title : The Hope Factory

Author : Lavanya Sankaran

Publisher : Hachette

ISBN : 9780755327874

  

The Hope Factory is a Bangalore based story with Anand Murthy as the main protagonist. He runs a small-scale auto components manufacturing factory and is at the verge of expanding his business by signing a deal with Japanese clients. He needs more land to set up a new factory and confronts many roadblocks on the path to acquire it. Having a dominant father-in-law who wants to impose his way on his daughter's life and family, makes matters more complicated for Anand. Vidya, Anand's wife is a typical society woman who wants to move in higher echelons flashing her designer clothes, throws lavish parties for friends to make an impression and talks about charity and fund-raising to sound like a concerned citizen. Though they both fell for each other during their college days which led to their nuptial but they clearly have different approach towards how they want to conduct their lives.

Another story which moves in parallel with Anand's story is that of Kamala and her son Narayan. Kamala is a house maid in Anand's home and all her efforts are geared towards providing good education to her son Narayan besides struggling to make both ends meet for both of them. She is a sincere and honest worker but still becomes the subject of Vidya-maa's fury many times.

The high point of the book is narration of situations and incidents from two very diverse perspectives with respect to two stories that are beautifully interwoven as one. Misery and anguish of Kamala, her resolve and determination, Anand's dedication towards his work, his interactions with his children, his father-in-law's eagerness in taking charge of things, and much more  - though sound very simple yet are handled expertly bringing the characters to life.

Through 'Hope Factory' the author has addressed current state of affairs in real estate, corruption and bribery, involvement of goons and politicians in high-order deals and feasible options available to people who want to carry on with their business honestly and sincerely. The characters are etched brilliantly and the narration flows smoothly. It is a little slow in the first half but gains momentum after that when more action is happening. Language is good, easy to understand and error-free and it deserves a special compliment because many new Indian authors falter on that account. Overall a simple story told simply which makes for a decent one time read. 

THE REDEEMERS by SURESH TANEJA

Author: Suresh Taneja

Publication: Frog Books

Editor: Vibha Sharma

Price: INR 145, $6
Rating: ***3/4

A bunch of youngsters (G4, as they call themselves)  have a long vacation at hand. They plan a mischievous party, only that they are forced into a bizarre situation. A situation that causes them to think. To think about things that their tender brains and hearts are not yet trained for. 

The situation, or the sequence of events, as I can put it, changes their lives altogether. From carefree teenagers, almost overnight, they grow into flag-bearer of one of the largest mass movements that modern India has seen.

Their creativity, thinking, resolve, determination, never say die attitude, situation handling skills, friendship, integrity, honesty, even a fair amount of good luck, all are put to hard tests, time and again, and almost always, the G4 comes out victorious. Do read the book to find out what happens eventually.

It is heartening to see how a topic that has impacted almost all the people of India, be dealt with, so easily. The book definitely gives a whole new perspective to the problem of rampant corruption in India, and a novel solution to it. The book will see its ultimate success, when people get inspired by the story, take hints and eventually shake the soul of the nation with a similar mass movement, thus cleansing the nation of this ill that has ailed her for so long.

Though the narration is quite excited, rather than being subtle and does not come across as natural, I think it is a good start for the author. It would have been better, had the story also dealt with some moments of the G4 where they actually failed, or did not succeed as per expectations. This would only make the story more real.

Additionally, I think, it would have been better had the part with the PM be reduced to him releasing a formal letter or something similar, as the G4 attending meetings had, by that time, become too commonplace and routine. Joking with the PM, PM crying and even an anchor crying on screen is too much to imagine. 

It is reassuring that time and again the emphasis of the story has lain in the fact that truthfulness must be achieved. One must walk the righteous path to glory as only that path has the power to sustain. The goodwill and trust you earn over time is bonus.

Another brilliant thing about the book is the family tree right in the beginning of the story, its absence would have made life really difficult for the reader.

As for me, I would love to see this book scale heights of fame as the time passes... Just for a reassurance that the literary world still acknowledges those who want to write a clean story, devoid of all that was once considered cheap, but has now become the selling point of many books.

Do read the book, for there is still hope for a better world.

