Walks Through Life: Stories

by Santhosh Komaraju, Linda Mainville (Editor)

The Winner of the National Indie Excellence Award in the Short Story Category

This exceptional award-winning collection of nine stories that teach a lesson will take you on an important journey to remind you of who you are, as well as your true value as a human being.

In this inspiring and thought-provoking book about philosophical truths, a collection of beautiful short stories with morals combines messages about life, philosophy, self-discovery, and spirituality. Each of the tales implores us to continue our human legacy, reminding us of the virtuous nature that is inherently ours but is often hidden by life’s daily struggles.

This book set in medieval times contains spiritual stories that can change lives, involving Indian kings, mystics, princes, and farmers. Stripping away the distractions of the present day, author Santhosh K. Komaraju provides a poignant look at what truly matters and encourages us to seek the essence of who we really are.

Genres: Short Stories

212 pages, ebook

Published October 30, 2019

About the author

Santhosh K. Komaraju is an IT professional, a writer, and a lifelong student of Hindu mythology. His debut book Walks Through Life: Stories have won the National Indie Excellence Award and Readers' Favorite Honorable Mention Award. His lifelong interest in Hindu mythology influences his writing.

You can sign up on his website at santhoshkomaraju.com to receive email updates about his new writings.

Reviews

[Sofia Kazmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is perfect for short Non Friction pick.
Walk Through Life is a collection of 9 short stories. Though they are all of different genre, they will leave their own marks in your heart.
Some of my favorites are Rise of motherhood and A gold message.
Some of the stories brought back my childhood memories. And I loved reading them.
The stories makes us wonder about our own true self. The writing style is quite simple with engaging narration. I would definitely recommend this book to young teenagers. They got to learn a lot from this book. And it will be really helpful in molding their character better.

[Ankita Khataniar]

#📖bookreview📚
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: Walks through life
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Santhosh K. Komaraju
𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 136
𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: 9 beautiful stories with life lessons
.
𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: I have always loved reading stories. As a child, I used to pester my dad to tell me stories before I fell asleep. And he would make up a new story for me everyday. All of them with some kind of life messages. These stories reminded me of those incredible times in my childhood. I also loved reading Panchatantra and Aesop's Fables. And I loved reading these stories. I have never felt that a short story was incomplete whatsoever. In fact it is kind of nice to guess what might have happened before or after. Which is why I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. However, I wouldn't call these stories short. They had a decent length to them.
Here are stories that all for people of all ages. My favorite one was Rise of Motherhood. A gold message and Divine Ax and even The Hidden Kingship were great. The author has painstakingly written a beautiful collection of stories.
The language is good. There are no errors and the stories are easy to understand. The stories do remind me of some tales in Indian Mythology that I had read as a child. And even the author has said that he has derived inspiration from them. The ideology behind each story is helpful to every human being.
The cover concept is great. It is consistent with the title. Also it suggests that these are stories that help an adult with his life. I like the dual chrome aspect of it.
The book was a trip down memory lane and I would happily gift it to a kid or an adult. #✔️💯% recommended

[Simrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review : Walks Through Life
Author : Santosh
Version : kindle
Rating : 5/5
Cover : 4/5

About the book :

The book is a rare collection of short stories. I liked the stories as it were all from different genres. This was the best part of the book as usually when we read short stories they are all based on moral giving stories or something that has same connection in the end.
The book is having a mixture of essence from all kinds in total covering a surprise package for each type of reader. The story has a simple and lucid language which is well represented by the author.
For the readers I would like to state the chapters so that you all can have the the overall knowledge about the stories

The Hidden Kingship, Divine Ax , Blessing From a Curse , A Letter From the Well , Beyond the Bar of Humanity , Rise of Motherhood , Two Misjudgments , King of All , A Gold Message

The best part is each story is of 10 to 12 pages which makes is very easy for the readers to read. It creates interest in the readers to understand and comprehed the language.

Things I liked :

💎 Rise Of Motherhood and A Golden Message is a story which is really very close to my heart as motherhood is a sentimental and emotional journey to read. I really respect author's take to write about this in the book. A golden Message is a story which is really very important for the readers to read.

💎 The plot of the story was different in all which added to the beauty of stories.

Things I don't like :

👒 The author didn't try to add few examples in the story which would made it more interesting to read.

Overall I liked the book. I hope you like the review.

[Deepan Maitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: ***3/4 (3.75/5)

“Walks through life” by Santhosh Komaraju attempts to capture men and women from various walks of life, expressing their experiences and faiths to stabilise some of our deep-rooted morals and beliefs.

In this anthology of 9 unique stories, the author has unburdened his quest to make us believe that honesty and modesty is one ingredient that can make our lives more fulfilling. He reinforces our inner honest selves and portrays his thoughts through the eyes of some very ordinary protagonists—who range from various social strata and ethnicities.

