What do you think?
Rate this book
The Soft Target
Is God good? Or is He a manipulative villain who plays with the lives of his creations in the name of karma? As far as Mohan Mishra is concerned, God is a villain. Mohan is God’s soft target, for He ‘blesses’ him with a strange mental problem and kills his support system when he needed it the most. The Soft Target is the story of a boy’s journey into manhood, as he takes on God with his mental prowess, defeating Him at every stage, thus making God his soft target. Supported by great friends and a loving wife, Mohan fights an epic battle against the murderous society, the conniving legal system and ultimately God himself, with remarkable courage and spirit.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 3, 2017
16 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 19, 2016
It’s rare to find books that can actually be classified as serious literature and can be taught in an academic course. “The Soft Target” is one such amazingly written book, by Kalyan Nanda.
This book has all the elements of wit and sarcasm which are used well, making a reader smile throughout the pages. While reading the scene describing Brij and Rashi’s date, we get to witness the author at his best with a complete dosage of sarcasm and wit.
The explanation of certain points, like the word Masochist or the song Hotel California is terrific. The letter about being masochist has the soul to touch a reader’s heart.
(If you’ve heard the song Hotel California, read its explanation written in this book. You will discover a new perspective to the song.)
The scene involving a breakup and a proposal (Revathy-Brij-Rashi) made my heart beat faster, when it actually didn’t want to beat at all. (Sounds cliché but the scene was amazingly portrayed!)
The coincidences created in the story, when Mohan faced God in a one to one battle, it appeared completely natural. This makes the book an amazing suspense novel.
The book blurb revealed too much of the story line however, the suspense of the novel was protected by the author.
One liners used in the book are magnificent. Consider the depth in these 5 words-
“Misfortune makes a man superstitious”
Or this one,
“Brij had a smart way of countering sarcasm: he never understood it.”
My favorite one is-
“I want to be your café Madras”
(Only the ones who read this story can understand this)
The equation of life described on page-102 is quite interesting and incredible, here’s a short part of it-
“Your life is like that equation-f(x)= nywhere you are the dependent variable, whose fate depends on the independent variable. How can someone else’s performance determine your state of mind?”
When the author used Sachin’s slog shot to Warne or Dhoni’s finishing shot, being a sports enthusiast, I started expecting more. My eyes awaited the read on the comparison of instances with Messi’s remarkable left foot free kick, Ronaldo’s brilliant Penalty kick, Saina Nehwal’s beautiful drop shot, Srikant Kidambi’s powerful smashes and Federer’s classic backhand shot. All of these were missing. The narration could have been better, if the author could have used gentlemen examples from more games other than cricket. It’s just my personal opinion, of course.
Concluding, the novel has an amazing plot that is written well. The story is connecting and the writing style is simple and commendable. The use of words is apt which intensifies the level of sarcasm and wit in the story line. Apart from a few chunks where a serious reader could find a miniature scope of improvements, this book is a classic. I recommend this book to every reader out there, looking for an entertaining and classic read.
Happy reading!
For complete review, visit my blog- http://dipanshuwrites.blogspot.in/201...
This book has all the elements of wit and sarcasm which are used well, making a reader smile throughout the pages. While reading the scene describing Brij and Rashi’s date, we get to witness the author at his best with a complete dosage of sarcasm and wit.
The explanation of certain points, like the word Masochist or the song Hotel California is terrific. The letter about being masochist has the soul to touch a reader’s heart.
(If you’ve heard the song Hotel California, read its explanation written in this book. You will discover a new perspective to the song.)
The scene involving a breakup and a proposal (Revathy-Brij-Rashi) made my heart beat faster, when it actually didn’t want to beat at all. (Sounds cliché but the scene was amazingly portrayed!)
The coincidences created in the story, when Mohan faced God in a one to one battle, it appeared completely natural. This makes the book an amazing suspense novel.
The book blurb revealed too much of the story line however, the suspense of the novel was protected by the author.
One liners used in the book are magnificent. Consider the depth in these 5 words-
“Misfortune makes a man superstitious”
Or this one,
“Brij had a smart way of countering sarcasm: he never understood it.”
My favorite one is-
“I want to be your café Madras”
(Only the ones who read this story can understand this)
The equation of life described on page-102 is quite interesting and incredible, here’s a short part of it-
“Your life is like that equation-f(x)= nywhere you are the dependent variable, whose fate depends on the independent variable. How can someone else’s performance determine your state of mind?”
When the author used Sachin’s slog shot to Warne or Dhoni’s finishing shot, being a sports enthusiast, I started expecting more. My eyes awaited the read on the comparison of instances with Messi’s remarkable left foot free kick, Ronaldo’s brilliant Penalty kick, Saina Nehwal’s beautiful drop shot, Srikant Kidambi’s powerful smashes and Federer’s classic backhand shot. All of these were missing. The narration could have been better, if the author could have used gentlemen examples from more games other than cricket. It’s just my personal opinion, of course.
Concluding, the novel has an amazing plot that is written well. The story is connecting and the writing style is simple and commendable. The use of words is apt which intensifies the level of sarcasm and wit in the story line. Apart from a few chunks where a serious reader could find a miniature scope of improvements, this book is a classic. I recommend this book to every reader out there, looking for an entertaining and classic read.
Happy reading!
For complete review, visit my blog- http://dipanshuwrites.blogspot.in/201...
March 19, 2019
We all are the children of the Almighty and he treats all of us equally. However, we are put to tests which challenge our mental stiffness and brittleness. A few of us succumb to their pressure and curse God while there are others who brave against all odds and prove that the target was indeed 'soft.'
Mohan Mishra is a differently challenged boy who is unable to speak out his mind. This takes a heavy toll on his well being while the entire society bullies and ridicule him. The kind of condition he suffers from is unique and I am amazed to know and read about it. Despite severe circumstances, this young man smiles through all hurdles and secures a position in the elite institute, IIT Bombay. He comes across Brij, who is a fun element in this book, and Nikhil, who too suffers from stammering and knows the pain of being the subject of society's mockery. Together, these three men live their tough lives at IIT and pass with flying colors. And finally, Mohan gets his wife Samidha entering his life. But would his happiness last long?
With a candid and informal writing style, the author has put up a great show as The Soft Target. Mohan's character is inspiring and teaches us to equip ourselves with hope, knowledge & guts to face the odds and ultimately, succeed. His terrible condition never deterred him. True that he loses his faith in God but wasn't it obvious? He was repeatedly taken through the darkness but still, he chose to smile and win. His grit and determination are commendable. The parallel track of the real estate mafia is also brought out intelligibly. Together, the two plots converge to a point where Mohan has to make a choice between him and the higher good. This battle of dilemma brings out the best of him.
I liked the lucid language in which the story has been woven. With an interesting plotline and entertaining characters such as Brij, you'd enjoy this book to the fullest. It is highly motivating and engaging. There is love, there are beautiful friendships, wonderful relationships, amazing characters, intriguing presentation of the narrative, and a smooth narration. I liked how the author converses with his readers at certain points in the book. He explains his views very nicely. That one to one engagement makes up for a good reading experience. Also, the wit pervasive in the author's tone gives you food for thought. I was moved by the purity of Mohan's & Samidha's love for she understands him like none. That unadulterated love won me. I also liked the handling of the parallel tracks by the author. He manages to bring them to one point fluently.
What I disliked was the climax. Perhaps, I found it way too dramatic and speedy. Samidha's demise was sad that it broke my connection with the story. The final decision of Mohan was also abrupt. I guess I over expected or maybe expected a happy ending. The cover too could have been better.
