What do you think?
The Winner's Curse...
A political thriller about national ID numbers, power and greed.
Orphan Harsh makes it to the billionaire club with a burning vision, sheer intellect and the blessings of his political Godfather. The favours must now be paid back through a huge Guru Dakshina. To honour his Master’s wish, Harsh, with the help of his fellow IITians, sets out to create a never-seen-before governance technology around the national ID numbers, that will change the face of democratic India.
Everything is at stake: money, reputations, egos and morals. Even lives.
Will they succumb to insatiable greed in the murky games of politics, backstabbing and subterfuge or will they be redeemed by the ‘Ten Commandments’ that once forged their ideals at college?
If you thought that supreme technology and unalloyed power can bring lasting change or that e-governance and transparency can address the ills of our system, The Winner’s Curse will force you to think again. For what’s at stake is: YOU.
The Winner’s Curse: the turbulent voyage of talent and intellect in the morass of turpitude.
Orphan Harsh makes it to the billionaire club with a burning vision, sheer intellect and the blessings of his political Godfather. The favours must now be paid back through a huge Guru Dakshina. To honour his Master’s wish, Harsh, with the help of his fellow IITians, sets out to create a never-seen-before governance technology around the national ID numbers, that will change the face of democratic India.
Everything is at stake: money, reputations, egos and morals. Even lives.
Will they succumb to insatiable greed in the murky games of politics, backstabbing and subterfuge or will they be redeemed by the ‘Ten Commandments’ that once forged their ideals at college?
If you thought that supreme technology and unalloyed power can bring lasting change or that e-governance and transparency can address the ills of our system, The Winner’s Curse will force you to think again. For what’s at stake is: YOU.
The Winner’s Curse: the turbulent voyage of talent and intellect in the morass of turpitude.
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2013
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 10, 2014
This book didn't work at various levels for me. Although I found the overarching plot and the pacing to be Ok, the fact that too many characters were introduced and they just kept flitting in and out of the action without necessarily making a big impact on the overall story was something that didn't quite work for me.
October 4, 2018
The book is a thriller which revolves around National ID Numbers.The characters in this book are mostly IIT graduates.And the book is based on the Ten Commandments of IIT.
Harsh,who is also IIT graduate and now a successful businessman is a loyal disciple to his Master,who is a leader of political party.Harsh calls him Babuji and respects him and is ready to do anything because he feels that he owed his success in life to him.Babuji dreams of Jan Shakti,the project that can bring complete transparency into the dealings between public and government,and remove corruption and black money from the system.Babuji's real intention behind thsi project is to get dictatorial power.He waits for the right time and uses Harsh in order to fulfil his dream.And he gives it a name of his Guru Dakshina.
Harsh is good ideal man and he is not aware of his master's will behind this project and dedicatedly works for him.
The book focusses on the Ten Commandments of IIT,it shows how people who pass out from this reputed institution,deals with the life,their outlook towards life and how they work towards the betterment of nation without thinking of their personal gain and how they think about the bigger cause.
I loved reading this book and was eager to know what will happen next.I loved the characters of Arvind Pandey who did his duty so well and without thinking about his life,he continued his service.Then I liked how Kamal Pandey who fought till the end for justice.Its shows how students of IIT build strong and good characters and who tries to become moral beings.I found Harsh's speech at his college meet,very motivating when he says that ' If I can,each one of you can.Harsh followed all Ten Commandments of IIT and lived a very good life because of his hard work .
The story ends with a strong message that we should stick to our morals,and we should stop playing foul and bending laws for our personal gains.And we should also remember that truth can only be saved by conscience.
Harsh,who is also IIT graduate and now a successful businessman is a loyal disciple to his Master,who is a leader of political party.Harsh calls him Babuji and respects him and is ready to do anything because he feels that he owed his success in life to him.Babuji dreams of Jan Shakti,the project that can bring complete transparency into the dealings between public and government,and remove corruption and black money from the system.Babuji's real intention behind thsi project is to get dictatorial power.He waits for the right time and uses Harsh in order to fulfil his dream.And he gives it a name of his Guru Dakshina.
Harsh is good ideal man and he is not aware of his master's will behind this project and dedicatedly works for him.
The book focusses on the Ten Commandments of IIT,it shows how people who pass out from this reputed institution,deals with the life,their outlook towards life and how they work towards the betterment of nation without thinking of their personal gain and how they think about the bigger cause.
I loved reading this book and was eager to know what will happen next.I loved the characters of Arvind Pandey who did his duty so well and without thinking about his life,he continued his service.Then I liked how Kamal Pandey who fought till the end for justice.Its shows how students of IIT build strong and good characters and who tries to become moral beings.I found Harsh's speech at his college meet,very motivating when he says that ' If I can,each one of you can.Harsh followed all Ten Commandments of IIT and lived a very good life because of his hard work .
The story ends with a strong message that we should stick to our morals,and we should stop playing foul and bending laws for our personal gains.And we should also remember that truth can only be saved by conscience.
October 25, 2020
People run behind success, thinking that it’s the only thing worth living for. Well, those people are in a rat race. There’s a lot more to life than just chasing a term that has high societal acceptance. We live for ourselves, not to please others.
‘The Winner’s Curse…’ is a fast-paced book whose storyline is based on many characters who made their way out of IIT and went on to do many different things in life, but their paths intertwined through politics and betrayal. There’s one thing that I hated about the book: the sheer advertisement it gave FIITJEE and IIT. Truth be said, I came out of FIITJEE myself, not for engineering but medical, but I would never recommend it. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like the book that much; if it had the original storyline without the amount of gratification it gives to FIITJEE, I would have enjoyed it.
