#BookReview : The Treasure Syndicate by Jatin Kuberkar

When Kaliyug resolved to enter Aryavatra, and encountered the lats Pandav, king a curse gave the world it's first 'Nidhi-Palak' or The Guardian of treasure Troves in the form of Lord Kuber's mortal son, Suta. In time, the Guardian bloodline scattered all over the world. Acharya Agnihotri is an astrologer. He searches for hidden treasures, to fulfill his destiny as a 'Nidhi-Palak'. Dr. Mahesh secretly finances missions for Acharya. Kumar is favored by unfathomable luck.. Jabbar is a legendary digger, and Srikanth is just a common man. United, they form the Treasure Syndicate, always a team of five; a motley mix with an uncanny balance. Bound by the elaborate framework of coincidence, destiny, and fate, the mission of the syndicate is not a cakewalk. The danger is real, and the conditions are never favorable. A hunting past awaits Acharya's team, as the Kaliyug threatens to turn the mission upside down.

Every time I read thrillers that tie the present to the past, the science to mythology and stories from India's culturally rich heritage transcending centuries, I feel a different sense of pleasure and pride. This book gave me the same in abundance. The story hooks you from page one and made me wish I had a weekend to myself to read this much sooner than I did. It is narrated in a way that all stories and the layers of the mysterious Treasure Syndicate are revealed in a very timely manner to the reader and there is never a dull moment in the book. A treasure hunt is worth the thrill, joy & sense of satisfaction it brings to the person reading about it and this hunt had it all.

The story not only narrates the fears and doubts of every person who is bound to the treasure but also presents so many chances for the reader to observe and not to judge any situation or person blindly. there are so many social messages woven into the story in a subtle way that gives the story a very happy vibe. For some readers, it might not be an exact science, but all the methods and steps followed by the syndicate for finding the treasure and handling it were explained in a scientific way. The book clearly shows the research done by the author on the ways of the treasure syndicate and to present it to the reader so brilliantly with no loose ends. There is a lot of symbolism used in the book which enhances the depth of the plot. 

Though I felt the end reveal was a little rushed and the plot twist was not necessary, this is still one of the best Indian fiction I read this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My rating: 4/5 

Book Links: Goodreads * Amazon

About the Author:

For the mortal world, I pretend to be a Software Engineer who works hard (or hardly?) in the hours of a day. I am the guy next door, a hardcore Harry Potter fan and a movie buff. I literally ‘live’ every movie, I have strong opinions about its content and I hate it when a movie based on an interesting concept is messed up for the sake of commercial value.
But beyond the boundaries of this ‘cholesterol-rich’ coil, I am a rider of rapturous thoughts. I am a thinker, a philosopher, a seeker, a story-teller, a writer, a wanderer and every other thing that a thought can be. At times some of these figments fire out of my thoughtful bowl and command me to write, muse, create, recreate, destroy…EXPRESS!

Who am I?  I have been asking this question to myself for 33 years, and I got a different answer always. Sometimes I get confused and think, am I asking the right question to seek the correct answer? or maybe that am I missing the whole fantastic universal drama around me while I am busy finding an answer to an irrelevant question? Does the answer even matter?

Contact the Author:

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Review: Age of Azmoq: The Valantian Imperium by Rajamayyoor Sharma

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The book blurb was exciting enough to catch my attention when I got the request to read this book. Plus , I am a fan of fantasy fiction so I am always on a lookout for good ones from indian authors. Overall, am really happy with this huge book.

The story opens with introducing us to the narrator and his little village that later becomes the centre of action in the book. The people of the village , the setting and the lifestyle is so amazingly explained in details that you feel like settling in this story. The isolated village sits on a huge reserve if Azmoq , a rare metal that's controlled by the rulers. The story takes our narrator out if his village ,making friends and returning with them to defend his village from the empire's wrath. We meet all characters one by one , know their stories and see them building this team together and learn about how the empire came into being.

What is interesting is that , while there is no clear villains here in terms of black and white , the whole narrative gives you enough questions to think about deeply. The moral delimna of warriors , rulers and even a common man are touched upon in this book.