If I has to choose some stories which really were fascinating, I would definitely choose “The Hidden Kingship” and “Rise of Motherhood”. Both of these stories are so beautifully articulated, that it shows how simple revealing incidents can change our life’s perspective overnight. These stories will probably lend us a hand in growing as a person. In “The Hidden Kinship”, the author tells the story of a king who goes to hunt in a forest and is attacked brutally by a tiger. He is rescued by a poor woodcutter, and is selflessly taken care of by his family. After getting cured, the king sees that the woodcutter is not praying to any deity, rather offering his prayers to the axe that he uses to cut wood with. When asked about this, the woodcutter sheds light upon the morals which makes the king realize about the practice of simple living and the act of gratefulness.

“Rise of Motherhood” is the story of a young boy who one day accompanies his widower father to a brothel. There he meets the woman whom his father spends nights with, and attaches his affection to her. This unforeseen care and love evokes motherly feelings in the heart of the woman, and she learns to see the boy as her own son. Thus, the broken family of the father and son duo gets illuminated with the arrival of a woman, who rises to motherhood.

Santhosh Komaraju writes his story with immense attention to the sheer storytelling aspect. His words drip with nostalgia. Each of his stories is so peaceful and liberating in its core, that they hold the ability to entrance the readers. It becomes an experience similar to our grandparents filling our ears with stories from their childhood—stories that always have something to carry along; an element of remembrance and morality. The plots which have been explored are not very striking, nor are the characters very extraordinary. But still, we somehow relate to their actions. They remind us of our own vivid terrain of experiences, along with the hurdles and smoothness. Overall, through this act of teaching and providing lessons, the stories transcend to be am essential addition to our blank lives.

The characters range from woodcutters to businessmen, from kings to peasants—encompassing a wide variety and diversity. Not a single character is seen to be overlapping with one another. They keep on shining with their individual qualities and fallacies.

Some of the stories came off as very bland in the value they were trying to preach. They sometimes went on for pages at stretch, and this lengthiness could diminish the attention span of the fellow readers. A crisper and more diversion-free approach could have resulted in perspectives which are easier to recollect. A discrepancy in the emphasis of the moral lessons was noticed. Some trivial issues were highlighted a bit more than expected, whereas some morals could have had more prominence. This is, however, my personal opinion as a reader. Fascinating and thought provoking, this book will be a valuable addition to the bookshelf of the short story lovers out there !

Disclaimer: this review is in lieu of a review copy

Originally published on my blog: https://deepansbookshelf.wordpress.co...

[noorthebookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
#qotd
Are we just going through life, living each day as it comes n time goes by..?
Have you noticed REPEATED PATTERNS of PROBLEMS or DIFFICULTIES in your life??

#aotd
Well, I have, many times & I have READ that Patterns Keep On Repeating UNLESS & UNTIL, We Learn Our Lesson & move on from that particular stage.

📖 Life is what, but a Journey where we while doing the mundane tasks make mistakes & more importantly Learn from our follies.

📖 Wouldn't it be even more better, if we could learn from the experiences of others??
After all, we cannot spend our entire life making mistakes & then learning.

💡And for that purpose we have our Elders who tell us various episodes from their life, narrate numerous fictional & Mythological stories..to enlighten us with life's lessons..

💡Books, another great medium to learn from the lives of others.

Let's talk about the book now,
📚 Walks through Life Stories is written by @authorsantoshkomaraju

👣 It's his debut book;

👣 First printed in USA in Feb, 2019;

👣 Genre- Fiction

👣 It is an amalgamation of 9 unique short stories, each so so relevant & giving away an important lesson.

👣 The WRITING STYLE is simple with a few new words, whose meanings is explained in kindle dictionary.

👣 NARRATION is very engaging & the book can be accessed by any age group.

👣 COVER design is so perfect. It depicts a maze, a meandering path.. Life itself is what, but a labyrinth.
The cover brilliantly describes the contents of the book.

👣 TITLE is apt & explicitly explains the book.

👣 These short stories do have a moral or message to convey but they are in no way preachy or boring.

👣 Each story forces you to ponder on your thoughts, feelings, emotions..as you go through it.

🧒 The author believes Mythology doesn't just offer historical events but rather a set of valuable lessons that are often interwoven within the details.

🧒 Acc. to him, past events offer great wisdom to future generations.

🧒 📖 Walks through life is a collection of stories in which each story reverberates the same principle of truth in its own unique ways.

📖 These are stories serving as plain reminders of the supreme learning that was handed over to us a long time ago.

👣 For eg., one of the stories, The Hidden Kingship tells us to be Brave enough to want something in life. For that we need to Focus on our Aim, have a bigger Vision & should be convinced that we are Worthy of it.

📖 Available @amazonkindle Rs 69/-; 139 pages.

