List: Religion Portrayed Differently

So I've decided that the first Sunday of each month is going to be list-day, where I decide to list a few great books on a particular topic if you want something to add to your reading list. I hope you enjoy this! :)  


Today's topic is on Religion Portrayed Differently. As Edwin Lewis says, "A religion without the element of mystery would not be a religion at all", and yet most of my list tries to do exactly that - strip the element of mystery from religion, and let the chaos unleash itself on whichever world the book might be set in. Yet others on my list try to talk about the role of religion in our life - on religious conflicts that separate and unite people - and about the things that we do for religion. Not all the books in my list today are about religion, but each of them has religion as one of the major themes of the book. If you are interested in religion, and in less-than-normal portrayals of the same, it is my hope that you will enjoy this list. 

Religion Portrayed Differently

(Note: The books are in no particular order.) 

1. American Gods (Neil Gaiman) 

Plot: In American Gods, Gaiman uses the following theme - when people go from one place to another, they take their Gods with them - and the fate of these Gods in that place depend on the belief of the people in them. In American Gods, old gods, be it from Hindu mythology or Norse mythology, must fight for their survival against the new Gods - media, internet, technology. The battleground? America. 

Why should you read it? Great metaphor, great writing, believable characters and epic scale. A book to keep you up all night reading it. 

(Read my full review here.) 

Dont believe me? Dont take my word for it. Read this review, or this one, or this one. 

Why you might not like it? Quirky writing style. You might want to read a sample first. 

(Cover variants) 

2. The Lions of Al-Rassan (Guy Gavriel Kay) 

Plot: In the Lions of Al-Rassan, Kay writes about a world torn apart by a politico-religious conflict.  The novel concentrates on the relationships between the three peoples: the Kindath (based on the Jews), the Asharites (based on the Muslims), and the Jaddites (based on the Christians). In this setting, three people - Jehana, a plucky Kindath physician, Ammar, an awesome poet and mercenary, and Rodrigo, the captain of a Jaddite company - meet and start to like each other. But what happens when they are torn apart by religious and political conflicts that sorround their nations and people? The Lions of Al-Rassan will tell you. 

Why should you read it? Great characterization, touching plot, immensely powerful world-building and a writing style like poetry. Not a book to miss. 

(My full review to come soon). 

Dont believe me? Read Limyaael rant about why this book makes a good fantasy, or read this review, or this one. 

Why you may not like it? The author's style, which I describe as poetic, can also be called ponderous. There is a lot of skipping around from one place to another, which might be very annoying. 

3. Gardens of the Moon (Steven Erikson) 
Plot: The Gardens of the Moon is the first book in Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series, a series about the struggles on power on the Malazan Empire. In fact, in the first book, the Malazan Empire is basically trying to annex two remaining provinces to it - The Pale and Durjhistan. The only problem is, there are a lot more players in this game than our immediately apparent to those playing it - including a lot of meddling gods. 
Why should you read it? Cool plot, intense world-buildings and amazing characters - an epic story. 
(My full review to come soon.) 
Dont believe me? Read this review, or this one, or this one. 
Why you may not like it? Erikson is definitely a hate-him or love-him writer. He's got a really complex backstory, he throws you right in the middle of the plot from page one and expects you to swim or sink, and the book skips around a lot. It can be hard to follow and way too complex. 

4. Age of the Five Trilogy (Trudi Canavan) 
Plot: About a century after the war of the Gods, only five gods remain in the world...and they have formed their own religion, that of the Circlians. Auraya, the main character, is the newest priestess for this religion. But the loyalties of Auraya and the rest of her world are going to be sorely tested when the southern part of the continent claims to have a new religion with five new Gods - and even more with the appearance of the Wilds, old sorcerers who hate the Gods. This series raises questions about what happens when Gods live - and whether Gods can die. 
(The Age of the Five Trilogy has three books - The Priestess of the White, The Last of the Wilds, and The Voices of the Gods.)  
Why should you read it? Great characters - every character (especially the Gods) is shown to be so very human, great plot, amazing ending and very deep world building. An excellent, gritty, dark, realistic book. 
(My full review will come soon)
Dont believe me? Then read this (where it gets compared to my favorite author of all time - George R. R. Martin), or this, or this. 
Why you may not like it? You might not enjoy the skipping around between different points of views - as frankly I didn't like the Pentadrians or Ellaria enough to enjoy their voices. Also, the main character can get a little perfect at times and the ending may seem gimmicky and clichéd.

