L.A. Nolan

If you want to change the way you look at motorcycles and motorcyclists, read this book!

A classical crime thriller, this piece of fiction aptly “reveals the truths in the lies”. The story develops with Alex, the protagonist, taking chances and making choices, which mire him in a long trail of crime, drugs and travel. The reader travels back and forth between (primarily French) Canada and India, wherein the plot develops along similar lines despite the dissimilarities in context. In India, the reader enjoys the thrilling ride from Delhi through Western India with numerous turns and twists in both the route and the tale.

The book highlights many themes that appeal to the reader. The ethical dilemma of criminals is well textured amongst the multitude of characters. Outlaws perennially want crime to pay, only for a late in life revelation that crime never pays. Another is the constant betrayal as a means to survival in a bad world. Honour and brotherhood, as they exist in the world beyond the lines of law is depicted particularly well. The moral compass given by Alex’s father, of always “maintaining the difference between anger and hate” is one of many hidden gems the discerning reader can find between the lines. The biking slang, however, takes some time to relate – for the uninitiated.

Read this book for an “as real as it can get” peep into this different world of motorcycle clubs.… (mais)

Sometimes you pick up a book knowing what you're going for and then after you finish reading you sit back and marvel at the mastery of the author because you've come out with something that you'd never expected while starting the book. This book, Blood & Bombay Black has been one such book for me. I knew I was going to get lots of bikes, machoism, stylish dialogues, action scenes and a crime story but what I've come out of it with along with all the above mentioned is also love. Yes, as surprising as it may sound this book is also a love story. In fact it's not only one but several love stories. They're just woven so beautifully into the high octane action narrative that you don't straightaway understand it but if you reflect upon it in retrospect you will understand how the main core of the book is love. I don't want to go to spoilers but I will say that most of the main characters have an arc that has to do with love. Now it may not always be necessarily love in the traditional sense of the word, it can be someone's love for their job, their club, or their brothers, but it is love. And to top it off there's some truly adrenaline pumping action and tense moments that make this book a wholesome read. It was a pure joy.

This book had everything a modern crime thriller should. Chases, drugs, love, lust, secrets, revenge, you name it. This one had it all. But never did it feel overcrowding or trying too hard to be everything all at once. It was all a part of the story and the way the characters have been imagined by the author.

There are many characters here but the ones that stood out for me were BB, John, and Ipsita. Although my favourite character was Agent Sandeep. I really liked how committed to his cause he was and how hell bent on fulfilling his quest for retribution he was. And the tender spots of the character that the author explored with some anecdotal flashbacks of his past was absolutely brilliant.

This was a superb and very entertaining read and I'd really love a third part in the series.… (mais)