#bookstagram

[Booxoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

am the kind of person who is a habitual fictional novel reader. Normally many of us prefer lengthy novels that walk with us like a friend. For a change, I came across a book or better way to say compilation of a few short stories of Author Santhosh and it was a delight reading it. It reminded me of Sunday Newspaper short stories which give us some insight into people’s journey through tough times and their life stories.

‘Walks Through Life’ is a collection of 9 stories. I can’t classify them as short stories as each story is 20-30 pages long. Santhosh has ensured that every story has its own era and morals. There are many characters about whom I still think as if they are my long-lost friends. These stories take us to different phases of life as if every story is defining new emotion. Few imperfect characters are helping the story to become perfect. I am mentioning all 9 titles as they are the first to witness the unique creation of Author Santosh Komaraju.

The Hidden Kingship
Divine Ax
Blessing From a Curse
A Letter From the Well
Beyond the Bar Of Humanity
Rise Of Motherhood
Two Misjudgments
King Of All
A Gold Message
For young readers, this book is a good start to their reading journey. As the debutant author Komaraju mentioned, somewhere these stories hint about Hindu mythology beliefs. Author Santosh believes that mythology stories not only describe historical events but also they teach us valuable lessons somewhere. Narration is like a descriptive and creative journey to ride on. Compelling, smooth and very intricately woven.

But while reading, I sometimes felt that a few stories or a particular few segments were unnecessarily written or a bit stretched. Overall, this was a book, I enjoyed reading a lot. ‘Walks Through Life’ is a book, I’d like people to read it at least once.

I would like to rate this imaginative creation, 3.5 out of 5 stars. I will be looking forward to the next book by Author Santosh Komaraju.

[Neelam Mungekar · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Walks through Life’ by Santhosh K. Komaraju is a collection of 10 stories. Each story is written in such a manner that the readers will actually think about how to lead their life. Each story has its own uniqueness and as the readers finish off with the story they would surely be left with a moral. Each story has its own protagonist and they are going through their life be it the story of cunning businessman or the story of butcher each story will make the readers ponder.

I liked the writing style of the author it has a uniqueness to it. The flow of the writing is such that the readers will actually enjoy the book.

The book is written in a simple and lucid language which the readers will find easy to go through the book. The pace of the story is also apt which makes the story even more interesting.

All the characters are well developed. Normally in short stories we can’t connect to the characters that much but here we get to see all the emotions of the characters and how they are going through their life’s.

The plot of the stories is very different. The author has made an effort to write story in a different genre which again readers won’t get to see in many books. The narration is also very good in all the stories.

Overall I would say that this a book which everybody should read devoid of his/her age. Everyone has something or the else to take from this book.

[Ambalika Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

•05.08.20• - ✨BOOK REVIEW✨

QOTD : Recommend me some good short story books! I've come to enjoy them a lot.♥️

Title : Walks Through Life
Author : Santhosh Komaraju
Genre : Short Stories

This is what I call a really good collection of short stories. Well, tbh the stories weren't exactly short , they did have a decent length but for lack of a better word. Each story had a characteristic unique plotline and might I add, a very fitting title for each. The narration flowed quite meticulously , though I admit, the details became a little too lengthy and unnecessary at some points. Nevertheless, any shortcoming if there, is surpassed by the excellent job the author has done to all the stories. They have a certain charm to them , an element of mystery which leaves the readers to mull over some bits and parts and to make interpretations on their own. Literary elements have been well used, though I believe a n increase in the number of direct conversations/dialogues would have added a little more life to the already vibrant tales.
Oh and also, the stories , they did remind me of mythological tales from my childhood, so that added an extra bit of nostalgia to the read.
Overall , I really enjoyed this book of stories showcasing a variety of themes!

[Aza · Rating 3 out of 5]

* Walks through life by Santosh Komaraju is a collection of vivid, deep and impactful short stories all of which follow a theme that is they hold lessons on humanity, morals and ethics. The stories are in no way interconnected with each other and are completely different yet similar in the form of writing.

* The writing was the biggest plus point for me as I found it good enough to continue reading to know what happens next in the story. It made them much more interesting and captured the reader’s attention. This book is for those who like books that are more about characters than plot as the stories had minimal plot yet the characters were unique, creative and intriguing to read about.

* My favourite among them was the second story titled Divine Ax. It the story of people whose lives are entirely different from one another. One is a mighty king whereas other a common woodcutter. Their meetings of chance, their interactions and the things the king learns from a woodcutter was fascinating to read about. But that is just one story and as one keeps reading on, they get better and better. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy meaningful short stories with great lessons.

