Fiza Pathan's Blog, page 2

#Review 'Emily of New Moon' L.M.Montgomery

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


EMILY OF NEW MOON : CLASSIC

Where books are concerned these days, we notice that the ‘series style’ is in vogue which right now does not seem to want to go. Where L.M.Montgomery is concerned however, she wrote her series way back in the early part of the 20th century……& her works are classics. L.M.Montgomery’s book ‘Emily Of New Moon’ has always according to me been a source of inspiration where writing has been concerned. The book revolves around the character of Emily who loses her father by age seven & is by lot adopted by the spinster clan of her mother’s family at New Moon. The storyline is gentle & careful where details are concerned, making the book a wonderful read.
However, children & teenagers these days don’t fancy the innocent Emily of New Moon……,they prefer action packed dramas between people & creatures that are not real. The modern day fiction characters have dug the grave of many real life characters & Emily is sadly one of them. However, Emily in her sort of coma stage is still quite immortal as her life story is as real as ours…even though she is just a character in a book. Her story is constantly being repeated in society & so she though not remembered today…..can never really be forgotten.

The drama of Emily’s life is unfurled very tenderly by the pen strokes of Montgomery ; Emily’s dreams, wishes, imagination, friends, teachers etc., are the planets which revolve around a true classic story. The author goes also to the extreme of indirectly indicating Emily’s spelling mistakes & how they improve as the years go by………as we turn the page & get mature just like little Emily. Compared to ‘Anne Shirley’ who is a popular character among Montgomery books , Emily is very impulsive but also very secretive like all artists are. Her child like emotions are at times not so child like if the reader sinks deeper into the storyline.

Many situations in the book are quite similar to ‘Anne Of Green Gables’ but the personalities of both the protagonists are different & this difference has been maintained by the author throughout the book which still can capture the readers attention. It is a profound work which captivates a reader where dialogues & emotions are concerned. There are also many ironical parts in the book, none greater than the last chapter where Mr. Carpenter (Emily’s school master) actually mocks Emily’s poems which when WE read them seem outstanding. Indirectly, Montgomery indicates to the reader that poetry is quite a subjective concept which can only be understood by tuning in on the emotional side of the verse.

Many other short stories or tales are carefully introduced into the manuscript by the author like the tale of Isle’s mother, Cousin Jimmy’s sad accident, Teddy’s peculiar mother etc., all which add on to the central theme & not diverting our attention. These short incidents are wholesome which digests into the reader’s system. These characters are shadowy however, & much of their descriptions portray them to be people who have been hurt physically, mentally & even emotionally in the past. Emily’s ‘descriptions’ throughout the narrative at times makes us laugh & at other times makes us ponder over our own hidden phantoms. Like Anne of Green Gables, Emily too makes quite a few mistakes but…they are fewer in comparison.
All in all however I must conclude that ‘Emily Of New Moon’ is a classic which can live on as we grow up…day by day…minute by minute……second by second.




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CLASSICS: Why we should encourage children to read them

#Review Godplayer by Robin Cook

Godplayer by Robin Cook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


BOOK: Godplayer

AUTHOR: Robin Cook

This novel was a medical thriller classic. It was interesting & engaging…..two qualities that make a medical thriller work. The gripping ending was well written & the characters captivate the reader. The idea of SSD (Sudden Surgical Death) is well laid out in this book along with many other soul searching questions associated with the medical field. However, the main question put forward in this book is one which is still asked till this day………..who can judge who really requires expensive medical aid of a hospital……..everyone ? even when there are shortage of beds ? even those who we know won’t survive for long ?......who is going to bell the cat…..who is going to play God ?
The story is well presented with a lot of heated dialogues about what is morally right & what isn't when one is concerned about treatment. The easy way a person can kill another in a hospital is also very well described in this book. To give internists a chance to work on patients, the risks involved & all the information about a surgery that is kept a secret from unquestioning patients is well illustrated in this novel. The delicacy of cardiac surgery is also one of great importance that is presented in this novel & how many people each day die of heart related symptoms.

Another idea that presents itself in this book is about the egoism & narcissistic tendencies of excellent surgeons. The pressure on good surgeons is tackled very well by Robin Cook including the way such surgeons often take recourse to drugs to overcome the sort of ‘emptiness’ they feel within after too much of adulation. However, as the book describes, such surgeons often are unable to be in control of their thoughts & emotions & therefore, have a terrible end.