The tile, however, is well conceived. I could relate to the idea behind it by the end of the story. For all the readers out there, I would suggest you give this book a try for it surely has some seriously amazing stuff for your brains and heart.
Mohan Mishra is a differently challenged boy who is unable to speak out his mind. This takes a heavy toll on his well being while the entire society bullies and ridicule him. The kind of condition he suffers from is unique and I am amazed to know and read about it. Despite severe circumstances, this young man smiles through all hurdles and secures a position in the elite institute, IIT Bombay. He comes across Brij, who is a fun element in this book, and Nikhil, who too suffers from stammering and knows the pain of being the subject of society's mockery. Together, these three men live their tough lives at IIT and pass with flying colors. And finally, Mohan gets his wife Samidha entering his life. But would his happiness last long?
With a candid and informal writing style, the author has put up a great show as The Soft Target. Mohan's character is inspiring and teaches us to equip ourselves with hope, knowledge & guts to face the odds and ultimately, succeed. His terrible condition never deterred him. True that he loses his faith in God but wasn't it obvious? He was repeatedly taken through the darkness but still, he chose to smile and win. His grit and determination are commendable. The parallel track of the real estate mafia is also brought out intelligibly. Together, the two plots converge to a point where Mohan has to make a choice between him and the higher good. This battle of dilemma brings out the best of him.
I liked the lucid language in which the story has been woven. With an interesting plotline and entertaining characters such as Brij, you'd enjoy this book to the fullest. It is highly motivating and engaging. There is love, there are beautiful friendships, wonderful relationships, amazing characters, intriguing presentation of the narrative, and a smooth narration. I liked how the author converses with his readers at certain points in the book. He explains his views very nicely. That one to one engagement makes up for a good reading experience. Also, the wit pervasive in the author's tone gives you food for thought. I was moved by the purity of Mohan's & Samidha's love for she understands him like none. That unadulterated love won me. I also liked the handling of the parallel tracks by the author. He manages to bring them to one point fluently.
What I disliked was the climax. Perhaps, I found it way too dramatic and speedy. Samidha's demise was sad that it broke my connection with the story. The final decision of Mohan was also abrupt. I guess I over expected or maybe expected a happy ending. The cover too could have been better.
The tile, however, is well conceived. I could relate to the idea behind it by the end of the story. For all the readers out there, I would suggest you give this book a try for it surely has some seriously amazing stuff for your brains and heart.
March 23, 2019
Mohan is a brilliant boy with extraordinary IQ. But he has an incurable neurotic problem. He cannot process his thoughts into words and end up saying nonsense which makes him look like an imbecile or a bully.
The story line naturally gives the impression of a docile Mohan who is afraid of everything but surprisingly author has given the readers a fighter right from the beginning.
The craft of Mohan's character and individuality makes the book stand out. How Mohan excels in studies and attains success of more or less predictable but the level of inherent confidence and perseverance is fresh to read. Mohan is in an indifferent relation with God for making him helpless and giving him the handicap and it aggravates when his parents die in a car accident. Further how Mohan survives and come out of the trauma it the middle of the story. Further we can see the campus friendship, love, heartbreak and all the spicy and sweet ingredients for a YA story.
The plot and the overall storyline has a lot of possibilities. Nonetheless it has not been used to the maximum extend. The effortless style of narration makes it easy for the beginners and it is afresh style of writing attempt by the author. Despite the lack of consistency of the narration, the book is sure to attract the YA audience. There is an underlying message of hardwork and perseverance. Author has also shown the readers as to how one can come of the difficult situations.
August 6, 2016
With The Soft Target, Kalyan Nanda unleashes his power of words and gives the hint of what the future can be!
It is the story of the fight of the protagonist, Mohan against the God’s plan. Mohan has a rare mental problem but a genius mind. Whenever the lights of hope tried to enter in his life, God dragged him back to darkness but Mohan never left the struggle.
The way, author has narrated the life of Mohan is addictive.
It was difficult to pause until I finished it. Few of the facts shared by him like the Narcotics Act and the tactics being used in the court-rooms were really something new and are rare to find in the book of a debutante.
The Soft Target treats you with an informal style through the brilliant characterization, picturesque description of places and time.
It is the story of the fight of the protagonist, Mohan against the God’s plan. Mohan has a rare mental problem but a genius mind. Whenever the lights of hope tried to enter in his life, God dragged him back to darkness but Mohan never left the struggle.
The way, author has narrated the life of Mohan is addictive.
It was difficult to pause until I finished it. Few of the facts shared by him like the Narcotics Act and the tactics being used in the court-rooms were really something new and are rare to find in the book of a debutante.
The Soft Target treats you with an informal style through the brilliant characterization, picturesque description of places and time.
March 12, 2019
Here I am today with the review of a really interesting book. Already from the cover I was very intrigued. The novel in question is titled The Soft Target by Kalyan Nanda.
Do you have a moment, God? The search for dialogue with the Absolute has always questioned the human heart. There is the urgency of a relationship, an urgency common to many. Composed of multiple levels of reading, the novel uses irony to highlight all the ills of the world and to denounce the role of men in its destruction.
The absolute protagonist is Mohan Mishra who suffers a rare mental illness and is destined to abandon all aspirations. As a child, the boy was despised by everyone, but becoming a great student who could get the right recognition and respect from his parents, but that road closes as his parents passes away and then again his wife.
This novel is a male story that has as its protagonist a man who fights for himself and for all that he has lost. A man who starts from scratch and who fights against survival, through a series of obstacles that will not allow him to take giant steps but to suffer and have to earn even the smallest step forward.
A struggle that, at the end of a journey full of twists and turns, will be the very foundation of human nature. We are torn apart, forever and ever, by the desire to find a balance between our dark side and a conscience that pushes you to want to do the right thing.
Yet from the beginning it is clear that we have before us a out of the ordinary character. Everything is complex and debatable in an era that is described to perfection by the author and leads us to eavesdrop and spy within a context that is slowly destroying.
The social aspect is the pride of the novel as there is a continuous alternation of criticisms, and whispers that revolve around the choices of Mohan. And this is why the man decides to roll up his sleeves and do everything by himself. He fills his life with solitary euphony, chained, repeated and insistent notes.
Much of the narrative is based on this aspect, which becomes an integral part of the whole story, a true character, with its strengths and weaknesses. The dual morality present in this period manifests itself in all its sadness, corruption and cowardice.
On the one hand, people are all fearful of God, modest, ready to pray and to join hands in sign of respect and tolerance. On the other hand, however, everyone is ready to point, criticize, put the sticks in the wheels and destroy you if you do not act as they say.
Many are the characters that appear on the scene but none of them can be defined as good or bad. What the author tells us is a great story. The Soft Target is a full and intense novel, which speaks of desires, shocks and breaking points with the ability to excite in its simplicity of words made to speak directly to each of us.
In the fluency of the text, there is no lack of profound traits. The text certainly shows the spiritual stature of the author. It is certainly a recommended text, especially in current times, where great confusion and disbelief reigns.
For the rest, the style is very fluid and linear, words used are researched without making the reading heavy or demanding. The descriptions are not overly detailed, but not even inexistent, with the right mix that allows a good imagination of events without making you want to skip entire paragraphs to take action.
The beginning seemed a bit too rich in characters and jumps from one side to the other, but soon you can become familiar with the world, really well structured with the various characters.
The narrative is a journey made of words and omniscient looks that allow the reader to enter completely into the story. The style is fluid, full-bodied, but also synthetic, never disturbing, between the past and the present.
