The Prophecy Of The Stones

Cover of The Prophecy of the Stones: A Novel

Title: The Prophecy Of The Stones

Author: Flavia Bujor

Main Characters: Amber, Opal, Jade, Duke of Divulyon, Elaydor, Adrien, Jean Losserand, Elfohrys, The twelve councilors, The thirteenth councilor, warriors, Knight of order and Oonagh.

Description of one of the main characters: Amber is a poor country girl. She is kind. She is one of the stones. She is the one who convinced everybody that Elaydor is the chosen one.

Whom I like and why:I like Jade very much. She is intelligent. She gives an idea to kill the councilors.

Whom I dislike and why:I dislike the thirteenth councilor because he is wicked. He tries to kill the whole world using the knights of order.

Setting/theme of the story: Three girls of age 14 - Opal, Jade and Amber set out on a journey to Fairy tale, as they are the three stones. They meet a Knight from fairy tale named Adrien. With his help, they enter Fairytale. Meanwhile, the chosen one, Elaydor, comes to Fairytale with his fiend Elfohrys. The Council members try to capture Fairytale, the only free world. Elaydor leads the war with the help of 3 girls and their stones. They defeat the council and peace comes. But peace cannot be there for long as where there is good there is always bad.

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Opal, Amber and Jade meet during their 14th birthday.

Parthiban Kanavu (Dream of Parthiban)

Title: Parthiban Kanavu (Dream of Parthiban)

Author: Kalki. R. Krishnamurthy

Translated By: Dr. M. S.Venkatraman

Main Characters: Ponnan, Valli, Vikraman, Arul Mozhi Devi, King Parthiban, Veerabadra Aachaari, Sivanadiyar, Narasimha Pavallan, Kundavi Devi and Marappa Bhupathi.

Description of one of the main character: King Parthiban was the king of the Chola Nadu before Narasimha Pallavan, the ruler of Pallavas won it in the battle. King Parthiban has a son named Vikraman. He had many dreams such as capturing many northern states and to capture islands far away. He was a brave king.

Setting/theme of the story: King Parthiban died in the war between the Chola Nadu and the Pallavas. The war was held because King Parthiban refused to pay tributes to Narasimha Pallavan. After the war, King Parthiban's son, Vikraman launched an attack on Narasimha Pallavan with the help of his uncle Marappa Bhupathi. Half-way through the attack, Marappa Bhupathi betrayed Vikraman by leaving the boy fight on his own. So, Vikraman was captured and was brought to the Pallava king's palace in Kanchi. He was exiled. The young prince went to Shanbagam Island while his mother lived in Casanthe Theevu. Vikraman started ruling Shanbagam Island. He came back to Chola Nadu to see his mother. He was disguised as a gem trader He fell ill and the Princess Kundavi rescued him. When Narasimha Pallavan found out that Vikraman had come to Chola Nadu disguised as a gem  trader, knowing that he would be punished if found out, was surprised by the bravery of the prince. He married his young daughter Kundavi to Vikraman and gave the Chola Nadu to him as an independent state which need not pay tributes. Slowly Parthiban's dream got fulfilled when Vikraman and his successors conquered many places. The Chola warriors hoisted the Tiger flag, near the Ganges in the north, and beyond the seas in the east on the Kaadaaram Island. Parhiban's dream was to become reality 300 after Parthiban's death in the battlefield.

School Of Wizardry

Source: scholastic.co.in 

Title: School Of Wizardry

Author: Debra Doyle

Main Characters: Randal, Lys, Madoc, Pullen, Balpesh, Nick, Laerg and Crannach.

Description of one of the main characters: Nick is a wizard apperntice. His full name is Nicolas. He has been an apprentice for almost 8 years now. This is the longest unbroken apprenticeship in the history of the Schola (their way saying school).

Whom I like and Why: I like Lys because she is very good at singing and playing on the lute. She is also very kind and nice to others.

Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Laerg as he is wicked. He uses his intelligence in a wrong way. He is the one who has taken the shortest time in the Schola history to complete the apprenticeship. He just took two years.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Randal strongly wants to be a wizard. He runs away from home and follows Madoc, a master wizard. Madoc thinks that this boy cannot make himself a wizard and sends him away. But after much pleading, Randal is taken to the Schola by Madoc. There, Randal is tested and then accepted by the Tegents of the Schola - Pullen, Laerg, Balpesh, Madoc and Crannach. He puts all his efforts but they go in vain. He somehow passes his 1st testing of apprenticeship. Master Laerg suddenly offers to help Randal in his progress. Randal improves suddenly and within two days he could even do summoning charms which are considered to be most difficult. But Randal feels uneasy. He starts getting strange dreams after he accepts help from Laerg. One day Laerg reveals that he is going to kill everybody and also destroy the Schola. He also says that he is going to kill Randal first. Randal draws his knight sword, which he hasn't used for 3 years and kills Laerg. He is praised for his bravery and he becomes a journeyman (the next level in Schola).