Two characters that stand out in this novel are the famous cardiac surgeon Thomas Kingsley & his wife Cassandra (Cassi) Cassidy who is a first year psychiatrist who was earlier into pathology. Both are very different characters. Though Cassi is the protagonist in the story, more emphasis is given to her spouse Thomas who is a very volatile character always on tenterhooks & ready to burst at all times. Their failing marriage along with Thomas’ drug abuse is the focal point of this novel. Both characters have tendencies to be dependent on an external factor to feel ‘fine’. While Cassi finds her solace in her husband, Thomas’ finds his in drugs & extra-marital affairs. The author ultimately relates how intelligence does not necessarily mean one can be successful in life……only when one is happy with ones state of life & takes each day as it comes, only them is one in total control of ones faculties.

The bureaucratic interference in surgery as well as the drastic decisions they take to make a mark in the market is also put forward very well & delicately in the novel. How business has changed the face of medicine especially surgery is narrated in most of the chapters in a very interesting way as well as the loopholes that such groups want to keep a secret or shield from the public eye. In the novel it is shown that truth always does not garner importance if it interferes in the working of the bureaucracy. The story shows the reader clearly how the fine line separating medicine & business is slowly disappearing.

Thrilling & a challenge to read, Godplayer is a real looking glass into the workings of the human mind &………….how at times it is simply too easy to kill.




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The Ensouled Violin by Madame Blavatsky

