God is a Gamer - Review

AUTHOR: Ravi Subramanian
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2014
ISBN: 978-0-143-42139-9
GENRE: Bitcoin Thriller

EXCERPT: (Credits: Goodreads)

What happens when you cross gamer, banker, politician and terrorist with virtual money? 

Aditya runs a gaming company that is struggling to break even. A banker slips off a

highrise building, plunging to her death. The finance minister has made some promises

that he is finding hard to keep. The LTTE has unleashed terror in America that sends

the FBI on a wild goose chase, bringing them to Mumbai.

Enter Varun, parttime drug dealer and fulltime genius. He turns around the gaming

company before disaster strikes. Meanwhile, the investigators plunge headlong into

the shady world of bitcoins and the Dark Net, websites that only exist for illegal

transactions—drugs, sex and money.

God is a Gamer is a world where money means nothing, martyrs are villains, predators are prey, assassination is taught by the ancient Greeks, and nothing is as it seems. 

REVIEW:

So I've been on a reading spree or rather I still am, three novels at once and this I had to complete within a week's time. I was worried even before the book arrived from Blogadda "Will I or Won't I be able to finish it?" was the question of the hour. But Alas! here I am a week later penning down this review.

The tagline of the book goes as, "Is Revenge a Crime?" and a heavy bet is placed on money. Join the two together and the instant reaction is god please let it not be another mundane money laundering fiction. Good thing is it's not. It is surprisingly refreshing with a mix of corporate conversations with a blend of complicated liaisons, multinational banks, the US Senator and Indian politicians and the crux of it all - Bitcoins in other words Virtual Money. You're in for a ride, a total roller coaster.

As like all other books of the author, this one too follows the parallel plotline. Each chapter is different and you're like what's the connection? why the sudden jump? But then suddenly when you don't even expect they unite. The best part being despite having multiple characters like a thriller usually does, it is not at all confusing. No ambiguity towards the character development nor termination.

The emotions run heavy in this one, the family bonds both loose and tightly bound are explored. At least I was questioning myself how much do things change when one comes to power, be it some change in how we see our loved ones or how the world sees us. Does being a powerful person in a top notch organization or the government really gives you freedom to do anything or it curbs it as your every move is scrutinized in the eyes of opposition and the media.  

Unlike many thrillers that are poorly researched or a complete new set of fiction set up is created, God is a Gamer is wholly researched right from WikiLinks to Satoshi Nakamoto the said founder of bitcoins. 

There are names like DDOS attack, phishing scams, firewalls, malware attacks and so on. I literally remembered my third year project on Intrusion Detection Systems and Honeypots. And I wondered, somethings that are mentioned are usually not taken lightly especially if the organization is big, there is a whole IT department dedicated to it. So, was is it a loophole or done on purpose for the story to shape up the way it did, is still a question mark to me.

So the end? Well read it to find out what happens with all the picturesque build up in the most fascinating way. No spoilers here, no way. I loved the book, makes me want to recommend it to everyone who loves reading. (Okay I did recommend it to a lady in the train yesterday, and she said she'll surely check it out.)

RATING: 8/10

PRICE: Rs. 299

BINDING: Paperback

PAGES: 310

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

Nazaqat - Review

AUTHOR: Sasha H. Singhal
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2013
ISBN: 978-81-92648-00-2
GENRE: Thriller and Drama Novel

EXCERPT: Traces the life of a prostitute turned entrepreneur, who hires a ghost writer to make a biography. A murder that she was accused for and also her vision to legalize prostitution. A parallel conspiracy that threatens both her life and vision. Will she survive or succumb becoming a victim is what builds the story.

REVIEW:

 

This story came to me when I wasn't into reading and less reviewing. I was going through some personal crises and whenever I touched the novel, I couldn't go past page one. Eventually after a lot of convincing to myself I took the novel and believe me it had me hooked up. Right from the start till the very end, it kept me on my toes and I had no idea how the plot will turn next. 

Nazani and Nazakat or Naez are the central characters of this story and what adds to the element of aura is that they are the same individual. The protagonist of the story is explored in a different light in every different scenario. In a way, it showcases how people act with different people but then who you are in truth? Are you like Nazakat or like Nazani or someone entirely else. 

The concept is nice, something which is not really explored maybe because of will the readers like it or will it work. In fact I were to give an opinion, it worked. It was realistic and believable. The vocabulary used is nice and compliments the emotions and the portrayal of character. The central character is beautifully chalked out, there is an element of eerie calm and sinister that is blended nicely with a good amount of subtlety.

There are various supporting characters namely Sharat, her prostitution manager. Priyanka, Ishank and Biplab her friends. And Mathews the ghost writer. The characterization is simple and realistic. And though at times the plot shifts from one time to another, flashback mode. The reader doesn't get lost.

Sometimes what happens is when there are too many characters or personality clashes, chances of the reader getting lost increases. This is something that has been avoided, the narration is precise, and follows the conversation theme but this does not prove to be a stopper but otherwise. Also given the fact that,  the character development is gradual, there are many insistence's where one can connect to the psyche of the lead, not to that complete level but in little ways. 

This is a type of story that makes you want to not keep the book down until it is over and also when it is done it leaves a feeling of emptiness. But a good kind of emptiness when you realize it is over. The mystery is one of the most basic element of this story and is maintained well throughout. The climax is very out of the box one which the reader might not have expected. Again, thoughtfully executed and written. 

One thing as a reader that I loved was the verses used throughout the story. There is a hint of human touch in many scenes to which one can connect to. The reader can imagine the scenes that was written and that is the most magical thing about this book, it feels like the scene is playing in front of your eyes.    