Twice Betrayed by Carla Tucker Minks

Title :       Twice Betrayed

Author :    Carla Tucker Minks

Publisher : Outskirts Press

Genre :     Cotemporary Romantic Fiction

Taylor Calloway, a psychotherapist by profession in a small modern town suddenly finds her smoothly moving life in chaos. Her dream of an ideal home and marriage is disrupted when she learns of an affair between her husband, Jake and one of her oldest friends, Linda. She is shattered inwardly. She is not able to come to terms with it initially despite years of having counselled many patients with similar problems. Her mentor and old friend Brett helps her work out her situation.

In the process, she unravels many more truths about Jake, their marriage and herself and also attempts to make things work for herself. Will she trust again? Will she love again? As the problem is shared by many, it is intriguing to find out how this specialist deals with it on a personal level.

Her self-discovery and the journey make an interesting read. The story is delivered in first person and the reader discovers her as she reveals her thoughts and conscience. There are various subplots interwoven in the main plot which also help in the reader’s understanding of the main characters and the story. Some extra layers would have worked wonderfully in making the plot still more interesting.  Particularly of note are Annette, Taylor’s relationship with her, her husband Calvin’s disappearance and then reappearance. Calvin’s business partner and friend Gabriel being Taylor’s patient could have lent and interesting twist but that angle is left unexplored. The other cases help Taylor unravel her life and also provide distraction when needed.

Some characters like Taylor, Jake and Brett are very well developed but Annette and especially Linda could have been more interesting if given some depth. The style is easy and flowing making it easy on the eye. The language is simple and clean. Although the ending is a bit hurried, it is an interesting read which keeps you engrossed. 

STOP ME IF YOU CAN !! - An IIM Grad's Tryst With Sales

TITLE : STOP ME IF YOU CAN !!
AUTHOR : MAYANK JAIN
PUBLICATION : ALCHEMY PUBLISHERS

It is about tryst of a young, confident or should I say over confident, Rohit Salaria's foray in the world of sales. Armed with a business management degree from the prestigious institute, IIM-C, Salaria considers himself a priceless gift to his company and to the world of sales in general. His antics, blunders in his professional life and his overall attitude towards all his failures and his life make up the book.
 Priya, the girl of Rohit Salaria's dreams and his bosses and colleagues at ABC further spice up the story.

I found the book interesting in the beginning but the author soon lost Rohit Salaria's panache in the frivolous incidents that mire Salaria's life.

The story though hilarious at places and easy to connect with, did not come anywhere near my expectations, maybe because the author has tried to pass on parts of the story, which as a person with a logical mind, I am not ready to accept.

TEN RALLIES by PASQUIN

Author: Pasquin
Rating: ***

"Teacher doesn't like you reading this, bro. Don't blame me if they knock this book right out of your hand." ... This is how the book begins. Well!

Throughout the book, the momentum continues. At each moment you are forced to rethink your decision to read on. The CoreAmerica concept, the main problem around which the book revolves, never really gets a clear picture, all you understand is that there is a father who forces his son to take part in this CoreAmerica event, whatever it is, and the son has to obey, though unwillingly. There he is bowled over by a girl and takes his decisions as per what she wants, more than what he thinks he wants, then they fight and the girl plans a revenge, she has the political support and though in the end one team was a clear winner, both teams are declared losers. How very sad!

Then there is the end. The wild end. The sadness is only so long as you are reading the book. Once the dish is over and all that remains is the lingering taste in the mouth, or maybe its smell on your fingers, that you realize that there was indeed something in there. Something that was beyond the obvious storyline. Some moral. Some lessons of life. Some food for thought. Some smiles. Something nice.

It is a really refreshing twist to the tale how from having been cheated by a mother, by the beloved, by the government and by your school, how you can collect your pieces, move ahead and yes, be successful! When life throws lemons at you, master your lemonade making skills, for, it might just turn out to be your kingmaker.

Other things that characterize the book includes, larger than life friendship, that too when one of the friends is blind; the description of a nerd, Candida's candid nature, wooing a girl and spending nights out in the truck with her, days when you go without electricity as you can't pay your bills, and loads of beer!

And then there is the touching revelation, “If I knew you were this interesting,” your dad says with some sass, "I'd have sold the TV and just watched you.”

A good read. Go ahead.

Interview with Mayank Jain

Here we present an interview with Mr. Mayank Jain, the author of 'Stop Me If You Can - An IIM Grad's Tryst with Sales' (Reviewed Here). He shares his views about his book and how it came into being, his views on a real life Rohit Salaria, his favourite books and much more. For some real interesting next few minutes, read ahead ...