People who might like to read this book are those who feel indebted to coaching institutes and IIT, like society deems them to be.
‘The Winner’s Curse…’ is a fast-paced book whose storyline is based on many characters who made their way out of IIT and went on to do many different things in life, but their paths intertwined through politics and betrayal. There’s one thing that I hated about the book: the sheer advertisement it gave FIITJEE and IIT. Truth be said, I came out of FIITJEE myself, not for engineering but medical, but I would never recommend it. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like the book that much; if it had the original storyline without the amount of gratification it gives to FIITJEE, I would have enjoyed it.
People who might like to read this book are those who feel indebted to coaching institutes and IIT, like society deems them to be.
February 17, 2015
First Impression: For a seasoned reader, I shamelessly admit that I still give brownie points for a well designed cover and aptly worded book back blurb. In this day and age, the packaging and the promotion need to be done meticulously and eagerly – writing the book is half the battle, selling it is the other half. So good covers and blurbs make people pick your book from the thousands of other choices they have.
I usually give points in excess for an aesthetically designed cover, the first impression. But the same generously given points will be reassessed and changed based on the relevance of the cover image to the content and the adherence of the plot to the summary. Thankfully, The Winner’s Curse manages to keep each and every single one of its well deserved marks for this.
Not to mention too much about the plot, it includes everything that is given in the book blurb. And to manage all that within 300 pages, while introducing Ten Commandments and too many characters would have been a feat by itself. A political thriller should have enough elements to keep up the pace and add the intrigue factor, while making sure people relate to the characters.
The Winner’s Curse sounds like exactly the title for a book where the lead character would pray a heavy price for finally achieving what he had always wanted – victory. And yes, I am not going to disappoint you by saying anything else. The book shows you what it means to be cursed – that hopeless curse of having everything you ever believed, you ever stood for being shattered right in front of your eyes. Harsh and the Master – and their introduction scene, wow!
Well written, seamlessly executed political thrillers are rare, agreed. But politics and a mild suggestion of some undercover activities by seemingly genuine people would always elicit an interest in the reader’s mind – mostly because the maximum they can do is read about it, in newspapers, books, and TV news scrolls, without actually doing anything. This book banks on that aspect and manages to deliver all those ‘Masala’ elements in healthy sized doses. Maybe that is one point in its favour when it has to compete against many other books of its genre.
The book manages to hold interest mainly due to its fast pace and a myriad of interesting characters that capture each reader’s attention in their own way. But the same in depth characterisation will be a bane and pace dampener for this book. No one likes to remember too many characters and simultaneous plot lines and most often than not, only seasoned readers can breeze through the book at a comfortable pace. General readers would have to keep going back pages to regain their equilibrium.
The plot is racy, the story is different, though not unique, and the characters are developed well. Or rather, developed in too much detail, thereby bringing the narrative to a snail’s pace sometimes. It is actually best to leave certain aspects of a character to the reader’s imagination! Mr Dee Walker please do take note. Though I enjoyed reading this book very much, too much information dampens the pace.
SPECIAL MENTION:
The incredible amount of research that has gone into the whole concept of ‘UID’ – and the excellent explanation as to how this is a weapon that has the most power in the hands of the person who wields it.
If you have so far been ignorant, you would start looking at every single piece of data collection equipment (starting from the phones to the automatic teller machines) in a new light hereafter. If you are already paranoid, it will make you even more so.
THIS, I DEFINITELY NEED TO MENTION:
Divvaakar, oh, my bad, Dee Walker has managed to turn every famous person/ corporation/ event into a ‘pun’.
While you are reading the story, you would be struck dumb by the ‘similarities’ of the book’s characters to real, living people, though it might be entirely a coincidence (Disclaimer)
So the next time you see ‘Doodle’, forget that it is, in fact, a very much recognised, registered trademark of a famous company and instead substitute a few letters to shine ‘light in a new angle’ upon what it actually refers to. I burst out laughing (inappropriately, in a public transport, for that is when I was reading the first few pages of the book!) at this reference.
‘Coolmail’ anyone? Antonyms, probably. ‘CoolSMS’ would have done the trick!
WHAT I LIKED:
The detailed research, the story that does justice to its summary.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
Too many characters in short spans of time mean the characters don’t leave lasting impressions. And the puns. It would have been better to generalise than substitute each name with a easily recognisable pun.
VERDICT:
If political intrigue and the constant tug of war between good and evil is something you like reading about, give this book a try.
RATING: 3.5/5
For full review see : http://readmuse.blogspot.in/2015/02/t...
I usually give points in excess for an aesthetically designed cover, the first impression. But the same generously given points will be reassessed and changed based on the relevance of the cover image to the content and the adherence of the plot to the summary. Thankfully, The Winner’s Curse manages to keep each and every single one of its well deserved marks for this.
Not to mention too much about the plot, it includes everything that is given in the book blurb. And to manage all that within 300 pages, while introducing Ten Commandments and too many characters would have been a feat by itself. A political thriller should have enough elements to keep up the pace and add the intrigue factor, while making sure people relate to the characters.