The Ensouled Violin by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


SHORT STORY: The Ensouled Violin
AUTHOR: Madame Blavatsky
This story by revered Madame Blavatsky is certainly a masterpiece in all aspects be it philosophy, literature, history, psychology, mysticism, religion & above all, music. It seems that this short story stemmed from one of the Madame’s nightmares. There are many themes, personalities & topics that consist of this masterpiece of literature which does not in the least stagnate the horror story, but only accentuates it to a crescendo, quite in keeping with the musical theme of the narrative. More than anything else however, the main theme of this story is ‘passion’….passion that makes a person either rise to the summits of the highest mountains of heaven, or sink into the cauldron of hell itself. It is passion that makes Franz Stenio the young violinist to rival with the great musician Paganini ; it is passion for the beauty of the sound of the violin that makes Franz play to the imaginary onlookers he terms as the very gods & goddesses of Greece ; it is passion that makes Franz believe that he can rival the music of Orpheus’lyre(Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth); it is passion for fame & brilliance that makes Franz challenge Paganini to a sort of violin duel ; it is the passion for mortal acclaim that Franz in desperation uses the intestines of his beloved adopted father Samuel Klaus to string up his violin BUT most of all, it is the passion for music itself that leads Franz Stenio to his ultimate doom for as the story rightfully shows, love always comes before perfection & adulation. Indeed it was strangely the holy & righteous love of Samuel Klaus which lead to the ultimate end of Franz Stenio, the main character of this story.
The story by Madame begins with the arrival of Franz & his adopted father & teacher Samuel Klaus to the city of Paris. They start living in humble quarters & Samuel tries to bring up the career of his adopted son. Unknown to the devoted father of course is the past history & psychology of his pupil. The pupil, Franz Stenio is of a disposition most rare. He was brought up the narrative shows as a typical Styrian of those days (alluding to the years before 1828) surrounded with superstitious lore concerning ghouls, vampires etc. as well as being a dabbler in ceremonial magic, sorcery, occult arts & alchemy. The student however has little to do with these practices, his time, energy & soul being totally devoted to music, especially his violin.
The ‘violin’ itself to me seems like a real life character in this story. There have been many demonic stories & legends concerning the violin in general which are also mentioned in the story. Madame has mentioned rightly, the legend of the famous Tartini & his famous ‘Sonate du Diable’ which according to folklore was actually played on the violin by the devil himself to Tartini while the latter was asleep. The composition till date as Madame mentions remains a most unusual one which people consider to be the consequence of Tartini’s bargain with the devil. Paganini who is also a main character in this short story of horror is also mentioned to have strung his violin with the intestines of a very dear friend who loved him very much, thus his playing drove people into a sort of musical ecstasy or frenzy. Black magic plays a very important role here in this narrative indicating how through the black arts, human organs are used as powerful magical agents.
Franz Stenio however is unawares of this aspect of the black art & continues to play his violin. When his money runs short, he returns to his mother who is a firm Christian & is appalled with the knowledge that her son does not go to church. She unfortunately as the story goes dies in bed of a chill while trying to supplicate heaven to bring back her son to the church. After this, Franz lives a Bohemian lifestyle only playing to the Greek gods until his tutor finds him. This tutor is none other than Samuel Klaus who beseeches his pupil to give up his current state of life & become his son.
It is at this point of time something very important takes place. For a long period of time, Franz was not really interested in worldly glory for his playing………it is Samuel Klaus his teacher who reawakened in his pupil this desire which ultimately leads to his doom, just the way the love for fame & glory without humility always leads to one’s doom.
Note that though during Franz’s three month lifestyle after his mother’s death he spent his life like a bohemian, he was genuinely happy. He infact as the narrative states was leading a life full of bliss……until the greed of fame entered into his mind. The evil of greed therefore is highlighted in this most extraordinary story.
The story goes on to show how adopted father & adopted son travel through several German cities & earned praise but when they reached Paris, they were hindered in their course of work by a musician of unparalleled excellence, Niccolo Paganini.
The arrival of this rival sets the tone of despair in the hearts & minds of Samuel & Franz who were the worshippers of fame. They realize for themselves at a concert after pawning their watches to buy tickets that it was true…….Paganini was a much better player than Franz Stenio. However, Samuel Klaus makes his fatal mistake by stating that Paganini’s talent was not of this world & that he had made a pact with the devil to play so well. Furthermore, Samuel also informed Franz of the theory of human intestines being used as strings for Paganini’s violin. Possibly, the tutor was only trying to make Franz feel better & not to let his wounded pride fester indicating to him indirectly that at least Franz was not a devil worshipper. However, instead of making Franz feel better……..it literally drove Franz insane. A sinister look immediately came upon his face as it does on someone who is desperate. Franz immediately declares to his adopted father that to gain human adulation, he too would be willing to sell himself, body & soul to the evil one.
Here, Madame shows us how the craving for human glory can derange a person’s mind & indirectly recalls to our mind how only humility & simple day to day living can only make us true free citizens away from devilish & evil bondages.
Franz immediately goes into a sort of brain fever & is cared for by his loving tutor Samuel Klaus. During this time, Franz starts to rave aloud, indicating that he would only become a great musician if he managed to string his violin with the intestines of his beloved tutor for human intestines was not all that was important as legend goes…….it is important also that those intestines should have belonged to someone who had loved the violinist with an unselfish & holy love. We do however realize that Franz does not want to kill Samuel that’s why he feels like a prisoner. In the narrative, Franz describes himself as Prometheus (the Titan god of forethought and crafty counsel who was entrusted with the task of moulding mankind out of clay) whose arms & legs are bound with the four strings of the violin…made of intestines. All this & much more is heard by Samuel which brings out two other aspects of this story that surpasses pride, self-glory & fame……these are love & sacrifice.
Samuel Klaus being the person he was devoted as a mother to his adopted son & self-sacrificing as a Christian martyr….kills himself for the sake of Franz, so that the young man could use his intestines to string his violin. It is Samuel’s holy & perfect love for Franz that makes him do this. I quote here from the narrative itself which forms part of the last letter which Samuel hands over to Franz :
“Take your instrument with you & dog the steps of him (Paganini) who filled our lives with bitterness & despair…………then only wilt thou hear with what a magic power the full notes of unselfish love will issue forth from thy violin. Perchance, with a last caressing touch of its chords, thou wilt remember that they once formed a portion of thine old teacher.”
Madame shows here how unselfish true love can be & one cannot ignore the choke in ones throat after reading the above immortal line. Yet, fooling with the devil is not wise & this leads to the untimely & horrific death of Franz.
Indeed Franz strings his instrument with the intestines of his beloved teacher & even challenges Paganini to a violin duel. However, before the duel, Franz grows restless & queer. The devil seems to be acting up & tries to force Franz in the voice of his teacher FROM THE VIOLIN BOX to unstring the intestines. Franz refuses to do so forgetting the legend of Tartini who apparently according to his teacher died one fine Sabbath night, strangled by his familiar demon who had taught him how to endow his violin with a human voice (Tartini died on February 26, 1770 after a long illness it is officially recorded).
During the duel, it is true….Franz seems to be out beating Paganini but at the last moment….from the sounding board of the violin comes out squeaking, jarring tones which ruins the whole performance & makes Franz a laughing stock. To add to this….a voice is actually heard from the sounding board saying:
“Art thou satisfied, Franz, my boy?......Have not Gloriously kept my promise, eh?”
Whether it is really the sarcastic voice of Samuel’s spirit or a devil, no one would know for immediately Franz is killed on stage after being surrounded by a grey mist.
This story is full of meaning & has a lot of moral depth. It shows us how one simply can lose oneself in one’s own ambition. It also shows us how great literature can really be written. I salute Madame.