5. The Lord of the Light by Roger Zelazny

Plot: The Lord of the Light  is more science fiction than an actual book on religion, and yet, the fact remains that it makes a pretty great statement on Hinduism. In a futuristic earth, a group of colonists on earth have taken the names of the ancient Hindu gods - and rule their descendants within the framework of traditional Hindu beliefs. And to oppose them is one force - Sam (also known as the Buddha - the Enlightened One) who tries to overthrow the Gods and show their true faces to the people who they dominate. 

Why should you read it? Bold, creative, different - full of as much humor as action and as much beauty as mystery - great characters (I love the portrayal of Hindu gods as simple, erring humans, and how Zelazny recreates Hinduism). 

Dont believe me? Well, this review, and this review, and this one, quite seem to agree with me. 

Why you may not like it? Well, its a confusing, complex book, and the odd chapter structure and non-linear storyline has managed to confuse even me. 

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Well, thats all for today. Go read this books, or if you've read some great books that give you a new twist on religion, do share them with me and my readers! 

Interview: Shrenik Mutha

Today I have on my blog Shrenik Mutha, author of Broken Hearts, which I reviewed on my blog yesterday. 
Welcome, Shrenik. 

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of books are there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?

If you speak about what I read then my reply will be everything what I can. I love to read everything from old news papers to my old school books and from magazines to novels. But speaking of proper reading and my bookshelf, it more or less consists of books in the fiction and romance genre. Also, books on physics, sci-fi and mysteries make up a remarkable part of it.

Speaking of those books which I re-read again and again are ‘The grand universe’ by Stephen Hawkings, ‘I too had a love story’ by Ravinder Singh, ‘Many lives, many masters’ by Dr. Brian Weiss and books by Roger Penrose.

2. Tell us something about your work before "Broken Hearts"?

Broken Hearts is my debut novella. I have never written anything professionally before this. I definitely wrote for me personally which included things like poems for me, my family and friends and also on all things what I saw in nature. I always have preferred writing poems compared to prose. In fact, writing for me and the people around me is actually what has made me an author today.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Broken Hearts"?

            I never thought of myself as a writer before I actually came across this part of me. But I guess this is the plan what the almighty had for me. Maybe that is why today I’m one. What is fabulous was the way he unfolded his plan in front of me. It was actually a few incidents after which I thought of writing my life down.

            The phase of life called teenage is so special for every individual. This phase of my life led to the commencement of writing in my life.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?

I target the teenage audience for Broken Hearts. College and school going people will be a significant part of this group. Frankly speaking, I think this book will reach out to every person who has ever experienced what true love is, to that every person who has experienced the pain of seeing his love go away. But always remember guys and girls, if it does not work out, make it work out. Just hold on to what is true and one day, it will.

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?

            Well books and reading make up an integral part of me. Reading has been in my blood. From my grandfather, my dad, my brother to me, reading is like an addiction. Books like “The Secret” and “The Twilight Saga” have had a huge impact on my life.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:

- Love – A bond essential to live.

- Life – Balanced mix of pain and happiness. 

-  Struggles in love – Make a love story complete.  

- Jack (the character) – I guess me.


- Books – The heart of me.

Broken Hearts by Shrenik Mutha

Broken Hearts is a sweet, sad, romantic novel.

A fair warning - if you're not a fan of romance, I don't think you will like this book. The book is mushy, its sweet, and its full of love - ideally for those who believe in true love. Its also not a book for the weak hearted - like the title and the back cover will tell you, 'most stories end in happily ever after - but not life.' The book can be confusing, as it begins in the present time, and then goes off into flashback and ends in flashback. But, if you actually like romance, if you like stories of true love, if you like stories that are honest and from the heart, then you will like this book. There are very few fantastical elements in this book, as such it is based on true events and true people, and it is a story meant to emphasize with, rather than a story meant to shock and awe. 

The writing style of the author is clear, simple, and easy to understand, which fits in well with the simple and honest plot. There is not much pretentious use of words which can get really annoying, and there isnt much superfluous material either - the book is very short, only about 40 odd pages. One wishes, actually, that the book was a little longer, to give the book more time to develop. On the other hand, the brevity of the book is actually a good thing - even though the book really does feel short, the length is just enough to convey the story, which is a really good thing when you compare it to all the hundreds of books with loads of word-padding to increase the page count, this is really, and refreshingly different. 

As far as the story goes, the book tells the story of Jack, a boy very much in love with a girl called Catherine. It starts with their present disaster and goes into flashback mode to talk about how they met and how their lives have been so far. Some scenes, like when Catherine meets Jack's mother, are very touching indeed. The story is simple and something that most teenagers, in love, or in pain, have experienced and can appreciate. The book is written in an adoring style, from the point of view of Jack, and while his flaws are glaringly pointed out and corrected by Catherine, Catherine herself appears as a shining paragon of goodness - which, I believe, is natural when told from the perspective of someone who is very much in love. 

Final thoughts: Its a sweet, sad book. Ideal for fans of romance, and also for people looking for a short and fast read. 

Ps - I'm going to interview author Shrenik Mutha tomorrow on my blog. Come by and see his own thoughts! 

Other thoughts: This is my first book for the Book Reading Challenge 2011, ongoing now! Check it out here! 

Also, I've got loads of books lined up for this challenge, and a special feature this sunday, so do check out this blog! 

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.) 

Book Reading Challenge 2011 Book List

Below is a compilation of various book lists that list great books you may read for this challenge. Just a recap of the rules:

The book does not need to be part of these lists in order to be considered eligible for this competition. The only requirements are that it must be:
- Either written by an Indian (or Indian origin author); or
- Set primarily in India;
- About India.
(Note: A single short story would not be considered eligible, however a whole book on short stories, all of which follow the above guidelines, would.)

This list is intended to be more of a guiding point for anyone wondering what kind of books they may read for this competition.

1. A Wikipedia alphabetical list of Indian Authors, linking to their page.
2. A list of 'Important and Famous' books by Indian authors.
3. A great discussion on Indian books to read before you die.
4. An excellent list on the top ten Indians authors writing in english.
5. Great, comprehensive list on Indian authors and books set in India.
 6. An amazon list on contemporary Indian authors.
7. Another great list on contemporary Indian authors.

(Note: All book lists are compiled by the original authors and are not our property in any way. Also note, that if you've seen another great list to add here, simply leave me a link below and I'll add it.)

Click here to read some reviews by In My Bookshelves on Indian books or go here to see some Indian books promoted by Book Readers Lounge or click here to check out some Indian books by Of Books and Reading.

Happy reading!

Click for more info, click for sign-ups, and click for faqs.

Sign-up for the Reading Challenge 2011!

This is the sign-up post for our Reading Challenge, hosted here at my blog, this challenge is jointly organized by IMB (In My Bookshelves) & BRL (Book Readers Lounge) and Of Books and Reading. It will run from the 1st of April to 2011 to 31st May 2011.

If you’re not sure what this challenge is - here is an F.A.Q. about the challenge, (hopefully) covering all aspects. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on the F.A.Q. post and we will answer them to the best of my ability!
Both bloggers and non-bloggers alike are welcome to participate.

Below is the widget. Please sign-up with your name and blog (if you are a non-blogger, any social network handle like Facebook or Twitter may be included in the link column.)





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American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman, is an epic book.

(You might wonder at the three covers...but I find them all beautiful. None, incidentally, is the one I read.) 

Why do I call a book epic? Because its about 600 hundred pages? Well. That might just be large. (Actually, this is fantasy, and thats probably just about average for the genre.) Do I call it epic because it is about a mind boggling concept - that Gods exist, and that we take them with us when we go to different places, and our belief in them determines how powerful they are? Well. That's just a wonderful concept, but I've seen something similar, and I still wouldnt call it epic. No, I think the epicness about the book is that it deals with a whole country - America - and the Gods of a hundred different religions. It deals with large-scale battles fought in landscapes humanity cant even understand, and most of the book relies on things you can even imagine, actually, and yet the author still manages to leave you feeling like you know the characters, and understand them, and you start to care for them. 

