A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 1) - George R R Martin

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 1) - George R R Martin.

I have made a hat-trick of mistakes when it comes to "not reading" a book series thinking they are overrated, even after them being super successful :). The first mistake I did way back was when Harry Potter books were coming out, Second, I never read Lord of Rings Trilogy (same reason) and now, for last couple of years, even after super successful TV series, I never saw a single episode (yet) or read any of the books. But that had to change and finally I am proud to declare that I have not only picked up the first of the much loved series but also finished it in flat 10 days :). You can imagine how engrossing it must be for me that I finished 800+ page book in that many days. Last night as I was almost hitting 95% on my Kindle, my eyes were again and again looking at the second of the series which was lying at a hands distance from where I was sitting and reading :). It is so amazingly good that I just didn't want to lose a moment between books and let me tell you this too, that before even starting to type this post, I have read some 50 odd pages of the second so my fragile heart is put to rest :) (and that's a first for me, I have never done that earlier). As the first books ending is so superb, exhilarating, breath-taking, emotional and situational that I just can't imagine how I would have survived if I had read this one back in the mid 90's when people had to wait for the second part. Hats off to you guys who read it back then and waited for the other outings :) I hope and pray, that by the time I read the last of the series, the upcoming next is already out :). Game of thrones, I must say is almost at par with Harry Potter series and slightly better than Lord of Rings (for sure) as no one book ever had that kind of impact on me and I have six more to go.

Reviewing or talking about a book like that is just too tough as almost its a beaten to death topic in our part of the world now. Especially after the super successful TV series, fortunately I am yet to see it and now that I have read the book, I am totally excited. Those visuals are already on the back of my head because the beautiful way GRRM has captured it all in words is simply mind-blowing. For those who haven't read or followed the TV series, just imagine the seven kingdoms the story talks about, inside a seven hundred feet walled compound :) thousands and thousands of kilometers away from each other. I am still trying to imagine the size of the wall :D which covers them all. The width of the wall is as much as 12 people can walk shoulder to shoulder on it :). Criminals are assigned to take care of the wall and save the kingdoms from the attack by "Others". They just can't get off the wall and hide anywhere because if they do, what happens to them is something you need to read the book for :). Exiled Prince and Princesses, looking forward to revenge, avenge and get back the "Iron Throne" is the story all about. The inter-related families and criss-cross of relations in between the seven kingdoms, I initially thought it will be too tough to follow but trust me when I say this, it was a cake walk, once I started reading. Totally amazing is the way GRRM has put it forth for his readers, every chapter is named after one character and as you go forward read their story, your heart prays that the next chapter should be from your favorite character but that is NEVER the case. Which fortunately makes it further interesting.

Harry Potter series gave me Prof Snape :) who was a villain throughout, I hated (to love him) and the way I end up loving him in the end, is just impossible for me to explain. I refuse to give up the chipped mug that I've been using almost for a year now to have my morning tea :) just because it has his face :) Similarly Lord of the Rings gave me Sam Gamgee, a best friend to die for and my kiddo calls me a Golem since we saw the movies back to back as I always call her "My Precious" just the way Golem calls the ring :). And now, I believe I've got another character that I am going to love for life and that will be "Jon Snow". If you have read it, you will know but if you haven't, I just can't tell you how my heart cries every-time someone calls him a "Snow", you've got to read the book to know the reason why he is called a Snow, or why some others like him are called "Stone" or "Flowers". And my second all time favorite will always be Tyrion Lannister, the bad-ass half man, Wow! What a character, totally smitten in love with his sense of humor and way he does things in style. The dwarf, who has no life (at least in the first book), hoping to see him as a king soon now. I know that he will be the baddest villain in the series but I wish, he should change sides and become a good guy :). And I am not even talking about Wolves :) As the title suggests, it's all about the "Game of Thrones" from one king to another, what games they play for the Iron Throne is the story. Who deserves the throne and who gets it in the end with whose support or against whose wishes, is the story all about but a roller coaster ride for sure from the very start to the very end. Each separate book, I am guessing will take the story forward and will throw some new characters and earth shattering twists my way too. Like this one does by the brilliant way it ends.

Coming back to the Title, I was keeping an eye on the story as when do I get to read about "Ice" and "Fire", but the way he decided to reveal what was Ice and Fire was simply superb. That late, almost at the ending, keeping me totally on my toes to know what's it about. I hope I get to see Ice in action in the second of the series and Fire too :)

GRRM's imagination is totally out of this world. After reading so many books which were visually outstanding, I just couldn't believe how this guy made his own world or should we call it a universe? Unbelievable characters, life styles, traditions, followings and what not. And what to say about those names that he uses, totally amazing. How can one man imagine so much is beyond me. On top of that, if you go back to the characters Index in the end :) it's just mind-blowing. He further makes it easier for people to understand which character belongs to which family and how they are related with others, so simple. I wonder how he himself keeps a track of them all while writing and taking his story forward :). Kudos Mr. Martin but please complete the series before I hit the dead-end :).

