Saturday, 8 November 2014

Interview of 'Prashant Pinge' author of 'Sceadu'

“I firmly believe that if a story has an intriguing plot and is well told, it will find readers regardless of anything” says the author Prashant Pinge in a candid chat with Timid Fingers. When his next book Secadu, is scheduled to release in next two days the author opens up on his new book, on the Indian readership of fantasy fiction and on his inspiration behind writing in this genre.


Timid Fingers: Having so much published write-ups and seven books already, it is very well understood that you are not new to this literary industry. I would like to request you to brief us on your experience here.

Prashant Pinge: My literary journey started more than a decade ago. It has certainly been a rewarding one thus far, with several publishing credits along with award nominations. However, at the very core, it has always been about pursuing my passion. So I am really grateful to be on this wonderful journey that provides me with the opportunity to express my imagination through words.


TF: Children’s fiction is always your forte, any particular reason behind that or you always wants to write children’s fiction?

Prashant: I have found the children’s fiction genre to be very endearing. It is a paradigm where animals can talk, where toys come alive, where fairies live across the street, and where magical creatures play with you. It gives me a chance to let my imagination flow without any constraints. So yes, I do enjoy writing children’s fiction but also plan to experiment with other genres.


TF: Your new book Sceadu, which is going to hit the stands soon, is a fantasy fiction. I would like to request you to say few words about the book.

Prashant: Sceadu was born out of my fascination for shadows. The adventure starts when a century old book transports four children to a land inside their shadows. The reluctant visitors search for a way back but find themselves chased by the Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. The stakes are suddenly raised when an ancient prophecy foretells the doom of the world they left behind. The children have no choice but to try and unlock the secrets of the shadow or suffer the destruction of their own kind.
Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.

TF: How tough it is to pen down such a story which can exist in imagination only?

Prashant: The biggest challenge when penning down a story like Sceadu was coming up with a logical basis for the land. I did not want to have the protagonists travel to another land without giving the readers a reason to believe that such a place could actually exist. I had to do a lot of research in psychology and mythology to add that layer which makes this entire adventure so plausible.


TF: There is loads of new author coming but fantasy fictions by Indian authors are very few. What do you think the reason behind this, is this because writing love story is always a safe genre or something else?

Prashant: There is obviously no doubt that popular fiction is a hit with the masses in India. However, the concept of fantasy is also strongly rooted in our culture if you consider how deeply connected it is to mythology. So I would say that fantasy, in that sense, has been there for a long time in our psyche. I cannot pinpoint a specific reason though for the dearth of Indian authors writing fantasy fiction, but I do believe the trend is changing.


TF: Do you think there is enough readers in India for this kind of book, which will force them to go beyond their imagination?

Prashant: I firmly believe that if a story has an intriguing plot and is well told, it will find readers regardless of anything. And besides, we have a very sophisticated reading class in India, and I have absolutely no doubt they will enjoy reading Sceadu immensely. In fact, a lot of fantasy fiction from the west has garnered significant fan following in India. So I would expect nothing less for my book.


TF: Any incident you want to tell us which you have experience while framing the plot of Sceadu?

Prashant: I got up one night for a drink of water. I switched on the lamp and reached for the glass. At the same moment, my shadow mirrored my movements on the wall behind. That was when I asked myself the question. What if my shadow held a land with dangerous creatures waiting to find a way into our world? That was how the plot for Sceadu was basically conceived.



TF: Why have you chosen to publish your new book Sceadu on your own? Why not a establish publisher or a self-publishing one?

Prashant: The decision to take the self-publishing route with Sceadu came after a lengthy period of deliberation. The primary drivers were complete creative control and the ability to reach a global audience. However, I do plan to work with publishers, with my next work of children’s fiction already picked up for a 2015 release.


TF: So, are you going to try some new genre in your upcoming endevaours or the plan is sticking to these, children’s fiction or fantasy fiction?