And now to the things that bothered me - the jump from one person / year to other in the narration. The book is not linear which works well only if the distinctions are clear. I struggled at few places to see whose point of view was the chapter telling and even which year it is on. Second the font is very small. The book is much huge for the 400 pages it has been presented in. Oh yes , now I realize I read 400 amazing pages and did not feel like letting it go ever.

Hope the author works in the second part very soon as I am looking forward to it already.

View all my reviews

Gods of Chicago - Episode#1 by Aaron Sikes

This review is based on just one episode of the book ( though I have read two of them ) .

Gods of Chicago is an adventure of noir urban fantasy. Hardboiled newshawk, Mitchell Brand, has the scoop on the crime of the century, the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. Digging after every lead he can find, Brand wades knee-deep into a world of gangsters and G-men locked in a power struggle for control of the city. The bodies pile up and Brand worries that he's bitten off more than he can chew when his newsboys are added to the stack. 

A city magnate connected to the massacre commits suicide, and his daughter, reluctant socialite Emma Farnsworth, isn't willing to let dead men lie. After gunning for the mob, Emma and her lover, jazz player Eddie Collins, have to go underground to hide from the cops. In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Emma and Eddie will fight for their freedom and survival. If they're lucky, they might help a few others make it out alive when the Governor sends his army into the city's oldest neighborhoods with a single goal: clean house. 

In devastated neighborhoods, citizens fight back and flee. Brand and his last remaining newsboy, Aiden Conroy, have to get the real story out on the airwaves. In scenes that take Brand back to the trenches of the Great War, he and Aiden must get the evidence the city needs to see the Governor for what he is. Through it all ride a corps of tramps on rusty bicycles, the mysterious Bicycle Men, and one of them has a message for Brand. 

Hats off to Aaron for hooking me to this book not just in episode#1 but in just 5 pages. After a long time , I read a book that actually thrilled , felt fresh and made me forget the surroundings. It has the old charm of a western setting old novels with a hint of darkness looming just around the corner. I liked the character of Brand and more so his mode of transport. The people around him are very real and as mystical. I admired the way Aaron set the game rolling in the reader's mind from the very beginning and while he introduces and details his characters one by one, he gives a picture of the town and the forces in play there. Brand is much real hero here but it is Emma from the very beginning that wins my heart. Independent , loving , strong and yet much balanced and cautious females are loved always I guess. Every other page I finished , made me a real happy reader and I thank Aaron for this.

Rating : 4/5


( More when I finish the book . *Goes back to reading* )
Meanwhile Please do check the book on amazon here and have fun reading !

The City of Devi by Manil Suri

I was overjoyed to receive my first overseas mail carrying a book for review by Norton publishers. So far, I was aware of this publishing house's name for the critical content it printed on literary classics, and was pleasantly surprised to see Norton publishing contemporary authors with experimental narratives and genres. Taking up with novel with a slightly odd name - "The City of Devi" - was easy, since credibility was established by the very name and packaging of the courier I received. That Manil Suriwas a writer who could churn out an epic with an apocalyptal theme turned out to be a pleasant surprise waiting to be unfurled with the turning of pages of this book.

The City of Devi is an innovative, unique and adventurous novel. It dwells on a love triangle with a twist. There is a woman, and two men. However, contrary to what you might be already thinking, in this book, a woman, Sarita, and a man, Jazz, are both madly in love with a third person, a man -Karun - who is the mysterious, elusive figure in the book. It is Karun, however, who keep the two alternate strands of narrative, that of Sarita and Jazz, find a common ground to develop cohesively from. The rather tumultuous love saga of these three protagonists is set against the backdrop of an apocalypse waiting to happen - a nuclear strike on Mumbai, ready to wipe out the last trace of life from the island. In a classic tale of cross-border communal conflict, humanity is standing vulnerable and on the verge of being sacrificed for what are assumed to be conflicts of supremacy of divine powers. Mumbai only could be saved by its patron Goddess - Mumba Devi, recently resurrected in a Bollywood incarnation - Super Devi - giving more fillip to the blind adoration of gullible multitudes. And amid all this mayhem, two, no three, lovers are eagerly searching for an opportunity to unite with each other, after eliminating the 'other'.

