Books

Oct 31 2009

The Da Vinci Code

I’ve seen the movie 3 times (I have a copy of it on dvd) before I even started reading the book. American authour Dan Brown’s much criticized & maligned and yet hugely popular and controversial novel, The Da Vinci Code, is in my opinion a very well written and though out book.

The book is a worldwide bestseller that had sold 80 million copies as of 2009 and that has been translated into 44 languages. And the theme is this – Jesus was a mortal man, learned & wise, but a man nonetheless. He had a wife, Mary Magdalene, who bore him a child. One group, the Priory of Sion protects the secret and the bloodline of Jesus and the other Opus Dei will do anything to ensure that the bloodline is never revealed for fear that the church’s stronghold on faith, religion and humans is lost!

Fascinating read with some strong characters in the protoganist Robert Langdon, Sophie Neuvu (who turns out to be very central to the whole thing) & Sir Leigh Teabing who is the unexpected mastermind behind the entire chase that leads to the finding of the bloodline. Good book; I’d say to hell with the zealots and go enjoy a nice pageturner. Go Read!

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By Roshan • Books, Religion • 0

Aug 26 2009

If Tomorrow Comes

If Tomorrow Comes is, in my humble opinion, the best novel by the late author Sidney Sheldon. I saw the mini series first, way back in 1986 while living in Kuwait. My sister had recorded it and we must have watched it quite a few times over the next few years, so much so that the mini series is embedded in my brain.

I often hear of movies often not matching up to the book but I think they were both equally good. Sheldon created his best heroine ever in Tracey Whitney, who gets framed for a crime she didn’t commit while trying to salvage her mom’s reputation. Prison time brings the loss of her unborn baby, her fiance breaking up with her and society shunning her. She gets revenge on the men who framed her and then when all else fails, turns to conning & theivery to get by.

Her path crosses with a fellow con artist Jeff Stevens and towards the end they fall in love, while going to Europe on jobs that their boss has assigned them. The threat of an investigator who is obsessesed with Whitney and uncovering her crimes also looms but he is outwitted by the duo at every turn. This is a magnificent page turner and I assure you that you will not be dissappointed.

By Roshan • Books • 0

May 7 2009

The Afghan – Fredrick Forsyth

One of the best writers that the world has ever know, the late Frederick Forsythe, has given us a look at how a British intelligence officer infiltrates the Al Qaeda in order to avert a threat of terror. The story takes place in Indonesia, Pakistan, Guantanamo Bay, Trinidad and Tobago, Washington state and on board various ships sailing the high seas.

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Mike Martin, a retired SAS man is recruited to infiltrate Al Qaeda and pass for an Afghan prisoner, who is currently held in Guantanamo Bay. Martin is able to do this as he was raised in Iraq as a small boy, has perfect command of Arabic & Pashtun, is familiar with Afghanistan terrain (due to being previously posted there) and because of his chestnut brown complexion – passed on to him by an Indian grandmother.

In the story it is revealed that prior to Martin’s escapades in Iraq he had worked with the Mujahideen in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation where he met Osama Bin Laden and rescued a young Afghan boy, Izmat Khan, who later became a resistance leader. Izmat Khan is the Afghan that Martin has to pretend to be. Highly covert, the operation is successful as Martin is accepted as Izmat Khan and welcomed to the fold, albeit after passing an interrogation.

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He volunteers to be part of a suicidal terrorist attack – hijacking a tanker carrying liquid petroleum gas and ramming it into an ocean liner on which the G8 summit is taking place. Martin’s heroism averts the attack and he is killed in the process.

The only weak part of this novel is how Izmat Khan dies - a US Airforce jet accidentally crashed and hits the secret hiding base in Washington state where Izmat is held.The crash destroys most of the wall and the building and Khan escapes. While at the Canadian border he finds a phone booth and as he tries to alert his commrades, he is shot to death. That was a highly improbable scenario and is termed as rubbish in this otherwise immensely thrilling novel.

