Beyond the Ice Limit by Douglas Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A much wanted sequel to a story that went full fledged downhill for all important characters.
I was hooked to the first part Ice Limit and its climax was an absolute banger. All important characters were simply tossed into the plot and played about mercilessly.
This sequel was good, well-researched and fast-paced as well.
The first 50 pages of theme setting and introducing some new characters were a dull drag. None of the new characters played a pivotal role to leave imprints in the readers’ minds.
As Gideon Crew became more involved with the story, it felt again like Eli Glinn is the actual protagonist and rest are all supporting characters. Gideon didn’t do anything remarkable or jaw-opening throughout the book.
The Baobab or the alien entity was the only character development intensely researched and put forward. The entity threatened us with every single scene it came into picture. It exuded enigmatic and an eerie presence and the fear of the unknown was always creeping steadily inside our heads.
The worm subplot causing complete mayhem inside the ship was up to a certain level entertaining, but I felt it was bit overdone and simply used to kill off all the supporting characters.
Climax was a complete let-down in the whole novel. The authors simply got tired with the plot that they decided to bring it to an abrupt good end. The nuke idea and the destruction of the Baobab, survival of the important characters like Gideon, Sam, Glinn, Garza was a bit far-fetched. A good read, overall.
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Tag: suspense
Book Review: How I made 2 million in the stock market by Nicolas Darvas
How I Made $2,000,000 in the Stock Market by Nicolas Darvas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have always wanted to read a good stock market book by a self-made individual. Failure stories are all the more attractive because I can learn a lot from those. I didn’t expect this book also to contain so many of the author’s failures. The book had an interesting flow just like a suspense novel and at times when the chapter ends on a cliff-hanger, only here, it was true and not fiction.
His story made me gasp at several places and be in awe at others.
Salient points from my view –
1. The author was probably in his 30s when he is interested in stock market.
2. He seemed to have been a famous dancer, because I cannot fathom the amount of money he invested for the starting of his gambling period. Three grand during the 1952 made me choke a little.
3. His vision was unblurred because of the income being constantly generated one side and market was blossoming to be his passion flower.
4. So, he can focus on his career as well as this side hustle.
5. He had given unbelievable levels of dedication to this hustle during his world tour, living only with cables and a weekly magazine. Now, that’s impressive.
6. I love how he documented every single thing. The important trades during his journey of some 7 years. I can’t remember the trade I took three years back which wiped out my account, but I remember the mistakes I did.
7. The selection of stocks based on pure price action. Use of his box theory. Strict use of stop losses and importantly trailing the stops when your stock goes higher instead of randomly exiting a position.
8. Taking full advantage of everything the market, the exchange, the brokerage offers that could increase your position size without much spending like margin, discounts, stock split, right issue, etc.
9. Once confident with your theory and the right stock, we need to add considerable position (the risk) to reap in considerable rewards at the end. Stops can help you minimize losses.
10. He chose stocks that were active and high priced. So, when you are confident with the setup, don’t bargain like a beggar, buy and add position during rise. This directly clashes with the normal mindset of adding to your losses or averaging the losses – which may not turn out good.
A good book overall and I gained a lot of insights. I need to now sit and jot down the points that I think would need refinements for this modern era trading and investing, but his core belief and confident approach need not be changed!
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Book Review: Ice Limit by Douglas Preston
The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The theme was classic “Douglas-Preston” style. A meteorite in a faraway island and a billionaire wants to have it. What could go wrong?
Everything!
The characters were all brilliantly developed – Lloyd, perfect billionaire energy who thinks anything and everything has a price; Glinn the elusive know-it-all, who was the key driver of the plot, McFarlane, the scientist to give the plot the required sci-fi angle, then the supporting characters like Sally, Rachel, the sudden rise of villainy with Vellanar all did justice.
Coming to the story, it was neatly written and enough research was done into the naval commands and theme. It was really good to read a fresh suspense thriller. I was unable to guess till the end whether the meteorite or so that seemed, will go to destination or not. The authors went berserk near the last 50 pages where, the sabotaged the whole character arcs and the complete buildup of the ship Rolvaag and the meteorite as the mission was going hopelessly sideways. Nature was too powerful and everything went as per its wishes.
Although my mind was ready for a twist in the climax, the way authors dropped it on me, was surreal. I enjoyed the blunt way in which whole novel collapsed into a kind of “anti-climax” and the shock from Sam’s dialogues invoked dread inside.
