Book review - Thar Express

‘Thar Express’ the debut novel by Nagendra Murti is a beautifully woven tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat all throughout. The twists and turns in the well thought out and well researched plot make it a ‘can’t put the book down’ thriller.

Thanks to Blogadda I got to read this book for a review else am sure would have missed it as unfortunately there is hardly any buzz about it. It is published as an eBook and there is no paperback version, probably the reason why there are no ‘book signing launches in book stores and hence a lack of publicity.

But guys, it is one hell of a thriller and keeps you on the move all throughout the country from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, literally, as the protagonist who has lost his memory, is on the run to find his lost identity. And since he is found in a state of amnesia in Kashmir, close to the Indo-Pak border, the Indian Army is very suspicious of his antecedents and will do anything to get hold of him. This also brings to fore the rivalry among the Army, the local State Police and the Anti Terrorism squads.

What I particularly liked was Nagendra Murti’s style of writing and his ensuring that just enough detailing of the plot is given without getting into too much of atmospheric details. There is no romantic interlude except that which is absolutely necessary to take the story forward. It is very crisp and sharp to keep you moving along with the protagonist ‘Mano’ (No, that is not his real name either and by telling you this am not diluting any suspense of the tale J)

This book gives one an insight into the anguish suffered by a person who has lost his memory and the struggle that he has to go through to get back to his identity. Imagine, if one fine day you wake up in a hospital and don’t remember your name, profession and what or whom you love, whether you have a family or not and the world at large looks upon you as a criminal or a terrorist! This is a double whammy as in all probability you have lost your memory due to a traumatic experience and here again you are going through a traumatic experience to get out of one! Strange but true. Nagendra has kept the storyline and ‘Mano’ running at a tight pace throughout without letting up even a bit by keeping the chase alive and the chasers as shadows chasing the elusive source of light.

An eBook which has a wonderful storyline, well edited and devoid of any speed breakers to ensure a smooth journey for the reader who will gasp at the end. Why? To find out you will have to read it. Am not going to spoil the fun by revealing anything here. It is available on Amazon.in for Rs.181/- only and remember it is an eBook and there is no paperback or hardcover version.

Book review

Zen And The Diary Of A B&B Owner by Scott Barfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved reading it! Full of British stiff upper lip humour and a very delightful account of the various characters that arrive at the 'guest house' bringing their own idiosyncrasies to add colour to liven up the ambiance.
Why Zen? Read to find out! :)
The perfect companion for your commute as none of the chapters are more than a couple of pages each. A fun read!

Don't miss if you are a fan of British humour. 


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Get set and Bolt!

As part of their promotional activity, I was invited by Blogadda on behalf of TATA Motors to check out the new hatchback ‘Bolt’ on display at the Oberoi mall.

I went there last weekend and as I was entering the mall, I overheard people talking about Narain Karthikeyan. Apparently one could get a photo opportunity by just visiting the ‘Bolt’ arena in the mall! I was thrilled. Was indeed a great opportunity not only to check out the car but also get photographed with the one and only Narain Karthikeyan.

Having reached the ‘Bolt’ arena which could be identified easily as there were a lot of people milling 

around I headed straight to one of the many guys in the bright ‘Bolt’ Tshirt and asked where I could meet the famous Narain Karthikeyan. He pointed to a tiny low platform next to the car on display and asked me to stand there while he would take my photo. Dutifully, I stood on the place indicated and got myself photographed, all the time wondering ‘Whats up?’ The mystery was soon cleared as the photographer showed me my photograph with Narayan Karthikeyan and transferred it to my phone via Bluetooth. Here it is J

Now about the car. Bolt is being projected as a premium hatchback car with all the trappings that are offered by others in the market. So what is special about this? Is it the price? The price is not 

revealed yet, they said. So what else? The reply he gave me was impressive. I shall list out the five features that would make ‘Bolt’ stand out among the hatchbacks in the market.

1)      First time ever Multi-Drive: Sport mode when you need that power, Eco mode for excellent fuel efficiency and City mode for the perfect balance of the other two.

2)      Revotron 1.2 Turbocharged MPFi Petrol Engine for that exceptionally powerful driving experience. This is what I would love to check out as and when I get to Test drive this beauty.

3)      Generation Next Safety with 9^th Generation ABS by BOSCH, Corner Stability control (I would surely love to test this out too) and dual airbags (finally someone has decided safety is more important than cutting corners to reduce price!)

4)      Segment Superior space and comfort. This has been traditionally a TATA Motors forte since their TATA Indica and am glad this is still being followed religiously!

5)      Connect Next – Not only to keep up with the times but also to be ahead in the race, the ‘Bolt’ will have ‘Touchscreen Infotainment’ by Harman which will give you an access to an array of entertainment and connectivity features like smartphone enabled navigation from MapMyIndia in addition to advanced voice command recognition.

So guys Get set Bolt!!

“This post is a part of the Get. Set. Bolt. activity at BlogAdda.”. 

Book review - The Green of Bengal

The Green of Bengal and Other Stories by Gautam Benegal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

‘The Green of Bengal’ authored by Gautam Benegal is a value for money set of eleven short stories based on his growing years in Calcutta of the 1990s.
This is a book that is a must read for everyone to get a glimpse into the lives, loves, hates and desires of the common man as he (she in two stories) makes the best of life on offer. There is a streak of humour that keeps you smiling as you read and food for thought when you are through reading. All stories are morsel sized and perfect for that train or bus commute to keep you entertained.
Gautam Benegal is a writer, National Award winning animation film maker, cartoonist and artist who grew up in Calcutta. His previous book of short stories ‘1/7 Bondel Road’ that received critical acclaim is also eminently readable.
A steal at Rs.150/- for the Kindle version on Amazon and Rs.176/- for the paperback. Go for it guys! Guaranteed to make your day/weekend!


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