Timeline

Writer: Michael Crichton
Genre: Fiction


Tired of reading uninteresting fiction I decided to re-read this one. Had read it long back so I had forgotten the story and it helped. Crichton and his plots never disappoint you.

An old man is found wandering and disoriented in the Arizona dessert. He has no memory of how he got there. The couple that rescues him takes him to a nearby hospital where he soon dies due to a cardiac arrest. Everything seems normal but it isn't so.

Meanwhile somewhere in France, a group of historians are trying to recreate the medieval era but the process is slow and time consuming much to the dismay of their financiers  A sudden twist and the group find themselves in the middle of the ‘Hundred Years War’ and they have to get their way out into the modern world. Will they succeed or be stuck in an age which they have only read about?

Crichton and his love for technology makes him write some beautiful plots. One of the most successful movies of all times, Jurassic Park was his imagination so that will tell you something about his capability as a fiction writer. This book, although not his best, is still a wonderful read. But yeah, the climax wherein the group of historians decide to payback their chief financier in his own coin was a kind of let down. I mean it's really more of a feel good ending than a pragmatic one ;)

If God Was A Banker

Writer: Ravi Subramaniam
Genre: Fiction


Sundeep and Swami are two fresh recruits of the New York International Bank, where under the leadership of Aditya they set up a successful retail banking India business. Brilliant in all aspects, they however differ in their methods to achieve success. Sundeep is the aggressive kinds who doesn’t mind any kind of compromise to meet the ends whereas Swami is more cautious and would not compromise on his ideals. Both reach dizzying heights in their personal and professional lives but how long will the charm of success entice them?
What happens when the past comes haunting back?

A fast paced book with insights into the corporate world and our choices. However the plot is not really unique and the flow is overall predictable!

A Falcon Flies

Writer: Wilbur Smith
Genre: Fiction

My foray into the Ballantyne series! As expected Smith weaves a beautiful story around his favourite place, Africa.

Robyn Ballantyne is the daughter of Fuller Ballantyne, a famous missionary and African explorer. When he disappears his bosses are not really concerned but the daughter wants to trace him back. Along with her brother, Zouga Ballantyne, she embarks on an expedition to trace her father. They take the sea route on the American ship captained by Mungo St.John who she later realizes is a slaver and is on a voyage to buy good quality slaves. On getting to know of this fact she decides to part ways with the captain.
The brother sister duo then manage to reach their destination but en route they realize their destinations were never the same.

The book, like others set in Africa is fast paced and carries the Wilbur Smith flavour. However for the first time the protagonist and antagonist are not really up to the mark. The Courtneys are more my kinds I guess.

The Devil's Alternative

Writer: Frederic Forsyth
Genre: Fiction

Due to some technical snags, Soviet Union's fungicide making company ends up poisoning the wheat crop. As a result the overall production of wheat would come down and the country would face famine. The politburo decides to import the grain from USA without disclosing the actual reason. A leak from the politburo meetings lets the USA onto the secret and the hope to cash in by asking for some concessions. Some members of the politburo suggest waging a war and obtaining the wheat, however, the president, Rudin shoots down this option by a narrow vote of confidence.

Talks between USA and USSR begin and a treaty is almost signed called the 'Treaty of Dublin'. However in another incident the KGB chairman is shot dead by Ukrainian fundamentalists and just as they try to escape to Israel they are captured in West Berlin. Friends of the shooters then hijack a crude oil ship and ask the German chancellor to free the prisoners and hand them over to Israel where they would be treated minus the prisoner status. If the instructions are not followed, they threaten to kill the ship's crew and empty millions of crude oil into the sea.

Rudin cannot let the prisoners be freed because the terrorists would then declare to the world the penetrability of KGB. He puts pressure on USA to stop the release of the prisoners else threatens to pull out of the Dublin treaty. The US president is left with no choice. Whatever option he chooses people would be killed, hence the name of the book.

The climax is intriguing and I am not going to be a spoiler and explain it. One of the best books by Forsyth, a personal copy is highly recommended.

The Krishna Key

Writer: Ashwin Sanghi
Genre: Fiction


What happens when you take Da Vinci Code and add Indian mythology to it? You get the Krishna Key!
Diving deep into our scriptures, the author manages to create a beautiful narration and if you haven't read Da Vinci Code, all the more better.

Prof. Saini is wrongly accused of murdering his childhood friend and historian, Anil Varshney. The flabbergasted Saini realizes that the murder is in line with the norms of a serial killer who is under the impression that he is the Kalki incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Helped by his doctoral student, Priya, he sets out on a voyage to decipher the meaning of the various symbols and writings that he encounters en-route. All this while being pursued by the talented IPS officer, Radhika Singh!

As trusts are betrayed and people get killed for what seems to be an ancient secret, Saini must use his analytical skills to save the lives of people he is associated with.

If you compare it to Dan Brown's book you will be saddened by the fact that it seems to be an Indian replica of his story but if you can let your senses appreciate the references to our own culture and civilization you will be dazed. It’s worth a try!

