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Ten Shades Of Life
In times when anthologies dwell on prosaic romantic accounts, Fablery presents Ten Shades of Life. From a nail-biting thriller to a spine-chilling ghost story, an exquisite romance to an ingenious fantasy, an adventurous science-fiction to mirthful and remarkable experiences of salaried men, stories of heroes and philosophies of life - it attends to the preferences of all readers.
When anthologies contain stories of one genre, after reading a couple of stories they get predictable and fail to keep a reader’s interest until the end, but a multi-genre book has something to offer to everyone and many things to one reader.
The writing styles of all the writers whose stories are included in this book are grand and the plots so engaging that they will force you to read another page and one another before you finally close the book. The stories will take you on a roller coaster between reality and fiction.
When anthologies contain stories of one genre, after reading a couple of stories they get predictable and fail to keep a reader’s interest until the end, but a multi-genre book has something to offer to everyone and many things to one reader.
The writing styles of all the writers whose stories are included in this book are grand and the plots so engaging that they will force you to read another page and one another before you finally close the book. The stories will take you on a roller coaster between reality and fiction.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 17, 2017
When I found out about this book, I realised it had two very familiar names on the author list. Two bloggers whose blogs I have been following for quite some time now. I love their blogs and always have high expectations from them. So, I picked up this book with conflicting feelings of excitement and trepidation.
My favourite story in the book has to be ‘Where did you go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy. The story was categorised as Suspense/Thriller. The story deals with a missing kid, and while you might figure out who the culprit is, you’ll still be left wondering about how they’ll be apprehended. The best part of the story is that the author has managed to capture and portray a certain trait of the society’s mentality very effectively. A valuable message delivered through the guise of a suspense fiction.
The second favourite story would have to be the Historical Fiction, The Secrets of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai. This could also very well be categorised as a thriller. I have to admit here that Reshmy had me when she first spelled out ‘Sonar Killa’ as my favourite author, Satyajit Ray, has written a detective & then later on directed a movie based on that fort. Besides that I also liked her detail oriented nature and the dialogue deliveries. And the twist in the end gave me goose bumps when I tried to imagine one particular situation.
I am not the biggest fan of love stories, but Monika Pant stole my heart away with her story. It’s about two lovers who would stand strong and ready to defy the world to be together. Her simple language with a few words of Hindi sprinkled in and her characterisation really grew on me. The author through her few pages, transported me back to not only a different era but to a different world on the whole. I didn’t want to come back.
‘Harry’s Bluff’ took me for a ride. ‘Something Like That’ did bring on a few free flowing laughs. ‘A Good Day to Die’ was a rollercoaster on its own. These three works were quite good and made good reads. While these stories didn’t make me wanna throw the book, they also didn’t have that one outstanding thing about them. I didn’t love or hate them – but they are likeable. I hope guys are getting my drift here. These authors are talented and hold some promise. I hope over the time they will only mature more and produce even better pieces to touch that cord.
I am not very much into sci-fi because I am personally very weak when it comes to science matters. In order for me to enjoy it, I have to understand it first and most authors fail to ‘explain’ their theories to me. Ofcourse it is not their fault that I am such a dumbo that even the very basic have to be explained to me. So when I say I didn’t like A Nootropic Egress by Karthik, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad story. It maybe that I didn’t catch on fast enough.
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is a Dystopian story that had the potential but felt a bit bland to me. Weekend in the Country by Bruce Memblatt, is yet another story that had great potential but the author lacked the finesse to create that atmosphere of Horror and was pretty predictable.
The Incarnadines by Cheyenne Mitchell is a fantasy work. This one particular story seemed overly detailed. Actually there is nothing as ‘overly detailed’ when it comes to a story, but I felt that while all the details were necessary, they just weren’t presented in a palatable manner that made me keep thinking to myself – ‘okay girl, I get you are anguished. But move on with the story already’ Also, with all that details in the introduction, the author actually missed out on providing information/explanation on some of the more important points.
Overall, the book as a whole made for a pretty entertaining read and I will certainly be keeping an eye out on most of these authors.
My favourite story in the book has to be ‘Where did you go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy. The story was categorised as Suspense/Thriller. The story deals with a missing kid, and while you might figure out who the culprit is, you’ll still be left wondering about how they’ll be apprehended. The best part of the story is that the author has managed to capture and portray a certain trait of the society’s mentality very effectively. A valuable message delivered through the guise of a suspense fiction.
The second favourite story would have to be the Historical Fiction, The Secrets of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai. This could also very well be categorised as a thriller. I have to admit here that Reshmy had me when she first spelled out ‘Sonar Killa’ as my favourite author, Satyajit Ray, has written a detective & then later on directed a movie based on that fort. Besides that I also liked her detail oriented nature and the dialogue deliveries. And the twist in the end gave me goose bumps when I tried to imagine one particular situation.
I am not the biggest fan of love stories, but Monika Pant stole my heart away with her story. It’s about two lovers who would stand strong and ready to defy the world to be together. Her simple language with a few words of Hindi sprinkled in and her characterisation really grew on me. The author through her few pages, transported me back to not only a different era but to a different world on the whole. I didn’t want to come back.
‘Harry’s Bluff’ took me for a ride. ‘Something Like That’ did bring on a few free flowing laughs. ‘A Good Day to Die’ was a rollercoaster on its own. These three works were quite good and made good reads. While these stories didn’t make me wanna throw the book, they also didn’t have that one outstanding thing about them. I didn’t love or hate them – but they are likeable. I hope guys are getting my drift here. These authors are talented and hold some promise. I hope over the time they will only mature more and produce even better pieces to touch that cord.
I am not very much into sci-fi because I am personally very weak when it comes to science matters. In order for me to enjoy it, I have to understand it first and most authors fail to ‘explain’ their theories to me. Ofcourse it is not their fault that I am such a dumbo that even the very basic have to be explained to me. So when I say I didn’t like A Nootropic Egress by Karthik, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad story. It maybe that I didn’t catch on fast enough.
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is a Dystopian story that had the potential but felt a bit bland to me. Weekend in the Country by Bruce Memblatt, is yet another story that had great potential but the author lacked the finesse to create that atmosphere of Horror and was pretty predictable.
The Incarnadines by Cheyenne Mitchell is a fantasy work. This one particular story seemed overly detailed. Actually there is nothing as ‘overly detailed’ when it comes to a story, but I felt that while all the details were necessary, they just weren’t presented in a palatable manner that made me keep thinking to myself – ‘okay girl, I get you are anguished. But move on with the story already’ Also, with all that details in the introduction, the author actually missed out on providing information/explanation on some of the more important points.
Overall, the book as a whole made for a pretty entertaining read and I will certainly be keeping an eye out on most of these authors.
