Sign of the cross

Sign of the cross

Author Chris Kuzneski.

Genre:  thriller, Christian mythology

Publisher

ISBN

 

An interesting fictional thriller, narrated in a comfortable pace.  The author takes us through the Christian lore, and the politically savvy Roman Empire. He has used the available roman historic factors and academic debates to weave a thriller from Boston to Beijing, from Denmark to Libya while the action is cantered at the intersection in the catacombs of Orvieto. Where an archaeologist uncovers an ancient scroll dating back two thousand years. A scroll that holds the key to a dark and treacherous secret that could rock the very foundation of the church.

Chris Kuzneski focuses on story, action and history with a vague hint of romance making the book very interesting. Glad I discovered a new author in my favourite genre.

About the author.           Chris Kuzneski is a New York Times best selling American author. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have been published in more than 40 countries. Born sept.2^nd 1969, in Indiana is the alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh.               Catch him on http://www.chriskuzneski.com

Intro of Your Life

 

 

If I am writing my autobiography what would my opening sentence be? On July 29 2010 Plinky wanted the first chapter of my autobiography and this is what I wrote. http://www.plinky.com/answers/100507 .

I had a great disdain for autobiography and considered it as the ultimate self indulgence of an egoist. Then I learnt about autobiographies which I documented for another Plinky prompt http://parwatisingari.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/spiritual-journal/

Every writing has to be rewritten so maybe I should rework the opening line and maybe something brilliant and exotic, but the story is mine, like all my life, the autobiography would be travelogue of a meandering gypsy.

I can’t hand you a map either.

The best opening that i could pen would be a message delivered to me by three strangers all women, at different points of my life. The Last one being yesterday.

“I have a message for you, I talk to God, and God wants you to know You are his special baby, and he loves you unconditionally, he has a plan for you just flow.”

Gabriel came down for this annunciation, or was it first of the fates? Would be the ideal opening whatsayyou??

 

Asura Tale of the Vanquished

Author:    Anand Neelakantan

Publisher:   platinum Press.

ISBN: 978-93-817577-05-2

First time author Anand Neelakantan, treads the murky waters of telling the tale of the Ravana, here neither Rama nor Ravana are heroes, Ravana is the protagonist.

The book is a fiction based on the stock characters from Ramayana. The tale is narrated through the Ravana and Bhadra an asura who is positioned as the darker side of Ravana. Ravana is a wannabe idealistic hero, but in Anand’s tale he is neither the personification of evil as pictured by Tulsidas nor he is the well-educated non-Aryan leader of the Jain and Buddhist tales, neither is the heroic uddata nayaka of southern folklore, Ravana here appears as a whining, looser.

The story is well presented, and the book is quite difficult to put down. The last three chapters do drag a bit.

Over all a good book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anand Neelakantan is first time author. Growing up in the temple surroundings at Kerala Ramayana fascinated Anand more so the anti-hero Ravana and his magical land. An Engineer with Indian Oil corporation  lives at Bangalore with his wife Aparna daughter Ananya and son Abhinav.

book 2 shiva triology

The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The secret of the Nagas
Author: Amish Tripati
Published by: Westland ltd.
ISBN: 978-93-80658-79-7
The second in the trilogy promised by Amish, I have not the read the first one, but this has inspired me to read it. Believe me I regret reading the Immortals of Meluha it is a spoiler to this book.
Calling an amarachitra katha induced thriller is also belittling the author’s craft. Though I guess that is the nearest identification that our generation that grew on amarchitra katha can give it.
Amish has beautifully demystified the mythology making it very interesting. If I were to call it a mythological thriller I would be ignoring the imparting of philosophy.There are small notables like the opposite of love is not hate but apathy.
Though the IIM Alumnus has done a bit more homework this time round his lack of knowledge or deficiency in adaption comes through.
!.Till few years before Kautilya the education was vocational oriented, and the guru-kula kind of system. so question of village schools did not arise.
2.Kshatriya women marrying Brahmans, was acceptable but not the other way round.
Looking forward to reading the last book on this triology.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Amish Tripati an alumnus of IIM quit corporate world to write the triology.

