War of Lanka

The Vayuputras had agreed that the Prince of the Ikshvaku dynasty be declared as the deemed Vishnu!

The chief of the Malayaputras believed that the warrior Princess of Mithila was better suited for the role instead.

But, curiously enough, all seemed to depend on the enemy of the Aryavarta to establish the belief of the saviour in the minds of the masses that needed to be saved!

The events narrated in the book follows the three preludes that converge to a greater spectacle ahead.

With Sita kidnapped by Raavan and Ram enraged, a fierce battle is imminent. But though we eagerly await the betrayal of Vibhishan, the defiance of Indrajit as he wedges a brave aerial battle and of course, the great duel between Raavan and Ram, yet the ingenious imagination of the author in sketching the sacrifice of Kumbhakarna, the espionage of Naarad and the uniquely united stand of the diversely talented Suryavsnshi siblings against evil are the few among the many that depicts the fateful events of the Ramayana in a modern light with rationally realistic perspective. However, the compactness due of the composition thus created and the touch of subtlety that could have been enjoyable, are affected adversely by too much elaborations in descriptions and philosophies preached that hinders the satisfaction and disappoints the flow at frequent instances!

While the Light Lasts and Other Stories

It starts with a tale of despair that defines romance in The House of Dreams. Written in her early years, the signature style is so subtle that it might only be realized in hindsight. Surely not the best of her creations, it could really be her path to lesser fame had not a novelist friend came to her aid with encouraging directions. That it was required for the budding author was acknowledged by Christie when she paid her respect to Philpotts while already established in a literary career. It is followed by The Actress, a thrillingly fascinating narrative that is short but crisp. This drama is intensely psychological, revealing the inherent cowardice that is exploited to stage the apparently vicious trap. Thrills continues in The Edge, which befits the title in varied ways as the frustrated dame fights the desperate wife in a battle of nerves with a fatal climax that is deceptively tragic. Each piece has afterword which gives a little bit of perspective to the works. The following features Poirot in the mystery with title Christmas Adventure, which is though a reread, but the title was different while the charm similarly satiating. The Lonely God is romance weaved in mystery that blesses the same with the delightful Heavenly appeal. The twist in the tale was predictable yet satisfactorily welcome as the long lost artist meets the lost love at the feet of the Deity with apparently a dearth of worshipers but still standing supreme with the sacrifices that a God can only offer. Disappointment will be in store while reading Manx Gold but the afterword will be more than a satisfactory justification of its apparent vague treasure chase. Written for attracting tourists for the Isle of Man, the clues are strewn in the text for its readers to detect. Within a Wall is a black romance with a crooked sense of desire. While the silent lover seeks love in helping the needy, the calm companion longs the same in possesiveness. The touch of cunning returns with Poirot in unravelling The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest that contained a murdered body, hidden apparently in a room full of guests and their attendees. Being the original to 'The Mystery of the Spanish Chest', perspective played the vital pivot to identify the criminal while evidences supported the hypothesis. Guilt and comfort play a black tale in While the Light Lasts, where the apparent relief to the anxious heart paints a tragedy that lies hidden from the coarser eyes. It seemed to reflect a certain status conscious author giving vent to her ambitious nature camouflaged in a manner, which is both convenient and elegant.

The War of the Worlds

Starting with a History of William Collins and the Life & Times of the author, comes one of the greatest classics of all times penned by one of the greatest science fiction writers of all times, H G Wells who had been the person behind coining two unique terms that we have taken for granted. Yes, the time travel and time machine may be a household name for every science addicts, but the terms were introduced by the author who also fictionalised the Mars invasions for the very 1st time. The anecdote, narrated from the perspective of the unnamed protagonist, vividly describes a Martian invasion that, with its awe and tragedy, will terrify you by its chilling feel of realistic ambience. Though, the introductions have spoiler but still the fright remains. Published in 1898, decades before lasers were conceptualized, the author designs the advanced Martian invaders to use something similar as their primary weaponry. Describing the accidental but unaccounted sighting of the launch of the fleet carrying the aliens, the author goes on to detail the discovery of the meteoric touchdown of the same and the massacre that follows. Despair engulfs the civilisation as cities are invaded and routed with humans taken as prisoners to be consumed. So when, it seems all is lost, the miraculous twist of fate will be welcome to all but the invaders. Though written as a fiction, but it warns the civilisation of the doom that awaits the selfish when the unforeseen dwarfs of the present flaunts their might as they turn giants of the future☆

Complete with a lexicon of the Victorian grammar, the novel is a classic for all ages.