March 21, 2013
For this book to have happened, there was a lot of hard work, but it was because of the authors mainly. It wouldn’t have been a book if they hadn’t put an effort to write the stories! So, I don’t like that there aren’t any author bios in the book. Atleast a paragraph on each at the end of the book would’ve been good, if not a page before each story, because as a reader, I’d also want to know a little bit about the author. I also found a few typos, but not all of them stood out and hindered the reading. I’d have chosen a different color for the cover too. However, for the cocktail of genres to work, it has to mix well. In my opinion, it does. Some stories weren’t that appealing, but most of them were well written and held my attention. They also delivered on what they promised genre-wise, and some are re-readable. Kudos to the effort, and I await the next installment.
Complete review here: http://wp.me/p2J8yh-2eb
Complete review here: http://wp.me/p2J8yh-2eb
April 15, 2013
By Grade A. Edited by Nethra A
“Hey buddy, I love thrillers. Can you suggest me something?” my friend asked.
“Try Ten Shades of Life,” prompt came my reply.
“Sir, I heard you read quite a lot. Can you recommend any love story that my girlfriend might like?” my colleague asked, smilingly.
“Aah, I guess Ten Shades Of Life can do the trick.”
“Brother, I haven’t read a good horror since a long time,” my cousin complained.
“Why don’t you go for Ten Shades of Life?” I answered.
And so it goes. Innumerable questions, same answer.
In times when anthologies dwell on prosaic romantic accounts, Fablery presents Ten Shades of Life. From a nail-biting thriller to a spine-chilling ghost story, an exquisite romance to an ingenious fantasy, an adventurous science-fiction to mirthful and remarkable experiences of salaried men, stories of heroes and philosophies of life – it attends to the preferences of all readers.
Ten Shades Of Life
When anthologies contain stories of one genre, after reading a couple of stories they get predictable and fail to keep a reader’s interest until the end, but a multi-genre book has something to offer to everyone and many things to one reader.
The writing styles of all the writers whose stories are included in this book are grand and the plots so engaging that they will force you to read another page and one another before you finally close the book. The stories will take you on a roller coaster between reality and fiction.
In case you are wondering what Ten Shades of Life is all about, let me clear your doubts straightaway. It is a unique anthology of short stories by numerous writers who showed the passion towards wielding their pens and waving it like a wand to create magic.
This anthology isn’t based on one particular genre. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of different genres and styles that cater to the taste of each and every reader.
This interesting concept is the brain child of Nethra A, the editor of this anthology. She is currently based in Bangalore. After graduating in Computer Science and Engineering, she is now pursuing her Masters in Business Administration. She is a voracious reader and a fiction writer, who believes in the power of quality writing. Her love for good stories lead her to start the platform, Fablery, which provides aspiring writers the opportunity to make a mark in the literary world. Nethra is also working on her novel that we look forward to read in the near future.
The first story in the book is “Incardines” (Fantasy/Mythology) by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell. True to its genre, the tale manages to transport you into its own make believe world. I loved the flow and the gradual unraveling of mysteries. However, I wasn’t in support of the protagonist’s action towards the end. Perhaps, there could have been a better alternative.
Next in line comes “Red and Gold” (Romance) by Monika Pant. A historical love tale needs careful attention to grandeur and detailing, and should have the potential to carry us to the era that we have only read about in books. To Monika’s credit, she achieves this perfectly. The beautifully illustrated descriptions add that unique charm to the story. This love tale was quite different from the regular fare. I loved it.
An apple a day keeps a doctor away. But, you can’t keep Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan’s “Harry’s Bluff” away at any cost. This Action/Adventure tale starts explosively, and you are glued to the narrative in an instant. The intricately woven twists add miracles to the plot, and you are left wondering about what would happen next. This undoubtedly, is my favorite story in the anthology.
Humor is always difficult to create. Yes, it’s a tough job to make people smile. However, Shankar Raman A. performs this task quite meticulously in his humor tale “Something Like That.” The story revolves around office colleagues and how one of them tries to crack jokes on the other. However, the turn of events in the end does leave a positive curve on your face.
Halfway through the book you come across Bruce Memblatt’s Horror fiction “Weekend In The Country.” I loved the plot and the way the story began. However, I felt that the portions which were supposed to run a chill down the spine could have been better weaved. Though the story telling was fluent and I could visualize the scenes on the pages, it somehow fell short of being a scary feast.
I have been an ardent reader of H. G. Wells and Michael Crichton, and thus was eagerly looking forward to Karthik L’s Science Fiction “A Nootropic Egress.” The characterization is perfect and you could identify with the protagonist. However, the plot stuck to the tried and tested formula of humans encountering extra-terrestrial aliens. Also, I felt, the author gave away way too much in the beginning, thus failing to create suspense in the succeeding pages.
“The Secret of Ahiraah” (Historical) by Reshmy Pillai was a real delight to read. I loved how the author dissected the meaning of Ahiraah at the end to provide you with an unexpected twist in the tale. Needless to say, the twist works absolutely fine. I loved the way the author progressed with the tale, the tight story-telling never letting my mind wander even for a moment. This again, is based on a unique plot and you will savor the historical mystery it provides.
“Where Did You Go” by Deepa Duraisamy is another of my favorites in this anthology. This Suspense/Thriller has the potential to play with the mind of its readers. Don’t believe me? Test it for yourself. The story takes you swimming along with its waves, as you, along with the characters, try to unravel the mystery and find the culprits. What I really loved about the tale is the strong message it evokes.
Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat’s Philosophical account “Barren Harvest” talks of a futuristic world, where humans live a programmed life. The story explores the urge of the protagonist to break free from the bonds of technology and taste freedom again. The desire to be human and explore the peace and beauty of this world, which has been declared toxic, states a lot about the human mind. This was an interesting read and you can easily relate yourself with the context, even though it is set in the future.
The book culminates with “A Good Day To Die” (Occupational) by Rahul Biswas. This is based on the life of the fire-fighters, their friendships and their rivalries. The author does a great job with the progression of the plot. Once again, the twists have been wonderfully laid out. Trust and loyalty are sacrificed on the altar of selfishness and betrayal. This serves as a strong reminder to be careful even in friendship, ‘because you never know if the friendship is genuine.
Ten Shades Of Life is an anthology that you should pick up and read this year. The writers hold lot of promises, and I am eagerly looking forward to read more from them. Apart from the stories, I really liked the illustration on the cover, depicting several emotions in human form. However, it would have been better had the cover been brighter, instead of the dull orange tinge it currently portrays. Also, a short note about all the ten contributors would have helped readers identify with the writers.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
“Hey buddy, I love thrillers. Can you suggest me something?” my friend asked.
“Try Ten Shades of Life,” prompt came my reply.
“Sir, I heard you read quite a lot. Can you recommend any love story that my girlfriend might like?” my colleague asked, smilingly.
“Aah, I guess Ten Shades Of Life can do the trick.”
“Brother, I haven’t read a good horror since a long time,” my cousin complained.
“Why don’t you go for Ten Shades of Life?” I answered.
