"The Seeker" by Sudhir Kakar

This is a novel that works like a type of biography. The plot follows the story of the friendship between Mahatma Gandhi and an English woman named Madeleine Slade (also known by her nickname Mira, and who was a real person who actually existed).

It was quite good because it told the story from the point of view of a man who loved Gandhi telling the story of a woman who loved Gandhi, and from their point of views you get to see and observe Gandhi himself. You see?

In fact this woman, Mira/Madeleine Slade, loved Gandhi so much that in 1925 she left England, her family and her entire lifestyle and culture behind to go join him in his Ashram in Sabarmati. She gave up meat and alcohol and sleeping in a bed, all for him.

She made a a vow and promised to remain celibate for the rest of her days, and she promised to serve him faithfully in his mission to free India from the British in a completely non violent way.

Throughout the book you see just how devoted to Gandhi Mira was. She believed in him to such an extent that in her mind he became a sort of God. What's funny about this is that not only was Mira English, but her father was a British admiral. She pretty much swapped sides and gave up everything to follow her new God.

But what I found particularly interesting about "The Seeker" are the glances into Gandhi's personal life and how he really was. Mira became a great friend of his you see, and she was one of his closest disciples. And he was harsh with her sometimes, just like he was harsh with all his closest friends and family members.

He could be quite demanding and if you made what he considered a mistake he would get angry.

I love Gandhi because of his views on non violence and all that, just like a lot of people. The fact that he was flawed and could get angry doesn't make me like him any less, it actually just makes him seem far more human.

In any case this was a very interesting read, and it told the story of Gandhi's mission towards building a non violent freedom fighter army in a fairly clear and direct way.

The "A song of ice and fire" series by George R. R. Martin

First of all let me start off by saying that these books are huge. Like really, really tremendously big. I had to get up and check but every book is about 1000 pages long.

It took me quite a long time to read these and I admit I took a little break after book 3 before continuing on with books 4 and 5. Not because they weren't brilliant but because my brain had become entirely saturated with the plots and the intrigues of the series.

Also heartbreak. Lots and lots of heartbreak. Heartbreak is not something that these books lack that's for certain.

How to explain these books. "A song of ice and fire" is a medieval fantasy series, and in this series everyone wants the throne. And so throughout the series we see the perspectives of multiple pretenders to the throne. Some demand it, some are trying to keep it, some believe it's theirs to take back, and some believe it's theirs to take away.

There is no true baddie. And there are no real good guys either. At the beginning you might absolutely hate this one character and you just want him to die. And then he (or she) is redeemed. And vice versa.

Another thing in "A song of ice and fire"? No character is safe. Not one. Everyone and anyone can die at any moment. This series is so full of twists and turns you would hardly believe it. In book 5 some characters have ended up in places and situations you never would have guessed in book 1. 

If you are wondering why I haven't spoken about the main character yet it's because there is no one main character but instead there are dozens. And I guarantee that you will end up having at least three favourites that are on opposite sides. So basically no mater whoever wins the throne we will all end up in tears.

There are still two more books to come out in "A song if ice and fire" so I don't know who will win in the end. Only George R. R. Martin himself knows I imagine. This man has killed off so many beloved characters I'm actually afraid for the next two books. Excited yes. But very, very afraid.

And on one last note I would tell you (if you didn't already know, and I'd be surprised frankly if you didn't) that "A song of ice and fire" is being adapted into a television series by HBO (so expect nudity and violence) called "Game of Thrones", and it is fantastic, just like the books. That's how I personally found out about the books in the first place, I watched the show (don't anyone dare judge me).

So all of you reading this go on and read this series and watch it too! It's brilliant, absolutely fucking brilliant.