Do you have a moment, God? The search for dialogue with the Absolute has always questioned the human heart. There is the urgency of a relationship, an urgency common to many. Composed of multiple levels of reading, the novel uses irony to highlight all the ills of the world and to denounce the role of men in its destruction.
The absolute protagonist is Mohan Mishra who suffers a rare mental illness and is destined to abandon all aspirations. As a child, the boy was despised by everyone, but becoming a great student who could get the right recognition and respect from his parents, but that road closes as his parents passes away and then again his wife.
This novel is a male story that has as its protagonist a man who fights for himself and for all that he has lost. A man who starts from scratch and who fights against survival, through a series of obstacles that will not allow him to take giant steps but to suffer and have to earn even the smallest step forward.
A struggle that, at the end of a journey full of twists and turns, will be the very foundation of human nature. We are torn apart, forever and ever, by the desire to find a balance between our dark side and a conscience that pushes you to want to do the right thing.
Yet from the beginning it is clear that we have before us a out of the ordinary character. Everything is complex and debatable in an era that is described to perfection by the author and leads us to eavesdrop and spy within a context that is slowly destroying.
The social aspect is the pride of the novel as there is a continuous alternation of criticisms, and whispers that revolve around the choices of Mohan. And this is why the man decides to roll up his sleeves and do everything by himself. He fills his life with solitary euphony, chained, repeated and insistent notes.
Much of the narrative is based on this aspect, which becomes an integral part of the whole story, a true character, with its strengths and weaknesses. The dual morality present in this period manifests itself in all its sadness, corruption and cowardice.
On the one hand, people are all fearful of God, modest, ready to pray and to join hands in sign of respect and tolerance. On the other hand, however, everyone is ready to point, criticize, put the sticks in the wheels and destroy you if you do not act as they say.
Many are the characters that appear on the scene but none of them can be defined as good or bad. What the author tells us is a great story. The Soft Target is a full and intense novel, which speaks of desires, shocks and breaking points with the ability to excite in its simplicity of words made to speak directly to each of us.
In the fluency of the text, there is no lack of profound traits. The text certainly shows the spiritual stature of the author. It is certainly a recommended text, especially in current times, where great confusion and disbelief reigns.
For the rest, the style is very fluid and linear, words used are researched without making the reading heavy or demanding. The descriptions are not overly detailed, but not even inexistent, with the right mix that allows a good imagination of events without making you want to skip entire paragraphs to take action.
The beginning seemed a bit too rich in characters and jumps from one side to the other, but soon you can become familiar with the world, really well structured with the various characters.
The narrative is a journey made of words and omniscient looks that allow the reader to enter completely into the story. The style is fluid, full-bodied, but also synthetic, never disturbing, between the past and the present.
March 21, 2019
“Misfortune makes a man superstitious
Narration
The writing style is lucid and easy to comprehend, and it's a kind of book that I believe anyone can read without much difficulty. The witty narration and how the characters converse are something to look out for. One thing I really like about books with less description are that one can take out endless and personal inferences they want to take.
Nanda swiftly changes the tone from humorous to dark such that you can't help but appreciate him for that. The descriptions are not overly detailed, but not even non-existent, with the right mix that allows a good imagination of events without making you want to skip entire paragraphs to take action.
“Your life is like that equation-f(x)= nywhere you are the dependent variable, whose fate depends on the independent variable. How can someone else’s performance determine your state of mind?”
The Characters
There's a wide range of characters we are introduced to, and it does feel overwhelming initially, nevertheless, they are quite great. I liked Nikhil and Brij as well as the protagonist, Mohan (but not as much).
The characters could definitely have been developed much, much more and since they weren't some scenes felt hollow. One of the good aspects of the story was the friendship angle and how each understood other's weakness and strength. I really wish that that was elaborated upon more and explored such that it did justice.
Final Verdict
While it wasn't the kind of book, that I would love over my life and say that it's a must read, it's a book that has its own audience and those who look for compelling stories in simplified language would enjoy.
The plot might be quite predictable, but it's also consistent. The Soft Target is an excellent debut by Kalyan, and all I can hope is that the author writes more books with same amount of conviction.
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
March 19, 2019
‘The Soft Target’ by Kalyan Nanda is a book about a boy named Mohan who continually suffers the wrath of God, though no fault of his he continually suffers all that comes his way and challenges God to do whatever he can do to make him suffer, nothing would stop him. Does Mohan win against God?
The story begins by narrating the life of Mohan who has a rare disease from birth due to which he cannot speak up his mind, but fully understands everything. In fact, he is very intelligent and always tops his school and college. He even secures AIR 2nd Rank in IIT entrance exam which was held just a week after his parents died in a car accident. After getting admission in IIT Mumbai he meets Brij and Nikhil. Brij comes from a small town named Azamgarh and is filmy and stylish and Nikhil is a rich boy who has all the comforts a person can dream of having but he suffers from stammering problem.
Soon, the three find out that they are roommates and form an unbreakable bond. They all understand each other and knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they all are for each other in times of happiness and also in times of need. Everything is going smoothly but then there is a twist in the story.
Meanwhile, there’s a builder who wants to vacate a plot of land famously known as Dagdi Chawl. The builder i.e. Sunny Tawade would go to any extent to get his way and even kill anybody who comes between him and the land. Our protagonist Mohan is also having some strange dreams about some person who he doesn’t know and is a bit worried about the dreams.
The two stories eventually get intertwined and there is a lot of action going on.
Will Mohan be able to solve the unsolved mystery of his dream and will Sunny Tawade be able to get his hands on the piece of land that he has been eyeing since long ago? Who is this man from Mohan’s dream? To know more read The Soft Target.
My Views:
The characters are well written and well developed. I loved Mohan’s character who even after going through so much suffering is all determined to face the world and let God know that he has not lost yet and that he is going to give all the best that he can give. There’s surely a lot that we can learn from Mohan like despite of his disabilities he is all determined to do his best and never give up and face all the challenges that comes in his way.
The writing style of the author is very engaging. The language is simple and lucid. Once I started reading the book I was quite curious to know what is happening next and the plots were also somewhat different and the readers would surely be wanting more once the book is over.
Overall, I liked the book and would surely recommend the book to those who are looking for something with mystery and crime related novels.
The story begins by narrating the life of Mohan who has a rare disease from birth due to which he cannot speak up his mind, but fully understands everything. In fact, he is very intelligent and always tops his school and college. He even secures AIR 2nd Rank in IIT entrance exam which was held just a week after his parents died in a car accident. After getting admission in IIT Mumbai he meets Brij and Nikhil. Brij comes from a small town named Azamgarh and is filmy and stylish and Nikhil is a rich boy who has all the comforts a person can dream of having but he suffers from stammering problem.
Soon, the three find out that they are roommates and form an unbreakable bond. They all understand each other and knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they all are for each other in times of happiness and also in times of need. Everything is going smoothly but then there is a twist in the story.
Meanwhile, there’s a builder who wants to vacate a plot of land famously known as Dagdi Chawl. The builder i.e. Sunny Tawade would go to any extent to get his way and even kill anybody who comes between him and the land. Our protagonist Mohan is also having some strange dreams about some person who he doesn’t know and is a bit worried about the dreams.
The two stories eventually get intertwined and there is a lot of action going on.
Will Mohan be able to solve the unsolved mystery of his dream and will Sunny Tawade be able to get his hands on the piece of land that he has been eyeing since long ago? Who is this man from Mohan’s dream? To know more read The Soft Target.