Sherlock Homes

Writer: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Classic/Fiction


Does this book even need an introduction? We are still making remakes of this classic over and over again, decades after it was written. Isn’t that proof enough of the popularity of this book?

I finally got a complete, unabridged collection of the stories of the famous detective from Baker Street. I have been reading it in parts and its going to take me sometime to finish the full set.

But this one is worth every penny!

A suggestion- if you can, read the original; the conversations between Holmes and Watson are music to the ears :)

Prisoner of Birth

Writer: Jeffrey Archer
Genre: Fiction

Danny Cartwright is charged with the murder of his best friend, Bernie Wilson. Elizabeth Wilson, his fiancé and Bernie's sister stands by him against the actual murderer - Spencer Craig. However, Dan is sent to prison and his appeal is turned down a year later. In the prison Dan makes 2 friends, Nick and Big Al. When he escapes from prison, he impersonates Nick and finally manages to get his revenge.

The one para review says it all. It’s not really an interesting plot and I finished it just for the heck of it. Maybe I am biased; no one can better 'Count of Monte Cristo' when it comes to a revenge story. I wouldn't really ask anyone to read it.

Life of Pi

Writer: Yann Martel
Genre: Fiction/Philosophy

Pi Patel (Piscine Molitor Patel) is the son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry. His family consists of his elder brother - Ravi, mother, father and many animals who are a part of his zoo. Pi's childhood is a normal one where he gets introduced to multiple faiths and becomes a practicing Hindu, Muslim and Christian - all at once. His parents curious about his religious affluences never discourage him though.

Eventually, owing to the political situation in the country the family decides to move to Canada. They sell most of their animals and embark on a journey to Canada in a Japanese cargo ship along with the remaining animals. Midway, the ship sinks and only 5 survive in a lifeboat. The survivors include - Pi, a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
The journey of the survivors is the crux of the book and an interesting part. The food chain ensures that the hyena eventually kills the zebra and the orangutan before being himself eaten by Richard Parker. With only a tiger for company, Pi decides to survive the horrendous journey.

The conversation in Pi's head as he travels with a tiger is the best. Although scary, he understands that the tiger is his only company and acts accordingly by feeding him the bigger share of his fishing expeditions. Together they spend an indeterminate time in the Pacific and before landing ashore in Mexico they have traversed thru a carnivore island and have met another ship wrecked man.

The synopsis is definitely interesting and the book is interesting too.

The Great Gatsby

Writer: Scott Fitzergald
Genre: Classic

The narrator, Nick Carraway lives adjacent to the main protagonist of the book - Mr. Gatsby. He is intrigued by the lavish parties thrown by Gatsby and gets to attend one of them. He notices that the host always stays away from the parties, just occasionally mingling with his guests.

Daisy and Tom Buchanan who live across the bay are related to Nick. Daisy is Nick’s cousin and Tom and Nick have been in the same society in college. Daisy introduces Nick to Jordan Baker, a sportswoman and wants Nick to date him. It’s Jordan who describes the problems in Tom and Daisy's marriage because Tom is involved with another woman. The other woman, Myrtle Wilson is introduced to Nick by Tom in New York.

Meanwhile during one of his encounters with Gatsby, Nick learns that Gatsby hosts grand parties with the hope of meeting Daisy. It enfolds that Daisy and Gatsby were lovers and had separated when the penniless Gatsby was sent overseas by the army. When he returns back, he finds out that Daisy had married Tom and decides to win her back. He uses Nick to get reintroduced to Daisy and tries to impress her with his wealth. Daisy, although happy to meet Gatsby is not the same to him. In the meantime Tom discovers the growing friendship between Daisy and Gatsby.

In one of the encounters, Gatsby, Nick, Tom, Daisy and Jordan decide to go to the city to escape the heat and it is here that Tom and Gatsby have a confrontation over Daisy. However Daisy's noncommittal response to Gatsby’s demand that she leave Tom since she doesn’t love him has Gatsby surprised. They decide to head back home after some heated exchanges between Tom and Gatsby. Daisy and Gatsby drive back home together and on the way Tom's mistress, Myrtle, is killed. On hearing the news, Tom is horrified and poisons Wilson's mind (Myrtle's husband) that it was Gatsby who killed Myrtle. The news works as expected and in the end Wilson kills Gatsby before shooting himself. Gatsby had already told Nick that it was Daisy who was driving the car when Myrtle was killed but he was ready to take the blame.

For Gatsby's funeral nobody turns up, as against his parties, and its only Nick, Gatsby's father and some servants. Nick has had too much and leaves the locality breaking of his relationship with Jordan and choosing to ignore the Buchanans.

Considered to be a great classic, I got bored of it and wouldn't personally recommend it to anyone.

Art of War

Writer: Sun Tzu
Genre: Management


Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military general was also a well-known strategist. His writings about the philosophy of managing and winning battles have been compiled into a book which is today revered by people around the world.  

It’s difficult to analyze the book for the original consists of notes regarding the various strategies used in warfare with the surety of winning it. But the adaption of the book in so many management techniques easily tells us the importance of the book in modern times.

Its definitely a good and quick read.