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part where Randal extinguishes all the lamps with his own willpower.

The Chronicles Of Narnia- The Silver Chair

Map of Narnian world as described in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: The Chronicles Of Narnia- The Silver Chair

Author: C.S. Lewis

Main Characters: Prince Rhilian, King Caspian, Eustace, Jill, Puddlegum, Earthmen, The Queen of underland, slan, The Gentle Giants and The Giants of Ettinsmoor.

Description of one of the main characters: Puddlegum is a Narnian Marsh Wiggle who travels along with Jill and Eustace in search of Prince Rhilian. He is very brave. He is a very sensible Marsh-wiggle. He is very tall with long limbs and a witch sort of hat over his head.

Whom I like and Why: I like Jill as she is very brave and ready for adventures. She is very good at getting information from the enemies. She is very intelligent and shewrd. She is a kind girl.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike the Gentle Giants as they act gentle but they eat man pies and the talking animals of Narnia. They also eat marsh-wiggle purebloods of Narnia. They attract travellers to kill them and have feast.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Prince Rhilian, the son of King Caspian, is held in control by the wicked Queen of the underland. He is kept under the spell of the silver chair. When the silver chair is broken Prince Rhilian will becomes himself once agin. So two children named Jill and Eustace are sent in search of Prince Rhilian with a marsh-wiggle named Puddleglum by Aslan. They find Prince Rhilian and kill the Queen of underland. When they return to Narnia they find King Caspian dead. So Rhilian become the king of Narnia and spell of silver chair is broken.

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Rhilian is freed form the spell of silver chair and the queen dies of anger.

Different ending: King Caspian finds his son and once when the spell of the Silver Chair is broken. Rhilian's mother comes alive. Everybody becomes happy. Jill and Eustace come back to their own land and find themselves back in the experiment house.

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Inheritance- Inheritance book Four

Inheritance (book) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Inheritance Cycle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Inheritance- Inheritance book Four

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters:  Eragon, Arya, Nasuda, Orik, Murtagh, Saphira , Thorn, Shruikan, Galbatorix, Firnen, Gladr, Islanzadi, Jeod, Umaroth, King Half-paw, Nor Garzhvog, Roran, Katrina, Horst, Elain, Albrich, Bador and Barst.

Description of one of the main characters: Roran Stronghammer is the son of Garrow. He is the cousin of Eragon. He helps the Varden fight Galbatorix in the battle. He kills the wicked king Barst. He is very brave. He defeats many by using Hammer as a weapon and earns the tittle Stronghammer. He captures Aroughs and many other cities for Nasuda, which was under Galbatorix's control.

Whom I like and why: I like Arya because she is a brave elf. After Islanzadi's death, Arya becomes the queen of elves. Firnen, the green dragon hatches for her. She is a rider. She kills Shruikan.

Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Shruikan because he serves Galbatorix. He becomes Galbatorix's second dragon.

Setting/theme of the story: Eragon fights with the Varden to defeat Galbatorix. Meanwhile Murtagh tries to change his character so that his real name will change and he can be free from Galbatorix. But Murtagh is still under the control of Galbatorix. Galbotorix orders Murtagh to bring Nasuda to Urubaen and he does so. Eragon along with spell-casters, Saphira and Elva goes to Galbatorix's palace in order to save Nasuda. There he defeats Galbatorix and kills him. Arya kills Shruikan. Eragon and Saphira become the masters after Oromis and Gladr when they find hundreds of dragon eggs hidden. They go to a far away place to train the riders. 

Kane Chronicles- The Throne Of Fire

The egyptian sun god Ra simplified with Maler_der_Grabkammer_der_Nefertari_001.jpg as reference (horiz mirrored) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The moon god Khonsu, depicted as a falcon with the moon-disk on his head. Khonsu could also be depicted as a mummiform child with a large pendent necklace and wearing the same moon disk. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Kane Chronicles- The Throne of Fire

Author: Rick Riordan

Main Characters: Carter Kane, Sadie Kane, Bast, Bes, Zia Rashid, Walt, Jaz, Anubis, Isis, Horus, Ra, Amos, Menshikov, Desjardins, Nephthys, Khufu and Thoth.