The Winner’s Curse sounds like exactly the title for a book where the lead character would pray a heavy price for finally achieving what he had always wanted – victory. And yes, I am not going to disappoint you by saying anything else. The book shows you what it means to be cursed – that hopeless curse of having everything you ever believed, you ever stood for being shattered right in front of your eyes. Harsh and the Master – and their introduction scene, wow!
Well written, seamlessly executed political thrillers are rare, agreed. But politics and a mild suggestion of some undercover activities by seemingly genuine people would always elicit an interest in the reader’s mind – mostly because the maximum they can do is read about it, in newspapers, books, and TV news scrolls, without actually doing anything. This book banks on that aspect and manages to deliver all those ‘Masala’ elements in healthy sized doses. Maybe that is one point in its favour when it has to compete against many other books of its genre.
The book manages to hold interest mainly due to its fast pace and a myriad of interesting characters that capture each reader’s attention in their own way. But the same in depth characterisation will be a bane and pace dampener for this book. No one likes to remember too many characters and simultaneous plot lines and most often than not, only seasoned readers can breeze through the book at a comfortable pace. General readers would have to keep going back pages to regain their equilibrium.
The plot is racy, the story is different, though not unique, and the characters are developed well. Or rather, developed in too much detail, thereby bringing the narrative to a snail’s pace sometimes. It is actually best to leave certain aspects of a character to the reader’s imagination! Mr Dee Walker please do take note. Though I enjoyed reading this book very much, too much information dampens the pace.
SPECIAL MENTION:
The incredible amount of research that has gone into the whole concept of ‘UID’ – and the excellent explanation as to how this is a weapon that has the most power in the hands of the person who wields it.
If you have so far been ignorant, you would start looking at every single piece of data collection equipment (starting from the phones to the automatic teller machines) in a new light hereafter. If you are already paranoid, it will make you even more so.
THIS, I DEFINITELY NEED TO MENTION:
Divvaakar, oh, my bad, Dee Walker has managed to turn every famous person/ corporation/ event into a ‘pun’.
While you are reading the story, you would be struck dumb by the ‘similarities’ of the book’s characters to real, living people, though it might be entirely a coincidence (Disclaimer)
So the next time you see ‘Doodle’, forget that it is, in fact, a very much recognised, registered trademark of a famous company and instead substitute a few letters to shine ‘light in a new angle’ upon what it actually refers to. I burst out laughing (inappropriately, in a public transport, for that is when I was reading the first few pages of the book!) at this reference.
‘Coolmail’ anyone? Antonyms, probably. ‘CoolSMS’ would have done the trick!
WHAT I LIKED:
The detailed research, the story that does justice to its summary.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
Too many characters in short spans of time mean the characters don’t leave lasting impressions. And the puns. It would have been better to generalise than substitute each name with a easily recognisable pun.
VERDICT:
If political intrigue and the constant tug of war between good and evil is something you like reading about, give this book a try.
RATING: 3.5/5
For full review see : http://readmuse.blogspot.in/2015/02/t...
January 14, 2015
Real Time Intelligence: Review of ‘The Winner’s Curse’
*
Politics, political subterfuge, political nexus, political patronage, and the politics of a socio-economic drama… these will no longer remain mere words once ‘The Winner’s Curse’ by Dee Walker has been read. Yes, the book can be read fast, but then if you’re too fast you just might have to turn back a few pages and go through the text a trifle slower… such is the power of a writer who has managed to converge intrigue, politics, technology, and ground-level tactical moves in a rather readable way.
Yes, it is actually S V Divvaakar writing this book under his pen name, Dee Walker… and this one is quite different from the one having a similar name and written by Marie Rutkoski. So if you’re searching for details on the book I am reviewing, you just might have to add Dee Walker to the title unless you want to read little passages of an entirely different nature. But such funny coincidences apart, let me just begin by saying the author has a very fiscal-flavoured giggling style throughout the book. I mean even his jokes are the sort that would bring the fastest smiles from the dadas at Dalal Street.
‘See, he has promised to pay “do taka” right?’ the lawyer said.
‘Yes! But “do taka” means two percent, and two percent of fifty million is one million dollars, man!’
‘How?’
‘In the stock market, ‘taka’ means percent. Dotaka means two percent. Ask anyone in India?’
‘In India, but not in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, ‘do taka’ means two Bangladeshi rupees.’
So yes, this is swindling with a lot of flourish, and the book takes a reader into the chromosomal pool of swindling. Yes, there are political parties, power, greed, money, reputations, egos and morals… all of them, like the orphan Harsh, dropping names to get the fastest solutions and then admitting: ‘Everybody drops names in town. I decided to drop pictures. More effective. I even have pre-recorded audio clips, just in case. If you have to lie, do it in the best way.’
The book isn’t a historical treatise on politics and doesn’t take you into the yesteryears at all. This is a tale where you’ll meet fascinating people like the Master, Harsh, Armani, and Rocky… you’ll meet the tantalising schemes that the masses fall for, you’ll meet the dumb and gullible masses, and you’ll meet technology in the garb of fantasy. All this in a contemporary setting… I felt almost as if I am reading a detailed report on something that is happening right now. It is this element of ‘right now’ that attracted me most… and so I loved reading passages on the way electronic cash interacts with the system to cleanse it.
‘It gets better. With funds credited electronically, cash will soon become redundant. Black money will gradually disappear.’
‘What about the black money that’s already in the system?’
‘That stays as it is. Only, there won’t be a fresh creation of cash.’
‘That should take care of the politicians then.’