ZR: Did you always have this story in mind, or did some real situation inspire you to come up with this beautiful storyline?
MJ: To tell you very frankly, I don’t think I had the story in mind for a long time. So, this is what I generally used to do since, um, my MBA days at IIM Calcutta I guess – whenever I came across a funny situation I would make a note of it.

Now when I embarked upon my career in sales, I started writing a blog which was a lot of my previous and current experiences exaggerated to the hilt. I wasn’t really writing to evoke responses from people but just for the kicks. But I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who came back to me and told me that they were liking what I was writing. Some even proposed that I write a book. That was where the turning point was. And that is precisely when I decided to make a book out of my writings. I started nurturing the character Rohit Salaria and the story started taking shape. I pulled the blog down, and focused on making it a full fledged novel. Then the toiling part came. And finally I’m glad to see the final product and am decently happy with the numerous positive responses that I have received till date.

ZR: How much time did the whole process take - from inception of the idea to the final product in hand?

MJ: Well, honestly it was a lengthy process. I would be lying if I said it was an easy job completed quickly and without any pain. So, like I said, I got the idea of writing a book after my experiences with the blog. Putting together the first draft took me around 10 months after that. And then began the strenuous exercise of posting to publishers, which lasted about an year. Then there was editing, final editing and proof reading – all of which require a lot of time and energy. So, all in all it took around two years for the whole process to complete. And there were obviously a lot of times in between when I doubted my capabilities and questioned myself on whether the book would ever see the light of day. It’s a huge amount of satisfaction to see the final product on the shelves. One thing I would say to all first time authors-in-the-making is that while writing and while on the lookout for publishers, keeping yourself motivated is very, very important. It is very natural to start feeling demotivated and losing focus. But then if you have your eyes set on the goal, sooner or later, you should be there.

ZR: In real life, do you believe a Rohit Salaria - like personality would be equally successful? In your opinion, is it wise to be a Rohit Salaria?

MJ: (laughs) To even think of a real life Rohit Salaria is quite amusing. If you have read the book you will know what I am talking about. Very simply put he is impossible. With nerves of steel and a Bond-like attitude, he knows no limits.

But then having a real life Rohit Salaria would be a very interesting concept. I don’t know how successful that guy would be, but I can tell you he would be someone who would be very, very visible in his organization. And being visible is not all that bad no. Challenging bosses, devising strategic plans to woo a girl or launching marketing campaigns based totally on gut feeling, ah, it would be exciting to meet such a guy in a real-world setup. In fact, I had joked in one of my previous interviews that I would gift all my money and property to him, the day I stumble upon the real-life Rohit Salaria.

I strongly recommend joining the FB community at http://www.facebook.com/StopMeIfYouCan.IIMSalesman

to get a flavour of Rohit Salaria and his antics which make him so special.

ZR: What, according to you, are the greatest works in contemporary fiction till date?  Do you also believe that the best of contemporary fiction is yet to come -or- is Rohit Salaria the answer to this question?

MJ: All works of P.G. Wodehouse and his characters – Jeeves, Bertie Wooster, Aunt Agatha et al are right up there for me. Then I think there is something about Catch 22 and Yossarin that keeps you glued to the book.

And to answer your question of Rohit Salaria being the best work of contemporary fiction (laughs). I would love to think that this be the case. With his super attitude and insurmountable spirit, and the fact that he is already striking a chord with a generation of corporates, why not?

ZR: Who is your all time favourite author? Which are your favourite books?

MJ: Like I said, I like P.G. Wodehouse a lot, and I don’t think anyone comes close. I am a big fan of his flowery language and English humour. His Jeeves collection is something I relish a lot.

ZR: As an author, where do you see yourself and your book 5 years down the line?

MJ: I don’t really think I have thought hard on either of these lines. I don’t know where I would be – would I have written another book, two more books, three more books or maybe none after the first one in five years time. Will I be a hit phenomenon or would I have drowned with time? I don’t know. And honestly, I think I should only be focusing on my work, working hard and letting the other things fall in place. Also, right now I also have a regular job and I totally enjoy going to work, and my work. And I intend to do well there too.

ZR: Nowadays, a lot of people are turning into authors, even when they are qualified for other things, and are doing a remarkable job. Do you believe this is because everyone has a great story to tell and a unique way of telling it, that makes them noteworthy or are there some other reasons for this?

