The Lost Symbol

Starting with excitement and thrill the novel is about symbols that is threatened to be revealed to the unworthy. Promising enigma as each chapter unfolds the finale is not so worthy of the entire adventure. Though pertaining to the central theme of philosophical revelations but it has lost the realistic touch. A happy ending was not what this novel deserved and thus it remains incomplete though the story completes. A note of mourn would have correctly resonated in the final pages but curiously Brown tried to philosophize rather than keeping the hope alive. Robert Langdon is more an audience in his new adventure that uses him as a pawn used by a madman for his quest of the absolute. CIA gets involved as do a scientist and certain particular Masons trying to save a nation and a brotherhood while all keeping a vow of non-cooperation amo

ng themselves. Unrealistic yet exciting the novel takes Langdon to a journey that will be remembered only for how close he came near death.  With some novel revelations the gripping adventure failed to make its mark as lengthy philosophical debates were incorrectly placed. Personal relations seemed lesser in more than one occasions, while science that was promised remained unexplained. Destruction galore as did coincidences foiling the evil at each step. Infact Langdon seemed only required for a single instance as several Masons proved to be more qualified symbologists. Thus the novel is a good adventure but clearly not one of the best.

The Twelfth Card

This had been the first Lincoln Rhyme novel that I read. I'd watched Bone Collector a long way back but not until (not so) recently I got to know that the character is recurrent and appears in a series. Well after that I didn't delay in getting one of the novels, chosen arbitrarily in the form of what came in my hand first, as Bone Collector had made a lasting impression on me. There is a statment for the author made by People on the cover of the book describing him as the master of ticking-bomb suspebse. Well I didn't understand its meaning fully till I got through some of the real edge-of-the-seat sequences depicted in the book and after that I couldn't agree more with the phrase for Deavers, a real master of suspense.

After Thorndyke and some of the medical thrillers of Robin Cook I can't find anybody close to this forensic investigator and Amelia Sachs.
The curious way in which a school goer becomes the target of a master killer starts Lincoln in the track of an age old crime and as the mastermind does all to mislead the investigators, Sachs and Rhyme gets back to him in style along with the NYPD. With several plots and twists, the novel gets more and more exciting as it proceeds. It seems Lincoln's scientific bend of mind with proper reasoning profiles the criminals accurately and it remains for the force to nab him. But the foe becomes increasingly shrewder and thus Rhyme is challenged more than ever. The readers will thus enjoy the book to the fullest that promises slight sentiments for the comleteness that it is due.

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.

Goynar Baksho

http://calcuttatube.com/goynar-baksho-bengali-movie-review/197849/

Professor Shonku

This book is special in many respects. In my younger days when I started relishing works of Ray starting with Feluda through his short stories and Tarinukhuro, the science fiction hero had been something quite remote to my imaginations. In this situation there came Professor Shonku’s adventures in my collection and I was not sure whether to compare him to Feluda or to enjoy the adventures. The regime of science fiction before Shonku had been not so defined in my fantasies. Also imagining a Bengali science fiction hero carrying out exploits to the bewilderment of the entire world had also been something not very realistic to someone whose entire world of science fiction resided in watching Star Trek and Johnny Soko episodes in monochrome. So Shonku had been more than a revelation to me. He allowed me in my childhood days to feel confident that a successful Bengali scientist is also a reality. True that Ray’s work is based on fictional character carrying out fictional experiments sometimes in fictional landscapes but Ray did mould Shonku as the next door neighbor who happens to be a genius. The school goers may not be always feel motivated to read narratives on Jagadish Chandra Bose, Satyendranath Bose, Bidhan Chandra Ray, Meghnad Saha or the other greats who contributed to the evolution of science, but they will surely read Shonku. So the craziness of science and its sure path towards truth will no doubt creep into their mind and also they will not fail to understand the fun side of it. This character of Ray is not unlike his famous private investigator but he seeks truth hiding beneath the depth of nature.

Coming to the significance of this compilation, this happens to be chronologically the 1^st of the Shonku adventures. But curiously enough I could not collect it but for many years as the shops that I frequented always produced other collections but not this one to my queries. So as I was losing hope of ever getting it and seriously doubted whether this collection at all existed, it suddenly came to me. It seemed to fill up the void in my collection. Another point which I then found out was that, unlike the others being published by Ananda Publishers, it was published by New Script.