Description of one of the main characters: Walt is a magician in the House of Life. He is one of the descendants of Akhenaton. So, the curse of Akhenaton runs in his family. He is sixteen years old and loves to play basketball. He helps Sadie Kane get the third book of Ra.

Whom I like and Why: I like Bes because he is kind to the Kanes. He is the god of the dwarves. He helps Sadie Kane and Cater Kane fight Apophis and also find the books of Ra. He sacrifices his own life to Khonsu, the Moon God to allow the Kanes to go back time. He is Bast's friend.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike Menshikov as he works for Apophis. He knows Set's secret name. He tries to make Set work for him.

The US logo for The Kane Chronicles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Setting/Theme of the Story: Carter, Sadie, Walt and Jaz try to wake Ra, so that they can defeat Apophis, the evil God of chaos. For waking Ra, they need to find the three books of Ra. Jaz suddenly falls ill and the other three continue the journey. Bast goes off on her own to check whether Apophis is trying to break free. Bast sends Bes, to help Sadie and Carter in their quest. Carter saves Zia Rashid from the palace of Red sands where Iskander had hidden her. Zia and Walt go back to 21st nome in Brooklyn. Sadie and Carter travel into the Duat and they awaken Ra. To their surprise they find Vlad Menshikov trying to stop them. Desjardins suddenly comes to Kanes and sends Apophis inside the Earth, so that Apophis will take more time to come back. During the process, he dies and Amos becomes the cheif Lector. The Kanes get more time to defeat Apophis.

Kalki Selected Stories

Kalki Krishnamurthy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Kalki Selected Stories

Author: Kalki.R.Krishnamurthy

TRANSLATED BY: GOWRI RAMNARAYAN, GRAND DAUGHTER OF KALKI.

THE STORIES I LIKED:

v  THE TIGER KING

Prince Jung Jung Bahadur was born and the astrologers predicted that the child will grow to become a warrior. They also said that the 100th tiger will kill him. The crown Prince, Jung Jung Bahadur grew up and started killing all the tigers. He had killed all the tigers in his kingdom but he had to kill 30 more. He married a young princess of a state with large tiger population. He had killed all the tigers there. He had killed 99 tigers. If he killed 1 more, he could prove that the astrologers were wrong. One day his soldiers got him an old tiger. He aimed a shot at the tiger and the tiger fell to the ground. He went to celebrate. Later, the soldiers found it was not dead and killed it instead of saying it to the king. Soon Jung Jung Bhadur son's birthday arrived. The king presented his son a toy tiger. While playing with his son, the steel went inside the king's hand. Best surgeons from Madras were called but the surgery failed and the king died. The 100th tiger had killed the king.

 v  THE POISON CURE:

This story is about Narayana Iyer, who thinks that untouchables are not equal to his Bhramin caste. He has the skill to draw the poison from snakebites and scorpion stings. He believes that when he says the mantra to draw the poison from the person, the mantra will not work if an untouchable is near him. One day an Inspector sat near him while he drew poison away from a person. After completing his mantra and after the patient was recovered, he told the inspector that the manta wouldn't have worked if an untouchable was near him. The inspector started laughing and replied when he was asked why he was laughing that he himself was an untouchable and the mantra had worked. From then on Narayana Iyer did not mind an untouchable near him.

 v  THE RURAL FANTASY:

This story is about a woman named Sakunthala who made the young women of the Kanaiyazhi educated and asked them to be brave and daring. She made the Kanaiyazhi people clean their village and asked them to keep it clean. She taught them now to read and sing songs. But when Sakunthala returns to Kolkata, they all start littering again. But the women of Kanaiyazhi still follow Sakuthala's advice.

The other stories are:

The letter, Rebirth of Srikanthan, The Governor's visit, The Big swelling sea, S.S.Menaka, Ruined Fort, Veenai Bhavani and Madatevan's spring.

It was an interesting book with nice stories. I enjoyed reading it. It is a must read for people who want to read good books.

Eldest- Inheritance Book Two

Eldest (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Eldest- Inheritance Book Two

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters: Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, Arya, Roran, Nasuda. Galbatorix, Ra'zacs, Horst, Solan, Katrina, Angela, Orik, Elva, Urgals, Gladr, Oromis, Trianna, Jeod, Islanzadi, Hrothgar and Thorn.

Description of One Of the main characters: Elva is the young girl who had been cursed by Eragon when she was young. She is very young but has an adult's voice. She saves Nasuda from assassins of Galbatorix.