MJ: So you need to thank one person big time for this – Chetan Bhagat – for opening the floodgates of writing/authoring in India. I think people who have tales to tell were always there. And now with more and more opportunities available, anyone who dreams to be an author has more avenues than ever before to be one.

As for myself, I was very confident that a Salaria-like character could melt the stoniest of hearts and bring laughter and smiles to those who have ever been in a corporate environment. Or those who have ever wooed a girl. Or those who have ever had a boss. Or those who have ever been in teams. (laughs)

ZR: Are you planning to come up with another book anytime soon? Would it also have a prodigious IIM grad as its protagonist? Would it also be masala packed and  humour laced?

MJ: Well, as of now, I haven’t thought of anything concrete. There are a few ideas, but let’s see. Right now I want to focus on “Stop Me If You Can!!” Rest, I leave it to time.


Thanks Mr. Jain!! We wish you all the very best for all your future ventures and look forward to reading, enjoying and reviewing many more books of yours.

:)

STOP ME IF YOU CAN - An IIM Grad's tryst with sales

Author: Mayank Jain

Publication: Alchemy Publishers

Price: INR 175

A young man graduates from IIM-C, one of the premier most MBA institutes of India, and lands a job of a Sales Management Trainee at ABC, a leading FMCG company. Lakhs of people can only dream of being in a similar position.

A dream stage is set and now it is expected that this person will also grow up to be one among the rest. Slowly, he would also become what most of the other people like him eventually become - ordinary people, only that they have a supposedly extra-ordinary educational qualification. But not Rohit Salaria, our hero. He would set the stage on fire instead. He is sure that the world has never seen and shall never see another Rohit Salaria.

Our over-enthusiastic and supernaturally talented hero gives his bosses (far too many for such a short span of time) the time of their lives till he finally ends up in a situation where he has pratically lost his job as well as the love of his life.

It is interesting how he eventually makes things go the right way, though it would have been a lot better had the story ended in a different way.

Being a management student myself, it is easy to analyse the thoughts of a fresh management graduate. To think of oneself as a God personified - best manager ever, to apply the principles of management and to think of them as the supreme guidelines - yes, an incredibly typical 'B-school grad' mindset.

There are a lot of interesting characters that are introduced at different places in the book - Priya, Loser, Sucker, Barua, Boro, the three bosses and so many more. All appear like different colours deliberately and wonderfully scattered to dipict variety and prevent the story from losing itself.

Through the story, one thing is evident. The very fact that not working up the ladder the right way is not easy and is full of uncertainties, even though it might just somehow, bring success. Also, self-belief and confidence are the tools that help in growth and with the help of these, any thing can be achieved, at least it did in the world of Rohit Salaria!

The best thing about this book is that it is not very far from reality and is really easy to understand and relates to the situations actually faced by companies, and fresh B-school graduates, as well!

Indeed a humour packed, racy and exuberant peek into the corporate world drama, one can't just overlook. A must read for all, especially young management students, executives and employees of the corporate world!

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Publications: Warner Books

A really old man reads to a really old woman. She can understand only little. A boring beginning. He opens his notebook and begins reading. The story starts to get better. Go further. It becomes intense. In the end you ask, "Why did it have to end?".

A simple yet touching story line, the main focus is on the description of the events and the emotions involved and this makes the book stand apart. Noah and Allie have had a great summer romance, but due to the difference in their social standing, they are not allowed to be together for  long. Time passes and they move ahead with their lives. Noah gets work at a Jewish man's estate, then he works at a war and returns with big money, to realize his dream of buying and restoring an old property. Meanwhile Allie has grown up, she is now a socialite and is engaged to one of the most famous lawyers of her town. But some corner of her heart tells her to give her lost love another chance. She goes to meet Noah and they have a real great time together and she is torn between her true love for Noah and her engagement with Lon, the lawyer. The notebook story of the old man ends here.

The story progresses and we come to know that the lady has Alzheimer's and that the notebook story is of the couple itself, who has had a fairy tale like life, with a calm and serene backdrop, perfect home and hearth, complete harmony and above all, contentment. 

Through the story we meet a lot of amazing people and amazing revelations. Janice, the nurse on duty on Noah and Allie's 49th anniversary, decides to go away on the pretext of having coffee, when she already had it with her, just to allow Noah to slip into Allie's room. "Once again I learn that there are good people in the world"

There is absolute sense in the fact that no fairy stories can ever have a 'happily ever after' ending. Even the most beautiful and well-lived and well-loved lives end. Recalling the past is often either the sweetest or the sourest experiences for a human, and both leave a bitter-sweet taste, either of having loved the past and being forced into the present or of a horrid past and the relief of having gotten away. The former, of course, being more poignant.

