Best of Books – February 2016

Being surrounded by authors ever since he was born, 15 year old Sambhav Ratnakar following in the footsteps of his dad took to writing books himself. Set in New Delhi, Cohort Perspective is based on the firsthand account of an ordinary teenager Amit Joshi who embarks on an extraordinary journey from Oman to India to fulfill his grandfather’s last wish. In a matter of time, his life changes completely and he now has to steal the most mysterious files in Indian history. Written simply yet described insightfully, this well researched book will make for an interesting read.

Where did the idea of writing a book revolving around the Netaji files come from?

I was researching the Netaji mystery a few years back and I found the facts to be rather disturbing. I read about a man who spent the most part of his life trying to liberate India – a man who spent his life fighting for freedom, believing that one day his country would be free. The fact that till this day, even after more than 70 years, we do not know the truth about his death is simply obnoxious. During my research, it occurred to me that if we needed to know the truth bad enough, we would go out and get it. We wouldn’t wait for the government, the ministry, the prime minister. All we needed was a group of people willing to do something extraordinary for one of India’s greatest moments. A group of people willing to make history by revealing it. This thought was transformed into a manuscript.

You are in the midst of writing your next book, Binary. Can you tell us a little about what this book entails? Do you have anything else in store for the Indian reader?

Humanity stands on the brink of a nuclear war erupting from the borders of India and Pakistan.At the bottom of it all is a man. His name is Damien Skelter. He does not exist. Binary is an      espionage thriller. It revolves around an III agent who is prepared to embark on a manhunt and a   criminal mastermind, conspiring to eliminate 1.6 billion lives. Binary will be published this year. Along with It, I also have another upcoming novel, Genius which will be released internationally in the late months of 2016 or early 2017.

What were your biggest learning experiences or surprises throughout the publishing process?

I had some great mentors surrounding me, always warning me about what was going to hit me next. To be extremely honest, I didn’t get many surprises. I knew it was hard to get published, I knew my mailbox would be filled with rejection letters and I knew I would find literary agents criticizing my work. The most important thing for an author is to never lose faith in a manuscript. Make it better!

About the author

Sambhav Ratnakar was born on 6 June 2000. He is a writer, blogger best known for his fictional blog, DhoklaRises.com and his debut, ‘The Covert Perspective’. Sambhav wrote his first book at the age of 9 but decided not to get it published since it was a bit too early for him to be involved in a lawsuit with Marvel. Along with writing, he is also obsessed with making the impossible possible and regularly takes up new projects that get his adrenaline going.

Releases this month

NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson
In a city where crime never sleeps, NYPD Red is the elite task force called in only when a case involves the rich, famous, and connected. Detective Zach Jordan and his partner, Kylie MacDonald—the woman who broke his heart at the police academy—are the best of the best, brilliant and tireless investigators who will stop at nothing to catch a criminal, even if it means antagonizing the same high-flying citizens they’re supposed to be helping.

He Will be My Ruin by K.A.Tucker
The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her romantic thriller debut with this heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.