[Muthulakshmi Mahesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthy read

Walk through life by Santhosh

This book is a collection of 9 non-fiction short stories so it hits hard with the realities. The stories are much relatable in our lives. I'm pretty much impressed by the way how the author has chosen to narrate varying from different kinds of stories. I enjoyed reading this book as every story gave some sort of moral lessons to follow in our lives. Every turning page makes us bring back thoughts, emotions, and memories. The author has used a few comparisons, figures of speech and that made me finish the whole book with more super fun and zeal. On the whole, this book feeds some thoughts to our minds. The book is creatively written using descriptive words and vivid narration. A letter from the wall, Divine ax are few of the most heart touching stories that I liked a lot. The cover is designed in a simple way using black and white hues along with the puzzle of a maze and that's how life seems to appear. In addition to it, the title is apt for the plot. It's very well known that the author has put more efforts to bring this amazing novel into existence. I highly recommend this book for the people who like to get acknowledged with some values, who love reading short stories etc.

[shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life is filled with hardships and trials, but they teach us lessons worth remembering. In Santosh Komaraju's collection of short stories 'Walks through life', he displays 9 stories from different times and era that conveys a moral. Each of them has a lesson we could learn from.

The collection could be said to be short stories but they were more than just that. It took me to a ride through memory lane for I was reminded of days when I would read stories from Panchatantra and the like. These stories, though far advanced in narration, convey the same emotions. The narrative tone was rather serious and strong which helped portray the thoughts better. The cover and the title are a perfect fit for the book. 'Rise of Motherhood' was indeed one of the most beautiful short story I have read in a while, and my favourite in the lot.

Some of the sections of the stories appeared to be a bit stretched than needed, and even though I didn't want to skip them, I had to. Those sections made the narration boring for a while.

Overall, these is a beautiful collection of stories that will probable make a reader see society from a different light. Recommended to those who would love some well-written morally inclined short-stories.


For more such detailed reviews, check out my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystic_tale...

[Apurva Khadye]

Walks Through Life by Santhosh Komaraju

It is short story collection of short stories consisting 9 tales. Stories and their characters come from different walks of life providing us with unique perspective to ponder upon. It can be read as Aesop's fable but for adults. I loved rise of motherhood and blessing from a curse. I also liked hidden kingship.

Before I comment more on how stories are written I want to commend editor for beautifully editing. There were almost no mistakes even if there were I didn't notice. One star solely for editing.
Now coming back to stories, as I was saying books are fables for us. They overtly may seem simple but have whole another paradigm for those who will look for it! I wish there were more stories.
Language was simple so it can be easily read by beginners. All characters are lovely and properly portrayed. Stories are well crafted.

#BookwithApurva

[Vidhya Thakkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a beautiful book. Yes, If you love reading short stories, do not miss this book. The book is as interesting as the cover. There are 9 beautiful stories with a strong message. Each story will remind the reader about the stories that they have heard as a child.
Each story has an important message for the reader. These stories are based on various themes like humanity, family and more. The author builds readers interest well with his crisp writing style. There’s a depth in his writing. The language used by the author is simple and relatable. The plot of each story is unique and engaging keeping the reader hooked throughout. My favourite stories from the book are ‘Two misjudgments’ and ‘rise of motherhood’.
The pace of some stories is a bit slow. Sometimes it was getting tedious with too many details. It’s a bit heavy read.

[Banaja Prakashini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with a dishonest young man’s quest for the king in him, and ends with the journey of two brothers where one chose the path of good and the other sunk himself doing the opposite.

The stories are the sort which give you something to learn. They aren’t the moral stories with just some sermon in the end. The positive words are not imposed on you, they are given as a simple suggestion, by some character and the protagonist acts upon it, to reveal that it truly is the good thing to do.
On terms of the sophistication of writing, the book is worth having. Its not just for your average read, even the experienced ones will enjoy it. The prose doesn’t limit you, but it does leave you wanting more. I would like to point out that I enjoyed reading the book
Full review- https://www.banajaprakashini.in/walks...

[Aayusi Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 139 pages long book of short stories, it is perfect for beginners and those who get bored of long novels easily. The set of 9 stories were wholesome, teaching us priceless lessons in life. I must say the vocabulary used is very rich and it is perfect for kids if they're looking to enhance their vocabulary. The stories pick up pace pretty soon and the book overall has a nice flow.

Out of the 9, my favorite story was the third one, called Blessings of a Curse. It follows the life of a prostitute and a saintly man living adjacent to each other. It ends with the woman saving the saint from commiting a sin and eventually obtaining her freedom from the brothel.

The book encompasses stories with kings and queens to lives of widower and his son. An interesting read by all means.

My favorite quote : "If two prominent contrasting personalities built their homes facing each other, the management of visitors bombarding one another during their exits could always be problematic."

