Randomness Refined

So we are at end of the year 2011 and at the door to much awaited and dreaded 2012 (I still don’t get why people are taking it so seriously, may be because of the movie ).

First of all my sincere apologies to all and anyone I hurt intentionally and/or un-intentionally in this year or anytime. And I say it from my heart and not just doing a formal quote.

This year was quite a turn for me. Changed a lots of things, relationships and it taught me not to expect good from everyone.
I won’t be going into a detailed account of the events. But for the first time a traveled and a lot Thailand, Vietnam, Goa, Hyderabad and Himachal.
It was all fun and so great. I started building myself a new house, finally. Found some interesting people.
Still didn’t even realized that the year is at the end. Time sure has wings.
Well I hope the new year 2012 will be great and joyous for everyone. I don’t wish for overly imaginable or so peace or whatever, I just wish that life be normal and good for everyone on the globe.
Wish you all a happy new year 2012.

Sep 20, 2011 marked the end of facebook for me and my girlfriend.
We both were fed up by the stupid junk on facebook. Morover as more and more people are joining, facebook is loosing its appeal and becoming too much desi and home of fake profiles like Google Orkut.
Secondly we were concerned about our privacy and indeed facebook is too addictive.
So we both decided that giving a six day warning to our friends to save our contact info is enough and yesterday we both deleted our accounts on facebook, though it will take 14 days to delete our full info from facebook servers as per facebook terms.

So how many of you are ready to get rid of facebook?

Digitalization of books and other reading material had a revolutionary effect on reading. People who didn’t like to carry paper books around started reading them on eBook reading devices such as Amazon Kindle. The introduction of many eBook reading applications to mobile phones and media players made eBooks even more popular. This was because of the fact that almost everyone owns a mobile device today and that they are easy to carry around. I’m using my mobile to read books for last two years and I’m quite happy because I can carry my library wherever I go. So for the real fun part I’m gonna list some applications which I’ve used or still using to read books on my mobile phone. For an older version of this post you can visit this link .

• Wattpad:

Wattpad is an eBook community and mobile eBook reading application which can be used on almost any mobile phone. It support basic java phones, smartphones, iPhone, Android and many other platforms. You can use Wattpad application to browse, download and read eBooks. It require a working network connection for browsing and reading books, but books can also be downloaded to read offline without a connection. You can also share your own work at their website so other people can read it.
You can download Wattpad from their mobile homepage at m.wattpad.com
Or you can visit their homepage for more on ebook at www.wattpad.com

• Anyview:

It’s my favorite eBook reader for mobile. Supports many formats and is easy to use. Compatible with almost all mobile phones including touch screen phones.
You can visit the Author’s website here .
Here is a feature list from author’s website:

• It can read files of type TXT, HTML, PDB(TEXt/REAd format, but don’t support iSiloX format), as well as display GIF, JPEG and PNG files.
  Can handle UTF-8, ASCII and Unicode – so can display Spanish and other language texts.
• Fully touch screen enabled (for those phones with touch screens)
• Very fast and responsive
• Can open files directly from your phone – no need to add text file into jar file (as you have to do with most other ebook readers)
• Has great page turning capability – you use 2/8 keys (or touch page) for page scroll and 4/6 keys (or use joystick) for line scroll. You can also turn on automatic scrolling.
• Has Search, Jump to and bookmark features – everything you would expect of an ebook reader.
• It supports reading directly from ZIP files – so your ebooks can take up less space on your phone.
• Provides flexible customization capabilities with more than 50 user-customizable settings such as font size, colors, screen layout, etc. These preferences can be saved in Settings files and you can set up multiple settings files for use with different document types.

Download AnyView

(If the language is other than English then press Menu > 4 > 3 to change it to English!)

Here is another interesting post on converting mobiles into an e-Reader by Piotr Kowalczyk.

Do comment if you like this post or if you got any suggestions or queries.

I know I am Book Worm and more than crazy for books!!

My taste vary from my mood to mood about books but mostly I like to read Action Adventure, Paranormal Romance Books, Young Adult Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller and so on, I mostly cover all genres except Strict Historical Fiction.

