Kevein Books and Reviews

The Dogfight and the Lone Peacekeeper by Suyog Ketkar is a terrific war fiction staged against the 2nd World War epoch. Often world war novels are placed abroad in countries like France, Germany, England…or mainly Europe. However, this one is an untold story from homefront: India. The cause and effects of the war are rooted in Germany and England but a lot of drama, espionage action and adventure takes place in India. Wing Commander Vasant Kale is posted at Agra airbase. He is nothing less than a star in the Royal Air Force, and a favourite candidate of the Group Leader Boyle. Initially, readers will be loaded with the nitty-gritty of air force mechanism and how these jet fighters communicate and practice. The story develops gradually. For many characters that leave an influence in the story are credited with a good amount of family history. Indianism runs deep in the novel like banter. When Vasant’s fighter plane was shot down, he is dragged to the hideouts of enemies. He not only...

Manoj Kumar Sharma is a terrific author about the society change. I have read other books of him, in each he brings forward some or other curse of our society and then offers solutions through a rich fictional tapestry of stories. In the new novel 'Me No Pause, Me Play' he marks the achievements of two women from different ends. The story takes the center stage around three characters broadly i.e. Dolly, the victim, Rajat, the tormentor, and Jasmona, the problem solver. Dolly and Rajat are married for over 30 years. Dolly is a housewife, and Rajat works in an MNC and always looking forward for his promotion. He is so much in his professional life that he ignores his wife like anything and does not understand her mid-age health crises like menopause. On one auspicious day when Rajat was attending a company event and was likely to be promoted, he gets a call from hospital. Filled with pent-up frustration, somehow he manages to reach there and find faults in the hospital staff. ...

Kindling by Kanika is a fantasy thriller with mythological feel in it. The novel is a prequel to the novel “Rage of the Immortals”, where we saw that two brothers Cifer and Atom are fierce enemy. The former puts all on stake to save the Underworld from the wrath of Atom, the King of Heaven. Rage of the Immortals isn’t about back stories and sweeps. It’s an action-packed fantasy thriller with a long cast of characters. Kindling comes around the time, does the back story part for those who have read the sequel in the series. This novel does the world and ground building for two of its ace characters: Cifer and Atom. Both are brothers, and are immortals. The story sheds light on their limitations and abilities such as magic, anterworld, emotions, were birds, human, sentinel beings and so on. Kindling has a limited cast of characters, however, as the storyline picks up pace, you will not only be intrigued but also nonplussed to witness their idiosyncrasies, strange peculiar feelings, a...

The Settled Homeless by Rover V. is a profound work of prose master storytelling. The impeccable narration of the novel gradually allows readers in the world of one highly talented scholastic character ‘Dr Theodor Rae’ aka ‘Ted’. As you chug ahead and take a sneak in the silent realms of Ted’s brilliant academic world and its allied achievements, you will be hit immediately to realize that he is bereaved of all basic social and family bonding, allegiance, brouhaha, and most importantly love. Academically and professionally he is successful but as forlorn as desert. As it sounds, the novel is part romance and part biographical with a strong dose of philosophy running in its backdrop like banter. The writing style doesn’t come comprehensively easy to readers, the book demands undivided attention and patience of readers so as they could get acquainted with its protagonists and a long cast of auxiliary characters. The irony of the novel is that it’s about a homeless man but he is also ...

Mathematics has been an intriguing yet engrossing subject for many of us in school. Whether we liked it or not, our life leverages a good dose of maths in our everyday tasks and competencies. Did you ever wonder that maths could have solved mysteries and secrets in the history? If you reckon maths is always contemporary, probably you need to rethink. The Adventures of Ruby Pi and the Math Girls by Tom Durwood takes you on a historical tour where young girls from different places, at different eras not only solved the big issues but also eked out their share of profit and glory. It’s a collection of five stories, of varied length. These stories fall back on the STEM concept. It means that the stories are directly or indirectly take science, technology, engineering, and maths into account while narrating the events with proper characters. In nutshell, fiction mixed with maths. The first story features an Indian girl named Rupa aka Ruby Pi. She lives in London with her family. One eveni...

The Crown of Vijayanagara is book two in the Krishna Deva Raya series. It’s a riveting historical novel set against the medieval period in South India. It can be read as a stand-alone novel. However, it’s advised to brush up the basics of its first book, ‘ The Boy Who Would be King .’ In the first part, the lead character Krishna proves his warrior prowess to take over the empire as an able King of the Vijayanagara Samrajya. Though it was a coupe and mutiny, yet it worked for him and the mass of the kingdom was pleased with his endeavors to keep them safe and happy. Book two is more about how the new King performs and manages the chores inside and outside the court. The story also follows the development of his personal life and ambitions that he longs to fulfill with his family members. As the novel commences, you will feel that the entire Vijayanagara Samrajya is safe and happy. However, its old enemy Bahmani, though not so powerful now, still leaves no opportunity to invade if fou...

