Book Review : The Dog who saved the World by Ross Welford

Let us begin with apparently another of Ross Welford’s books, ‘The Dog Who Saved the World’. No previous knowledge of his books, but if they are as exciting as this one, then you can be sure, that I plan to get them all.

Georgie, who lives with her dad, brother and plus her father’s girlfriend Jessica. And that’s not all; she has a best friend called Ramzy and a best dog friend, Mr Mash. Regrettably, she cannot keep Mr Mash at home due to Jessica having an allergy to them. Georgie also works for a dog rest home, where Mr Mash lives; it is an old church the called St Woofs, where they look after unwanted dogs.

Jessica could be great example, since she is a brilliant scientist. But unfortunately, she isn’t Georgie’s own mother. Though Georgie does not like her presence at home, she must survive it. The family likes her, but it takes time for only Georgie to even like her presence.

Now, let’s come to her best friend, Ramzy Rahman. His family had fled a warzone and life in the UK is nothing like it was back, home. The poor guy is left with wearing the same shirt, day after day, and left hungry due to surviving on the same food, that he must share with his siblings. But, he is an upbeat kid and bright enough to survive the adventures, which are all a part of this story.

One day, when Georgie is on a walk with her dog and Ramzy, she comes across Dr Emilia Pretorius. Dr Pretorius seems to be some sort of an unusual mastermind, with a slightly casual attitude to the personal welfare of other folks. She’s built an astonishing Virtual Reality gadget that can transfer people into a plausible future. She just wants some enthusiastic kids to help her try it out.

Now, the enthusiastic children do not realise that they would become test subjects for the 3D version of the future! Tension is building, when a dreadful disease that is spread by dogs breaks out, which is lethal for humans too. Almost all dogs are under threat, and so is Georgie’s treasured dog, when it falls really sick.

The ability to time travel into the future suddenly becomes more than a game, it becomes reality… Georgie must do something about it, and together with her two best friends, she must devise a plan to save all dogs and humans too.

Jessica is one of the scientists working on the challenge and reveals that it could take close ton a year, for them to find the cure. How do they speed up this process? If they travel to the future could they possibly find it? Dr Pretorius has a strange life too. And how exactly does her life lead on? But unfortunately, Dr Pretorius has a heart attack, and it becomes necessary to get her from the hospital, as she is the only one, who can control her gadget.

Ross Welford

oss So, will they take the help of Georgie’s brother? Will he help out and will they manage to get her out on time? Will they reach the spot, where the machine is kept? Can Georgie, Ramzy and Mr Mash save the world? Will Mr Mash be cured?

What could be more fun than seeing herself in the future, whom she ends up meeting, or perhaps a few of the future beings, whom she ends up seeing and the shops and stores, all set into the future? It’s all exciting folks, and coupled with a lot of jokes and comic features with the dogs and docs and scientists, the fun can only go on…

Book Review : 'Vanara : The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara' by Anand Neekantan

Anand Neelakantan has done it again. Now, he has written a book with so much distinction that it truly attempts to stand out from everything, already written about. The book is ‘Vanara  : The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara’ is the tale of the people of the Vana Nara tribe. Who were these people and how do they have a discrepancy and how will it show up in the epic?

Baali and Sugreeva were twins and actually were born to Ahalya and King Indra. The two grew up in Sage Gautama’s ashram. Ahalya who was accused of cheating on Sage Gautama, found out that Sugreeva told him of it and blamed Baali for it, since they both looked alike.

The two of them escape from the ashram. Asuras and Devas treat them as outcasts, people who cannot be touched, and made them slaves. So, it falls up on Baali to change the whole issue. Firstly, he refuses to accept that they are an untouchable caste and prefers that they be addressed by their true sense, and that is the Vana Nara tribe.

Amidst all this they meet Riksarajas, who is a eunuch and helps out Sugreeva by carrying him to Vaidya Sushena, who is the medicine man of the tribe. He now, calls himself the foster father of Baali and Sugreev. They also meet Tara, who is Vaidya Sushena’s daughter, and who brings them and feeds them medicine.

Sugreeva wanted to stay on as, since he considered himself in love with Tara. Believing in the Ayyan, or the supreme god Riksarajas, along with Baali and Sugreeva set off to the mountains. A time comes when Baali feels that Ayyan told him of a great tomorrow in his prayers. He felt that they must build a city by the river and call it Kishkinda, and they were Vanaras or the monkey people. They were the black skinned, broken, monkey people, said Ayyan to Baali, he claimed.

Baali also tells him of Tara and the fact that he wants to marry her, as soon as they return. And free the Vanaras, when they do return. For this purpose they go, firstly to Mahabali the Asura Emperor, where they stay on for five years.

Upon returning, Baali began building the city. But he was almost stalled everyplace. Firstly, there was the council of Vana Naras, who did not want Kishkinda and so they protested. But Tara wanted the city, and she called for the Vana Naras to put their pebbles under the Palmyra trees realised that most of the Vana Naras put their pebbles in Baali’s name.

Then it began, but they were objections and difficulties everywhere. In the meanwhile, Bali and Tara were to get married, and they managed this too, in spite of Sugreeva’s objection and all the difficulties, he put up. 

Anand Neelakantan

It is all up to how Neelakantan, tells this one. It was all the story of the three of them and their odd love stories. Then, the war between the Vana Naras, and then Ravana and Baali, then of course when Rama comes in and attacks Baali. With Hanuman matching up in between…

Of this mix and match story, stands out the fact that the Vanara story is so needed to complete the Ravan story, while it helps give the Ramayan, its true end. The caste system probably began in its true sense and never looks to end, even today, sadly. 

You can Buy the Book, right here.