Appointment With Death

In the remote outskirts of Petra, sat the still deadbody of Mrs Boynton, the sadist head of the Boynton family. Was she killed or did she died a natural death? With the remaining members of the Boynton family having chances and motives for killing the cruel lady whose hypnotic spell had, so far, kept them mentally exhausted, it remains on Poirot to clear the doubts. Without the findings of autopsy, it depends on Poirot to analyze the psychology of the witnesses to sieve through their interviews to arrive at the truth.
A revelation, that I had here was, the hypothesis of Poirot that if criminals are allowed to speak, the truth is automatically leaked out by them, which I found quite enlightening.

After the Funeral

It all happened after a funeral when the sudden remark of one of the attendees gave a new perspective to the apparently normal death of Richard Abbernethie. Added to the mystery was the brutal murder of his sister, Cora, by a hatchet in her own home. This unsettled the mind of Richard's solicitor, Mr Entwhistle, who consulted the self proclaimed best brain in the business, Poirot. The psychological game had been already set afoot and mishap was waiting round the corner. The web of evil had been spun that tried to entangle the others. When the members of the Abernethie clan was shedding doubts on each other, Poirot entered the arena in disguise. But the disguise was shortlived, as was the mist that engulfed the minds of people. What remained was how the evil was trapped in this enjoyable whodunit which might not keep you guessing till the climax but will surely keep its grip on your mind till all is revealed. Presented in the signature Christie style of narrating from various perspectives save a few that includes the sleuth, the investigator is introduced quite near the finale that gave the characters the required space to make impression to make the mystery even more enticing.

The Secret of Chimneys

As you go through the book, you will feel that you are going through the scenes of a drama rather than a novel. Yes, the description of events are more filled with discussions rather than reflections on the mysteries. The loquaciousness is the only consistent thing about the story that contains at least three mysteries woven into a single fabric and no dearth of suspects. Interestingly, as the mystery gathers pace, the number of sleuths increase. We have Battle, then comes the detective from the French police. Several other amateurs and professionals in the respective field also tries their hand at trying to crack the mystery that consists of a murder, a theft from days past, attempted robbery which attracts the suspects and the detectives in the same place.
The Chimneys, the great country estate seems to hold secrets that threatens the Royalty and the politics of a small fictional country ruled by the monarchy and which had seen much bloodshed and scandals. Curiously, the supposed errand of the apparent unrelated yet adventurous young man, puts him and his life in the midst of the dangerous race for control. As a murder occurs in the premises where several political personage has taken residence, the professionals are called.
The shrewdly deceptive Battle enters and so does several other mystery seekers. A gem, stolen long ago but apparently hidden in the Chimneys, seems again to attract the thief who stole it. The person, released from the gallows gives the slip to the police and seems to lurk in the vicinity. A master of disguise, he seems to blend with the others in plain sight. Attempt of robbery for a particular manuscript of allegedly risky memoir threatens the balance of nations. Added to this is another death and a bundle of scandalous letters.
As the reader will find, that there is no dearth of mystery but however, the entire novel along with the signature Christie twists will fall short of expectations at the major portions where adventure predominates over mystery.

Deep Focus Reflections on Cinema

Deep Focus is the way Ray viewed cinema in the international arena, arranged in the form of essays written by Ray in several publications. His view on cinema, how the artform evolved, how it is analysed by audiences in various countries, is portrayed in the chapters. Glimpses of his own works have also found obvious references in the articles. Some chapters are also on notable cinema personalities whose works had a marked influence in defining the course of cinema worldwide. His lament on the national cinema arena is also quite applicable today when the talkies seems less mature than their foreign counterparts.
The book is introduced by Shyam Benegal who was influenced by the work of Ray in his early years so as to watch Pather Panchali twice in succession in the same day when Ray was not a familiar name in movie directions. The book also contains the entire filmography of the master which is equally a prized possession along with the other contents of the book. The preface is by Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Films where it makes an appeal for preserving the work of the legend in the city of his birth.

