Brajesh's Review : Before Watchmen - Minute Men / Silk Spectre

I had picked-up the legendary graphic novel “Watchmen” about 2 years back and it still remains in my “half-read books to be completed list”. The other day while browsing graphic-novels in my local Paddington library, I found the prequel and found it interesting. This story is about the Original Silk Spectre and Nite Owl.

Like the “Watchmen” the focus remains on the psychological inner conflict of the super-heroes. While the prequel does not involve Moore and Gibbons the book is engaging and the graphic beauty comes alive brilliantly. A must read for all graphic-novel and “Watchmen” fans.

Rating : 3.5 / 5

Also Read Kim's Review for the same book.

Kim's Review : Before Watchmen - Minute Men / Silk Spectre

Confession Time : I own a copy of Watchmen - Yes, that so called pinnacle of Graphic Novel Art. I have owned it for over a year. It is sitting on my bookshelf and I have not yet read it. {insert blushing emoticon here}

The husband had read it though and he was very excited when we saw this prequel at our local library. I thought that since I needed to return the book and it was a prequel, it would be good to read this first before reading the main book itself. But I'd have to say that this was a bit of a mistake.

The books aren't meant to be read that way.

As a standalone, this is a lovely book. Beautifully illustrated with a crime fighting story line. I much preferred Minute Men over Silk Spectre. Somehow I haven't been able to connect to her character and I don't like her very much. I was rooting more for her daughter than the original silk spectre.

Maybe once I actually read Watchmen, I will come back to this book again and see if it feels any different.

Rating : 3.5 / 5

#100BooksPact 2/100 & 3/100

Kim's Review : To Catch a Bad Guy

To Catch a Bad Guy by Marie Astor is a very straight simple story masquerading as a detective novel.

Within the first few pages, you know which way the story is heading, who are the bad guys and who are the good guys. No surprises at all, other than the fact that I actually read until the end. Sigh!

And to think she made this a series (Janet Marple Series - hoping to cash in on Agatha Christies Miss Marple?)

This books is fine if you want a bit of summer fluff to read on the beach without taxing your mind, otherwise, don't bother.

Rating : 2 / 5

Brajesh's Review : Poisoned Arrow

I read everything, all genres, all types of writers. The only constraint being language, which is predominantly English with an occasional Hindi book. I almost feel compelled to constantly widen my reading horizons and this book surely did the trick for me.

Kim ordered this translation of an Urdu detective novella from 1960s, written by one of the most prolific Urdu writers of 20th century Asrar Ahmed, who wrote with the pen name of Ibne Safi.

Poisoned Arrow is part of a series starring his famous detective Inspector Faridi and Sergeant Hameed. Quirky and funny, the story impressed me, though I thought the climax left a lot of unanswered questions. Which I guess was expected, given that this is only one part of the serialised Jasusi Duniya.

Rating : 3 / 5