In the Harry Potter Book 1 (Philosopher's Stone), J.K. Rowling mentions, "It does no do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." But, this book forces us to pose a different question, "What if our dreams and the reality decide to go for a joint venture; or rather - a joint adventure??

Dancing To Your Heart's Desire by Laxmi Hickhad

Title: Dancing To Your Heart’s Desire

Author: Laxmi Hichkad

Publication: Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.

ISBN: 978-81-288-3663-3

The author has narrated the story using the beautiful Indian state of Goa as a backdrop and its culture and social scene to depict and follow the lives of girlfriends Kimberly, Anjali, Sanjana and Maya. The young girls are on the last leg of their medical studies and are doing their internship in a hospital. The author through the girls makes you experience myriad of emotions, the exuberance of the young people, the helplessness and the frustration of not being able to help a friend, Sia, who is seriously ill, the romance of Sanjana and Sameer, the pain of having loved and lost with Maya and Vishal, the infatuation and the power of a crush with Anjali and Sean and a totally different emotion with Kimberly, Ronaque and Sachin. All this added up with the day to day life in a hospital, where the young doctor’s fortitude, integrity, honesty and courage are tested, completes the story. 

Do read on to find out how these girls cope up with their lives? What do they do for Sia? Are they successful in their endeavors? How things proceed in their love lives?

Laxmi Hichkad is a debutant author and a doctor herself. I found the story fast paced and interesting. Another thing that I liked about this book was that the author did not get derailed by getting into the details of medical profession. Inspite of it being based on doctors life and having a strong emotional angle, the author has ended it with such a finesse that it does not leave a cloud of gloom behind. The book overall makes a good pass time read.

Along the Way

Title : Along The Way
Author : TGC Prasad
Publication : Rupa Publications India Pvt.Ltd.

TGC Prasad's , Along the Way is a story about software engineers who become friends in NIT Kozhikode as students and continue to be friends as IT professionals . The main protagonist Venkat along with Anjali , his girlfriend since college days and his close friends Raj And Adi go on to join TCS Bangalore , while Anjali's best friend Srila joins TCS Chennai . Venkat along with his friends goes through the typical life of a fresher joining a MNC .... working hard , been given a hard time by his boss , buying his first bike , enjoying life and freedom , his first trip abroad and making out with Anjali . The story continues with Venkat trying his best to impress Anjali's Coorgi parents , with Adi and Raj's help and convincing them that he is a good match for their daughter, inspite of cultural and background differences of their families . Furthermore how he convinces his traditional conservative family that Anjali is the right girl for him . At a juncture in the story , out comes a skeleton from Adi's closet about his sexual preferences and how all the friends react to it . Then there are also Raj and Srila and how they come together .

The story is fast paced but the author some how loses the plot at places and has thrown in sex at such times , which he has not been able to handle in an aesthetic way , it comes out in a raw and crude form . He has written about the "Indian joke " how Venkat and Raj " admire and grin at Jenny's assets " , I personally think this really reflects badly on Indian IT professionals . Then there is the trip to "Atlantic City " , what I could not grasp was that why Prasad wrote this part , whatever his reason might have been but it adds sleaze to the story . The book could have been better without this part . It seems that Prasad is highly impressed with movies , his characterisation of Anjali's father seems to be taken straight out of old Hindi movies, shown as an Army officer with a lot of interest in drinking and little silly with his"trivia " and then there is SRK calling and of course there is the time and again reference to Mario Puzo's The Godfather .There are also instances where the author seems to take a flight of fancy , like where Raj a fresher has the temerity to refer to "Amit Gupta a senior HR guy in TCS " as " Pappu " on his face . In the beginning ,Prasad has used a lot of IT jargon which is boring for the regular reader .

TGC Prasad has shown quite a bit of humor and wit in the story and the trivia part is interesting . There are bits and pieces in the story with which one can very easily co relate with .But inspite of all the 'ingredients ' being there the book does not create any impact .

When a Lawyer Falls in love

Title : When a Lawyer Falls In Love
Author : Amrita Suresh
Publication : Offshoots

This is a story of a group of friends hailing from different parts of India and studying together in a law college . The story is majorly about Vyas - Caroline , Souvik - Jaishree , Ankur / Rohit - Sonali and then there is also unattached Pavan who provides the comic angle in the story.