The Unexpected Guest

A cripple lies murdered in a wheelchair and the wife is holding the revolver in a house where almost everybody has a motive to be the killer. But interestingly, a stranger who is stranded due to his car getting into a ditch, stumbles upon the household and plans a misdirection for the authorities to save the wife of the charges. But will the truth be so easy to hide? Will the murderer get away? As the story progresses, the apparent clear case seems to develop in a mysterious murder which is actually noted in the excerpt of Osborne's analysis on Christie fictions annexed as a standalone chapter. The mystery was well conceived though the climactic twist seemed a bit too bland. This novelisation suffers from the fact that the author could not give an original touch in places where it seems more like a play rather than a novel.

The Mysterious Mr Quin

The elusive Mr Quin makes his presence felt whenever there is mystery involved. Be it murder or romance, the subtle hints by him seems enough to Mr Satterthwaite for unravelling the intricate puzzles of life. His sudden introduction in The Coming of Mr Quin seems just perfect as the story not only solves a long awaited cause of death but it also unveils threat to the love that stands on a delicate pier. In the next a double murder occurs and Mr Satterthwaite has only the clue of The Shadow on the Glass to solve the crime beyond everybody's doubt. A chance meeting At the 'Bells and Motley' seems to save the innocent but a peculiar clue lies hidden in The Sign in the Sky that leads relief to the well wisher of the falsely accused. It is more a romantic story of The Soul of the Croupier but mystery still remains for Harley Quin to guide Mr Satterthwaite to light. The sudden appearance of The Man from the Sea again seems God sent as Harley Quin directs Mr Satterthwaite to join two estranged heart as tragedy looms right throughout the narrative. A melancholy feels the air starting from the sinister The Voice in the Dark followed by The Face of Helen but whereas serious crime is solved in one it seems to be averted in the other. A painter draws The Dead Harlequin which attracts Satterthwaite and curious events follows while The Bird with the Broken Wing seems to reveal a mad criminal hidden behind the veil of respectability. Rolling precariously towards The World's End for picnic seems to be fated for something more and the Harlequin's Lane offers the solution to the eternal love for the heart that bleeds.

The unique creation of the author seems to bind romance and mystery in a way never found elsewhere which is intense yet enjoyable.

The Man in the Brown Suit

The story is a novel that is both mystery interspersed with romance. The signature Christie twists abound but for the finale which actually is a bit disappointment. But the great novelty of the plot is in its storytelling that surpasses any in the series that I have come across so far. Written partly from the perspective of the sleuth Anne Beddingfield it narrates the other part from perspective of another interesting character. What it does is that it kicks in a contrasting humour to the central plot that makes it an enjoyable entertainment. The villain actually proves to be the best part of the novel not only by the character but for the ingenuous way the person evolves in the story. So besides the disappointment at the final chapter the book will be a great pastime.

The plot starts when the adventure loving Anne suddenly confronts a man getting electrocuted at the underground platform which seems a bit odd to her due to something she senses. A second death of a woman nearby also seemed to be linked to the incident that she witnessed. Thus, armed with only a seemingly laughable amount of money Anne embarks on a journey for adventure, career, travel and a thirst to solve the mystery. The dangers that poses in the way will keep the suspense heightened to the extreme. Recommended not only for the story but for collection as it actually has the touch of the classic in it.

Black Coffee

Poirot’s fussiness to neatness and order could not have been better utilized than this narrative as an immensely important clue is due to that which is pointed out by Hastings surprisingly. Adapted from Christie’s play, the story is set in a single room where a curious murder occurs and the murderer seems seemingly obvious. But with the signature Christie twist the perspective is suddenly changed by the detective. A case of poisoning and theft, the mystery must be solved before the evidence is destroyed and the stolen goods recovered before it falls in wrong hands. A sublime suspense reigns throughout where each suspects the other and it remains to be seen how the secrets are unraveled and misunderstandings cleared.

