Bollywood Invasion by Ricardo Alexanders
Series n/a; standalone
Genre Adult Historical Fantasy
Publisher Independent
Publication Date September 18, 2018
A fantasy novel of a modern-day American boy's journey back in time as the reincarnation of John Lennon.
Sixteen-year-old John Palmieri is living an average life in Brooklyn until one day he wakes up as a prince in India, thirty-five years before he was born. Suddenly, he finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies.
Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets "the one." However, love doesn't come easy. He must become a better man and sing his way into her heart, a pursuit ignited by his memories of the vintage Beatles music on his iPod.
Will these legendary songs change John's life? Can he escape Lennon's tragic fate? Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn at his own time?
His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.
Amazon https://amzn.to/2tspLi9
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iBooks https://apple.co/2Nqis2G
John is a typical teenager who loves listening to music and secretly lusts after a girl at school until his tardiness and lack of concentration lead him into the path of an oncoming bus. He wakes and everyone calls him Raj. He's now in India, it's 1958 and he's a prince!
This is probably the most adventurous book I've picked up this year from a reading perspective. It's an intriguing mix of time-travel, romance and history. Unlike anything I've read before, I enjoyed the inventiveness of the narrative which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. I've purposefully not included any clues about the unexpected journey John/Raj make. This is a novel where diving into the text is the way to go, without any preconceived ideas.
Right from the opening page, I was drawn into John's life. After reading the book blurb, I really had no clue as to how the author would spin his idea and somehow against my reader apprehension it works very well. He's managed to pack a lot into the pages and it flows together beautifully as we follow Raj on an extraordinary life exploration where he finds love, loss and success.
The glossary of terms appears at the end of some chapters, is both useful and very convenient for readers unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary used during the Indian aspect of Raj's life. The use of The Beatles lyrics throughout adds a nostalgic feel.
Overall a wonderful and highly imaginative novel with a broad appeal which contrasts between the past and the present whilst incorporating a fascinating blend of culture and snippets of moments in history.
***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Pure Textuality PR***
This is probably the most adventurous book I've picked up this year from a reading perspective. It's an intriguing mix of time-travel, romance and history. Unlike anything I've read before, I enjoyed the inventiveness of the narrative which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. I've purposefully not included any clues about the unexpected journey John/Raj make. This is a novel where diving into the text is the way to go, without any preconceived ideas.
Right from the opening page, I was drawn into John's life. After reading the book blurb, I really had no clue as to how the author would spin his idea and somehow against my reader apprehension it works very well. He's managed to pack a lot into the pages and it flows together beautifully as we follow Raj on an extraordinary life exploration where he finds love, loss and success.
The glossary of terms appears at the end of some chapters, is both useful and very convenient for readers unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary used during the Indian aspect of Raj's life. The use of The Beatles lyrics throughout adds a nostalgic feel.
Overall a wonderful and highly imaginative novel with a broad appeal which contrasts between the past and the present whilst incorporating a fascinating blend of culture and snippets of moments in history.
***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Pure Textuality PR***
Waking up in 1958 India:
“Raj Babu1! Raj Babu!”
“Help me!” John flailed his arms around like a newborn.
I must be dead, he thought, perhaps on my way to Hell.
“Raj Babu! O’pun eyes!”
His eyes still closed, he felt the touch of a cold liquid all over his face.
“Argh! What is happening? Please stop!” John covered his face with his hands to shield himself from whatever was being sprinkled onto his face. If he was in Hell, which to him seemed like the only reasonable explanation, it could potentially be a fluid meant to burn his face. Yes indeed, it had to be Hell. Why else was the ground beneath him burning? And why was his skin on fire?
“Dimaag kharaab ho gaya hai Raj Babu ka to!2”
“Raj Babu!”
“Please…” he wailed as the splashes grew harder. “Please don’t!”
His hands were snatched away from his face and his right cheek slapped hard. John opened his eyes to the sight of a dark face surrounded by a halo so bright that it made his eyes squint. Behind the figure stood another dark figure wearing what looked like a cloak, bearing a scythe on his back. John shut his eyes, horrified, body shivering.
“Aur paani do!3”
Slap!
It would seem odd to John if Satan had not resorted to corporal punishment.
“Ek do aur maaro!4 Slap him harder this time!”
Slap! Slap!
“Fur’give me, Raj Babu! I no want to slap you!”
Nauseous and weak, John kept his eyes shut, waiting for his fate to unfold.
“Chaon me le jaate hain Raj Babu ko.5” He heard another incomprehensible spell.
1 A title used to address a man with respect.
2 Raj has lost his mind.
3 Get some more water.
4 Hit him a couple of times more.
1 A title used to address a man with respect.
2 Raj has lost his mind.
3 Get some more water.
4 Hit him a couple of times more.
Ricardo is a descendant of the Great Yyu, a.k.a. the first king of China. He lives in Massachusetts and enjoys experiencing all kinds of cultures around the world. After obtaining his doctorate in science, he became fascinated with time-travel. As an aspiring writer, he loves to write time-travel fictions that blend fantasy, science, and real history together.
In 2017, he published his debut time-travel novel Dragon Tomb, the first book of his TLR (The Last Resistance) pentalogy. This history science fiction series starts from World War II, during which a young archaeologist discovers the true origin of Chinese civilization and saves the world from Armageddon.
Website http://ricardoalexanders.com/
Amazon https://amzn.to/2MpFgOX
To celebrate the release of BOLLYWOOD INVASION by Ricardo Alexanders, we're giving away a $25 Amazon gift card and a $50 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner! Once your initial entry is confirmed, additional entry options are unlocked!
LINK: https://goo.gl/USWgw7
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to internationally. Two winners will be chosen, one to receive a $25 Amazon gift card and one to receive a $50 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Ricardo Alexanders. Giveaway ends 10/1/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted.