While reading the post of some other people and book worms like me, an idea formed in my mind that I should share the books I liked most and you people can contribute your favorite books!!

If you want to contribute then please use the comment section only recommend books that you’ve read and think that they are really good, do not suggest every book you’ve read!

These all books are my favorite; I am listing them without any specific favour order. So the numbering is only for reference.

The books listed here are all free and I’ve provided the download links at end of the post. In my next post I’ve added other new books which you can buy from many online stores.

1. The Great Impersonation by Edward Phillip Oppenheim

(Highly recommended for everyone! Spy/Espionage plot.

Story about a broken noble man, whom others want to use for their own purpose. For that they want him dead and send one of his friends who resemble him to impersonate him for gaining secret info about his country!

The impostor enter his house and start living with his wife who hates her husband and from there the real story begins. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

2. The Adventure of Jimmie Dale: Alias Gray Seal by Frank L. Packard

( Adventurous book/Series with a wealthy hero! Work like Batman but only with his intelligence and reflexes.
A wealthy man using his night time to do some naughty things for adventure and get caught by a mysterious woman who then blackmail him to do some works for her.
She knows everything about him and is always one step ahead whenever he is to find about her identity. Quite a read.)

3. The Time Traders by Norton Andre

(Sci-Fi book based on time traveling but different than other time travel book and it’s really great! Instead of future the most part of the story takes place in pre historic world.
The story revolves around a thief turned government operative who tries to reveal the secrets that are vital to keep everyone safe.)

4. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne

(A great Adventure novel, Set in some 18-19th century, Four people are stuck on an Island without the means to escape. The story is about how they try to make themselves comfortable and how they fight with the difficulties and pirates. There is also something on the island which seems to always help them in grave situations. Join them in their quest to find that mysterious being!!
And hey it’s the same author who wrote “Around the World in 80 days”)

5. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

(One of the best work of the Author. Really interesting. Although the plot is centered around love & revenge but the book contain everything like adventure, betrayal, emotional contents, pirate adventure cunning and love. The author covered everything in the book. I really loved how the main character feels that in his revenge are his actions justified or not. No magic, No spells, No fantasy tale but one of the greatest books I’ve read!! Highly Recommended)

Here are the download links for the books. All books are in Plain Text format and compressed for easier download.

• Download Using Torrent

Here is part 2 of the Reading Recommendations. These books can be bought online from many stores like Amazon, Fictionwise etc.

1. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
(A good book but with some philosophical center, mostly adults will like it but teens may have a little different opinion. But the book is really interesting.
It concern the lives of old American Gods and their conflict with new Gods like sex, technology and TV.

And how a simple yet mysterious man is caught between all this)

2. A Quick Bite (Argeneau Series Bk 1) by Lynsay Sands

(Paranormal romance book, love between Vampire female and human male, different concept of vampires.
They concern Vampires having a genetic advantage gained by research from an ancient civilization.
This one is very good but all the other books got repetitive with almost same plot! But you can try other books from the series too.)

3. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Bk 1) by Rick Riordan

(Based on Greek mythology and half-human and half-god concept, a great series! Adventure and life of a boy named Percy Jackson after he finds that he is a demi-god.
How he is caught between the conflict of Gods and their pawns.
Harry Potter lovers will surely like it and everyone else will also like it.)

4. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Bk 2) by Rick Riordan

(Second book in the series and even better than first one!
Percy’s adventure when his first friend in the Camp Half-Blood is captured by some Cyclopes, and how he found about his flaws and powers.
Alas I still haven’t found the next three parts!! But I am sure they will be better!)

5. The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Bk 3) by Rick Riordan

(Update 23-May-2009: Hey I find and finished the third book and it’s again more interesting and tragic. Percy goes on a quest with other demi-gods and find himself more caught between ongoing turmoil of deception and deceit.
Thsi time the writer also added some love interest thing to Percy’s life. Vampire Academy Lovers also gonna find it really interesting!)