[Mugdha Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been a fan of short stories especially the ones with some life lessons. Walks Through Life is a collection of 9 short stories which will intrigue you and keep you hooked.The stories are of different genres and each story is about 10 pages which makes it easy for the reader to read the book. Each story had a beautiful lesson hidden in it. Each story forces you to ponder on your thoughts, feelings, emotions as you go through it. My favorites were - "A Gold Message" and "Rise of Motherhood" . The stories were full of turns and twists.I absolutely enjoyed reading this one. I was able to connect myself with the author and I was actually hooked to the book. It's a short read and an absolute beauty. The language is easy and simple and the stories were amazing.Definitely Recommended!

[Ruchi Patel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a collection of stories. I am basically long story type person but still I loved this book. It’s a collection of nine stories based on different genre and my favourite is the very first one “The hidden kingship” because I never imagined that short stories can be written in that concept or background. And other one “A letter from the well” I loved the book as it’s difficult to write short stories as the writer has to express the entire concept in limited word counts and still the story has to have that touchy feeling. I loved the concept of the all the stories. I liked the narration style of the author. The language of the book is lucid. Overall good one. Recommended from my side.

[Divya Malhotra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walks Through Life: Stories

The cover is like no ordinary cover but a maze with different footsteps which are yet to discover in one’s life.

Walks through life is a collection of some short stories and to choose one most favorite would be quite difficult as the creativity and usage of sentences has beautifully been crafted.

The Hidden Kingship , Rise of Motherhood.were one of the second time read for me.

Also, this book gave me a nostalgia about my bedtime stories in my childhood.

Rhe language is simple and the plot in each story is a quite different read.

Hoping to read more from the author in future.

[Khushboo Aneja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of 10 odd stories, Walks Through Life, reminded me of storytime with my sister in childhood. Every night my elder sister used to tell me a story and I was supposed to figure out the moral. And since then, I never came across stories like that. All the moral short stories I read were either too predictable or old. Until I read the stories by Santosh. I started reading this book without reading the blurb. Happens when you read a book on kindle. So, I was not expecting the stories to end with lessons. From hating the cunning businessman to his journey to becoming his own king; from being afraid of the beast to finding humanity; from riches to rag and butcher to the scholar. Every single story was well written and had the twists at the same time. The main part about moral stories is they should not sound too preachy. And Santosh aced that feat. Not once will you feel that you are being taught a lesson or inspired to find the human inside you.

Generally, in short stories, it's hard to connect with the protagonists since you don’t get to read much about them but I guess these protags will stay with me for a long time. I can’t recall their names as they are a bit strange but I will always remember the qualities they exhibited. Or maybe because I read the stories just before bed, they will always be close to my heart. The language is easy and every story maintains the pace to keep you interested and excited at the same time. The language is easy. Also, in the author’s note Santosh has mentioned that the stories are inspired by mythological moral lessons. Maybe I missed out on my mythological lessons because, for me, they were new. And its all about the way you tell a story. And Santosh has done that well. Walks Through Life is a must-read for all ages and preferably at bedtime.

[Vishakha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories with morals

Cover and title
The cover is designed cleverly depicting stories in the book. The title tells about tales written in the book. Walkthrough life means to see these lives from different perspectives.

Storyline
It has 9 different short stories each with different morals and storyline and each character possess one bad quality. Like the 1st one was greedy and does some fraudulent activities. 2nd was arrogant and powerful and so on. At the end of story, they received a good lesson and we got a new perspective

Heading of story
I personally like the heading of the stories. They all are appealing and will hold you on till you get the meaning of the entire story. Some of my favorites heading were - Rise of Motherhood, Blessings from a Curse, Letter from well.
You have to read a story to get the meaning of headings.

My take
-Short stories with moral
-Narrative is smooth and easy to understand
-Some stories are slow
-Detailed stories

Recommended for short stories lovers and children.
Cover 4.7/5
Story 4.5/5

[Aiman Arfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. Phases of life. That's what you feel once you finished reading it with a deep sigh. But it'd be a sigh of contentment, trust me.
The book is a collection of short stories that literally takes you through different "Walks of life" and then it leaves the final decision/judgement upto your conscience. That's what I personally felt after reading this wonderful book.
The cover of the book is quite eye catching.
Language is simple. It's a perfect bedtime read.

[_silkreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title : Walk Through Life: Stories
Format : Kindle.
Author : Santhosh komaraj , Linda Mainville.

Highly Justified...!
The title of the book is totally justified.Essence the Collection of 9 short stories have been carefully up chosen. The story are really captivating beholds very emotion.

[Sankalpita (bookGeeks India) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating - 3.25/5

review to follow soon

[Meenu Annadurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this Review Copy from Half Baked Beans in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Half Baked Beans and Book Marketing Consultant Richa Saxena!!

Review
Walks through life by Santhosh Komaraju is a wonderful collection of short stories. It totally consist of 9 brilliantly thought and well plotted stories which are completely different from one and other. Every story will remain in the hearts of the readers forever because it had such an intensity of truth and righteous which are vital for a good life and good humane.