This novel doggedly follows the quest motif - a rather effective one in stories which deal with the pains and ecstasies of love. Love is, it goes without saying, the underlying theme. In addition to it, theme of communalism, humanism, hypocrisy, apocalypse and homosexuality have been adequately dealt with in the book. With sensibility and gusto. Dystopia, towards which the real world too is fast spiralling, is another prominent theme. The novel is rich with explicit content, and for the shy readers out there, I have to mention, Manil Suri does not believe in using innuendoes. A powerful strain of narrative, in fact, is developed around a pomegranate - a perceived aphrodisiac (about the veracity of which claim I have no clue!), and that pomegranate continues to be an inanimate, silent yet pivotal character in the book. Manil Suri also weaves together myths and memories in the story; especially curious is the way he deals with a rare interpretation of the concept of divine trinity.

The City of Devi is a work of passion, and intelligent story telling. It has elements which enthral a reader and keep drawing him deeper and deeper in the fiction which starts assuming dimensions of reality. An intriguing beginning and an out-of-the-box climax add perfection to an already great scripting. A grand cast of characters does not obfuscate a reader, because the main concern - the protagonists - are so well constructed and foregrounded. Witty dialogues and great use of embellished language make the reading experience rich and satisfying. Love and romance always work for the audience; but when supplanted with an element of impending doom, they acquire a texture of passion and urgency - a fact aptly exploited by the author. I could go on writing reams of material on they way this book influenced me, but for now, I will conclude by awarding it, in all humility, 4 stars on five. It is one great adventure to be a part of.

Book Details -
Author - Manil Suri 
Publisher - Norton
Published - 2013
Book Source - Review Copy
Genre - Fiction/Romance/Dystopia
Price - Rs. 499
Pages -  400

Reviewed by - SAUMYA KULSHRESHTHA

Assassin's Creed : Brotherhood

ASSASSIN'S CREED : BROTHERHOOD

Book 2 of Assassin's Creed

ISBN - 978-0-241-95171-2
FIRST PUBLISHED - 2010
PAGES - 538
PUBLISHERS - Penguin
GENRE - Adventure/Action
BINDING - Mass Paperback
SOURCE - Secret Santa

AUTHOR - Oliver Bowden

SYNOPSIS - [From the back cover]

‘I will journey to the black heart of a corrupt Empire to root out my foes. But Rome wasn’t built in a day and it won’t be restored by a lone assassin. I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. This is my brotherhood.’

Rome, once mighty, lies in ruins. The city swarms with suffering and degradation, her citizens living in the shadow of the ruthless Borgia family. Only one man can free the people from the Borgia tyranny – Ezio Auditore, the Master Assassin.

Ezio’s quest will test him to his limits. Cesare Borgia, a man more villainous and dangerous than his father the Pope, will not rest until he has conquered Italy. And in such treacherous times, conspiracy is everywhere, even within the ranks of the brotherhood itself…

FL Speak - The verdict is : the game is much better than the book. Seriously disappointed by Mr. Bowden.

The story is what you expect in the game. Since its a game to book adaptation, the story more or less runs true. But what fails is the writing. It feels you're reading the game, without actually feeling it. Character development is zilch. Nada. I don't blame the author much, especially since its the second book of the series and I haven't read the first. But no harm done, as of now. Nevertheless, world building could have been a tad more better.

The action is awesome as usual. Ezio has performed the famous "leap of faith" quite a number of times in the book and every time I come upon that phrase, I picture Ezio in the game flinging himself gracefully from the rooftops. Coming back to the story, for those of you, who haven't played the game - 

Ezio is an assassin. An awesome assassin for the Brotherhood. Ezio made a fatal error in the last book by showing mercy to the head of the Borgia family. Now his son and daughter are after his blood. And they managed to kill the head of the Brotherhood, Ezio's uncle Mario. Swearing vengeance and his duty for the Brotherhood, Ezio now travels to Rome which is slowly coming under the influence of the Borgias.

Lovers of the game will love this book as this will give them a chance to revisit their memories. This is where his sister Claudia formally joins the Brotherhood ranks. Her actions and strategies are applaudable. I loved her role. Claudia is superb. But this is not her book. As in the game, this is Ezio's story and he's in every page.

What I didn't like about the book was how it was written. The continuity and flow is depressing. In one page Ezio is planning to rile up the peasants. In the next page, the story fast forwards to 6 months later. What was Ezio doing in that time frame? Mr. Bowden, you can do better. 

I don't know if I should complete this series. I never leave a series unfinished. But disappointment is a strong motivation to not continue. Only time will tell.

My Rating - 3/5 stars

PRICE - INR 350/-

Requiescat in Pace

The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?




1st PUBLISHED: 2008

ISBN: 13-978-81-8477-169-5

BEST SELLERS: Suzanne Collins is the author of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, which started with George the Overlander. In the Hunger Games, she continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Other books in this series are Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

GENRE: Science Fiction/ Adventure

SYNOPSIS:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.

But if she is to win, she will have to weigh survival against humanity, and life against love. Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in the future with unsettling parallels to our present.

EXCERPT:

They do surgery in the Capitol to make them appear younger and thinner. In District 12, looking old is something of an achievement since so many people die early. You see an elderly person you want to congratulate them on their longevity, ask the secret of survival. A plump person is envied because they aren't scrapping by like the majority of us.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

This is a book you'll find your nose buried in until you finish it. I just could not put it down; I was practically walking around reading it and consequently banging into things. The plot is, of course, outstanding. The book might not bring you to tears, but it will shake you to the core.

That I actually enjoyed reading the book kind of disturbs me somewhat, to be quite honest; considering the fact that the whole time I'd been cursing people for being so sadistically entertained by gory reality shows. Because, that's what this book subtly draws you attention to- the awful truth about the public, and the government. To punish the downtrodden for rebelling against the Capitol, and to remind them never to challenge their superiority, they introduced the disgracefully popular Hunger Games, which have 24 young boys and girls fighting each other, trapped in an outdoor arena that could be anything from a frozen wasteland to a burning desert. The catch? Only one would survive.

Katniss is a heroine you'll find hard to forget. Courage and caliber are what she's all about. A girl with prodigious hunting skills, she becomes the head of the family after the death of the father she loved. Immensely protective of her little sister, she volunteers for the Hunger Games. Knowing how little chance she has of winning- or in other words, surviving- Katniss leaves behind her family, and the boy who was in intricate part of her life, to step into unknown territory accompanied by another boy who she feels she owes her life to...

While the training sessions and makeovers are amusing, the gruesome deaths are all the more haunting because these are children we are talking about. Here's science fiction blended with philosophy; just the right touch of romance and a dash of humor. There are such a lot of unexpected surprises, right until the end of the story- it's fulfilling and there's still something to look forward to; like having a sumptuous meal and waiting for desert.

Eager to read the next book in the series.

RATING: 5/5

PRICE: Rs.295/- (This was my reward for becoming the Member of the Month in February; I couldn't thank the admins enough for sending me this particular book. I'll always treasure it.)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 374

PS- And with this review, people, I've officially become a PURPLE card holder!! Are the admins listening?! :D

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere

ISBN: 0060557818

Pages: 372

Publisher: William  Morrow and Company

Genre: Fantasy fiction

Bestsellers: stardust, American gods

Synopsis:

To those living on the world 'above' there is a London 'below' full of interesting, shocking, magical and cruel secrets. And on a fine evening just like that Richard Mayhew's life changes, for better or for worse, when he stops existing in the world 'above' and gets exposed to the world 'below'

Excerpt:

She had been running for days now, a harum-scarum tumbling flight through passages and tunnels. She was hungry, and exhausted, and more tired than a body could stand, and each successive door was proving harder to open. After four days of flight, she had found a hiding place, a tiny stone burrow, under the world, where she would be safe, or so she prayed, and at last she slept.

Mr. Croup had hired Ross at the last Floating Market, which had been held in Westminster Abbey. "Think of him," he told Mr. Vandemar, "as a canary."

"Sings?" asked Mr. Vandemar.

"I doubt it; I sincerely and utterly doubt it." Mr. Croup ran a hand through his lank orange hair. "No, my fine friend, I was thinking metaphoncally -- more along the lines of the birds they take down mines." Mr. Vandemar nodded, comprehension dawning slowly: yes, a canary. Mr. Ross had no other resemblance to a canary. He was huge-almost as big as Mr. Vandemar -- and extremely grubby, and quite hairless, and he said very little, although he had made a point of telling each of them that he liked to kill things, and he was good at it; and this amused Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar. But he was a canary, and he never knew it. So Mr. Ross went first, in his filthy T-shirt and his crusted blue-jeans, and Croup and Vandemar walked behind him, in their elegant black suits.

Nightflier Speaks:

Neverwhere started as a fantasy fiction series on BBC. And during the show's transmission the creator Neil Gaiman, not too happy with its perception, started writing the novel. After re-writing it twice and making it suitable for non-londoners we have a book  whose cover aptly reads 'Author's preferred text'. I was recommending the animation movie Coraline to a friend when I looked up Wikipedia and read that its based on a Neil Gaiman story. I was hooked. Googled some more and that's how I ended up ordering Neverwhere.

The tale starts perfectly normally for Richard Mayhew, who is leading the most normal life in London 'above'. When one fine evening he encounters lady door and is sucked into the life in London 'below' eventually. Now they must venture on a journey together to solve some mystery and get Richard's normal life back! With exciting characters like, the Carabas, the hunter, cruel people like Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar , magical beings like the Angelus and rat speakers, the book is full of vivid imagination.

Moreover if you have ever been to London or are a Londoner, London will never feel the same to you. With all the allegories for places in London 'below' the book hits the creepy button inside your head. The author uses his rich imagination and weaves the plot around the place beautifully. And the book has magic. So there! The characters feel very real and the book is full of 'British sense of humor'. Thus the book keeps you engaged on several levels apart from very good storytelling.

A must read for fantasy fanatics!

Rating: 4/5

Price: Rs. 599 (Crossword)

Ranthambore Adventure

AUTHOR: Deepak Dalal

OTHER WORKS: Ladakh Adventure, Lakshadweep Adventure, The Snow Leopard Adventure.

1ST PUBLISHED: 1998

ISBN: 81-243-0716-4

GENRE: Adventure; Teen Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

When schoolboy Aditya attempts to lay his hands on the diary of a ruthless tiger poacher, little does he know the sequence of events his actions will trigger. His ill-fated endeavour plunges Vikram and their school friend Aarti into a thrilling adventure that climaxes at the magnificent game park of Ranthambore.

Ranthambore Adventure also narrates the story of the tiger Genghis. Brimming with tiger lore, it traces the moments of Genghis’ life from his birth as a fluffy, helpless ball of fur to his emergence as a proud and powerful predator. But vicious, greedy humans infiltrate his kingdom, seeking his skin and bones.

Alternating between the adventures of school children and the enthralling tale of a tiger family, Ranthambore Adventure is a story that focuses on the Indian tiger and its grim struggle for survival.

EXCERPT:

The tiger dropped his screaming victim to the ground. On three legs the animal jumped forward. The man’s gun fell from his nerveless hands. He turned and ran. His feet tore across the forest floor. The tiger halted, making no effort to follow the fleeing human. Whimpering sounds from behind reminded the tiger that another human remained.

He turned. The renewed attention of the tiger silenced the man with the spear. The tiger’s flaming eyes locked with his. The man frothed at the mouth. His body shook violently. He saw the pain and the anger in the tiger’s eyes. He had destroyed its leg. Now…he was at the animal’s mercy. The man shut his eyes, unable to stand the animal’s accusing glare.

With tightly screwed eyes he prayed, he begged the tiger to forgive him, he promised never to lay a trap ever again. The man babbled hysterically, refusing to open his eyes. Time passed. A gentle shower of rain fell on his upturned face. The man blinked. He looked fearfully about him. He searched for the tiger. There was no sign of the wounded animal.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

Ranthambore Adventure by Dalal is the extraordinary tale of a tiger, Genghis, who was born in the game park and has grown to be an awesome, majestic predator. The most incredible element of the story is the depiction of life as seen through the eyes of a tiger. The writer has nearly humanized Genghis, such that one cannot help but relate to the emotions of the animal. This aspect of the story is just as interesting as the escapades of Vikram, Aditya and Aarti.

Although it is ultimately a VikramAditya story, Aarti is the one who steals the limelight. Aditya’s heroics, which sometimes border on the foolish, land him in grave danger; he somehow manages to get hold of the diary of a poacher who is the head of an organized gang and accounts for seventy per cent of tiger killings in the country. When Aarti arrives at his house the next day, she finds the house in a mess, with obvious signs of struggle- and Aditya missing.

As she gradually finds out that her friend has been kidnapped, Aarti embarks on a dangerous journey to rescue him, which leads her all the way to Rajasthan. The best part is, all the characters have their own flaws and make mistakes- which is one of the many things that make the story so authentic. Everything that happens in the novel is not just lifelike, but completely possible- nothing in the story seems melodramatic. The climax is delightful, with the stories that ran simultaneously finally amalgamating and Vikram emerging as a hero without doing anything ridiculously filmy. Dalal has penned down a story that is as entertaining as it is didactic; it’s an adventure like no other.

RATING: 3/5

PRICE: Rs.70/- (Navneet Publications)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 193

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

AUTHOR: AVI

BEST SELLERS: His book Crispin: The Cross of Lead won the 2003 Newbery Medal. He has also written Nothing But the Truth, and Beyond the Western Sea, among other books.

ISBN: 0-439-54252-9

1ST PUBLISHED: 1990; this novel has won several awards, including as a Newbery Honor Book

GENRE: Adventure/ Young Adult Historical Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

In 1832, thirteen year old Charlotte Doyle is returning from her school in England to her family in America. Charlotte’s voyage takes place on the Seahawk, a seedy ship headed by a murderously cruel captain and sailed by a mutinous crew. When Charlotte gets caught up in the bitter feud between captain and crew, she winds up on trail for murder…and is found guilty!

EXCERPT:

Not every thirteen year old girl is accused of murder, brought to trail and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however…If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

The unique story of a unique girl, this is one unlike any I have read before. Groomed to be a “lady”, young Charlotte always knew that it was her destiny to be one. American by birth, she was sent to Barrington School for Better Girls, in England, when she was a six year old. At the age of thirteen, however, it was decided that she return home to her family. Therefore, on June the 16th , 1832, Charlotte found herself on the Seahawk, a ship owned and operated by her father’s firm- but without the two families known to her parents who were meant to chaperone her.

Terrified at having to travel alone with no woman on board to look after her, Charlotte quite understandably gravitates towards the captain- the only man with “unimpeachable refinement.’’ Charmed by his manners, delighted by his praise, and eager to please him, Charlotte agrees to be his eyes and ears whenever she interacts with the sailors in order to “civilize’’ them, by reading passages out of books or by discussing religion with them.

Stoutly ignoring the dire warnings of a few members of the crew, including an old black man by the name of Zachariah who ‘‘presumptuously’’ offers her a hand of friendship, Charlotte herself walks into a death trap. In her desire to do what is ‘right’, Charlotte becomes the cause of brutal violence that a child should never be witness to. Undergoing a complete and astounding transformation, this little girl takes unbelievable measures for her atonement.

Despite the astonishing events that follow, the entire account sounds like it really has been inspired from real life experience; and not just because of the first person narration. The author keeps you wondering what would happen next, and the unanticipated conclusion adds charm to this dark tale. As Zachariah put it, it really is a voyage to remember.

RATING: 4 on 5

PRICE: Rs.281/- (Flipkart)

Atlantis Found - Clive Cussler

ATLANTIS FOUND
a DIRK PITT novel

ISBN - 978-0-140-28796-7
FIRST PRINTED - 1999
PAGES - 761

AUTHOR - Clive Cussler

BEST-SELLERS - Sahara, Valhalla Rising

SYNOPSIS - Around the world, ancient artifacts are suddenly appearing, hinting at a catastrophe that will soon visit Earth.

Dirk Pitt is on hand at a Colorado archaeological site where an ancient and mysterious artifact has been found - one that is perhaps linked to other strange objects turning up across the globe. And soon Pitt's skills and ingenuity are desperately needed to rescue the team after a suspicious explosion seals them deep underground.

It quickly becomes clear that the artifacts carry a message: a warning of global Armageddon. Yet a shadowy organisation called the Fourth Empire not only wants to stop others from heeding that warning, but is also actively seeking to accelerate the end it foretells. Now Pitt and NUMA must face the diabolical foe, who will stop at nothing to wipe out all life on earth....

EXCERPT - Pitt silently moved from the bore, any sounds of his footsteps covered by the soft popping from the exhaust, and crept up behind the rider still sitting on his bike, who was distracted by the conversation. Pitt was no stranger to killing, but it wasn't in him to knife another victim in the back, no matter how rotten the victim might be. In the same motion, he reversed the grip of the knife an plunged the blunt hilt with all his strength against the base of the biker's neck below the helmet.

FL Speaks - DIRK PITT is back!!! For those of you, who still do NOT know DIRK PITT. He's the modern Indiana Jones and Lara Craft rolled into one. He loves the water and is currently the head of NUMA [National Underwater and Marine Agency] of the United States (When did he become the head??:O Looks like i have to read the earlier novels) Anyway, a mysterious glass obsidian is found in an archaeological site. Luckily Pitt and his crew were nearby and they managed to fight off a group of raiders. Upon research, they find out that the artifact has a twin. The owner of the other artifact reveals that it was found in the ruins of a ship in a remote island in the south of Indian Ocean.

Pitt's buddies, Rudi Gunn and Al Giordiono packs their bags in search of the island. As predicted, the bad guys were there waiting for them. Bam-whoosh-kick, and we can all breathe easily. The bad guys are beaten. Dirk however is far away in the Antarctic investigating a shipwreck of the 1770's. What follows is utter chaos and (utter disbilief on my part), a German U-boat chasing him. The submarine long thought to be MIA during Hitler's regime is now a part of the Fourth Empire. Dirk however manages to call the US Navy and they torpedo that U-boat to smithereens.

Back in Washington, Dirk finds someone stealing files from NUMA HQ. More chase ensures and like all heroes, though battered and tired, Dirk finally captures the thief. From the information gathered from the two artifacts, the team learns that during the Ice Age, a comet crash landed on Earth and almost wiped out a civilisation. What Dirk and NUMA realised later, that the comet had a twin. (SERIOUSLY??? Now we have extra-planetary siblings angry at dear Earth.) Prophecy says it was going to hit earth. But after all the calculations and mumbo-jumbo, the prophecy turns out to be false. The Fourth Empire has built four ships, like i mean mega-ships to survive the impending doom. (Remember 2012? Yeah, thought so) Dirk and team gather information about a certain nanotech facility way over in Antarctica. Apparently the Fourth Empire has plans of cutting off a huge portion of ice slab to drown the human race while only they and their selected few survive (yes, Hitler's men after all).

How would they achieve it??? Cussler knows the exact answer. POLE SHIFT THEORY people!! Yes, now you look exactly like i did when i read it. Anyway, i have linked it properly for you. Just click on the link and voila!

Coming back to the story, Pitt crashes all the evil plans and the nanotech station is destroyed. Then comes the confrontation with the Head of Fourth Empire and more chases and a police lock-up. Now that was epic! The policeman got the shock of their lives when POTUS, himself rang to release him.

Done! Another classic Dirk Pitt story. Another action-packed Clive Cussler plot. Dirk Pitt is maturing and growing older at the same time and i wonder how long will Cussler continue, though he looks good for another 10-15 books. Adventure books are awesome, specially those written by Cussler because there is hardly a dull moment. Who can ever forget SAHARA??? His best work so far....Anyway, DIRK PITT still kicks ass!

My Rating - 3.5 stars

PRICE - INR 299/- from Penguin Publications (Paperback - 2001)

P.S| This is the 15th Dirk Novel novel. Every Dirk Pitt novels can be read as a standalone

On Stranger Tides - Tim Powers

ON STRANGER TIDES

ISBN - 978-0-06-209453-7
FIRST PRINTED - 1987

AUTHOR - Tim Powers

BEST-SELLERS - Last Call, Three Days to Never, Declare etc

SYNOPSIS - Abroad the Vociferous Carcmichael puppeteer John Chandagnac is sailing toward Jamaica to clain his stolen birthright from an unscrupulous uncle when the vessel is captured.....by pirates! Offered a chance by Captain Phil Davies to join the seafaring band or die, Chandagnac assumes the name John Shandy and a new life as a brigand. But more than swashbuckling sea battles and fabulous plunder await the novice buccaneer and on the roiling Caribbean waters - for treachery and powerful vodum sorcery are coins in this dark new world. As for the love of beautiful, magically imperiled Beth Hurwood, Shandy will set sail on even stranger tides, following a savage, ghost-infested pirate king Blackbeard and a motley crew of the living and the dead to the cursed nightmare banks of the fabled Fountain of Youth.

EXCERPT - The crack of a pistol shot cut through the rising babble, and Chandagnac saw the man who'd advocated abandoning ship rebound from the capstan barrel and sprawl to the deck, his head smashed gorily by a pistol ball. Looking away from the corpse, Chandagnac saw that it was usually good-natured Chaworth who held the smoking pistol.

"You'll  go to the boats when i order it!" Chaworth shouted. "No gun blew up, nor's there a fire! Just smoke -"

As if to verify the statement, a dozen violently coughing men came stumbling up the companionway through the smoke, their clothes and faces blackened with something like soot.

FL Speak - I hope you folks made the connection already. Yes, this is THE BOOK that inspired the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Although the plot looks the same, let me tell you this book is vastly different from the movie.

Then story begins with John Chandagnac upon a ship where he meets Beth Hurwood. Thanks to her father abroad the ship, the ship is soon captured by pirates. After injuring the pirate captain, he is given a choice to either join them or die at the spot. Thus, John's life as a pirate begins. Even though the name Jack is similar to Jack Sparrow we have all come to love and remember, John Chandagnac or John Shandy is a completely different character yet a pleasant one. Even as he plans an escape from them, his life as a pirate is sealed when he rescues the pirate captain from the clutches of the Royal Navy fleet and effectively destroys the ship when he had a chance to live as a free man. As his friendship with the captain and Beth grows, he begins to grasp the bare beginnings of knowledge of magic in the old world the pirates practise in the Caribbeans.

The book jumps from one adventure to another when Blackbeard joins them and takes them to the fabled Fountain of Youth. Only then he realise that Beth Hurwood's father, who masterminded the capture of his previous ship has a far sinister plan that involves voodoo and his daughter and Jack vows to protect her at all costs. As the confrontations begin, Mr. Hurwood's apprentice becomes more powerful in magic and kidnaps Beth and leaves behind them an angry and a clueless crew. As Jack and his captain rush to get Beth back, they encounter ghost ships and their crew who were lifted up from the dead by sorcery.

Towards the end, it is realised that Blackbeard is far more cunning and diabolical than he was portrayed and his quest for immortal life can only be checked if John had paid heed to the knowledge he had gathered across his journeys.

This is one fast-paced exciting book. Pirates always manages to send my blood racing through my veins. A powerful book with a powerful plot and you would want to finish the book in one-go!

My Rating - 3/5. A recommended book.

PRICE - INR 285/- from Harper Collins Publication House (Paperback - 2011)