Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Hunt For Kohinoor - Review

A spine-chilling ninety-six hour hunt through the worlds most dangerous terrain where history collides with gunfire. Will Mehrunisa get out of this one alive? One morning on her way to work, Mehrunisa gets a call that will change her life forever. The truth about her missing father is at her fingertips but it will take her on the most desperate chase of her lifetime. A chase that will pit her against hardened jihadi’s plotting the deadliest terror attack on India, that will test her mettle against history’s deep secrets, that will teach her that the price of love can mean bloodied hands. The Hunt for Kohinoor hurtles from icy Kashmir to snow-clad HinduKush, from the sinister corridors of a military hospital to the warrens of Peshawar, even as the clock counts down to the impending catastrophe.
Watch All the Videos of The Hunt For Kohinoor here including the character introductions http://bit.ly/THFKPlaylist
You can view the book’s high octane trailer at: http://bit.ly/TheTrailer and also watch its Motion Poster: http://bit.ly/THFKTeaser which is apparently the 1st Thriller Book Motion Cover in the World.

About the Author
Author of Earning the Laundry Stripes, The Long Walk Home and The Mehrunisa Trilogy. The First Book of the trilogy was the National best seller "The Taj Conspiracy"  (AC Nielsen Scan) and was the Flipkart Editorial Pick of 2012. 
Her latest novel ‘The Hunt For Kohinoor’, the 2nd book of ‘The Mehrunisa Trilogy’ is creating a lot of buzz too. Recently, Mr. Anubhav Sinha, Director Ra-one and Producer Gulaab Gang went on record to say that Priyanka Chopra would be the best to play Mehrunisa [the central character in the book] & media from Canada to Pakistan, not to mention India, splashed the news. HT, DNA, Zoom, Bollywoodlife & many more [YouTube Link: http://bit.ly/bollywoodlife ] headlined the same. Even Priyanka Chopra posted the same on Facebook.
An award-winning writer (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association), and copywriter (Creative Abbey),  her blog-The Long Walk Home-(http://bit.ly/ManreetBlog) is popular as well. Her skillful writing and story-telling has caught the attention of critics, with Khushwant Singh calling her a “literary star on the horizon.” For more info http://bit.ly/ManreetWebsite | http://bit.ly/ManreetFB 



There is something about Mehrunisa Khosa that breathes within you, long after you have finished the book. The aura of surreal mysticism, and yet embracing a reality that’s profound and introspective, you, as a reader, find yourself drawn towards this lady. A historian, blessed with the skill to decipher cryptic codes, Mehr turns out to be the readers’ fantasy, her intelligence coupled with her good looks, silently caressing through the words, so beautifully penned by the author, Manreet Sodhi Someshwar.

The Hunt For Kohinoor’ is the second book in the thriller series featuring Mehrunisa Khosa. While ‘The Taj Conspiracy’, the first, was built around the beautiful monument and one of the wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, ‘The Hunt For Kohinoor’ delves into the search for the legendary Kohinoor, with a modern metaphoric connotation to it, and that’s where the brilliance of the author emanates so bright. A concoction of history and a thrilling adventure involving a ninety-six hours hunt across borders, from Kashmir to Hindukush, and you know you have the right book in your hands.

The character of Mehrunisa progresses with this book. We get to know more about her, her upbringings, her father whom she had long supposed to be dead, her pains and turmoil, and we fall in love with this lady. The author creates a sense of deep respect around her protagonist, and that flows in to the readers. Perhaps it’s the gift of the words that the author uses so benevolently that you seem to meander through the plot. The pace, initially slow, builds up gradually. The events are correlated, and very well sketched, each leading to the other, the strings connected firm and tight. The description is detailed when needed, specially the mention of the different landscapes that Mehr visits, and subtle and not over stretched at other places, making it both entertaining and insightful.

Mehrunisa shines throughout the book. However, as a reader I would have also loved to read more about R. P. Singh. His appearance in the book was sudden, his character mainly playing a support role alongside Mehrunisa. However, a proper detailing of R.P. Singh is very much needed, and hopefully the author will take care of it in the next book in the series.

Now, the question arises, how perfect is this book as a thriller? Though Manreet scores high with her narration and plot, the high-octane chase and unraveling secret codes that you expect from a book belonging to this genre, seems to be missing in this piece. True, there are a few instances here and there, but then again, they come in patches. Sometimes, you feel that the codes are being deciphered too easily. You wouldn't be disappointed though if you do not compare this novel with the other thrillers, and let it find a place of its own. There is enough action, drama and emotion to keep the readers hooked, but labeling it as a perfect thriller – I wouldn't do that. In short, this is a wonderful read, a great story, and a good blend of various genres, that should be read not only for the gripping plot, but also for the dollops of knowledge related to places and events that come packed with it.



Title: The Hunt For Kohinoor
Author: Manreet Sodhi Someshwar
Publisher: Westland Publisher
Publication Year: 2013
Language: English
Binding: Paperback
Genre: Fiction
No. of Pages: 432
Price: Rs 295
My Rating: 4/5


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