Amongst
all the favorite novelists of mine, Mr. Sidney Sheldon occupies the top
position. He is not just my most favorite novelist, but also my Role Model. As
mentioned in my ‘Personal Statement’, Mr. Sidney Sheldon has been a creative
influence for me. I have grown up on his writing and it was the key factor
behind my wish to become a writer myself. He is the man who needs no
introduction..Widely known as a Master Storyteller. One of the Bestselling Novelist
in the English speaking world with a large body of work to his credit. Having
successfully attempted various mediums of Storytelling like Films, TV, Theatre,
it’s the ‘Novel Writer’ in him which makes him one of the best in the business.
Out of 18 odds novels he wrote, my personal favorites are Master Of The Game,
Bloodline, The Doomsday Conspiracy, Tell Me Your Dreams, The Other Side Of
Midnight, Memories Of Midnight & his fascinating Autobiography ‘The Other Side Of Me’ (also, a treat for
any aspiring screenwriter). All of them are equally dear to me. But as I have
to answer about only one, I would like to discuss about ‘Master Of The Game’… A
highly successful novel by Mr. Sheldon. It can be called as an Epic
Novel, as it covers a time period of about 100 years…3 Generations and a large
number of primary characters. Frankly
speaking, there is nothing different in ‘Master Of The Game’ than any other
works of him. On the contrary, it can be described as a classic Sidney Sheldon
novel..having all the elements one expects from him.. Thanks to some of the
comparatively inferior works by Mr Sheldon, his writing has also been
criticized as a potboiler or pulp fiction..But, I personally don’t agree at
all.. His
writing has a certain class, an elegance and yet it’s very simple. Taking an
example of ‘Master Of The Game’, we see, the impeccable crafting of the plot,
well defined.. well grounded characters..strong conflict.. and a power
packed…fast paced drama.. All of which is a sign of good writing..I am not an
expert to analyze his writing.. but these are the observations I’ve made as a
student of script writing.. Of course, in the second read after enjoying the
novel as a reader. Master of the game is a compelling read, as we keep turning
pages after pages trying to find out ‘What Next’..? It’s an engaging Family
Saga. Starting from year 1883 which culminates in 1983 with the re-union of
MacGregor-Blackwell family. Told in flashback, the Novel depicts those 100
years of their family members..The story of foundation of mighty Kruger-Bent’
Business empire which is spread all across the world.. A compulsive read which
explain why it’s said that behind every fortune there is a crime… The most
appealing thing about the novel is it doesn’t portray it’s protagonist(s),
(mainly James MacGregor & Kate Blackwell), in a complete white light in
spite of the fact that they’re supposed to be Hero/Heroin of the story,
burdened with the challenge of fighting ‘so-called’ villains..We see them doing
evil…Un ethical things.. But at the end, we realize, even the ‘Heroes’ are
nothing but flawed human beings.. ‘Master Of The Game’, in certain terms can be compared to ‘Godfather’ too.
Because, it’s also about preserving Family Honor and it’s integrity.. It boldly
depicts all the conflicting human emotions like Love, Lust, Pride, Envy,
Jealousy, Loyalty, Betrayal..etc.. and it does it effectively. I deliberately
choose to be vague instead of discussing plotline and events in details simply
because that would be like stepping into an unending territory.. The reason I like this (or
any other by the same other) book is, it’s a clear example of how a writer can
be a real ‘Master Of The Game’..who knows all the tricks of the trades and can
hold his readers attention till the end..and even when you are finished with
the novel, the characters and their stories linger in your mind.. ‘Master Of
The Game’ is an ideal example of it.
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