Duality of the mind possesses obstacles when we strive to understand the true meaning of our life. A man is inquisitive by nature – his mind is governed by old beliefs that nudge him to believe in rationality and logic above other aspects of life. But little did he know that in pursuit of logic and rationality he is missing on an enlightened take of life. Life is worth understanding if one keeps aside their hedonistically formulated juggernauts. One needs to understand that he/she doesn’t exist alone. As quantum physics proved that this universe is shared by alternative forces and energies. Permutation and combination of others sharing our universe is likely possible. On similar notes, the energy and conscience makes our life…not our boosted up ego by experiencing the perceived realities. ‘Know yourself; an unexamined life is not worthy living.’ – Socrates This book by Yogie highlights a conflict that our mind initiates and contemplates to prove its superiority over spirit and co...

The Blue Jinx by Nisha B Thakur is a multi-genre murder mystery. It’s a riveting medley of romance, suspense and crime thriller. Delivering a well-sketched murder mystery with a fewer cast of characters is tough. However, the author did it brilliantly, touched every parameter of the genre. The story is staged against two cities Nasik and Mumbai, and the USA in snatches. Being loathed by his family for choosing a creative less-paying career, the protagonist Nikhil commences an interior consultant business with no great hopes. He gets one big project in Nasik of Hemant Saxena. Hemant hires Nikhil to renovate his old house in Nasik as per the likes of his dead wife Shanipriya. At the house, Nikhil experiences weird dreams and indulges into strange behavior pattern. He works with Samara, daughter of his boss; Murli, the home secretary, and the house help Ramu and Bhima. He feels the house is haunted, in fact, throughout the novel he gets into strange things like killing a cat, getting dr...

Bloody Dreams by Gopinath Lakshmanan is an engrossing novel that explores the plight of women in our patriarchal society. It’s not an all-women story, yet its female characters cast an indelible influence on the plotline. Set in modern India, people are ambitious about AI projects, but deep down their hearts they are the same villains who look upon women with deplorable insights. As the novel starts, we see that Radha, a brilliant computer graduate has to relinquish her dream of running an IT company due to his dominating husband, Rajan. Initially the novel is about family drama, suppressing the women voice, but later on the table turns in their favour. How? That’s interesting! Like father, Radha’s son Rajeev too turns out the same maverick who takes women’s respect for granted. Since birth he is leading a privileged life of luxuries. He pursues IT dreams with investments and startups. His girlfriend Divya is a classic dancer who teaches to children and often participates in shows. H...

India’s freedom struggle movement has had many unsung heroes, politically and locally. However, many went with the Indian Congress Party and have had dazzling political careers. There is a lot of content and resource available through textbooks, documentaries, and films…but it doesn’t take along with it prominent Muslim figures who were not only freedom fighters but also turned holistic capable leaders under the rule of Congress Party, especially with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. ‘Wings of Destiny’ is a work of non-fiction: part memoir and part biography on Ziaur Rahman and his father Habibur Rahman Ansari. The latter’s family moved to Bangarmau, Unnao, when he wasn’t even born. The book sheds optimum light on the family tree of Ziaur Rahman that leads to a study on his father Habibur Rahman Ansari, he was a scholar, freedom fighter, and a prolific author whose letters, essays, and other scholastic resources stirred difficulties for the Colonial powers like British Raj. This book ...

Palace Smash into Slum by Ashok Yeshuran Masilamani is a wonderful novel about one landlord family called “Zameen.” The novel explores the fate of one such family who has been living the highest forms of luxury with servants and all luxes at their feet. However, when the chord of fate strikes it can bring anyone to their knees, whether it’s an officer, business tycoon, landlord, or anyone else. For such a similar story, the title is apt. You could have tried guessing a lot from its long title. Yes, the story runs on similar approach. The climax of the novel is irony of fate. Children of a palace, of royal family, are being born in a hut, in a road-side village. How – fills the rest of the story. Back in the story, it starts with a short introduction on Zameendari system started during the Vijayanagar Empire to British Raj and its obliteration in 1972.   When many landlords disbanded and sold their ancestral property to hide in various parts of India, Periya Zameen family makes ...