RATING: 6/10

PRICE: Rs. 125

BINDING: Paperback

PAGES: 202

This is an author-requested review, given for a review copy of the book.

Baramulla Bomber - Review

AUTHOR: Clark Prasad
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2013
ISBN: 9381523975
GENRE: Science Fiction Espionage Thriller

EXCERPT: 

An Ancient Weapon from the Vedas & Bible
Once Hunted by the Nazis
Powered by the Sound of the Universe

Reborn with the Help of Quantum Physics
Going to be Unleashed onto the World
And Kashmir Holds its Secret

REVIEW:

Before I begin with the review I would like to mention a few things, Baramulla Bomber was sent to me by Readers Cosmos who I thank immensely and second a big sorry for not putting the review of the book soon. I was away from the blogging world for almost three months and have just returned back with this review and I have two more reviews piled up.

Coming back to the novel, the first thing that intrigued me about it was the name. It was odd and yet it didn't give away anything. But all I could gather was it is something to do with thriller, mystery and sci-fi too. So with that curiosity of reading all this I applied for the book. And my expectations didn't prove wrong.

So the story begins, a group of royal descendants meet. They are called Cho Skyong. While they are in discussion, there is a blast and most of the group dies. From all this chaos one man seemed to have survived, Abhimanyu Kashyap who had managed to save himself and vows to keep the secret discussed in the meet alive. But what next is what? What's the secret? This is where the real story picks up.

The novel is filled with maps and graphs and different time zones everything that is basically needed to add to the plot to complicate it in the right amount. The plot jumps from the blast of royal descendants to Mansur Haider a Kashmiri and then suddenly we have the Swedish Adolf Silfverskiold, an investigator land in the case. It is like a whole web that eventually merges into one. This being said this is the first book in the trilogy.

Though  there are things that complicate the plot but the author has taken great care that it doesn't confuse the reader. Also the theme of the book is maintained and the story moves in a racy pace, with the reader always on the move as to what will happen next. Even the combination of Quantum physics, bible the vedas and cricket seems a bit more than odd it is blended nicely.

Despite all this, at the end you get the feeling (at least I got) the story could have been slowed down a bit. It's like too much has been cramped into too small a place. Nevertheless, the narration is good and even character portrayal is nice. Good job done by the author. Wishing you all the best for your future works.

RATING: 5/10

PRICE: Rs. 395

BINDING: Paperback

PAGES: 313

"This book review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com"

The Bankster -Review

This review was originally written on my first and only blog "Clandestine Rendezvous" as a part of the BlogAdda book review program. But due to some personal reasons I have shut down the blog. Hence, this review has been taken down from there and put up here.

AUTHOR: Ravi Subramanian
FIRST PUBLISHED:  2012

ISBN:  978-81-291-2048-9

GENRE:  Fiction, Financial Crime

EXCERPT: 

Bankers build their careers on trust, or so everyone thinks, till a series of murders threatens to destroy the reputation that Greater Boston Global Bank has built over the years. Who is behind these killings, and what is their motive? Is the banker at GB2 fast turning into a bankster?Or was he always one?

REVIEW:

This is the very first time I'm reading the author and I agree with The Wall Street Journal that rightly calls him the John Grisham of Banking. Winner of the Golden Quill’s Readers Awards he’s none other than Ravi Subramanian and he is back with another crime thriller.

The backdrop is again a banking environment for which the author is famous for, but what sets this novel apart is the concept of two parallel series going along with the main plot. The prelude begins in Angola where a secret CIA agent Joseph Braganza plans to exchange military weapons for uncut blood diamonds. Following this the plot suddenly changes and you land in an entirely different setting. Devikulam, Kerala where an old man fights for justice with his wife and son; with an added twist of a nuclear attack some years later that is somehow all interlinked.

The story sets in almost more than a decade later in the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) opening with Vikram Bhal the flamboyant and shrewd Head of Retail Banking GB2 and Tanuja, the Head HR in a conversation. As the story progresses you realize Vikram is not only cunning but also dual and manipulative in every sense and Tanuja isn’t far behind. The plot focuses on the Bandra branch of the bank where everything is not as it seems and no one can trust another; double crosses, deceit and looks rule. Apart from the little issues and corruption life at the bank is pretty normal until accidents and suicides of employees start happening all of a sudden. What seem as regular deaths all happening at once due to some personal reason or external affairs are coined as murders by an ex-employee. Karan Punjabi a financial editor at the Times of India and an ex-employee of the GB2 firmly believes there is a much greater mystery behind the sudden deaths of the employees. Also they all are linked to Bandra branch one way of the other and thus starts the journey of unraveling the mystery with the help of the CEO.

The plot keeps on shifting to Devikulam, Kerala where the old man fights the government to be transparent about the nuclear power plant project in the vicinity and back to GB2 Mumbai. At times it gets difficult to relate where all this is heading. Personally, I had to leaf backward through pages to read about a certain character again. At that point, there is loss of focus and one keeps on thinking how all of this is interconnected, as there are no interconnections but the story just moves along in a parallel fashion.

The good thing is that at the end all the queries, the parallel story backdrop all is answered and there is no loose string which one can question. Another strong point of the novel is the writer’s ability to maintain the mystery till the very end. The climax keeps you on your toes and you yourself get involved.

For people who love corporate thrillers and even for those like me who have recently started liking thriller, this is a must read. The Bankster is not only well researched and presented but also incorporates the conventional corporate lifestyle.

I enjoyed reading it and I hope you too will love it. The 358 pages don’t look much once you begin reading; at least I read the book in one go.

Happy Reading Folks !

RATING:  8.7/10
PRICE:  Rs.250
BINDING:  Paperback
PAGES: 358

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