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#review The Vampire of Kaldenstein by Frederick Cowles

The Vampire of Kaldenstein by Frederick Cowles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


BOOK : The Vampire Of Kaldenstein
Author : Frederick Cowles

Being an ardent reader of books in the horror genre, I was very pleased on coming across this incredible short story written by Cowles. The author according to me has surpassed himself in this absolutely grotesque story of the unearthly Count Of Kaldenstein who as the title amply suggests is a vampire who continues living by feasting on the blood of innocent victims. Many of my fellow readers on reading this enchanting story would presume it to be a sort of a similar recounting of the classic novel 'Dracula' penned by Bram Stoker specially the first part of the narrative where Johnathan Harker visits Count Dracula's castle inspite of the many warnings he had encountered by the locals. To such readers I would like to clarify that this masterpiece has no connection whatsoever to the Gothic story of 'Dracula'. The story of Cowles is an ingenious work of art which creates a very horrific atmosphere that any reader of the fantastic would be thrilled by. His storyline is different as well as the way he presents his protagonist. One cannot deny Cowles the credit of being a very extraordinary writer of terror.

The story is divided into four parts very systematically & very professionally by the author. The protagonist who is on a walking tour across Germany in the year 1933 as the story goes, loses his way somewhat & manages to find himself in a very rural & primitive looking village called Kaldenstein.The people there are simple but friendly & the innkeeper there offers him food & boarding. The descriptions used by the author are not tiresome but infact enhance the whole effect of the story upon the reader’s mind. Many times in the story, the descriptions are the tools with which the author is able to create a scene of horror which mystifies us & also scandalises us. This is seen very well when the protagonist observes castle Kaldenstein blocking the full moon across a starless sky indicating an image of foreboding. The author also masterfully portrays how in a simple village setting….there lays an evil most powerful & ancient. In the story this is clearly shown when the villagers in the inn refuse to speak about the undead Count OF Kaldenstein & also when the innkeeper himself bolts his door shut before he informs the author about the number of years the count had been residing alone in the castle (300 years). The descriptions enliven the narrative & creates in the reader a fear which only a great story-teller can do.

The characters are portrayed very well in the narrative, even though it is a short story. The characters are brought alive with the use of a minimal amount of introductory statements which are sufficient to inform us about the character’s traits & to go on with the story. Be it the head strong protagonist, the devilish Count Of Kaldenstein, the mysterious & half blind servant of castle Kaldenstein or even the thin Christian priest who ultimately saves the protagonist from a very gruesome death……all the characters are wholesome & very well described.

Scepticism is portrayed very well in the protagonist. His scepticism however turns to defiance when he challenges the warnings of the locals as well as of the priest & visits the castle of Kaldenstein twice, once in the morning where he returns safely & the second time at night to meet the Count …..where he does not emerge until he is saved by the priest & the innkeeper. Scepticism is degraded in the narrative whereas a belief in the unknown is questioned leaving the reader at the end of the story in a questioning frame of mind.

The character of the Count Of Kaldenstein himself is definitely different to that of Bram Stoker’s ‘Count Dracula’. Unlike ‘Count Dracula’ the Count of Kaldenstein is uncivil & is not in control of his basic instincts. This is portrayed very well when the Count licks up the pool of blood dripping out from the protagonist’s cut hand. He also delves in Black magic which has made him immune to death altogether according to the Kaldenstein priest. Otherwise, The Count Of Kaldenstein possess similar characteristics of regular vampires. He is quite unusually pale with sharp pointed teeth & also is extremely strong. His strength is observed when he lifts the protagonist off his bed from the waist as if the protagonist was just a mere child.
The most gruesome part of the short story however, is when the helpless protagonist is placed upon the dining table ready to be feasted upon by three vampires, two who were technically supposed to be dead while one was technically immune to death. The idea of each of them feasting upon the blood of the victim first from throat then the breast & then the neck is revolting yet, the author has managed to make the story very much the stuff of high-brow classic literature which prompts the reader of the fantastic to go on towards the climax. The protagonist however is saved by the priest & the innkeeper who forces the Count Of Kaldenstein to open his castle door with the aid of the Catholic Blessed Sacrament.

The story ends with a mystery & a feeling of wonder at the reality of it all. On another note, the atmosphere created by the author is tantalizing & yet, highly peaceful just like the remote village where the story takes place.

All in all, a must read for all horror genre readers especially those who prefer their vampires devilishly evil.