‘Babuji, once we have broadband-enabled homes connected to a government agency, people should also be able to get their public services – passports, tax refunds, and land registration, everything, everything online. There won’t be a need to queue up anywhere.’
The most exciting parts are those where the contemporary realism of politics and economics are crushed and put in a glass and stirred with a lot of ‘robotics, drones, and bio-parts’ and also quite a large dose of micronics, a miniature world where the unit of measurement is the femto, a millionth of a nano… and as a reader I simply marvelled at the ease with which this word mixologist called Dee Walker did it all...
*
Please read the complete review on my blog (www.passey.info0
Real Time Intelligence: Review of ‘The Winner’s Curse’
http://passey.info/2014/12/real-time-...
*
*
Politics, political subterfuge, political nexus, political patronage, and the politics of a socio-economic drama… these will no longer remain mere words once ‘The Winner’s Curse’ by Dee Walker has been read. Yes, the book can be read fast, but then if you’re too fast you just might have to turn back a few pages and go through the text a trifle slower… such is the power of a writer who has managed to converge intrigue, politics, technology, and ground-level tactical moves in a rather readable way.
Yes, it is actually S V Divvaakar writing this book under his pen name, Dee Walker… and this one is quite different from the one having a similar name and written by Marie Rutkoski. So if you’re searching for details on the book I am reviewing, you just might have to add Dee Walker to the title unless you want to read little passages of an entirely different nature. But such funny coincidences apart, let me just begin by saying the author has a very fiscal-flavoured giggling style throughout the book. I mean even his jokes are the sort that would bring the fastest smiles from the dadas at Dalal Street.
‘See, he has promised to pay “do taka” right?’ the lawyer said.
‘Yes! But “do taka” means two percent, and two percent of fifty million is one million dollars, man!’
‘How?’
‘In the stock market, ‘taka’ means percent. Dotaka means two percent. Ask anyone in India?’
‘In India, but not in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, ‘do taka’ means two Bangladeshi rupees.’
So yes, this is swindling with a lot of flourish, and the book takes a reader into the chromosomal pool of swindling. Yes, there are political parties, power, greed, money, reputations, egos and morals… all of them, like the orphan Harsh, dropping names to get the fastest solutions and then admitting: ‘Everybody drops names in town. I decided to drop pictures. More effective. I even have pre-recorded audio clips, just in case. If you have to lie, do it in the best way.’
The book isn’t a historical treatise on politics and doesn’t take you into the yesteryears at all. This is a tale where you’ll meet fascinating people like the Master, Harsh, Armani, and Rocky… you’ll meet the tantalising schemes that the masses fall for, you’ll meet the dumb and gullible masses, and you’ll meet technology in the garb of fantasy. All this in a contemporary setting… I felt almost as if I am reading a detailed report on something that is happening right now. It is this element of ‘right now’ that attracted me most… and so I loved reading passages on the way electronic cash interacts with the system to cleanse it.
‘It gets better. With funds credited electronically, cash will soon become redundant. Black money will gradually disappear.’
‘What about the black money that’s already in the system?’
‘That stays as it is. Only, there won’t be a fresh creation of cash.’
‘That should take care of the politicians then.’
‘Babuji, once we have broadband-enabled homes connected to a government agency, people should also be able to get their public services – passports, tax refunds, and land registration, everything, everything online. There won’t be a need to queue up anywhere.’
The most exciting parts are those where the contemporary realism of politics and economics are crushed and put in a glass and stirred with a lot of ‘robotics, drones, and bio-parts’ and also quite a large dose of micronics, a miniature world where the unit of measurement is the femto, a millionth of a nano… and as a reader I simply marvelled at the ease with which this word mixologist called Dee Walker did it all...
*
Please read the complete review on my blog (www.passey.info0
Real Time Intelligence: Review of ‘The Winner’s Curse’
http://passey.info/2014/12/real-time-...
*
December 4, 2014
The Winner's Curse is a political thriller about national ID numbers, power and greed. It narrates the story of how a group of IITians use their knowledge and networking to create a governance technology based on national ID numbers and how greed for power leads to their doom.
The story seemed quite interesting and topical. If you have been following current news for the last two-three years, you will be able to link and identify situations and people. UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) was launched in India with such fanfare in Feb-2009 and most of us have already obtained an AADHAAR card. The book also touches on the sensitive and controversial topic of governments spying on its citizens; something that Edward Snowden exposed quite shockingly to the entire world in Jun-2013. Also, the book's characters be it businessmen or politicians are easily identifiable as they seem to be inspired by real-life people.
The book's story moves across New Delhi, Haryana, Dubai, Bangalore, Dharwar and San Jose. It has an equal mix of businessmen (telecom moguls Harsh Mittal & Rajan Khosla), politicians (the Master), Govt. officials (Raghav Badhwar & Aravind Pandey) and activists (Kamal Pandey). There's also the Master's son-in-law Robbie who seems quite similar to a certain famous son-in-law quite in the news these days. Kamal Pandey's middle-class, activist image seems to be inspired by another 'Aam Aadmi'. Savita Bhambi, the influential PR person, reminds us of another PR lady who was in the news quite sometime back.
Though the book's primary plot is setting up a national identity number system and using that to set up a secret surveillance system, the plot does not begin to unravel till almost half the book is over. Also, the author has tried to include too many sub-plots as part of the book; this leads to there being too many characters spread across multiple locations. It tends to get quite confusing at times.
In addition to the primary plot, there is a civil activist who is trying to expose the business-political nexus; there is a mining scam in the state of Karnataka and there is an IIT JEE preparation coaching class.
