Threat Vector BY Tom Clancy

This IS Only the second   Tom Clancy BOOK THAT I HAVE READ, DIDN’T REALIZE THAT IT WAS A PART OF MULTIPLE BOOKS OF A CHARACTER CALLED Jack Ryan.  None the less the book was interesting read and had nothing to do with the earlier books. If an action packed thriller is what you are looking for then this is the book for you. The book deals with the new age espionage where cyber links have replaced humans. One of the few books I   have read which deal with the conflict between the two heavy weights US and China.

The book opens with the assassination of a group of ex Gaddafi loyalists by a bunch of American guys.  These americans who are a part of a highly secret task force are caught off guard when they realize that their covert mission was not so covert after all. On the other side of the world in China the president of  the country is contemplating suicide as he finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy  to oust and arrest him. How the Chinese chairman of armed forces manages to infiltrate the entire US information systems and bring the world on the brink of a world war forms  the plot of the book.

The book offers a crash course in Chinese political system and the Vern ability of entire world’s information systems with the advent of internet.

A wanted man by Lee child

Let me tell you on the onset that I found  this book nowhere  close to the Reacher  I am   used to reading about in the earlier books. The book starts as a typical Reacher  novel where he finds himself in the middle of a situation in a new town while hitching a ride to Virginia. Meanwhile there is brutal murder in the nearby town which is being investigated by a special agent of FBI. Reacher’s intractions with the occupants of the car and the FBI investigation forms the basis of the book and how he is able to uphold justice the Reacher way eventually.

The book offers some good mathematical trivia, a Reacher trait which was not highlighted in earlier books. One is also treated  to a nice geographical description of American towns, country side and interstate freeways. Keeping up with James Bond type image, Reacher manages to get to work with two beautiful ladies as usual.

Having said that I found the book very slow and somehow Lee Child has made the character of Jack Reacher a little less smart who takes more time to catch up to the  clues than before.

Overall I think the book was only 50 percent worth my money.

Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler

Spartan Gold is a story of a treasure hunt by Clive Cussler and Blackwood. It being my first Cussler I was not very impressed by it.

Sam and Remi Fargo  are a husband wife duo who are renowned treasure hunters. Sam’s experience in American intelligence services and Remi’s education in anthropology and history are will suited for their line of work. During one of their expeditions in the swamps of  Maryland they accidently come across german nazi submarine. This in turn leads to the discovery of an innocent looking antique  wine bottle. On further investigation by their research team it is revealed that the bottle belongs to the cellar of napoleon Bonapart and there  might be more such bottles which could lead them to a hidden treasure.

During their hunt for these bottles they cross paths with a Ukranian  millionaire crime boss and his hunchmen who is already in persuit of this lost treasure.

The couple works on cryptic clues in the form of riddles, which take them to various parts of the world. The reader is treated to  some beautiful geographical locations and some interesting historical facts. Their encounters with the goons keep the excitement going through the narrative.

The description of characters in the book has been taken

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

 Set in   the 1930’s Japan, memoirs of a geisha is a fictional story of a young girl who is forced by circumstances to take up the profession of a geisha. A well narrated story opens up the illusive world of these Japanese entertainers. Through the eyes of young Chiyo,  you see the life  in a Okia and the dynamics between the geishas. You are treated to a crash course in the Japanese culture from the making and significance of kimonos To the artful Japanese tea ceremony.

  I enjoyed reading the challenges this girl faced in the course of becoming a successful geisha. The second half of the book focuses on the impact of the world war on japan especially on the common Japanese citizen and it’s impact on the geishas. Laced with a love story the book is a pleasant read specially if you like stories which span the lifetime of a character.

Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer

I just finished reading ‘Paths of Glory’ by Jeffrey Archer, would rate the book 5 on 5. It’s a very well written book and one of those books, which you can’t put down before finishing it. It’s a story of a man who wishes to be on the top of the world and strives to do it throughout his life. This book reminded me of ‘The Alchemist’ in some ways, we all have our dreams but only a few of us have the courage to go after them. The dreams are forgotten or pushed so far behind in our minds that they only surface in the form of envy when we see someone else realize their dream. Those of us who do follow our dreams leave behind a path of glory for others to follow and that is what this book is all about. I recommend this book as a must read.

The Associate by John Grisham

At the onset let me clarify that i know this is not a best seller and I surely know the reason why. This is one of the worst books I have ever read. If you plan to read it let me tell you looking at the wall would be a better passtime. It seems like Grisham got bored of writing the book half way through and decided to finish it there.
The story is about a young lawyer who finds himself being blackmailed by someone and is forced to steal some critical information from his firm. The entire story revolves around how he tries to escape this situation and goes one up on his blackmailer. But just when you think that the story is getting somewhere it ENDS in the middle of nowhere. I have been a fan of Grisham but I don't know what was he thinking or better still not thinking while writing this book.

The Shack by William P Young

Although I have picked up this title randomly from NewYork Times best seller list without anyone's recommendation, I am finding the book quite ok. The book is based on the spiritual experience of a character named Mac. I don't completely agree with the philosophy of the author but surely enough the way of putting it across is very intresting. I am almost half way through and am liking the way the way the story is being narrated. Would like to know if some of you have read the book and what you think of the philosophy.

Well I have finished reading the book and will rate it above average. The story is based on the life of a character who loses his daughter and is unable to make peace with God because of this. And then on one not so fine day gets an invitation to meet HIM. The story unwraps from that point on. The author offers a fresh way of looking at things and happenings around. Would recommend the book as a one time read.