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The Teenage Book Of Life

Human beings are very intricate pieces of work and teenagers are a certain category of human beings which are made up of ‘many intricate moods’. They construct themselves and the people around them according to their moods and fancies. They do this even with the Bible, and mark my words….the Bible is a teenage soul’s paradise. On this occasion, of ‘Bible Sunday’, I thought it appropriate to look into the complex moods within the framework of the ‘Word of God’.

The Bible has got a way to absorb within itself, the state of mind of a troubled or absolutely absurd teen. The Bible says it all ….. It speaks about friendship in the Book of Samuel- the friendship between David and King Saul’s son, Jonathan. It speaks about relationships like the complex love story of Hosea in The Book of Hosea, the eternal story of Samson and Delilah in the Book of Judges and the love of Jesus for all of us in the Gospel of John. It also speaks about patriotism, affections, radicalism, rebelliousness and freedom of expression.

The Bible also touches the teenager’s heart when the story of Job is being read at Church. Many teens find themselves at times asking their parents, priests and peers the same questions raised in The Book Of Job:

(1) Why am I suffering?
(2) Where is God when I need him?
(3) Why can’t I just ‘die’?

Same questions…..same reactions….then and now!

In Esther, Judith and Ruth a teenage girl finds the fortitude to stand up for what she feels is right. (Whether society agrees or not, which it often doesn’t) whereas in Joshua, David and Abraham ____a teenage boy finds a person they can relate to men who were challenged at such a young age to make a difference in society…in the world ….. and ….. to build on their faith.

King David teaches us repentance for our weaknesses (this includes pornography!) and failings and God’s unconditional and inexhaustible love to counteract it. The story of Samuel could be the story of a young Catholic’s early call into a vocation or the story of Saint Paul for that matter in the Acts of the Apostles. The Books Of Maccabees teaches us about how at times following the right values inculcated in us may cost us a lot, at times our lives _____ but its worth it….each and every time, especially if we know we are doing it for the truth, just the way our Lord Jesus did on the Cross or Saint Stephen in the Acts Of The Apostles.

The Book of Wisdom teaches a teen to be practical and God fearing at the same time and the ‘Song of Songs’ brings out the Spice of Life (romance of course). Yes….the Bible comes in various shades, sizes and copies but, it’s the story within the story that elicits in us a joy unimaginable. It’s the story of a searching soul and moreover, the soul of a teenager with his or her moods, dreams and aspirations.

Ziya's Last Dance

It was the Christmas Night Party and all the college students in their tight miniskirts and hipster jeans were there all bright & happy. They joked and danced the jive to the beat of the music provided by the DJ—–all except, little Ziya.

Ziya was a young teenager who was feeling rather awkward amidst all the short skirted variety while she was dressed in a violet salwar kameez. Ziya had come alone to the party and she knew or thought she knew that like all other Christmas parties this evening too, no one would ask her for a dance. For Ziya was not like every other teenager, she was different ——and very quiet so everyone preferred to keep away from her. She truly was personification of the ‘one, who stands throughout life all alone’, but yet even such a person is never alone as this story will tell.

The last song was being played by the DJ, it was a waltz. Every couple was waltzing slowly over the dance floor engrossed in each other’s eyes. Ziya knowing it was late lifted herself from the plastic white chair she sat on the whole evening and walked to the exit when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see a handsome young man with sea green eyes and bright golden hair staring at her fixedly. The man said “Will you dance with me?” And without giving a second thought, Ziya put her hand into his and they started to waltz to the tune of the Anniversary song. As they danced Ziya was captivated by the young man’s gaze who emanated a soothing calmness that she had never experienced before – she knew she was falling in love. When the song ended Ziya asked the young man who he was. But the young man with a gentle smile held the chin of the excited little Ziya and said:

“Do you want to dance with me again?”

“Yes”, exclaimed Ziya.

“Then next year come to this party once again and I will dance with you”, said the young man releasing Ziya’s chin and running out of the party hall before Ziya could catch him.

Ziya looked for him everywhere even tried later at home to find him on the computer – but she did not see her sea green eyed dancing partner——until the following year when they met again at the same Christmas Party. This time the young man was dressed in a suit and Ziya was a year older. But, they danced the night away without a word passing between them and like the previous year the young man promised Ziya to meet her the following year again and he disappeared.

Every year Ziya danced with her golden haired stranger, her love never failing just like his promise, every Christmas dance.

One year however Ziya got the news from her doctor that she had been diagnosed with Cancer – the last stage. Ziya was not worried about dying really, she always walked this world alone and thus she knew her end would also leave her soul desolate but — she yearned to see her dancing partner.