All the central characters have studied at IIT – the country's premier educational institution. However, each person chooses his/her separate path towards achieving their goals – be it power, money, status or serving the people.
The pace of the book is quite fast befitting a thriller. However, since there are multiple characters, I had to go back and forth several times. Also, the intimate scenes/hints at them seem to have been inserted merely from the point of selling the book; they do not seem to have any connection with the story whatsoever.
I am going with 3/5 for this book for the way in which a topical story is narrated linking together disparate items. I only wish the author had restricted the sub-plots. Also, the editing is very bad; words and entire paragraphs have been repeated.
I was given a review copy of this book by the author.
This review first appeared on my blog www.pallosworld.blogspot.com
The story seemed quite interesting and topical. If you have been following current news for the last two-three years, you will be able to link and identify situations and people. UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) was launched in India with such fanfare in Feb-2009 and most of us have already obtained an AADHAAR card. The book also touches on the sensitive and controversial topic of governments spying on its citizens; something that Edward Snowden exposed quite shockingly to the entire world in Jun-2013. Also, the book's characters be it businessmen or politicians are easily identifiable as they seem to be inspired by real-life people.
The book's story moves across New Delhi, Haryana, Dubai, Bangalore, Dharwar and San Jose. It has an equal mix of businessmen (telecom moguls Harsh Mittal & Rajan Khosla), politicians (the Master), Govt. officials (Raghav Badhwar & Aravind Pandey) and activists (Kamal Pandey). There's also the Master's son-in-law Robbie who seems quite similar to a certain famous son-in-law quite in the news these days. Kamal Pandey's middle-class, activist image seems to be inspired by another 'Aam Aadmi'. Savita Bhambi, the influential PR person, reminds us of another PR lady who was in the news quite sometime back.
Though the book's primary plot is setting up a national identity number system and using that to set up a secret surveillance system, the plot does not begin to unravel till almost half the book is over. Also, the author has tried to include too many sub-plots as part of the book; this leads to there being too many characters spread across multiple locations. It tends to get quite confusing at times.
In addition to the primary plot, there is a civil activist who is trying to expose the business-political nexus; there is a mining scam in the state of Karnataka and there is an IIT JEE preparation coaching class.
All the central characters have studied at IIT – the country's premier educational institution. However, each person chooses his/her separate path towards achieving their goals – be it power, money, status or serving the people.
The pace of the book is quite fast befitting a thriller. However, since there are multiple characters, I had to go back and forth several times. Also, the intimate scenes/hints at them seem to have been inserted merely from the point of selling the book; they do not seem to have any connection with the story whatsoever.
I am going with 3/5 for this book for the way in which a topical story is narrated linking together disparate items. I only wish the author had restricted the sub-plots. Also, the editing is very bad; words and entire paragraphs have been repeated.
I was given a review copy of this book by the author.
This review first appeared on my blog www.pallosworld.blogspot.com
December 12, 2014
The Winner’s Curse: the turbulent voyage of talent and intellect in the morass of turpitude.
WHAT I FELT ABOUT THE BOOK
Accelerator
Title: Intriguing and interesting. In fact it was the title that made me want to read the book. Wondered how a winner could be cursed, after all don’t we all believe that winners are the blessed lot? Well I must admit that the book did justice to the title.
The Ten Commandments: Never knew about the ten commandments that IITians follow. It is something that not only the IITians but each and every individual must know and follow.
Story-line : Relevant, realistic, intriguing, interesting and above all an eye-opener. When I say relevant and realistic, I mean that one can easily believe what the author wishes to convey after all aren’t we familiar with the likes of the Master whose only aim is to keep his political career intact, for whom the chair is above everything in life. Then there is his son- in- law good for nothing fellow who’s only qualification is the ‘SIL’ tag, who believes that he is the rightful heir to scepter of power given his relationship to the Master. Then there are the loyals, the greedy, the corrupt and the honest. Each part of the story-line is relevant in the present Indian scenario. There is nothing that one can wave off as just a figment of the author’s imagination and this I think is what makes the story strong.
The twists & turns in the story are often predictable. However here and there we encounter some that add an element of surprise to the story.
Language : Language is simple and crisp. No hard nuts to crack no pebbles to take away the taste thus making the pace and flow just right and smooth.
Characterization : The characters except for that of Savita, are well developed with all their imperfections. One gets to see the strong and arrogant in the Master, the shrewd business tycoon in Harsh, the corrupt in Rocky and the greedy and lecherous in Khosla. One gets to see the myriad shades of the human psyche in ‘Winner’s curse’.
Length: The length of the book is fine.
Decelerator
Characterization: The character of Savita fails to impress. Her character if developed well could have contributed a lot to the story.
WRAPPING UP
Does the book do justice to the objective for which it was conceived?
Yes, the objective as spelt out at the end in the author’s note is well taken care of boo in the pages preceding it. I’d recommend that all out there picking up the book do make it a point to read the ‘Author’s Note.’ You will appreciate the book better if you go through it.
WHAT I FELT ABOUT THE BOOK
Accelerator
Title: Intriguing and interesting. In fact it was the title that made me want to read the book. Wondered how a winner could be cursed, after all don’t we all believe that winners are the blessed lot? Well I must admit that the book did justice to the title.
The Ten Commandments: Never knew about the ten commandments that IITians follow. It is something that not only the IITians but each and every individual must know and follow.
