Book Review of "Starter Villain"

Starter Villain is a breezy, no-strings-attached fun book with a tongue-in-cheek writing vibe. It manages to both mock and justify the craziness of what it means to be a villain and how a villain would actually be in a modern world. The characters are well fleshed out with the absolute favorite being a genetically enhanced smart cat that is wickedly good at investments and portfolio management. This book is my introduction to John Scalzi and it has made me a fan of his writing style for sure. A definite 4/5.

"Think about it - villains are neither inherently good nor bad by themselves—their “goodness” or “badness” is entirely dependent on the perspective of the observer."

Book Review of "Co-Intelligence"

“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.”

“Co-Intelligence” is a concise, research-based and easy-to-digest book that talks about the current state of LLMs, how they work behind the scenes, what they can and can’t do and where we should and should not use them. 

The author, “Ethan Mollick” is a Wharton Professor who became famous in the Tech circles in 2024 when OpenAI cited his prompts in their research posts. If you work in Tech or Tech-adjacent fields, I highly recommend his substack where he regularly talks about AI and LLMs for folks who are AI power users but not necessarily AI technology experts. 

“This is the paradox of AI creativity. The same feature that makes LLMs unreliable and dangerous for factual work also makes them useful.”

The first half of the book might not be new information if you use LLMs heavily and/or follow AI development regularly. It is still an excellent summary though - covering everything from the concept of Transformers (the seminal 2017 paper from Google) to the human reinforcement training and current challenges in pre-training that results in bias. But it is the second half that is truly worthwhile. The author discusses social & economical changes that AI has brought about already and will likely bring in the future. 

“AI is the first wave of automation that broadly affects the highest-paid professional workers. Plus, AI adoption is happening much more quickly, and much more broadly, than previous waves of technology. And we are still unclear as to what the limits, and possibilities, of this new technology are, how quickly they will continue to grow, and how ahistorical and strange the effects might be.”

It is a superb and engaging read - that can and should be read regardless of whether one has a background in computer science or in AI/ML. The open ended discussions are thought-provoking. The book does not overtly laud AI and neither does it veer towards a doomsday scenario. Overall, a nice balanced and academic viewpoint. A solid 4/5.

Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries #4 - Exit Strategy

“I don’t know what I want. I said that at some point, I think. But it isn’t that, it’s that I don’t want anyone to tell me what I want, or to make decisions for me.”

I have to admit, the fourth installation in the Murderbot Series really did connect back to the previous books and tied up everything nicely. The plot is a bit predictable in this one but if you have stuck with the series so far, you are already fond of the sentient humanoid robot (who keeps getting sassier and sassier as the series progresses), so the predictability of the plot isn’t a dealbreaker. Overall, an enjoyable series and would recommend it to any SciFi aficionado. 4/5.

Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries #3 - Rogue Protocol

Well, the “Rogue Protocol” definitely sticks to the script like the previous two books in the series. Crisp story, fast pace & lots of action with our endearing sentient bot in the center of it all. What is slightly annoying now is that even though I am three books into the series and enjoying it so far, I don’t see a long encompassing theme per-say. This is more like a set of stories - strung together because of the same protagonist. Maybe something overarching will emerge in the next books, one can hope. Still, Rogue Protocol itself is perfectly enjoyable - 4/5.

Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries #2 - Artificial Condition

“Sometimes people do things to you that you can’t do anything about. You just have to survive it and go on.”

You know what's more fun than a fully sentient humanoid robot with deadly weapons? A one that also has a heart of gold. Even though this all sounds like a cliche, the second installment of the Murderbot Diaries series did not disappoint. Just one issue - it ended abruptly, and the world building seemed annoyingly incomplete at times. Still the book as a whole was a breezy fun. "Artificial Condition" - a strong 3.5/5 

Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries #1 - All Systems Red

"I don’t know what I want. But it isn’t that, it’s that I don’t want anyone to tell me what I want, or to make decisions for me."