That Christmas, Ziya was in the Cancer hospital, her hair shaven and her eyes sunken. Her body ached but all she could think of was the words of her partner: “Then next year come to this party once again and I will dance with you”.

The Christmas day was spent in agonizing pain, while Ziya cried thinking of the Christmas Party that she would miss that night.

When night came, Ziya started to cry again, when suddenly she heard the sound of the tune of the Anniversary Waltz.

“Can it be”, wailed Ziya raising her weak self from the bed —- and behold the young man emerged from the darkness of the room and held out his hand….and they danced.

However when the song ended that night, the young man clasped Ziya’s pale and cold hands and said:

“Do you want to dance with me again?”

Ziya cried on hearing his words knowing that her time had come but as she held the palms of his hands….she felt a slight hollowness at the centre of both the palms of the young man….she realized who he was and answered:

“I want to dance every Christmas night with you —- my Lord” and she fell into his arms and breathed her last.

Now those of you who will go for Christmas parties and dance away, here is something you must do. Go to the window and look up at the sky ——-and you will see many stars twinkling as Ziya and her dancing partner dance through the heavens showing that you are never alone. Someone somewhere out there always wants to dance with you.

******************

A story from my book ‘S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories’S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories

NO NAME

It was Christmas Eve and there was merriment going on to the loud beat of club dance music all over Mumbai. It was late evening, Jacob and his friends were ‘clubbing’ with beer and shouting at the DJ to increase the volume of the music to full blast.

“Hey dude, turn up the volume! Don’t you want us to have a ‘Merry’ Christmas,” said Jacob in a half drunk voice as he danced about the whole club.

The music was turned up to full blast while the young merry makers squealed in a drunken delight. Some were over by the dinner tables injecting cocaine into their young veins while some were tumbling upon one another in a mood for an orgy.

It was when the music was at its loudest and the stars were in the sky that the watchman of the club was awakened from his sleep. The watchman’s name was Akhil. He was middle aged and very poor. However, when he opened the door, he beheld a sight which made him thank the Lord that he was in a better position in life. Before him stood two beggars, one a middle aged man like Akhil himself who was dressed in filthy rags which were stained with dirt and grime; the second was a woman with a dark face, clad in a foul smelling sack cloth. Behind them was a white cow with the most beseeching eyes Akhil had ever seen.

It was the music that brought Akhil back to his senses. He immediately told the couple to move away from the club’s entrance.

“Please Sir,” said the man in rags, “let us rest in the open. Everyone has driven us away from their front yards because it seems we spoil the look of their beautiful Christmas decorations. I beg of you, let us stay for the night….my wife is with child and is in labour.”

The moistened eyes of the middle aged man in rags warmed Akhil’s heart, but Akhil was aware that under no condition was he allowed to keep beggars at the entrance. His job was at stake….but his humanity triumphed especially when he saw the pain on the face of the pregnant woman, who he now realised looked ever so young.

Akhil at once took out his cell phone and called his wife from their nearby slum. The woman hastened with a group of elderly ladies and guided the beggar couple to a nearby hospital….but the posh hospital refused them admittance on the basis of their clothes. In the end the beggar couple with their faithful cow, were taken to the slum with a lot of love and care by the slum dwellers.

It was nearing midnight when the cry of a new born baby boy was heard throughout the slum. Akhil’s wife was overjoyed as she held the enchanting looking infant in her arms.

“What shall we call him?” asked a little boy from the neighbouring shanty.

“That’s for the father to decide,” replied Akhil’s wife as she looked at the middle aged man in rags. The man merely answered:

“The boy will have no name, for he was forgotten and ignored on his own birthday.”

A letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

This Christmas is a Special Christmas, a Christmas I will always remember….. for I am writing for a lot of things that I want from you.



Give me a name which will not harm the sentiments of any person.



Give me a new life for because of my life and for my sake my own people are being raped and tortured throughout the world.



Give me a new path for walking the way, for the old one is too tough it seems and that is why many youth and other folks are taking to drugs, alcohol and the like.



Give me a little peace and quiet, for my heart and soul, because the cries of the victims of bomb blasts and riots are deafening me.



Give me a new way to make myself clear for everything I say is misinterpreted by fanatics everywhere.



Give me a new place to stay where there is no hungry beggar, no dying child or neglected villages for I can’t stand such moroseness and at times…the poverty I see around me leads me to despair.



Give me no shape and no form for in the name of what they see they think it’s really me.



Give me another cooler place where I could stay for the global warming is getting to me and the emissions from the many vehicles choke me.