6. The Dresden Files (Series) Bk 1 – 11 by Jim Butcher

(Update 25-May-2009: Just finished the 11th book Turn Coat in the series. I can’t believe that I have finished the all available books in just one and a half week! The books are first person narrative from a wizard Harry Dresden, his life as a PI, how his own people fear him though he is a good man, how his love life always messed up! These books have every juice you can long for in a Good series!! The best para-nortmal/mystery series I’ve ever read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

7. Dark Prince (Dark Series Bk 1) by Christian Feehan

(Great Book, first in the Dark series often called The Carpathians Series. Introduce vampires as quite different from described in movies.
The book concerns the love life and struggle to remain sane of the Carpathian Prince Mikhail Dubrinsky. Romantic and thriller plot.)

8. Dark Desire (Dark Series Bk 2) by Christian Feehan

(Second book in the series and again a good work, quite long love scenes but it’s a great read!
This time the book centered on Jacques Dubrinsky, younger brother of Mikhail Dubrinsky! When he’s tortured and buried alive, his only hope is the connection with an unknown girl!)

9. Dark Magic (Dark Series Bk 4) by Christian Feehan

(Fourth book in the series. There are almost 20 books in the series but I liked only these three because others just become repetitive as the series go on. But this one is great! In the Dark Magic Gregori Daratrazanoff, often called The Dark One and friend of Mikhail find his soul-mate which is Mikhail’s daughter!
But both new couple has to find a way to understand each other and remain clear of bad vampires and human hunters.)

10. Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine

(One of my most favorite series starting with the book The Glass House. Imagine living in a city secretly controlled by Vampires and you can’t tell this to others! This is great series, everyone gonna love it. I’ve read the first six books of the series and waiting for the next.)

11. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy Bk 1) by Richelle Mead

(First book in the highly popular series! I’m not much of a Harry Potter fan myself but Harry Potter series is nothing compared to this series! Fast pace, Action, Love, Tears and everything that can make a book really enjoyable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

12. FrostBite (Vampire Academy Bk 2) by Richelle Mead

(Second book in the VA series! Even better than the first one. Character, Plot and feelings got more pace and you feel lost them yourself. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

13. Shadow Kissed (Vampire Academy Bk 3) by Richelle Mead

(Twilight Fans are you ready to take the competition? Third Book in the VA series and superb writing skill!!
In this book Rose found herself and her relation with her mentor Dimitri takes a new turn.
Event causes her to attain a friendly nature toward Christian whom she hated first. I am madly waiting for the next book! This book just makes you really merged in the story. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

14. Eragon (Inheritance Cycle Bk 1) by Christopher Paolini
(Christopher Paolini started writing this book at the age of 15!! Can you believe this?
I’ve read many reviews saying that his writing skill has less maturity and the books are not so good.
But I started reading the book and believe me this is great! Eragon is first in the series, tells the story of the farm boy Eragon who finds a Dragon egg and become the dragon’s rider.
Although the book is three times long as usual fantasy books but you never get bored or never find the slow pace. You must check it out!)

15. Eldest (Inheritance Cycle Bk 2) by Christopher Paolini
(Second book in the series. In this one Eragon struggle to learn about himself and also in this book the identity of his parents is revealed. His relations with Dwarfs and Elves also grew more.
Read the adventures as Eragon join the elves for his and Saphira’s training.
It’s easily seen as the skill with which Paolini hold his characters, increases in the book as it grows.)

16. Brisingr (Inheritance Cycle Bk 3) by Christopher Paolini
(This book is even better than first two books, Eragon and Saphira find their strengths and weaknesses.
Also many secrets are revealed in the book which was of greater importance for Eragon and keeping his goal firm.
This book also tells the rising of Roran, Eragon’s cousin in Varden and how he changes the battle tides.
This book is so good that I am too eager for the final book to release.)

17. A War against Them by Jose A.Vazquez

(I thought what the hell can I find in a Zombie/Living dead book??
But the author and this book proved me wrong. This is an awesome book about how the characters feel, how events turn out after an ancient virus start turning people to Zombie like creatures! I Highly Recommend this book for every type or age reader. Try it and you’ll thank me for pointing out.)

That’s for now! I am a little busy and I will add my other favorite books soon. Enjoy reading!!