I think the biggest reason for this is the main character. Shadow is just amazing. He starts the book in prison, and is hit by the shock of his life - the death of his beloved wife, within the first twenty pages or so of the book. He's devastated, but brave - and then he enters the service of Mr. Wednesday, an odd guy who seems to have too much money and claims to be a God. Through the course of the book, Shadow's life is torn apart, he is faced with numerous revelations, and he finally learns how to be alive - and he's the reason I could stay hooked on to the book. Because Shadow is so very human, and yet so very interesting, that he balances out the extreme oddities of the various Gods without becoming annoying or boring. Other, supporting characters, are also great - especially people like Mr. Wednesday and Anansi, and the Zorya sisters, are really wonderfully written and deep and beautifully portrayed - and they add to the book in great ways. 

But thats not the only reason why the book is amazing. The book is also amazing because of its plot. The entire book is a huge metaphor that juxtaposes the old religions with the new ones (technology, media, internet - the gods of the 21st century) and thus questions the role and importance of religion in our life. And there are many other themes - love, honesty, beauty, death, life, and the secret costs of a perfect life that add layers and layers to this book. I'm already looking forward to a re-read because I know the book will be full of new layers to uncover - a sure sign that the book is a good one. The book is helped by the author's writing style - somewhat rambling, full of many points-of-view and unafraid to deal with both sorrow and death. 

Final thoughts: Bold, imaginative, epic. You're going to love American Gods if you like to examine the role of religion in your life, if you like fantasy, or if you just plain like odd. Because this book is definitely odd, but a good kind of odd. This author is starting to climb my list of favorites.  

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Size 12 is Not Fat is a chick-flick disguised as a murder mystery.

The book follows the adventures of Heather Wells (who also later stars in a sequel, Size 14 is Not Fat Either). Heather is a washed-out pop star - robbed by her mother, cheated on by her famous boyfriend,  dropped by a label owned by the aforementioned boyfriend's father, living with (and quite in love with) her boyfriend's elder brother...and of course, size 12. Heather is plagued by problems like whether or not walking ten minutes is exercise, how people keep recognizing her randomly without having any idea who she is (or being told 'you look just like Heather Wells')  or whether or not her landlord likes her, and by 'vanity sizing' in stores...until, of course, some girls in the dorm she works in start falling down elevator shafts (believed to be doing something called 'elevator surfing') and Heather smells a rat...and then goes straight into the investigation.

As a chick-flick, this book is fine. Cooper makes an adorable hero and Heather makes a heroine who is slightly less annoying than the majority of the heroines of romance books these days, and the entire premise of being a washed up pop-star (while completely unbelievable in so many issues - like how she still talks to her mom who robbed her and fled the country) is fairly interesting to work with. In fact, the book might have been quite passable if this had just been a regular love story of the guy and girl who have issues (like the fact that she's his little brother's ex-girlfriend) falling in love and having a happily ever after somehow. However, this gets mucked up (spectacularly) by the introduction of the so called 'mystery'.

The 'mystery' of the book - of the dying girls - is ridiculously done. Not only is there no suspense built up or any sort of feeling built for the girls who die but the resolution of the mystery is also terrible. The major part of the mystery lasts on a single point that no one even thinks about mentioning until the author suddenly puts it in to explain how in the world her heroine came to a conclusion about the identity of the killer. Also, the motivations of everyone, including the so called 'bad-guy' killer, are absolutely crazy, illogical, and based on some kind of weird perception of the world. In fact, the entire mystery is poorly plotted and seems tacked on rather than a natural evolution from the plot, and in fact it spoils the book completely.

Final thoughts: Reach it for chick-flick value if you like such books. If you're reading for mystery, or really for anything other than passing some time, give it a miss.

Other thoughts: I recently finished American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Its amazing. Expect a review sometime in the next week. Until then, happy reading. :)