He clicked on the link “Home”. A message “Joy, congratulations you turn 28 today” popped up on his screen. He smiled, surprised at himself that how in the middle of such a hectic schedule he had forgotten his own birthday. Another thought passed by, “why the schedule has been so hectic?”, “what was keeping him so busy?”. He tried hard thinking about it, but the answer eluded him. Also, involuntarily he clicked on the link, “Profile”.
After staring for few minutes at “Married to Shivani”, he realized what was occupying his thoughts all these days. Suddenly, the thought of Shivani, fulfilled his mind so overwhelmingly that the words “Shivani, why you have not been in contact with me?“ almost made their way onto his lips. He thought he was being a fool, for sure Shivani has been contacting him. Just yesterday when she was not able to sleep, she had told him “Nt able to sleep, dont knw whats bothring me....”.
A knock woke him up from his sleep. “Shivani, is online now”, he noticed on his screen. He typed “Hi” and clicked send. There was no reply. He waited for few minutes and then typed, “Hi” and clicked on send again. After few seconds there was a knock announcing “Shivani is offline now”.
He clicked on “View Friendship”. It’s been one year since she had replied to his post.
Joy So all set for tonight!
Shivani yup, can’t wait
That was the last conversation. Involuntarily, he clicked on refresh.
Shivani
Joy, missing u a lot today, may u rest in peace.
Seeing this message he panicked. He went back to his homepage and realised that nobody had posted him anything since his last birthday. He went to Shivani’s album and clicked on album Birthdays. He went to comments history and started reading the comments on the same date last year.
Pratibha Hrd abt the accident, sorry for ur loss dear. love.
He couldn’t read further. He realised now why Shivani has not been in touch with him. Almost in tears, he clicked on “deactivate account”.
Emotions and Science fiction
I was reading last novel of Odyssey series by Clarke and I was in a dilemma. I never wanted that novel to finish but it was not able to put it down. Alas, i finished it in one night. I was so heartbroken with this "one night stand" that i started looking for more novels from Clarke as soon as finished. I had a cursory look on few reviews about the Rama series and ordered it online so that could get my hands on it as soon as I returned back to India. On my flight back home I had already started missing Clarke.
Thankfully I received "Rendezvous with Rama" as soon as I reached back home. Once again Clarke mesmerized me with his beautiful imaginative world. But like the last time my happiness didn't last long. Enter Gentry Lee, who collaborated with Clarke starting from 2nd novel in Rama series. Gentry Lee,a lousy writer and an asshole, is the real villain of the Rama series. "Thanks" to him Rama ii looks more like a Saas bahu opera from Ekta kapoor's series rather than a Science fiction. Following is how wikipedia describes him
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just drags on and on and is littered with unnecessary sex scenes that, if you read much of Gentry Lee’s work, you will find is one of his obsessions. I fail to understand why Lee feels that he must include sex scenes in the middle of a science fiction novel that have nothing to do with the story. Once would be OK, but after about the fourth time I found myself dropping the book and thinking “again?!”"
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I had never thought that I was capable of so much anger towards a person whom I have never seen or talked to. I have now given up on the Rama series, thanks to Gentry Lee I will think 100 times before picking up science fiction Novel from any writer other than Clarke or Asimov.
Thankfully I received "Rendezvous with Rama" as soon as I reached back home. Once again Clarke mesmerized me with his beautiful imaginative world. But like the last time my happiness didn't last long. Enter Gentry Lee, who collaborated with Clarke starting from 2nd novel in Rama series. Gentry Lee,a lousy writer and an asshole, is the real villain of the Rama series. "Thanks" to him Rama ii looks more like a Saas bahu opera from Ekta kapoor's series rather than a Science fiction. Following is how wikipedia describes him
------
just drags on and on and is littered with unnecessary sex scenes that, if you read much of Gentry Lee’s work, you will find is one of his obsessions. I fail to understand why Lee feels that he must include sex scenes in the middle of a science fiction novel that have nothing to do with the story. Once would be OK, but after about the fourth time I found myself dropping the book and thinking “again?!”"
----------
I had never thought that I was capable of so much anger towards a person whom I have never seen or talked to. I have now given up on the Rama series, thanks to Gentry Lee I will think 100 times before picking up science fiction Novel from any writer other than Clarke or Asimov.
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