The Complete Battles of Hastings Vol 2

Containing four of the gripping mysteries penned by Christie, this volume delves deep inside human psychology. When the wife wants her husband dead and Lord Edgware Dies, it remains upto Hercule Poirot to unravel the truth to save the innocent. Following the chilling revelation that shocks many comes the challenge of The ABC Murders where the villain seems to pick victims following alphabetical sequence. It again remains upto Poirot to find a logic behind the randomness to pinpoint the evil. Next is the case of the victim who appoints Poirot through a letter that arrives after her death. Clues are left for the wise along with a Dumb Witness. This is perhaps the most horrifying of the lot where the coldness of the murderer is terrifyingly sketched. The  finale is the Curtain: Poirot's Last Case which seemed more thrilling as I read it after a long time. Undoubtedly this is my favourite Poirot story with the sleuth confronts the ultimate villain as he sits dying from the ailments of the body. The psychology of murder, the identity of probable murderer, how a murder is designed and how it becomes an obsession has never been better analyzed. Thus as curtain comes down to the life of the master detective Arthur Hastings seems to learn more and more whose own character in the backdrop evolves that though markedly contrasts that of his partner but is so much familiar with the readers that they comfortably inside the events resonating with the mood of each tale.

Spider's Web

Based on the play of Christie, Spider's Web is an interesting murder mystery novelised by Charles Osborne. Owing to its source, the settings of the narrative makes it less a novel than a multi act play. But with that too, the story is full of suspense interspersed with humour - the original being categorized aptly in the tailpiece as a comedy-thriller - with a signature Christie twist at the climax. It all starts when the wife of a Government official, stumbles upon a body, clearly the victim of a murder, in their library. The man is found to be a sleazy drug dealer and an womanizer, intenseley loathed by her step daughter. To protect the immediate suspect, the daughter of her husband, she tries to take the help of three of her visitors in dumping off the body and concocts a story to support their alibi. But before being able to carry out the part, a mysterious caller informs the police about the murder. As the police arrives and holds an inquest, the situation becomes more confused as each tries to make a story of their own. It becomes more complicated as the body seems to vanish as the medical officer arrives. The house itself, filled with camouflaged passages and furnitures with secret recesses, makes the investigation still more complex. Added to this is the absence of any apparent motive. The backdrop thus set the suspense is heightened and it remains upon the innocents to prove what is wrong and which is right. A very enthralling mystery where the web is woven with care it remains a refreshing read by virtue of its unique style of storytelling.

Hercule Poirot The Complete Short Stories

The short and smart detective had held my fascination the first time I got to know him, but through television series. So when I saw the book containing the complete short stories I lost no time but got hold of it in the early part of the millenium. But still today the stories are as intellectually charming as ever. Devoid of a rush of adrenaline, this kicks in the real stimulant refreshing the spirits at any time. The passionately orderly, daintily dressed complete to the patent leather boots, with an obsessive fussiness over tidiness, the little Belgian, the self proclaimed greatest (maybe without an error there too!), deductive genius had always proved his point in matters baffling the authorities. With a diversity of characters to deal with, the psychologist in Poirot always seem to catch the basic of the problem before others. With a reasoning unmatched with the authorities, the little detective with his shrewd traps has been the saviour to the police in several cases. Thus Harper Collins is to be complimented on their compilation of all the short stories featuring the Hercules of the mystery genre but it had surely made a mistake by stating that it contains more than fifty stories by counting the foreward of one of the collections making the total just one more than the half century. But this is really one of a kind getting the complete set in one book. The treasure trove is listed below.

1. The Attair at the Victory Ball
2. The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
3. The King of Clubs
4. The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim
5. The Plymouth Express
6. The Adventure of the Western Star
7. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
8. The Kidnapped Prime Minister
9. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
10. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
11. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge
12. The Chocolate Box
13. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
14. The Veiled Lady
15. The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
16. The Market Basing Mystery
17. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
18. The Case of the Missing Will
19. The Incredible Theft
20. The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
21. The Lost Mine
22. The Cornish Mystery
23. The Double Clue
24. The Adventure of the Christimas Pudding
25. The Lemesurier Inheritance
26. The Under dog
27. Double Sin
28. Wasps' Nest
29. The Third-Floor Flat
30. the Mystery of the Spanish Chest
31. Dead Man's Mirror
32. How Does Your Garden Grow?
33. Problem at Sea
34. Tringle at Rhodes
35. Murder in the Mews
36. Yellow Iris
37. The Dream
38. The Labours of Hercules - Foreward
39. The Nemean Lion
40. The Lernean Hydra
41. The Arcadin Deer
42. The Erymanthian Boar
43. The Augean Stables
44. The Stymphalean Birds
45. The Cretan Bull
46. The Horses of Diomeded
47. The Girdle of Hyppolita
48. The Flock of Geryon
49. The Apples of the Hesperides
50. The Capture of Cerberus
51. Four-and Twenty Blackbirds