Reading these stories felt like reading an advanced version of the moral science stories which we all have read back at school as children. Except a couple stories, all the other stories can be narrated to kids. With these stories everybody can learn a lot of things. The intention of this book was so pure and genuine, and it will for sure change something in the reader’s heart, mind and personality.

All the stories were point blank to the issue, it was straight and direct. There was no beating around bush kind of writing. And the idea of each story itself was so unique and different. These stories had that typical ancient Indian touch to it. To be more precise, these stories were similar to the stories we heard as kids from our parents and grandparents. So it will be a nostalgic experience to the readers but these were very different stories with the same outlook.

These stories had a mild essence of mythology and fantasy but that wasn’t way too prominent. These mythic and fantastic elements only provided space for the characters in the book to be more optimistic and righteous towards life. These elements didn’t deviate the book from the core idea which was to pay more attention to the humanitarian traits.

The only problem with book was there were a plethora of complicated vocabulary, so initially it was very tiring but then the readers will get used to it. But the point is the author could’ve avoided these complicated vocabulary to in order to reach more number of audience. And there were meager typos here and there but I’m not going to take it into account because of the marvelous stories the author had penned down.

My views
I liked all the stories, these stories took me back to childhood and made me wonder why we stopped giving more importance to moral science as we grew up. These stories pointed out the tinge of selfishness in everybody and this book was like a self realization because these characters will teach the readers how to lead a life and behave. And it also pointed out where and all I’m going wrong with my life. This book had a large impact on me.

As I’m a voracious reader, my little cousins used ask me to narrate stories for them but I will have to alter a lot of things for them because most of the book I read are not for kids and sometime I’ll simple dodge them or sometimes I make up some stupid stories. But the first that thought came into my mind while reading this book was “now I can narrate these righteous stories to them” and I’m sure these stories will help them became a better human being. And I should really thank the author for this.

At the end of the book, the author had said he will come up with another book like this one and I just cannot wait to read it!!!

I loved all the nine stories and I learn different things from all these nine stories.

My rating for this book would be 5 out of 5 stars

I would recommend this book to young readers, adults. Adults can read or narrate these stories to their kids because there is so much to learn from these stories. If you are someone who loved listening to the stories from your grandparents you will love it. If you loved moral science as a kid, this book is definitely for you. If you love philosophy, truth, righteous, humanitarian kind of stories, then what are you waiting for ? Go grab this book and start reading with wasting time!!!!

I hope this book will help you become a better version of yourself as it did to me.

Happy Reading Folks!!!!

~ Meenu

[Prakhyath Rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories of lively and realistic characters

Santhosh K. Komarraju's "Walks Through Life Stories" is an introduction to the author's craft and skill to draw a reader's attention to issues of varying nature. His stories have their respective moral lessons but at the same time also remind the reader of earlier written literary texts or folk tales or bedtime stories he/she may have heard as a child.

The author clearly claims the influence of Hindu mythology on his stories in his 'Note from the author'. This is visible by the presence of Indian settings of farms (in the story "A Gold Message"), kingdoms (in "The hidden Kingship", "Divine Axe" and "King of All"), religion ( in "Two misjudgments") and family ties ( in "A letter from the Well" , "Rise of Motherhood", "Two misjudgments'', ''King of all" and "A gold message").

The readers are more or less familiar with the mythological moral lessons but the author brings in some twist and turn to make the reader appreciate the stories by holding on to their interest. There is the presence of humans, beasts, animals, monsters which makes stories fall in the category of children's literature. But two stories "Blessing of a Curse" and "Rise of Motherhood" deal with the critical and serious issue of prostitution which highlights the status of women in the society. The clear message is that society pushed those women into the hell of flesh trade so society should act as the liberator too (in 'Blessing of a curse"). The other fact highlighted in "Rise of Motherhood" is that the maternal instinct in a woman shows up as the situation calls for it. This makes the collection important at the social front also and for adults too.

The language is simple and easy to understand although, at times, the plot seems a bit extended due to the detailing. Almost all the characters the author creates seems lively and realistic. They stand out with their own characteristics and traits. But at times, they are projected as too ideal to be found in the real world. For instance, the prince in "King of all" is ready to give the crown to his younger brother even after he was announced as the future king.

The setting in a kingdom in "Divine Axe" reminds or Pearl S. Buck's story "The Enemy" but while that is more into the world war scenario, this story somewhere reminds of Shakespeare's forest of Arden. A bit similar is the case with "The Hidden Kingship" although here Marlowe's Doctor Faustus can be reminisced. Perhaps the most Indian story (keeping in mind the current scenario) is "Two misjudgments". Here the reader finds religion and its importance at the forefront but the message is clearly given of religion being not just about worshipping God but also following humanitarian principles. The other important dominant theme found in "The Hidden Kingship", "Divine Axe", "A Letter from the Well", and "King of All" is that hard work never goes unrewarded. Other themes include true repentance leads to salvation and goodness in a human being can be awakened by the right counsel, guidance and patience(in "A letter from the Well"), man's living in harmony with nature and animals (in "Beyond the bar of humanity"). This also reminds the reader of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book".