My Views:
The characters are well written and well developed. I loved Mohan’s character who even after going through so much suffering is all determined to face the world and let God know that he has not lost yet and that he is going to give all the best that he can give. There’s surely a lot that we can learn from Mohan like despite of his disabilities he is all determined to do his best and never give up and face all the challenges that comes in his way.
The writing style of the author is very engaging. The language is simple and lucid. Once I started reading the book I was quite curious to know what is happening next and the plots were also somewhat different and the readers would surely be wanting more once the book is over.
Overall, I liked the book and would surely recommend the book to those who are looking for something with mystery and crime related novels.
March 15, 2019
Soft Target is a book about an individual, Mohan, who continually suffers the wrath of God, though no fault of his, and how he challenges God to do whatever he can to make him suffer, nothing would stop him. Does Mohan win against God?
The story begins by narrating the life of a boy, Mohan, who has a rare disease from birth, where he cannot speak his mind, but fully understands everything. He is very intelligent, such that he regularly topped his school and college and secures All India Second rank in IIT entrance exam which was held just a week after his parents die in an accident. There he meets two boys, one is Brij, who comes from small town Azamgarh and is full filmy and stylish. The other is Nikhil, who is ultra rich, has all the comforts which a person can have, but he has a stammering problem.
As fate would have it , Mohan, Brij and Nikhil become roommates and the three of them bond together very well. Each understands others strengths and weaknesses and each one become a pillar for the other. Everything goes on very smoothly until there is a twist in the tale.
There is a parallel story running where a builder wants to vacate a piece of land, famously called as Dagdi Chawl in Mumbai and to vacate it the builder Sunny Tawde would go to any extent, even kill anyone who comes in between him and the land. So, this happens, he kills the person who would be a hurdle in Sunny’s dreams.
The two stories get intertwined and proceeds with Mohan finding himself trapped in the murder.
Anything more would be a spoiler for this book.
The story could be one of those perfect commercial Bollywood potboilers, it has friendship, it has romance, it has action, it has humor, it has inspiration, emotion and thrill.
The story’s climax I think might be debatable to some, but I am with the author, if I would have written this book, this is exactly how I would have ended the story.
Overall, an easy read, a fast paced novel, has the characters wonderfully scripted out; it will make you connect with each character, surely recommended if you are looking for a light read with a deep concept.
The story begins by narrating the life of a boy, Mohan, who has a rare disease from birth, where he cannot speak his mind, but fully understands everything. He is very intelligent, such that he regularly topped his school and college and secures All India Second rank in IIT entrance exam which was held just a week after his parents die in an accident. There he meets two boys, one is Brij, who comes from small town Azamgarh and is full filmy and stylish. The other is Nikhil, who is ultra rich, has all the comforts which a person can have, but he has a stammering problem.
As fate would have it , Mohan, Brij and Nikhil become roommates and the three of them bond together very well. Each understands others strengths and weaknesses and each one become a pillar for the other. Everything goes on very smoothly until there is a twist in the tale.
There is a parallel story running where a builder wants to vacate a piece of land, famously called as Dagdi Chawl in Mumbai and to vacate it the builder Sunny Tawde would go to any extent, even kill anyone who comes in between him and the land. So, this happens, he kills the person who would be a hurdle in Sunny’s dreams.
The two stories get intertwined and proceeds with Mohan finding himself trapped in the murder.
Anything more would be a spoiler for this book.
The story could be one of those perfect commercial Bollywood potboilers, it has friendship, it has romance, it has action, it has humor, it has inspiration, emotion and thrill.
The story’s climax I think might be debatable to some, but I am with the author, if I would have written this book, this is exactly how I would have ended the story.
Overall, an easy read, a fast paced novel, has the characters wonderfully scripted out; it will make you connect with each character, surely recommended if you are looking for a light read with a deep concept.
March 23, 2019
‘The Soft Target’ is a very unfamiliar story about a boy who has been labelled “retarded” by the people around him even though he is a prodigy and is very smart. I don’t think this theme has been brought to light before. The cover is absolutely gorgeous. According to me, it shows Mohan rejoicing his victory in life despite of his life being so difficult and all the brutality he faced in his life.
Mohan Mishra is treated the same way anybody who is even remotely different from the society is treated; he is bullied, beat up, and verbally abused. Nobody even bothers to know how he is from inside. He is this super sweet, super intelligent boy who endures all the cruelty people show towards him. But in spite of all the curveballs that God threw at him, he persisted and achieved amazing things in life. All the characters in the book are very well portrayed but Mohan’s characterisation stood out the most. An element that I really really liked in the book was the love and the bond Mohan and his parents shared because Mohan would get bullied and beaten up but he still wouldn’t complain to his parents because he knew that they had problems of their own and didn’t want to burden them. And Mohan’s parents would forget all their problems and fight the world to protect their child, especially his mom.
The writing and narration style is just right; it’s not too simple and not too complicated which makes this unconventional story all the more interesting. The author has made the story out to be so realistic; it just shows how much research has gone in this book. The reader is bound to get hooked till the last page, partly because of the style of writing and partly because of the story.
Mohan Mishra is treated the same way anybody who is even remotely different from the society is treated; he is bullied, beat up, and verbally abused. Nobody even bothers to know how he is from inside. He is this super sweet, super intelligent boy who endures all the cruelty people show towards him. But in spite of all the curveballs that God threw at him, he persisted and achieved amazing things in life. All the characters in the book are very well portrayed but Mohan’s characterisation stood out the most. An element that I really really liked in the book was the love and the bond Mohan and his parents shared because Mohan would get bullied and beaten up but he still wouldn’t complain to his parents because he knew that they had problems of their own and didn’t want to burden them. And Mohan’s parents would forget all their problems and fight the world to protect their child, especially his mom.
The writing and narration style is just right; it’s not too simple and not too complicated which makes this unconventional story all the more interesting. The author has made the story out to be so realistic; it just shows how much research has gone in this book. The reader is bound to get hooked till the last page, partly because of the style of writing and partly because of the story.
February 17, 2025
The Soft Target by Kalyan Nanda is a compelling story that delves into the theme of resilience of the human spirit. The story follows Mohan Mishra, affectionately known as M&M, who grapples with a unique mental condition that causes him to speak words other than those he intends. Despite this, he is recognized as a genius. The novel traces his journey from his humble beginnings in Bolangir, Odisha, to the fast rigourous life of Bombay.
The pop culture references make it a very relatable and interesting read. And the small nuances and tiny details about the city of Bombay tell us a story of a compelling love affair that he has with the city.
Mr. Nanda has the ability to blend humour with serious themes in the most effortless way. A lot of the writing seems greatly influenced by P.G. Wodehouse and is commendable. Its obvious, the author himself has great in depth knowledge of classic literature and probably is a voracious reader himself. The writing style and technique is just brilliant, especially since this happens to be his first book.
Overall, The Soft Target is a thought-provoking read that offers a fresh perspective on overcoming adversity and the complexities of human nature. Its blend of humour, drama, and social commentary makes it a noteworthy addition to contemporary Indian literature. I would urge all, the novice reader who has just taken up reading to that seasoned one, to give this book a try. I promise it’s worth the read.
The pop culture references make it a very relatable and interesting read. And the small nuances and tiny details about the city of Bombay tell us a story of a compelling love affair that he has with the city.
Mr. Nanda has the ability to blend humour with serious themes in the most effortless way. A lot of the writing seems greatly influenced by P.G. Wodehouse and is commendable. Its obvious, the author himself has great in depth knowledge of classic literature and probably is a voracious reader himself. The writing style and technique is just brilliant, especially since this happens to be his first book.