Story-line : Relevant, realistic, intriguing, interesting and above all an eye-opener. When I say relevant and realistic, I mean that one can easily believe what the author wishes to convey after all aren’t we familiar with the likes of the Master whose only aim is to keep his political career intact, for whom the chair is above everything in life. Then there is his son- in- law good for nothing fellow who’s only qualification is the ‘SIL’ tag, who believes that he is the rightful heir to scepter of power given his relationship to the Master. Then there are the loyals, the greedy, the corrupt and the honest. Each part of the story-line is relevant in the present Indian scenario. There is nothing that one can wave off as just a figment of the author’s imagination and this I think is what makes the story strong.
The twists & turns in the story are often predictable. However here and there we encounter some that add an element of surprise to the story.
Language : Language is simple and crisp. No hard nuts to crack no pebbles to take away the taste thus making the pace and flow just right and smooth.
Characterization : The characters except for that of Savita, are well developed with all their imperfections. One gets to see the strong and arrogant in the Master, the shrewd business tycoon in Harsh, the corrupt in Rocky and the greedy and lecherous in Khosla. One gets to see the myriad shades of the human psyche in ‘Winner’s curse’.
Length: The length of the book is fine.
Decelerator
Characterization: The character of Savita fails to impress. Her character if developed well could have contributed a lot to the story.
WRAPPING UP
Does the book do justice to the objective for which it was conceived?
Yes, the objective as spelt out at the end in the author’s note is well taken care of boo in the pages preceding it. I’d recommend that all out there picking up the book do make it a point to read the ‘Author’s Note.’ You will appreciate the book better if you go through it.
January 29, 2015
The plot seems deceptively simple; trust me, it isnt. It is anything but simple; and is a beautifully crafted set of two intertwined plots, based on politics. The first revolves around Harsh, & Babuji. Babuji has thought up a simple plan centred around the Unique Identification Number project, involving connecting each citizen digitally and ensuring proper deliverance of services through e-governance. Tacked onto this is a surveillance and intelligence project. Babuji calls his mentee Harsh, and top businessman and an IITian to boot.
Enter plot no 2: corruption. Some nice, decent and honest gentlemen are involved in a nice sweet and cosy mining set up, involving ferreting out some ore to China, alongwith the mandatory lining of the wrong kind in the right kind of pockets. Well, these nice people run into a most disagreeable and troublesome character who exposes them, or tries to at the very least.
The rest of the story revolves around these two (apparently) totally unconnected plots, as the story gyrates back and forth with effortless ease. What is the connection? What happens next to our set of grey characters- for save a couple, all are etched in tones of gray to some degree? Will they manage to fight the temptations of the trappings of power, and the hypnotic pull of corruption? And how is this material the basis for a cliff-hanger? Read the book to find out!
The Winner's Curse is a fiction book in the political thriller genre; and stays true to its genre in totality. It is based on politics, current events, and is an out-and-out thriller. Not only is the book a thriller, it is also a thriller that does not have any violence at all; and yet manages to keep the adrenalin flowing high in the reader till the last page. It will take an effort just to keep yourself from turning and skipping the pages to see what happens next
The book sets a frenetic pace right from the first page, and carries the plot effortlessly forward. This is a page turner, and you will constantly want to push ahead to see what happens next. A word of advice: this is not a book that you can read in stages or in fits and starts; once you start it, you will have to finish it - that is the quality of the writing. I rate it 5 stars... a class book that is a quick and fast read, and enjoyable as well. And the icing on the cake : a lesson to boot, with the ten commandments {What are they? Read the book!} , and the hard-hitting punch in the end, as the title and its meaning strikes home hard, in a stunning climax...
Enter plot no 2: corruption. Some nice, decent and honest gentlemen are involved in a nice sweet and cosy mining set up, involving ferreting out some ore to China, alongwith the mandatory lining of the wrong kind in the right kind of pockets. Well, these nice people run into a most disagreeable and troublesome character who exposes them, or tries to at the very least.
The rest of the story revolves around these two (apparently) totally unconnected plots, as the story gyrates back and forth with effortless ease. What is the connection? What happens next to our set of grey characters- for save a couple, all are etched in tones of gray to some degree? Will they manage to fight the temptations of the trappings of power, and the hypnotic pull of corruption? And how is this material the basis for a cliff-hanger? Read the book to find out!
The Winner's Curse is a fiction book in the political thriller genre; and stays true to its genre in totality. It is based on politics, current events, and is an out-and-out thriller. Not only is the book a thriller, it is also a thriller that does not have any violence at all; and yet manages to keep the adrenalin flowing high in the reader till the last page. It will take an effort just to keep yourself from turning and skipping the pages to see what happens next
The book sets a frenetic pace right from the first page, and carries the plot effortlessly forward. This is a page turner, and you will constantly want to push ahead to see what happens next. A word of advice: this is not a book that you can read in stages or in fits and starts; once you start it, you will have to finish it - that is the quality of the writing. I rate it 5 stars... a class book that is a quick and fast read, and enjoyable as well. And the icing on the cake : a lesson to boot, with the ten commandments {What are they? Read the book!} , and the hard-hitting punch in the end, as the title and its meaning strikes home hard, in a stunning climax...
