How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild And Got A Life.

This novel could be classified under “young adult” genre. It was written by Kavya Vishwanathan, after graduating from her high school. You cannot find this book in the market now, as it was withdrawn from the market just two weeks after its release due to the allegations of plagirim. But you can still download it from the internet and read it once as it is a good entertainer.

To tell about the author, Kavya Vishwanathan was born in Chennai, India and spent most of her childhood in UK. Her parents moved to US when she was in middle school.

Now coming to the book, Opal Mehta is the protogonist of the book. The story is about how a study oriented NRI girl finds out what life really is! The protogonist has only one ambition in life and that is to get into Harward university! This ambition was filled in her by her parents from her childhood! They had drafted a strategy HOWGIH(“How Opal Will Get Into Harward”)! At seventeen, our protogonist was “completely ready” for Harward! She has a flawless academic record, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, she volunteers at the local hospital and she had even taken welding classes! She has prepared for the interview by mugging up answeres for “All Possible” questions that could be asked by the dean of the university! But the interview does not go in a “Usual Way” and dean exposes the truth that “Opal doesn’t know how to have fun”!

The parents assume that having “fun” is being “cool”! And they draft a strategy HOWGAL(“How Opal Will Get A Life”)! The next is the story about how this strategy goes awry and how Opal finds that being “cool” is not having “fun”! The story is totally unrealistic but still fun! You will enjoy it. I would rate it 8/10. If you get a chance, download it and read it once.

Robinson Crusoe

Daniel Defoe used his writings to teach people that God can feed and protect us in any problem. Most of his writings were to teach people the things that he believed about God. Even in this book he does the same. He tells to the people, that God can feed you even when you are alone!!

Robinson Crusoe’s father said him that he should study hard and learn to be happy with his life. But Robinson longs for adventure and hence sails away. His ship was destroyed in a storm; He was made prisoner in another country; He faces wild animals in Africa! But all this does little to change his thinking until he’s confined alone in an island which is being inhabited by cannibal barbarians on one side with bleak chances of him escaping from there! He learns to feed, clothe and protect himself. But most of all he learns the truth of his father’s words!!!

I will rate 8/10. This book has survived the test of time! Even after 300 yrs, there are few people who do not know about this book.

The Invisible Man

Herbert George Wells is well known for his Sci-Fi books. He used to imagine much ahead of his times! “The Invisible Man” was written in 1897!! The explanation given by him for the human to become invisible may seem absurd with today’s scientific knowledge but it surely was much ahead of his time.

“The Invisible Man” is about a very smart scientist who learns how to make living things invisible! If you think the protagonist becomes a super hero and starts helping people, punish the guilty and create a utopia!! Then you are wrong!!! Instead he becomes acrimonious and avaricious cad!!! Are you thinking that this man with his arcane knowledge of invisibility and facile mind will become invincible and rule the people? Think again.

I would rate it 9/10. Though this book is considered as a sci-fi, it could more appropriately fit into moral category too.

The Invisible Man

Herbert George Wells is well known for his Sci-Fi books. He used to imagine much ahead of his times! “The Invisible Man” was written in 1897!! The explanation given by him for the human to become invisible may seem absurd with today’s scientific knowledge but it surely was much ahead of his time.

“The Invisible Man” is about a very smart scientist who learns how to make living things invisible! If you think the protagonist becomes a super hero and starts helping people, punish the guilty and create a utopia!! Then you are wrong!!! Instead he becomes acrimonious and avaricious cad!!! Are you thinking that this man with his arcane knowledge of invisibility and facile mind will become invincible and rule the people? Think again.

I would rate it 9/10. Though this book is considered as a sci-fi, it could more appropriately fit into moral category too.

Herbert George Wells is well known for his Sci-Fi books. He used to imagine much ahead of his times! “The Invisible Man” was written in 1897!! The explanation given by him for the human to become invisible may seem absurd with today’s scientific knowledge but it surely was much ahead of his time.

“The Invisible Man” is about a very smart scientist who learns how to make living things invisible! If you think the protagonist becomes a super hero and starts helping people, punish the guilty and create a utopia!! Then you are wrong!!! Instead he becomes acrimonious and avaricious cad!!! Are you thinking that this man with his arcane knowledge of invisibility and facile mind will become invincible and rule the people? Think again.

I would rate it 9/10. Though this book is considered as a sci-fi, it could more appropriately fit into moral category too.

A Tale Of Two Cities.

It is quite difficult to comment about “Master Pieces”. Cos we are not qualified enough to comment on it. So here I present my view on this book.

This is not one of my favorites. I liked it though. I will rate this book as 6/10. This is my personal opinion.

This is a love story during French Revolution. If you are the student of History, then surely you would love this book. If you are not interested in Historical events then this book is not for you.

Nothing much to say about this book. You’ll find a wonderful description of the French revolution and the “Blood Thirstiness” of the revolutionaries.

Deception Point.

Do not waste your time on this. I vote 0/10.

Digital Fortress

A Child decides to write a novel. It watches some Sci-Fi Hollywood flicks and writes a novel. Somehow it even finds a publisher to publish it!! You want to know how the novel will be. Then read Digital Fortress!!!