And so it goes. Innumerable questions, same answer.
In times when anthologies dwell on prosaic romantic accounts, Fablery presents Ten Shades of Life. From a nail-biting thriller to a spine-chilling ghost story, an exquisite romance to an ingenious fantasy, an adventurous science-fiction to mirthful and remarkable experiences of salaried men, stories of heroes and philosophies of life – it attends to the preferences of all readers.
Ten Shades Of Life
When anthologies contain stories of one genre, after reading a couple of stories they get predictable and fail to keep a reader’s interest until the end, but a multi-genre book has something to offer to everyone and many things to one reader.
The writing styles of all the writers whose stories are included in this book are grand and the plots so engaging that they will force you to read another page and one another before you finally close the book. The stories will take you on a roller coaster between reality and fiction.
In case you are wondering what Ten Shades of Life is all about, let me clear your doubts straightaway. It is a unique anthology of short stories by numerous writers who showed the passion towards wielding their pens and waving it like a wand to create magic.
This anthology isn’t based on one particular genre. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of different genres and styles that cater to the taste of each and every reader.
This interesting concept is the brain child of Nethra A, the editor of this anthology. She is currently based in Bangalore. After graduating in Computer Science and Engineering, she is now pursuing her Masters in Business Administration. She is a voracious reader and a fiction writer, who believes in the power of quality writing. Her love for good stories lead her to start the platform, Fablery, which provides aspiring writers the opportunity to make a mark in the literary world. Nethra is also working on her novel that we look forward to read in the near future.
The first story in the book is “Incardines” (Fantasy/Mythology) by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell. True to its genre, the tale manages to transport you into its own make believe world. I loved the flow and the gradual unraveling of mysteries. However, I wasn’t in support of the protagonist’s action towards the end. Perhaps, there could have been a better alternative.
Next in line comes “Red and Gold” (Romance) by Monika Pant. A historical love tale needs careful attention to grandeur and detailing, and should have the potential to carry us to the era that we have only read about in books. To Monika’s credit, she achieves this perfectly. The beautifully illustrated descriptions add that unique charm to the story. This love tale was quite different from the regular fare. I loved it.
An apple a day keeps a doctor away. But, you can’t keep Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan’s “Harry’s Bluff” away at any cost. This Action/Adventure tale starts explosively, and you are glued to the narrative in an instant. The intricately woven twists add miracles to the plot, and you are left wondering about what would happen next. This undoubtedly, is my favorite story in the anthology.
Humor is always difficult to create. Yes, it’s a tough job to make people smile. However, Shankar Raman A. performs this task quite meticulously in his humor tale “Something Like That.” The story revolves around office colleagues and how one of them tries to crack jokes on the other. However, the turn of events in the end does leave a positive curve on your face.
Halfway through the book you come across Bruce Memblatt’s Horror fiction “Weekend In The Country.” I loved the plot and the way the story began. However, I felt that the portions which were supposed to run a chill down the spine could have been better weaved. Though the story telling was fluent and I could visualize the scenes on the pages, it somehow fell short of being a scary feast.
I have been an ardent reader of H. G. Wells and Michael Crichton, and thus was eagerly looking forward to Karthik L’s Science Fiction “A Nootropic Egress.” The characterization is perfect and you could identify with the protagonist. However, the plot stuck to the tried and tested formula of humans encountering extra-terrestrial aliens. Also, I felt, the author gave away way too much in the beginning, thus failing to create suspense in the succeeding pages.
“The Secret of Ahiraah” (Historical) by Reshmy Pillai was a real delight to read. I loved how the author dissected the meaning of Ahiraah at the end to provide you with an unexpected twist in the tale. Needless to say, the twist works absolutely fine. I loved the way the author progressed with the tale, the tight story-telling never letting my mind wander even for a moment. This again, is based on a unique plot and you will savor the historical mystery it provides.
“Where Did You Go” by Deepa Duraisamy is another of my favorites in this anthology. This Suspense/Thriller has the potential to play with the mind of its readers. Don’t believe me? Test it for yourself. The story takes you swimming along with its waves, as you, along with the characters, try to unravel the mystery and find the culprits. What I really loved about the tale is the strong message it evokes.
Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat’s Philosophical account “Barren Harvest” talks of a futuristic world, where humans live a programmed life. The story explores the urge of the protagonist to break free from the bonds of technology and taste freedom again. The desire to be human and explore the peace and beauty of this world, which has been declared toxic, states a lot about the human mind. This was an interesting read and you can easily relate yourself with the context, even though it is set in the future.
The book culminates with “A Good Day To Die” (Occupational) by Rahul Biswas. This is based on the life of the fire-fighters, their friendships and their rivalries. The author does a great job with the progression of the plot. Once again, the twists have been wonderfully laid out. Trust and loyalty are sacrificed on the altar of selfishness and betrayal. This serves as a strong reminder to be careful even in friendship, ‘because you never know if the friendship is genuine.
Ten Shades Of Life is an anthology that you should pick up and read this year. The writers hold lot of promises, and I am eagerly looking forward to read more from them. Apart from the stories, I really liked the illustration on the cover, depicting several emotions in human form. However, it would have been better had the cover been brighter, instead of the dull orange tinge it currently portrays. Also, a short note about all the ten contributors would have helped readers identify with the writers.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
May 23, 2013
It was a delight to see the stories of some familiar bloggers.
My favorite story from this collection is Roshan Radhakrishnan’s Action/Adventure Harry’s Bluff. It is fast paced story of a hired assassin who becomes the victim himself. This story surely keeps you on the edge of the seat. The characterization is good and the best was the way the story unfolds – truly international.
I liked Karthik’s , A Nootropic Egress which is Science-Fiction. Crisply and skilfully narrated, this is a very imaginative story of a whiz-kid who communicates with the aliens. I liked the names of the aliens in this story. The story is high on creativity and keeps you engrossed till the very end.
Deepa Duraisamy’s Suspense Thriller, Where Did You Go? has all the ingredients requisite for this genre. A story of a child being kidnapped from a temple and the how the police goes about with the investigation, this is a story with a novel plot. Also it is contemporary and compels you to keep turning page after page. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, though. I wish it didn't end too soon or so suddenly.
Reshmy Pillai’s The Secret of Ahiraah makes for a riveting read. It is a historical story set in the 16th century India during the times of Rajput kings. The details of the life and people of that era, the guarded secret and the secret passageways in the temple and fort, spies and mysterious happenings are fascinating and engrossing.
The Incarnadines is a Fantasy/Mythology from Miss Cheyenne Mitchell. The concept of the Incarnadines is something new and it was intriguing to read about their beliefs and rituals. The storyline is promising but could have been better.
A Good Day to Die by Rahul Biswas is very interesting and impressive ‘Occupational’ story. It is about the lives of firemen, hence the genre is called occupational. The twist in the end makes you sit up and gives you a delightful reading experience.