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புத்தக விமர்சனம்: சு.வெங்கடேசனின் வேள்பாரி 2
வீரயுக நாயகன் வேள்பாரி by Su.Venkatesan (Author) by சு.வெங்கடேசன் (Author)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
இது போன்றதொரு அதிசிறந்த படைப்பை என் வாழ்நாளில் நான் வாசித்ததில்லை. ஒவ்வொரு பக்கமும் மயிர்க் கூச்செரியும் வண்ணம் சு.வெ அவர்களால் வடிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது.
முதல் பாகத்தில் நிறைய “குல” விளக்கங்கள் இருந்தன. ஆனால், இதில், முதல் பக்கம் பற்றி எரிய ஆரம்பிக்கும் கதை இறுதி வரை தொடர்ந்தது.
போர்க் காட்சிகள் மட்டுமே முக்கால் பாகம் கொண்ட ஒரு புத்தகம் இதுவே. அதையும் மிகச் சிறப்பாக கையாண்டுள்ளார் ஆசிரியர். அவரது புனைவுக்கும் தமிழ் ஆளுமைக்கும் இனி நான் அடிமை. எவ்வளவு நுட்பமான கதை, நம்பகமான பாத்திரங்கள்!
பாரி, கபிலர், தேக்கன், முடியன், உதிரன், நீலன், பொற்சுவை, காலம்பன், கொற்றன், கீதானி, இராவதன் – இவர்களை எல்லாம் விட்டு மனம் எதார்த்த வாழ்விற்கு வருவதே பெரும் பாடு!
வேள்பாரி வாசிக்க அனைவருக்கும் கொடுத்து வைத்திருக்க வேண்டும்.
This is the first time in my life I am struggling with the deficiency of stars. This book deserves 10/5 stars if I have to be honest and the writer deserves all the literary awards this world has.
A brilliant thriller. An epic saga! Velpari and the people in this book are going to haunt anybody who reads for years to come!
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Book Review: Zero Day by David Baldacci
Zero Day by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Baldacci at it again! Among his different series, I have read reviews on John Puller ones are really good. So, I thought of buying the first one – Zero Day.
How was it? Well, a brilliant narrative first of all. Unlike other Baldacci novels, this one has a plotline that mostly sits on suspense rather than thriller. I loved the way he built the suspense enough to get to the final part.
Yet again an all powerful protagonist John Puller – his character portrayal was really impressive because this novel is mostly about him. He is left all alone to dig and solve a murder case which turns out to be a much bigger issue. Samantha Cole was a realistic character developed as the female lead and Baldacci builds romantic tension at places with very subtle and nuance writings that I adored it.
Coming to the plot – a terrorist tragedy unfolding in the final chapters which also goes for a twist at the end. Well researched and written. Choice of premise and the background of the place added more credibility to the plot. The people at higher echelons in the Pentagon simply dusting Puller away sounded more convincing of the politics in this field.
Suspense was well handled and broken once, twice and then at the last as well. The main culprit behind the whole issue was hated by me when the author revealed and though it was a cinematic showdown, I liked the climax. There is a nail biting sequence which made me hold my breath, only to realise that a beloved character tragically dies. It was heart-breaking arc.
Overall a great read for the year end.
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Book Review: Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon
Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another stunning write up by Sheldon! Loved it so much.
It has been sometime of a break between me and Sidney Sheldon and I love the man for his brilliant writing style and ability to spin thrillers with ease.
This particular plot was absolutely amazing. The beginning 50 pages were blah! to be frank. The theme set up with so much of adult theme, typical of Sidney Sheldon, no stronghold on the main plot.
Then enter Elizabeth Roffe, our pivotal character. The heiress plunged into a nightmare following her father’s mysterious death. Her enemy was unknown. Friends were foes. Her flashback and old Samuel’s story were topnotch! Sheldon weaved a masterful storyline.
Coming to the present, the Roffe and Sons facing so much adverse actions and unbelievable amount of problems with Liz trying to solve them, struggling to do so. Rhys Williams was a mystery throughout the plot.
I personally loved the new arrival after half the book, Detective Max Hornung, his character development receives special mention! Brilliant work.
The final 100 pages were a rollercoaster ride and my fingers were burning through the pages. The climax revelation was tastefully handled but, being seasoned reader, I deduced it at the starting itself.
Climax was tension filled and neatly written. Bravo!
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Book Review: Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben
Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ok, a good one from Coben after few ruins that I read last year.
This one is an interesting read mainly because of characters and the literary juggling between sarcasm and subdued seriousness.