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Deaths door openned.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Land beyond the Gods.
The Son of Neptune ~Rick Riordan.
Publishers Puffin.
In this series Rick Riordan has opted for a third person narrative.
Monsters are rising in land beyond the powers of Gods.
Rick Riordan’s Hero’s are the demigods of the Roman camp. Open your mythology dictionary it is a must.
Percy the son of Poseidon or Neptune as the Romans know him. Hazel the daughter of Pluto. And Frank Zhiang of Greek and Roman heritage with a bit of Chinese flavour to add the zing are the heroes of the quest.
The myth of Phineas and Harpies are retold.
If the legend of the one shoe Jason was used in the lost hero, the legend of Hera/Juno being carried over the Tiber is used here.
The dainty, teenage Hunters of the camp-half blood find competition in the Amazons of the Roman mythology. They live, love and fight passionately
Libri Sibylline is the guide for the quest.
The Lars, the Argonauts, Terminus the Roman god of boundaries, Li-Jien the settlement of Roman soldiers in China giving rise to red-haired Chinese, Sun Tzu’s art of war archived by the Hun dynasty all appear to make the book an interesting read.
The greatest teaser is the prophecy
Wisdom’s daughter walks alone
The mark of Athena burns through Rome
Heralds the next prophecy the sneak peek into the next book the Mark of Athena, where all roads lead to Rome.

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Who could the last Olympian be?

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and last Olympian.
Publisher Puffin
ISBN 978-0-141-34008-1
I invite all of you to guess who the last Olympian is, before you read the book and why. Please add it as comments.
Though not woven around any particular myth. It explores a variety of them.
To an adult reader probably the weakest of the books. But for the teenager it is definitely action packed. Hordes of monsters, lots of strategies.
The Olympian Hestia is honoured.
Prometheus makes an appearance.
But the author talks of a lot interesting concepts. Some of which that I really liked was,
Hope in the Pandora’s Box is holding to hope, when you let it go, you are not releasing it for world betterment but giving up hope.
Hope survives best at home and hearth.
Achilles heel more than an anatomic weakness it is the weakness of our psyche too.
Nemesis is more of the goddess of maintains balance than revenge.
A good read. It does leave greed more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rick Riordan is an award-winning mystery writer. He has worked as middleschool teacher for 15yrs. He is now a full-time author and lives in San Antonio with his family. The Lost Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles are the other series from this writer.

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The myth of Atlas revisited

The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Percy Jackson and the curse of the Titans,

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher Puffin

ISBN 978-0-141-32126-4

The third of the Percy Jackson series brings alive the curse of Atlas, the giant son of Titan and Oceanid Asia. The God’s who help in the quest are Artemis and her legion of hunters.

The book refers to the myth of the golden apples fleetingly.

He also refers to the creation of the fabled sword of Hercules, the reappearance of Nemean Lion.

After introducing the demigod offspring of Zeus in the previous book, now it is turn of Hades offspring to make their appearance,

A very interesting observation made is by a character Tyson the cyclops where he says”father cares, I asked for help and he sent me a brother.” I very subtle way of saying count your blessings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rick Riordan is an award-winning mystery writer. He has worked as middle-school teacher for 15yrs. He is now a full-time author and lives in San Antonio with   his family. The Lost Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles are the other series from this writer.

Over all a good read.

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percy Jackson and sea of monsters

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The second of the series from Rick Riordon.
The book explores the myth of the Golden Fleece,the myth of Circe and the song sirens. Annabeth, Percy and Grover are on the move. The cyclops join them here.

One thing I really liked in this book was a small note of accepting good things in life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rick Riordon is an award-winning mystery writer. He has worked as middle-school teacher for 15yrs. He is now a full time author and lives in San Antonio with his family. The Lost Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles are the other series from this writer.

Publishers Puffin

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immortals of Meluha

The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A very interesting read. the author has adapted the myths well.

But if I had read this book first I would not have bothered with the secret of the Nagas. The book sends out a vibration of being written by a person who is not really familiar with the Indian ethos, example Kathak– is a post muslim re-invention of Indian dancing. Until then it was just Nrtya.

Over all a good read.

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Shadow Men

shadow men by Bijoya Sawian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A very different kind of book, the ethos of Khasi, Meghalaya which are new areas for a southerner like me.It is a book that contemplates.

The book travels through two shadows, one of the protagonist grappling with her own changing emotions and uncertainties which is reflected in the changing Khasi ethos and violence.

On the other plane it talks of the helpless identity crisis of the Khasi Male in a changing society.

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