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is categorised as Philosophical. I could not understand the rationale of classifying it in this genre though. It is a sci-fi fiction which is set in future after the apocalypse, when humanoids rule over and control the humans. The story line is intriguing as you ponder about the future of the human race in the times to come.
Something Like That by Shankar Raman A falls in the Humor category. It is a story line set in a bank office. The story has a few humorous moments but does not come up to the expectations one has from a humorous story.
Red and Gold, a Romance by Monica Pant is set in the 18th century Awadh. The story line is predictable with the two love birds are from different religions… This story did not impress me much.
Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt is a Horror story. This is a dull story of 2 friends who go camping and see some bones and ghosts. The creepiness or the jitters that one gets on reading a horror story are grossly missing.
Overall, Ten Shades of Life, with its ten different stories made for a very entertaining and interesting read.
My favorite story from this collection is Roshan Radhakrishnan’s Action/Adventure Harry’s Bluff. It is fast paced story of a hired assassin who becomes the victim himself. This story surely keeps you on the edge of the seat. The characterization is good and the best was the way the story unfolds – truly international.
I liked Karthik’s , A Nootropic Egress which is Science-Fiction. Crisply and skilfully narrated, this is a very imaginative story of a whiz-kid who communicates with the aliens. I liked the names of the aliens in this story. The story is high on creativity and keeps you engrossed till the very end.
Deepa Duraisamy’s Suspense Thriller, Where Did You Go? has all the ingredients requisite for this genre. A story of a child being kidnapped from a temple and the how the police goes about with the investigation, this is a story with a novel plot. Also it is contemporary and compels you to keep turning page after page. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, though. I wish it didn't end too soon or so suddenly.
Reshmy Pillai’s The Secret of Ahiraah makes for a riveting read. It is a historical story set in the 16th century India during the times of Rajput kings. The details of the life and people of that era, the guarded secret and the secret passageways in the temple and fort, spies and mysterious happenings are fascinating and engrossing.
The Incarnadines is a Fantasy/Mythology from Miss Cheyenne Mitchell. The concept of the Incarnadines is something new and it was intriguing to read about their beliefs and rituals. The storyline is promising but could have been better.
A Good Day to Die by Rahul Biswas is very interesting and impressive ‘Occupational’ story. It is about the lives of firemen, hence the genre is called occupational. The twist in the end makes you sit up and gives you a delightful reading experience.
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is categorised as Philosophical. I could not understand the rationale of classifying it in this genre though. It is a sci-fi fiction which is set in future after the apocalypse, when humanoids rule over and control the humans. The story line is intriguing as you ponder about the future of the human race in the times to come.
Something Like That by Shankar Raman A falls in the Humor category. It is a story line set in a bank office. The story has a few humorous moments but does not come up to the expectations one has from a humorous story.
Red and Gold, a Romance by Monica Pant is set in the 18th century Awadh. The story line is predictable with the two love birds are from different religions… This story did not impress me much.
Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt is a Horror story. This is a dull story of 2 friends who go camping and see some bones and ghosts. The creepiness or the jitters that one gets on reading a horror story are grossly missing.
Overall, Ten Shades of Life, with its ten different stories made for a very entertaining and interesting read.
April 11, 2013
"Ten Shades Of Life" is a unique anthology of short stories by numerous writers who showed the passion towards wielding their pens and waving it like a wand to create magic.
This anthology isn't based on one particular genre. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of different genres and styles that cater to the taste of each and every reader.
Read my full review here.
This anthology isn't based on one particular genre. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of different genres and styles that cater to the taste of each and every reader.
Read my full review here.
June 19, 2013
Nethra has worked her way to bring together ten stories of different genre into one book...For that reason this anthology stays different and an enjoyable read..Though I started systematically after first story, I chose the story randomly..
The Incarnadines by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell: Teenager Liane is a lonely girl, she has no friends and is ignored by her alcoholic parents..She is an expert living a life of being invisible to everyone around..Deeply disturbed by her abusive parents her life starts to change, when Dinga Mason the class topper befriends her, she introduces the subject of Incarnadines witchcraft and so on.. Slowly she discovers lot of secrets about them and surprisingly many family links that changes her life and her mother's forever..The book started well for me with an emotionally deprived girl in the story the story went a step ahead when the secret of Incarnadines started unfolding, but thereafter I lost it,..Mitchell somehow couldn't pull off well after that for me...Still an enjoyable one,I felt Mitchell could have done it better...
Red and Gold by Monika Pant: The story brings alive the true flavor of Indian spices with all its grandeur from the by gone days...Set in 18th century Lucknow it is a story of Love struck couple Kishan and Shagufta ..The rich Muslim culture and the inter religious battle a love struck couple from different religion and socio-economic background status face..In spite of a dash of gloom with pensive aura, the love carries a spark ...Can they unite in the name of love for the years to come as a family..Read to find out..Pant has painted the wonderful period of history every beautifully..
Harry's Bluff by Dr.Roshan Radhakrishnan: This was my personal favorite with its racy pace and assailant's assignment gone haywire, worse the group trying hard to put things on track...Radhakrishnan has incorporated every element to make the suspense thriller a total hit ..The story also tells how a person carry their own burden of cross which they live...I thoroughly enjoyed it and kudos to Nethra to have included this one in the collection..
Something Like That by Shankar Raman A: This is a kind of story that we could come across anytime around our working space.An elderly Mr. V and Chetan are the examples of people we stumble upon any day..How some people very cunningly take advantage of other's weakness and make a dig at them at every possible moment...I loved the end where the hunter becomes the bait...Raman's writing is simple and very enjoyable..If you expect it to humor you it might disappoint you but works well on satire..
Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt: In the beautiful English land on a wonderful weekend when two friends go camping, you expect fun and happiness but murder and betrayal lingers in the air..It is a horror story that really didn't work for me.. Nevertheless a good read..
A Nootropric Eggress by Karthik. L: A very good attempt on the extra terrestrial story..Rohit the extra brilliant curious brain that been working right from his childhood with n number or things..He is even selected to pursue his higher education in exchange program and that is when his encounter with the E.T happens..With his narrow escape and his subsequent behavior makes up an entertaining read...
The secret of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai: This is an historic fiction, I loved the way the story unfolded.Reading this novel one gets a gist on the general history of India too..The Oswals', Seths' all stay bright throughout the story and this was one among my personal favorite, many Urdu, Hindi, and old style of Indian language has added to authenticity of the era..
Where did you go by Deepa Duraisamy:This one is a contemporary story with a old prevalent society stigma attached to having a baby boy..The pressure on the couple especially the daughter-in law is too much...The pressure even make people to travel along the track of destruction, breaking relationship..This story explores one instance with suspense and drama..Motherly love, care and parental care is effectively delivered...
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat: Again a genre which is not the kind for me..It has the metaphysical elements with deep logical thoughts in them..Reaching out to reach with the likes of authors like H.G Wells..