Myron and Win were awesome. I personally loved them both. Although it felt more fiction-like, meaning they were all-powerful and extremely resourceful, but, I enjoyed them.
The plot felt exactly similar to his other book – Runaway. A girl losing her way and getting caught up in an awful scandal leading to her disappearance.
His writing was good and flow was unperturbed. The humour deserves a special mention. I laughed out loud at many places, to be frank.
The plot was neatly written and executed with complete adult world colliding into crime. Kathy’s arc was suspenseful and even though the revelations were not jaw-dropping to me, I loved the execution style.
Good one!
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Book Review: The Simple Truth by David Baldacci
The Simple Truth by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Baldacci did it again! I simply loved this book.
The first 50 or so pages were boring, and I wondered if made a mistake with this one. But, then the plot picked up its usual pace and Baldacci’s brilliant narrative style made me turn pages after another.
Characters involved in this novel are neatly written and very much realistically developed with all their arcs and backstories tying up with the plot flow. Especially, John Fiske, Michael Fiske, Sara Evans, Warren McKenna, Rufus and Josh Harms.
Baldacci’s idea to involve Mike in the starting, thereby leading to the entry of John into the plot as the main lead was beautiful. John’s style of working and thinking, Sara’s involvement and her character flow were very much justifiable. I liked Rufus and Josh’s subplots. The author’s undertaking of Brothers’ love is truly worthy of special mention. Warren McKenna can be that irritating character in the novel and well developed with nice suspense throughout.
The plot theme in itself is actually simple. Maybe why the title. But, the development of the theme into a full fledged novel with no lags is laudable. The court system and legal metrics were touched alongside the story and not overdone. John saving them all with some quick thinking to elude the villains in advocate’s office was a really good scene. Josh and Rufus’s forest fight scenes with the villains involved palpable tension. The revelation of the “simple truth” was not that big or heart stopping but the character twist with the people involved in that crime – that was like chef’s kiss.
Final sequences on the funeral were heart touching and the exchange between Rufus and John was so moving! A fabulous summer read!
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Book Review: Strangers by Dean Koontz
Strangers by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh, whoa! Where do I even start with this one?!
Ok, I was researching for some of Dean Koontz’s best thrillers and I came up against many. The gist behind the cover of “Strangers” was really simple yet intriguing beyond imagination. I decided to buy and read it.
First impression on receiving and opening the book – By God, it is huge and cramped like anything. The fonts were so small and congested that I wondered why they published like this. This was later justified from the author’s afterword at the end.
I started off the book and I got hooked with the start itself. Because of the practical difficulty in reading the small fonts and congested passages, I took time, but the book was brilliant.
The characters were all so realistically written and well-developed with all their arcs neatly carved out. Dom, Ginger, Jack, Ernie and Jorja/Marcie were all simply stunning and full of thrill and suspense.
The paranormal nightmares and events happening in a suspenseful and thrill manner were very neatly written. I have to appreciate the author for his literary skills. He weaves words that paint the emotions we are expected to feel as an audience.
The plot is ingenious and brave. I loved the the theme setting so much and was so hyped up that I was waiting for the inevitable downfall which usually comes with such a strong plot, but in vain.
Dean had written a perfect thriller with no elements missing. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read throughout and even though the book was bulky, the story was worth it.
I have to give it to Dean for pulling this off without any scrapes. The suspense never ceased to exist throughout the book. Every scene and character was thought off well and written with severe passion and I couldn’t point out any faults.
The running of all the characters to Tranquillity motel and assembling for the end invoked palpable tension. The showdown at the Depository hill was neatly written without any “anti-climax” which I thought it would be.
I am now an ardent fan of Dean Koontz, and to think that this book came out in 1988, made me worship him more.
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Book Review: False Impression by Jeffrey Archer
False Impression by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It had been quite sometime I read an Archer – because I have mostly covered all my favourite checklists of his, and quite frankly the man has a gift for storytelling.
Other than the 9/11 portrayal and steady flow of cat and mouse chase, the plot was not brilliant in any aspects.
Except Anna and Fenston, other characters were very ok.
Once out of the North tower, barely alive and in shock – I have no clue how a survivor would eventually be interested in jumping in to save a client for her loans against selling of the Van Gogh portrait.
The assassin Krantz was not interesting but very suspenseful.
Whatever the characters wished to do, they did. It flowed effortlessly, which was a plus. I loved Archer’s presentation and dialogue exchanges – good as always.
A fine read with a simple plot with no big twist and turns.
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