Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Killer Elite - Great Movie

I took my sons to the movie KILLER ELITE Sunday night. Normally I wouldn't do that on a school night, but what the heck, I wanted to see the movie and so did they. And it was a great movie. I like Jason Statham as an actor in action movies, and I like Clive Owen as an actor, too. Both actors were great in this movie.

One of the first things I noticed was the name of the movie, of course. KILLER ELITE. I remember a movie with the same title from the seventies, I think. But I can't even remember if I saw it. All I remember is that it had James Caan in it. But I don't remember what it was about or anything else. I do remember that I thought it had a cool title, though.

It's reminiscent of my own book's title: KILLER OF KILLERS. I mean, if you're a killer of killers, doesn't that qualify you as a killer elite? I would think so. So, yeah, I always liked that title, and now I can say I liked the movie. A great plot, a great story, great acting and directing, and my two favorite actors, Statham and Owen, had great roles.

Maybe I should rent that movie from the seventies. It would be interesting to see if it was the same plot, or a completely different story. I liked James Caan movies, too, after all. He was great in THE GODFATHER and even better in ROLLERBALL.

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