Give me friends for I have none – those who fight and shout out slogans in my name, only nauseate me and do nothing else.



Give me a new entertainment to entertain me for all the media around me is strewn of hate, murder, riots, vulgarity etc.



Lastly good old Santa ….. try giving me a new heart this Christmas so that I can add it to my already most compassionate heart so that both these hearts could match up to the evil that resides in the world.



Thank You



Yours always
The Omniscient

#Review of Saki's 'The Stalled Ox' from 1914 collection 'Beasts & Super-Beasts'

Saki is the true master of witty & macabre storytelling. He proves himself to be a person who does not analyse situations at their face value & gets into the minds of people professing certain ideas. For H.H. Munro, also well known as Saki, the world of simplicity is a world full of weird possibilities. He advances this theory of his, in his story ‘The Stalled Ox’ which appears in the 1914 collection ‘Beasts & Super-Beasts’.

In the story like in most of Saki’s witty stories, especially in this collection of short stories, he presents to the reader an almost ideal set up, where suddenly an unusual problem arises where absurdity begins leading to an anti-climax of a conclusion which at times shocks a person or makes the reader grin wisely. In the story, the main character is an artist named Theophil  Eshley who paints cattle for a living, not because he is obsessed with the theme of dairy farming but because as Saki states, it has become his trademark. This trademark has been linked to him to such an extent that even his two attempts to break away from his own tradition leads him to failure. In the first paragraph of the story itself, one gets an idea of  the hum-drum life of a simple painter who to us on the face of it, will never amount to anything in life but a cattle painter. Saki however, points to us an alternate philosophy to our prejudiced theorization in the form of his ‘problematic situation’.

Most of Saki’s problematic situations are life changing. In this narrative as well, the issue brought to the notice of the artist Eshley by his neighbour Adela Pingsford changes the artist’s life forever. The situation is urgent & absurd to a logical thinker, but simple enough as it goes where probabilities are rampant. Eshley is faced with a situation in which an animal….an ox holds a prominent position. Saki I have observed enjoys to use animals of all kinds, as miscreants of the human world of so called ‘order’. Infact wherever there is a slight trace of order going on, an animal like a piglet, a cock, an elk etc.., play the role of the tutor of humility.

In the story, an ox has entered the garden of the artist’s neighbour which she definitely objects to, as the alleged ox was upsetting her chrysanthemums. The neighbour implores the artist to drive the wayward ox away from her garden. She is of the opinion that since Eshley the artist was a cattle painter, he would be having a sort of ‘extra’ knowledge about how to get an ox off her land. There issues forth a cacophony of crazy dialogues which is hilarious in its simplicity & forwardness.

An avid Saki reader would definitely be aware of the fact that dialogues are of the utmost importance in the author’s short stories. Dialogues are the tools which Saki uses to dish out to the voracious reader of satire a hilarious stream of wacky possibilities which seem so real & yet so fantastic. The dialogues between the artist Eshley & his neighbour Adela are ingenious. The absurdness of human thought & action is presented by Saki very vividly.

Eshley in the story asks rather odd questions to his flushed neighbour that increase the flame of her rage. Eshley also is so indifferent to the whole situation that makes the reader want to chuckle out loud. Sarcasm is used by Saki to the fullest especially through the person of Adela. When Eshley quaintly asks whether the ox won’t just go out on its own, Adela angrily retorts that if it was the beasts initial intention she would not have taken the trouble to meet the artist in the first place & ask for help. Also, when Eshley very feebly tries to drive the stalled ox away with cries of ‘Hish’ & ‘Shoo’, Adela indignantly states that the next time a hen sets foot into her garden, she would definitely call the artist for his assistance in the form of his useless bird calls like ‘Hish’ & ‘Shoo’.

I've noticed also where this story is concerned (as well all of Saki’s short stories) Saki has been able in single sentences even to satirise a lot of events, institutions, ideologies & people. Example is when Eshley mocks the cinema when he states that the oxen that are rounded up on screen may be fake even though they contain a lot of horses to help along with many ‘accessories’. He also picks on The Royal Academy stating that they prefer ‘orderly & methodical habits in its children’.

Another part of the story that amuses me is the almost human side that is given to the ox which seems quite devoid in the artist or the artist’s neighbour. The ox is the one who understands that he is not welcome in the garden after a pea-stick is thrown at him & thus drags himself into Adela’s morning room. Adela on the other hand is flabbergasted when she sees the ox entering her morning room & makes the hilarious statement that where personal preference was concerned, she preferred the ox to stay in the garden rather than in her house. She is also the one who induces the novel idea into the artist to paint the picture of the ox in her morning room which he undertakes to do immediately after it was suggested. The situation seems absurd & nonsensical  but Eshley’s painting of, ‘Ox In A Morning Room Late Autumn’ makes him a real success at last although it does not improve his equation with his neighbour. The story is an anti-climax typical of Saki where the ox that caused a lot of trouble becomes a sensation in the world of art.