Overall, The Soft Target is a thought-provoking read that offers a fresh perspective on overcoming adversity and the complexities of human nature. Its blend of humour, drama, and social commentary makes it a noteworthy addition to contemporary Indian literature. I would urge all, the novice reader who has just taken up reading to that seasoned one, to give this book a try. I promise it’s worth the read.
March 24, 2019
This book is a genuine surprise… the concept is near-on unique, as is the approach taken. First, the concept : the book’s title is a reference to the hero being a soft target for God, and how we supposedly overcomes these challenges. Thus the story is a series of situations – all genuine in that they are plausible, for our hero; and the grit he displays, and the support he gets along the way. However, the core of the book blurb – taking on God, is not brought out by the book. Quite the opposite, in fact – as it comes out that God has actually stood by him through it all...
Next, the approach – the author has done a bang-up job of presenting a heavy, tedious topic in a most friendly, lively and interesting manner; with an excellent concept as above, supported by a great plot full of plausible twists, the everpresent crime angle to further heighten the tension and the interest. This comes across as a decided plus; making for a truly rewarding read. To top it all, there are light healthy humourous and witty dialogues & observations littered throughout the book. While the concept cost it one star, the presentation earned the book 4 stars, and 4 very richly deserved stars at that.
https://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.com/2...
Next, the approach – the author has done a bang-up job of presenting a heavy, tedious topic in a most friendly, lively and interesting manner; with an excellent concept as above, supported by a great plot full of plausible twists, the everpresent crime angle to further heighten the tension and the interest. This comes across as a decided plus; making for a truly rewarding read. To top it all, there are light healthy humourous and witty dialogues & observations littered throughout the book. While the concept cost it one star, the presentation earned the book 4 stars, and 4 very richly deserved stars at that.
https://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.com/2...
April 15, 2019
3.7/5★
A debut book by author Kalyan Nanda, and what an effort. The book plot, and Mohan's unique disability surely raise our interest more to the book.
The writing was easy to understand and there are many references used to connect with reader's by talking about Dhoni finishing shot and Sachin's slong shot (mostly in the first half of the book)
This will be my first book,where author himself has a talk in his own book. He talks to readers about a certain situation(Dear Readers...).
I almost had feeling like "Main Samay hun"(remember ? A man aura used to come in Mahabharat's TV)
The friendship between Mohan, Nikhil, Brij & later Revathy was amazing to read about.
The main characters were BIG time "flawed", and I loved them because they felt real.
I wish the cover was something else, as it doesn't justify the content and deepness of the plot of book.
Full review at https://smileaturself.wordpress.com/2...
A debut book by author Kalyan Nanda, and what an effort. The book plot, and Mohan's unique disability surely raise our interest more to the book.
The writing was easy to understand and there are many references used to connect with reader's by talking about Dhoni finishing shot and Sachin's slong shot (mostly in the first half of the book)
This will be my first book,where author himself has a talk in his own book. He talks to readers about a certain situation(Dear Readers...).
I almost had feeling like "Main Samay hun"(remember ? A man aura used to come in Mahabharat's TV)
The friendship between Mohan, Nikhil, Brij & later Revathy was amazing to read about.
The main characters were BIG time "flawed", and I loved them because they felt real.
I wish the cover was something else, as it doesn't justify the content and deepness of the plot of book.
Full review at https://smileaturself.wordpress.com/2...
February 8, 2020
Well, Kalyan has an original and incisive grip on his subject. You will never realize that he is debuting with ‘The Soft Target’. Quintessentially, it’s a coming of age, buddy tale and darkly comic in between. The wit, the soul, the essence, the style; they keep you hooked all through. Dramatic. Delicious. Delightful. It deserves a larger audience.
April 9, 2019
Full review on my blog:
https://medium.com/kiranmayi-g/book-r...
Mohan Mishra is the only child of his parents, who are from a very simple and middle class background, has a peculiar mental problem from birth. While he knows in his mind what to speak, he always ended up saying something else, giving an impression to the listener that either he didnt understand their question or he is blabbering random stuff. His teachers, school mates, even close relatives all bullied him and branding him as mentally unstable, but his parents understood his condition and supported him unconditionally.
Inspite of all this negativity around him, Mohan’s mother continues to have undeterred faith in God, which makes Mohan assume that he is God’s soft target. This in turn makes him stubborn to fight any challenge that is thrown at him. Along side runs the story of a corrupt politician and his son, a social worker and a slum. What does Mohan got to do with this socio-political scenario? Is Mohan indeed God’s soft target or is it the other way round, forms the rest of the story.
This is a very inspiring story of a boy with a strange mental condition who faces all challenges head-on with sheer grit, self confidence and determination. All the characters in the story have their own beautiful graph and are well developed. The story traces the various stages in Mohan’s life starting from childhood to adolescence, to college days, to his married life. Each stage portrays his happy moments along with the challenges thrown at him and how he faces them in his own way.
The author succeeds in weaving an interesting story with the minute details all finally tied up together. All the parallel stories merge in unexpected ways, with the story having equal doses of suspense and emotions. There is never a dull moment in the narration and the reader is kept engaged all through the story till the end.
Pick this one for the unique concept, and to enjoy the journey of Mohan, as he aces through life’s ups and downs with the same passion and at the end to be motivated by the message of how any challenge can be overcome if we decide to face it.
https://medium.com/kiranmayi-g/book-r...
Mohan Mishra is the only child of his parents, who are from a very simple and middle class background, has a peculiar mental problem from birth. While he knows in his mind what to speak, he always ended up saying something else, giving an impression to the listener that either he didnt understand their question or he is blabbering random stuff. His teachers, school mates, even close relatives all bullied him and branding him as mentally unstable, but his parents understood his condition and supported him unconditionally.
Inspite of all this negativity around him, Mohan’s mother continues to have undeterred faith in God, which makes Mohan assume that he is God’s soft target. This in turn makes him stubborn to fight any challenge that is thrown at him. Along side runs the story of a corrupt politician and his son, a social worker and a slum. What does Mohan got to do with this socio-political scenario? Is Mohan indeed God’s soft target or is it the other way round, forms the rest of the story.
This is a very inspiring story of a boy with a strange mental condition who faces all challenges head-on with sheer grit, self confidence and determination. All the characters in the story have their own beautiful graph and are well developed. The story traces the various stages in Mohan’s life starting from childhood to adolescence, to college days, to his married life. Each stage portrays his happy moments along with the challenges thrown at him and how he faces them in his own way.
The author succeeds in weaving an interesting story with the minute details all finally tied up together. All the parallel stories merge in unexpected ways, with the story having equal doses of suspense and emotions. There is never a dull moment in the narration and the reader is kept engaged all through the story till the end.
Pick this one for the unique concept, and to enjoy the journey of Mohan, as he aces through life’s ups and downs with the same passion and at the end to be motivated by the message of how any challenge can be overcome if we decide to face it.
August 7, 2016
The existence of God in true aspects is still a mystery to be solved or in words of science can be quoted as a hypothetical approach to define a colossal source of neverending energy,that can only be presumed but never can be fathomed.Does Almighty really exists or not in certainly unknown fact to everyone but the mere thought of his existence has bifurcated humanity into two stratum of people.The theist and the atheist.As far as Mohan Mishra is concerned he falls into a totally different category of people who believes God to be the manipulative foe of his life.Mohan, the protagonist of the novel,"The Soft Target" has a deep repentance of God's conduct over his life.Out of the disabilities he is cursed with and the prevalent conspiracies of fate,under the muffle of the name 'Karma' has turned out to be one of the prime causes behind his hatred towards the supreme.God's turned out soft target,Mohan inspite of his cumbersome difficulties in life stands out of the box,quarantines himself from every pain he was "blessed" with and ultimately emerges out as a valient personality,with a sturdy mental stature,which finally led him to accomplish his desired goals in life.
