Book Review: Age of Azmoq

This is a book from the debut author, Rajamayyoor Sharma. Thank you Blogadda for dispatching the book to me for review.

This book belongs to the fantasy genre, which is new for me. Beginning from the impressive cover to the concise but engrossing excerpt, the mesmerizing title, the introduction of the book in the first few pages, and the content from the beginning to the end is something that keeps one holding throughout. The title itself makes you curious to know what lies inside the book. It feels like you will be taken into a world from a different age.

The author is an Engineer and an MBA. There are very less Indian authors who choose genres other than chicklit and teenage romance. The author has self published his book. The book published in Jan 2018, spans approximately 500 pages. 

I have observed that even big writers use tricks of unnecessary blank pages between the chapters and bigger fonts plus extra margins to make their book look thicker. But this particular book is all about honest content from a fresh mind. Writing fantasy needs a lot of wit and imagination.

The un-put-down-able, enticing fiction is indeed heart winning. On the first glance, it reminds you of GoT. 

While you read you dive into the world the author has created, and start living the characters and the locations. This being a refreshing read, is scientific too. You end up entering into the world of Valantia while reading it. The characterization is witty and mysterious. Dialogues are simple yet realistic. To read such books you do not need to be logical, but imaginative. The more you imagine, the more you enjoy. Use of one liners frequently, makes it even more interesting.

Description and story telling is worth reading. The characters are relatable, inspirational and uncomplicated. They tell you about the characters exactly as much as it is needed. The world that is designed in the story is in no manner inspired from the real world. The plot unfolds gracefully, first forming a basis in the readers mind and then weaving the rest of it gradually. The methodology of writing footnotes is one of its kind. The war scenes are well written. Description of weapons is well written. The writer has given maps and illustrations which have been interesting at times. Words are chosen meticulously. However, I feel that some scenes could have been cut short.

I am looking forward to reading the subsequent versions as well. In fact, being a movie buff, I wish if they make a movie inspired by this novel.

I recommend it for all the fantasy lovers who want to refresh their minds and hook themselves to the fantasy world. This book is meant only for those who are far away from the cheesy romance Indian books, and are up for some international standard intelligent plot. I rate it 4 on 5 and wish the author best luck for the success of his hard work.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or 

degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book.)

If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.

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भावना का एक्सचेंज ऑफर

इस लेख को पढ़ने के पहले ये जान ले कि इस विषय पर मेरे विचार पाठक के विचारों से भिन्न हो सकते हैं। हर व्यक्ति की श्रद्धा अलग होती है और उसका ईश्वर से जुड़ने का माध्यम भी। हो सकता है जिन अनुभवों से मुझे तृप्ति मिलती हो अन्य व्यक्ति को ना मिले। इसलिए करबद्ध निवेदन है कि मेरे मत से किसी की भावनाओं को ठेस पहुँचे तो क्षमा करें।

हमें बचपन से सिखाया जाता है भगवान से एक्सचेंज ऑफर और ब्लैकमेल का व्यवहार करना। हम भगवान से कुछ इस प्रकार आदान प्रदान करते हैं-

हमने आपके लिए व्रत किया, इसके बदले हमें कुछ दीजिये। 

ये वाले भगवान से इस चीज़ की प्राप्ति होती है तो चलो इनकी भक्ति करते हैं, दूसरे काम के लिए दूसरे भगवान के पास जाएंगे। 

भगवान से डरो, प्रेम मत करो | उनको इसलिए मानों क्योंकि तुम्हें मानना चाहिए।

हमने आपको 1 रुपया, 2 रुपया या 10 रुपया चढ़ाया, आप हमें गाड़ी बंगला दीजिये। 

जिसने हमें सब कुछ दिया है हम उसे क्या कुछ रुपये देंगे। कहीं सुना था- "चढ़ती थीं उस मज़ार पर चादरें बेशुमार, लेकिन बाहर बैठा कोई फ़क़ीर सर्दी से मर गया"|

फ़र्ज़ कीजिये किसी व्यक्ति ने अपनी माता के लिए किसी ऐसी भाषा में पत्र लिखा है जो आप नहीं जानते। उसने आपको वो पत्र दिया और कहा कि इसे अपनी माता को सुना देना वह प्रसन्न होगी। क्या आप अर्थ जाने बिना, किसी अन्य भाषा मे लिखा हुआ पत्र और किसी अन्य व्यक्ति द्वारा की हुई उसकी माँ की प्रशंसा को यूं ही अपनी माँ को सुना देंगे? नहीं ना। तो फ़िर बिना अर्थ जाने धार्मिक ग्रंथ या आरती या मंत्र का पाठ कैसे कर लेते हैं। अपनी भाषा में अपनी श्रद्धा अनुसार अपने ईश्वर से प्रार्थना अथवा वार्तालाप क्यों नहीं करते।

क्यों ना हम अपने ईश्वर से अपेक्षा किए बिना भक्तिभाव से जुड़ने की चेष्टा करे। जो प्राप्त हुआ उसका धन्य्वाद और जो हमारे लिए उचित हो उसकी प्राप्ति के आशिर्वाद कि आकांक्षा करे |

(Disclaimer: This post does not intend to harm, defame, or hurt the sentiments of any person, gender, religion, political party, news channel, religious belief, god or to whomsoever it may concern. I sincerely apologize in advance if it is so.)