Prashant: While I will always continue to work in the genres of children’s fiction and fantasy fiction, the basis for my writing has always been the need to tell a great story. So I do not plan to restrict myself to these genres only. In fact, I am working on a romantic comedy right now. And I also plan to write a historical fiction novel in the near future.


TF: Which is your favorite book in these genre you write, or I would say which book you used to keep under the pillow while sleeping as a kid?

Prashant: It would be very difficult to identify one book, but I am really enjoying the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. As a child though, I was completely enthralled by Enid Blyton.


TF: I hope everyone liked the book as much I did. All the best for the book. Now few words for your readers who might have already got bored and few words for the Timid Fingers blog.

Prashant: Thank you for the wishes. For the patrons of this blog, just pick up a copy of Sceadu. I guarantee you will never take your shadow for granted again. For the Timid Fingers blog (and especially the force behind it), a very big thanks for reading and reviewing the book. And all the very best!



An unexpressed feeling.

A really wonderful topic chosen by the Indi Blogger team for the happy hours they organise and there would be no better opportunity for me to write. I was always craving to write about this.

Arohan

Talking about my own experience, I was the youngest member of our family of five, with my parents, elder brother and sister-in-law, until there came a new member three months ago. Three months ago, my sister-in-law gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom we named later, Arohan. Our usually quite family became vibrant when the smallest member of our family saw the light of this world. My father who was racing with time and getting old before his age after his massive heart attack last year, found a new meaning of life as Arohan was born on the same date of my grandfather’s death. From last three months my mother’s voice was the loudest while playing with her grandson. There is such a lively atmosphere in my house which I haven’t noticed in years even after the marriage of my elder brother. Then I have realized what a child can do to a house.


In the second month Arohan had to go the doctor to take mandatory vaccines, which will help his immune system to grow. But the problem had arisen when we came to know that it has to be given in the form of injections not medicines and that is also in three rounds back to back in his two tiny legs. We were shivering at the thought of it, but it was for the greater good. He was crying the loudest after returning from the doctor’s clinic. The doc had suggested to rub ice on the legs where the injection had been given. My mother and brother were doing the difficult task. Even we couldn't take ice where there is pain and the kid can’t even say that. He was crying like anything and was the most uncontrollable feelings was that we couldn't do anything to stop that. Every one of us were upset that night. Arohan was lying without making any sound. He was not throwing his legs which we enjoyed the most while playing with him. The smile was vanished from the face of our family to see our child lying numb. The following day was tougher, Arohan’s body was burning with fever. The doc had already informed this was going to happen and gave medicines too. Our often silent house now had become silent that day. We did his favorite stunts which always brings a toothless smile on his face but every time he started crying because of the pain. My elder brother dodged his boss and bunked his office, my father was calling in regular intervals to know about the temperature. It was like we were feeling the same pain as Arohan and had gone silent like him.


The next day we heard his voice again. Arohan was in his regular self from the very beginning. I went to wish him good morning by kissing his forehead and found the temperature was gone and he responded by throwing his legs. We all heaved a sigh of relief in unison. My mother lifted him and threw him in the air which was his favorite stunt and he broke in endless giggles.


It was a small incident and may happen in every house but this made me realize how a child can change the mood of a family. When Arohan remains his regular self, we are the happiest and when the fateful day comes for his vaccines, we are more afraid than him. A healthy and vigorous child always has the biggest influence behind the happiness of a family.




Thursday, 6 November 2014

Review of 'Kamadeva - The God of Desire' by 'Anuja Chadramouli'

Blurb: Kamadeva, the charming wielder of the sugarcane bow and the flower-tipped arrows, born out of the wellspring of Brahmas latent passion, has for long remained an enigma. This enthralling story of the God of Desire explores his many wondrous adventures, as well as his heady romance with Rati, his chief consort.

Best friends with Indra, the King of the Gods, tutor to the Apsaras in the art of lovemaking, Kamadeva lives a dream life in the magnificent Kingdom of Amaravathi - until danger strikes when he incurs the wrath of Shiva because of a preordained curse. Follow Kama as he hurtles towards his destiny and the Destroyers dreaded third eye. Find out if he will rise from the ashes to reign supreme as the King of Hearts or if he will be doomed to spend an eternity as Ananga - The bodiless one.