A Good day to die by Rahul Biswas: This is the highly dramatic story among the book were humane fallacy that complicates life.The three character bring alive everyday turmoil of fire fighters..Their friendship, their hatred mixes to form a highly striking story..The end I felt it to be too dramatic..Biswas has done justice in portraying the working class in Mumbai city with their naive language and style well..
The book sums up for an easy breezy read creating different mood, since all ten stories belong to different genre one may not enjoy all stories alike still a read worth it...This would be a treat to a reader who loves every kind of genre..Nethra has an impressive profile do go through them..
The Incarnadines by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell: Teenager Liane is a lonely girl, she has no friends and is ignored by her alcoholic parents..She is an expert living a life of being invisible to everyone around..Deeply disturbed by her abusive parents her life starts to change, when Dinga Mason the class topper befriends her, she introduces the subject of Incarnadines witchcraft and so on.. Slowly she discovers lot of secrets about them and surprisingly many family links that changes her life and her mother's forever..The book started well for me with an emotionally deprived girl in the story the story went a step ahead when the secret of Incarnadines started unfolding, but thereafter I lost it,..Mitchell somehow couldn't pull off well after that for me...Still an enjoyable one,I felt Mitchell could have done it better...
Red and Gold by Monika Pant: The story brings alive the true flavor of Indian spices with all its grandeur from the by gone days...Set in 18th century Lucknow it is a story of Love struck couple Kishan and Shagufta ..The rich Muslim culture and the inter religious battle a love struck couple from different religion and socio-economic background status face..In spite of a dash of gloom with pensive aura, the love carries a spark ...Can they unite in the name of love for the years to come as a family..Read to find out..Pant has painted the wonderful period of history every beautifully..
Harry's Bluff by Dr.Roshan Radhakrishnan: This was my personal favorite with its racy pace and assailant's assignment gone haywire, worse the group trying hard to put things on track...Radhakrishnan has incorporated every element to make the suspense thriller a total hit ..The story also tells how a person carry their own burden of cross which they live...I thoroughly enjoyed it and kudos to Nethra to have included this one in the collection..
Something Like That by Shankar Raman A: This is a kind of story that we could come across anytime around our working space.An elderly Mr. V and Chetan are the examples of people we stumble upon any day..How some people very cunningly take advantage of other's weakness and make a dig at them at every possible moment...I loved the end where the hunter becomes the bait...Raman's writing is simple and very enjoyable..If you expect it to humor you it might disappoint you but works well on satire..
Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt: In the beautiful English land on a wonderful weekend when two friends go camping, you expect fun and happiness but murder and betrayal lingers in the air..It is a horror story that really didn't work for me.. Nevertheless a good read..
A Nootropric Eggress by Karthik. L: A very good attempt on the extra terrestrial story..Rohit the extra brilliant curious brain that been working right from his childhood with n number or things..He is even selected to pursue his higher education in exchange program and that is when his encounter with the E.T happens..With his narrow escape and his subsequent behavior makes up an entertaining read...
The secret of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai: This is an historic fiction, I loved the way the story unfolded.Reading this novel one gets a gist on the general history of India too..The Oswals', Seths' all stay bright throughout the story and this was one among my personal favorite, many Urdu, Hindi, and old style of Indian language has added to authenticity of the era..
Where did you go by Deepa Duraisamy:This one is a contemporary story with a old prevalent society stigma attached to having a baby boy..The pressure on the couple especially the daughter-in law is too much...The pressure even make people to travel along the track of destruction, breaking relationship..This story explores one instance with suspense and drama..Motherly love, care and parental care is effectively delivered...
Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat: Again a genre which is not the kind for me..It has the metaphysical elements with deep logical thoughts in them..Reaching out to reach with the likes of authors like H.G Wells..
A Good day to die by Rahul Biswas: This is the highly dramatic story among the book were humane fallacy that complicates life.The three character bring alive everyday turmoil of fire fighters..Their friendship, their hatred mixes to form a highly striking story..The end I felt it to be too dramatic..Biswas has done justice in portraying the working class in Mumbai city with their naive language and style well..
The book sums up for an easy breezy read creating different mood, since all ten stories belong to different genre one may not enjoy all stories alike still a read worth it...This would be a treat to a reader who loves every kind of genre..Nethra has an impressive profile do go through them..
November 4, 2013
This is a super super super collection of stories. Each writer surpasses the other, in holding the reader glued to the book, irrelevant of the urgency.
Deepa Duraisamy, authors of one of the stories is my friend and such a valuable friend that she showed me this wonderful place too.
Deepa, your story and the suspense maintained till the last paragraph, last line, is outstanding. Kudos Dear! keep going like this...
All the stories are really excellent. Nethra, a great congrats to you to collecting all these precious gems and sharing it with the viewers.
thanks once again.
regards
Jayashree.R
Deepa Duraisamy, authors of one of the stories is my friend and such a valuable friend that she showed me this wonderful place too.
Deepa, your story and the suspense maintained till the last paragraph, last line, is outstanding. Kudos Dear! keep going like this...
All the stories are really excellent. Nethra, a great congrats to you to collecting all these precious gems and sharing it with the viewers.
thanks once again.
regards
Jayashree.R
June 10, 2013
Fablery is a short story writing contest and it aims to provide aspiring writers an opportunity to come out of their shells and get published. The 'Ten Shades of Life' edited by Nethra A is a mosaic of stories that topped each genre in the contest. The diverse categories under which the contest was conducted and the relentless editing done my miss Nethra has ensured that the diversity has not been lost as the stories moved from entries in a story writing contest to the ones that appear in a collection of short stories. The individual authors Miss Cheyenne Mitchell, Monika Pant, Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan, Shankar Raman A, Bruce Memblatt, Karthik L, Reshmy Pillai, Deepa Duraisamy, Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat and Rahul Biswas has each produced an interesting original containing their unique signature fro the book.
The stories are bound to take the readers on a roller-coaster ride but the title of the book can be a little misleading. Most of the stories though are a stunning piece of fiction has not much to do with life or the virtues of life. Each story revolves around its own theme and there is no real continuity between them. This has to be expected considering that each has been crafted by individuals who where never in contact and who possess not much in common expect an unrelenting passion for writing fiction.
A better way to look at the book is to see it as a collection of individual stories that has its own unique flavor than as a collection of stories. The book contains ten different stories each from a different genre, and each the best in its own genre.
The Ten Shades of Life is an official Rupertt Aryeen Wind Recommendation
INCARDINES by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell
A rather intriguing story of a girl, her parents and the mystery surrounding their lives. The girl finds the answers to the question of her family that is slowly drifting apart in a book so coincidentally mentioned by her friend. The narration is rather porous and at times you do wonder how it all came to be so, many a questions are left unanswered and mostly most of it makes no sense whats so ever.