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Book Review: The Undomestic Goddess

The Undomestic Goddess is a book by Sophie Kinsella published in 2006. I found this book on Goodreads and got it after seeing high ratings and great reviews. Its a 400+ pages fiction.

The story revolves around a lady called Samantha, who is a successful lawyer working with a top firm in London. She's a workaholic, works for 14-16 hours day, including weekends and is awaiting a partnership at Carter Spink, her organization. She makes a mistake, and comes to know about it after the deadline has crossed. She is fired from the organization, and ends up reaching someone's place where is mistaken for a housekeeper. She doesn't know how to cook, how to use an iron, how to operate a washing machine or to clean loos. The story is about her struggle to learn the domestic work, and her realization of what she had been missing in life. She realizes that there is more to life than just office work, that is, relationships, weekend offs, going to pubs, and a lot more. She consequently makes life changing decisions.

The story is narrated in first person, is comic from time to time, leaves a smile on your face. Its difficult to put down the book and you feel like reading a few more pages before closing it. It gives me a feel of Hindi movies. One can also relate it to Govinda's famous Bollywood movie Hero No. 1, where Govinda belongs to a rich family but works as a housekeeper in the house of his beloved, to pursue everyone in the house.

However, I felt that the end is too slow, and redundant. It could have been shorter. The last few pages could be reduced to lesser number.

Overall, I rate this book as 3.5 on 5, and recommend it for those who enjoy light-hearted humor and women's fiction.

(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or 

degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)

If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.

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रविवार

अब तो हर वार है सोमवार,

सुबह से करते हैं शाम का इंतज़ार,

लड़कपन के वो दिन थे ख़ुशगवार,

आता था एक दिन कहते थे उसे रविवार,

साईकल पे पीछे बैठने का आनंद था अपार,

सुबह उठ के हो जाते थे हम तैयार,

मोगली, रंगोली और देखते चित्रहार,

चंद्रकांता, तरंग और कृष्णा लगते त्योहार,

चंपक और चाचा चौधरी थे मज़ेदार,

मिट्टी की गुल्लक तोड़ने का इंतज़ार,

होमवर्क देख कर आ जाता बुख़ार,

लगता अब जल्दी बड़े हो जायें यार,

बरसात में कागज़ की नाव बनाना,

सितोलिया और साँप सीढ़ी से मन बहलाना,

दोस्तों संग लुका छुपी खेलना,

कट्टी करना फिर एक हो जाना,

गली में क्रिकेट खेलना,

आउट हो जाने पर नोंक झोंक करना,

रविवार कहो या संडे उसे कहना,

बचपन चला जाए बचपना नहीं खोना।

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Book Review: Faqeera Chal Chala Chal

"Faqeera Chal Chala Chal" is a book by debut author Sunil Sapra. I thank the author for sending across his book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is a collection of 84 poems in Hindi. It is a quick read. Upon reading, one can relate to some or the other poem. It is written in simple language, but at many junctures plants an urge to read certain poems over and over. There are some poems which let you meet yourself. They make you think twice about you and your life. The writer aptly says in the foreword, every person has a faqeera hidden within them. Discovering that faqeera is all you have to do.

I was not able to relate to each of the poems, but I won't comment by saying that I disliked them. It is just that the mood of those poems don't match my frequency. There are however, some poems which are worth reading. I especially bookmarked them to read and re-read in future.

The poems are set in various moods, or various aspects of one's life. For instance, हसरते, meaning desires. In this section, I specially loved चाहते and पंछी. These poems depict the desires of a human mind, and how each individual has different desires and expectations from life. And even after getting everything, how one remains dissatisfied at times.

I liked some lines from a poem -

चुप रहने वाले को,
दुनिया है भूल जाती,
अरे, रोये बिना तो,
माँ भी बच्चे को दुध नही पिलाती |

To me, these lines mean a lot. I have practically experienced such situations in life where it is not always about being good and pretending that everything is well, or waiting for situations to turn in your favor. Sometimes it is you who has to stand for thyself and express your will. It works!

I have read all the poems in the section मैं many times. Simply speaking, all that is penned in the poems is known and obvious, but the words in these poems are perfectly woven to reiterate the existence of these emotions in you.

If I mention further, it would be a spoiler for other readers :)

I give this book 4 on 5 and recommend it for those who have a different perspective on their life, the surroundings, their present, past, their family and often get nostalgic. I also recommend it for those who are fond of writing poetries. This bunch of poems is a motivator for writing.

(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or 

degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)

If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.

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