As the story progresses amidst typical college life happenings of a VJ hunt, a college festival, drugs, leg pulling and flirtations, the love stories also move on .Two of the stories move in a positive direction and one of them results in a wedding ...the third one does not survive the glitches .

To find out, which couple ties the knot - how and why, who gets dumped, who wins Sonali - the sweet and cherubic Ankur or the loudmouthed and domineering Rohit .... do read on.

The story is fast paced and reasonably well told but is liberally littered with astrological gibberish. There is a part where author has literally delivered more than a two page lecture on astrology which is very boring.

The book has the potential to appeal to the young readers especially college goers but does not do much for the mature readers.

For a debutant author Amrita Suresh has done a fairly good job.

As Long As I Love You ....I will let you hurt me

Title : As Long As I Love You....I will let you hurt me
Author : Nikhil Mahajan

Publisher : Srishti Publishers & Distributors

This is a story about Manav , a college student , who falls in love with Meha and then leaves her for Diva , who in turn two times him with Kabir . Then comes Gauri , Manav's senior and his confidante , who leaves him so that he can go back to Diva , who wants to come back to Manav's life after realising that she and Kabir do not suit each other and will not be able to find happiness together. There is also Miss Sehgal , Manav's teacher , with whom Manav has an affair .

This story has been told in a typical college life background , peppered with hostel life instances , parties , impressing girls among other things .

There is no strong storyline and at places no connectivity in the book . It is like a personal journal that has been published with little modifications . The author does not have good command over English . The book is full of grammatical mistakes . There are parts relating to Miss Sehgal in the book which leave a strong distaste because they have not been handled well .

It is difficult to connect with the story as the main protagonist keeps falling in and out of love . Since when has love become so shallow ? Though in end the author has asked questions about love on the same lines but somehow he is unable to leave any impact.

A Waiting Wave by Kulpreet Yadav

Title : A Waiting Wave

Author : Kuldeep Yadav

Publisher : Cedar Book

A waiting wave is a story about the journey of love. The protagonist Harry falls in love with his colleague from office Kareena and they get married but soon differences surface in their marriage. He moves away to the Andaman Islands to give himself some time to think things over. The story unfolds itself in his reminiscences and the soul searching. The back drop of the tsunami matches the mood of the protagonist. Kareena, left alone, goes through her own journey of self discovery.

Will Harry survive the tsunami? Will the tsunami bring the estranged couple together or separate them forever?

It is a regular love story along with a villain vying for the heroine's attention. The hero bashes the villain and the two rediscover their lost love when reality sets in. A working woman's angst is brought out in small incidents throughout the narrative. The story is well narrated and the description of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and its history and culture is fascinating. I feel, all the 'masala' is there but the story just doesn't touch the heart and the characters don't stay with you after you put the book down.

Charliezz.. by Trupthi Guttal and Zeeshan Farroqui

Title : Charliezz…

Author : Trupthi Guttal and Zeeshan Farooqui

Publisher : Frog Books

ISBN : 978-93-81576-55-7

The story begins in an engineering firm where its two employees - Zahir Pathan and Khushi Patil, who happen to be the main characters of the story too, are immersed in their day to day struggles to keep themselves afloat in spite of the high pressures and demands of their respective jobs. The corporate scene is brought to life through the conversation among the colleagues as well as between CEO (who is addressed as 'Blast Furnace') and the employees. The friendly banter between the colleagues works well in creating a believable picture of the work place.

It so happens that Zahir reminisces about his college days when he was one among a group of five friends and gives a sneak peek to Khushi into his carefree days of college life. He narrates some hilarious incidents and the antics they got engaged in during that time.

The accidental meeting with one of Zahir's old friends opens the gates to those memories which Zahir had not shared yet and one particular gate led to the memories of his first true love for a certain girl Rashmi. But this love story had a sad ending. What was the reason - was it the difference of religions which forced them to part ways? Was it the treachery of one of them ? And where does Khushi come in this whole scene, does she have anything to do with this love story ? These are some interesting questions which get answered as you read along the story.

A typical cross -religion love story but with a small twist in the end which perks up the interest of the readers but sadly it makes just 50-60 pages out of total of 190 odd pages.