In Kamadeva - The God of Desire, the author masterfully marries imagination with stellar research to bring to vivid life one of the most intriguing Gods of the Hindu pantheon. Laced with wit and narrated in contemporary flavour, Kamadeva will take you on a rollicking ride into the heart of desire and its tantalizing dark side.

Verdict: ‘Kamadeva – the god of desire’ is the second book by Anuja Chandramouli. This book is a tale of a god of Hindu mythology who have always played a mute role and have been explored by quite a few authors. The author have chosen indeed a nice character for her second book though this was unexpected after her first book which was ‘Arjuna - Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince’.

The name indicates that this book is going to be one of those mythological books which enlightens a character and the story will revolve around that particular character. The cover is wonderfully designed and goes perfectly with the title.. But one thing which looks different is the genre of the book is fiction not mythology. The blurb reads well and will surely entice the readers to buy a copy. One thing I must say, is about the quality of the book. The cover and paper quality is so good that I have to ignore my to-read list to sneak a peek inside its content.

The story starts with a song on Kama which very rightly said, ‘I cannot be destroyed by any creature by any means’. Then the author goes on to narrate, how Kama was born and the consequences he has to face right after that. Then comes Rati, the girl of a prajapati, Daksha, who was on the job of populating the world. I loved the way the author portrays each characters form Brahma, Vishnu, Indra to the destructive Shiva. After the marriage of Kama and Rati, the god of desire befriends Indra and the story goes on, until Kama was turned to ash after coming face to face to the god with the third eye, Shiva. What happened next, how Shiva granted the wish of Rati after killing her husband, what happened to Kama and Rati on the earth, is what the book has in store. The author has done full justice to the characters and the plot and has framed it in an attracting way.

The readers can easily see the amount of research the author has done to pen down such an intriguing character of the Hindu mythology and haven’t changed the original scenes. I appreciate the author for her efficient effort in compiling all those chapters of our mythology where Kama, makes an entry.
The narrating style is something unusual and gives this book a much needed flavor. The language used in the conversations is something different and yet it makes the reader gripped. Though at times I felt the connection with the readers is broken because of the language. The humor injected by the author is wonderful.

At times I felt few scenes are described in an exaggerated way and can be trimmed. As I said earlier the language was disturbing the flow sometimes. Apart from that the book is well edited and error free. The endless contradiction between the Gods, is what I liked the most.


Final Words: This book tells the story of Kama and about all those incidents and characters which we have never heard of. The readers will fall in love with the witty and compelling narrating style. A perfect blend of history and imagination.


Title: Kamadeva – The God of Desire
Author: Anuja Chandramouli
Publisher: Rupa
Page Count: 328
My Rating: 4.5/5


Available at –




Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Review of 'Sceadu - Your shadow holds a secret' by 'Prashant Pinge'

Blurb: All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged
out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.
Nine year old Matilda ends up with a century old book through a series of strange coincidences. And disappears. Her brother and cousins are forced to suspend their hostilities and pursue her to Sceadu, a land inside the human shadow. Once there, the reluctant visitors find themselves chased by the vicious Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. However, everything changes with the revelation of an ancient prophecy that foretells the doom of the world they left behind.
With the stakes suddenly raised, the children must now navigate the dangerous terrain, overcome grave challenges, and unlock the secrets of the shadow. But can they do it in time to thwart the plans of the treacherous Hefigans? Or will they succumb to the guile of a ruthless enemy who is equally determined to destroy mankind?
Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.

Verdict: ‘Sceadu – your shadow holds a secret’ is yet another wonderful creation by author Prasant Pinge. The book is a Fantasy Fiction and after completing the book I can very easily say that this book has done proper justice to its genre. It will take the readers to a journey of a lifetime.

