It is just over one year since I have fallen in love with Lee Child’s books. It really feels so nostalgic sometimes to revisit some of the epic events in his books. I just can’t get over the dramatic duel between Reacher and Deputies of the small town Despair in the book Nothing to Lose. The memory Reacher single handedly taking down lot of bad guys in Worth Dying For gives me goosebumps even today. I just can’t forget the character Leela Hoth of Gone Tomorrow. I wish the womaniser Reacher bedded her!
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A Short Letter to Swara Bhasker from a JNUite
Dear Swara Bhasker,
Let me introduce myself first as I don’t want you to keep guessing about my identity while you read. Okay! I’m Ravikant Kalra and I have studied in JNU, and guess what, in the same Department as you studied – Centre for Study of Social System. During my JNU days I had no political affiliation though my ideology somewhat leaned towards leftist and centrist. My intention is not to confront you through this letter but point to the shortcomings of your ideas, strictly as per my personal conviction.
Want to Know Which is Lee Child’s Worst Book? Read on!
Lee Child is one of the top five crime thriller writers of all time. Once you open first page of any of his book, you’ll feel restless to complete the book at one go. His books are voluminous running over 400 pages. Each page is filled with mind blowing dialogues, brainy suspense, unending actions and unpredictable twists and turns. You would love his character Jack Reacher – a tall giant, has a body of steel, a former army major, a forthright man, a drifter by choice, a ladies man, and has a sharp and intelligent brain. Arnold chwarzenegger, Brad Pitt, and Johnny Deep rolled into one – Jack Reacher.
My rendzevous with his books started when I saw a stray comment comparing Indian writer Chetan Bhagat with Lee Child. I did a little research and ordered his first book, Killing Floor in early January, 2017. Seeing the sheer number of pages I felt discouraged and did not start for nearly a month. By chance one day I picked up the book and there was no stopping. I completed the book in two days despite my busy office work. Then I ordered his other books. By now I have completed 21 of his books, except The Midnight Line, which has not hit the market yet.
I loved and liked the romance between Roscoe and Reacher in ‘Killing Floor’. Reacher tackling a lot of bad guys in his book ‘Worth Dying For’ is pure thrill to read. The duel between Reacher and Deputies in ‘Nothing to Lose’ is a legend of its kind. The mystery of Mother’s Rest in ‘Make Me’ thrilled me beyond thrill. I could not believe the twisting and gripping plot of ‘Tripwire’.
One of Lee Child’s books almost put a brake on my rendezvous with his thrillers. Guess the book name! Most Lee Child’s fans say ‘Nothing to Lose’ is his worst book. But I don’t agree. From the very first page you would love ‘Nothing to Lose’. The relentless action in two towns, Hope and Despair is entertaining that I found many people searching these fictitious towns in US map. Though some sequences in the book are unbelievable, the overall theme is great and action is fast paced.
Coming to the point, and personally for me, “The Enemy” is the worst book among all books in Jack Reacher series. It revisits Reacher’s army days. It starts with a mysterious murder of a Delta man, which Reacher investigates. The starting of the book was great but it quickly losses the stream. There is too much unnecessary description, unnecessary visits to too many places, and finally a fatal ending that you won’t expect from a Jack Reacher book.
The weakness of the book could have been compensated with a great ending. But Alas, it was not. The ending looks unbelievably bad and fall short, to a great length, expectation of a Lee Child’s novel. I felt like abandoning the reading halfway. But I did not because I could not bear the idea of not having read all Jack Reacher books. It took me fifteen days to complete the book.
I thought Lee Child was reaching his saturation point but I was proved wrong. His next book, i.e, One Shot, proved a great success. A movie starring Tom Cruise was even made with the script. All the subsequent books have great plots. I am eagerly waiting for The Midnight Line to hit the Indian market.
[Book Review] The Jeera Packer by Prashant Yadav

Crime Thriller
Fingerprint

A dreaded criminal forsakes his 'trade' and decides to lead a normal life. Life goes on. But old habits die hard. At every opportune moment he longs to get back to his old ways. He releases that crime is his passion and it is the sphere where he has to build his 'Taj Mahal'. Would he succeed?
Book Review The Jeera Packer by Prashant Yadav
It is said that a true literary work should pander more to the intellect of the readers and less to their emotion. Sadly and unfortunately, the reverse is true in Indian context. Everyday, book market is flooded with hundreds of new Bollywood style fictions with B grade level cheap entertainment. It feels pathetic to read them. The Jeera Packer by Prashant Yadav is a much needed course correcting release that every one including contemporary young writers should read.
[Book Review] This is Not Your Story by Savi Sharma

Romance
Westland Books

Three young people, Shaurya, Miraya and Anubhav have their own dreams but circumstances put a barrier in their paths. What would be the course they should take? Should they give up? Or should they continue? The book with its powerful and inspiring narrative goes deep into the questions.
Everyone Has a Story, the debut novel of young writer Savi Sharma, with its powerful theme on love and ambition created a huge buzz among young readers. Not surprisingly the book sold more than one lakh of copies – an astonishing figure for a debut writer. Soon she landed with a book deal and Westland Books. Her second book This Is Not Your Story is result of the deal.
Why I Am Excited About Savi Sharma’s TINYS?
Finally the phenomena called Savi Sharma is coming back with her second book, titled This is Not Your Story. Her debut ‘Everyone Has a Story’ showcased an inspirational writer at top of her game. The mysteriously magical and splendid storyline has struck a chord with readers. The quirky quotes in the book drew unequivocal praise from all sections of readers. The characters of ‘Vivaan’ and ‘Meera’ have made their grand entry into Indian fan fiction. [Read more…]