In all, the story of ‘The Stalled Ox’ appealed a lot to my taste in subtle humour as well as my love for macabre literature.

 

Fiza Pathan

Review of False Memory by Dean Koontz

False Memory by Dean Koontz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


On the cover of my copy of ‘False Memory’ is a quote about the author by The Times which states that the author Dean Koontz is :
“ Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler”
This is according to me the perfect analysis of not only the authors works in general but also with regard to the book ‘False Memory’. The novel wraps the reader in a web of literature which makes the reader tense & agog with the happenings……I won’t be exaggerating by saying that, the novel felt a lot like a 3D Film with all the special effects courtesy of Dean Koontz who makes the scenario so impressively real &….’happening’. It’s a fast paced thriller with enough of shocking material to make it a must read for any reader interested in a good mystery. What is more however, is the dark recesses of the human mind that Koontz allows his reader to get his or her teeth into. Koontz actually through this novel, has given us a glimpse of a very morbid side of the human brain which can stoop to the most gross business possible, just to feel POWERFUL or in control……the deep dark desire inherent in all of us to control & manipulate is seen in ‘False Memory’ & …….it is seriously frightening.
Dean Koontz has done something equal to an exorcist. He has managed to make the evil side of the imagination ‘talk’. The sordid nature of men in power who we trust with our lives at times (if not all the time) taking us for a ride…..turning us into puppets for their own disgusting pleasurable purposes is gruesome………but, it is real…….IT HAPPENS…….IT HAPPENED………..IT WILL KEEP ON HAPPENING ! As long as men are power hungry & human life is treated like a mere commodity, ‘False Memory’ can take place over & over again, across borders……….into the very depths of the human brain.
The story puts the reader on target at the very beginning itself in the usual Dean Koontz way, & an ardent Dean Koontz reader will know, the action always begins in the first chapter itself. In the story, we have four people who are connected in a very intricate way. There is Martie who is a well-balanced & great human being, until out of the blue she is diagnosed with autophobia (fear of oneself) ; there is her best friend Susan, who apparently also suffers from a serious phobia called agoraphobia (the fear of open places) & feels that she is being mysteriously sexually violated in her sleep….when there is no one in the house & the doors are bolted ; there is Dusty who is Martie’s ever caring & alert husband who is always out to help people, but who cannot get over the fact that he has been having some memory lapses ; then there is Skeet, Dusty’s wayward 23 year old brother who is an addict to drugs & suddenly one day plans on finishing himself by jumping off someone’s roof. All these incidents are neatly warped up in a maze of deceit & violence beyond ones imagination.
The characterization is excellent but, the character in the book that most intrigued me was the psychiatrist Dr. Mark Ahriman. He is shrouded in mystery although he is the real central character of this whole story & appears in every chapter after the first few three initial chapters. What I appreciate is the way Koontz brings out the terrible side of this man of medicine which results in dire consequences. The doctor himself was a child prodigy but who had a warped sense of living life that clouded his humanity & unleashed his thirst not only for the tears of his victims but also the power to control them. This character brought to my mind the various influential people in today’s modern world who have power in their hands…….but do we really know what’s really going on in their minds, its eerie & so is Dr. Ahriman.
The novel also brings to light corruption in the medical field where people with influence get away with murder or even child molestation……….or worse! (as in the case of the novel) Such practitioners instead of being on the edge, rather, enjoy themselves in style without the slightest trace of a conscience ; of course, sometimes insanity & warped mentalities does aid to obliterate all reason just like in the book ‘False Memory’.
There is a contrast of conscience however seen in the character of the ruthless doctor & in Martie , Dusty, Skeet & Susan ; the later four although not highly intellectual, are much better humans than not only Dr. Ahriman but also Dusty’s step father whose half crazed world of ‘ideas’ got the whole lot of characters into the mess in the first place. This novel proves that, what the world needs is not intelligent personalities, but people with hearts big enough to save even one life.
The way the author unravels the mystery through the person of the astute Dusty is pure genius & his descriptions are spooky enough to drive the reader into a frenzy if read at night.
Altogether, a very interesting thriller to possess in one’s library.




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Fiza Pathan