The name sounds different and unfamiliar, even the Microsoft word doesn’t know the word and marked with a red underline. But as I started reading the book, everything started to make sense. I have had my share of problems while pronouncing the name but the author has also mentioned it in the story how to pronounce it and it is nothing but a different spelling of shadow. The tag sounds interesting too. The face of a goblin on the cover gives the no ordinary effect. The blurb tells about the story quite well and will interest the readers to try it. Though the book was a bit big in size and not so comfortably fits in the hand and is quite heavy too comparing to its 245 pages.

The start of the story was quite dizzy and can make the readers uncomfortable with blurry scenes but as soon the author starts introducing the characters the book picks speed. The author has chosen such a topic to explore which most of us ignore, the shadow. The author has created a parallel world by his imagination and makes it visible with his narrating style. The map on the front really helps the reader to match up with the author’s description. Few creatures were known but maximum of them are born from the authors imagination and holds an effective history. The whole plot was framed with such efficiency that one cannot find any loop holes or lose ends in the story. And most importantly the end will offer a very healthy message for everyone from kids to adults, believe in yourself.

The characterization is something which attracted me the most. Linda, Robert, Stephen each and every character have a different personality and as the story goes, they starts to became more visible. Every character has a pivotal role to play and have their own share of emotions. The author have portrayed the emotion of the characters quite well, be it the fear, the frustration, the determination or the hope. The readers can never get bored with plot. The stupidity that the characters make, makes them more realistic. My personal favorite was Stephen and I was throwing my head back in laughter while reading his conversations or doings.

The book is one unique book in this genre and will entertain all types of readers. There are few editing errors which can easily be ignored. I will recommend this book to all those who are searching for a break from the love stories and want to experience a journey on the edge of their seat.


Final Words: It needs herculean effort to write and create a totally different world and make that visible to the readers but Prashant Pinge has done a marvellous job in this book and will make the readers crave for more.


Title: Sceadu – Your shadow holds a secret
Author: Prashant Pinge
Publisher: Self-published
Page Count: 245
My Rating: 4.75/5


Note: This book is due to release on 10th of November and is available for pre-order.

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Review of 'The Hidden Letters...' by 'Purba Chakraborty'

Blurb: She is a successful author, a loving wife and the world's best mom. Her doctor husband dotes on her, her teenage daughter idolizes her and her readers yearn for her writing. Shouldn't all that respect and love make her happy?
Yet, she is devoid of inner peace. In the wee hours of the night, her slumber is disturbed by horrifying nightmares. All her harmony is abducted and lost amidst the bunch of hidden letters kept in her cupboard. Those letters were written long back by her cousin,presently a patient at a mental asylum in Kolkata.
Haunted by her inner demons and tired by the long-time secrecy, she decides to put end to her misery by surrendering to her husband and daughter, The Hidden Letters. . . Will she lose her husband’s love and daughters respect? Can she forgive herself for her own selfishness which rendered her cousin's fate malignant?


Verdict: ‘The Hidden Letters…’ is the second novel by the bestselling author Purba Chakraborty. I haven’t read the previous work of the author and had fewer expectations from the book, but I must say this book has exceeded my expectations.

The cover looks good but not the best of the design I have seen in this genre. The lady in the cover has pain in her eyes which is reflecting the content of the book. The name sounds secretive but will surely initiate an urge inside the readers to read the blurb. The blurb is written very efficiently and I can very easily say, one can’t put the book down after reading the blurb. The story is wonderfully summoned up in the blurb.

The start of the story gave me a feel that this book is going to be yet another story with kind of same clichéd plot. But as the story moved on, I started to admire the skill of the author to frame such a beautiful plot. The story goes around a girl named Anaya Chatterjee, a popular author and a responsible family maker. Her world revolves around Dr. Nishith Chatterjee and Olivia Chatterjee. After giving a single glance their family looks perfect and Anaya looks one of the happiest people on earth. But there is a secret which was taking her sleep and causing her nightmares. What happens when the secret of the hidden letters reveals? What will be the reaction of Nishith after knowing the condition of her cousin in the mental hospital in Kolkata? To find these answers, one should read the book.

