Review - The Manticore’s Secret

Some say, trilogies and series more of than not peter out in the intermediate books only to pick up pace in the final and concluding part – many agree! Well I must say, Mr. Samit Basu, hats off to you and your dazzling world of fantasy and adventure which rubbishes such hearsay.

“The  Manticore’s Secret” starts from where we left off and then unconventionally proceeds to rip apart all the conventions that have been established in the first book. From an overly caring Dark Lord who is trying to save the world and not cause a war (!!), to a seemingly innocuous dwarf who is feared to be the most cunning spy assassin in the world; from almighty Gods creating a world to play with, to a frail chameleon working to play them instead – the book takes one interesting turn after the other and keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Since the author decided to keep up with the same flair of writing and flamboyance of characters from the erstwhile chapter, what we have in our hands is one heady concoction which promises to give a great hangover as soon as we are done with it.

My one and only disappointment is the fact that I do not have the third and the concluding book here with me and have to wait for its arrival. 

Review - The Simoqin Prophecies

Brilliant and imaginative best describe "The Simoqin Prophecies" - the first book of the Gameworld Trilogy.

Samit Basu has managed to create his fictional world with panache and precision. An intensely clever style of writing, the book does take about 50 pages of random events and people before the pieces start to make sense. The story then evolves at a pace and in a manner which makes the book unputdownable.

What’s real fun are the characters, which have been picked up across mythology and fiction. The names have been cleverly jumbled at times which upon unravelling makes one grin, almost ruefully at the context it has in our version of reality.

The humour in the book is not slapstick and even casual statements have an underlying hint of sarcasm and pun, though in all fairness this might be a turn off for some people.

The book does give the "Harry Potter Wizards" and the "Lord of the Ring Elves" a run for their money. Read the book with an open mind and I am sure you will be happy to get lost in this world of fantasy.

Review - Secret of the Nagas

The story which started in Immortals of Meluha, humanizing Shiva, on his road to "wherever fate leads him on his road to greatness" begins to peter off and head on a downward spiral in The Secrets of the Nagas.

The endearing storytelling with Shiva as the protagonist, filled with self doubt on every step and haunted by his own past quickly becomes a political drama filled with useless intrigue and an overdose of new characters. Gone are the introspective thoughts, gone are the incidents establishing camaraderie between the troopers. This is all replaced by random sequences of events at various places, mythological characters and relationships established in a manner which unfortunately seems forced at times. 

I personally feel the writer has lost the inspiration and has instead chosen an easier road and a writing style which is more acceptable and popularist. Read the book like you would - just another bestseller which will be forgotten as soon the weekend is over!!