Cover : The cover has an appealing and classy overview with the use of the bold Colours of the spectrum.The glossy steel hued dummy with its hand and head held high towards the zenith symbolises his high goals which he believes to achieve someday or the other,despite the predicaments that destiny brings in his path.Moreover,the pitch black background of the cover of the book adds an additional contrast with the steel hued dummy in the front and also highlights the title inscribed in white,red and blue,on the right hand upper corner of the book.
Title : The title is apt to the content of the novel.The main plot of the story revolves around Mohan Mishra who is bestowed by God with a rare mental illness of unable to express his opinions and feelings by the correct synchronisation of words.Moreover,the repetitive deprivations in the society and the losses of his close ones, during his good times has led him to apprehend God as his sole enemy, for he believed that The Omnipotent has made him His "Soft Target".
My verdict : The plot of the novel deciphers the story of a boy's journey into manhood as he takes on God with his prowess despite of the innumerable difficulties he faces,in every stage of life and thus making God his soft target. Though suffering from a rare mental illness Mohan was blessed with an exceptionally genius mind,which was the master key to overcome all the contortions of his life,thus progressing towards a better tomorrow.His story starts from a village in Orissa which ultimately takes him to the high societies of Mumbai.His life has been through various turmoils before he became an established scientist and cracked a rare code,called the Maze which turned up to be the boon of his life.Betwixt the struggle to establish himself,Mohan apprehended a lot from his real life experiences and realisations that life made him witness.
The literary elements in the novel is quite upto the mark.At moments,the humorous and satirical approach of the author is also one of the unique features of this creation.However,the systematic events of the novel are quite predictable but constant pace of the novel will not spoil your overall experience of reading.As a debut novel,it is an average approach from the authors side.Though the unique plot behind the novel surely makes it a little special for its readers.
Overall this book is a good start to the journey in the world of literature from the authors side and will surely not disappoint it's readers for the rich flair of literature it is bestowed with along with a varied attempt to portray a not so common story of Mohan,the soft target.
- Diptendu Mandal
Cover : The cover has an appealing and classy overview with the use of the bold Colours of the spectrum.The glossy steel hued dummy with its hand and head held high towards the zenith symbolises his high goals which he believes to achieve someday or the other,despite the predicaments that destiny brings in his path.Moreover,the pitch black background of the cover of the book adds an additional contrast with the steel hued dummy in the front and also highlights the title inscribed in white,red and blue,on the right hand upper corner of the book.
Title : The title is apt to the content of the novel.The main plot of the story revolves around Mohan Mishra who is bestowed by God with a rare mental illness of unable to express his opinions and feelings by the correct synchronisation of words.Moreover,the repetitive deprivations in the society and the losses of his close ones, during his good times has led him to apprehend God as his sole enemy, for he believed that The Omnipotent has made him His "Soft Target".
My verdict : The plot of the novel deciphers the story of a boy's journey into manhood as he takes on God with his prowess despite of the innumerable difficulties he faces,in every stage of life and thus making God his soft target. Though suffering from a rare mental illness Mohan was blessed with an exceptionally genius mind,which was the master key to overcome all the contortions of his life,thus progressing towards a better tomorrow.His story starts from a village in Orissa which ultimately takes him to the high societies of Mumbai.His life has been through various turmoils before he became an established scientist and cracked a rare code,called the Maze which turned up to be the boon of his life.Betwixt the struggle to establish himself,Mohan apprehended a lot from his real life experiences and realisations that life made him witness.
The literary elements in the novel is quite upto the mark.At moments,the humorous and satirical approach of the author is also one of the unique features of this creation.However,the systematic events of the novel are quite predictable but constant pace of the novel will not spoil your overall experience of reading.As a debut novel,it is an average approach from the authors side.Though the unique plot behind the novel surely makes it a little special for its readers.
Overall this book is a good start to the journey in the world of literature from the authors side and will surely not disappoint it's readers for the rich flair of literature it is bestowed with along with a varied attempt to portray a not so common story of Mohan,the soft target.
- Diptendu Mandal
August 19, 2016
It is always said "If there's no struggle,there is no progress".The story is very well written by Mr. Kalyan Nanda. The story revolves around the man "Mohan Mishra",who suffers from rare mental disorder,but still has serious mind which helps him to excel in academics whether it is boards or IIT. He is not the follower of God as he thinks he always had been God's "Soft Target".The story covers village of Orissa where he resides with his parents to Mumbai where he resides after getting his job along with his wife.
The author has truly done a commendable job by portraying such an unconventional story. The title is justified as it is a question that author has put at the end to the readers to draw an appropriate conclusion.As the story moves,many characters are added as we will be able to feel connected to them.
1)Brij:"Bollywood Keeda, big fan of Salman Khan.He tries to make everyone smile with his funny jokes, he is Mohan's roommate, who fell in love with Revathy.
2)Revathy: A girl who was always the topper and now second best candidate in academics after Mohan Mishra and who is girlfriend of Brij.
3)Nikhil: Nikhil is roommate of Brij and Mohan, who is super rich but is suffering from stammering and due to this people criticize him and resultantly he loses confidence in himself and he has only support of his love "Nisha".
4)Nisha: Nikhil's girlfriend and his only support,who betrayed him for Nikhil's best friend.
5)Samidha: Mohan's lifeline and his wife who understands him completely,more than his doctor and best proposal ever was done by Samidha to Mohan "I would like to become your cafe Madras".
6)Mohan: Truly God's soft target who had to pass through several difficulties in his life alone.
The story portrays that he is always teased by the people around him, as a child he had only his parents to support him but he lost them in an accident before his IIT entrance exams. He at the end, also lost his wife Samidha that made him more stronger as a person and at every stage when he lost his dearest and closest people he took it as challenge and fought against the God.
I loved the book, the vocabulary used is wonderful as well as the references used or the way the author connects the audience in form of making conversation with readers is commendable.
In my opinion, the book is perfect blend of drama,inspiration and true friendship. It covers all the aspects of perfect story.In my opinion if you read the book then it is written in the lucid manner as well as the beautiful story of Mohan and his life will touch everyone's heart and the USP of this book is its story that will gripping and will keep you glued till the end. I would like to give 5 Stars to this book.So Guys what are you waiting for,go and grab your copies.....
The author has truly done a commendable job by portraying such an unconventional story. The title is justified as it is a question that author has put at the end to the readers to draw an appropriate conclusion.As the story moves,many characters are added as we will be able to feel connected to them.
1)Brij:"Bollywood Keeda, big fan of Salman Khan.He tries to make everyone smile with his funny jokes, he is Mohan's roommate, who fell in love with Revathy.
2)Revathy: A girl who was always the topper and now second best candidate in academics after Mohan Mishra and who is girlfriend of Brij.
3)Nikhil: Nikhil is roommate of Brij and Mohan, who is super rich but is suffering from stammering and due to this people criticize him and resultantly he loses confidence in himself and he has only support of his love "Nisha".
4)Nisha: Nikhil's girlfriend and his only support,who betrayed him for Nikhil's best friend.
5)Samidha: Mohan's lifeline and his wife who understands him completely,more than his doctor and best proposal ever was done by Samidha to Mohan "I would like to become your cafe Madras".