By Roshan • Books • 2

Feb 20 2009

Reading Jackie Collins

juno dvd Reading Jackie Collins novels are my one vice that I am admittedly a little embarrassed about. It’s sleazy and full of corny dialogues and lots of cliches and sex scenes. Women are either classic beauties & sexy but with style & substance or the dumb blonde variety. Men are sex gods or feinds or drug dazed.

miss potter movie She’s been enormously successful: to date she has sold over 400 million copies of her novels which have been translated into 40 languages. The first book of hers which I had read was Rock Star, which I have to admit is my fav of hers and I think it’s a really good novel. I have read atleast another 11 of her books but this one stands out. Among the rest, what I have noticed is common trends. For eg, stealing a food item! Like ‘she stole a french fry off her friend’s plate’.

First of all, the friend offered her some of her food, our lady said no, but deep in conversation she decided to ‘steal’. Another novel has ‘stole a pancake’; again while two people are having breakfast together. And ofcourse, she has this trend of dumb dialogues among people. Long time friends saying things so obvious about each other. Or a father saying to his daughter “You’re really something kid” or the ever present “God, she loved him”!

home of the brave online download There’s a lot of insincere talk along the way but it’s fun in a sleazy way. When I pick up one of her books, I know that I won’t be taxing my brain too much. Except when I try to imagine the “blonde bimbo, with the floppy boobs and jammy lips applying a liberal dose of lip gloss”! That would be some scene!

By Roshan • Books • 0

Feb 11 2009

ROSHAN’S ELEVEN : John Grisham Novels

The Client
The Firm
King Of Torts
The Broker
The Summons
The Brethren
The Street Lawyer
The Chamber
The Rainmaker
The Pelican Brief
Runaway Jury

Whew! I think that’s almost his entire body of work over here, eh? The only book of his that I didn’t like was The Painted House. And that’s the only book that doesn’t deal with law & lawyers. I only know of one other novel that he has wrote but I can’t remember the name.

Oh and I’ve also seen 5 movies that were based on his novels. This guy is a sure moneymaker! Sure does like ‘The’ in his titles a lot though!

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By Roshan • Books, Roshan's Eleven • 0

Nov 18 2008

Blackwood Farm

download two can play that game Published in 2002, Blackwood Farm isone of the more recent books written by author Anne Rice as part of the ‘Vampire Chrnonicles”. The main character here is Tarquin ‘Quinn’ Blackwood, heir of the Blackwood farm & estate of one of the oldest & most powerful New Orleans families. Quinn, who was recently turned into a vampire, is being haunted by a doppelganger spirit, Goblin, who looks just like him but appears only to a few. He seeks out the legendary vampire Lestat De Lioncourt to aid him in defeating Gobin. As the story develops, narrated by Quinn, we learn of his birth, childhood and his falling in love with Mona, a witch from the Mayfair clan. We also learn of how he gets turned into a vampire. Finally Quin learns from his unloving mother that Goblin is in fact the spirit of his dead twin, Garwin, who died a few days after being born. The child did not leave this world; he is bound to Tarquin and is relentlessly jealous to experience what Tarquin does. Lestat asks the powerful witch, Merrick, to fashion a ritual, using the corpse of the dead twin, to exorcise Goblin. During the ceremony, Merrick joins herself with the flame and the corpse. She carries her spirit and that of the child to the Light and perishes. Lestat is forlorn at the loss of Merrick but he has a new vampire companion now in the form of Quinn.

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By Roshan • Books • 0

Nov 7 2008

Goodbye Michael Crichton

The literary world will mourn the death of one of it’smost talented stars as cancer took Michael Crichton away. Author, film producer, film director, medical doctor, and television producer best known for his science fiction and techno-thriller novels, films, and television programs. His books have sold over 150 million copies worldwide.