Overall, the story collection can both be read and also narrated to adults and children making the appeal of the work universal.

[Ajay Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walks through Life: Stories



What actually made me grab this book – Walks through Life: Stories - is my reminiscences of Jataka Tales, the one that was an integral part of my childhood. I guess this book can be lined along with Jataka Tales in a way as Walks through Life with respect to its name takes your older self on a walk through the chapters of life, giving out a few take away lessons to inculcate you. I was quite taken with the blurb as those one liners about the stories the book holds present an intriguing charm for the readers to pick it; I found it very creative and catching, they themselves are seeds to your thoughts and your curiosity. I personally got hooked with the part – ‘Can you be my mother? - a boy requested of a pretentious lady’

It was quite interesting to follow along each story, how it frames about the moral of it in an effective way. The story telling style of the author is commendable is doing justice to the whole concept of the book as I believe he succeeds in keeping his readers engaged in his short stories giving ways to think upon. What makes the book all the more caught to it is that, it is just not about few life lessons or morals that it serves, it is also about being a reflection to our society, the light, the dark and the shadows! Stories like Blessing of a Curse calls out this point constructively.

The after taste left by stories like Rise of a Mother and A letter from the Well is quite touching as well as heartwarming. King of All and Divine Axe will serve you a lot more of your childhood memories as it reminds you of those classics you covered during your school days. The characters each story presents are quite etched or are framed up quite well to even stand on their own, some will reflect, some will contrast you; the prince, the mother, the woodcutter, the villager… they all tell you their fair deal of life through the pages of the book. I think each one of you would be able to connect or relate with at the least on or two out of them. There is a great deal to read in between the lines as even though they are quite simple, it delivers a great deal to feed your mind and work on further. It also paves way to our ethnic essence too.

I felt that the book is a mixture of different types of stories where some are quite suitable or are for young minds while others are actually for grown hearts, I think one can pick out stories to read out for their kids out of them suiting their taste. The book cover design is quite impressive but the black and white thing was not for me, I do appreciate the creativity though.

Overall, it is a great pick, I feel the ideology of the book is to share the light of life that’s around us, passed on over generations and that if you open your senses towards them, it is easy to be enlightened! The book contains an impressive collection of interesting stories with pretty good moral lessons and it is a very good medium to take you down the memory lane or to have a great reading session with your kids or so. It would make a great addition to your reading collection for revisits. I would love to get it in paperback version and would like to request for it, it would be great if that can be worked out!

[Dimple Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of us have a habit of reading fictional stories and sometimes this habit does become an addiction when the stories are too fascinating. But, there are still a few who prefer short stories over lengthy novels describing a particular plot and hence this book comes under the category of short stories.

‘Walks Through Life’ is a collection of 9 short stories with mixed genres. The following are the titles of the stories:

The Hidden Kingship
Divine Ax
Blessing Of A Curse
A Letter From The Well
Beyond The Bar Of Humanity
Rise Of Motherhood
Two Misjudgments
King Of All
A Gold Message
As a reader, I found the title of the book as well as the stories very creative. The author has taken a lot of efforts in crafting each and every title and it is clearly visible above. I personally loved the titles, especially ‘Blessing Of A Curse.’ Now, talking about the cover, the book is full of mazes each leading to different stories. The best part of the cover was that there were very tiny snippets describing some of the stories in the book.

Proceeding towards its plot, the stories were catchy. I liked the way the author has used different genres in each and every story, offering the reader to savour each and every flavour of the book. Out of all the stories my favourite one was the ‘Rise of Motherhood.’ The author has done justice with the characterization and the time lap between the starting and ending of all the stories were perfect. However, the language of the book is a bit complex. The author has used literary elements really well and has written the plot with maximum narration and very few dialogues. The inclusion of 10% more dialogues would have made the stories more interesting.

When I read the first story I was not able to comprehend it in the first read. I read it again and then I felt connected. As I proceeded towards the next chapter, I found the narration great and same with the rest of the stories. Only the first story was a bit tricky to understand. The following are two examples of how the author has used his creativity to portray the narration:

‘Santeyi walked with nervous strides as he was in need of something special that would turn his life around.’

‘For a moment, Raha could not distinguish the hermit from the fire since they both emanated a similar degree of resplendence.’

Overall, the stories were interesting and promising but I would recommend the author not to use too many literary elements in all the lines to make the stories interesting for readers of all categories.

Rating-3.5/5

[Manali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple stories with ample wisdom and many life teaching lessons.

Ratings: 5/5
The book is a collection of 9 short stories that are more like moral teachings. Each story in this collection is a beautiful reflection of our society and how we can improve ourselves.