Almost till 3/4th of the book, it felt like the story was going nowhere because Zahir was simply narrating his old memories to the friends in the office, which were bordering on the side of repetitive and a little drab. However, the story picks up remarkably after that and concludes beautifully.

The book is written primarily in conversational format (though it is not a play), which disrupts the flow of the story. Quoting a few short instances in this format is fine but having written almost complete story in this fashion makes it a cumbersome exercise for the readers to follow.

A few typos that have crept in the book should have been done away with.

Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat

Title : Revolution 2020

Author : Chetan Bhagat

Publisher : Rupa

Revolution 2020 is a story of two boys(Raghav and Gopal) and a girl(Aarti), of love and hatred, of treachery and vengeance, of richness and poverty, of success and failure, of ambition and corruption, and of inner drive to bring revolution and succumbing to the lure of lucre. Three individuals whose lives begin from the same primary school in a small town of Varanasi, experience various life's vicissitudes and handle them in their own unique ways attempting to find success and love.

The story wraps many issues in its folds - the corruption in education, mad rush for the coveted seats in esteemed engineering and medical colleges, the extent to which people are ready to endure to ensure a safe future through the lofty degrees and the pressure of performing and proving oneself which many times gets out of hands. But the story is basically a love triangle and the previously mentioned issues become the tributaries of the love saga between three friends.

Ambition part of the story is dealt well bringing a slice of life in alluring Kota city and the students vying to join the training institutes like swarming bees. However, the love story becomes a little drab. The way the heroine showers attention on one boy and ignores the other till half of the story and repeats the same with the boys switching positions, becomes annoyingly repetitive.

This is the fifth novel that Chetan Bhagat has come out with. The very beginning reminded me of his another book - 3 Mistakes of My Life - both take the readers on the past journey as the protagonist reminisces from a hospital bed. After having read all the writing endeavours of Bhagat, I maintain that he is one of the authors who do not offer any new idea or unconventional thinking through their books, however what became the selling point of his books (especially the first - Five Point Someone and the fourth - 2 States) was the witty and engaging narration. Unfortunately, the author falters big time in Revolution 2020. The story lacks substance and the presentation part also falls short of what is expected from Chetan Bhagat. Overall, it fails to create much impact.

Sikandar by Binayak Banerjee (translated by Soma Ghosh)

Title : Sikandar

Author : Binayak Banerjee (Translated By Soma Ghosh)

Pubisher : Westland

The one feeling which will remain with the readers after having read the complete book, is that of utter confusion. The book begins by introducing the ten characters who are part of the reality show on the format of Big Boss or Big Brother. I was paying extra attention to the part where the characters were introduced but despite all eyes, other senses and mind into the book, I lost track of the characters soon after the fourth one entered the scene.

In the times when a whole deluge of reality shows are dished out to the viewers through multitude of channels, it is not difficult to understand the background of the story. 10 contestants have to spend 68 days together in a house - Jatugriha. The motto of the reality show is 'Jo Jita Wohi Sikandar'( the person who wins will be the Sikandar). The winner has to survive all eliminations which are executed by public voting system. No doubt, the story demanded the character sketches of the ten participants but one thing is sure, unveiling them back to back did not help. With each passing chapter, the confusion keeps building up to such an extent that at one point I felt, the words mouthed by one character could easily have been uttered by another. The characters got all mixed up barring 2-3. Desperate attempts have been made to reach under the skin of the characters who hail from very diverse backgrounds and different walks of life - a teacher, an actor, a hermit, a prostitute, an industrialist, a politician and some more.

The author has tried to put all participants on the driver seat one by one to take the journey forward, but Kanishka Sengupta, the actor and Lovely, the prostitute - hog maximum spotlight. As the show progresses, some old skeletons leave the closets and come out in the public, some hidden secrets are bared while true love kindles in the hearts of two inmates. Another major put off was overdose of philosophical conversations happening in the house.

I am sure the story could have been salvaged somewhere but it leaves the readers completely cheated and me questioning, why would I not watch a Big Boss episode instead of taking the burden to read through this book?

In my opinion, the good books are not the ones which make the readers wreck their brains in trying to make sense out of the story. Unfortunately the story of Sikandar does not go anywhere and the readers keep waiting and wondering - what is the point behind writing this book. Are such books written to just test the patience of readers - whether they can finish reading it from cover to cover? Cannot seem to find a single reason why any one should read it even once. As a book reviewer, I do feel happy that I am actually doing a service to people in my own humble way - dissuading them from reading some not so readable literature.