Opinions

"A highly original, metaphysical love story about two soul mates who find each other across lifetimes. An emotional, character-driven, non-traditional story that is profoundly stirring and innovative. The work is imbued with a sense of lyricism and strives to capture the eternal life that lasts beyond mere lifetimes based on an intriguing concept which is the strongest element in the story."

- Hollywood Coverage

It is a review by a 76-year old reader, which may be out of phase with the young readers. As a writer myself, I commend the author for this command over English and the choice usage of words and imagery. With his uncanny imagination, rich vocabulary and lucid expression, he takes the readers to the heights of titillation. The imagery is not at all graphic or pornographic, but very artistic with strokes of words and fans of expression like: Sleeping with a whore is far more comforting than with someone you don't like... Do we need bodies to make love? No, we need love and love only to make love. Our bodies - they don't know love. Driven by lust, bodies just indulge in sex. The author grew up in Punjab, but his understanding of Bengali culture and lifestyle, as shown in the novel, is very acute.

- Dr Satish C. Bhatnagar: Professor Emeritus University of Nevada - Las Vegas, USA

Prof Surindra Lai has weaved the human psyche very aptly, very beautifully. The purest form of amalgamation of mind and soul with the coexistence of body personified as Siddhartha, Bharti, Sonia and Dadi Maa amazed me. Many descriptions in the book cast spell of unending cycle of reincarnation; where trauma turns into trance and trance into transcendental solace. Superb! The story conveys that minds and souls are like confluence of mighty rivers. They create ripples, gong beats and this fully blown orchestra sums up in rhythmic musical sweet symphony. The author has entwined, blended and carved the dialogues in a soul-soothing manner. This saga of life is not merely a novel; it is much more than that.

- Nirmala Singh: Senior Artist and Poet

A story conceiving spiritual love between Siddhartha and Bharti while other characters pass through the criss-cross of human passions of lust, love, selfishness, humiliation and revenge. It is something larger than fiction that conceptualises 'Ardhnarishwar', the monolith from which man and woman split up into two halves in order to see and dialogue with each other like Shiva and Sati, Radha and Krishna. There is that sort of clamour in Siddharta to meet Bharti to accomplish 'Nirvana' and seek bliss which is the perfect fusion of mind and soul. Overall, it is a very well penned novel that keeps the reader thoroughly engaged from beginning to the end. The dialogues are penchant and its ambience is pleasing.

- Prof C P Sharma: Economist, Poet and Author

Surindra Lai did his postgraduation in Physics from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra bagging the Chancellor's Medal for topping in the University. Earlier, he graduated from Panjab University, Chandigarh with the rare honour of winning the Govt, of India National Scholarship. He started his career as a Lecturer in Physics and after teaching for almost four decades; retired as Principal of Multani Mai Modi College (Patiala), one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. He has authored several books on Physics which are popular throughout the country to the extent that he has been honoured with the Distinguished Author Award (2011) by the Federation of Educational Publishers in India, Delhi, “Love Never Fails Soul Mates" is the fructification of blissful moments of leisure spared from his busy professional routine. His next novel, "3Ps She Loved: Poems, Paintings, Planes", awaits publication. Presently, as a member of the Modi Educational Society, he takes keen interest in the development of his alma mater.