Punam Rajeev John

Book Title: Greed Lust Addiction: Victory Over Vices Makes You Stronger Author: Ravi Dabral Format: PDF Book Title: The title of the book ' Greed Lust Addiction: Victory Over Vices Makes You Stronger ' is very a little dark but unique and curious. Book Cover: NA. Read a soft copy. Plot: The story begins with Vijay our protagonist, who has been assigned as a Police Officer after paying a bribe. The story evolves into his discovery about his dead brother’s (Suraj) personality and the wars he faced alone sticking to his principles of honesty, integrity and loyalty. Surah was a journalist and a loving person who gets caught up in a world of corruption, vices leading up to a point where an attempt is made on his life and he is left for dead. Vijay discovers his brother’s death was a murder and begins to investigate it, only to discover that his brother survived. They then begin to work to bring the culprits to justice. The book is full of twists and turns and often the reader will face defeat just like Vijay and Suraj; only to be redeemed with the faithful few. What I like: 1. A blend of rural India backdrop and culture with the evolving cosmopolitan culture. 2. Guruji as been added as a character to begin fresh third person spiritual perspective to the plot. 3. A range of topics are covered like Corruption, love for materialistic things, scams, unemployment and many more. 4. The story ends on a good note with a “feel good” ending. What I didn't like: 1. Language and vocabulary could be much better. 2. Attempt to take on too many subjects, kind of dilutes the focal element of the book. 3. Spiritual lessons in the middle of a court case, seemed like a distraction. Characters: Some characters are introduced and pulled out with no real purpose. (like Anjali, Suraj’s friend who became a guru). Suraj is like a too good to be true character; and Vijay is like the exact opposite in the beginning. Its also funny that the story begin with Vijay having no clue about his brother’s personality and his personal battles. Narration: The book is scripted as diary entries from Suraj and a third person perspective on some chapters. Language & Grammar: Personally I think the editor could have done much better. My Final Verdict: A good but Bollywood type predictable novel to pick for casual reading. Book Title: 3/5 Plot: 2/5 Characters: 3/5 Narration: 3/5 Language & Grammar: 3/5 Final Rating: 3/5

I chanced upon this book while a random book search on Amazon. While I don’t really have a thing for mythology, there was something about this one that made me go ahead and pick it up for a read. And I wasn’t disappointed. This is one of the few books that presents Eklavya as the protagonist. We all know the story of Eklavya, his dedication and his sacrifice. Gaurav here takes an artistic plunge into what may have been the mindset and the character of the man behind the myth. The story is engaging, with unpredictable twists, and revelations. His presentation of Eklavya as a sullied village boy, a brave warrior and a learned scholar with single minded focus starts off well but loses its charm after a bit. The character of Eklavya doesn’t really evolve. He remains consistent as a person. While his life is shaken multiple times by calamities, so much so that he is on the verge of suicide, there is a no defining moment that provides a new shape to his character. He is resilient and picks up the threads to start afresh; but as a reader I would have liked more depth and breadth to his character. Tara as Eklavya’s love interest is subtle and yet powerful. Gaurav uses what he does not say to emphasis what he means; which is any author’s dream forte. Like his use of Mohammed and Mahavir to convey significant messages. Overall, the book is good and an easy read. It provides an insight into the culture of that period. Recommended reading for those into period and mythology books.