He was the author of The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Disclosure, Timeline, State of Fear, Eaters of The Dead, Prey, Sphere and Next. He was also the creator of ER, but he will remembered most for being the author of Jurassic Park, and its sequel The Lost World. Most of his work has been made into movies starring some of the world’s top celebrities like Demi Moore, Julianne Moore, Jeff Goldbloom, Antonio Banderas, Sharon Stone & Dustin Hoffmann. We will miss you.

By Roshan • Books, Movies • 0

Aug 30 2008

The Vampire Lestat

Among the world’s most fascinating fictional characters, Lestat de Lioncourt holds an esteemed position in the world of goth & vampirism. Created by noted author Anne Rice, (and the second series in the Vampire Chronicles) The Vampire Lestat shows how a young Frenchman, son of a country marquis became the sophisticated child of the dark that we all know. Narrated by Lestat, the story unfolds from when he is honoured by the villagers for hunting & killing a pack of wolves and meeting his friend Nicolaus. The two run off to Paris to become an actor and a musician. Lestat is kidnapped by Magnus, an old vampire, and is ‘made’ into one. Magnus wanted to die but he also wanted an heir. Then Lestat turns his beloved & beautiful mother Gabrielle into a vampire and later his friend Nicolaus.

He helps create the Theatre Des Vampires, where a now derange Nicolaus lives until he kills himself. Gabrielle wishes to be alone and leaves after first asking him to join him. Lestat also searches out the vampire Marius, the existence of whom he learns from the teenage vampire Armand. Marius shows him “those who must be kept” – the mother & father of all vampires. The book ends on a cliffhanger, with Lestat having a brief reunion with Louis and the concert in San Francisco, setting up perfectly for the third in the series – Queen Of The Damned.

By Roshan • Books • 0

Jun 30 2008

Hearts In Atlantis

Hearts In Atlantis is a 1999 published book by celebrated author Stephen King. It consists of 2 novellas and 3 short stories, each in chronological order and connected to each other. King’s depiction of the 1960′s generation, in his view, as promising so much yet under-achieving is evident here as is the looming figure of the Vietnam War and its prolonged effect. The novel starts with the story of Bobby Garfield, a 11 year old boy, whose widowed mother is subjected to sexual torture by her boss & his cronies. Bobby befriends the newcomer in town, Ted an elderly man who is hiding from the low men in yellow coats. This novella is the only part in which the horror/sci-fi/supernatural element appears, albeit in small doses. John Sullivan & Carol Gerber are Bobby’s childhood friends. In the second novella, narrated by Peter Riley, we learn of a group of college students who while their time away playing Hearts, an addictive card game for pennies. Carol is the now 18 year old girl who Pete falls for. Getting good grades in college, which is a kind of Atlantis, is the only escape from the army draft & the Vietnam war.

Next is Will Shearman, a Vietnam war veteran, who disguises himself as a blind beggar making hundreds of dollars in donations. He keeps the bills for himself and gives the rest to charities. Will, who saved John’s life in Vietnam, used to be Willie, a bully who picked on John, Carol & Bobby.

Next we see John Sullivan, much older going to the funeral of a fellow Nam vet and speaking about why they were in the war with another veteran. On his way back, Sullivan dies of an heart attack while stuck in a traffic jam. This leads us to the conclusion and last story – Bobby Garfield returns to his hometown to attend Sullivan’s funeral. This is his first visit in 40 years, yet he finds closure to his relationships with Carol Gerber and Ted Brautigan.

The first novella was adapted into a movie starring Anthony Hopkins in 2001 called Hearts In Atlantis.

By Roshan • Books • 0

May 22 2008

ROSHAN’S ELEVEN : Magazines I Read

Reader’s Digest
National Geographic
Time
Rock Street Journal (RSJ)
Rolling Stone
Guitar World
Outlook
The Week
Sportstar
PC World
Rave

By Roshan • Books, Roshan's Eleven • 2

Feb 12 2008

God Is Not Great

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Watch the interview of well known journalist, author, literary critic & outspoken Atheist / Antitheist Christopher Hitchens. The interview is done by George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC’s the Hour segment and is based mainly on Hitchens latest book God Is Not Great : How Religion Poisons Everything. Another book that deserves a good read.