June 14, 2015
Orphan Harsh makes it to the billionaire club with a burning vision,sheer intellect and the blessings of his political Godfather. The favours must now be paid back, through a huge Guru Dakshina. To honour his Master's wish, Harsh, with the help of his fellow IITians, sets out to create a never-seen-before governance technology that will change the face of democratic India. Everything is at stake: money, reputations, egos and morals. Even lives. Will they succumb to insatiable greed in the murky games of politics,backstabbing and subterfuge, or will they be redeemed by the “Ten Commandments” that once forged their ideals at college?
Author knows a thing or two about setting up scenes as was quite evident from his earlier foray into the world of first time writers in the blooming but still nascent publishing industry of India. There are multiple scenes in this fast pace narrative which is testimony to the same fact - Protagonist meeting with investors in Dubai or the scenes where even the protagonist have to choose between two friends . Undercurrent fact that we may be dealing with some real educational institutes of India here keep the readers genuinely hooked up and sufficiently interested.
The first 40 odd pages are dense and it will take time to actually get your head around what exactly is going on with these characters and their motivations which is a pity in a thriller of this kind. The author does well to take some hot topics in politics and governance - UIDs, Aadhar numbers, National ids, whatever you want to call it. . I also enjoyed how the author makes a distinction between the have and have nots by the way one uses technology in their daily lives.
Editing leaves a lot to be desired in this book. In the print version i had, there are multiple repetitions of sentences, sometimes even entire paragraphs have been incorrectly printed. The pacing is brisk and there are sufficient number of twists and turns to take you though this frankly, long book (280 odd pages) for a thriller genre. I am also quite sick of Indian writers using the gay angle as a surprise package to make the plot thicker, it has been done to death and quite frankly, does not work anymore and any well read reviewer will see it coming from a distance.
Despite these nags and poor editing, this is decently researched and well compiled book dealing with an unique concept about UIDs. I wish it was more shorter and tighter to have a better impact on readers. I am going with 3/5
Author knows a thing or two about setting up scenes as was quite evident from his earlier foray into the world of first time writers in the blooming but still nascent publishing industry of India. There are multiple scenes in this fast pace narrative which is testimony to the same fact - Protagonist meeting with investors in Dubai or the scenes where even the protagonist have to choose between two friends . Undercurrent fact that we may be dealing with some real educational institutes of India here keep the readers genuinely hooked up and sufficiently interested.
The first 40 odd pages are dense and it will take time to actually get your head around what exactly is going on with these characters and their motivations which is a pity in a thriller of this kind. The author does well to take some hot topics in politics and governance - UIDs, Aadhar numbers, National ids, whatever you want to call it. . I also enjoyed how the author makes a distinction between the have and have nots by the way one uses technology in their daily lives.
Editing leaves a lot to be desired in this book. In the print version i had, there are multiple repetitions of sentences, sometimes even entire paragraphs have been incorrectly printed. The pacing is brisk and there are sufficient number of twists and turns to take you though this frankly, long book (280 odd pages) for a thriller genre. I am also quite sick of Indian writers using the gay angle as a surprise package to make the plot thicker, it has been done to death and quite frankly, does not work anymore and any well read reviewer will see it coming from a distance.
Despite these nags and poor editing, this is decently researched and well compiled book dealing with an unique concept about UIDs. I wish it was more shorter and tighter to have a better impact on readers. I am going with 3/5
December 16, 2014
The book started a tad slow but caught pace rapidly with each turn of the page and got me completely hooked with it's engrossing storyline, strong and defining characters, excellent narration and twists after twists which is what keeps the story moving forward. The way in which the sub-plots are handled by the author and weaved around the main plot shows the author's complete control and direction over his storyline. And apart from that, how the story progresses from past to present to past makes it even more gripping.
One can easily relate to the characters shown in the story and can probably tell who is who in the real world. Similarly, few of the instances are strikingly similar to what's actually been happening in the recent past. And also, the characters are very nicely etched, in a way that brings out the subtle emotions of greed, dominance, jealously etc. perfectly.
The writing is crisp and clean without any proof reading errors. The book is perfectly edited which keeps the readers on tenterhooks all the while. The page quality is perfect and the cover design is also apt.
The book is based on the Ten Commandments of IIT which are sadly forgotten in today's times. The author through the use of the ten commandments tries to show the people's mindset after passing out from the institute and how they get lost in the starry world of money, fame and power. In fact it is the author's way to reflect on the forgotten Ten commandments.
And more importantly, the author carries the message of truth, integrity, justice and honesty through the story and as it is mentioned in the book - "For truth can only be saved by conscience."
Overall: For all the book lovers especially those inclined towards thriller, I say, this is the book to lay your hands upon asap. An unputdownable, riveting political thriller that will leave you sitting on the edge of your couch! Highly recommended.
One can easily relate to the characters shown in the story and can probably tell who is who in the real world. Similarly, few of the instances are strikingly similar to what's actually been happening in the recent past. And also, the characters are very nicely etched, in a way that brings out the subtle emotions of greed, dominance, jealously etc. perfectly.
The writing is crisp and clean without any proof reading errors. The book is perfectly edited which keeps the readers on tenterhooks all the while. The page quality is perfect and the cover design is also apt.
The book is based on the Ten Commandments of IIT which are sadly forgotten in today's times. The author through the use of the ten commandments tries to show the people's mindset after passing out from the institute and how they get lost in the starry world of money, fame and power. In fact it is the author's way to reflect on the forgotten Ten commandments.
And more importantly, the author carries the message of truth, integrity, justice and honesty through the story and as it is mentioned in the book - "For truth can only be saved by conscience."