Well these stories may be categorised as anybody wishes but there is a classification that may be not of the conventional type. Theres are stories narrated by the composed Captain Hastings, there are others by Christie where Poirot almost plays the lone hand, others necessitates the assistance of the faithful George and some of them features Miss Lemon the methodical secretary. Also special mention may be made of 28, 34, 37, 43 which are favourites.

Byculla to Bangkok

Sequel to Dongri to Dubai, the book traces the evolution of the Maharashtrian mafia and is even more fast paced than the predecessor. The narrative style is more of a collage of anecdotes and thus chronologically overlapping in parts. But the central theme is as chilling as ever. The socio-political aspect has been more critically analysed which makes it more haunting. Taking its birth from the socio-economic condition that allowed exploitation of the Maharastrian youth, the lust of the few made the evil even more dreaded. Murders were committed at daylight, gangs were formed and broken, smuggling networks became bafflingly intricate, police became mere spectators. In this situation were ushered in the encounter specialists, heroes who quickly turned the tables. But the ruthlessness of evil seemed to grow only. Some turned to politics while other fled to foreign lands. A state of confusion made apprentices to turn against their mentors as an age of treachery prevailed. Revenges were the order of the day and suddenly it seemed that the underworld is split in two. But this was only the broader divide. Internal to the split world, the zone was again divided into sects that took turns to rise and fall. Zaidi recounts the evolution of the mob where the battle for supremacy is defined in blood and gore.

Miss Marple The Complete Short Stories

•   From The Thirteen Problems
• The Tuesday Night club
• The Idol House of Astarte
• Ingots of Gold
• The Bloodstained Pavement
• Motive v Opportunity
• The Thumb Mark of St Peter
• The Blue Germanium
• The Companion
• The Four Suspects
• A Christmas Tragedy
• The Herb of Death
• The Affair at the Bungalow
• Death by Drowning

• From Miss Marple's Final Cases
• Miss Marple Tells a Story
• Strange Jest
• Tape-Measure Murder
• The Case of the Caretaker
• The Case of the Perfect Maid
• Sanctuary
• From The Adventures of the Christmas Pudding
• Greenshaw's Folly

Harper Collins' effort for the complete short story collection of Christie's Miss Marple along with the auhtoress' introduction of the character, had been a jewel of my collection as the aged spinster had gradually become a favourite as I grew up. Initially her stories seemed boring to me but with maturity I found them interesting in the sense of the unique utilization of analogy in solving problems. This is not only very true but the tend to generalize on the human nature and amplifying or attenuating the supposed effects according to the ambient conditions indicates the scientific or more correctly the statistical way of dealing with problems. This aspect had been the most appealing in Miss Marple's adventures. The surrounding may be a village but her  hypothesis applied to more apparently bizzare activities in the cities as well.

Thus whether it was a complicated murder mystery or a nonchalant remark or some unusual theft, everybody who knew Miss Marple also knew that she had the solution that stumped others. Her simple way of approaching the problem and comparing it with the parallel that happened in St. Mary Mead where she spent the most of her life almost always resulted in the truth that lay hidden from the worldly folks. Her enthralling art of deduction and her firm belief in punishing the evil made her a nemesis to all evil near her. In many ways she remains the average kind hearted village elder - fussy, an infrequent babbler, shrewd but good at heart, all ears to the village scandals. But underneath her apparent older self, the energetic analyst remains dormant to the public. Thus when the others see her busy with her sewing - her only established hobby - underneath she may be deducing knowledge from the facts strewn here and there. Thus the chief constables and the seekers of justice takes the help from this grand old lady - their surer hope for the truth - whenever a baffling mystery challenges the limit of their wisdom.