Being the 1^st in the series, the stories will grip the attention from the very 1^st introduction and the interesting manner in which completed Byomyatrir Diary came to see the light of earth. A horrifying experience awaits the reader in Professor Shonku o Haar with an immediate relief in Professor Shonku o Macaw. Then is another thrilling story of an Epytian curse in Professor Shonku o Egyptio Atanka. Following up the suspense is one of my favourites, Professor Shonku o Ascharya Putul. The next is another that I admire most, an intergalactic adventure that will keep the thrill till the last in Professor Shonku o Golok Rahasya following it up with yet another fascinating, horrifying, amusing and another of my cherished memories as I think of Professor Shonku o Chee-Ching. The rest delves in the mysteries of two very different aspects, the human mind in Professor Shonku o Khoka and in Professoru Shonku o Bhoot which delves in the spectral world.

The Sunday Philosophy Club

Take one sandwich with tea and wait for the rain to drizzle and then you will find the charm heightened as McCall Smith takes you in his adventure through the streets of Edinburgh. A philosopher gets entangled in a  murder mystery and more from an ethical point of view than from curiosity she tries to find the truth. Narrated in limited third person the story takes the reader through an enjoyable investigation quite unique in its format. Infact the finale is more philosophical than practical. In almost all events of her life Isabel Dalhousie tries to find the philosophy behind it and this naturally makes her an investigator who can clearly interpret actions and expressions. Though quite slow in its pace but the story is enjoyably calm with an underlying thrill. Actually the author defines mystery in every aspect of life. Whether it is to analyse behaviours of others or to find criminals, the motives behind each action and reactions thereof contain signatures of the hidden truth. Interpreting actions sometimes become prime and the motive follows merely to validate it.

The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy

What will an investigator do when approached with two cases simultaneously? On one hand is a 3000 year old mummy whispering ancient Arabic and in the other an Abyssinian cat with mismatched eyes go missing! The trio of Investigators - Jupe, Pete and Bob - will take both at once. Thus they get involved in a curious mystery filled with adventures inside mummy case, strange disguises, Oriental clients, speedy car chases and eerie accidents. How Jupe with his new innovation - walkie talkie sets - and with the help of the other investigators, catches the villains remains to be seen in this exciting adventure that are truly enjoyable for the young minds. Quite unlike the other stories, the strangeness of the central plot is masked quite early but the excitement remains throughout.

Chayamoy

http://calcuttatube.com/chayamoy-2013-bengali-movie-user-review/197847/

Hemendra Kumar Roy Rachanabali Vol-XXVII

The volume contains an assortment of sorts. It begins with Hatya Ebong Tarpor, containing a Jayanta Manik case of detection, and that too a good one, in the title content and then an equally well contrasted humourous one in Private Detective which, believe me is far less serious but equally enjoyable from what the title suggests. Then is an adventure story in Ek Diner Adventure with a touch of humour in this too. Then comes the short stories categorized under Galpo beginning with an horror episode in Shaitan, continuing the horror in Gangar Bibhishika, a Bimal Kumar adventure in Guhabaasi Bibhishan, which I personally felt a bit incomplete, an enjoyable read in Nakal Shikarir Shankat and finally a ghost story, which again felt short of expectation in Badshar Samadhi. Comparing these the best comes now beginning with the dual historical stories in Tin Samrater Trahyasparsha-Yog and Mahabharater Maharath, both depicting the downfall of two most important empires of medieval India viz. that of the Mughals and of Prithviraj the great. For the more inquisitive readers it may help to know that to enjoy the first one to the fullest please go through volume XII of Hemendra Kumar Roy Rachanabali though without it the document is complete in itself. Finally is a pleasing deviation from the author, something not for the children, mixing romance with adventure in Panchasharer Keerti, which is completely regionalized without any trace of its original source. This could have been immensely enjoyable but for a single fact that needs elaboration. It seemed the author, mostly conversant in writing gripping adventure stories for the young minds, was hesitant to make up his mind while writing for the older generation. So though the adventure was enthralling the underlying concept seemed a bit loosely composed.