Humanoid robots becoming self-aware and fully sentient isn't a new trope anymore. In fact, it wasn't a new idea even back in 2017 when this book was first published. Still, the first book in the Murderbot Diaries, "All Systems Red" is a fun, entertaining and a quick read. This isn't necessarily just a popcorn Sci-Fi - the world building is intriguing, and it is nice to read the story from the first-person view of the protagonist who is a sentry robot that has just become self-aware. Give it a go, 4/5.  

Book Review of "Fool Me Once"

Murder Mysteries are fun when the premise isn’t too far-fetched, and the mystery isn’t too obvious. “Fool Me Once” met and somewhat exceeded both the conditions. It is fast, action-packed and just predictable enough to make it enjoyable but not really boring. Don’t think too much about all the pieces and look at the story for what it is really meant for - entertainment. 3.5/5 stars.

Book Review of "Payer for the Crown-Shy - Monk & Robot #2"

"You don’t have to have a reason to be tired. You don’t have to earn rest or comfort. You’re allowed to just be. I say that wherever I go.”

Having enjoyed the first book in the Monk & the Robot series, I picked up the second one - “A Prayer for the Crown-Shy” - hoping to get more of the thought-provoking philosophical discussions between a fully sentient robot and a monk, but what I got was less discussions and a whole lot more of a commune-like world building - which I admit was slightly annoying to me. I still enjoyed this book and will pick it up when the 3rd one of the series comes by but not completely sold on the whole narrative of the Crown-Shy.

“So, you see, it’s enough that I’m experientially different; I don’t want to be physically different, too.”

Book Review of "A Psalm for the Wild-Built - Monk & Robot #1"

“I think there’s something beautiful about being lucky enough to witness a thing on its way out.”

Becky Chambers’ SciFi books are not your typical SciFi stories - they have more heart than expected, the philosophical discussions are deeper & darker than first anticipated and the stories pull you in emotionally without having an iota of melodrama. A unique blend for SciFi books.

“Every living thing causes damage to others, Sibling Dex. You’d all starve otherwise.”

“A Psalm for the Wild-Built” is the first book in the “Monk and Robot” Series. A super-slow & somewhat frustrating start. But the last 2/3rd portion of the book is basically a long discussion between a Tea Monk and a sentient Robot discussing anything and everything. And even though it may not sound great, trust me, it's simply amazing. Even though nothing actually happens in the book, you will be left with a smile on your face and a yearning for more. A definite ⅘.

“That’s immortality. How is that less desirable?” “Because nothing else in the world behaves that way.” 

Book Review of "Animal Farm"

“Animal Farm” is the best political satire I have read in the last few years! Its short, to-the-point & so humorously allegorical that you are left with both a smile on your face & a sinking feeling in your heart as the stark irony of the communist political ideology is brought forth. Recommended!

"All Animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

Book Review of "Sultan of Delhi - Ascension"

“But then again, the truth is never what really happens. The truth is what we choose to believe.”

When it comes to Arnab Ray’s blogs and podcasts, I have always been a fan; not so much though when it comes to his books. However, his not-so-latest novel, “Sultan of Delhi” (which is recently turned into a Hotstar TV Show) ended up being sufficiently entertaining and enjoyable - in a way that “Bahubali” and “Singham” type of movies are, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing IMO! 

This is a pure “masala” book - there is a plethora of action, sex, cussing, intrigue, double-crossing and whatever else makes a story “click” as per the analytics of today’s streaming-world. What is a definite welcome change though; especially as compared to Arnab Ray’s previous books; is that “Sultan of Delhi” doesn’t try to be anything more than a masala story - there is no underlying philosophy, no metaphor about life or anything like that (yes, I am looking at you “The Mine” and “The Mahabharata Murders”) - just a straightforward action-packed tale. 

A definite 4/5 to the Sultan of Delhi for remaining true to what it wants to be. One gripe though - the ending is ridiculously abrupt. I understand that this is “Part 1” of a 2-part saga and the author purposefully didn’t want a cliffhanger but the way this book ends is super annoying.