RED AND GOLD by Monika Pant
A romantic and touching story of love and belonging, The story touches you at someplace in your heart as the narration goes on. The story is intriguing and with a slight tinge of history in it, it just is a good read.
HARRY'S BLUFF by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan
A fast action packed thriller and so full of twists and turns and twists with in twists that you just keep on reading till you reach the logical end. A true nail bitter and it sure is one of the best stories the book has to offer.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT by Shankar Raman A
A light hearted and delightful comedy with its own interesting and well though out twists. its just another good read in this anthology.
WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY by Bruce Memblatt
A appreciable attempt at horror, does it scare you no it does not, it does not even give you a shiver down you spine but its still a good story and the narration is very well done but its just isn't the horror story it is meant to be that's it. A story that many will find interesting.
A NOOTROPIC EGRESS by Karthik L
This story is quite frankly a rather strange mix of one of the most wildly used elements in stories featuring extra terrestrial intelligence that it borders on fictional cliche and the unconventional boy goes to Europe version. This is a strange story for all that matters and the story line is again porous and narration battles hard to hold water but fails. In my opinion this happened to be the most disappointing story that I found in this book.
THE SECRET OF AHIRAAH by Reshmy Pillai
This is a very interesting and engaging story with its own shades of history and life beautifully weaved in to it. This is easily one of the better stories you will find in the book if not the best one. The only problem I have had with the story is that it finished way too fast, if only it did last a bit longer.
WHERE DID YOU GO by Deepa Duraisamy
This is a beautiful thriller that would quench the thirst of any thriller lover, a beautifully crafted story set in the real with with no larger than life characters and a very powerful message carefully disguised in the lines of a thriller.
BARREN HARVEST by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat
A bold take on the world of tomorrow , bruised and destroyed by the carelessness and ignorance of man today along the lines of George Orwell's 1984 and the Hollywood film equilibrium The authors attempts bravely to answer the question sod mechanized emotions and the mechanicallity of life in the future where humans become prisoners of their own inventions and discoveries.
A GOOD DAY TO DIE by Rahul Biswas
A real life drama that envelopes the life of three firefighters and their friends and families, the complicated realities of life and the many things that they do in the name of self preservation. A beautifully crafted drama that is what this story is.
About the Author
Based in Bangalore, Nethra is pursuing her Masters in Business Administration and is a graduate in Computer Science & Engineering. She is a voracious reader and a fiction writer, who puts quality writing over everything else. Her interest in good stories and writing made her start a platform, Fablery, which provides aspiring authors a gateway into the publishing world. She is also working on her novel that she hopes to complete in the near future.
The stories are bound to take the readers on a roller-coaster ride but the title of the book can be a little misleading. Most of the stories though are a stunning piece of fiction has not much to do with life or the virtues of life. Each story revolves around its own theme and there is no real continuity between them. This has to be expected considering that each has been crafted by individuals who where never in contact and who possess not much in common expect an unrelenting passion for writing fiction.
A better way to look at the book is to see it as a collection of individual stories that has its own unique flavor than as a collection of stories. The book contains ten different stories each from a different genre, and each the best in its own genre.
The Ten Shades of Life is an official Rupertt Aryeen Wind Recommendation
INCARDINES by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell
A rather intriguing story of a girl, her parents and the mystery surrounding their lives. The girl finds the answers to the question of her family that is slowly drifting apart in a book so coincidentally mentioned by her friend. The narration is rather porous and at times you do wonder how it all came to be so, many a questions are left unanswered and mostly most of it makes no sense whats so ever.
RED AND GOLD by Monika Pant
A romantic and touching story of love and belonging, The story touches you at someplace in your heart as the narration goes on. The story is intriguing and with a slight tinge of history in it, it just is a good read.
HARRY'S BLUFF by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan
A fast action packed thriller and so full of twists and turns and twists with in twists that you just keep on reading till you reach the logical end. A true nail bitter and it sure is one of the best stories the book has to offer.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT by Shankar Raman A
A light hearted and delightful comedy with its own interesting and well though out twists. its just another good read in this anthology.
WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY by Bruce Memblatt
A appreciable attempt at horror, does it scare you no it does not, it does not even give you a shiver down you spine but its still a good story and the narration is very well done but its just isn't the horror story it is meant to be that's it. A story that many will find interesting.
A NOOTROPIC EGRESS by Karthik L
This story is quite frankly a rather strange mix of one of the most wildly used elements in stories featuring extra terrestrial intelligence that it borders on fictional cliche and the unconventional boy goes to Europe version. This is a strange story for all that matters and the story line is again porous and narration battles hard to hold water but fails. In my opinion this happened to be the most disappointing story that I found in this book.
THE SECRET OF AHIRAAH by Reshmy Pillai
This is a very interesting and engaging story with its own shades of history and life beautifully weaved in to it. This is easily one of the better stories you will find in the book if not the best one. The only problem I have had with the story is that it finished way too fast, if only it did last a bit longer.
WHERE DID YOU GO by Deepa Duraisamy
This is a beautiful thriller that would quench the thirst of any thriller lover, a beautifully crafted story set in the real with with no larger than life characters and a very powerful message carefully disguised in the lines of a thriller.
BARREN HARVEST by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat
A bold take on the world of tomorrow , bruised and destroyed by the carelessness and ignorance of man today along the lines of George Orwell's 1984 and the Hollywood film equilibrium The authors attempts bravely to answer the question sod mechanized emotions and the mechanicallity of life in the future where humans become prisoners of their own inventions and discoveries.
A GOOD DAY TO DIE by Rahul Biswas
A real life drama that envelopes the life of three firefighters and their friends and families, the complicated realities of life and the many things that they do in the name of self preservation. A beautifully crafted drama that is what this story is.
About the Author
Based in Bangalore, Nethra is pursuing her Masters in Business Administration and is a graduate in Computer Science & Engineering. She is a voracious reader and a fiction writer, who puts quality writing over everything else. Her interest in good stories and writing made her start a platform, Fablery, which provides aspiring authors a gateway into the publishing world. She is also working on her novel that she hopes to complete in the near future.
May 10, 2013
Having always been fond of stories, I wasn’t going to permit this beautiful story collection from Fablery to pass me by. The fact that all the stories belonged to different genres made reading this collection all the more interesting!
Ten extremely good stories narrated by writers who know their job well. All the writers have made their respective stories so enticing that it becomes difficult to put the book down. So, where you come across chilling tales like in ‘The Incarnadines’ by Cheyenne Mitchell and ‘Weekend in the Country’ by Bruce Memblatt, you also get to read lovely love stories like in ‘Red and Gold’ by Monika Pant.
Each story is different because it catches the imagination of the reader in the manner in which it is narrated apart from the fact that the theme chosen is out of the ordinary. ‘Barren Harvest’ by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is one such story where the issue of global warming is merged with the lives of humans after the much predicted end of the world. ‘Harry’s Bluff’ by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan is a tale about goons and their humane aspirations while Reshmy Pillai’s ‘The Secret of Ahiraah’ is a well written piece of historical fiction. ‘A Good Day To Die’ dwells on the life of a firefighter written by Rahul Biswas. ‘Where Did You Go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy is about baby swapping. ‘Something Like That’ by Shankar Raman A stood out for its comical cynicism while ‘A Nootropic Egress’ by Kartick L was an interesting take on the UFO.
All the stories carry you into different worlds.
Due credit must be given to Nethra A for editing such a fine book. Hats off to the writers! For all those story readers wanting a taste of something different, ‘TEN SHADES OF LIFE’ is THE book!
Ten extremely good stories narrated by writers who know their job well. All the writers have made their respective stories so enticing that it becomes difficult to put the book down. So, where you come across chilling tales like in ‘The Incarnadines’ by Cheyenne Mitchell and ‘Weekend in the Country’ by Bruce Memblatt, you also get to read lovely love stories like in ‘Red and Gold’ by Monika Pant.
Each story is different because it catches the imagination of the reader in the manner in which it is narrated apart from the fact that the theme chosen is out of the ordinary. ‘Barren Harvest’ by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is one such story where the issue of global warming is merged with the lives of humans after the much predicted end of the world. ‘Harry’s Bluff’ by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan is a tale about goons and their humane aspirations while Reshmy Pillai’s ‘The Secret of Ahiraah’ is a well written piece of historical fiction. ‘A Good Day To Die’ dwells on the life of a firefighter written by Rahul Biswas. ‘Where Did You Go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy is about baby swapping. ‘Something Like That’ by Shankar Raman A stood out for its comical cynicism while ‘A Nootropic Egress’ by Kartick L was an interesting take on the UFO.
All the stories carry you into different worlds.
Due credit must be given to Nethra A for editing such a fine book. Hats off to the writers! For all those story readers wanting a taste of something different, ‘TEN SHADES OF LIFE’ is THE book!
July 20, 2013
It was good to see a book with stories by bloggers I know. A few of the stories like Red and Gold, The Secret of Ahiraah, Where did you go? and Barren Harvest stood out. Overall, a very satisfactory collection of stories.
April 4, 2013
A real varied collection mostly by Indian authors spanning multiple genres. As a stakeholder in this book, I will not say much more about this book.
August 23, 2013
Here’s a short review on each story in the book.
1. Where did you go? By Deepa Duraisamy-
A small baby boy is kidnapped and the police force has a hard time trying to track down the kidnappers. Since this is common occurrence in India in recent times, the plot of the story feels plausible and real.
Suspense/Thriller being my favorite genre, this story did not disappoint me as it had all the elements of a good thriller story. The story has been well paced and the narrative is engaging and keeps the reader engrossed.
2. A Nootropic Egress by Karthik L-
A lad of 17 years has an extra-terrestrial experience but what he encounters is not exactly how he had expected it to be.
Ok, I’m not too fond of stories under Sci-fi genre, but this story I have to admit, is excellent. I loved the author’s ingenuity in creating characters and events in the story that captivates the reader’s interest right till the end of the story. The story is out-of-this-world (pun intended).
3. Harry’s Bluff by Roshan Radhakrishnan-
A hired hit man finds himself at the wrong end of a gun when he attempts to salvage his past by saving the life of a small girl.
An action/adventure story has to be fact paced and has to keep the reader on the edge of his seat. And this story had all that in addition to being sleek and classy. I loved the way the story was narrated-it had an almost Hollywood panache attached to it. A thumbs-up to this story!
4. Something Like That by Shankar Raman A-
A man about to be retired finds himself to be the butt of a joke in his office, but what happens when the tables are turned and the prankster invariably falls a prey to his own prank.
A story belonging to humor genre, this book failed to impress me. For me it fell short in the humor department, although I felt bad about the poor old Mr. V or something like that.
5. Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt-
When Richard, in hope of a relaxing weekend, took off with his friend, Paul, to the country side, he never supposed that his life would never be the same again.
I love horror genre, the Stephen King kind of stories. This story although heavily short on giving the reader the heebie-jeebies, it maintained a level of interest and turned on the scare quotient towards the end.
6. Red and Gold by Monika Pant-
The age old collision of a Muslim girl in love with a Hindu boy forms the backdrop of the story.
A story belonging to the romance genre set in the 18th century in Awadh, it had a melancholic feeling to it, like the couple belonging to two different religions were doomed right from the beginning. The narrative is good, but somehow the characters failed to create a vivid impression on me.
7. The Secret of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai-
The secret of Sonar Killa has been safeguarded by the Oswal family for years and when the Rajput family is threatened by the Mughals, can the old secret help to rescue the royal family.
History has never been my favorite subject, even in school, but this story strikes a chord. This is primarily due to the rich detailing of the life and the people in the Rajputana era by the author. Never knew that history could be so mesmerizing. Now, only if those boring lessons taught in school in History subject could be so interesting.
8. Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat-
Set in the future, in the year 2054, when humans are ruled primarily by machines called humanoids, humans struggle to break free and caught in the midst of an imminent war is a woman in search of her mother.
This story had me really puzzled because I couldn’t exactly categorize it into the philosophical genre. It kind of felt as sci-fi as well because it was set in the future with a peek into how in the year 2054, humans will be mere slaves to machines.
But this story worked for me, because it had an emotional touch to it. It also built my curiosity in imagining how life would be after 4 decades. One of the good stories in the book.
9. A good day to die by Rahul Biswas-
An honest hard-working man working in Mumbai Fire Brigade is in danger when his own devious plan back-fires.
I really had never heard about a genre called Occupational, but this story was impressive in its narration and the plotline. I liked the ending of the story which had a kind of dramatic twist that I wasn’t really expecting. I'm all for 360-degree kind of twists in plots. :)
10. The Incarnadines by Cheyenne Mitchell-
A teenage girl caught between her parent, who never wanted to marry each other and who cannot live together, realizes the truth of her parents and helps her mother to be free again, but at what cost?
The story falling under the Fantasy/Mythology genre disappointed me a bit because it fell short of the magical aura that a fantasy story should possess. The language used to narrate the story is lucid but somehow it didn’t have that X-factor which could have taken the story to another dimension altogether.
Out of the ten stories, I would rate three stories the best (although other stories were also well-written and made an interesting read)- Harry’s Bluff by Roshan Radhakrishnan, A Nootropic Egress by Karthik L and Where did you go? By Deepa Duraisamy.
1. Where did you go? By Deepa Duraisamy-
A small baby boy is kidnapped and the police force has a hard time trying to track down the kidnappers. Since this is common occurrence in India in recent times, the plot of the story feels plausible and real.
Suspense/Thriller being my favorite genre, this story did not disappoint me as it had all the elements of a good thriller story. The story has been well paced and the narrative is engaging and keeps the reader engrossed.