Whom I like and Why: I like Roran. He is brave. He saves the people of Alagaesia from Galbatorix's men and also from the Urgals. He hides the whole village in Surda with the help of the Varden. He joins with Eragon to save Katrina his wife, whom the Ra’zac took away.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Eragon continues his journey to Ellesmera to get his training as a rider from the elves. Oromis and Gladr train Eragon and Saphira. He comes back to the Varden with Orik to fight Galbatorix. Meanwhile Roran takes the whole of Alagaesia and hides them in Surda. He gets help from Jeod, an old friend of Brom. He loses Katrina to the Ra'zacs. When Eragon fights a war with Galbatorix's men, a new rider emerges. Murtagh had started serving Galbatorix like his father and his dragon's name is Thorn. He tells Eragon a shocking news that they are brothers. Selena was Eragon's and Murtagh's mother. Morzan was their father! Murtagh is older than Eragon. Murtagh takes away Morzan's sword given to Eragon by Brom saying that the sword has to go to the eldest of Morzan's sons, not the youngest. This is the end of Eldest.

The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy

Photograph of scene designed by Jo Mielziner for George Bernard Shaw's "Doctor's Dilemma." Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Library. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy

Author: George Bernard Shaw

Main Characters: Sir Patrick Cullen, Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington, Sir Colenso Ridgeon, Cutler Walpole, Leo Schutzmacher, Dr.Blenkinsop, Louis Dubedat, Redpenny, The newspaper man, Mr.Danty, Jennifer Dubedat, Emmy and Minnie Tinwill.

Description of the main characters:

Sir Patrick Cullen:

Sir Patrick Cullen was a doctor. He advises Ridgeon and the other young doctors like Leo Schtzmacher, Dr.Blenkinsop, Sir Ralph Bloomfield  Bonnington. He likes to grunt for everything. He is jealous of Ridgeon's new discovery.

Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington:

Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington is a tall man . He is a kind doctor. He is Ridgeon's friend. He is a born healer. He is known to everyone as B.B.

Sir Colenso Ridgeon:

Sir Colenso Ridgeon is a man of fifty. He won his knighthood by finding how to cure consumption and tuberculosis. The medicine he invented cures people only if he uses the medicine. If other doctors use it the patients get killed.

Cutler Walpole:

Cutler Walpole is an energetic man of forty. He is never in doubt. He is not hesitant. He is a great surgeon. He thinks every disease is because of blood-poisoning.

Leo Schutzmacher:

Leo Schutzmacher is a not very rich man. He was Ridgeon's classmate in the university college school. He is known to Ridgeon as Loony. He earns money with two magical words: 'CURE GUARANTEED.'

Dr.Blenkinsop:

Dr.Blenkinsop is very different from the others. He is clearly not a prosperous man. He wears shabby clothes and there are lines from the face because of worrying. He is also Ridgeon's friend.

Setting/Theme of the story: Ridgeon becomes Sir Colenso Ridgeon as he finds out the cure for tuberculosis + consumption. His friends, Dr.Blenkinsop, B.B, Schutzmacher, Cutler Walpole and Sir Patrick Cullen, congratulate him. While all these doctors congratulate Ridgeon a lady waits outside to meet Ridgeon. Emmy, the serving woman, sends the lady inside to Ridgeon. She introduces herself as Jenifer Dubedat. She tells Ridgeon that her husband has tuberculosis and insists that he should save her husband. Ridgeon does not accept. He says that he already has 10 cases and cannot take any more. She pleads him and he accepts. Later Dr.Blenkinsop gets tuberculosis and Ridgeon takes upon the case. Hence he hands over Mr.Dubedat's case to B.B. As the medicine invented by Ridgeon for tuberculosis works only if Ridgeon uses it and kills if not used by him, Louis Dubedat dies and Blenkinsop survives. Since Ridgeon knows that the medicine would kill Louis if not used by him and yet hands over the case to B.B , the death of Louis becomes a tragedy.

