I should have read this much earlier. It falls squarely in my zone of interest. However, a short story by Asimov that I disliked put me off of his worI should have read this much earlier. It falls squarely in my zone of interest. However, a short story by Asimov that I disliked put me off of his work for long. I was mistaken in my summary assessment of him from that short story. He is every bit the master that people credit him to be. Very well written, full of political intrigue and science fiction, the book is expansive in just the right manner. It holds to my criteria of what speculative fiction should do, which is to use the genre as a vehicle for the message and not the message itself.
It is a classic in as much as it set the framework for what a science fiction set in space could be. It discusses themes of colonialism, religion and imperialism. Rarely anything has been left unsaid about this torch bearer of space drama. So many that followed him tread his footsteps- Star Wars, Dune, Ender’s Game, etc. Even as lately as Arkady Martin’s Memory Called Empire and Traitor, Baru, Cormorant by Seth Dickinson seem too derivative of Asimov now.
The book does not particularly focus much on the individual lives of the characters involved. (There are however expressions of affection among colleagues and that of scorn between a husband and wife). This is a welcome change that is displayed by contemporary writers who derive from Asimov. Stories these days, necessarily and rather welcomingly, also include deep dives into inter-personal relationships among characters.
The one big qualm that I have of the book is the lack of female characters. If I remember correctly, there is but one female character who gets any relevant dialogue. I hope this remedies itself as I proceed with the several sequels and prequels of the book....more
A graphic memoir, of a time spent by the author in camp when she was a 15 year old. Coloured artwork that almost represents the free nature of a camp A graphic memoir, of a time spent by the author in camp when she was a 15 year old. Coloured artwork that almost represents the free nature of a camp while also showing the turmoil within a 15 year old as they struggle to discover, express and understand their sexuality and find their individuality among friends. So much of it is so specific to the ‘American High School’ experience that Millennials and Gen-Z have been fed by American media. But the troubles associated with balancing between expressing love and fears of overbearing is near universal and so is the failure to have love reciprocated on your terms. The graphic novel deals with the common issues that would crop up in the progression of the story very maturely. The art is soft on the edges and the colors are muted, which go well with the tender topics dealt with. It is a wholly good comic to read....more
Latest in the External Affairs Minister's growing oeuvre, this 2024 release puts forward the government’s foreign policy and aspirations authoritativeLatest in the External Affairs Minister's growing oeuvre, this 2024 release puts forward the government’s foreign policy and aspirations authoritatively as only he could. As he rightly states, he has had a ringside view of international affairs for some years. One can argue that he has in fact held the conductor’s baton for Indian Foreign Policy for a while now. However, the change of direction and character of India’s foreign relations, he continually credits to his Prime Minister. The Minister gives himself much less credit than is due. It is a fact well acknowledged that his years in diplomacy continue to make him a most efficient do-er of things and his credentials make him a perceptive analyst of the situation. This is most visible in the chapter on India-China relations, which is worth a read even independently. His years of service in China, contribute to his understanding.
The introduction asks us to ‘read between the lines’ and there is a lot in the book that warrants you to do that. There are veiled references to a host of players, both domestic and international, that are left for the reader to decipher.
Globally, there has been a de-hyphenation of India and Pakistan, in the past several years. The book too, focuses chiefly on India’s foreign policy beyond Pakistan. Very little space has been accorded to our immediate westward Neighbour. The only place where some time has been accorded to it has been in the chapter where the author analyses past mistakes made. This conscious decision, it seems, is representative of the changing outlook of Indian Foreign Policy that the book deals with. An outlook that is forward looking and more proactive.
It is unclear who talked about -“decades where nothing happens; and weeks where decades happen”. What no one would dispute however is the fact that the world has been living through several such weeks. And in this scenario, it is natural that some of this book would seem dated. It seems that while going to the presses the Israel-Palestine conflict hadn’t flared up as it eventually did. Neither was there any indication for the return of Donald Trump. Much more recently, the renewal of talks between India-China and the efforts to achieve pre-Galwan normalcy, would also change the equation. Some of this, to his credit, was foreseen by the author, while some was beyond any of our imaginations. It would be interesting to see how these developments, would have translated into the book. An essential read for anyone who wants to know about the path taken by the country in this sphere in the last decade and what route does it wish to tread henceforth....more
Mr. Bhatia is an extremely well read person and he never fails to tell you that. The book, keeping with expectations, in3.5/5 Gripping legal thriller.
Mr. Bhatia is an extremely well read person and he never fails to tell you that. The book, keeping with expectations, includes everything from on-the-nose references to the Indian legal system to callbacks and inspirations from academic or borderline obscure works on polity from around the world. An appendix informs you of any reference you might have missed.
Maybe it is in the tradition of the genre to have the story serve merely as a vestibule for the arguments and philosophy that the author wishes to display, because that is all that the story does. I have no major qualms with it except that maybe I'd like the characters to not talk to each other in the (didactic?) way that they do....more
The foreword provides a general overview of the history of the Sikh religion and a finer look at the sequence of events leading up to the writing of tThe foreword provides a general overview of the history of the Sikh religion and a finer look at the sequence of events leading up to the writing of the Zafarnama by the tenth Guru. It also briefly mentions the chain of events that followed it, all the way to the death of the tenth Guru. I always prefer poetry translations that also include the translated text alliterated in roman letters. Helps to get the rhythm of the piece. ...more