"Arjun felt slightly drunk now, swimming in that nice warm buzz you get if you stop drinking at just the right time, when you lose your inhibitions, but you are still all right. "

Book Review of "Shivaji: India's Great Warrior King"

Author Vaibhav Purandare’s “Shivaji: India’s Great Warrior King” is the kind of historical literature that I thoroughly enjoy. This is a factual, evidence-backed piece of writing with a somewhat dry prose - which might not be everyone’s cup of tea but is right up my alley when it comes to reading history books; especially those focused on the 17th and the 18th century Indian history. What makes this book even better is the complete lack of caste-based jingoism and political undertones. In other words, it tells the history of the great Chhatrapati based on the available verified sources and not a fancily embellished fairytale. Having read quite a few books about the Chhatrapati and the Peshwas, I was pleasantly surprised to still find a few new tidbits here and there about the great king. Definitely recommended if you are a history buff.

Book Review of "What To Expect When You Are Expecting"

Despite countless YouTube channels and Instagram handles giving out useful, relevant and medically backed information about what to expect in a Pregnancy (provided you know which handles to follow and which to ignore), it is the 90s kid in me that was still craving for a “textbook” like information source when my wife began the pregnancy journey.

“What to Expect When You're Expecting” is a super-easy read that squarely answers the many questions soon-to-be parents will doubtless have. Not only was this book useful as an information source to understand the changes my wife was going through but also as a quick “reference” whenever we would stumble on something. The only qualm I have is that the statistics & the overall research data is skewed towards American and western body types and the “averages” mentioned do not always apply to Indian and broadly Asian populace.

Book Review of "The Club"

Being an avid follower of football (no, I am not going to call it Soccer) and specifically the English Premier League (EPL) for quite a few years, the business aspects of EPL - the most successful sports league in the World - have always intrigued me. So what should an EPL fan do for the summer months between the end of the previous season and the start of the new one? Read a book about the EPL of course! 

“Data shows that EPL is the greatest sports entertainment product in the World. In the span of twenty-five years, the league's clubs have increased their combined value by 10,000 percent!”

“The Club” is a fascinating & truly captivating story of anything and everything EPL. Of course, if you are not a fan of EPL, this book is clearly Not for you. The history of EPL’s formation, how a few 30-something investors worked together and competed together to create the most commercially successful sports league is just amazing to read. The original founders might have taken inspiration from the USA’s NFL and the NBA, but they tweaked and tinkered enough things to make EPL uniquely British and still the most Internationally impactful league ever. 

The book has enough new and behind-closed-doors information to fascinate long term fans of English football while the tone and the details are accessible enough for casual fans as well. There are definitely some stories that I would have liked to dig deeper and would have liked to know more, but is not a dealbreaker. 

The book however is not perfect. There are 2 glaring issues. First is that the Audiobook narration is horrible. I switched to the kindle version and never looked back. Secondly, there are unnecessary time jumps that don’t really add any value and are just a nuisance.

Overall though - highly recommend this book if you are an EPL fan and are interested in business aspects of a sports league. 

“The EPL business, ultimately, embodies the challenges of globalization, of the push and pull between expansion and identity, about the universalization of a product that is steeped in decidedly local customs.”

Book Review of "The End of Eternity"

“Any system like Eternity, which allows people to choose their own future, will end by choosing safety and mediocrity, and in such a Reality the stars are out of reach.”

The level of creativity in Isaac Asimov’s ‘The End of Eternity’ is remarkable. What makes it even more fantastic is when you realize that this was published close to 70 years ago! 

But like so many other Asimov novels, this book is dry with absolutely threadbare character development. The factual narrative takes complete center stage - which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Definitely enjoyable if you know what you are getting into, ⅘ from me.

“Out of danger and restless insecurity comes the force that pushes mankind to newer and loftier conquests.”

Book Review of "Born a Crime"

“Success is an answer, failure is an answer, rejection is also an answer. But regret, regret is just an eternal question you will never have the answer to - ‘What if’ and ‘If only . . .’ “

“Born A Crime” turned out to be funny, entertaining and insightful! I admit I did not expect to get pulled in emotionally into Trevor Noah’s story, but boy was I wrong. The audiobook, narrated by Trevor Noah himself, is a mini emotional rollercoaster ride covering the institutionalized racism that was the Apartheid and the effect it had on a biracial, curious boy growing up in South Africa. 

When it comes to Trevor Noah, I have been through the usual stages of being a fan. Started off being a bit apprehensive and judgy when it was announced that he’ll be replacing John Stewart back in 2015. Then from being pleasantly surprised to slowly becoming a closeted fan of his take on the Daily Show and finally attending his live show and enjoying it thoroughly. 

Give this book a try whether you are a Trevor Noah fan or not, you won’t be disappointed.

“My mother raised me like a white kid—not white culturally, but in the sense of believing that the world was my oyster, that I should speak up for myself, that my ideas and thoughts and decisions mattered.”

Book Review of "The Paper Menagerie"

“Judging was the luxury of those who did not need to survive.”

Before reading “The Paper Menagerie”, I only knew Ken Liu as the guy who translated the Three Body Problem - one of my favorite SciFi novels - from Mandarin to English. It turns out that not only is he a brilliant original story crafter himself, but also has an amazing range as a writer. The stories in “The Paper Menagerie” are beautiful, surreal, deeply moving and range from your typical SciFi stories to surprisingly profound and sometimes even gruesome. Highly recommend it if you are a fan of the genre.

“We have been wrong to be drunk and asleep. We should be drunk and fighting.”

Book Review of "A Brief History of Time"

Even though I found “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking to be fascinating and filled with multiple jaw-dropping “wait what!” moments, it is not an easy book to read. Especially the chapters about string theory and quantum mechanics made my brain wonky and I had to re-read some portions to somewhat wrap my mind around it (and I am sure I have still missed some key points). Full disclosure, don't expect a casual, bed-side read, but definitely enjoyable if you are ready to put in some work. 

Book Review of "Matthew Perry Autobiography - Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing"

“You have to get famous to know that it’s not the answer. And nobody who is not famous will ever truly believe that.”

Be warned - it is not at all a pleasant experience to read (or listen to) this book - it chronicles how horribly Matthew Perry's life has been wrecked countless number of times by addiction to alcohol and opioids.

On one hand, because of being an absolute FRIENDS fanboy (I don’t think I’ll ever stop randomly binging a couple of episodes once in a while) and Chandler being one of my favorite characters - I was looking forward to this book (I remember being sad when I heard that “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” was canceled after the 1st Season). But on the other hand, knowing that this was about Matthew Perry’s addiction and his struggles and his countless rehab stints - I was a little apprehensive too. The usual “never meet your heroes” kind of unease. I went for the audiobook version simply because it is narrated by Matthew Perry himself. But it did not help much - this is a difficult and sobering book to listen to.

Definitely credit to Matthew Perry for being honest and literally bearing it all about his struggles. That being said though, it does get a bit icky in some parts - especially when he repeatedly tries to place the blame on his parents or when he bad mouths the rehab doctors and nurses who were trying to help him to the best of their abilities and also the unnecessary digs at Keanu Reeves. If nothing else, Matthew Perry is smart and not delusional at all about how he is perceived. For example - he clearly admits that he doesn’t expect anyone to feel sorry for someone who was earning upwards of a million dollars per episode for the last 3 seasons of FRIENDS. 

Many of us are guilty of reacting in a judgmental way to an addict’s story. But I like to think that this book has given me some semblance of an idea of how horrendous & terrible a disease addiction really is. And that is credit to Matthew Perry - regardless of how the book is.

“I think you actually have to have all of your dreams come true to realize they are the wrong dreams.”

Book Review of "Ender's Game"

“While they rarely agreed about what the world ought to be, they rarely disagreed about what the world actually was.”

The first thought that came to my mind after reading the Ender’s Game is that I should have read this in my late teens or early twenties. Maybe back then, the whole spiel about ‘that one special gifted kid who can save the World against a generic faceless enemy’ would have seemed thrilling. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this book - just that I wasn’t swept away by it - at all. Ender’s Game checks off all the things one would expect from a YA somewhat-SciFi novel - ranging from the angsty “no one ever understands me” protagonist to a couple of strict-for-the-greater-good mentors. Overall, it’s ok, don’t take it too seriously and you will enjoy it - 3.5/5.