Perry Mason Mystery: The Case Of The Grinning Gorilla

Judge Hershey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Perry Mason Mystery: The Case Of The Grinning Gorilla
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Main Characters: Perry Mason, Della Street, Paul Drake, Benjamin Addicks, Herman Barnwell, Helen Cadmus, James Etna, Josephine Kempton, Nathon Fallon, Hardwick and Hershey.
Description of one of the main characters: Perry Mason is a very intelligent lawyer. He is very shrewd. He sorts out all the problems of his clients easily and cleverly.
Whom I like and why: I like Paul Drake as he helps Mason solve problems for Mrs. Kempton by doing some detective work. He works for the Paul detective agencies.
Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Herman Barnwell as he murders people. He is searched by police everywhere. He hides in Australia. He is Benjamin Addicks's brother.
Setting/Theme of the story: Perry Mason buys the diaries of Helen Cadmus, a girl who commits suicide in a voyage. He unexpectedly becomes the lawyer of Josephine Kempton who was with Helen Cadmus during the voyage. Benjamin Addicks and his men, Nathan Fallon, Hardwick, Herman Barnwell and Hershey, try to get hold of the diaries. Benjamin Addicks tries to hypnotize gorillas in his house. Benjamin Addick dies and Josephine is accused of murdering him. Perry Mason finds out, with the help of Paul Drake and Della Street, that a gorilla has murdered Addicks.
Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Nathan Fallon claims that he is a distant uncle of Cadmus and wants her diaries.

Eragon- Inheritance Book One

Eragon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Eragon­­- Inheritance Book One

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters: Eragon, Roran, Arya, Murtagh, Ajihad, Saphira, Galbatorix, Ra'zac, Brom, Durza, Horst, Solan, Uncle Garrow, Angela and Orik.

Description of One of The Main Characters: Eragon is a poor farm boy. He likes wandering in the spine, the huge range of mountains. He lives in Alagaesia. He gets hold of a dragon egg and become a rider. He names his dragon as Saphira. Later, he kills the shade, Durza. He is the most powerful rider apart from Galbatorix, the evil rider, who is still alive.

Whom I like and Why: I like Murtagh as he is a loyal friend of Eragon and helped him after Eragon's teacher, Brom died. He was Morzan, the Forsworn’s son. He once saves Eragon from the shade Durza in Gil'ead. He has a long scar in his back. He is brave and trust worthy.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike Galbatorix as he is an evil monster. He is a rider, but used his thought badly. He combined his power with his dragon and by making somebody die with pain. He controlled the Shade and Durza and also the Urgals, horned beasts.

Setting/Theme of the story: It all starts when Eragon finds a dragon egg, and mistakes it too be a valuable stone, in the spine. As he is a poor farm boy he thinks of earning some money by selling the valuable stone but nobody in Alagaesia wants anything that is from the Spine. So Eragon goes back to his room in Uncle Garrow's house. One night the stone breaks and a Sapphire blue dragon emerges from it. When Eragon touches the dragon, he gets a silver mark in the palm indicating him as a dragon rider. After a few weeks, two Ra'zacs attack uncle Garrow's house and kill him when Eragon and his cousin, Roran, are out. After uncle Garrow's death, Roran sets out to get a job. Eragon finds an old story teller named Brom and sets on quest with his advice to defeat the Ra'zacs. On their way Brom teaches Eragon how to fight with a sword and also how to use magic. One day the Ra'zacs attack and kill Brom. Eragon doesn't understand what to do and he wanders helplessly. He finds Murtagh and they both become friends. They go to the Varden and meet the Ajihad. They save the elf Arya from the Shade. They help the Varden fight the Urgals and save Tronjeim, the place where dwarves live. During the fight Eragon kills Durza, the shade and earns th title 'Eragon Shadeslayer' from Arya. He thanks Saphira for combining her power with his.

Ponniyin Selvan: The Crown

The first three parts of the story Ponniyin Selvan are  The First Floods, The Cyclone and The Killer Sword. Now to the 4th part The Crown.

Title: Ponniyin Selvan: The Crown

Author: Kalki R. Krishnamurthy

Main Characters: VallvarayanVandiyathevan, Poonkuzhali, Parthibendran, Adhitha Karikalar, ArulmozhiVarman(Ponniyin Selvan), ParanthakaSundaraChozhar, KundavaiDevi(IlayaPirati), MadhuranthakaDevar, Kandaradithar, Nandini(PazhuvoorRani), ChinnaPazhuvetaraiyar, PeriyaPazhuvetaraiyar, KudanthaiJosiyar, Malayaman, SendhanAmuthan, KandanMaran, Manimekhalai, AzhvarkadiyanNambi(Thirumalai), EasanaBhattar, Vanathi, Aniruddha Bhramarayar and Sambuvaraiyar

Setting/Theme of the story: As Aditha Karikalan does not turn back, Vandiyathevan goes to Sambuvaraiyar's palace to ensure that the prince is safe. The prince and Vandiyathevan enjoy themselves by going out for hunting and boating. Meanwhile, Adithan's best friend Parthibendran,  KandanMaran and Sambuvaraiyar plan to kill the Crown prince. Prince Arulmozhi Varmar is still in Anuradhapuram. This is the end of the fourth part. 

Stay tuned for the last part, Part 5.