By Roshan • Atheism, Books, Video Clip • 2

Feb 1 2008

Thinner

I just finished reading Stephen King’s novel Thinner, written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. If you haven’t read the book or watched the movie based on this work, I suggest you go read it. The book is written in a compelling page turner of a style that even people, who don’t like King’s books or horror in general, will not be able to put the book down.

the scalphunters online The book is about an obese lawyer who accidently kills an old gypsy woman when he is distracted by his wife. The lawyer is acquitted but the gypsy’s old father puts a curse on the lawyer by saying the word ‘thinner’. The lawyer starts losing weight day by day, despite eating even more, until it finally seems like he is going to waste away. The worried and rapidly thinning lawyer must now go on the trail of the gypsies to get the old man to reverse the spell and he is willing to beg & plead for it to be reversed. But at what cost?

Compelling, riveting, scary and a must read!

By Roshan • Books • 4

Jul 22 2007

The Client – John Grisham

The Client is probably the best novel by authour John Grisham and one of my favourite books of all time. You may have seen the movie or read the book already, as it was so popular. It starts with two young brothers who sneak off to the woods to smoke cigarettes. They witness a man in a car attempting suicide by plugging a hose to the exhaust and leaving the other end in the car. Mark, the older brother tries to stop the suicide but gets caught by the man, lawyer Jerome Clifford, who pulls Mark into the car with him. He tells Mark, while babbling away drunk, the location of the body of a dead Senator, who was murdered by his client Barry Muldano. Jerome then kills himself a little later as Mark escapes. Mark’s younger brother, Ricky goes into shock and is taken to the hospital by Mark and his mother. Soon Mark is caught between the cops & the FBI on one side and Muldano’s Mafia goons on the other.

This proves too much for tough Mark to handle and he goes to a lawyer, Reggie Love, who specializes in helping young kids in trouble. She ensures Mark’s safety but is frustrated that the law states that Mark will have to give out the location of the dead body or be kept in a juvenile facility. Thinking that the law is not fair, Mark stages his escape and along with Reggie goes to New Orleans to find the body and to see if it actually is there. Mark & his family’s only option now is to agree to the witness protection program, which will keep him safe from the Mafia. He is sad when he realizes that this also means he will probably never see Reggie again.

This is an excellent book with a story, so wonderfully told, at times suspense, at times drama, at times funny & at times sad. One of the best.

By Roshan • Books • 0

Jun 17 2007

Have I Ever Wanted to Read A Book More?

Here is review of this intreaguing book, In Defence Of Atheism :

“In the twenty-first century, religion is making a comeback, bringing in its wake extremism of all kinds. From Christian anti-abortion campaigns to suicide bombers claiming the righteousness of Islam, we are witnessing a resurgence of religious fundamentalism. Michel Onfray’s response to the threat of a post-modern theocracy is to lay down the principles of an authentic atheism: exposing the fiction that is God, he proposes a new philosophy of reason that celebrates life and humanity. “In Defence of Atheism” demonstrates that organised religion is motivated by worldly, historical and political power; that the three dominant monotheisms – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – exhibit the same hatred of women, reason, the body, the passions; that religion denies life and glorifies death. Onfray exposes some uncomfortable truths: Judaism invented the extermination of a people; Jesus never existed historically; Christianity was enforced with extreme violence by Constantine; Islam is anti-Semitic, misogynist, warlike and incompatible with the values of a modern democracy.”

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By Roshan • Atheism, Books • 0

Jun 10 2007

When was the last time youâ€¦

Hey, I got this from one of my fav bloggers, Tina @ reddirtroad

Ate your favorite ice cream?

