A WELL-CONSPIRED YET INTRIGUING NOVEL

TITLE: ANGELS AND DEMONS
AUTHOR: DAN BROWN

WHAT'S INSIDE:

ANGELS AND DEMONS IS A SEQUEL TO THE MUCH TALKED ABOUT THE DA VINCI CODE. HARVARD SYMBOLOGIST ROBERT LANGDON IS BEING SUMMONED BY CERN(A SWISS INSTITUTE)HEAD MAXIMILIAN KOHLER TO INVESTIGATE THE HORRIFYING DEATH OF SCIENTIST, LEONARDO VETRA. UPON DISCOVERING THAT THE SCIENTIST IS BRANDED WITH THE WORD "ILLUMINATI" ON HIS CHEST, HE IS SOON CONVINCED THAT A LONG GONE SECRET SOCIETY HAS RETURNED. FURTHERMORE, LANGDON DISCOVERS THAT AN ANTI-MATTER(PLACED INSIDE AN AIR-TIGHT CANISTER)IS ABOUT TO ANNIHILATE VATICAN CITY. DUE TO THIS, HE HEADS OFF TO VATICAN, ALONGSIDE LATE VETRA'S FOSTER CHILD, VITTORIA VETRA IN ORDER TO FIND THE BOMB AND DEACTIVATE IT TO PREVENT THE MASSIVE EXPLOSION. AS THEY SEARCH FOR THE MISSING CANISTER WITH THE AID OF THE SWISS GUARDS, FOUR CARDINALS(CALLED THE PREFERETTI) ARE MISSING. IN ORDER TO FIND THE CARDINALS, THEY ENTER THE VATICAN SECRET ARCHIVES TO LOOK FOR CLUES AS TO WHERE THE "HASSASIN" IS KEEPING THE FOUR ELIGIBLE CARDINALS FOR PAPACY. HOWEVER, THEY AREN'T ABLE TO RESCUE THE CARDINALS(EACH OF THE FOUR IS BRANDED WITH EARTH, AIR, FIRE AND WATER. THEY ARE CALLED AMBIGRAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE WITH SUCH PERFECT SYMMETRY.)HOWEVER, THEY ARE ABLE TO PREVENT VATICAN'S ANNIHILATION BECAUSE OF LANGDON. AS THE STORY GOES, THEY SOON DISCOVER THAT THE MAN BEHIND THESE SERIES OF MISHAPS IS NONE OTHER THAN CAMERLENGO VENTRESCA WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE LATE POPE'S ASSISTANT. LATER THAT DAY, CAMERLENGO VENTRESCA DIES.

THE COMMENTARY:

AMONG THOSE THRILLERS I'VE READ, THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST WELL-PLOTTED OF THEM ALL. DAN BROWN'S ABILITY TO MAKE THE READERS CURIOUS AND ENGROSS IS NO DOUBT, EVIDENT IN HERE.
AS YOU TURN ON TO EVERY OTHER PAGE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO NOTICE THAT THE SUSPENSE AND THE ADRENALINE ARE ALWAYS THERE-WAITING TO SURPRISE YOU. WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS BOOK IS, DAN HAS AGAIN USED HIS VAST KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SCIENCE AND RELIGION TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A WELL-CRAFTED CONSPIRACY. EVERY TIME YOU LEAF ANOTHER PAGE, YOU WILL, IN NO TIME, REALIZE HOW DAN BROWN HAS CAPTURED MUCH OF YOUR EMOTION, TIME AND INTEREST(THAT YOU CAN ALMOST FORGET YOUR SUPPER AFTER READING IT FOR 6 STRAIGHT HOURS!)

A NICE PRESENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

BOOK TITLE:THIS YEAR IT WILL BE DIFFERENT
AUTHOR: MAEVE BINCHY

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Actually, this book is a compilation of 15 heartwarming stories.

the following are the titles of the stories Binchy wrote for this book:

the first step of christmas
the ten snaps of christmas
miss martin's wish
the hardcorethe christmas timing
the civilized christmas
pulling together
a hundred milligrams
the christmas baramundi
this year it will be different
season of fuss
a typical irish christmas
traveling hopefully
what is happines?
the best inn in town

THE COMMENTARY:

Binchy writes with such passion(as expected from her). The characters from the different stories of this book are simply unforgettable. Binchy's ability to make readers laugh cry or get engrossed with her characters is a rare gift. Her storytelling genious, i believe, will forever be remembered by everyone. I suggest to all those bookworms(and to those who are not!) to read Binchy's books. Poignant, well-crafted, beautifully woven, heartwarming-you name it, Binchy's books got it!