Review: Yesterday's Tomorrow

Yesterday's Tomorrow by Suvika
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book of Suvika that I read. The story moves quickly and is a light read to relax with. The plot is quite interesting, though the unveiling of it is quite simplistic.

Samaira has been missing and is found with serious injuries. Her husband Dhruv finds her and she is admitted to hospital in a critical condition. Dhruv is a neurologist himself, and he and Samaira were in the cooling period for a divorce. This is as a result of DCP Prithvi’s growing closeness to Samaira. Samaira works in the Cyber Crime division of Pune police, and she and Prithvi are colleagues at work. There is a strange marking on Samaira, a pattern also visible in a few other crimes. It looks like Samaira is one of the victims of a series of crimes – some especially heinous.

Samaira has no memory of the last 6 years, and as a result does not even remember her marriage or subsequent troubles in the marriage. While this could be the opportunity for Dhruv to mend the relationship, Samaira is also key to cracking the case.

The story behind the crimes is quite interesting. At the same time, there is very little behind deciphering the crimes (investigation, forensics or otherwise) and it happens by chance. While there is nothing wrong with that, after all chance does play a big role many times, the story had far greater potential. Well worth a quick read.

My rating: 3.75 / 5.


View all my reviews

Review: Sniper's Eye

Sniper's Eye by Mainak Dhar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book of Mainak Dhar that I read after “03:02”. This one also has terrorism as the pivotal part of the story. The story is fast paced and it is a good book to relax with, though the story could have been better, especially towards the later part.

Aaditya Ghosh is out on a date with Zoya, and a person is shot right in front of their eyes. Aaditya has a prior military background and has some secrets from his earlier times. He gets involved quite accidentally and finds a major conspiracy in play. A number of people have been marked for death by a terror group and there is soon a sense of panic. Aaditya’s involvement carries very high risks including to Zoya.

The story progresses quite well, and all elements of the plot are unveiled at about the right moments. At the end, you do feel that the story had more potential than this though.

I do recommend this book for reading – as it is one of those which moves easily, and as I said at the start, a very good book to relax with.

My rating: 3.5 / 5.


View all my reviews

Review: Altered Carbon

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Altered Carbon is appealing as a science fiction story set 400 years in the future. What I liked about the book is that the scientific advancement is portrayed very naturally without glossing over it, or trying to explain how humanity got to where it is. The story remains the focus, and the science just flows with it quite naturally. There is a lot of action, in fact at times too much of it, and yet it is fast paced and mostly engrossing.

Takeshi Kovacs, is summoned from Harlan’s world to Earth to investigate an incident involving the influential Laurens Bancroft. Since it is possible to have memories uploaded and resleeved into new bodies, no real harm befalls Laurens. But was the incident one of attempt to murder or self-harm? And why?

As Takeshi investigates, he is drawn into a wide range of crimes with attempts to exterminate him. Has he been brought in as a fall guy? It gets difficult for Takeshi to know whom to trust as he finds his every move being monitored. There is Miriam Bancroft, Laurens’ wife who feels there is little for Takeshi to do and there are easier options he could take. Ortega is part of Bay City law enforcement who has reasons to deal cautiously with Takeshi. And there is the all-powerful Kawahara, who actually introduces Takeshi to the case. There are a number of secrets to be uncovered, and Takeshi has his hands full.

Altered Carbon is well worth a read – for its story, pace and the future scenarios it paints quite naturally.


View all my reviews

Review: The Committee of Sleep: How Artists, Scientists, and Athletes Use Dreams for Creative Problem-Solving-- and How You Can Too

The Committee of Sleep: How Artists, Scientists, and Athletes Use Dreams for Creative Problem-Solving-- and How You Can Too by Deirdre Barrett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was referred in 'Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams' by Matthew Walker. 'Why We Sleep' is an exceptional book which incorporates great advice referring to advances in sleep science. This gave me the impression that this book quite possibly also would refer interesting sleep science. However, that is not the case - this book does have many interesting stories on how creative work came about from dreams.

There are stories about artists, actors, writers, scientists and even Mahatma Gandhi. This book discusses how their dreams evolved into creative work such as paintings, movies, scientific theories etc.

For these stories, this book is still work a read - though it is too much of the same thing.


View all my reviews