Sankara Jayanth S > Recent Status Updates

"To us no spot on earth is or could be “holier” than another: to the ostentatious absurdity of the pilgrimage, or the plain horror of killing civilians in the name of some sacred wall or cave or shrine or rock, we can counterpose a leisurely or urgent walk from one side of the library or the gallery to another, or to lunch with an agreeable friend, in pursuit of truth or beauty."

Listening to the audiobook. The story is starting to get interesting only now, at 25% mark.

It is kind of horrifying to think how mental illnesses were treated before we knew what we know now. I'm having to stop and take a few breathes when I come across descriptions of the methods of 'treating' the mentally ill (or presumed to be mentally ill).

Officially I'm down in my first reading slump. Hoping for Stephen Fry's audiobook of HP #1 to work its magic.

One of the books I purchased knowing it is less known but the description was interesting enough for me to try it out. I seldom read books without many reviews but I'm guilty of buying many such books feeling I'd become such a reader. So here goes..... aaaaand the author seems obsessed with sweaty armpits.

"There it was again — the perverse refusal to acknowledge my hostility."

Wooo, I've never read a scandalous book before.

"The monster always comes back for its creator some day."

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book 'Dogs of War'. The 'good boy' feedback loop and its significance in training animals in real life is used to bring out a deep and profound story. It goes from frontlines of wars to courtroom drama. What a ride that was.

This book, its sequel, released earlier this year.

Oh shit!

If a book follows a detective character, you can almost guarantee that their superior who is actually in-charge of stuff our detective does and finds is a fool and an assole. That's how the cool and flashy personality of our competent detective is highlighted.

I'm tired of such a formulaic setup in crime novels.

A little slow than the first book. The way Relic ended, it deserved a sequel for sure but I'm a teeny bit disappointed this one did not start with an adrenaline-pumping prologue like the first one. Nevermind though.

It's strange that this series should be named Pendergast. He is yet to show up in this book. Same with the Relic, while his role is important obviously, the 'screen' time his character gets compared to other characters makes me wonder why his name became the series name. Was the series named Pendergast from the beginning or was it given that name once his role becomes central in later books.

Poof! There goes my resolution to only read from the books I already own.

After finishing Relic (Pendergast #1), I had tried to control my urge to seek the same adrenaline rush that I got from reading book #1, but I'm a weak man.

These last 50 pages have been an edge of the seat thriller! And no sign of ending anytime soon.

This really is 'Alien meets Jurassic Park in New York City."

It is a core fear of mine that someday I will never be able to read any fiction genre books because I won't be able to get over how inconceivably improbable some things are. Not the fictional aspects, writers can write up all sorts of made-up stuff and I'd consume them. But the usual behavior of characters surrounding and in the context of these fictional aspects sometimes is too improbable that it breaks immersion.

"I see," said Pendergast. "And what exactly is the point of this Secure Area, Mr. Ippolito? Is the rest of the Museum insecure?"

Too many characters being introduced without any gap. I can't handle that. There are almost 15 names and characters introduced in 50 pages. I hate when there are too many names to remember. I hope they don't play such an important role in the story as to deserve remembering all of them.