'Cat O'Nine Tails' by Jeffrey Archer
Sunday, January 07, 2007
''The Patriots' Club' by Christopher Reich
Interesting thriller, and with a novel climax that appears a bit too stretched out. Still, a good read if you're into this genre. One of the things I hate about most thrillers is that the build-up doesn't quite lead to an equally brilliant climax. Whether you pick up Clancy, Nelson Demille, or Grisham these days, nothing quite matches up to the kind of climax one sees in 'The Eye of the Needle' by Ken Follett - well, yes, not even Follett himself quite comes up to that level anymore.
Most potboilers don't just stop at belonging to one genre, and mix in everything they can to cater to a wider audience. And in this process, they leave the purety and elegance of refined fiction like Sherlock Holmes. I know these two are quite different genres altogether - still literary qualities alone make up for quite a lot here and this is what makes one wish we had better stuff coming out.
The Patriots' Club is a well-written thriller that 'almost' rises above other contemporary works and does so with a page-turning provocation that has been missing in quite a number of other bestsellers. Characterization is better, plot a little more outrageous, and pace never slackens, except just near the end when there are too many 'coincidences' to digest in one book. Overall, a good read on a winter night in your warm quilt.
Rate 4 Stars ****
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
'At First Sight' by Nicholas Sparks
I've never been drawn towards 'romantic' novels, and for almost a month after ordering this one from Fabmall, it kept sitting on my bookshelf, its pages waiting to be liberated, waiting to make an impression. And impression they did make.
Finely written, easy in its pace, this novel captures the trials and tribulations of a man on the verge of a new life so well, it almost made me wonder if this was me, if this was how you'd feel if you were passing through such a situation. And just as you feel the troubles are over, the novel reminds you of life's little ironies and how mundane situations you never would even think about can change lives forever.
Superbly written, well plotted, this is one helluva read. Strongly Recommended if you need to change the pace of your life for a few hours, and well, for quite some time after that.
Rate 4 Stars ****
Thursday, December 21, 2006
'The Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Very Very Very rarely does one come across such fiction - refined, melodious, so close you can almost smell it. This piece is the work of a genius and something that will stay etched in your mind and its memories will haunt you for a long long time after you've put the book down. In a world full of ordinary works, this one is right up there with the giants.
And considering the fact that I am referring to the English Translation (translated by Lucia Graves) of the original work in Spanish - 'La sombra del viento', I can just imagine how rich the original must be if the translation is this good. You almost feel as if you are living with the characters, feeling their pain, almost wanting to comfort them in their moments of trial.
If you like romantic thrillers that expand our appreciation of the limits of literary exploration, this is an unbeatable page-turner. Pick this up and I can guarantee you won't put it down until you've made yourself an inalienable part of the plot. And this will stay with you for life.
Rate - ***************** 5 Stars are not good enough
Thursday, June 02, 2005
'Hornet Flight' by Ken Follett
Reading Ken Follett, and especially his WWII works, is something that sets the clock back and transports you back into the world where ordinary people turned into heroes overnight. This is a period that the present generation hasn't seen, and the previous generation hardly remembers. These novels, as sensationalized as they are, are then one recourse to connect to a tumultuous history that everyone should know about - the price of freedom, the courage of an entire generation, and the lessons we need to learn from all of the struggles.
This novel is another masterpiece - the plot is good, the presentation imaginative and writing almost flawless. There are a few factual errors that Ken Follett mentions on his site at http://www.ken-follett.com, but then I am not a purist, and reading this novel was fun. I was on the edge of my seat on a couple of occasions, although the plot tends to get predictable at one point. I would love to see a movie made on this novel someday.
Rate 5 Stars *****
Pan Books (UK Edition), 2002
Sunday, February 20, 2005
'Man Walks Into A Bar' by Stephen Arnott & Mike Haskins
Now this is as complete a collection of jokes and one-liners as you could imagine. Classified by topic, the book is an interesting read, although you simply can't read it all at one go. Best advice - take jokes from this huge collection based on situations - and sure the world will laugh with you.
Rate 5 Stars *****
Ebury Press, 2004
Monday, June 07, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
'Re-Imagine' by Tom Peters
Tom Peters work has always been a delight. From my first TP book 'The Tom Peters Seminar', which I got in my MBA days, I have been hooked to his books. Really, I mean there has always been something so common-sensical about this guy's writing, something that just prompts you to think. Sure, you don't agree 100% with TP, but then agreeing is not what management is all about. He ignites the passion, the zeal, the strong urge to question everything, to rethink, to reimagine!
'Catch 22' by Joseph Heller
When you first start reading this 'proclaimed' cult comedy, you almost want to put it down. Yossarian and his supposed witticisms, or his thinking is so non-linear, so brazen, so absurd and so different from the 'established norm of social behavior' that you almost start the novel by hating him.
About Me
- Name: MasterWeaver
- Location: Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India
Bachelors degree/Honors in Botany, Masters in Business with Marketing and Technology Management. Currently managing my software outsourcing company with offices at Chandigarh, Bangalore and an upcoming one in San Francisco and over 75 engineers. Spend my time reading thrillers, shuttling between our offices, boring my friends to death, and well, just plain lazying around - serious!!!
Previous Posts
- 'Cat O'Nine Tails' by Jeffrey Archer
- 'Absolute Power' by David Baldacci
- ''The Patriots' Club' by Christopher Reich
- 'Bonfire of the Vanities' by Tom Wolfe
- 'False Impression' by Jeffrey Archer
- 'Hour Game' by David Baldacci
- 'The Icon' by Frederick Forsyth
- 'The 31 Strategies of War' by Robert Greene
- 'Panic' by Jeff Abbott
- 'At First Sight' by Nicholas Sparks
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