R.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima-S. Hussain Zaidi

Book: R.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima
Author: S. Hussain Zaidi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In September 2011, the double murder of gangsters Raju Pargai and Amit Arya rocked the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Pargai, who was well on his way to becoming a national security threat by smuggling weapons into India, had risen up the ranks of criminals quickly – but that also made him the target of Indian intelligence agencies, which then ordered the covert assassin named 'Agent Lima' to put him down. The day after the murder, Laxman ‘Lucky’ Bisht – an NSG commando who had also been personal security officer of politicians such as L.K. Advani and then CM of Gujarat, Narendra Modi – was arrested from his home in Haldwani, accused of the double murder. Thereafter begins a tale shrouded in mystery and suspense. Was Agent Lima and Lucky Bisht one and the same person? And if they were not the same person, why did Lucky Bisht languish in prison for more than five years, being transported from jail to jail, his bail application denied, while he was working for the government?

The book is a wonderful blow-by-blow narrative of Lucky Bisht’s trial after being accused of murdering two gangsters in Uttarakhand. True to his style, Zaidi delves deep into the crime and the impact it has on Lucky and those close to him. The writing is interesting and keeps you hooked as you go through Lucky’s life, his training as a commando as well as subtle commentary on changing times as the transitions take place in the political world as well. Zaidi’s forte lies in the research and adding minute details to the story to fill the gaps and this is what he does in this book as well. Not one to mince his words, Zaidi’s writing focuses on the case as well as the psyche of Lucky as he awaits the decision from the court and hobnobs around other criminals, both small-time and big in the jails as he is shunted around. It is a book that would impress any one who loves to read a good true-crime book and is interested on the political scenario. One thing that the book lacks, however, is a round of proofreading and editing as there are glaring typographical errors peppered across the book, specially in the names of the characters and that is where the attention of the reader starts dwindling.

Overall, a wonderful true-crime story of being relentless and that of grit. The book scores a 4/5 for me.

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The Naani Diaries-Riva Razdan

Book: The Naani Diaries
Author: Riva Razdan
Publisher: HarperCollins India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What would you choose if you had a choice between being happy and making a compromise?

When overachieving New Yorker Radhika Anand is dumped by Siddhant, her boyfriend of two years, she is devastated. With the threat of loneliness looming large, she turns to the only woman she can expect empathy from-her grandmother: her beloved Naani, whose own legendary love story in the 1960s has been recorded in an old diary. Radhika abruptly decides to relocate to Bombay-to the comfort of her Naani's home and the veritable circus of the Arranged Marriage market. But if Radhika is serious about finding a suitable match, she must pay no attention to Zain Rajan, the sexy 'bad boy' next door. A big-hearted novel about love and family, this book has it all: from witty banter and clever observations to a Big Fat Indian Wedding.

There are very few books that capture the essence of good old romance so perfectly, specially in a book that is 500+ pages. Riva captures the idea of love and romance across 3 generations beautifully and through the eyes of Gayatri, Mangala & Radhika. Influenced by the love story of her grandmother whose love story is recorded in the pages of a diary which becomes Radhika’s comfort read and begins to look for something just like that. Riva explores multiple themes in the book, right from infatuation to first love to unrequited love. The idea of spanning this story across generations is quite impressive as it also brings perspective into the story and keeps it interesting. What I loved about the story was the simple storytelling that keeps you hooked through the pages and yet there are moments where simple words leave a deep impact on you. Riva also puts a spotlight on how the arranged marriages are arranged and subtly questions various practices that have become a part of it. Another aspect I loved about the book is how Riva shows that while we might have a rosy outlook on life and want to look at the best parts of our past, there are shadows which might come back to haunt our present. Apart from love and marriage, friendship is a key aspect of the story and that aspect has been explored extremely well. There are multiple friendships that have been wonderfully penned and those add a wonderful aspect to the entire story. The climax brings the story to a close with as much grace as the storyline and I loved the way it ends.

The characters in the story are quite powerful, and the author has detailed out the background of the primary characters so that their intent and the motivations have context. Gayatri Anand’s character drives the story with her being headstrong and assertive through the ups and down of life. As a reader, there are quite some takeaways from her that can be implemented in one’s life to make it a bit better. Apart from her, Radhika’s journey is another one that inspired me, specially how she handles the downs in life.

Overall, the book is highly recommended because it addresses some very important questions as well as draws attention to the pressing issues that today’s generation faces. The book scores a 5/5 for me.