2. A Nootropic Egress by Karthik L-
A lad of 17 years has an extra-terrestrial experience but what he encounters is not exactly how he had expected it to be.
Ok, I’m not too fond of stories under Sci-fi genre, but this story I have to admit, is excellent. I loved the author’s ingenuity in creating characters and events in the story that captivates the reader’s interest right till the end of the story. The story is out-of-this-world (pun intended).
3. Harry’s Bluff by Roshan Radhakrishnan-
A hired hit man finds himself at the wrong end of a gun when he attempts to salvage his past by saving the life of a small girl.
An action/adventure story has to be fact paced and has to keep the reader on the edge of his seat. And this story had all that in addition to being sleek and classy. I loved the way the story was narrated-it had an almost Hollywood panache attached to it. A thumbs-up to this story!
4. Something Like That by Shankar Raman A-
A man about to be retired finds himself to be the butt of a joke in his office, but what happens when the tables are turned and the prankster invariably falls a prey to his own prank.
A story belonging to humor genre, this book failed to impress me. For me it fell short in the humor department, although I felt bad about the poor old Mr. V or something like that.
5. Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt-
When Richard, in hope of a relaxing weekend, took off with his friend, Paul, to the country side, he never supposed that his life would never be the same again.
I love horror genre, the Stephen King kind of stories. This story although heavily short on giving the reader the heebie-jeebies, it maintained a level of interest and turned on the scare quotient towards the end.
6. Red and Gold by Monika Pant-
The age old collision of a Muslim girl in love with a Hindu boy forms the backdrop of the story.
A story belonging to the romance genre set in the 18th century in Awadh, it had a melancholic feeling to it, like the couple belonging to two different religions were doomed right from the beginning. The narrative is good, but somehow the characters failed to create a vivid impression on me.
7. The Secret of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai-
The secret of Sonar Killa has been safeguarded by the Oswal family for years and when the Rajput family is threatened by the Mughals, can the old secret help to rescue the royal family.
History has never been my favorite subject, even in school, but this story strikes a chord. This is primarily due to the rich detailing of the life and the people in the Rajputana era by the author. Never knew that history could be so mesmerizing. Now, only if those boring lessons taught in school in History subject could be so interesting.
8. Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat-
Set in the future, in the year 2054, when humans are ruled primarily by machines called humanoids, humans struggle to break free and caught in the midst of an imminent war is a woman in search of her mother.
This story had me really puzzled because I couldn’t exactly categorize it into the philosophical genre. It kind of felt as sci-fi as well because it was set in the future with a peek into how in the year 2054, humans will be mere slaves to machines.
But this story worked for me, because it had an emotional touch to it. It also built my curiosity in imagining how life would be after 4 decades. One of the good stories in the book.
9. A good day to die by Rahul Biswas-
An honest hard-working man working in Mumbai Fire Brigade is in danger when his own devious plan back-fires.
I really had never heard about a genre called Occupational, but this story was impressive in its narration and the plotline. I liked the ending of the story which had a kind of dramatic twist that I wasn’t really expecting. I'm all for 360-degree kind of twists in plots. :)
10. The Incarnadines by Cheyenne Mitchell-
A teenage girl caught between her parent, who never wanted to marry each other and who cannot live together, realizes the truth of her parents and helps her mother to be free again, but at what cost?
The story falling under the Fantasy/Mythology genre disappointed me a bit because it fell short of the magical aura that a fantasy story should possess. The language used to narrate the story is lucid but somehow it didn’t have that X-factor which could have taken the story to another dimension altogether.
Out of the ten stories, I would rate three stories the best (although other stories were also well-written and made an interesting read)- Harry’s Bluff by Roshan Radhakrishnan, A Nootropic Egress by Karthik L and Where did you go? By Deepa Duraisamy.
February 18, 2019
I thought the stories were well thought out and good. If not for a little amateur editing they would've had more impact on readers. Especially the story "The Incarnadines" by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell. This one was truly intriguing as well as imaginative.
April 6, 2023
Good I love that
November 11, 2013
Having always been fond of stories, I wasn’t going to permit this beautiful story collection from Fablery to pass me by. The fact that all the stories belonged to different genres made reading this collection all the more interesting!
Ten extremely good stories narrated by writers who know their job well. All the writers have made their respective stories so enticing that it becomes difficult to put the book down. So, where you come across chilling tales like in ‘The Incarnadines’ by Cheyenne Mitchell and ‘Weekend in the Country’ by Bruce Memblatt, you also get to read lovely love stories like in ‘Red and Gold’ by Monika Pant.
Each story is different because it catches the imagination of the reader in the manner in which it is narrated apart from the fact that the theme chosen is out of the ordinary. ‘Barren Harvest’ by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is one such story where the issue of global warming is merged with the lives of humans after the much predicted end of the world. ‘Harry’s Bluff’ by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan is a tale about goons and their humane aspirations while Reshmy Pillai’s ‘The Secret of Ahiraah’ is a well written piece of historical fiction. ‘A Good Day To Die’ dwells on the life of a firefighter written by Rahul Biswas. ‘Where Did You Go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy is about baby swapping. ‘Something Like That’ by Shankar Raman A stood out for its comical cynicism while ‘A Nootropic Egress’ by Kartick L was an interesting take on the UFO.
All the stories carry you into different worlds.
Due credit must be given to Nethra A for editing such a fine book. Hats off to the writers! For all those story readers wanting a taste of something different, ‘TEN SHADES OF LIFE’ is THE book!
Ten extremely good stories narrated by writers who know their job well. All the writers have made their respective stories so enticing that it becomes difficult to put the book down. So, where you come across chilling tales like in ‘The Incarnadines’ by Cheyenne Mitchell and ‘Weekend in the Country’ by Bruce Memblatt, you also get to read lovely love stories like in ‘Red and Gold’ by Monika Pant.
Each story is different because it catches the imagination of the reader in the manner in which it is narrated apart from the fact that the theme chosen is out of the ordinary. ‘Barren Harvest’ by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat is one such story where the issue of global warming is merged with the lives of humans after the much predicted end of the world. ‘Harry’s Bluff’ by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan is a tale about goons and their humane aspirations while Reshmy Pillai’s ‘The Secret of Ahiraah’ is a well written piece of historical fiction. ‘A Good Day To Die’ dwells on the life of a firefighter written by Rahul Biswas. ‘Where Did You Go?’ by Deepa Duraisamy is about baby swapping. ‘Something Like That’ by Shankar Raman A stood out for its comical cynicism while ‘A Nootropic Egress’ by Kartick L was an interesting take on the UFO.
All the stories carry you into different worlds.
Due credit must be given to Nethra A for editing such a fine book. Hats off to the writers! For all those story readers wanting a taste of something different, ‘TEN SHADES OF LIFE’ is THE book!
March 19, 2015
An interesting collection. My personal favorites were 'A good day to die' by Rahul Biswas and Action/Adventure Harry's Bluff' by Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan.
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