Two weeks ago? It’s Wimbledon Delight and it is yummy

Followed a butterflyâ€™s flight till it was out of sight?

I did it last night, although I think it was actually a moth

Sat and looked at the awesomeness of the fullmoon on a clear night?

I do that all the time, whenever there is a full moon. I love full moons.

Listened to a piece of music that made you close your eyes and pay attention to it?

This happens to me quite a lot, since I take music very seriously. So, all the time, nearly everyday.

Danced in the living room?

Living room, no. But I dance and play air guitar in my bedroom atleast a couple of times a week.

Lit some candles and sat in the bathtub til your skin was wrinkled up?

I don’t have a bathtub and haven’t had one in years. I used to do that a long time ago. 15 years back or so.

Called a loved one just to talk to them?

About to do it; I am going to call Asha since I miss her a lot and I just want to hear her voice since I can’t see her, what with her being in Hyderabad.

Smelled your clean laundry?

Everyday . So today morning will be the answer. Somehow I love the smell of clean undergarments (only mine) and shirts and dhotis!

Brought home some flowers for yourself?

I am a guy!!

Went to a movie by yourself?

October 2004, can’t remember the exact date

Went to bed early to read a good book?

Last Wednesday.

Bought yourself something nice to wear?

January 12th and I wore that shirt today

Looked through your old photograph albums?

Oh boy I hate my photo albums. I guess three years back.

Walked through a museum?

I think when I was 15, on a school trip. That was more than 15 years ago!!!

Created a gift for a friend?

Oh, I think you always buy gifts. Do mixed tapes count?

Gave yourself a pedicure?

Don’t make me laugh. Me buff hombre not little girly man.

Sat and literally smelled the roses?

I can safely say, never.

By Roshan • Books, Personal • 0

May 20 2007

Lift-me-upper

Going out today was a good idea to just let me be me. Going out around 12:15 pm is however not; it is still so fucking hot outside that you want to jump into a pool of ice water a few moments after you step out. But I think I needed to go out just for a few hours and so I headed for some coffee and a muffin, listening to music at CCD and relaxing on their comfy couch.

Nothing remotely interesting & new happening in terms of music, the shelves of the music stores looking pathetic. They have started their seasonal re-issuing of classic albums or cheap cds of best of collections. This is the only thing that looks even a bit exciting. Really the state of the music industry is so lousy and fucked up. But the Chennai music masters seems to be having a ball; churning out silly, stupid music with non-sense lyrics that wouldn’t tax a 2 year old. How low must you be on the IQ to even buy a tape of this garbage?

Next was to head out to get some books to read and John Grisham won out. Both The Client & The Runaway Jury are really excellent books that I have read before and even seen the movies. They will be welcome additions to my personal collection. And Grisham seems to be winning the race in my small & humble library; I have many books of his.

Hot & humid as I was I needed a lift-me-upper and by golly who should answer the call of the thirst – London Strong. A couple during lunch really hit the spot and I welcomed the golden nectar down my throat. Then it is home for some music and watching a movie or two. Cheers!

Song for the day – “You Learn” – ALANIS MORISSETTE

By Roshan • Books, Drinking, Music, Personal • 0

Jan 31 2007

RIP Sidney Sheldon

One of the greatest novelists of our times, Sidney Sheldon passed away today at the age of 89. He was an award winning Broadway playwriter, A tv & movie screenwriter & a novelist with the prestige of being the most translated author in the world. He only started writing his engrossing best-sellers at the age of 50. One of my first read proper novels was Master Of The Game. I became a fan and have read 16 of his books – my favourites being the aformentiones one and Windmills of the Gods. His famous tv works included The Patty Duke Show, Hart To Hart & I Dream Of Jeanie. His success on Broadway brought him back to Hollywood where his first assignment was The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer which earned him the Academy Award for best original screenplay of 1947. He was born in Chicago to Jewish parents (his mother was Russian as well) and he served in World War 2 as a pilot.