I believe nothing is predictable in this series and the way he killed some of my favorite characters to my utter shock has given me a proper introduction as to what to expect in upcoming parts. I guess my next three months are booked totally to this series now and I am going to blabber some more in coming days. Cheers.

Have you read Game of Thrones? All Books? Do let me know which one is your favorite and if you haven't read any of them yet, Boss :O you've got to read them at at any cost. You just can't miss this epic.

PS: I have started squeezing lemon and adding its juice to my beer :) and I am seriously considering taking horse riding lessons in very near future. Also, where do I get a sword? Preferably made of Valerian steel :). Mugs and T-shirts are passe.

The Perfect Husband – Lisa Gardner (Book)

The Perfect Husband – Lisa Gardner.

Whoever said that one should never judge a book by its cover (or title) was so damn right, and it took me a book to realize how true it indeed is. Our 13th marriage anniversary was right round the corner (it is actually today) and I timed this one in such a way that I will read, and finish it in a couple of days before or on the coveted day. Thinking that it may help me in someways in becoming a better husband (not that I am any bad) but what this book actually taught me is 10 ways to kill my own wife and not get caught 🙂 can you believe that? Monday morning as I started this book, wifey’s eyes shined looking at the title saying “A-ha, so now should I expect some surprises after all these years?” and I was like “Yeah baby, let me finish this” :). And by the time I finished the initial 50 pages, it was pretty much clear what I was getting into. My first Lisa Gardner book and I guess its a Good Bye Good Riddance Lisa Gardner, not my cup of tea for sure. Superb psychological thriller this could have been (I guess she planned it that ways) but it turned out to be very fast pace, didn’t take me more than I guess three days to finish a 400 page book but totally cliche ridden and something which gave me some kind of guilty pleasure. This was definitely something which will definitely not qualify as “Literature” and something which my mom will surely not approve of me reading it, but was a fantastic book in a sense that it can be wrapped up in an overnight train journey.

It’s been ages that I have read a James Hadley Chase novel, haven’t read one in last 12 years for sure :). But this one did remind me of his kind of stories big time (although way below his level). A typical psycho husband, preferably an Ex Cop, on killing spree, that too he kidnaps, rapes and kills beautiful blonds only, and he has an amazing, innocent loving wife who has no clue of his doings, till he at-least kills ten of them in a row. A very cute little daughter and everybody is an orphan so technically no option of going anywhere for anyone. On top of that everybody is super rich, so no worry about where the money is coming from while they travel from coast to coast on their whims and fancies. A marine to the rescue for the distraught girl and her daughter (again an orphan) with a dark past and a sister who conveniently is an FBI agent, you see she has to help her brother solve the case, who gets the chick in the end too. Lots of gruesome killing, blood, gore, rapes, child abuse, violence, sex and what not. I mean, she has left no stone upturned in giving her audience everything they can ask for. I mean, I couldn’t think of anything missing in the book although everything looked superficial but no point debating a book like that right? A perfect book to be adapted as a B grade thriller but I enjoyed it thoroughly although my expectations were way different from it 🙂 but thats another thing.

One blunder that the Author has made in the book which actually made me make face was that she keeps calling the villain as “Frankenstein??” I mean, if you have read the book, don’t you think Frankenstein wasn’t the bad guy rather she should call her villain as the “Creature” he makes? Correct me if I am wrong please. I am sure Lisa Gardner has never read Frankenstein.

Have you read “The Perfect Husband” or any other Lisa Gardner book that you would like to recommend before I say Goodbye Good Riddance to the Author? If you haven’t read this or any of her other works, trust me, you are not missing anything.

The Breaking Wave - Nevil Shute (Book)

The Breaking Wave - Nevil Shute.

Also known as "Requiem For A Wren" is my second Nevil Shute book and twice in a row, I have fallen in love not only with his superb love stories, totally awesome strong women but with Australia too. Also, it became one of those very few books which I finished in flat 48 hours, talking about gripping stories, this was one of the best based around second world war and its repercussions on a family. Also the story of two brothers took me back in time couple of years and made me miss my own little brother who will go to any extent just to make one evening I spend with him more beautiful. On my way to a family emergency, I called my brother and told him that I may drop by for a night to our home-town. He threw out everything off the refrigerator, much to the shock and amazement of our sister in law and filled it up totally with Beer :). My friend who drove with me as we had to come back non-stop, my brother, and our immediate neighbor (now my father in law), we all got drunk that night, walked around the block in drunken state, had our dinner somewhere and no idea who woke up where next morning, as we had to push out very early in the morning. The friend who joined me on this adventure now co-incidentally an Australian Citizen, where this story takes place and hence the memory. Hope I get to meet them again in this life time and we all get drunk yet again to have a beautiful evening, a memory of a life time.

