Love @ Air Force by Gaurav Sharma (Book Review-3.9*/5)!!!

     

      I laid my hands for the first time on a book by Blackbuck Publication but the impression that they have created in my first attempt itself speaks a lot about them. The pricing, quality of publishing and selection is wonderful. Only if they can improve their distribution, they can match up to other leading publishers of India. I am done reading the debut novel of Gaurav Sharma- "Love @ Air Force" which also has the tag line- "A heart is a more sophisticated device than a Sukhoi". The 287-pages thick novel deserves a read because it has a story which you and me would love to read. Everyone writes a love story these days but the one who writes it differently gets the applaud by the readers as well as critics. I, as a reader, would say that this is what I search these days in the love stories written by Indian authors. The debutante has not let anything go wrong with his first attempt. Kudos to him. 

SYNOPSIS:-

The violent romance of the Fighter planes with the clouds in sky… the pulchritudinous Officers walking around arrogantly… the runway with the logo constituted by the concentric tricolored circles in the background… is the spectacle meets our eyes at the feeble mention of the Air Force but there is more about the Air Force besides these…

           

 Coming to the author's writing style, he is master in writing crisp and short sentences. He does not let the story stay at one single moment for a long time. He also assures that you laugh after every 2 pages to keep the interest developed in you. His humor-sense is terrific. Most of his humor has come in describing the expressions of the protagonists and other characters. He knows when to add up the twist in the simple tale. Author has made it sure that people reading the book does not feel that he wasn't from the Air Force background as every detail that he has put about the institution looks so valid and accurate. Generally, author gives all the wonderfulness to the main protagonist of the story, but here, Gaurav Sharma, has given equal parts to every character and no one looks ignored and isolated in the story. I loved the way rank obsession and categorization in the Air Force academy is discussed in the book. Quite frankly. 

            Book flies off really well right from the first page when Sushil's equation with his wife, Divya, is reflected through their conversations. The way Sushil's life is dramatically introduced makes it a fun start. His surprise meeting with a long-lost friend, Shabd is also well-plotted. I also liked how Sushil's past life is described in one chapter. It gives almost all the detailing about the character. Later on, I loved the way Sushil retorts Ojha when he tries to humiliate him after the promotion. Also what Shabd speaks to Sushil's peer at his home in clarification of Sushil's promotion is a wonderful part. Better than all the scenes, I loved the one where philosophy is embedded deeply when Sushil goes to the pan stall for smoking. The lecture that he gets on how to develop himself and his personality at that moment is the HIGH POINT of the book. The way, post-climax(Yes, I would call it this :-)) is written shows the X-factor that Gaurav Sharma has in his story-telling style.

          What I didn't like was the meeting with Soumya of Sushil and Shabd. I was expecting something out of the world there. Yes, I agree that author has tried to keep it realistic but still, like a typical Indian audience, I expect something bombastic. Haha! Also, I didn't like the repetition of same conversation regarding Soumya between Sushil and Shabd every now and then. I also felt that more humor could have been added by utilizing the characters of children in the book but alas, author haven't made children one of the main characters of the main plot. Rest, I would say this book is a sibling of movies like Jaanemann and Dhadkan. :-) Yes! I would give this a well-deserving 3.9/5. You can surely read it for once, you'll enjoy it.

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!