The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 Author: Douglas Adams

Genre: Science fiction, Humor, classics

Rating: 3/5

Verdict: It's not you, It's me kind of a book. The satire and dry humor was a bit much for me but still liked it overall.

I must have heard the name of this book at least a few hundred times in my life so far. This was also my first sci-fi book and I must say I didn't quite enjoy it even though this is a cult/classic that people have always raved about. It is a hilarious story of the adventures of Arthur Dent a human on earth and Ford - an alien hitchhiker as they journey through galaxies. I didn't think the book was hilarious and the dry humor was very hard to understand in many places. The plot was ok but I just didn't get it in many places and there were far too many characters to keep track of. 

I'm not sure what else to say of this book. I didn't have the patience to read it after a point and almost wanted to end it but I just powered through finishing it just to say I've read it. Thankfully it was a short book and I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either, 

Book: Parthiban Kanavu

Author: Kalki Krishnamurthy
Genre: Tamil historical fiction, classics
Verdict: A beautiful imagination and fast-paced classic by Kalki!

My fondness for the Tamizh language and anything and everything in Tamizh started from my childhood. All thanks to my father. Whenever I read anything in Tamizh, I recall with a heavy dose of nostalgia my childhood days learning thirukkural, bharathiyar kavidhaigal and loads of other tamil books. Sadly, I have lost touch with it ever since I went to college. This year I am making an honest attempt to read as many Tamizh classics I can. My introduction to that was Parthiban kanavu. I am not going to review it here as I don't think its justice in any form to review this fantastic novel written by Kalki.

It was pure joy reading this book. Time just flies in this book - right from page 1. It makes you travel to the Chola-Pallava dynasty, you see the kings/queens through their birth, adolescence, love life and their ruling of the kingdom and the people. Though this is a fictional story, attributing the resurgence of the Cholas to a king's dreams who lived 300 years ago is exceptionally creative. Kalki's writing was so simple but the description of the scenes - be it war between the Cholas and the Pallavas or the romance between Vikrama Chozhan and Kundhavai - I could visualize every single scene and it made it so much more enjoyable. Now my urge to visit Mahabalipuram is even more stronger.  A true masterpiece by Kalki and a complete package. I can't wait to re-read this again!