6)Mohan: Truly God's soft target who had to pass through several difficulties in his life alone.
The story portrays that he is always teased by the people around him, as a child he had only his parents to support him but he lost them in an accident before his IIT entrance exams. He at the end, also lost his wife Samidha that made him more stronger as a person and at every stage when he lost his dearest and closest people he took it as challenge and fought against the God.
I loved the book, the vocabulary used is wonderful as well as the references used or the way the author connects the audience in form of making conversation with readers is commendable.
In my opinion, the book is perfect blend of drama,inspiration and true friendship. It covers all the aspects of perfect story.In my opinion if you read the book then it is written in the lucid manner as well as the beautiful story of Mohan and his life will touch everyone's heart and the USP of this book is its story that will gripping and will keep you glued till the end. I would like to give 5 Stars to this book.So Guys what are you waiting for,go and grab your copies.....
July 30, 2016
It took me a little long to start this book but I must say once I started it, there was no way I could keep it down. As the story kept moving, it was hard to keep the book down for anything. I am glad to have read it and reviewing it just makes me feel excited.
The story starts with Mohan, a young boy with a big problem. His life isn’t simple. It is just different, as much as he is different from the rest of the people around him. As the story about him moves, we also meet two new men, Brij and Nikhil. Another two men, with their own set of insecurities and point of views. They chance to meet and then grows a bond among them. The thing which makes them click is that they are humane to each other, rather than anything else. The ups and downs the three of them face while at college, adds more character and value to the story.
A constant thing recurrent in Mohan’s life seems like a trivial thing and then all comes falling as the sudden downpour from the grey thundering clouds. The stories and incidents happening here and there, all get intertwined. Then the story takes one direction. And all starts happening at a thrilling pace.
The thrill and imagery created by the writer is really worth mentioning. The reference to the various concepts, beliefs and details about the Indian society should make the international readers understand the story too. The little snippets of life, middle class family traditions and practices, the common scenarios we come across and the little fun filled moments shared by friends make it enjoyable.
I’d seriously recommend it to you if you are someone who loves to read a thriller-political drama-inspirational story in one place. I found it a little Bollywood-ish, and that wouldn’t be a bane in my view, because isn’t Bollywood one of the things that we really love too! Do get your hands onto it and give it a reading.
The story starts with Mohan, a young boy with a big problem. His life isn’t simple. It is just different, as much as he is different from the rest of the people around him. As the story about him moves, we also meet two new men, Brij and Nikhil. Another two men, with their own set of insecurities and point of views. They chance to meet and then grows a bond among them. The thing which makes them click is that they are humane to each other, rather than anything else. The ups and downs the three of them face while at college, adds more character and value to the story.
A constant thing recurrent in Mohan’s life seems like a trivial thing and then all comes falling as the sudden downpour from the grey thundering clouds. The stories and incidents happening here and there, all get intertwined. Then the story takes one direction. And all starts happening at a thrilling pace.
The thrill and imagery created by the writer is really worth mentioning. The reference to the various concepts, beliefs and details about the Indian society should make the international readers understand the story too. The little snippets of life, middle class family traditions and practices, the common scenarios we come across and the little fun filled moments shared by friends make it enjoyable.
I’d seriously recommend it to you if you are someone who loves to read a thriller-political drama-inspirational story in one place. I found it a little Bollywood-ish, and that wouldn’t be a bane in my view, because isn’t Bollywood one of the things that we really love too! Do get your hands onto it and give it a reading.
August 24, 2016
The soft target is a story of boy who struggles with god plans at every stage of his life. With rare mental problems but a genius mind, his story starts from a village of Orissa and takes him to the high societies of Mumbai. He always faced bad treatment by god and gets harassed by others for no fault. Whenever he thinks that now his life is going to be okay, the god always thrown him back to the valley of failure but Mohan never left the struggle.
When we look at the cover page of the novel or just the title of the novel, we can predict that it can be a story of the boy who is bullied by people around him. But this novel holds a lot more than that!
The writing style of kalyan is very simple and keeps you stuck to the plot.
With simple usage of language, we can also see the strong essence of sarcasm and wit that keep you smiling instead of such a poignant situation of Mohan.
The breakup and a proposal scene in the novel are best portrayed.
The Soft Target offers you with a perfect writing style through the luminous characterization, picturesque description of places and time.
I loved the book.
The vocabulary used is magnificent as well as the orientation used or the way the author connects the audience in form of making conversation with readers is praiseworthy.
COVER: The pitch black background of the cover of the book adds an additional contrast with the steel hued dummy in the front and also highlights the title inscribed in white, red and blue, on the right hand upper corner of the book. It is eye catching.
Title: The title is apt to the content of the novel. The main plot of the story revolves around Mohan Mishra who is bestowed by God with a rare mental illness of unable to express his opinions and feelings in heart.
My rating : 5/5
When we look at the cover page of the novel or just the title of the novel, we can predict that it can be a story of the boy who is bullied by people around him. But this novel holds a lot more than that!
The writing style of kalyan is very simple and keeps you stuck to the plot.
With simple usage of language, we can also see the strong essence of sarcasm and wit that keep you smiling instead of such a poignant situation of Mohan.
The breakup and a proposal scene in the novel are best portrayed.
The Soft Target offers you with a perfect writing style through the luminous characterization, picturesque description of places and time.
I loved the book.
The vocabulary used is magnificent as well as the orientation used or the way the author connects the audience in form of making conversation with readers is praiseworthy.
COVER: The pitch black background of the cover of the book adds an additional contrast with the steel hued dummy in the front and also highlights the title inscribed in white, red and blue, on the right hand upper corner of the book. It is eye catching.
Title: The title is apt to the content of the novel. The main plot of the story revolves around Mohan Mishra who is bestowed by God with a rare mental illness of unable to express his opinions and feelings in heart.
My rating : 5/5
July 17, 2016
Real literature, now-a-days, is hard to find. The magic of words that the author used to create in the minds of reader is rare to find but if we look deeper, there are still some debutants who can become the future torch bearer of the ‘Literature’ and one of them is Kalyan Nanda. With his debut book, The Soft Target, he unleashes his power of words and gives the hint of what the future can be!
The Soft Target is the story of the fight of the protagonist against the God’s plan. It is the story of struggle of Mohan on every stage of life. With rare mental problems but a genius mind, his story starts from a village of Orissa and takes him to the high societies of Mumbai. He faced the wrath of God on every stage of his life. Whenever the lights of hope tried to enter in his life, the silhouettes of destiny (Or God) dragged him back to darkness but Mohan never left the struggle.
Writing style of the author is simple and effective. From the first page, he holds the reader’s attention and makes him the part of the life of his protagonist. The way, author has narrated the life of Mohan is addictive. Coming to the story; it had a constant flow with no element of surprise. You can predict the coming events but still they will not spoil your overall experience of reading. Author has shown his satirical and humour side as well. You can expect a sweet smile on your face while reading the book.
Overall, this book is surely a kind of book that induces ‘a feel good’ kind of feeling. Read it, explore the depth of author’s writing and enjoy the pleasure of real literature.
The Soft Target is the story of the fight of the protagonist against the God’s plan. It is the story of struggle of Mohan on every stage of life. With rare mental problems but a genius mind, his story starts from a village of Orissa and takes him to the high societies of Mumbai. He faced the wrath of God on every stage of his life. Whenever the lights of hope tried to enter in his life, the silhouettes of destiny (Or God) dragged him back to darkness but Mohan never left the struggle.