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The Zamindar’s Ghost-Khayaal Patel

Book: The Zamindar’s Ghost
Author: Khayaal Patel
Publisher: HarperCollins India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if the ghost of your past comes back to haunt you?

Presumed dead in a bloody coup to quell Indian revolutionaries, Arjun Rana returns to the sleepy town of Ooty after six years, throwing the townsfolk, and his household, in disarray. Troubled by the suicide of his father, Zamindar Digvijay Rana, Arjun tries his best to live up to the town's expectations as he takes up the mantle of zamindar. Little does he know that his detractors are many, and formidable. Within days of his arrival a spate of unexplained deaths occur. The town doctor does not have a clear assessment, the local head constable thinks they are the work of a spy sent by the revolutionaries to bring down the British East India Company, but the townsfolk speak in hushed whispers: The ghost of Zamindar Digvijay Rana is responsible for the deaths. As events hurl towards a chilling climax, the residents of the quaint little town will discover that each of them is right in their assumptions and each of them is wrong.

Khayaal tells us an interesting story in the book that blends together relationships, horror and crime in a beautiful manner. The story has been set up in the hills, pre-independence which adds another layer of plot where the small town acts as a character in the story as well. As we meet the Ghost on the very first page, the book hits the ground running. What I loved about the book was that the book never has a dull moment. Each moment in the book is carefully written and fits into the plot perfectly. While the book looks like a run-of-the-mill horror story, there are undercurrents and sub plots that add volume to this book. The storytelling is gripping, and keeps you turning the pages as you try to figure out what the intentions of the characters are and what is happening in thus idyllic town. The descriptions of people and places are detailed and one you reach the climax, there are moments you would revisit and realise that the smallest of details in the plot have immense importance in hindsight. What stands out about the book specifically is the attention to detail and timelines. The climax is something that will blow your mind away, with a reveal so powerful that it can be a textbook example of how to unravel a thriller or a horror story. There are very few books that can achieve the shock and awe as they do the reveal but Khayaal achieves it perfectly so much so that for a moment I was just staring at the page, making sense of what had just happened.

Coming to the characters, Khayaal’s book has a very Christie-feel to them and reading this horror-whudunnit was made enjoyable by the detailing he has provided to them. Right from the Zamindar and his ghost to Arjun, each of the characters has a distinct personality that brings out an interesting flavor in the story. I was quite impressed with Sharvani’s character and how she becomes a key person driving the narrative till the last page.

This book is definitely recommended for anyone who loves a well-crafted horror-thriller. The book is definitely one of the best books I have read so far, and just for the climax I would give it an extra star. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore.

The Creatom (Initiated)-Sameer Saxena

Book: The Creatom (Initiated)
Author: Sameer Saxena
Publisher: Self Published

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Hundred years have passed, and world's geopolitical system has changed. India, the superpower of the 22nd century, is responsible for maintaining world peace. Advanced Technologies and Artificial Intelligence have made people’s lives easy. To take a step further, physicist Neil Rolston discovers a way to telepathy to change the world until a mysterious illness that was buried centuries ago resurfaces and wreaks havoc as it spreads among all mankind. Humanity's collapse is almost inevitable unless Neil Rolston comes to rescue. Will he succeed and find the hidden secrets of the ancient Himalayas? Or, will it all fall apart? Only a miracle can save the human species.

Sameer has explored an interesting concept of being connected through our consciousness. The book traces the journey of Neil as he battles his personal as well as professional life to find this way of telepathy. Sameer has blended science with mythology to pen this story and has set the story in the future where he imagines a changed world order. The setting of the book has been nicely done and as the story progresses, Sameer presents his vision for the future in terms of travel, education, culture and communications. Another aspect that Sameer touches upon is the idea of human emotions and how they impact us, both individually as well as a community and society. The idea to show how our collective consciousness can manifest the way it does in the book is wonderfully written. The climax is quite interesting and the message that the author wanted to project does come across nicely.

Coming to the characters in the book, I liked the way Neil’s character has been portrayed in the book, right from scientific curiosity to the personal setbacks and finally the climax, the hero’s journey has been portrayed to the letter. Dylan’s character as an antithesis of Neil was almost as if Sameer wanted to personify matter and antimatter, however their collaboration was of a positive nature, rather than that of annihilation.

Overall, the book is an interesting read for the fans of science fiction, and the book scores a 4/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India.