The story has different shades of emotions and the author has surely got the correct skills of describing emotion with perfect words. The author has very efficiently described the scenes and the essence of love. The narrating style is simple and suits the story perfectly. I love the way the author has described the feelings of, love, sorrow and hope and that is in details. If I had read the author’s first book I could have known about the author’s lucid writing style.

The characterization in the story is exceptional. The readers can easily guess that the author had taken a lot from the course of her real life. The characters are given pivotal role to carry the story and are described in a friendly way, which will help the readers to visualize them better. The story has a hand full of characters and each one have remarkably familiar characteristics. The readers can easily connect to the story because of its relatable characters. Kudos to the author for making it possible.

Talking about the draw backs, I couldn’t find any specific one. There are few loose ends which can be rectified, and there are few scenes which I think could have been described in a better way. But over all this book is an emotional tale and would keep the readers engrossed till the end.


Final Words: Purba Chakraborty has done a wonderful job in her second book. The delightful plot and the lucid writing style will definitely make this book a best seller.


Title: The Hidden Letters…
Author: PurbaChakraborty
Publisher: BlueJay
Page Count: 187
My Rating: 4.5/5

Available at –


Friday, 31 October 2014

Review of 'Rainbow' by 'Aman Jassal'

Blurb:Love = Sex? Love+Sex=? Love-Sex=??? Sex-Love=????
This is not a book to teach you about love or how to get a beautiful girl to bed, rather it reveals how bad things can get if you don't set your priorities right. It's a story about the most explored life aspect ' Love' 'Sex'.
YUVI, a pleasure seeking boy, falls victim to the same notorious life facet called love. Simran's beauty sweeps him off from his feet and he leaves no stone unturned to seek her special attention.
As he falls in love, he also sleeps around with all the erroneous girls, and when his fate threatens to take his love down, he promises himself to stop all of this and come out of the wreckage … But then, his past deeds come back to his present, and that tears his life apart. What follows is an uneasy course of getting his love back on board.
The story reveals the life of today's youth, their friendships, feelings, priorities, and ineptitude to handle relationships while not forgetting their turmoil between the two critical facets of life: LOVE & SEX.
Love makes the world go round … Or is it Sex? Based on real life experiences and tea time gossips.


Verdict: ‘Rainbow – the shades of love’ is the first literary work of Aman Jassal. This book is a light read and is written in a youth’s perspective. The famous unanswered question was raised again in this book, is it love that keeps a relationship going or is it sex?

The cover design is ordinary and simple. The readers might ignore this book for its not-so-glorious cover among the n numbers gorgeous covers in this genre. The name sounds good but doesn’t go with the story. Though the author had tried to resonate the name at the end of the story but that is not enough and I would say there was lot more scope to do the same. The back blurb was not that exciting too and one can put the book after reading that. In short, the first impression of the book was not impressive.

The story is about a guy, Yuvi, a stud and an efficient flirt, who can score on every given chance. After his numerous flings and night stands, Yuvi falls for Simran, and the story goes on like that. Even after committing in the relationship with Simran, Yuvi doesn’t stop scoring and sleeps with every girl who gives him a chance from Simran’s cousin to his boss’s wife. After realizing the mistake and being pushed by the guilt inside it Yuvi decided to confess his past to Simran when the story takes a drastic turn and Yuvi has to face the wrath. To know what happens next, one should read the story.

The likable part of the story is the realistic characters. The author hasn’t tried to make them artistic and the mistakes they made or the way those characters converses are very much relatable. I would like to mention those chats while drinking is very much common among boys and would definitely attract youths. But the book lacks the surprise element. The end was good but predictable.
The narrating style of the book is simple and very much in the trend. The simple usage of words and the nice description of scenes can drag the reader’s attention. The contradiction in the protagonist’s head is also shown in a similar efficient manner. Though there are few scenes where the author had the scope to create the magic with his narrating style which was missing and the scenes became dull. I feel the story line was good but can be framed and told in a better way.