What I liked about the book:
--> The beautiful and analogical book cover. The best part about it is that there are snippets depicting some of the stories in the book.
--> How each story teaches us a moral and many important lessons.
--> The titles of the stories which are so apt and extremely thoughtful.
--> How the stories, and all the characters, are so real and relatable.
--> There are two stories in particular which talk about sex workers, and I loved how both of them send out an important message about how we look down upon such women, whereas we are the ones leading immoral lives ourselves.
-->The author has used literary elements really well and has written the plot with maximum narration and very few dialogues.
--> How the stories touch various genres and topics like class, gender, honesty, desire, empathy, humility, hard work, and coexistence among many other attributes of humanity.

What I did not like about the book
--> The narrative feels slow sometimes.
--> The first story was a little complex and getting hooked to the book takes time. I feel the book should have started off with another story (any other story out of the 9 stories would have made a better beginning)

Quotable quotes:
—> He incorporated this undesirable trait in his every endeavor in order to reap faster benefits in the least possible time, as how the motto goes for every cheater.
—> Since cheaters don’t know their limits, their appetites grow with every act of deceit.
—> Sometimes, the question answers itself when the subjects are unable to, from a different corner altogether. The answer waits for the penultimate moment before rising to the top.
—> Do not get disappointed so quickly and bring more misery than needed upon yourself and your family. I think your destiny needs to be rerouted.
—> The gold is yet to be found, but an indication that there is plenty ahead is a good start!

More here: https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2m5

[Shalini singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's safe to say with this book that I have read a book which gave me a very unique reading experience. It's safe to say that mysticism has found a new mystic in me. Identities are carved and not etched though, the prose gave me many moments of feeling as if I was amongst the kinsmen, the warriors, a part of a mission, holding the divine Axe and Kantha, Bhairo, Mantha and Dhiyodhara were unforgettable. I liked how the author distributed moods to various stories and then as if circling on his walk, made us learn, each time. Ex- The Hidden Kingship tells us to be Brave enough to want something in life.


Each character was shaped to make us feel aligned, like on a path. I instantly knew I'll read the book in one sitting. A constant emotion which I felt was 'how odd and sometimes off the stories are'. And even though it's not a welcoming thought as a reader, it's a feeling one gets rarely and I treasure how simple yet effective and articulated the author is. 100 % for efforts. There's a premise, body and a beauty to some ancient settings. Myths are stories intended to provide explanations for things people don't understand. The warning would be, don't mistake this collection for Jakarta or Panchtantra. 

Indian mythological stories are rare and this is a recent debut I got to read. Was not disappointed is also safe to say. 

The Hidden Kingship
Divine Ax
Blessing Of A Curse
A Letter From The Well
Beyond The Bar Of Humanity
Rise Of Motherhood
Two Misjudgments
King Of All
A Gold Message

These are the stories. Wouldn't you feel like reading?

As a child reading stories of the dreamcatcher or the Zeus and the potsherds was a delight. How delighted I was to know 

Usually mythological morals are for children and maturing minds but what's amazing these days is to stumble upon a book like this which brings back nostalgia and magic of weaving tales in a finite loop with no heart to judge. Myths and legends are an integral part of human existence. They have been around us all the time. Though their validity is susceptible, nobody seems to mind as they stand as a proof of the human belief in divine powers

[Njkinny (Njkinny's Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.njkinnysblog.com/2019/12/...

When I came across Walks Through Life: Stories, I was intrigued by the title and the book cover. The cover depicts a maze with footprints which is a unique design for any book that I have seen in a long time and when I saw it, I knew I had to check it out.

The blurb is engaging but still can be made more worthy of the content inside the book. The last few lines where the author tells the readers about the book being a collection of short stories where each story reverberates the same principle of truth in its own unique way is confusing and I could not fully grasp the theme of the book. I just knew it had a few moral based stories.

However, once I started reading I slowly came to love the whole idea behind the stories and the unique execution. The author has brought to us stories that are so relatable and that took me down memory lane to my childhood when I read and heard such stories from my mother. Moral based with a valuable life lesson, each story holds a different message and is short enough to be read anytime and anywhere.

The language could have been made simpler and more fluid. At times, the sentences read unnecessarily long and stilted. They could easily have been made shorter. This being said, while I felt the above need for improvement it in no way diminished the essence of the stories that are still effectively narrated.

I loved almost all the stories and feel these make for excellent storytelling material for our kids and younger readers. I know I will be narrating these stories to my kid!

This being a debut effort, I commend the author on his effort and look forward to reading more from him in the future.

All in all, Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh K. Komaraju is an engaging book that can be read by anyone and at anytime. 4 stars out of 5 to it. I enjoyed reading it and Njkinny recommends this book to all lovers of folk tales, fables and moral stories.