Nante Fante Collection III

Continuing the humorous exploits of Nante Fante, the collection consists of chapters 7 thru 9. Sometimes playing pranks on each other (once in this collection and that too marked by a different style of sketching) the naughty duo often makes life miserable for the Superintendent Sir. But the greater pranks are stored for the wicked Keltu. Being boarders of hostels, their desire for sumptuous meals often becomes the central theme of the multipage plots and in these often Keltu becomes the sole competitor. Debnathbabu’s unique style of presentation and cartoons has made these children’s story a priceless gem in the world of Bengali comic strips. The collection also contains an advertisement cleverly concealed in the story, maybe one of the starters of its kind.

Goynar Baksho

Eager with the curiosity of what the story is all about that is to be brought to screen recently I started reading the novel and surprising myself, I finished it at record pace. This has been my first approach to Shirshendu's stories for the adult and I became more obsessed to continue reading his stories of the genre as I completed this. A story encompassing three generations, the style that is followed, has at once kept the readers engrossed, not only by its content but also in the element of surprise. Written from the perspective of two ladies the plot has unfolded itself centering a jewellery box left in the possession of apparently the least likely family member. Curiously enough the story consists of ghost but the seriousness of the central theme has not at all compromised. The finale is also reminiscent of a classic where the readers know what the culmination is but the subtlety is reserved for the imaginative ones. The virtues of generations contrasting with frustrations and worries, the decaying Bengalee nobility with their false ego, the spirit of the present generation, the confusions  surrounding true romance, all had been sketched to perfection to bring out a grand orchestra. Being a fan of his stories for the young, I once more fell in love with the works of Mukhopadhyay, this time for the older readers.

Nante Fante Collection IV

The collection contains chapters 10, 11, 12 though one of the strips has been juxtaposed incorrectly. The humorous exploits of the duo continues as they face Keltuda and his chums who try to provoke them unjustly. The superintendent sir also plays his part and as always remains all the more comical. The use of colloquial language increases the charm though the slang always remains well within the aesthetic limit. Proving once more that age is never a bar for this kind of entertainment the heart always longs for more for it. An interesting fact is that though the practical jokes remains the main theme of each strip but it is never indecent. Finally another important fact is that though the teachers sometimes becomes the unsuspecting targets of the jokes but they are always highlighted respectfully. With delightful cartoons the chapters will no doubt appeal to readers of all age.

Chanakya's Chant

Interspersing past with the present, Ashwin Sanghi takes the reader in his quest to understand the intricacies of Arthasastra as composed by Chanakya, the shrewd Brahmin who emerged as the most famous kingmaker in the history of India. Driven by vengeance, Chanakya’s tactics to overthrow Dhanananda, unite Bharat under a single ruler and shield the country against foreign dominance will no doubt amaze the ordinary. Drawing parallel to the historic character, Sanghi develops an equally shrewd yet unassuming Gangasagar Misra as he evolves on his way to place his protégé Chandini Gupta as the PM of India. To this effect he stops at nothing and emerges as ruthless opportunist with a political cunning surpassing all the peers of the country. Though fast paced in the first quarter, the storyline clearly becomes over dramatic in the rest where Chanakya’s part remains gripping but Gangasagar becomes ordinary characterwise. At the start I thought we now have a Mario Puzo in Sanghi but my premonition was obliterated as the story progressed. One of the most important fallacies of the fiction part was that Gangasagar’s character evolution was rapid that seemed to catapult his maturity in the most convenient time rather than what would have been correct. His mentor in diplomacy, Agrawalji seemed unjustifiably to lose his cunning as the same matured in Gangasagar. Also the dramatic dialogues, more interesting for a Bollywood endeavour, became a mere repetition of style that compromised the seriousness that the plot demanded. But the most glaring problem, which I don’t know how the writer missed, was that Gangasagar did not have a clearly justified goal in his otherwise clearly defined mission. Chanakya was motivated by revenge and then came his dream of unification of the country. Puzo’s dons aspired to rule the criminal syndicates for business and security for their family. But Gangasagar seemed all of a sudden bent to make a female PM deriving inspiration from an age old rock craving allegedly attributed to Vishnugupta. For this he never wavered to kill the innocent who seemed inconvenient obstacle and placed all the evil men in his side to rule the country (of innocent?). So though a smooth reading material but the story as a whole remains a bit ordinary.