A better edited version of the book will surely hook more readers.  I would suggest the author to concentrate more on framing the story and the editing errors to make the novel presentable to the readers. I would recommend this book to those who can try their luck with a not so different light read.


Final Words: The realistic characterization and the simple narrating style gives the book a fresh feel. I appreciate the author for the attempt to convey a credible storyline with an unusual ending.


Title: Rainbow – The shades of love
Author: AmanJassal
Publisher: Teenage Publisher
Page Count:
My Rating: 3/5

Available at –




Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Review of 'God is a Gamer' by 'Ravi Subramanian'

Blurb: Aditya runs a gaming company that is struggling to break even. A banker slips off a
highrise building, plunging to her death. The finance minister has made some promises
that he is finding hard to keep. The LTTE has unleashed terror in America that sends
the FBI on a wild goose chase, bringing them to Mumbai.
Enter Varun, parttime drug dealer and fulltime genius. He turns around the gaming
company before disaster strikes. Meanwhile, the investigators plunge headlong into
the shady world of bitcoins and the Dark Net, websites that only exist for illegal
transactions—drugs, sex and money. God Is a Gamer culminates in a stunning climax
where money means nothing, assassination is taught by the ancient Greeks, and nothing
is as it seems.


Verdict: ‘God is a Gamer’ is the first bitcoin thriller written by Ravi Subramanian. Being Indian’s one famous thriller writer, the author has presented a crime thriller covering a vast area from banking, gaming to ATM heist and bitcoin frauds.

The cover looks stunning and will automatically turn heads of the readers. As almost half of the incident takes place in the US, the white house in the cover seems relatable. Unlike Ravi Subramanian’s earlier books, this doesn’t have a mention of bank in the name. The name sounds interesting and the readers will appreciate the author at the end for the game he has played with the readers mind. ‘Indian’s No. 1 thriller writer’ tag in the cover will raise the expectation amongst the readers. The blurb was good and interesting too but doesn’t say anything about the story line.

The book starts with the heads of MasterCard and Visa, seeking help from an American Politician to avoid their loss in the Russian Market. As soon as the reader starts the book, they will understand that this book is also set with the back drop of a bank, just the name doesn’t have the term. The murder of a close aide of the US president will keep the readers hooked from the beginning. Loads of incidents follow, a top banker commits suicide, an ATM heist happens in New York openly and a senior banker dies in an incident. A few more similar incidents follows in the frequent chapters which will keep the reader busy and one question will linger in their head repeatedly, how are the incidents linked?

The bitcoin was mentioned in the first half of the book and has been described wonderfully. Even those who have never heard of the term, would easily go with the flow. The mention of the originals names of people from the CEO of Apple, the RBI Governor to the President of America gives the book a realistic touch. The author has quite efficiently harmed the plot and disclosed the exact amount of details which will keep the readers guessing till the end. As the book heads towards the end, it picks the speed and the readers can very well intercept that something big is coming their way at the end.

But the end was not that grand and not up to the expectation. The author has proficiently made the readers believe that they have found the culprit and the book is going to end the way the readers have anticipated. But the readers couldn’t find the answer of the question asked in the cover of the book, ‘Is revenge a crime’ until they read the very last page.

The frequent distribution of the chapters makes the book crisp but could also confuse the readers because of the frequent jump of scenes. I felt the author has introduced too many characters and couldn’t connect all the dots till the end. There were few unanswered questions and loose ends. After the initial introduction at the first half the bitcoin takes a back seat in the middle and hardly played any crucial part at the end. So the story line couldn’t match up with the tag bitcoin thriller.


Final Words: Ravi Subramanian has done it again with his new thriller and have mesmerized the readers from the core with his experienced writing. The speed of the plot, the vast area of crime it has covered and the unanticipated thrill towards the end, makes it a hit.


Title: God is a Gamer
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Publisher: Penguin
Page Count: 310
My Rating: 4.25/5

Available at –




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