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shreyas1599's reviews
234 reviews
Death of a Messenger by Robert McCaw
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I coincidentally started reading this book on my trip to Hawaii. Overall impressions are that it’s a fast-paced novel with some level of character development. Anyone who reads a lot of plot-driven crime fiction could’ve predicted the ending and the events that lead up to the ending. Some examples.
When Koa is having a discussion with the chief and someone reports bad weather conditions at the observatory => there’s going to be a high-speed chase or a tense rescue in the end.
All the suspects don’t fit the bill and the only suspect not given a proper look - Masters.
The astronomy data that would later prove to be evidence plus the book about scientific. Isn’t too hard for the reader to guess what was going to happen.
I don't see these as grave shortcomings but nonetheless these guess-able pieces warrant a mention.
Some things I liked:
1. Lots of information on the Hawaii-an culture and the efforts to preserve their heritage.
2. The usage of Baxter to depict racist behaviour and his comeuppance (well not entirely but enough to satisfy a reader)
On the scientific explanations provided to justify parts of the story, I’m not entirely sure or competent to justify the veracity of the claims.
Overall, a fast-paced novel with a decentish plot. Curious to see how the rest of the series unfolds.
When Koa is having a discussion with the chief and someone reports bad weather conditions at the observatory => there’s going to be a high-speed chase or a tense rescue in the end.
All the suspects don’t fit the bill and the only suspect not given a proper look - Masters.
The astronomy data that would later prove to be evidence plus the book about scientific. Isn’t too hard for the reader to guess what was going to happen.
I don't see these as grave shortcomings but nonetheless these guess-able pieces warrant a mention.
Some things I liked:
1. Lots of information on the Hawaii-an culture and the efforts to preserve their heritage.
2. The usage of Baxter to depict racist behaviour and his comeuppance (well not entirely but enough to satisfy a reader)
On the scientific explanations provided to justify parts of the story, I’m not entirely sure or competent to justify the veracity of the claims.
Overall, a fast-paced novel with a decentish plot. Curious to see how the rest of the series unfolds.
False Prophet by Faye Kellerman
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another decent instalment in the Peter Decker - Rina Lazarus series. This time, Peter responds to a distress call when he’s off duty and gets tied to the case. There’s lots of twisted family drama involved in this story. Nothing over the top and unbelievable, but the elements of jealousy, emotional trauma, strained relationships etc are all present in a neatly crafted manner. No high octane chases and no unbelievable serial murders.
Once again, there’s lots of character development in the story, and a medium focus on the plot, which I have come to enjoy about this series.
There’s elements of Peter’s fatherhood with his daughter, unborn child and step-sons touched upon to shed more light on his paternal characteristics, which I think is a good and natural transition in the series.
If you liked the previous books in the series, I think this is definitely worth a read.
Once again, there’s lots of character development in the story, and a medium focus on the plot, which I have come to enjoy about this series.
There’s elements of Peter’s fatherhood with his daughter, unborn child and step-sons touched upon to shed more light on his paternal characteristics, which I think is a good and natural transition in the series.
If you liked the previous books in the series, I think this is definitely worth a read.
This Book May Save Your Life by Dr. Karan Rajan
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I rarely read books about health, and this one ticked a lot of boxes for me. There were elements of humour scattered throughout, lots of general health advice, do’s and dont’s about how to live a better life. There was also a nice sequence to it, in that it visited all the organs of the body and provided information in the form of a consumable story for non-medical audience.
The “Save Yourself” and “Health Hacks” sections did not have any outlandish and unproven health advice. But true to the author’s tone, in most cases there aren’t any shortcuts to getting healthier. There are a bunch of things that one must do right, and for a prolonged period of time. My biggest takeaway is to start exercising more (even if it’s just a 30 minute walk daily).
Because I watch Dr. Karan’s videos on YouTube, I was reading the book in his voice, in my head for most parts of it, which was a nice touch. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to make proven general non-outlandish changes to their lifestyle.
The “Save Yourself” and “Health Hacks” sections did not have any outlandish and unproven health advice. But true to the author’s tone, in most cases there aren’t any shortcuts to getting healthier. There are a bunch of things that one must do right, and for a prolonged period of time. My biggest takeaway is to start exercising more (even if it’s just a 30 minute walk daily).
Because I watch Dr. Karan’s videos on YouTube, I was reading the book in his voice, in my head for most parts of it, which was a nice touch. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to make proven general non-outlandish changes to their lifestyle.
The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi
5.0
A great book with a different outlook at Indian mythology. I first saw this book grandly stacked on shelves of a multitude of famous book stores. I resisted the temptation for a while for reasons unknown. The book definitely is worth a read. A few parts here and there are predictable but the author has tried to effectively maintain the element of attention as he progresses through this wonderful piece of work.