I would rate it 0/10. The plot is feeble. The climax is zany. On a whole the book is farcical!!! The book is filled with authors conjecture.

I still can’t believe that the author of this book is Dan Brown!!! The man who have authored “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons”!!!!!

Airport

The story takes place at a fictional airport by name Lincoln International Airport. The story takes place over a course of one evening. The story has several threads.
1.    Mel Bakerfeld, General Manager of the airport struggles to keep the airport operational as massive snow storm places havoc in the airport. He got several problems. First in the list is the closure of the runway three zero, which is the longest runway. The closure of this has forced him to use runway two five which has a consequence of causing the planes to take off over the Meadowood residential district. The indignant residences are planning to wage a legal war on airport to get a compensation for the damage caused due to this. Next is his breaking marriage with his wife, Cindy due to his devotion to job.
2.    D. O. Guerrero, an indigent man who wants to solve all his financial problems by blowing off a plane with his home made bomb!!!
3.    Joe Patroni, head of maintenance operations of Trans World Airlines(TWA), at airport is drafted to clear the runway three zero by moving the disabled aircraft. He fights to do so under the aircrafts own power without damaging. His situation becomes tenser when Bakerfeld tells him that if the run away is not cleared then he would use snow plows to clear it damaging the aircraft!
4.    Mel’s brother Keith, an air traffic controller tormented by guilt and flashback from past mid air collision wants to suicide!!

Arthur Hailey presents us the overview of the complex and vast operations involved in operating a major International Airport.

I would rate it 9 in a 10 point scale. If you belong to that group of people who do not like much explanation about the system, then keep yourself away from this book.

The Labours Of Hercules.

Hercule poirot decides to retire at the peak of his carrier. But before doing so he declares that he will choose 12 cases such that in a way they will resemble the mythological sequence of “Labors or Hercules”.
According to mythology there are 12 labours or Hercules. They are:
1.    Slay the Nemean Lion and bring back its hide.
2.    Slay the 9-headed Lernaean Hydra.
3.    Capture the Golden Stag of Artemis.
4.    Capture the Erymanthian Boar.
5.    Clean the Augean stables in a single day.
6.    Slay the Stymphalian Birds.
7.    Capture the Cretan Bull.
8.    Steal the Mares of Diomedes.
9.    Obtain the Girdle of the Amazon warrior queen Hippolyte.
10.    Obtain the Cattle of the Monster Geryon.
11.    Steal the Apples of the Hesperides, which were strictly guarded by a 100-headed dragon called Ladon.
12.    Capture Cerberus, the guardian dog of Hades, using no weapons and bring him back.

The Book also has 12 stories with the same name as above and in the same order. While some cases do resemble the mythological Hercules task while others have little resemblance and hence a paragraph has been dedicated by Agatha Christie to explain the resemblance.

There is not much different in narration and is similar to other Poirot books. On a whole it can be rated as 7/10. If you are an Agatha Christie’s fan, then you would surely like it.

Sons Of Fortune.

Before reading ‘Sons of fortue’:
My favorite authors: Chetan Bhagath, Jeffery Archer, Agatha Chritie etc.

After reading ‘Sons of fortune’:
My favorite authors: Chetan Bhagath, Agatha Chritie etc. (except Jeffery Archer).

If you have read ‘Kane And Able’ of Jeffery Archer then please don’t read this one. If ‘Kane and Able’ is his master piece then this one is his ‘Slave piece’. The dumbest book!
Let me tell you about the plot. Twins get separated in the beginning (at birth) then meet in the climax!
Sounds familiar? This is the plot of half a dozen bollywood movies which are released in a year!!

There are some positive aspects:
1.    If you do not get sleep then try this book. It’s better than any sleeping pills.
2.    The best book to present your enemy.

What are the inferences that can be obtained from this book?
1.    Every Author will write at least one worst book in his life. Jeffery Archer is no exception.
2.    Jeffery Archer is under severe crunch of money as well as ideas.
3.    Jeffery Archer does not pity his readers.

Coming to rate this book. I would rate it 0/10. A Must-Not-Read-Book.

The Ordeal Of Innocence.

Imagine a situation where someone from your family was murdered and you know that one from inside your family has murdered and not an outsider! But you do not exactly know who it is!! The same is the case with everyone in the family!!! You are suspecting everyone!!!! Each and everyone in the family is also suspecting you!!!!! How would you feel? How would be the situation in the family?? While only one has committed the murderer others are innocent!!!!!! Still innocents have to bear the turmoil of the suspicion!!!!!!!!

Agatha Christie presents the same situation in this novel – The Ordeal Of Innocence.

Two years ago Jacko Argyle was sentenced for killing his foster mother! He dies while serving his sentence!! Now a man who could have saved Jacko Argyle from serving the sentence for the crime he didn’t commit by providing the alibi suddenly turns up. Now Everybody in the family is suspecting others & nobody has any idea about the real murderer!!!

Now the killer who was in peace for 2 years cannot rest. He could not risk his identification! So he strikes back!!!

This is not an ordinary ‘whodunnit’ kinda novel. It presents the psychological turmoil of each family member!! Its not an ordinary murder mystery novel.

I would rate it 8/10. If you are an Agatha Christie’s fan then it is a must read Novel.