Going by the title and its amazingly beautiful cover, two lovers kissing with Guns and a Naval ship in the background was totally unexpected but beautiful story. Also, before I forget, let me tell you that this is I guess second book in a long long time which actually made me super emotional and tears actually rolled down my eyes with a huge lump in my throat almost the size of a basketball :). Terrific story of two brothers from outskirts of Australia, the town of Coombargana (which I will never be able to forget now) where they own thousands of a acres of land and sheep farms. One of them a pilot in air force where as the other becomes a marine. Their paths cross during the war near Normandy, where the one who meets the love of his life during the course of war, loses his life and other loses both his legs. The strong girl who serves in war as a wren in-charge of ordinance, is the the character to watch out for. Imagine all that happens in the very first chapter and the story goes in flashback when one of the brother returns back home for good after so many years and realizes that his parents life is in ruins. They have their own struggles and a dead housemaid to take care of, who commits suicide on the day he returns, what is the cross connection? Read the book to find out.

As I said this was my second Nevil Shute book and what amazed me again is that in both the books, his women characters are super strong and totally amazing. You've got to read this book to know what she does in Army and how. Imagine a broad shouldered girl with a square face who claims she isn't much of a beauty but what she does with Guns is something everybody watches with their eyes popping out. One unfortunate mistake in the course of the war for which she is never blamed by anyone changes her life for good. Where that episode leads her and how it all ruins her life to no repair is the story is all about. Heart-breaking yet a emotional roller coaster ride of the three amazing characters and their friends and family is totally out of this world experience. Nevil Shute's stories are totally smooth and his narrative is just so gripping yet simple that I found the book to be totally unputdownable as my heart kept asking me to go forward and solve the riddle. Plus I wanted to race to the end to know how it all ends. As I said it was one of the most emotional stories that I ever read, it is very tough to point out the moments it made me super emotional. The entire journey of one brother to find his dead brother's lover touched me deep inside, every-time his search fails, my heart cried out. Also the girls struggle after her loss and after so many deaths, the point where she finally loses something which makes her cry for the first time was the moment my tears just rolled out, unable to control the barrage. Wow, that was just wow moment and I feel totally out of words to explain why and what I felt at that moment. If you read the book, you will certainly know and agree with me on that.

Have you read The Breaking Wave? do let me know how you find it and if you haven't read it, you've got to read it and you just can't miss it at any cost, trust me on that. Also, do let me know if you have a favorite Nevil Shute book, I am surely looking forward to more of his works.

Parvathy's Well & other Stories - Poornima Manco (Book)

Parvathy's Well & other Stories - Poornima Manco.

All thanks to the Author that I got a free copy of this short and sweet book from Amazon as a part of promotion I guess. As I was taking a break after finishing a thick fat book, this was quite a delightful read which lasted only a couple of hours. The stories were so good that for a moment it got me thinking that I was reading my own childhood story, especially the one with the Haunted House :). Wow! back in the days (mean 80's) almost every neighborhood had a haunted and abandoned house like that, usually a bit secluded from the rest of the colony, with yellow walls, paint peeling off from everywhere but was always stuffed with something making us kids curious to go in and explore :). Exactly that's how the house was in the story and what these kids do and find out, you've got to read the book and the story to find out.

Six stories and almost each one of them leaves big mark on the reader. Talking about the daily lives down south to up north at the heart of the nation. I loved the way Author has carved out excellent real life characters in the stories. I could almost smell the summer heat in one of the stories of a child abuse that too in the family which was heart wrenching. You've got to read the story to know the various versions, the way she did it, and heart wrenching it was.

The story covering the a Govt office was simply hilarious and brilliant, but the important episode it covers from our political scene back in the day was just Wow!! Brought back so many memories from 80's as I said earlier.

There is a heart-touching story of Eunuchs too in the book which sent me back in time in the early 90's. I still remember that day, when one of our company accountant, came rushing to the lunch-room delighted. Declared that the usual Eunuch's came to ask for Diwali donations and he just gave them a mere 5 grand and turned them off. He was sort of new in the company and especially on our side of the industrial town :) and to his horror and not to our surprise, they came back in three truck loads and what havoc they broke in front of our company that I just can't tell. Later, the deal was stuck at 21K :). But this story had a different ending which actually made me emotional and gave so much food for the thoughts, if only there was a solution.