Overall: For all the book lovers especially those inclined towards thriller, I say, this is the book to lay your hands upon asap. An unputdownable, riveting political thriller that will leave you sitting on the edge of your couch! Highly recommended.
December 14, 2014
I received The Winner's Curse... in a giveaway which I had entered and forgotten. Frankly, I didn't even know what the book was about and the ellipsis in the very title made me go...
The book was mildly confusing and highly inconsequential. The characters came and went with zero impact. Not for a moment did I feel like I was reading a thriller. There was too much IIT worship and incoherent pauses. Plus, the editing was mediocre.
However, I appreciate the detailed research the author must have done to infuse so much information in this book, all of which was technically correct. Dee Walker deserves an approving nod from me for NOT delving into cheap hostel-romances which is what most IIT alumni writers care to write about whom I regard simply as tree-murderers... *deep breathing*
In all probability, the author initially had a good hold on the story, but in execution, the book became more about itsdull, cliche, unimpressive characters than the plot itself. It could have been a thought-provoking and stimulating political thriller. Well, it missed the mark by about 37 degrees approx.
Interestingly, I finished reading this in four hours - not because it is a page turner but because I was speed reading. Anyhow, my thanks to whoever decided to send this book to me for free. I deliver my generous two stars.
The book was mildly confusing and highly inconsequential. The characters came and went with zero impact. Not for a moment did I feel like I was reading a thriller. There was too much IIT worship and incoherent pauses. Plus, the editing was mediocre.
However, I appreciate the detailed research the author must have done to infuse so much information in this book, all of which was technically correct. Dee Walker deserves an approving nod from me for NOT delving into cheap hostel-romances which is what most IIT alumni writers care to write about whom I regard simply as tree-murderers... *deep breathing*
In all probability, the author initially had a good hold on the story, but in execution, the book became more about its
Interestingly, I finished reading this in four hours - not because it is a page turner but because I was speed reading. Anyhow, my thanks to whoever decided to send this book to me for free. I deliver my generous two stars.
December 20, 2014
At the end of the book you will be left thinking one thing...who was the bad guy? This book is the perfect example of present day goodness (With ample amount of maliciousness hidden behind sugarcoated words)...It depicts the duplicity of the world we live in today...Even the hero of the book is not your run-of-the-mill hero we are so used to encounter in movies or in books...
On a different note, this book, being a political thriller, has really left me thrilled. The mention of technology was quite impressive. You will be left stumped by the things that are (or can be) possible with technology... The author has gone into quite a lot of detail to make every part of the book extremely realistic...Difficult to imagine the level of research that went behind the creation of this book... Looking forward to a sequel, if any. :)
On a different note, this book, being a political thriller, has really left me thrilled. The mention of technology was quite impressive. You will be left stumped by the things that are (or can be) possible with technology... The author has gone into quite a lot of detail to make every part of the book extremely realistic...Difficult to imagine the level of research that went behind the creation of this book... Looking forward to a sequel, if any. :)
January 31, 2015
What started off as an interesting story, suddenly lacked speed in its screenplay and unnecessary characterization of so many people, each person’s history, and each one’s issues were elaborated for first few chapters. Gradually, with the concept of National ID Numbers being discussed, the story gathers up some speed, which was clearly let down by the mining and national highway issues. Further more, while Arvind arrives and after the unexpected twist to him, the story gets some more momentum. This is the point where I predicted the whole story and after that the story moved forward exactly the way I predicted it. First half of the book was random characterization and second half was random issues being handled in a predictable fashion.
Read more: https://iamstri.wordpress.com/2015/01...
Read more: https://iamstri.wordpress.com/2015/01...
January 21, 2015
Full review here: https://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2...
I really enjoyed reading this book, without a doubt, Dee Walker is a name to look forward to in the Indian Publishing Industry.
The way the entire story was weaved, the fast pace of the story line, the rhythm and the writing were all excellent.
As far as the characterizations go, the male characterization were excellent, but the female characterization were not up to the mark. I personally felt that the amount of males in the story was a bit too overbearing, even in Indian context, I do not think that almost no woman is in any of the political or large scale decision maker (and not just as a secretary to a big shot guy).
I really enjoyed reading this book, without a doubt, Dee Walker is a name to look forward to in the Indian Publishing Industry.
The way the entire story was weaved, the fast pace of the story line, the rhythm and the writing were all excellent.
As far as the characterizations go, the male characterization were excellent, but the female characterization were not up to the mark. I personally felt that the amount of males in the story was a bit too overbearing, even in Indian context, I do not think that almost no woman is in any of the political or large scale decision maker (and not just as a secretary to a big shot guy).
April 18, 2016
Honest confession, I was trying to find book by Marie Rutkoski having same name when I found this book.
Dee Walker's book is a political thriller set in present day India. Initial 100 pages make you think that finally we have got a writer who can actually write. But too many characters just spoil it...
Main problem, too much IIT worship.
But the detailed research by the author is commendable job.
Best part, its not cheap romance like the one written by some famous IITians.
No doubt its a thought provoking book but missed being a pretty good one due to its ending.
It has lots of characters & events inspired by real people & incidents..
Not the best political thriller by an Indian but good one..
My take, worth a read...
February 6, 2015
Business rivalries, old friendships, money, power, ideals and conscience all are at stake in this thriller.Read to know how governments can exploit us by infringing our privacy and to affirm that Truth always triumphs.Read full book review by me here
December 11, 2014
Interesting thriller, with technology, politics, power etc., involved.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews