August 26, 2017

Book Review: Chronux by Sagar Kamath

Chronux
Author: Sagar Kamath
Publisher: Become Shakespeare
Rating: 3/5

You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
~Marcus Aurelius

The quest to obtain power and become immortal has been a part of many mythological and fictional stories. Without such a theme, the stories would fail to match the standards. ‘Chronux’ is based on a similar concept where the hunger for power rules the major part of the story.

The story traces the journey of ‘Time’, a concept or reality, we don’t know.  All that we know is that it is not only powerful but also unconquerable. When the small village of Aruhu, situated in the valley of Himalayas, witnesses the great transformation owing to the teaching and preaching of a stranger with a gem/ Chronux, it basks in the glory of happiness. It is only when the stranger disappears suddenly, leaving behind the ‘Chronux’, they smell something fishy. The episodes change and the Nazi’s attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is what catches our eye. The author doesn’t fail to remind us what is constant all throughout, is time. It has been there all the ‘time’.

Through the pages of the book, the secrets are revealed and the long-lost knowledge redolent of history is refreshed.

With a dark, gloomy but powerful cover, this book presents intense imagery and thought-provoking title. The blurb is puzzling as the plotline is quite different from what the blurb makes the readers expect. The title of the book is perfect- suiting the theme in all respect.

The organization is fine but somehow the inclusion of various timelines failed to leave a lasting impact on me. The ancillary details about a particular scene/ place and a character acted as a turn-off. The author could have played intelligently with the minds of the readers by cutting down the descriptives and instead including the dialogues, but that is amiss. What greets one’s eye is extended monologue and a series of exclamations! The inter-connection between most timelines is missing and the reader might be left wondering.

The font of the text doesn’t match with the standard ‘Book Antiqua’. The blurb has a grammatical glitch. There is no doubt in the fact that extensive research has been done by the author and kudos to his experience that he could blend all the information so well. But I felt that the redundancy of the content could have been cut down and the thickness of the book could have been worked upon.

The major drawback is editing. Most of the paragraphs (I really mean it) end with an exclamation mark even though there is nothing to express in the last line.

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August 25, 2017

Book Review: Urban Ayurveda by Tanya Malhotra


Urban Ayurveda

Author: Tanya Malhotra
Publisher: Rupa Publishers
Rating: 3.5/5

“Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger.”
~ Mehmet Oz

‘Urban Ayurveda’ can be used to batten down the hatches, for it makes you aware of the science of Ayurveda. This is a self-help book that aims at making the readers aware of their bodies and applying Ayurveda to cure the ailments. But wait, it is not the medicines we are talking about here! It is the age-old traditions that will be revised through the book. It not only teaches us to change, rather modify, our lifestyle but also introduces us to several practices that can help us live healthy and hearty.

Read more at IWW.

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Book Courtesy: Rupa Publishers




Book Review: VISHNU by Subhadra Sen Gupta

Vishnu
Author: Subhadra Sen Gupta
Genre: Children’s book
Publishers: Rupa Publishers

When we were kids, our parents and grandparents narrated several stories of strength, wit and values. One of the most prominent character during that time was Vishnu. Yes, Lord Vishnu was, and still is, believed to be the wittiest, bravest and the most generous of all Gods. This book is a compilation of three of the most famous stories: how Lord Vishnu fought the asura Bhasmasura, how he prevented the Amrit from falling into the hands of the asuras and how he took three giant steps to help the Devas fight King Bali (asura).

Area A: Text
The text has been organized in simple sentences. Not only can the children understand the language but also enjoy the pictorial representation of the scenes. Each story is related to the other and hence, it will probe their curious mind to read carefully. The only flaw in the book is editing. Time and again grammatical errors can be spotted. Since this is a children’s book, careful editing is a mandate.

Area B: Illustrations
The cover of the book neatly presents the main agenda of the plot. A warm and pleasant picture of Lord Vishnu and the somber colours greet the eye with utmost pleasure. Kudos to Tapas Guha for making the book very interactive through the pictures.

Area C: Characterization
The main character of the story is Lord Vishnu and the most dominant trait that can be identified is his wit and generosity. The author of the book has brought in the positivity of the character, which will, in turn, help in shaping up the minds of the young readers.


Overall, an interesting book for the children!

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Book Courtesy: Rupa Publishers