Have you read Parvathy's Well & other Stories? If you did, which one was your favorite story? But if you haven't, you've got to read this breeze of a book and I will be waiting eagerly for Poornima's full fledged book, whenever that may come.

The Prodigal Daughter - Jeffrey Archer (Book)

The Prodigal Daughter - Jeffrey Archer.

I was afraid of picking up this one as unfortunately its prequel "Kane and Abel" didn't work the way I expected it to. But a dear friend who was going through a reading slump asked me to read a book jointly so we keep discussing about it, encouraging each other to read more :). I recommended her this one, as she too had recently read Kane and Abel. I can bet, she hasn't finished this one yet and I am already done with it and Jeffrey Archer I must say is back in my life with a bang! What a wonderful wonderful read this one turned out to be, totally unlike its prequel. I have read so many love stories and lost count which have given me a huge lump in my throat the size of a basketball. And I have read so many thrillers which have sent me to the edge of my favorite reading chair and at times I have fallen off from it too, holding the book in hand still reading. And I have read quite a few political thrillers too which have multiplied my knowledge of politics in various countries to many-folds, but this one was one amazing book and story which has all of those elements and so much more. Jeffrey Archer, I tell you is a magician and terrific is the way the way he weaves his stories and so many amazing characters that you just can't help but fall in love with them, head over heels. This book is so good and story is so convincing that I actually had to Google to double confirm that Archer is really British and not American :) which this book made me believe. Unbelievable totally awesome.

Kane and Abel (1979) was and I believe still is one of the most recommended Jeffrey Archer book that I read this year and was heart broken as it didn't had that expected magic on me. But its sequel The Prodigal Daughter (1982) was totally mind-blowing. Story picks up right from the point where Kane and Abel had left it, was such a turning point in the story that I was looking forward to this one big time. Also, in the prequel the kids get almost no attention since Kane and Abel both were two amazing characters and their animosity towards each other was the main point of the story. Fortunately their kids falling in love with each other was pretty predictable and cliche to say the least but it worked in it. Now here in the second part, the way Archer turns the things around and makes it not only an amazing love story but a thriller too and like I said with so much politics in it, that the book is an unbelievable unputdownable from the very start. The kind of footage Florentyna (Abel's Daughter) and Richard (Kane's son) get in this one and their story unfolds in flashbacks was simply mind-blowing. Also, what I loved about this whole book and story was that Archer not only give their dues to kids but almost all the supporting characters too. It took me only couple of chapters to realize why he remains one of my favorite Authors of all times (even after giving me a heart-break earlier) and he totally impressed me with his word power and magic. Even after knowing a bit like how the lead characters will get together and make their life, the journey was simply brilliant. School friends, struggles, dreams, aspirations, and support from the family, my mind kept going back to the prequel imagining what was happening in their parents life while they were going through their time in boarding schools and college, simply awesome that was.

The story has so much going on at a break neck pace that it is just too tough to review it. The woman who is loved by two men :) and it is too tough to decide which one you like (read love) more. The family feud and friends to the rescue was so filmy yet just amazing. I loved Florentyna's friend Bella and her husband who leave no stone upturned in helping them and how they are loved back by Florentyna is just superb. Why Richard, her husband keeps calling her Jessie, has so much to do with the last part, puts a smile on my face throughout till the very end. Shocking twists and turns for which Archer is anyways famous were totally unpredictable to say the least, even after reading so much of him, I was never prepared. And lets not even talk about the important events from the history which gets a mention here and a mention there :) they just keep the ball rolling and making the reader in me happy all the time. And let me not forget the book references made by him especially when the year passing by is 1984 :).

One of my favorite character from this one is none of the leads but a Governess which deserves a big mention. The way she takes care of the "Prodigal Daughter" and how she was responsible single handed to make her what she becomes by the end, was a mind-blowing journey. I just couldn't believe how he carved her beautiful character and yet gives her the full due by the ending. Jeffrey Archer has no doubt, an outstanding knowledge of how the things move in American politics especially the way he has captured it all in fiction, I am sure he must have his own sources for the way he has captured it all leading it to the Presidential elections is one heck of a story. Hats off to the man and his wild imagination and I loved the little Indian connection and that special mention right in the very start, which indeed put a big wide smile on my face. His brilliance lies in the way he makes it a superb heart-touching story to an amazing love story to an out and out thriller by the time it ends. No ways I can now resist the last of the series, the third book from the trilogy "Shall we tell the President" that I will be picking up very soon.

Have you read the "Kane and Abel" Trilogy? Which one is your favorite from the three books? And if you haven't read them, you've go to start from the start, till I come back with my thoughts on the last one...coming soon.