Writing style of the author is simple and effective. From the first page, he holds the reader’s attention and makes him the part of the life of his protagonist. The way, author has narrated the life of Mohan is addictive. Coming to the story; it had a constant flow with no element of surprise. You can predict the coming events but still they will not spoil your overall experience of reading. Author has shown his satirical and humour side as well. You can expect a sweet smile on your face while reading the book.
Overall, this book is surely a kind of book that induces ‘a feel good’ kind of feeling. Read it, explore the depth of author’s writing and enjoy the pleasure of real literature.
August 1, 2016
The book traces the life of the lead protagonist Mohan.
Born in the Village of Bolangir,Odisha to very timid parents who have literally struggled through life.Mohan is blessed with intelligence beyond his young age but at the same time he is cursed with a rarest of rare disease.He is mind is hyper active bordering on genius.But what the mind dictates his tongue cannot relate.Let me give you a small example here.You ask Mohan How are you? His reply would be The Sun is shining bright.But despite this handicap he was a brilliant student topping in the school as well as state level. His parents were worried and garnering all their savings take him to Madras for treatment.The Doctor there is really at wits end and tells them that there is no remedy for this rare ailment but advises the parents to give him psychiatric counseling.
As they return to their village Mohans resolve to excel gets stronger.
He loses his parents in an accident and blames God for everything in his life.
But he challenges God that he will no longer be his soft target and to negate his one weakness he is determined to excel in academics.
From here on the author very skillfully takes you through to Mohans journey from a village to the prestigious IIT Bombay where three other protagonists join him by coincidence and how they form a formidable friendship.
The trials and turbulations at IIT and subsequent success for the four and then the murder and political intrigue in which Mohan gets involved lead to an absolutely fascinating tale.
A perfect weekend read.
Born in the Village of Bolangir,Odisha to very timid parents who have literally struggled through life.Mohan is blessed with intelligence beyond his young age but at the same time he is cursed with a rarest of rare disease.He is mind is hyper active bordering on genius.But what the mind dictates his tongue cannot relate.Let me give you a small example here.You ask Mohan How are you? His reply would be The Sun is shining bright.But despite this handicap he was a brilliant student topping in the school as well as state level. His parents were worried and garnering all their savings take him to Madras for treatment.The Doctor there is really at wits end and tells them that there is no remedy for this rare ailment but advises the parents to give him psychiatric counseling.
As they return to their village Mohans resolve to excel gets stronger.
He loses his parents in an accident and blames God for everything in his life.
But he challenges God that he will no longer be his soft target and to negate his one weakness he is determined to excel in academics.
From here on the author very skillfully takes you through to Mohans journey from a village to the prestigious IIT Bombay where three other protagonists join him by coincidence and how they form a formidable friendship.
The trials and turbulations at IIT and subsequent success for the four and then the murder and political intrigue in which Mohan gets involved lead to an absolutely fascinating tale.
A perfect weekend read.
August 10, 2016
This review was first published on - Amita's Pen
What I Liked:
1. Good mix of humour and emotions: I absolutely loved the character of Brij. These must be hardly any scene with him which did not make me smile. The hate love romance was icing on cake.
2. Amazing one liners: The one liners have won over me. I absolutely loved them
What I Did Not Like:
1. Predictability: The book is so much predictable right from the beginning to the end (except the final ending) that it leaves no element of surprise for the reader. But then, it did not stop me from reading further.
2. Unnecessary explanation of emotions and situations: The author has used sentences like - "Dear reader...", to throw more light on various subjects and his own state of mind. I strongly feel this must be done without letting the reader read it.
Follow the link - Amita's Pen for complete review
What I Liked:
1. Good mix of humour and emotions: I absolutely loved the character of Brij. These must be hardly any scene with him which did not make me smile. The hate love romance was icing on cake.
2. Amazing one liners: The one liners have won over me. I absolutely loved them
What I Did Not Like:
1. Predictability: The book is so much predictable right from the beginning to the end (except the final ending) that it leaves no element of surprise for the reader. But then, it did not stop me from reading further.
2. Unnecessary explanation of emotions and situations: The author has used sentences like - "Dear reader...", to throw more light on various subjects and his own state of mind. I strongly feel this must be done without letting the reader read it.
Follow the link - Amita's Pen for complete review
July 20, 2016
Review initially posted on: https://dreambookreviews.wordpress.co...
Initially, when I started the book, I was confused. The book felt like some Hindi television serial with different episodes showcasing Mohan and his woes. Also, bringing in Nihkil and Brij as different episodes I was wondering how it would turn out. But at some point in the story, all of it was clubbed together and made the story flow easily and made it very interesting.
The soft target brings you the much-needed “Courtroom Drama!”. Here is the story where policers are not corrupt and public prosecutor is not an idiot. That’s breaking the stereotype. I like you, author!
Also, the research that went into movies, hospitals, Eminem, laws and IITian love stories, is highly commendable. Confused? What has Eminem got to do with Mafia? That’s the beauty of The Soft Target!
Initially, when I started the book, I was confused. The book felt like some Hindi television serial with different episodes showcasing Mohan and his woes. Also, bringing in Nihkil and Brij as different episodes I was wondering how it would turn out. But at some point in the story, all of it was clubbed together and made the story flow easily and made it very interesting.
The soft target brings you the much-needed “Courtroom Drama!”. Here is the story where policers are not corrupt and public prosecutor is not an idiot. That’s breaking the stereotype. I like you, author!
Also, the research that went into movies, hospitals, Eminem, laws and IITian love stories, is highly commendable. Confused? What has Eminem got to do with Mafia? That’s the beauty of The Soft Target!
August 3, 2016
Soft Target is a thought provoking novel with key message for Life...
Firstly Kudos to the author for coming up with a story that revolves around a man who has such strange and rare mental problem. Mohan, the protagonist of the book is a genius - a literal genius, but suffers from mental issues. Sounds ironic but it is true (I don't want to spoil author's suspense here so please read the book to know about it :D). The story basically revolves around his life from boyhood to manhood and his struggles and his challenges with God - who apparently is the villain of the story.
Full review at: http://kritisharmacreations.blogspot....
Firstly Kudos to the author for coming up with a story that revolves around a man who has such strange and rare mental problem. Mohan, the protagonist of the book is a genius - a literal genius, but suffers from mental issues. Sounds ironic but it is true (I don't want to spoil author's suspense here so please read the book to know about it :D). The story basically revolves around his life from boyhood to manhood and his struggles and his challenges with God - who apparently is the villain of the story.
Full review at: http://kritisharmacreations.blogspot....
August 15, 2016
The Soft Target, a novel by Kalyan Nanda, is published by Srishti Publishers. The cover shows iron man and in the backdrop is the path leading to a destination that is unknown. As I read the PDF edition of the book, so I can’t say much about the feel of the book, print or cover.
Kalyan Nanda lives in Mumbai with his wife. He enjoys theater and movies of all genres, and is a voracious reader. His favourite authors are Sir P G Wodehouse and George Orwell. He can be reached on kalyan.nanda@gmail.com. The Soft Target is his literary debut.
Read the complete review here: http://www.ilagarg.com/2016/08/the-so...
Kalyan Nanda lives in Mumbai with his wife. He enjoys theater and movies of all genres, and is a voracious reader. His favourite authors are Sir P G Wodehouse and George Orwell. He can be reached on kalyan.nanda@gmail.com. The Soft Target is his literary debut.
Read the complete review here: http://www.ilagarg.com/2016/08/the-so...
December 28, 2016
Read My Full Review On : https://sonalify.com/2016/12/28/book-...
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews